String Theory: A Puppetmaster's Guide *NEW*

yes

Harl Tank 100 JP and 0 JP

Soulsoother head / harl frame, 100 JP = 8 Light

Harl tank on guide has 9/8 light for 100 JP and same with 0 JP 7/6

Flashbulb = 2 light, auto repair kit IV = 5 light, Optic fiber II = 2 light and total of 9 light.

replace Optic fiber II with Optic fiber I?

Yea, Just drop OFII down to OFI for the 100 JP set. ARK4+OFI provides more HP/Regen than ARK3+OFII.

was most likely a slip up on my part, I've corrected it, thanks for pointing that out.

np, wasn't sure if I should switch out repair kit or fiber, thanks for response.

Over all great guide, nice work.
I noticed the rng DD 0 JP and soul/valor tank 0_jp attachment sets cost too much. I can't remember the ele on rng, but on tsnk light was 1 point too high.

Turtle Tank 100 JP

Strobe
Strobe II
Armor Plate IV
Analyzer
Mana Jammer IV
Resister II
Steam Jacket
Galvanizer
Flashbulb
Optic Fiber II
Barrier Module II
Auto-Rep. Kit IV

9/8 Light

Yea, I've updated the attachment sets and made corrections where possible. thanks for this!


OF2 down to OF1, thanks for pointing that out.



Just to let you guys know, I've made some more updates to the guide in addition to the corrections mentioned above;

- Added Gnafron's Adargas to the list of potential weapons
- (Outside the guide) Updated the drop location for Gnafron's Adargas as well. (It drops from macrocosmic orb SKSNM Jungle Boogeymen II)
- Added Pet WS Sets (Arcuballista/Daze set and Bonecrusher set)
- Renamed Hybrid TP Sets to Combined TP Sets to prevent confusion with other jobs which usually name Hybrid TP sets in regards to -DT.
- Removed the Overdrive Attachment set, and instead incorporated it into the Standard DD Description
- Removed the VE/VE Bruiser Tanking setup completely, and instead replaced it with a stronger SS/VE Bruiser Tanking setup. Also renamed the Tanking sets to be Turtle and Bruiser for extra clarity.
- Updated a variety of attachment sets (namely, Turtle Tank, Bruiser Tank, Standard DD, Spam Sharpshot, WHM, BLM)
- Made corrections to 0 JP/100 JP sets.

The next thing I'll be adding is a chart of Automaton Skillchains you can perform alongside a SCH using Immanence. This information, along with a many of the other updates above, were provided by Rhayve, so thanks for that!

Many months later, I finally got around to making a sticky request! (I should have asked for this sooner... eh...)

Anyways, I've found myself more and more frequently using and needing my Master-DT set for things like Vir'ava and Pakecet solos where I get clobbered by adds. I'm running with something like this;

ItemSet 361638

Was wondering if anyone had their own Master DT sets to share? or opinions on the above before I add it to the guide?

I actually use Vrikodera Jupon for body. its only 3% instead of 5% on Ryuou but I don't need an HQ abjuration and I get refresh also for /mage, so decent alternative.

only cheaper alternatives might be augmented skirmish armor +1

can get maybe 4% pdt and 2% mdt on each iirc.

I'd rather stick w/ herculean myself. Herculean gloves are actually a better option than helm. 2% pdt built in like legs and feet and can augment up to 4% dt in addition. the helm doesn't have any built-in pdt. pup has no better options for head piece really, but it looks like this set is a bit overcap anyway depending on which herc / dark ring augments you have.

Your set is similar to mine. A couple tweaks:

1. Earrings:
I don't really love Odnowa+1, especially if ever /WHM with an already small MP pool. I tend to stick Eabani in there instead for the Meva+8 (and to a much lesser extent, the HP+45 that is going to need a topoff to take advantage of anyway when swapping gear... another reason Odnowa's HP+100 is less appealing to me).

Genmei is certainly a viable option if you need the PDT. I tend to cap PDT without earrings though, so I stick Sanare in the other ear for more Meva/MDB.

2. Weapons:
(a) From your posted set, it looks like you're probably already fine on PDT without weapon slot. Your set is showing DT-24%/PDT-11% before augments, and I can't imagine you aren't already making up 15% more PDT- between the augments on Dark Ring, JSE cape, and 3 Herc pieces. So, I don't see the need to carry around a subpar H2H for a rather unnecessary inventory -1...

(b) If you really want to swap weapons and you're fine losing master TP, as is often the case when PUP tanking, there are some MUCH better weapon choices, like:

* Terra's Staff (PDT-20%) and pair that with a grip like Umbra (DT-1%), Volos (MDT-2%), Alber (PDT-2%, but Enm+5 that you might not want), Vallus (MDT-5%/PDT+5%... so effectively PDT-15%/MDT-5% from main/sub slots).

