Swashbuckler

Post strategies and guides, and comment on those that others have written.

Moderator: Mills

Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
Lanthis
Resident
Resident
Posts: 101
Joined: July 20th, 2009, 2:18 pm
Realm: Azeroth (U.S. East)
Battle.net name: Lanthis

Swashbuckler

#1 Post by Lanthis »

Does anyone ever take his pilfer talent? Does anyone ever level pilfer past 1?

Does anyone have any experience with the sheep strike talent? Is it worth the 80 crystal to max?
I am a parody of myself.

User avatar
Dark_Nemesis
Addict
Addict
Posts: 480
Joined: July 13th, 2009, 11:36 am
Realm: Lordaeron (U.S. West)
Battle.net name: Dark_Nemesis
Location: Washington

Re: Swashbuckler

#2 Post by Dark_Nemesis »

Yes, I actually max Pilfer and Keen Blade, forgoing demoralizing and getting dash whenever possible.

The Pilfer talent escapes me atm, what was it again?

As for sheep strike, yes, but I usually invest into that after I had a couple of points into attack and some into his flurry talent? Well, I'm not sure, the sheep strike talent does seen random, some games, it's working like crazy, which means I'm racking up crystal faster than a mining dwarf, others, it's mediocre, but it does seem to kick in at the right time, usually granting the difference between a hero kill and not.

For the most part, though, it is probably better to invest the crystal elseware, namely attack and agil, Joram has enough stuns and and whatnot to basically catch anything, Pilfer at lvl 6 is a 2 second stun, I believe, dash is dash, and his ult is....another 3 seconds? Plus the flurry talent, and maybe the small sheep strike chance now and then...between those, its more than enough. A friend of mine prefers maxing dash and believes Swash to be OP, but is afraid to tell anyone about it because he doesn't want him to get nerfed. My thoughts.

I've got a question too: is it better to grab the crit golves or rogues? I can never decide. I had the longest struggle with Fenny about his too, and finally came under the fact that he's actually better with straight dmg. Joram is different...so?
Image

America!

User avatar
Lanthis
Resident
Resident
Posts: 101
Joined: July 20th, 2009, 2:18 pm
Realm: Azeroth (U.S. East)
Battle.net name: Lanthis

Re: Swashbuckler

#3 Post by Lanthis »

Well, my build kinda depends on the lane situation; if there are extremely aggressive heroes, I usually go dash and demoralize 1:1, and get 1 pilfer and 1 hex and level keen whenever I can't level dash or demoralize. If the heroes are noobs (not pressuring, but grouping), or are strong tanks, like scarab, colossus, etc, I'll go keen more than demoralize because I won't be pking them early on as tanks or in groups.

I was asking about sheep, because I figure if I get 2x demoralizing per encounter, I'd sheepstrike 30% of the time max, which could pretty much = guaranteed kill. Unfortunately, if I do a 2nd demoralizing, it's usually a kill anyways. I almost always get blade storm talent maxed, because 150% IAS with keen on is pretty awesome.

I never get agi gloves, I always get crit, because of the occasional multiplier with keen, but agi COULD be better... you'd do more on dash, have +10 dmg, 40% IAS, 4 armor, 20 movement. I'll try it the next few times.

Thinking about it now, if I get orb of fury, it probably makes more sense to do agi because it'll proc more.
I am a parody of myself.

User avatar
Dark_Nemesis
Addict
Addict
Posts: 480
Joined: July 13th, 2009, 11:36 am
Realm: Lordaeron (U.S. West)
Battle.net name: Dark_Nemesis
Location: Washington

Re: Swashbuckler

#4 Post by Dark_Nemesis »

I never get agi gloves, I always get crit, because of the occasional multiplier with keen, but agi COULD be better... you'd do more on dash, have +10 dmg, 40% IAS, 4 armor, 20 movement. I'll try it the next few times.
Yea, thinking about it, you're probably right, all the extra goodies you get from agil are really nice, but there are always rings I guess, and 10 agil is like 4 upgrades from the altar, not a huge issue there.

Demoralize imo can be a one point wonder against enemy PK'ers. That attack lost is rather high. Something like 30%? I sometimes grab a point into that if the situation calls. Hex is another one point wonder.

The artifact orb is nice too, :twisted: But I usually end up fighting over that or the orb of skill. The cool thing about Swash is that he doesn't really need an artifact to make much of a difference, in fact, most aren't really worth it in terms of value. Unlike some items (blink totem, mana staff, flute, attack orb) that can totally make up the difference.
Image

America!

User avatar
Lanthis
Resident
Resident
Posts: 101
Joined: July 20th, 2009, 2:18 pm
Realm: Azeroth (U.S. East)
Battle.net name: Lanthis

Re: Swashbuckler

#5 Post by Lanthis »

Dunno, late game with upgraded fury orb I don't even bother dashing because I've usually nuked all of the creeps with shockwave, unless there are more than 2 creep waves together.

