Marking trick

[Kilrach]

I'm not sure if this has been brought up before but I realised the marking accuracy bonus on applies when the weapon user is actually attacking the target (sword icon while in battle) but doesn't activate while the user is reloading (tested after I got my St. Garam's).

 

Since I'm using a pure ranged Rogue, I want him to have the accuracy buff for every shot he takes. After some testing, I figured out that you can do this by canceling the attack of the weapon user with marking effect after the shot of your intended ally (to have the marking buff) has landed on the target. This means that as long as the weapon user has the sword icon, any attacks that landed on the target will have the accuracy buff. If you cancel the weapon user's attack animation too soon before the projectile or melee swing landed on the target, the buff would not be applied.

 

Furthermore, it's easier for the St.Garam as the shooting animation takes a long time (and that means a longer sword icon time), giving you a longer window and less room for error. Alternatively, you can always pause the game after the projectile or swing has been triggered, then using the marking weapon user to attack to activate sword icon status.

 

This means however, that the marking weapon user won't be doing any damage while giving the buff (and also a lot more micro), so you gotta decide which is more important. I personally want my rogue to land his crits a lot more so accuracy is more important than damage from another slow firing weapon. Kana would be the ideal candidate for the marking weapon as he doesn't have to cast spells at every turn. I hope you guys enjoy this trick (:

Edited April 26, 2015 by Kilrach

[illathid]

Aren't there melee weapons with the marking property? Those should keep the accuracy buff up as long as attacks are being made.

[omgFIREBALLS]

Oh come on. So if A and B are attacking the same target, and A has a marking weapon, B won't get the marking effect without fail unless I micro A in stupid ways? Did I get it right? I applaud you on finding a treatment for the disease but the disease is appalling to begin with.

[Kilrach]

Yes it's unfortunate ):

 

@illathid: Unfortunately, I wasn't offered the Winds of Steel quest for siding with the Doemenels but yes, this issue shouldn't occur with any weapon that doesn't require reloading

[Kaigen42]

I just did some testing with Marking. It appears to apply just fine during the reload phase. The trick is it only provides the accuracy bonus to one ally, and then only to the ally standing closest to the person with the Marking weapon. This is true with the Marking guns and the other Marking weapons. Make sure your ranged rogue is always standing closest to the person with St. Garam's Spark and attacking the same target and check again.

[Sanctuary]

Hmm, I was actually going to create a thread about which would be the better tanking weapon, when you are considering group benefit:

Cladhaliath (spear with +10 Marking, +9 Accuracy and another +4 Accuracy when also trying to apply Marking) or something like the Starcaller or Unforgiven flails, which would be essentially for the tank only.

 

For most fights, I have the Fighter tank switching targets while my ranged usually focus fire unless they are busy casting spells (which would be 50% - 75% of the time).  I'm also not sure if AoE spells actually count as "targeting" if you don't have a name highlighted.  Furthermore, I don't really know if Accuracy buffs actually do anything for spells.  Some people say they do, while others say they don't.  Those that say they do never really provide any kind of evidence though.

Edited April 26, 2015 by Sanctuary

[Kilrach]

Ahh, you're right. My bad, that's probably what happened. Mods can close this thread now (:

[Kaigen42]

I just did some further tests. Marking applies an accuracy bonus to spellcasting. If you are attacking someone in a group with a Marking weapon and the closest ally casts an AoE spell, you will get a +10 accuracy bonus for the enemy being Marked while the spell will target everyone else with the normal accuracy rating. Marking also applies an accuracy bonus to Mental Binding.

 

I'd say the best place for someone using Pliambo per Casitas, St. Garam's Spark, or Cgadob's Hazel is chilling right next to your Cipher, within easy reach of your other spellcasters. This also means that a Marking melee weapon is probably best used in conjunction with a melee DPS or off-tank with on hit effects. Stick someone with Tall Grass directly behind them and you'll probably see a lot of nice proning crits. Otherwise you're either wasting the bonus on someone built for defense or applying it randomly to your backline based on how they're arranged at any given moment.

[Kilrach]

I don't have more than one marking weapon at this point but I wonder if two marking stacks for one ally if they stand on each side of the intended ally?

[Kaigen42]

No, two Marking weapons can't stack their accuracy bonuses on the same ally. You can, however, have two people with Marking weapons give their bonuses to each other.

 

Edit: That said, Marking and Coordinating stack, so positioning someone with a Marking weapon next to someone with a Coordinating weapon gives the Coordinating user a +14 accuracy bonus. That applies to the attack roll for on-hit status effects as well. That could make a Monk using Blesca's Labor (Coordinating Club) interesting for landing those CC attacks. Or a Fighter with Ravenwing who wants a damage bump while landing a Knock Down attack.

 

@Sanctuary: A Marking, Coordinating Cladhaliath could be interesting. I'd be more tempted to make a Stunning, Coordinating Cladhaliath and stick someone with Marking next to them to boost accuracy for more crits, but Marking weapons are fairly scarce, and Shame or Glory is the only other one-handed one I know of.

Edited April 26, 2015 by Kaigen42

[Kilrach]

Actually this trick is still viable in combat. It's not uncommon for targets to be swtiched around the place after the target has been killed. If you want to make sure that your PC has the buff for every shot, then this is for you

[peddroelm]

Nice how the item description bolds an ally..   Haven't picked up on it before reading this thread ..