* Mafic Cudgel (PDT-10%)

* Chtonic Staff (MDT-12%/PDT+6%) might also be an option with one of the above grips, if you can cover the excess PDT elsewhere... which tends to be far easier for PUP to do than meeting MDT- cap.

3. Assuming you're able to cap relevant xDT- without them, I like to fill excess slots with Heyoka gear for a very strong combo of Meva/DEF/HP. Not to mention the Pet Enm+ that's still relevant when you have to swap into your master defense set.

How good are Steam Jacket and Analyzer at mitigation on most targets for turtle tanking?

I'd say both are situationally very effective. but to answer "How Effective?", I reccommend bg-wiki
Analyzer
Steam Jacket

Like when they are consistently active pretty good.

Analyzer is very specific situation that against most targets just wont be even close to reliable (and resets on it's own anyways) but occasionally is awesome ie ambuscade frog.

Now that we understand steam jacket better it's ridiculously OP when you can make it work ie any mob that uses a lot of elemental attacks of a single element. Actually reminds me need to do a little more testing and update the wiki some on it

In a turtle build, you should end up with a couple slots to play with anyway... so I almost always stick a Steam Jacket on.

"Standard" 10/12 slots taken up by:
Strobe I/II
Optic Fiber I/II
Flashbulb
ARK IV
Armor Plate III/IV
Mana Jammer III/IV

So, your last 2 slots normally come down to stuff like Steam Jacket, Analyzer, Resister 1, Galvanizer, Regulator, Disruptor, Speedloaders (to delay automaton closing SCs until end of the window and let people get their real SCs in)... With those choices, 99% of the time I'll go for Steam Jacket as my first pick. Usually adds *something*, and as mentioned it's sometimes extremely strong with a mob that's more of a one trick pony with specific element attacks.

Anyone messed with Pummel/Smite after the bug/buff? Had smite doing ~14k on gin with frailty torpor dia II but pummel still floated around 8-9k max, if so mind sharing sets?

IDK that it massively changes Pummel/Smite sets.

I was already using WSD pieces in body (Foire+3), hands (Pitre+3) and legs (Hiza+2) slots before this update, more for their other stats (i.e, massive acc/atk paired with fairly good STR). I always just accepted that the WSD provided relatively little since it was first hit only, and now it's a bit stronger.

Head is probably no change either from previous BiS Rao+1 D, with that pairing of STR Acc Atk Crit. Even a really well augmented Herculean Helm is lacking a lot of STR, so would need truly crazy DM augments to compete.

If you weren't already using Foire+3 body & Pitre+3 hands, this probably means it's time to do so and retire the Abnoba and Ryuo Tekko +1.

Feet might be worth changing what you're currently using to a good WSD augmented Herculean boots, but that's the most significant change I see. Well, that and Abdhaljs Needling your STR/Crit WS cape to make it STR/WSD is probably worthwhile - I'm holding off on that until next month to see if this change sticks though.

My current set (note I have no Regal Ring):
ItemSet 356186

Stringing Pummel's mods are pretty low, so Shulmanu Collar would probably pull ahead of Caro Necklace ever so slightly. Caro is still BiS for VS, though.

And assuming the WSD bug gets fixed, Heyoka Harness+1 is BiS body for SP/VS due to Crit Rate+11% and very high base stats, but otherwise Foire body+3 as Capuchin mentioned.

Has anyone here run into a situation where regulator doesn't work, but disruptor does? (or vice-versa)

I've been very slowly experimenting with alternating them, but no luck so far on content that I tried. I'm wondering if there really are any situations where a buff cannot be absorbed by the automaton, but can be dispelled. Stacking both has come in handy though against enemies which frequently buff themselves since we're limited by the timer.

I can't speak for the attachments but the spells they are based on I can't think of any. The only weird exceptions to something being able to be absorbed but not dispelled was weird things that bypassed the resistance somehow like aura steal

Someone have test our su5 weapon ?

I have it, only rank 5 atm. What kind of tests would you like to see? I'm not smart enough to conduct anything empirical but coyld check different things out for you.

Also AFAIK it only affects JAs, WSs, and RAs thougg to be fair I haven't even tried using it with magic.

i want to know if its a good choice to buy to put in a pet.ws//overdrive set

I don't have one to test myself, but presumably the fully augmented PathC Su4 and Su5 would be the best-in-slot for specifically Overdrive sets. For Master damage, the stats on the Xiucoatl Su5 itself are also really good, comparable (though probably still inferior) to Godhands.

Well, since it looks like WSD is here to stay another month, I'm going to gear Stringing Pummel accordingly. Not too many changes but a few. Capuchin's set is really good, curious to see what numbers will be like with it.

Oh it's easily the best single piece of gear to upgrade your pets damage, especially for Overdrive since you will basically be maintaining it through RAs and such.

