Attack power vs Element power

[Tusnayoshi]

Hello. After 300 hours using CB only, I decided to move to other weapons and master them all. Right now, I'm enjoying Greatsword. I'm in doubt whether I should prize Attack power over element power. My build is purely based around crit chance and crit damage + Rathalos Power and 2 Behemoth equips for an increase in elemental air attacks. If everything goes right, I get 100% crit chance on weak spots and 50% on other spots.

Said that, what should I choose?

Weapon 1: Attack - 912 / Element 240 / 0% Affinity
Weapon 2: Attack - 768 / Element 540 / 0% Affinity

Thank you!

[Greb]

Generally speaking, you should never use elemental damage on a greatsword. It just doesn't handle it well, since it's a slow weapon that doesn't hit often enough to make it worth it. At the moment at least, there's no elemental greatswords that hold a candle to non elemental ones.

You're looking for the Jagras Hacker or the Wyvern Ignition as your end game, concerning Greatswords. Chuck on Non-Elemental Boost and go to work.

A more intelligent person than me can explain how elemental damage works, but I do know for Greatswords at least, you should most definitely prioritise Attack over Element

[Xilo The Odd]

general rule of thumb is element is a benefit on faster attack weapons, so its not to say GS and such doesnt benefit from it, but it doesnt get much out of it overall when the math is all said and done, when you coulda just min maxed for raw damage and crit and crit boost.

BUT there are some instances where having element on such a weapon isnt bad but it'll change your use of that weapon if you want to focus around the elemental damage portion, ultimately making some weapons play suboptimally.

typically if you got a GS and its raw damage is decent and it has like 700 element, its worth running over a high raw, non element build. things with 240 and lower i call progress stepping stones where your more likely using them in the story progression, or you lack the ability to use non element decoration in any capacity.

[Tusnayoshi]

Ok, got it. I'll have to create a new build for weapons with a similar profile. That's alright. What should I prize for such kind of build?

[✙205🍉🐆→]

СB - raw and swap lightning/ice vs kulve

[Xilo The Odd]

a top end GS build will use:

non elemental boost
Maximum might
Weakness exploit
Focus (optional but it does help a good deal if you can work it in.)
Attack 4 (primarily for affinity but the extra attack is also good.)
Critical eye (usually whatever you have space for at the end
Crit boost (as much as possible)

then depending on skill level

Peak Performance
Evade Distance

im not a build expert but those are the primary damage skills for things that charge in some way to yield more damage, and dont cost stamina to do so, otherwise you replace maximum might with something like agitator so your stamina consumption doesnt kill your affinity. in the case of GS this will be when you dodge or block, but by the time you get back to your TCS big hit, your stamina should be full unless your blighted with water.

[Vaga Anima]

Long animations + High one shot damage = True damages
Fast combo + little damage = Elemental

[Tusnayoshi]

Thank you, everyone. Time to spend another hour looking at the screen to find the best combination to create that build.

[ZeroX]

引用自 Greb：

Generally speaking, you should never use elemental damage on a greatsword. It just doesn't handle it well, since it's a slow weapon that doesn't hit often enough to make it worth it. At the moment at least, there's no elemental greatswords that hold a candle to non elemental ones.

Not true. Every damage type scales with the amount of damage done to the monster, this includes proc of status effects. Generally spreaking a faster weapon does less damage per hit, therefore less elemental and status damage. All the weapons are balanced around that.

[Tusnayoshi]

引用自 ZeroX：

Every damage type scales with the amount of damage done to the monster, this includes proc of status effects. Generally spreaking a faster weapon does less damage per hit, therefore less elemental and status damage. All the weapons are balanced around that.

So, in the end of the day all approaches (element and non element) are doable and kind of equally effective?

[Lack of Stuff]

引用自 ZeroX：

引用自 Greb：

Generally speaking, you should never use elemental damage on a greatsword. It just doesn't handle it well, since it's a slow weapon that doesn't hit often enough to make it worth it. At the moment at least, there's no elemental greatswords that hold a candle to non elemental ones.

Not true. Every damage type scales with the amount of damage done to the monster, this includes proc of status effects. Generally spreaking a faster weapon does less damage per hit, therefore even less elemental and status damage. All the weapons are balanced around that.

No. Elemental dmg is flat.

[Fat Pigeon]

引用自 Lack of Stuff：

No. Elemental dmg is flat.

Yeah and Elemental Crit numbers (if you have the skill active ofc) are also fixed multipliers, the GS is on the last place with 1.20x, while Bow, SnS and DB are at 1.35x , both bowguns at 1.3x and the rest at 1.25x

[Greb]

Some of the Taroth / Kjarr Greatswords got ludicrously high elemental values but they're all generally considered pretty terrible compared to the Wyvern Ignition, since Greatswords are slow and don't really benefit from the extra flat damage on top of its usual meaty hits.

It's not to say elemental based Greatswords aren't worth using, though. You can still kill stuff with them easily enough, and hit high numbers too.

That's why people were happy to use the Purgation's Atrocity and Leviathan's Fury (and to a lesser extent the Anguish, before they got their hands on the Wyvern Ignition.

For the most part though you're generally better off going elementless, especially once you have the equipment and decorations to pull off perfect builds. Aim for the Jagras Hacker III, Wyvern Ignition, Barroth Shredder III and the Great Wyvern Jawblade, have a tinker and a play and see which one you like best, etc.

One of my friends has 1000+ uses of Greatswords and he's still salty the Diablos one wasn't included in World...here's hoping it makes an appearance when Iceborne drops and we get Master Rank grade materials, right?

[Tusnayoshi]

Great insights, learning more here. Thank you, guys. This community is one of the best (if not the best) I've seen. Game on, hunters!

[Smug Kot]

The problem with elemental discharge its not the numbers but how applied, elemental discharge unlike power discharge has a HUGE AOE so HUGE most hits will miss you generic monster.

Also Raw power discharge applies stun so its a point in favor over elemental CB.

Also becouse elemental discharge being such a huge cone of damage, its make it great vs monster like Kulve taroth.

引用自 Lack of Stuff：

引用自 ZeroX：

Not true. Every damage type scales with the amount of damage done to the monster, this includes proc of status effects. Generally spreaking a faster weapon does less damage per hit, therefore even less elemental and status damage. All the weapons are balanced around that.

No. Elemental dmg is flat.

Aslo we have to take in consideration monster resist numbers, i really hope for iceborne they buff raw resistence overall for every monster and add mechanincs where raw damage get reduced so elemental get some love.

[Lack of Stuff]

引用自 Undertale: "CENSORED" edition：

The problem with elemental discharge its not the numbers but how applied, elemental discharge unlike power discharge has a HUGE AOE so HUGE most hits will miss you generic monster.

Also Raw power discharge applies stun so its a point in favor over elemental CB.

Also becouse elemental discharge being such a huge cone of damage, its make it great vs monster like Kulve taroth.

引用自 Lack of Stuff：

No. Elemental dmg is flat.

Elemental actual has their own multiplier on weapon moves, so its not that true its only flat damage.

Aslo we have to take in consideration monster resist numbers, i really hope for iceborne they buff raw resistence overall for every monster and add mechanincs where raw damage get reduced so elemental get some love.

It is flat. Flat means unaffected by motion values.