Masqueraiders for beginners
Welcome!
So.. you have decided to start playing as a masqueraider?
Well, isn't that nice?
First of all, you must be aware that this class has many options for combat strategy AND that is it's most valuable asset.
Many players criticize this class that every branch is worse than other classes branches with the same abilities [healing, damaging AoE, moving]. That is just ones point of view.
Never mind, lets get into the class characteristic right away !
Masks have the following three branches available:
water branch - mix of sac and eni spells
fire branch - area of effect spells ONLY
air branch - displacement & collision spells
Water branch
This branch is dedicated for people who prefer
mid-ranged attacks and healing allies.
Below, short characteristic of water branch spells and their usage in battle:
Fugue [cost: 2AP, 1MP] - melee attack used for escaping. Hits the target and makes mask to jump one square back. Uses 1 MP, so recommended when we want to finish off a weakened monster and move back, or to be 100% sure that after retreating, we won't lose our turn by being locked.
Backbeat [cost: 4AP] - mid-ranged attack with great effect. Pushes our target back and makes us jump back one square. Very nice spell for increasing distance between our target and us. After one use we the difference increases to two squares. Range 1-3 gives us a chance to run away just as the target is getting closer. With 8AP we can increase the distance for 4 squares + run. Good in early game.
The following 3 spit-spells will be active after we put Coward Mask on [1 AP cost]. This state lasts till we change it for another mask. Coward Mask is the first support spell we can obtain.
Spitfall [cost: 3AP, 1MP] - ranged attack which I strongly recommend. Main damaging and healing spell you want to use. 2 attacks per turn [limited to two] with nice range of 5 [can be longer with buffs "+range"]. The downside of this spell is MP cost. Using it twice will substract 2MP points, so it would be good if you increased your total MP [i overdid a little, currently 7MP], so you can move and attack, not just stand in one place. When you cast this spell on an ally,not only will it heal him/her, but also give dodge bonus.
Spitbull [cost: 4AP, 2MP] - mid-ranged spell. This spell has many downsides like high MP cost or not so good damage... BUT ! It also has 2 great advantages: 1) no line of sight, so you can cast it through obstacles and players/monsters, 2) when you cast it on an ally, this spell will heal him/her, and switch your position with that player [like sac spell transposition]. Those 2 points make this spell valuable. You can rescue surrounded players or damage target, which you cannot hit with other ranged spells]
Spittoon [cost 5AP, 1WP] - this spell may look bad, because of low 3-squares range in stright line only, but it has good sides too, really. It is the most powerful spell in water branch, that equals damage/healing of 2 spitfalls . When you cast it on an ally, he/she will be healed and attracted to our character by max to squares [so standing next to us]. Good spell for doing major damage without using MP, and rescuing allies.
If you wish to heal better, and move further from your enemies when locked, you should really consider upgrading your
Coward Mask support skill. When maxed, this spell will give you 100% probability to get additional MP with every successful dodge, and a bonus of +20% heal, so if you are confident about your dodge, you can spam heal bonus many times [till you almost run out off MP] and then use it to heal ally. Rememer to leave some MP or you wont be able to cast spitfalls and spitbull. Once a battle you can heal yourself using
Masked Spirit spell.This support spell summons your double for 1 or 2 turns [cost: 6AP, 2WP, geez!!]. Beware! Every damage your summon suffers is redirected to you! If you wish to heal yourself, be sure to have your coward mask on, your double will be summoned in the same state as you are. You can also use it to save you from enemy that has locked you.
Most people stick to using 2 spitfalls for 6 AP, but I use another strategy. With my base 7AP and maxed
Burst of Wakfu skill [when WP used, gives 1AP every 2 turns and +20% resist bonus] i use spittoon [7AP - 5AP =2AP, +1AP from Burst skill = 3AP] and spitfall. Inflicted damage/heal is 1/3 greater. Then, after 1 turn I use 2 x spitfall. Yes, target must be in a stright line, not further than 3 squares away, but with my 7MP it is not a problem. Aiming for 10AP build I can use 2 spitfalls [2 x 3AP, 2 x 1MP cost] + 1 spitbull [4AP, 2MP cost] for total of 10AP and 4MP and every 2nd turn spittoon [5AP, 1WP cost] + 2 spitfalls [2 x 3AP, 2 x 1MP cost] for a total of 10AP, 2MP, 1WP cost. Everyone has its own strategy, my is just an example.