Honestly capping haste w/o Ohtas is super easy without sacrificing a lot of power (Thurandaut, Heyoka, Rimeice, Visucius's, Klouskap, etc etc). The only thing I ever swap it out for is Midnights on maneuvers, KeKoKe if I'm putting AM3 (not as likely anymore, not when I can be wearing Xiucoatl), or Nibiru for Repair. The only weapon it doesn't replace IMO for pet damage is Ohrmazd for BLM auto.

EDIT: I want it to be known that I'm far from an expert just a nerd that loves PUP with too much "gil" to have Xiucoatl. This is just my opinion on the piece and I'd be happy to be proven wrong.

Hanbi's Dread Spikes is one instance where I noticed this to be the case.

Interesting. Do you know if either work on Pakecet's spikes?

Also as an addition to my earlier comment about Xiucoatl---

In comparison to Godhands, consider the following.
Looking at the damage relevant stats (both fully augmented)
DMG: +221
Delay: +138
H2H Skill +269
Accuracy +30
Store TP +10
TP Bonus +500
Shijin Spiral dmg +10%

DMG: +204
Delay: +121
H2H Skill +269
Accuracy +50
Weapon Skill dmg +15%
Automaton Special Attack dmg +25%

The benefits here for Godhands is the high base damage and superior TP gain/TP bonus. For H2H weaponskills, Shijin Spiral in particular, TP Bonus isn't as powerful of an effect as it is for something like Savage Blade or Arcuballista (heehee). It's certainly a non-zero benefit but for SP VS it translates to about a 7.5% crit rate. Which isn't bad but definitely not a deal breaker IMO. So I think Godhands has better moment to moment damage but...

Now Xiucoatl has incredibly high base damage as well. I may be wrong, but I believe it is second only to Godhands. With the lower delay and lack of STP it also isn't generating as much TP per hit. Now I've found (through making x-hit builds in the past for KeKoKe) that with PUPs innately MASSIVE Martial Arts that making any sort of quality x-hit build means sacrificing a massive amount of other stats. We were blessed with the Ryuo and Otrinif sets, however even with the massive amounts of STP on those, KeKoKe can make 3k TP in about 40 or so punches which isn't super stellar. 16-hits or 8-rounds to 1k are realistic in a hybrid TP set. What I'm saying is STP, while nice, for H2H and PUP in particular may not be as beneficial as it is to other jobs.

Other than raw damage, Xiucoatl is more accurate than Godhands making it possibly preferable on high level targets as PUP has a lower than standard H2H skill.

Overall I'd argue that yes, Godhands are a stronger pure master DPS weapon. However there are a few pieces to this puzzle we haven't examined yet.

Godhands has +10% Shijin Spiral damage which is ... Okay. Shijin isn't a particularly strong WS and definitely not one we want to spam.

Xiucoatl however has +15% WEAPON SKILL DAMAGE. Which as we've seen is VERY strong right now. It's lower than KeKoKe's boost to SP but in reality our best WS without any weqpon-specific benefits in mind is Victory Smite. Xiucoatl not only gives an additional +5% damage boost to Shijin but it gives both SP AND VS +15%. Which is incredible.

All of that without even mentioning the +25% to automaton RAs and WSs.

For MNK sure get Godhands. IMO for PUP Xiucoatl > Godhands/Kenkonken/Verethragna.

I think any pup would agree that Xiucoatl is overall the best pup h2h.

Not acting like it's some grand revelation I had or anything but Psylo was asking about it and Fabiano had brought up Godhands. 8 - ) Just giving my 2 cents on the matter as a Xiu owner is all.

I tend to agree as well.

I think as far as Ultimate weapons for PUP is concerned, the hierarchy is likely Xiucoatl > Kenkonken > Godhands/Verethragna.

Godhands/Verethragna do literally nothing for the Automaton, so by default they end up falling behind the other two options just based on that alone. While Godhands is likely the strongest master DPS (for reasons chads mentioned)... master DPS is just a small (and often times, irrelevant) part of the bigger picture of what PUP tries to accomplish as a job.

Kenkonken is excellent when you can maintain AM3, but pretty lukewarm when you can't. Getting our strongest WS boosted by 45% is also incredible, especially post-patch where the weaponskills which benefited the most from the WSD change were the 'strong' multi-hit weaponskills (Pummel, Pyrrhic, Reso to name a few). The inability to Overload is also a nice quality of life perk, but hardly necessary.

Xiucoatl ends up bringing the best of both worlds -- comparable damage to Godhands while also buffing our Automaton's damage output in a way no other weapon has to date (Path C... of course). It's also indisputably best-in-slot for Overdrive setups. All in all a big win for PUP as far as Su5 is concerned.



What I'm curious to see is, outside of Overdrive setups, which leads to more Automaton overall damage? Kenkonken's AM3 (so Automaton: +40% Double Attack & +20% Triple Attack) or Xiucoatl's +25% Automaton Ability damage. I wonder if the difference is closer than I think...