Post by Robot on Jul 16, 2016 0:25:08 GMT
Overview: Duelist is the second of the Battling Style classes in PTU's 1.05 Edition. It focuses on fighting a singular opponent and achieves this quite well by promoting either an offensive or defensive strategy based on pre-battle selections, and expending a resource of momentum. In short it's time to duel. The class synergies well with specialist team and introductory classes, but not as well with combat or standard action intensive classes as a result of a mixed action economy which is bound to eat at least a few of your turns in any given combat.
Pros
-Arguably the best class for one on one, non-full contact encounters.
-Provides offense or defense dependent on necessity of a situation, and augments builds that specialize in either.
-Partially removes RNG from the equation in the form of some of it's abilities.
-Seize The Moment incredibly strong, providing priority where you wouldn't otherwise have it.
-Seize the Moment paired with one of the options from Duelist Manual gives very strong initiative control.
-Strongest features are all Scene x2, leaving the trainer free to use them often during play.
Cons
-Focus as a required skill is garbage tier and has little use outside of fighting off shenanigans. You should convince the DM to let you use it in place of other things all the time. Like looking stoic checks.
-Flounders a little when spoiled for choice. Many features only apply to the tagged target, which is one of a number of opponents. Class does not provide advantages against the opponent you are not actually dueling. Larger encounters with a wide range of opponents make the class suffer, giving it a higher skill cap then many of the others in the battling style section. Games rarely operate with a single player/single opponent mentality, so this is the largest hurtlocker this class can be put into.
-Duelist Manual very expensive at 2 AP a pop regardless of which effect you take, best and most consistent benefit can be accessed at 1 momentum, the 3 momentum effect loses some usefulness with the confusion changes in the status playtest packet.
-Small feature tax in the form of Directed Focus.
-Momentum takes time to build, encouraging mixed or defensive builds over glass cannons. If your 'mon of choice cannot go toe to toe with an opponent for ~2-3 rounds, you are making a horrible mistake. If everything goes correctly, it takes a full two turns to build the momentum required to use your best feature.
Base Feature: Required. Build momentum over time by hitting tagged targets or ending turns. Grants Accuracy and Evasion, ideally +3 to each by the end of your second round with a full duelist build. These bonuses don't really tend to stick around, with Expend Momentum and Seize the Moment being very strong effects at the cost of these smaller bonuses. No other class currently uses this resource mechanic, but I like the idea of something similar for the other battle styles with other conditionals, personally. Now that you get a bonus training feature at first level, not expensive to get into.
Expend Momentum: With this, and Duelist Manual both being Orders features that take Standard actions, Commander's Voice is practically required with this class. It allows you to use both features in the same turn provided you do not also have to Tag a target with the base feature. That said, Expend Momentum is very strong and versatile, as most of the class is. With good type coverage in your movepool, your Pokemon can conceivably gain 4 momentum a turn. With the bare minimum of one a turn, all of your EoT moves basically become At-Wills, giving a slightly higher power curve to your actions each turn over an opponent having to stagger their EoTs. At two cost, dice are removed from the equation entirely, granting a flat 11 to your die roll backed by whatever accuracy bonus remains. The attack becomes autohit unless something hits you with a sizable acc penalty. At three cost, you refresh a Scene move, which still operate on the EoT restrictions despite that. Doesn't seem all that worth it for combat moves, the bit of extra damage two turns later is kinda meh. Scene single use utility that an opponent tries to overwrite like weather function as a great usage of this option though.
Effective Methods: Required Tutor point expenditure. Grants Exploit or Tolerance to a Pokemon at the cost of 2 TP. These two abilities are core to quite a few of the other features in the class, making this feature a must if you are taking Type Methodology or Duelist Manual.
