Theoretical dueling builds at level 20

I'm from the RPGDL and we do this with way too many RPG characters. (have a gander at some game's builds here http://www.rpgdl.com/forums/index.php/topic,1943.0.html)

Basically I'm looking at different builds for PCs at level 20 based on the moves they have now, and how they would fare in a 1v1 duel with random PCs/bosses. Range doesn't really matter in this format.

Note that Nera and Sisily can both do a "Focus on Endurance for Defense and HP and Regen" build. Both have about ~13500 HP and 600 defense with 25% regen. Neither is interesting so I won't mention them.

Nera:

Build 1: Dodge-haxing Moon Waltzing.
Pow/End/Mag/Agi: 7/6/26/20
Perks: Power Overwhelming/Flash Steps/God's Steps

HP/Def/Res/Dodge: 6050/90/390/760

Comments: Can bust out a Moon Waltz->Crystal Ballad*4 (at 40 Power) every turn, and has 76% evade that works against magic and physicals. Can almost full-heal while dealing damage if she so chooses. Damage output is phenomenal. She is frail to attacks (espcially physicals) that do hit her.


Build 2: Like Build 1 but with more resist.
Pow/End/Mag/Agi: 7/8/24/20
Perks: Power Overwhelming/Flash Steps/Celestial Rhyme

HP/Def/Res/Dodge: 6500/120/610/660

Comments: Much like the last build, only with much higher Resist. Can't get to 40 Power with one Moon Waltz due to lacking God's Steps. A more durable version of the last build, but less damage.


Build 3: Raving Madwoman:
Pow/End/Mag/Agi: 13/5/21/20
Perks: Power Overwhelming/Absolute Authority/Divine Supremacy (Rave Dancer)

HP/Def/Res/Dodge: 9575/0/0/0

Comments: Defense ignoring damage and plenty of it. This is what Nera wants to take when she faces someone with high defense and she wants to blitz them into the ground fast. Doesn't have the healing of the other builds, and the lack of defense hurts.


Build 4: Raving Madwoman, now with more HP!
Pow/End/Mag/Agi: 13/34/4/14
Perks: Power Overwhelming/Absolute Authority/Divine Supremacy (Rave Dancer)

HP/Def/Res/Dodge: 16100/0/0/0
(22% Regen)

Comments: Nera has lots and lots of HP in this build. Can't do the damage output of the others and no healing outside of the 19% regen (which isn't anything to sneeze at, mind). A more HP-oriented take on the last build. Sad that she has to sacrifice Defense and Res for this, but so it goes.


Build 5: Magical tanking is in the house.
Pow/End/Mag/Agi: 5/8/38/14
Perks: Power Enchanting Rhyme/Battle Rhyme/Celestial Rhyme

HP/Def/Res/Dodge: 5750/120/820/440

Comments: 820 Resist. -4 Enemy Magic. Full healing through Moon Waltzes if she so chooses. Can do 2/3rds healing and a 40 Pow/Mag Crystal Ballad if she wants. Evade that is STILL better than anything anybody else can hope to get. Nera just laughs at magic in this build. But uh don't hit her with a physical cause she won't much like that.

Overall comments: Nera has several options for dealing with foes. Evade tanking, magic tanking, and brutal ITD damage. Her healing game can certainly be of use, as it lets her deal damage while being almost fully healed every turn. Outside of the Rave Dancer build her HP could stand to be better but she is still very good. 76% evade will let her come out of plenty of matches untouched, while frustrating the likes of status whores. Of the Ge.Ne.Sis fighters she is probably the one most capable of dealing with status-slingers since her evade will let her avoid the worst of it while her damage will let her put them down quickly.

Gelyan in next post.

Feedback from a player

Played the game recently and greatly enjoyed it. I can't say I care too much for the characters although I do appreciate that there was some life breathed into them (Sis and the sky lord shenanigan stands out to me in particular). I really have to compliment the balance between builds and the raw variety that the combat system has.

A few thoughts/comments.

- I would have greatly appreciated it had the Divine Breath item been reusable and available early. Being able to see different builds without having to replay the game and being able to adjust your three primary members to a specific battles' situation would go a long way in making the customization more fun. It would also allow a designer to not have to worry about accommodating players who may not have taken a very good setup for their PCs.

- Kudos to making the three main characters have fully customizable stats and yet making them all unique and versatile anyway. That is quite an accomplishment.

- The speed mechanics were very well implemented.

- The game mechanics are pretty well documented except for how damage is actually calculated. That would have been useful to know. Each move has a damage rating, but it doesn't appear to be a linear relationship between damage and power rating? (Looking at Emi's Thunder moves, here). I suppose this matters doubly for Nera since her magic/power/speed balance can be twinked in different ways to affect her damage output.

- Sisily felt a little underpowered compared to the others on account of her durability. Nera has evade to supply her with durability while Gen has HP or range. Sisy couldn't really risk going head to head with enemies. I was kind of hoping she would learn map abilities like the Tarot or status effects... something to let her survive.

- Saber's moon shard mission says the goal is to kill him, but you have to kill his support to end the mission even after he bites the dust.

- One thing worth noting is that it seems like Perks stay the same when the Divine Breath is used. They really should be reset as right now that enables you to grab a perk, rebuild your stats a different way that would normally preclude you from using that perk, and cheat the perk requirements that way.

- I intend to put an entry for this game here (http://www.rpgdl.com/forums/index.php/topic,1943.0.html) so here is hoping for unique and powerful characters with fascinating abilities.