Can someone explain to me the appeal and use of Blunderbuss?

[Vizjerie]

i really dont understand it, they have less range than bows and cross bows, like 0 accuracy, does crap damage and takes the longest to reload. it hits 6 times but 5/6 are grazes and misses.. so its like a regular bow shot but 4 times longer.

 

i cant even think of a class its good for. i mean i thought Cipher would be it to build Focus but since it misses so much and is so slow i get more out of a bow!

 

Can any1 explain this to me? i really like having diversity of weapons so i want to include it but i just dont see the use.

[termokanden]

They are great if:

 

- you have good accuracy

- you have good DR reduction (say, from Penetrating Shot or Lead Spitter, or both)

 

They are amazing if:

 

- you are a cipher with Draining Whip

 

My character is a wood elf cipher with Mob Justice (accuracy bonus if targeting something your party is attacking), Weapon Focus: Ruffian, and I'm frequently shooting at enemies with deflection debuffs (say, from Mental Binding). This makes a blunderbuss incredibly deadly and very unlikely to miss. It generates tons of focus.

Edited April 4, 2015 by termokanden

[Leferd]

Yeah, it's the perfect weapon for a cipher.

[Bayzent]

Yeah got a friend that concurs, says it's the perfect range for Ciphers.

[Vizjerie]

the thing is, so far im like 45-50% into the game, let just say i just fought a big something at a very deep deep place. and ive never really have problem building up focus on my cipher. she starts out with like 50, uses all of it and by the time ive made other party members do their stuff her focus is back to 25-35 with a bow. ive never needed to wait for her :S

 

also, does certain stats increase accuracy or is that only from items?

 

the last thing is, i understand in regards to firing targets with DR but when i go into a fight with the whole team, cipher shoots at the same time as everyone else so the first shot is mostly grazes and misses cause no DR happened yet. by the time she finishes reloading and a bunch of debuff had been applied, the mob is already pretty much cleared :S

[termokanden]

I start out using cipher powers and then power up some more of them with a shot from my blunderbuss on a debuffed mob. Actually it's not like I miss much on mobs without debuffs either!

 

No stats improve your accuracy. Certain passives do (Distant Advantage from being a wood elf wood elf, Mob Justice, Weapon Focus, ...). There are also buffs that increase it (paladins have a +6 aura for example). In addition, the Sure-Handed Ila chant increases reload speed so that helps with the slow reloads.

[Nosey and Opinionated]

For me the appeal is that old prospectors always carry them around.

[Vizjerie]

alright, i am going to try it again. thanks for the info!

[termokanden]

Hope it works out. I played a lot with a bow as well and I find the blunderbuss better now with Penetrating Shot.

[pstone]

Blunderbuss really starts to shine later on, with Marksman, Gunner & Penetrating Shot. Since more than half my party uses firearms, crossbows or similar weapons, i also have my chanter sing the reload/ranged speed chant. Also, the Paladin has a +6 ACC aura -> hits and crits for insane focus gains (& good damage)...

Edited April 4, 2015 by pstone