Build for Footknight + Greatsword

[BritishRabbit]

I'm getting back into this for the first time since before season 2 and I've not had much luck finding guides on getting the twohanded sword to work nicely for the Foot Knight. Plenty suggesting you use the X-Sword instead but for my Greatsword is rather a stylistic choice and I'd like to stick to it if possible.

My given understanding is that I should prioritize crits on the accessories and weapon itself over attack speed (although both is good) and that swift slaying is a must have. I've no idea how to set the talents up appropriately.

If it helps, my usual group (almost) always has a Bounty Hunter Saltzpyre and either a Sienna or a Ranger Bardin, we might be getting a 4th, no idea who they'll play as.

[Ghoul Hunter]

Take Stamina Recovery on your trinket. Greatsword does the highest damage on push-attack. Obviously, that takes a stamina to use.

The extra stagger talent usually is useless. I'm not sure how it will affect Greatsword, so you might have to test it.

If you are push-attacking elites, it might make sense to take the attack speed on push talent.

Take THP on cleave, probably. Greatsword has excellent cleave. If Knight has Mainstay, you want that, probably.

As for the final talent, people usually take the invuln or the attack speed bonus.

For weapon talents, I'd just stack attack speed, crit, and swift slaying. Can't go wrong with that.

[J.P.]

Originally posted by Bathrobe Rat:

Take Stamina Recovery on your trinket. Greatsword does the highest damage on push-attack. Obviously, that takes a stamina to use.

The extra stagger talent usually is useless. I'm not sure how it will affect Greatsword, so you might have to test it.

If you are push-attacking elites, it might make sense to take the attack speed on push talent.

Take THP on cleave, probably. Greatsword has excellent cleave. If Knight has Mainstay, you want that, probably.

As for the final talent, people usually take the invuln or the attack speed bonus.

For weapon talents, I'd just stack attack speed, crit, and swift slaying. Can't go wrong with that.

totally agree

I think you could make greatsword work, I would recommend having a friend who can play handmaiden :) push attacks are key for anti-armor

[765]

The greatsword is a nice anti-horde weapon, but at higher difficulties you get way more armored targets than before.
It's my favorite FK weapon so I tried many things to make it work, but from what I understand it doesn't really synergize with anything on the FK, which is why I guess there are no guides. That and it's not a popular weapon.

So without strong synergies you will have to mix and match and frankenpatch your build together to somehow synergize with your personal playstyle at least.

[765]

Or play Mordhau, greatsowrd is great there. =p

[BritishRabbit]

Longsword for life on Mordhau

[BritishRabbit]

Okay, thanks for the tips guys, this is good stuff.

[Deja Vu]

I have a good GS build I use, is basically the standard max attack speed build for FK.

-Multiple Targets
-Crowd Clearer
-Enhanced Power
-(Your Choice) I prefer Rock to help protect my stamina pool, which is "ammo" for the anti-armor push attack.
-Counter Punch
-Bull Of Ostland

Gear for Attack Speed + Infantry Damage or Chaos damage. 30% Stamina/Curse trinket. The rest is preference - I've tried both Push Angle+Opportunist builds for better control, and Off Balance + Block Reduction builds for defense and a damage buff. Both worked just fine.

To use this build just make sure you push for the attack speed buff, then every 3 or so attacks push again. When you really want some burst damage Charge into a crowd and mow them down with massive attack speed.

All of this depends on using the GS well. It's not an overpowering weapon so you need to compensate by mastering it - the push attack is vital, as is knowing when to use the heavy attacks for their high cleave vs the light attacks for their greater mobility. The heavy attacks can also deal damage to multiple armor at once, the only weapon in the game that can do this. Don't forget to aim for headshots even with normal swings, this weapon needs all the killing power boost it can get.

edit: If this isn't powerful enough for you, the same build works amazingly with 2h hammer.

[Just Terrible Gameplay]

Executioner sword > greatsword any day

[BritishRabbit]

Originally posted by Just Terrible Gameplay:

Executioner sword > greatsword any day

Yes I'm aware, again, stylistic choice.

Originally posted by Deja Vu:

I have a good GS build I use, is basically the standard max attack speed build for FK.

-Multiple Targets
-Crowd Clearer
-Enhanced Power
-(Your Choice) I prefer Rock to help protect my stamina pool, which is "ammo" for the anti-armor push attack.
-Counter Punch
-Bull Of Ostland

Gear for Attack Speed + Infantry Damage or Chaos damage. 30% Stamina/Curse trinket. The rest is preference - I've tried both Push Angle+Opportunist builds for better control, and Off Balance + Block Reduction builds for defense and a damage buff. Both worked just fine.