Directed Focus: Orders, dealing or receiving super-effective damage now also build momentum. Allows you to use your abilities much more frequently and reliably. In full swing a Duelist can reliably trigger two different activations of Expend Momentum on the same turn provided Commander's Voice, every turn. It isn't really required, and feels like more of a feature tax. If you are going for Seize the Moment it is worth getting to more easily break the 6 count and snap someone over your knee with free auto-crits. Directed Focus allows for the power plays that make this class happen.
Type Methodology: Combined with Duelist Manual allows you to spend 2 AP if you predict a SFE hit incoming, even if you have Exploit, and reliably tank through it at the cost of 2 Momentum. If you're rocking Tolerance instead this comes without the AP cost, and is just a beautiful Scene x2. You won't tank the hit quite as well as you might've otherwise. The Exploit spin of this feature is like a mini-tinted lens, and isn't bad for those utility moves that are commonly resisted.
Duelist Manual: Costs 2 AP, hugely expensive, but doesn't spend momentum. Also a standard action without Commander's Voice. First option doubles Exploit/Tolerance and lets them swap the ability to the other till the end of next turn. Again one of those fun little tools that lets you survive getting SFE hosed by your tagged opponent. Unlike Type Methodology, the bonus from this one pointer DOES apply to attacks that target untagged enemies. The two-pointer turns an AoE into a single target that makes a foe vulnerable and shaves their initiative to 0. Other classes get similar at lower AP/action cost, so it doesn't seem like the best option. The three-pointer lets your Pokemon ignore volatile status for a round as long as they continue to fight the chosen target, also not a great option with the statii rework, but I suppose if you want to avoid a little damage or inconvenience from Confuse or Enrage it's fine.
Seize the Moment: If you hit the mythical 7 momentum, you get a free interrupt that autocrits if it hits, smites if it misses, and heals for 50% max hp if it crits while it crits. This feature makes Duelists lust after high critical moves, and probably look into either Marksman Orders or Brutal Orders with Elite Trainer from Ace Trainer. Actionless healing on an effect range that can get potentially stupid on the right build *and* it's Scene x2? What is balance? What is life. Two turns of setup, landing a singular super effective attack, or taking one, is all it takes. Considering the hate on the devs have for healing, and how wide critical ranges can get in the game, I sort of question if this was ever scrutinized that hard. Cool Expert rigs it even worse letting everything access Sniper and Focus Energy. Maximum rude.
Pros
-Arguably the best class for one on one, non-full contact encounters.
-Provides offense or defense dependent on necessity of a situation, and augments builds that specialize in either.
-Partially removes RNG from the equation in the form of some of it's abilities.
-Seize The Moment incredibly strong, providing priority where you wouldn't otherwise have it.
-Seize the Moment paired with one of the options from Duelist Manual gives very strong initiative control.
-Strongest features are all Scene x2, leaving the trainer free to use them often during play.
Cons
-Focus as a required skill is garbage tier and has little use outside of fighting off shenanigans. You should convince the DM to let you use it in place of other things all the time. Like looking stoic checks.
-Flounders a little when spoiled for choice. Many features only apply to the tagged target, which is one of a number of opponents. Class does not provide advantages against the opponent you are not actually dueling. Larger encounters with a wide range of opponents make the class suffer, giving it a higher skill cap then many of the others in the battling style section. Games rarely operate with a single player/single opponent mentality, so this is the largest hurtlocker this class can be put into.
-Duelist Manual very expensive at 2 AP a pop regardless of which effect you take, best and most consistent benefit can be accessed at 1 momentum, the 3 momentum effect loses some usefulness with the confusion changes in the status playtest packet.
-Small feature tax in the form of Directed Focus.
-Momentum takes time to build, encouraging mixed or defensive builds over glass cannons. If your 'mon of choice cannot go toe to toe with an opponent for ~2-3 rounds, you are making a horrible mistake. If everything goes correctly, it takes a full two turns to build the momentum required to use your best feature.
