The Weapons - Ruego v. Sarmiento v. Veredicto

[UmbreonMessiah]

I was wondering what people thought of the weapon selection in the game. I'm at 3 Doves so far and I've found all the weapons to have their ups and downs, but I haven't quite settled on whether I should be trying to swap between them or settle on one for the long run of the game.

What do people feel the strengths of each weapon are? The weaknesses? What Resonances do people recommend for each one? Let's get a discussion going that ISN'T pointless complaining!

[jacobcapra]

I found the rapiers useless as their damage sucks unless you have the indicators filled, which at the beginning happens every time you get hit, and still happens after 2-3 hits after finding a specific altarpiece. It has a nice damage boost and range when parrying, but only after significant upgrades. BTW you should still upgrade it as a couple of the memories apply to all weapons or your base defense.

Veredicto is pretty good imo especially in the early game as it 1 shots most basic enemies (that is, by hitting twice per swing).

I ended up using Ruego for like 95% of the game because the parrying is extremely good and the DPS is at least equal to veredicto unless the latter is ignited. blood pact is slightly underwhelming until you have a ton of altarpieces some of which are late game. But the decent damage, parrying, and much quicker attack speed compared to veredicto made it a clear choice to me. It's also the most similar mechanically to Mea Culpa which made for an easier transition from B1.

[Onoda]

I only upgraded Ruego Al Alba because I like the idea of a slayer build. It gave me the option to choose and I went all in. This choice also allowed me to traverse the map, since only the curved sword requires an upgrade to unlock areas of the map, where the other weapons can perform their traversal abilities unupgraded.

I also use unupgraded Veredicto, since certain enemies, especially flying ones, are easily controlled by the reach and knockback of the weapon.

The rapier and dagger has the beloved dodge thrust from the first game, but it wasn't enough to make me upgrade the weapon. but I still find it useful in certain encounters.

I like all the new weapons, but would be impressed if the devs added Mea Culpa and Cristanta's twohander in a DLC.

[almurat89]

Due to my walkthroughs, I mostly stick to a single weapon, and I'm only rarely using others for various situations. I found the mace is best for mobbing, huge radius and arc, which is vital for a flying enemy type or clusters of weak hostiles. Great damage for heavy foes that need to be killed quickly. But it's slow, unable to parry, unable to move when using it, and its overall DPS I found the lowest of all three weapons.
The sword is balanced, as the game says, best for parry (especially against annoying skeletons and irritating little ones) and best against groups of medium ranks enemies. It's faster than mace, but you can't block incoming damage while combo animation occurring, which makes you open when you use these. Also, I found it uncomfortable to use in fast tempo fights.
Rapiers has the best DPS among other equipment, and it's shining against bosses. It also gives you a great mobbing experience. Fast weapon type that great with player's mobility and speed. Drawbacks: small radius, it's almost point-black range, small swinging arc which makes it's difficult to use in certain situations, like flying enemy, ones you can't "dash-stricke" through or foes you have to be crouched for. Odd weapon tree that makes it less useful as you spend points on it and bugs. Critical ones.

[rrReyn]

Originally posted by almurat89:

Odd weapon tree that makes it less useful as you spend points on it and bugs. Critical ones.

Yeah, that. The lowest part of the tree takes away your ability to just strike continuously and be able to dash away at any moment.

[almurat89]

Originally posted by rrReyn:

Yeah, that. The lowest part of the tree takes away your ability to just strike continuously and be able to dash away at any moment.

I saw a guy on YT who used this weapon diagonally staying on a ground for tall/high targets (like final boss).

[Summoner]

Veredicto is extremely overpowered and useful in almost all situations and even the special outliers are still quite easily dealt with. It has huge damage, reach, stun, generates fervor very quickly. You can't parry but it doesn't matter because slide/air dash works for everything. Using praying blade and parrying made me enjoy the game much more because it's not braindead easy.

[RocketPotatoL62]

Sarmiento & Centella were definitely my favorite, it's rewarding to keep up the lightning damage bonus and it encourages more precision/parrying/dodging than any of the others. It felt like it could be both the weakest or the strongest weapon depending on if you're willing to stick with it to learn it and upgrade the damage/lightning with memories and pieces. Its main gap is just those very small enemies where it's a lot easier to deck them with the other two instead of staying all precise.

Ruego Al Alba felt like the ol' reliable if I really wanted to just parry something like it was Mea Culpa and not think too hard about it. It works for everything but also didn't feel optimal for anything with what the other two can do.

Veredicto felt like it started off overpowered but the other two weapons caught up as the game went on. Later on I preferred the other two for damage dealing, but Veredicto never lost its use for clearing out smaller enemies or playing it safe with high range. Even with more fast-paced bosses, your ability to attack in the air combined with your hops and dashes makes it a safe bet.

With all that said I was switching weapons constantly. The rapiers were my fun go-to and it felt sorta natural to switch to Veredicto or Ruego based on context. It's nice to shake things up and experiment. I was spreading thin upgrading each of them throughout the game and never felt "underlevel".