To use this build just make sure you push for the attack speed buff, then every 3 or so attacks push again. When you really want some burst damage Charge into a crowd and mow them down with massive attack speed.

All of this depends on using the GS well. It's not an overpowering weapon so you need to compensate by mastering it - the push attack is vital, as is knowing when to use the heavy attacks for their high cleave vs the light attacks for their greater mobility. The heavy attacks can also deal damage to multiple armor at once, the only weapon in the game that can do this. Don't forget to aim for headshots even with normal swings, this weapon needs all the killing power boost it can get.

edit: If this isn't powerful enough for you, the same build works amazingly with 2h hammer.

Interesting, the setup I was thinking of was using crit chance buffs along with swift slaying... but I could experiment with this. Thank you.

[Krezmick]

I got the same problem. It's just lackluster compared to everything else he has. Idk why it seems slower then exec sword on light attacks.

I played around with some crit builds like crit chance + crit power to become a utility against all enemy types. But that's more suited to Merc...I would probably go with power vs whatever and attack speed. Also can be fun to practice with the parry trait on it.

It just comes down to what you're most comfortable with. Maining any weapon will see improvement and effectiveness.

[765]

Originally posted by BritishRabbit:

Longsword for life on Mordhau

I keep alternating between those 2 on my 3/3/3.

[765]

Originally posted by Krezmick:

I got the same problem. It's just lackluster compared to everything else he has. Idk why it seems slower then exec sword on light attacks.

I played around with some crit builds like crit chance + crit power to become a utility against all enemy types. But that's more suited to Merc...I would probably go with power vs whatever and attack speed. Also can be fun to practice with the parry trait on it.

It just comes down to what you're most comfortable with. Maining any weapon will see improvement and effectiveness.

Check their stats in the armory mod, the very first swing actually is a tiny bit slower.

It used to be a more dynamic weapon with the original swing patterns, now it feels too static and dull to me.

[No emaN]

Greatsword has always been the bread and butter of Kruber's arsenal overall dependable and reliable in a scrape. The executioner's unparalleled stopping power is unquestioned, but the Greatsword holds a dodge count of 3, 10% dodge bonus compared to 2 dodge count and 0% bonus on the executioner's. The weapon is viable for its stopping power and mastering the efforts of landing headshots. The Greatsword is there to cleave every bastard possible on the screen. Hit everything compared to tackle multiple armored elites one at a time on a risky charged attack with a high crit rate. Out of the several people that tell me I should always run the Executioners. The Executioners never scratched my itch when it came to a complex composition of a horde. Its cleave stops at a little *dink* once a little bit of armor taps it. Rip and tear through the ranks that's how old Kruber does it.

The talents depend on what you want out of the weapon.
Bloody Unstoppable: Greatsword is a cleave machine not taking it would be an insult

Have at Thee: More power the more effective your cleave. Your push attack is the best at dealing with single armored opponents. On higher difficulties elites are the main threat. Take Crowd Clearer but that's another micro you have to keep track of at the cost of stamina.

Mainstay: Safe choice

Taal's Champion: merely preference, but I did wish Protective Presence lost its effect on just you but still affected allies. Rock of the Reikland helps with the stamina loss I tend to take Defensive Formation over it due to it stacking with allies and Stamina recovery will save your ass anyways.

Counter-Punch: Free push attack and pushes for 1 second.

Bull of Ostland: Easiest atk speed to keep up with due to the cleave on the Greatsword.

[765]

One reason I don't use it is that FK isn't great VS large amounts of enemies and while in theory the cleave of the greatsword should alleviate it, I feel the super slow windeup animation actually exacerbates it, even with max atk speed and SS build.

[Moschusbock]

i´m not telling you to not go for the greatsword. if its your fav weapon and FK your fav career, go for it. imo its not a good choice on any career except WHC because he can make use of the absurd cleave with flense (the flense dot applies fully on every enemy hit, so even if the x´th enemy hit only takes 1-2 from the hit itself the bleed will still do some work)
also WHC works around the terrible armordamage the greatsword has by oneshotting mansized enemies on headshotcrit. but even on WHC who works around the weaknesses of the greatsword perfectly its debatable if its a good choice at all.
imo greatsword needs a little buff. not a huge one, just a little nudge. i dont really know what and i really just want a small buff, a little crit chance on light attacks or some other minor numbertweaks. same with the greatsword on the elf.