Base Feature: Required. Build momentum over time by hitting tagged targets or ending turns. Grants Accuracy and Evasion, ideally +3 to each by the end of your second round with a full duelist build. These bonuses don't really tend to stick around, with Expend Momentum and Seize the Moment being very strong effects at the cost of these smaller bonuses. No other class currently uses this resource mechanic, but I like the idea of something similar for the other battle styles with other conditionals, personally. Now that you get a bonus training feature at first level, not expensive to get into.
Expend Momentum: With this, and Duelist Manual both being Orders features that take Standard actions, Commander's Voice is practically required with this class. It allows you to use both features in the same turn provided you do not also have to Tag a target with the base feature. That said, Expend Momentum is very strong and versatile, as most of the class is. With good type coverage in your movepool, your Pokemon can conceivably gain 4 momentum a turn. With the bare minimum of one a turn, all of your EoT moves basically become At-Wills, giving a slightly higher power curve to your actions each turn over an opponent having to stagger their EoTs. At two cost, dice are removed from the equation entirely, granting a flat 11 to your die roll backed by whatever accuracy bonus remains. The attack becomes autohit unless something hits you with a sizable acc penalty. At three cost, you refresh a Scene move, which still operate on the EoT restrictions despite that. Doesn't seem all that worth it for combat moves, the bit of extra damage two turns later is kinda meh. Scene single use utility that an opponent tries to overwrite like weather function as a great usage of this option though.
Effective Methods: Required Tutor point expenditure. Grants Exploit or Tolerance to a Pokemon at the cost of 2 TP. These two abilities are core to quite a few of the other features in the class, making this feature a must if you are taking Type Methodology or Duelist Manual.
Directed Focus: Orders, dealing or receiving super-effective damage now also build momentum. Allows you to use your abilities much more frequently and reliably. In full swing a Duelist can reliably trigger two different activations of Expend Momentum on the same turn provided Commander's Voice, every turn. It isn't really required, and feels like more of a feature tax. If you are going for Seize the Moment it is worth getting to more easily break the 6 count and snap someone over your knee with free auto-crits. Directed Focus allows for the power plays that make this class happen.
Type Methodology: Combined with Duelist Manual allows you to spend 2 AP if you predict a SFE hit incoming, even if you have Exploit, and reliably tank through it at the cost of 2 Momentum. If you're rocking Tolerance instead this comes without the AP cost, and is just a beautiful Scene x2. You won't tank the hit quite as well as you might've otherwise. The Exploit spin of this feature is like a mini-tinted lens, and isn't bad for those utility moves that are commonly resisted.
Duelist Manual: Costs 2 AP, hugely expensive, but doesn't spend momentum. Also a standard action without Commander's Voice. First option doubles Exploit/Tolerance and lets them swap the ability to the other till the end of next turn. Again one of those fun little tools that lets you survive getting SFE hosed by your tagged opponent. Unlike Type Methodology, the bonus from this one pointer DOES apply to attacks that target untagged enemies. The two-pointer turns an AoE into a single target that makes a foe vulnerable and shaves their initiative to 0. Other classes get similar at lower AP/action cost, so it doesn't seem like the best option. The three-pointer lets your Pokemon ignore volatile status for a round as long as they continue to fight the chosen target, also not a great option with the statii rework, but I suppose if you want to avoid a little damage or inconvenience from Confuse or Enrage it's fine.
Seize the Moment: If you hit the mythical 7 momentum, you get a free interrupt that autocrits if it hits, smites if it misses, and heals for 50% max hp if it crits while it crits. This feature makes Duelists lust after high critical moves, and probably look into either Marksman Orders or Brutal Orders with Elite Trainer from Ace Trainer. Actionless healing on an effect range that can get potentially stupid on the right build *and* it's Scene x2? What is balance? What is life. Two turns of setup, landing a singular super effective attack, or taking one, is all it takes. Considering the hate on the devs have for healing, and how wide critical ranges can get in the game, I sort of question if this was ever scrutinized that hard. Cool Expert rigs it even worse letting everything access Sniper and Focus Energy. Maximum rude.