Air branch
This branch is dedicated for players, who like to
mess up a little with targets on the map.
Air spells involve many
displacement moves either forward or backward with nice
collision bonus damage [when our target hits something]. They are as follows:
Kickoff [cost: 5AP] - highest AP cost in air branch. Melee spell that pushes the target 1 square back. Target face is turned to the side, so you can prepare it for other allies, causing higher damage. When something is behind the target, it will suffer additional damage as collision bonus.
Scherzo [cost: 2MP] - melee spell with no AP cost, good for all 3 branches to do additional damage, when our mask has run out of AP. This spell is weak itself, but better to use it, than not using it at all. It pushes target 1 square backward & moves our character to square, where the target was. If anything stands behind the target, it suffers additional collision damage.
The following 3 class-spells will be active after we put Classic Mask on [1 AP cost]. This state lasts till we change it for another mask. Classic Mask is the second support spell we can obtain.
Classtanet [cost: 2AP] - mid-ranged attack [max range 3], makes our character jumping behind the target and then pushes it "backward" [well, actually forward, considering our previous position], following target to it original position. Small collision bonus damage added if target hits something. Very nice spell that can give you a lot of strategy options. If you just want to punch, just use it many times. Cheap AP cost enables you to do so. This spell works like a mid-ranged teleport, that could be very useful if properly used.
Classerole [cost: 4AP] - melee attack with nice push-back-2-squares effect. Not only it pushes target backward, but also makes our character following the target those 2 squares. Very good for making tactics with classtanet and classablanca. I will write down my strategy at the end of this branch. Small collision bonus damage if target hits something. Notice: you can run away with one target 2 squares forward without using any MP.
Classablanca [cost: 2AP, 1MP, 1WP] - mid-ranged attack [range of 3]. Our character jumps max 3 squares, hits target, and pushes it backward 1 square, leaving some gap between you and it. If target hits something - collision bonus damage added. When used correctly, it's cost is not that high, considering what it can do. Notice: while spending 1 MP, you move 3 MP forward, push your enemy, and make a small distance between you two, to make you a place for free movement.
Air branch is not so damage-dealing, but the role of air mask in a team is not to be powerful, but rather agile. The main role is to be a support unit for the rest of the crew. If you want to aid them more: upgrade your
Classic Mask to max level. When you deal a critical hit, all allies will get additional 7% damage bonus, and there will be 75% probability of obtaining 1 additional AP by you [giving you more ways to attack, consider crit-build].
Most people don't recommend this branch, because of it low damage [we are talking about PvE]. Remember, the role of air mask is not to be a rampage beast. Air mask is a pusher, stalker, mover, whatever. This character is good for separating one enemy from the others, pushing it forward your melee allies, hitting it to death in 1 or 2 turns. Every action we make damages our target so it is not, that we are only pushing - we are also damaging [with good equipement we can do some nice damage too for low air-res targets]. My favourite strategy is to run for my target, use classtanet to stand behind the target [2 AP used, enemy pushed 1 square] + use classerole to make it even closer to our allies [2+4 AP used, enemy pushed 1+2 squares] + push it one more time with scherzo [6AP used, 2 MP used, enemy pushed 3+1 squares] and if able, finish this combo with classablanca [6 + 2 AP used, 2+1 MP used, 1 WP used, enemy pushed 4+1 squares, gap]. 5 squares away from the original position makes our enemy right in front of our allies, feeling their breath. My tactic of course, not that you ought to do it. Involves 8AP, 3MP + some more to run forward, 1WP.
Fire branch
This branch is dedicated for players who love to
attack groups of enemies. Why? Because ALL fire attacks of this charater have
Area of Effect [different shapes though]. Lets see:
Fracture [cost: 3 AP] - cheap attack with cone AoE [like this unwanted tetris block 3 squares + 1 square in the middle]. Good for attacking 2 squares-away enemies if used all MP to get to them. Simple, yet, effective. range as melee attacks, but this second line of 3 squares make this spell lil-ranged.