[ZexxCrine]

I still think that ruego is the best weapon in the game by a large margin and I feel insane for thinking that. the other two are good even with the dual blades kinda losing usability as you go up the tree.

first thing is if you played blasphemous 1 its basically the same weapon which puts you at advantage over the other two at first. not saying its out and out better at that point, but it is easier to use than two weapons you have never used. at this point in the game its just a jack of all trades. not the best damage, not the safest and it has super mode that is actively detrimental for you to use. however that all changes by the mid game. once you get the lifesteal on hit while in blood mode it has to be the best weapon in the game. I feel like it just has to be. the damage is incredible and the longer you can maintain agression the longer the buff lasts and the less cost using the buff has. using a perfect parry or completing an attack string immediatly builds the meter to full. not only that but it doesn't have to sacrifice prayers for its damage like veredicto does. Actually it builds ferver faster than both of the other weapons and the prayers will deal more damage on average as well due to passives and the best statue combos for the sword will make them more powerful just as a consequence.

so it builds meter faster, rewards agression more, has a safer block than the dual blades and a better(for positioning and meter building) perfect parry. the damage rewards you for agressive play which the dual blades just don't do because of getting locked into animations(meanwhile being in blood mode and doing attack attack r1 does insane damage and is super fast and safe) it does basically everything the dual blades wants to do better. veredicto isn't as easily comparable due to how you mainly use it as a hit and run weapon with bursts of damage, but I think at minimum the damage is comparable especially with how powerful the statue combos are for the sword.

all that said, the game really isn't that hard and all of the weapons are good enough. I just think ruego has some sizable benefits over the other two in the mid to late game.

[my butt is erect]

People really overcomplicate it.... some weapons will obviously have an easier time in certain fights and vs certain enemies due to their shape size and speed. You switch based on what you're fighting.

[HerbertWess]

I like all the weapons just fine. The figurine combinations is what makes them insane or pretty meh. After finishing with both endings and trying them out this is how i feel about em:

Ruego del Alma: easy to handle, especially if you played the first game. Blood pact is where the real deal is. Endgame the parry system isn't so effective as it will block dmg but you cannot counterattack due to multiple hits. Not many enemies/bosses but still (looking at you Eviterno). Combos:

- Partisan+Demented - killing enemies renews blood pact duration
- Punished+tempest - blood pact also has lightning effect

Veredicto: Great early. Arguably useful in almost every part, but for boss killing it will require excellent handling or chants like time stop which are pretty much endgame stuff. Once you got all the stuff it's pretty much game though. Combos:

- Anointed+purified - adds some explosion effect (Veredicto must have fire on)
- Anointed+alchemist - basically toxic Veredicto (replace fire for miasma)
- Thurifer with some other fervor figure let's you have fire effect without cost (sorry, can't remember the exact name of the other figure)

Sarmiento: Not my fave one, but gotta admit the dmg output toward endgame or mid if you invested primarily on this weapon surpasses even Veredicto. Just forget the parry nonsense for most stuff. Dash attack... through... everything (well, except the biggies duh)... and poke them like there is no tomorrow. Combos:

- Veteran+tempest - Chain lightning added. Great for the silly gauntlets the game loves to throw at you
- Veteran+guide - true dexterity now charges mystical dmg. Also generates a shadow after the dash attack that will hit the enemy after a sec
- Pilgrim+nacimiento - Drinking a flask renews all the true dex charges

[PsychoKevab]

The biggest weakness out of the three weapons is suffering tendonitis. Let me hold to attack with sarmiento y centella for the love of god.

[my butt is erect]

Originally posted by PsychoKevab:

The biggest weakness out of the three weapons is suffering tendonitis. Let me hold to attack with sarmiento y centella for the love of god.

Yeah seriously. We should know since contra 1 that spamming mindlessly to shoot is crappy unhealthy design.

[Zero]

The flail has an overhead swing arc and thus is the best weapon by default. This is the same problem I have with Aria/Dawn of Sorrow, a big wide swing hits everything easily and it does high damage, why would I use a weapon that has higher risk or has a narrow hit box? I don't really care what abilities the other weapons have (I haven't gotten anything from tier 2 yet) because nothing is going to change the mechanical function of "big swing = hit everything." Plus it lets me spam prayers, which is always great. Let's be real, the combat in this game is jank, fancy abilities never actually work in practice so just go for the big swing.

For a second I was super hopeful when I got that spear key item because I thought I had unlocked an actual spear weapon, because that kind of long-range poke is the only thing that really competes with an overhead swing, but I was sorely disappointed to not get an actual spear.

[swolblu]

I've gotten by with just using Veredicto, only using the other 2 when needed for going through their respective terrain. The huge reach lets you hit through some walls and floors. It also feels safer because you don't have to be right up in the enemy's face to do damage.

I haven't beaten Eviterno yet though because there's hardly any window to attack him with the flail. I may have to switch to one of the other weapons just for him.

[RocketPotatoL62]

Originally posted by Toby Larone:

I've gotten by with just using Veredicto, only using the other 2 when needed for going through their respective terrain. The huge reach lets you hit through some walls and floors. It also feels safer because you don't have to be right up in the enemy's face to do damage.

I haven't beaten Eviterno yet though because there's hardly any window to attack him with the flail. I may have to switch to one of the other weapons just for him.

Funnily enough it's doable to beat Eviterno with just Veredicto (no prayers) as well. Veredicto definitely has too much delay when standing on the ground, but swinging while in the air is reliable. The airdash/dodge and doublejump gives more than enough positioning to go with that, even against the fastest enemy. It really does do everything, the choice of other weapons comes down to preference in the end