sage/demon and balance

vlsi
vlsi Posts: 3 Arc User
edited February 2010 in Blademaster
Well I'm about to make the big decision and lately something has caught my attention. I was going demon but then I noticed that demon marrows are actually worse then lvl 10 marrows when you combine them with balance.
Because balance gives you a shield that absorbs damage equal to the difference between Pdef and Mdef.
Obviously our biggest problem is getting nuked so my question to BMs that use balance is what do you think? Is the loss small enough to ignore?
Also what do you think about "absolute domain"? Is is better/worse then balance? Is it worth getting both?

On another note I believe demon is better for PVP (Axe/Fist), if you can solve the chi problem. I anyone disagrees please argue (POLITELY). Thank you.
Post edited by vlsi on

Comments

  • Devoted - Lost City
    Devoted - Lost City Posts: 3,634 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Chi isn't a problem when you have spammable marrows and a 3+ attack rate.

    You shouldn't choose a cultivation for 1 genie skill. Hell magic marrow is better than heaven's in every way because most don't use balance for the pdef. Heaven phys marrow is better than hell's but it's so rare. The only cases you use phys marrow is before you use balance or dueling a melee with no magic genie skills.. other than that you use phys > magic instantly for chi.

    To kill high pdef classes (pretty much everyone endgame) you need a high attack rate. Spike damage doesn't work as well as pure raw dps.
  • Infliction - Raging Tide
    Infliction - Raging Tide Posts: 59 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Sage/Demon is really your own opinion on the skills. Once you hit 90 you should have already good phys/mag def. Im definitely going demon for the attack rate increase, as Im a fist bm, and just beause I see demon skills as being better.
  • Divine_Death - Dreamweaver
    Divine_Death - Dreamweaver Posts: 1,491 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    The small affect on Balance shouldn't be an issue. Rarely are you going to have time to safely Phy Marrow then Balance anyways. Even in 1v1 case, you might lag or mess up and end up getting hit 11k by an archer because you still had Phy Marrow on (err did not happen to me b:avoid). You'll spend more time Magic Marrowed fighting casters than under Balance anyways so the less Phy def reduction helps. And if you have time and really need a strong shield with Balance, Demon is the way to go actually. Pop demon Bell then Phy Marrow then Balance then back to Magic Marrow.

    Abs Dom is not worth it imo since it takes so much energy and its duration is so short. I just don't see myself timing 4 seconds worth of immunity while fighting and making sure my genie has 135 energy charged up.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

    "Closing this for excess letter Q's" - hawk
  • Michael_Dark - Lost City
    Michael_Dark - Lost City Posts: 9,091 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Balance is nice if you want to show off in a duel, and it can save you when you're getting ganked... but I prefer saving the genie energy for true emptiness as an extra high damage attack and then you can spam that for a 2500pt magic shield. Balance is overused though, and any half decent caster class will run and kite you until your sheild is gone. You're much better off casting occult ice and keeping them in a stunlock.

    Absolute Domain is nice, but is better suited as a PvE skill. It can save you if you see BIDS being cast or another BM channeling dragons, but you're still better popping an immunity pot than you are using it, IMO. I do have AD on both my PvP and PvE genies. It can save you and nearby squad members from dying...

    As for using balance + Pmarrow... in 1v1 it really isn't an issue, except that balance only lasts for 6+ seconds, and your marrow for 30. In group PvP, using pmarrow + balance can get you killed pretty quickly.

    Sage BMs do have the nice axe mastery and buff... and that aeolian blade sure hits hard, but almost every 10x sage BM I've talked to wish they would have rolled demon. Sage looks really nice when you hit 89, but demon really shines at 10x, imo.
    I post in forums. This one and others. That's why I post.
  • MagicHamsta - Lost City
    MagicHamsta - Lost City Posts: 10,466 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    *stare*
    o noes~!
    shields~!!
    must kite~
    DX
    *comes back after 20 seconds*
    PEW PEW PEW PEW!
    b:chuckle
    darthpanda16: Firefox crashed on me. Aryannamage: I don't think I am a GM that would be new.
    Hawk:Do this. closing thread
    frankieraye: I'll see if we can replace the woman with a stick figure and the tiger fangs with marshmallows.//Issues like these need to get escalated quickly to minimize the damage.
    Kantorek: Yeah.. you should try it. It's awesome.
    Sihndra: Nope- not currently possible under any circumstances. Sorry.
    LokisDottir: I mean...not haunting the forums, nope nope..
    Konariraiden: You don't know what you are up against. You will lose.
    Waiting for...Hamster Packs!
    58% chance to get tokens
    41% chance to get an all class pet hamster....but they has already been freed by the magic hamster.
    1% chance to get ban hamstered with the message "Hamsters United!"
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • Magichamsta - Dreamweaver
    Magichamsta - Dreamweaver Posts: 6 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    MagicHamsta - Lost City wrote: »
    *stare*
    o noes~!
    shields~!!
    must kite~
    DX
    *comes back after 20 seconds*
    PEW PEW PEW PEW!
    b:chuckle

    GTFO of BM forum. >=O
  • Joshcja - Sanctuary
    Joshcja - Sanctuary Posts: 3,502 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    sage has chi and nothign spectacular to use it on

    demon has just as much chi 5 APS and its chi skills hurt like hell

    but really go sage so i can get skill books cheapb:cute
    Gifs are hard to make work here

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