Hornito [cost: 4 AP] - aura attack [range 0] with AoE around you [all 8 squares around you]. If you cannot hit your enemies on diagonal with other spells [because they need stright line], and they are on the "corners" of your character, then use this spell. That's it.
The following 3 psy-spells will be active after we put Psychopath Mask on [1 AP cost]. This state lasts till we change it for another mask. Psychopath Mask is the third support spell we can obtain.
Psykotik [cost: 3AP, 1MP] - your must-have in fire branch. 5 x 5 [2 squares on one side + your character + 2 squares on the other side] cross AoE aura spell with nice damage. Remember to have some spare MP while running toward your enemy. MP cost is the only downside of this spell.
Psynapse [cost: 5AP] - love this spell.. Enemy too fast for you? Just stand in stright line not further than 4 squares away, use this whip attack and get attached to your enemy. Line mid-ranged attack. Fire mask jumps in front of the enemy, hitting it, and 3 adjacent targets. Nice pursuing spell.
Psyk-Out [cost: 6AP, 1MP, 1WP] - high cost for high damage. Line attack with 3 squares range [damaging all enemies along the way] and jumping on the 4sth square. Good for damage dealing and escaping. Forces all enemies to turn to your character, making good combo with other allies [to hit targets from behind, dealing additional damage].
Keep in mind, that fire branch has AoE spells only, so if there are many melee allies in your group, you may find it difficult to use your attacks without harming allies. This branch requires caution or selfish behavior.. Upgrading
Psychopath Mask is a must! At max level this spell gives +15% damage bonus per attack inflicted upon us. The downside of this spell is, that it also lowers our resistance by -8% per hit [recieved]. Those buffs/debuffs stack to a max amount of +100% damage and -50% resistance. Just like a berserker - it gets hits - it is more angry - it deals more damage, but at the cost of it's armor.
Artful Dodger will give us additional damage bonus. 30% [at max] of all our dodge will become damage bonus [so, having 100 dodge will give 30% bonus to our damage. Remember, it is "%" to our damage, not points of damage].
Spamming Psikotik is a common tactic in this case. Good spell, good damage, nice AoE. Remember about keeping some MP after running. Psyk-Out is a good alternative, which can be combined with Psikotik [in any order] causing massive destruction [6AP ,1MP, 1WP + 3AP, 1MP gives total cost of 9AP, 2MP, 1WP]. Psynapse acts like support spell for catching and locking enemies. I use psynapse a lot and I am not a fire-branch mask even! It really helps [most monsters are really annoying with their hit and run tactics].
Support Branch
5 active spells to use in battle, 5 passive states. Short description for all of them [those already described above will only be mentioned]:
Active:
Coward Mask
Classic Mask
Psychopath Mask
Masked Spirit
Dance of Death - when maxed, gives you and your allies +7 levels to your/allies spells [cost: 1WP].
Before considering this spell, check how much will your spells increase..
Passive:
Burst of Wakfu
Artful Dodger
Charade - when maxed, gives renewal state that stacks [max 30 per turn]: 5 per dodge, 10 per CH, 20 per kill. When renewal reaches 100 it gives 1WP back [user cannot have more than 6WP]. Worth considering only if you need WP abilities that much for a long battle.
Carnival - when maxed, allows to put mask on other allies with 80% probability that it will last for another turn[and so on]. AP cost rises to 4. Is it really that "awsome" ? Hard to say.
Mask Master - when maxed, gives +40 dodge bonus, +40% damage to critical hit damage, AND gives 10% of your life back for each killed enemy. Good for self-healing! Love this one. I think it is a nice support skill for all branches.
In my opinion: mask master is a must, burst of wakfu and charade for WP-skill users, artful dodger for damage dealers [if you have high dodge of course!], carnival - hard to say.
Summon can give you some strategy options, but I really don't know if putting so many points to have it for 2 turns is really worth an effort. Dance of death- really think it over if you really get that much. Maxing masks is up to you [fire branch masks should have it at least at level 6].
Well.. that's it
for beginners. If this tutorial helps in any way, let me know.
I will consider writing something for advanced tactics or sth.
This post has been edited by JaSkaR - April 03, 2013, 10:26:28.
Reason for edit : minor error
May 12, 2013, 17:47:01 |
#1
[hazel wood]