I guess it depends on how IAS is calculated with flurry and items.... is it swashy's base attack per second * (agi modifier+flurry+items), or is it (swashy base attack( * agi+items))* flurry?

Apparently you can only have 400% IAS, which with flurry and upgraded agi and items, could be attainable?
I am a parody of myself.

User avatar
Dark_Nemesis
Addict
Addict
Posts: 480
Joined: July 13th, 2009, 11:36 am
Realm: Lordaeron (U.S. West)
Battle.net name: Dark_Nemesis
Location: Washington

Re: Swashbuckler

#6 Post by Dark_Nemesis »

Apparently you can only have 400% IAS,
Lol, I've always wondered about this....

So there is a max amount.

400% is ridiculous though, and yes, attainable with flurry. Your getting 100% just from 100 agil (100 base agil isn't hard to get by level 30). Then depending on other items (75% from totem if thats your cup of tea). Looking at the numbers, it isn't unheard of with swash.
Dunno, late game with upgraded fury orb I don't even bother dashing because I've usually nuked all of the creeps with shockwave, unless there are more than 2 creep waves together.
Yea, and this is what I really ask myself when playing any dps hero that has a nuke/AoE: is it just easier to simply melee the adds? Demoral does 600ish dmg with some decent int? Dash maybe will get to 250, 170-200 is probably more accurate, depending on builds, and of course, items. But I've seen and put out regular 600 dmg crits with swash, so putting points into demoral seems like a huge waste imo. Dash is useful for escaping, or better yet, catching an escaping hero, while doing some ok dmg as well, so for me, 2-3 points into dash at times isn't bad. Demoral is basically wonderful at lvl 1, and really not beyond, since your missing out on Keen or Pilfer, and those items and the stun you get are a must. Pilfer is probably his strongest skill imo, if not very close to his best.

I suppose since the build I prefer is straight dmg based, the fury orb would be ideal, since I'm missing out on the AoE from Dash. My 2 cents.
Image

America!

Kalrithus
Addict
Addict
Posts: 417
Joined: February 2nd, 2009, 6:04 pm
Realm: Azeroth (U.S. East)
Battle.net name: Roflfax

Re: Swashbuckler

#7 Post by Kalrithus »

Int swashy, maxxing demo-strike 4-6 points into dash, 1-3 points in pilfer, use consumables and you'll kill anyone you want to and still be effective at wave stomping.

User avatar
Dark_Nemesis
Addict
Addict
Posts: 480
Joined: July 13th, 2009, 11:36 am
Realm: Lordaeron (U.S. West)
Battle.net name: Dark_Nemesis
Location: Washington

Re: Swashbuckler

#8 Post by Dark_Nemesis »

Hmm, one of my LAN friends (Thermie) is fond of buying the int robe and skill orb. Prefers maxing dash I believe, and some other stuff. Anywho, he loves that hero, I'll email him and find out his style. Similar to your build I guess. :)
Image

America!

Kalrithus
Addict
Addict
Posts: 417
Joined: February 2nd, 2009, 6:04 pm
Realm: Azeroth (U.S. East)
Battle.net name: Roflfax

Re: Swashbuckler

#9 Post by Kalrithus »

As the majority of Swashy's damage comes from his abilities, and demoralizing blow being modified by int, it is good to have a large mana pool to sustain a prolonged encounter of spamming abilities, especially when you are chasing people down.

User avatar
Dark_Nemesis
Addict
Addict
Posts: 480
Joined: July 13th, 2009, 11:36 am
Realm: Lordaeron (U.S. West)
Battle.net name: Dark_Nemesis
Location: Washington

Re: Swashbuckler

#10 Post by Dark_Nemesis »

With a heavy Demoral+Dash, definitely. However, the style I play Joram is rather light on mana, occasional pilfer whenever it calls, save dash for weak spawn or chasing heros, and Keen when possible. Ult whenever I encounter a huge push. Too, this allows me to forgo int and concentrate on heavy dmg/with some agil.

And if I happen to need mana, there are always those trusty items from Pilfer! :D :P

Works for me anyway.
Image

America!

Kalrithus
Addict
Addict
Posts: 417
Joined: February 2nd, 2009, 6:04 pm
Realm: Azeroth (U.S. East)
Battle.net name: Roflfax

Re: Swashbuckler

#11 Post by Kalrithus »

Are there mana restore items granted from pilfer? I never seem to get any :(

User avatar
Dark_Nemesis
Addict
Addict
Posts: 480
Joined: July 13th, 2009, 11:36 am
Realm: Lordaeron (U.S. West)
Battle.net name: Dark_Nemesis
Location: Washington

Re: Swashbuckler

#12 Post by Dark_Nemesis »

Yes, I believe so.
Image

America!

Post Reply