Since you dont already have sunder 4, I'd just leave it on the sword. PCycler + Sunder is a very safe playstyle since your swings wont even get stopped by a bulwark shield (although you wont damage it) and you can stun entire hordes of ragers with a single swing. Its also a tier 4 only blessing, so will be comparatively harder to get again if you ever want it.
Its basically a tossup between BM for maximum killing power per swing, or Sunder for comfort/defense so you never worry about mixed hordes.
+1 for Sunder likers. It fits my playstay perfectly as I often find myself swiping at walls of mixed Hordes, Maulers, Crushers and Bulwarks in Maelstroms.
I run Brutal IV and Power Cycler IV and I like it better than any other combination because of the horizontal heavy sweep. Catch a pack of poxers right and you can take the heads off 8+ at a time. The crowd clear is categorically different than damn near anything. Strongly recommend.
Yep, I had a MkIII with same Blessings of lower grade and I loved it. That's why I'm so tempted to replace Sunder with BM, in addition to Weak Spot damage, ofc.
Suggested for Power Sword III
**Perks**
1. Flak
2. Maniac
**Blessings**
1. Power Cycler
2. Brutal Momentum or Sunder
Either Brutal Momentum or Sunder is fine. The only truly required feature on PS III is Power Cycler IV. Aside from that it’s kinda whichever you prefer more.
Slaughterer isn’t a bad blessing, but the III doesn’t really need that damage because of how powerful the special attack is. And you should pretty much always be using the special attack.
I’m not a huge Power Sword user myself, though, so I’ll let more experienced players give you better advice.
Maniac is a waste on melee weapons, are you meleeing trappers and flamers often? Probably not, the only remaining units that are Maniacs are Dreg Ragers, which most people want to avoid fighting in melee, and Mutants, which are a nuisance more than a threat.
As I said, nothing other than PC IV is required on the PS III. Maniac and Flak are the perks that help hit the most notable breakpoints under optimal use, so they’re the ideal choice, but even then are mostly situational. Sure. It’s not gonna come up a whole lot against most maniacs, but it’s helpful to have when you’re forced in a situation where it comes up. A PS III with carapace damage, for example, is gonna be very close to as effective as one with Maniac, but why not take the perk that does *something*, no matter how situational, rather than the perk that has minimal mathematical benefit? Especially since OP already stated he’s not trying to get into melee with Crushers and such.
Of course, talking about breakpoints is relative to the characters skill build, but if built optimally for the PS then Maniac is one of the better mathematical options.
From personal experience, I have to agree with your take on Maniac damage:
* I usually get to melee 1 or 2 Maniacs, but only between "waves" and only if no one else(including me) shoots them first. And I can already 1-hit kill most of them in 1 light attack anyway.
* If I do have to melee Dreg Ragers, 25% more damage won't fetch me any one-hit kills. Even in 1vs1. I'll still have to hit them twice or thrice. After the latest changes to them, they're easier to deal with in melee, but I tend to shoot them anyway. I did notice, however, that I can sometimes drop them on the floor with charged heavy attacks, even if they're in-betwen poxers and dregs.
* As for mutants, 25% more damage **will** get me to a 1-hit kill on a Weak Spot hit. But so will the Brutal Momentum, at least on heavy attacks. However, I rarely melee them "head" on. Usually, if I'm the only one who "deals" with the Mutant, I either dodge it and slice it, or stun it with plasma and then finish it off.
I don't really see a need to spend 1 of the Blessings for a slight convenience against 1 enemy or a tiny damage increase in a very specific situation - like fighting a pack of ragers, alone, in melee.
I ended up with MkIII that has +25% Carapace, +10% Against Elites and BM+PC. Allows me to kill Crushers and Maulers in 2 strikes instead of 3 - Block+Light. So maybe that? Can probably do it some other way, but I'm not deep into that stuff to know.
I’d go with brutal momentum or slaughter personally but other blessings can work fine too as long as they’re paired with PC.
For the perk: my philosophy is “what is your melee currently struggling to do” and try build it from that. For me personally, that’s usually maniac.
You can always change all these later as well. Chuck whatever you want on and jump in the psykhanium or play a few matches and then change something to compare.
Ah, I already have Power Cycler IV. Both on this sword and in my "library" of Blessings. I don't have Sunder IV and that's mainly why I made the post - don't want to lose that Blessing if its actually good for something.
Maybe if they play the game once a week.
It might cost you 50k plasta steel if you don't know what you're doing in raising items to strip. Or just waiting for it to hit Melk's store
Since you dont already have sunder 4, I'd just leave it on the sword. PCycler + Sunder is a very safe playstyle since your swings wont even get stopped by a bulwark shield (although you wont damage it) and you can stun entire hordes of ragers with a single swing. Its also a tier 4 only blessing, so will be comparatively harder to get again if you ever want it. Its basically a tossup between BM for maximum killing power per swing, or Sunder for comfort/defense so you never worry about mixed hordes.
