Crystal rapier VS Crystal Sage Rapier

[Anon8920]

Is the Sage difference worth the stat investment? First sorcerer build and I feel like using a rapier.

[spy]

sage rapier give item rarity. if you farming any item then sage rapier.

[Willheart]

Infused items tend to scale better with stats, while Spell-Buffed+Phys-Infused weapons tend to have the best AR, neither of which Crystal Sage's Rapier can use since it's a Boss/Special Weapon.

IIRC the Crystal Sage Rapier isn't particularly damaging (big issue is 100 critical modifier compared to Rapier's 130 or Crow Quills' 120) although the length is nice, small weapon classes like Rapier don't really stagger enemies well either so when it comes to melee you really want at least good damage.

18 Dex requirement as well isn't too bad for a Sorc since you'll want Dex eventually for Cast Speed, but the Sage Rapier's physical scalings are abysmal beyond base requirements, like +30 from 18-40.

You could possibly make Sage Rapier work for Early-Mid levels, but it's one of those disappointing weapons From loves, I thought about going NG+ for it on my Sorcerer for it but I didn't think it worthy - had great fun with Immolation Tinder halberd instead.

[Terrorize Exercise]

Raw rapier with Crystal Magic Weapon. You should be buffing your weapons instead. The overall best mage melee weapon is the raw Drake Blood Greatsword with Crystal Magic Weapon.

[Anon8920]

If I am reading correctly it looks like with crystal magic weapons int scaling any weapon with raw infuse is already top tier with the Drake Blood Greatsword being most stat friendly? Greatsword due to stun combos?

[Anon8920]

Is late game heysel pick any good?

[Willheart]

Originally posted by Anon8920:

Drake Blood Greatsword being most stat friendly? Greatsword due to stun combos?

It has a leg-up because of innate magic damage, moveset is like Hollow-Slayer Greatsword without the 2-handed thrusts (still has 1-handed thrusts though). It stuns pretty well but the short length can be awkward against multiple enemies.

There's an argument to be made though that as a Sorcerer you might prefer Crystal-infusion instead, because buffing takes FP and has a duration, so it requires some set-up, and if you're caught unawares or your buff runs out you've lost like 40% of your AR.

Originally posted by Anon8920:

Is late game heysel pick any good?

Haven't tried it late-game but it's pretty good overall. Very short range, but it deals thrust-damage for counters and has insane hyper-armour when two-handed. Stat-wise having your Catalyst also as a Weapon means you can hold a Saint-Tree Bellvine chime in your off-hand to benefit from +99 Cast Speed, which means you don't need Sage Ring or level Dex. Heysel's can't be buffed with Infusion or Crystal Buff but the WA increases melee damage too, but I think it still lacks damage somewhat.

[Anon8920]

Welp, I guess I don't love riposte that much and now I have a crystal rapier and a crystal sage rapier with my scales used up on them. Only some small titanite scales and the only early crystal gem. I think I might just use Heysel's and the saint-tree bellvine chime. Also considering raw infusion and great magic weapon. Thanks for help on those two options.

[Anon8920]

Crystal sage rapier is good enough for PvE. Is the Kite shield comparable to the small shield for parries? I'm guessing the windows are a little different.

[Willheart]

Originally posted by Anon8920:

Is the Kite shield comparable to the small shield for parries? I'm guessing the windows are a little different.

Yeah, they're different. Wouldn't really recommend it, Kite shield (Medium Shields in general) have pretty bad/tight parry timings, like, you'd be better off parrying with your rapier in the offhand (only issue with Rapier/Fist parries is the huge stamina drain from partial/missed parries).

I mean it's possible to get good with Medium Shield parries but you have to be so confident and precise.

Something like Iron Round Shield or Llewellyn Shield is a decent compromise for stability on Small Shields but you aren't getting 100% physical if you want decent parries. Pick one out for fashion or stats, most of them are relatively similar. Literally any Small Shield with parry is 'fine', but you can't rely on them to block more than a few hits unlike a Medium Shield.

You probably already know but Buckler and Target Shield particularly have the 'best parry' (like 20% better/faster than Small Shields), but they're not fashionable so I never used them beyond tests. The normal Small Shields are consistent though, far more than Medium Shield parries.

[Anon8920]

Wow! Thanks for a perfect answer.