Mind's Eye/Ballistics for Gunner Question

[Nimble Mind]

Description says :
"shortens the distance before ammo and arrows reach maximum power"

What does it do exactly?? i dont understand.

[Goilveig]

You know about critical distance, where your ammo has the maximum power and you get the double aiming reticle?

Normally, there is both a minimum and a maximum range you can be and still be in critical distance. This remove the minimum distance limit, so you can still have critical distance point-blank.

[San-Kyu]

Crit distance is the range where arrows/bullets do max damage. Anything too close or too far does next to no damage.

Ballistics do next to nothing for sread shots, allow point black full damage for normal and pierce, as well as greatly extending their full damage range at long distances.

[Nimble Mind]

Originally posted by San-Kyu:

Crit distance is the range where arrows/bullets do max damage. Anything too close or too far does next to no damage.

Ballistics do next to nothing for sread shots, allow point black full damage for normal and pierce, as well as greatly extending their full damage range at long distances.

So it's still benefical at long range??

[Smug Kot]

in other words its really useless in general even for piercing ammo.

Originally posted by DUDECEPTION:

Originally posted by San-Kyu:

Crit distance is the range where arrows/bullets do max damage. Anything too close or too far does next to no damage.

Ballistics do next to nothing for sread shots, allow point black full damage for normal and pierce, as well as greatly extending their full damage range at long distances.

So it's still benefical at long range??

no i dont think so, long range start extacly at piercing ammo normal critical range make it shorter would be counter productive.

[San-Kyu]

Originally posted by DUDECEPTION:

Originally posted by San-Kyu:

Crit distance is the range where arrows/bullets do max damage. Anything too close or too far does next to no damage.

Ballistics do next to nothing for sread shots, allow point black full damage for normal and pierce, as well as greatly extending their full damage range at long distances.

So it's still benefical at long range??

Ballistics will allow you more room to shoot from before critical distance determines you're too far from the target. If you fancy yourself shooting at long range then its useful. However solo monsters will rarely keep themselves far away from you - its more useful in multiplayer when monsters are likely to switch targets and move alot as a result.

Overall my usage of ballistics skill was to allow for close range use of pierce and normal. Given how hard it is to maximize damage for pierce shots, its much easier to reposition for that perfect pierce shot up close than it is from far away. In addition ballistics means I can focus more on aiming and dodging vs. positioning.

[ึ]

This gem actually has a hidden perk to it. It is a must have gem for all pierce builds, because what the tooltip doesn't tell you is that the effective critical range distance is INCREASED by shortening the build up distance.

On top of that, the pierce rounds don't deflect anymore so you can now aim for the weak spot from any angle.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MonsterHunter/comments/89ucgc/minds_eyeballistics_data/

[San-Kyu]

Do note that ballistics is ordinarily useless to someone using ranged weapons properly. Like with my examples you're gonna have to find more creative uses that take advantage of that increased range to get anything out of ballistics.

For example normally normal shots are unaffected by close range and long range bowgun mods, because critical distance for normal shots are beyond the range either is in effect. However with ballistics normal S (and pierce S) have critical distance close enough for close range to work, and normal S has small range within its critical distance where the long range mod can affect it.

[Xilo The Odd]

Originally posted by Goilveig:

You know about critical distance, where your ammo has the maximum power and you get the double aiming reticle?

Normally, there is both a minimum and a maximum range you can be and still be in critical distance. This remove the minimum distance limit, so you can still have critical distance point-blank.

so does this mean high damage point blank pierce shots of all levels? i never ventured into this skill myself because i felt it pointless as normal and spread are already max effectiveness at point blank.

[ึ]

Originally posted by Xilo The Odd:

Originally posted by Goilveig:

You know about critical distance, where your ammo has the maximum power and you get the double aiming reticle?

Normally, there is both a minimum and a maximum range you can be and still be in critical distance. This remove the minimum distance limit, so you can still have critical distance point-blank.

so does this mean high damage point blank pierce shots of all levels? i never ventured into this skill myself because i felt it pointless as normal and spread are already max effectiveness at point blank.

Yes, this jewel is pointless for spread ammo.
It just has a ridiculous damage potential with level 3 Pierce ammo due to it being able to pierce monsters numerous times at long range, and by long range I mean the ENTIRE LENGTH of Xeno'jiiva.