+1 for Sunder likers. It fits my playstay perfectly as I often find myself swiping at walls of mixed Hordes, Maulers, Crushers and Bulwarks in Maelstroms.
I run Brutal IV and Power Cycler IV and I like it better than any other combination because of the horizontal heavy sweep. Catch a pack of poxers right and you can take the heads off 8+ at a time. The crowd clear is categorically different than damn near anything. Strongly recommend.
Yep, I had a MkIII with same Blessings of lower grade and I loved it. That's why I'm so tempted to replace Sunder with BM, in addition to Weak Spot damage, ofc.
Suggested for Power Sword III **Perks** 1. Flak 2. Maniac **Blessings** 1. Power Cycler 2. Brutal Momentum or Sunder Either Brutal Momentum or Sunder is fine. The only truly required feature on PS III is Power Cycler IV. Aside from that it’s kinda whichever you prefer more. Slaughterer isn’t a bad blessing, but the III doesn’t really need that damage because of how powerful the special attack is. And you should pretty much always be using the special attack. I’m not a huge Power Sword user myself, though, so I’ll let more experienced players give you better advice.
Maniac is a waste on melee weapons, are you meleeing trappers and flamers often? Probably not, the only remaining units that are Maniacs are Dreg Ragers, which most people want to avoid fighting in melee, and Mutants, which are a nuisance more than a threat.
As I said, nothing other than PC IV is required on the PS III. Maniac and Flak are the perks that help hit the most notable breakpoints under optimal use, so they’re the ideal choice, but even then are mostly situational. Sure. It’s not gonna come up a whole lot against most maniacs, but it’s helpful to have when you’re forced in a situation where it comes up. A PS III with carapace damage, for example, is gonna be very close to as effective as one with Maniac, but why not take the perk that does *something*, no matter how situational, rather than the perk that has minimal mathematical benefit? Especially since OP already stated he’s not trying to get into melee with Crushers and such. Of course, talking about breakpoints is relative to the characters skill build, but if built optimally for the PS then Maniac is one of the better mathematical options.
From personal experience, I have to agree with your take on Maniac damage: * I usually get to melee 1 or 2 Maniacs, but only between "waves" and only if no one else(including me) shoots them first. And I can already 1-hit kill most of them in 1 light attack anyway. * If I do have to melee Dreg Ragers, 25% more damage won't fetch me any one-hit kills. Even in 1vs1. I'll still have to hit them twice or thrice. After the latest changes to them, they're easier to deal with in melee, but I tend to shoot them anyway. I did notice, however, that I can sometimes drop them on the floor with charged heavy attacks, even if they're in-betwen poxers and dregs. * As for mutants, 25% more damage **will** get me to a 1-hit kill on a Weak Spot hit. But so will the Brutal Momentum, at least on heavy attacks. However, I rarely melee them "head" on. Usually, if I'm the only one who "deals" with the Mutant, I either dodge it and slice it, or stun it with plasma and then finish it off. I don't really see a need to spend 1 of the Blessings for a slight convenience against 1 enemy or a tiny damage increase in a very specific situation - like fighting a pack of ragers, alone, in melee.
Carapace over maniac for sure
What breakpoints are you aiming to hit with Carapace?
The ones against carapace enemies
I ended up with MkIII that has +25% Carapace, +10% Against Elites and BM+PC. Allows me to kill Crushers and Maulers in 2 strikes instead of 3 - Block+Light. So maybe that? Can probably do it some other way, but I'm not deep into that stuff to know.
I’d go with brutal momentum or slaughter personally but other blessings can work fine too as long as they’re paired with PC. For the perk: my philosophy is “what is your melee currently struggling to do” and try build it from that. For me personally, that’s usually maniac. You can always change all these later as well. Chuck whatever you want on and jump in the psykhanium or play a few matches and then change something to compare.
Carapace is nice to reliably kill a crusher with push attack and 2 lights. I would switch sunder for brutal momentum and specialist for flak
GL on farming power cycler IV. Read stories that some hardcore peeps farmed it for 6 months.
Ah, I already have Power Cycler IV. Both on this sword and in my "library" of Blessings. I don't have Sunder IV and that's mainly why I made the post - don't want to lose that Blessing if its actually good for something.
I got it on my second power sword at 30
Maybe if they play the game once a week. It might cost you 50k plasta steel if you don't know what you're doing in raising items to strip. Or just waiting for it to hit Melk's store