Vermundian vs Dwarven Smithing Style

[Label07]

Why is it Dwarven is just better than Vermundian? Oversight? Intended?
By having same stats on most weapons STR/MAG as Vermundian yet Dwarven typically double the knockdown power.

Why would the player ever use Vermundian style?

Example: Lindworm Fang (fully upgraded)
https://dragonsdogma2.wiki.fextralife.com/Lindworm+Fang

Verm: str = 652, mag = 617, knock = 283
Dwarv: str = 652, mag = 617, knock = 496

[[-iD-]]

dwarven is secret, you can't get it so easily. i never found it on my first playthrough blindly. it took reading a guide to figure it out.

[null]

I think added weight was supposed to scare players away until they learn about wyrmfire weight effect.

[Supersomething]

Dwarf all day unless you're a magic user, then elf. Dragonforging offsets all of the weight consequences from Dwarf enhancements.

[Label07]

Originally posted by null:

I think added weight was supposed to scare players away until they learn about wyrmfire weight effect.

True. Even pre-wormsfire the weight difference is only around 0.6. Hardly enough to scare players. After wormsfire around 0.3.

I really feel Capcom should retune the stats for each smithing style path so each is useful. Currently, Vermundian is just dead and a trap for new players.

[Nik-Naks]

Only reason to use Vermundian is so that you can get it right from the start or make the weapon lighter. It's the upgrade you will use until you get to late game

[J-Sheridan]

For the amount of effort required to get the dwarf stuff it should be better.
Both of the Dwarf guys require a hefty amount of legwork to reach and the added travel annoyance.

Might have been better if it had been made an unlock that can apply to all shops once unlocked rather than be stuck in a NG+ needing to unlock it again.

[AvG]

knockdown is such a quality of life feature, almost every vocation benefits from it and getting almost double the value out of your weapon seems very efficient, over 30 stat points.

[ninakoru]

dwarven is sort of endgame enhancing, Vermundian is available for the very start.

warven makes weapons and armor heavier, not an issue IF you dragonforge that piece of equipment.

In armor, Vermundian gives marginally more stats. In weapons they give the same.

I don't know, many enchantments are good enough when they are available. For endgame is stupid to not go dwarven, maybe with staves and magic, but that's it.

[Label07]

For gear it's almost required for any vocation as melee, playing mainly warrior. Using dwarven with the knockdown resist augment and utilizing Barge, 95% of the time the Warrior will not flinch.

I wouldn't classify it was "endgame". Two methods, either the escort or the chain with Sara to unlock it. The stats it gives almost force the player to only use it.

Feel like wasted opportunity for Vermundian style to be useful.

[Wiegs]

Dwarven smithing style is locked behind quests and can't be unlocked before reaching the volcanic island, so compared to something that's available from the start of the game it's pretty balanced i'd say. Also i think it often asks for rarer materials too.

[Monk]

One is early game while one is entirely missable late game and far costlier using rarer materials, kind of makes sense that a game with a gear progression system would have a superior option.

It should be used on EVERYTHING by the way, the stat drop to strength or magic is not worth giving up the added CC and resistances dwarven offers.

[Greb]

Vermundian is balanced. Elven is Magick focused. Battahl is Physical focused. Dwarven is balanced between physical but with more emphasis on knockdown.

You lose a bit of physical damage or resistance for oodles more knockback damage or resistance. Generally speaking, it's better than Battahl just for that, as knockback is poise, if you can throw your enemies around and tank a few blows before being thrown around yourself, that's better defensively than just stacking more physical resistance.

I can't remember exactly, but I think Dwarven is also the heaviest form of enhancement too, but that's hardly an issue anyway, and becomes completely moot when you Dragonforge, which halves the weapons weight.

Dwarven is locked behind two quests (there's two dwarfs in the game, both of which can offer enhancement - well, one of them is another dwarfs human apprentice) and isn't immediately accessible, like Battahli or Elven, but it's likely the last one you'll unlock.

If anything I'd say Dwarven might be a little overtuned in the damage department, making Battahl seem redundant and Vermund feel like a noob trap, honestly. They should probably reduce how much extra damage Dwarven enhancement adds, just to give Battahli enhancement a fighting chance.

For me, it's Dwarven all the way on armour and weapons, because knockback is just king. I also wear two of those rings that grant +100 knockback as well, just because I hate being stunlocked to death by a bunch of knackers anyway.

But I'd put Elven on Magick Bows, Staffs, etc, and possibly perma-enchanted weapons.

[Monk]

I'd still use dwarven on magic stuff, you don't lose any noticeable damage but gain knock back which can aid your other party members to knock stuff down and a bunch of knock back resistance, it's 'the' endgame option really.