Because I really want to play a support class(SwS) but I also want to do decent(not very high like a dagger class or a real 2 hander class) damage at the same time. Smacking away at mobs with a one handed sword and shield just takes to long and is too boring = \
We don't get any Light Armor Masteries, so wearing PL set wouldn't give as much bonus as you think - yes you'd get higher STR but you'd miss out on the Heavy Armor Masteries we do get. IMHO no, don't go PL.
C-grade I'd recommend Full Plate set with a Focus one-handed weapon. B-grade is a choice between HP (Doom Heavy) or Damage (Blue Wolf Heavy), with the only decent one-handed weapon - Sword of Damascus with Focus SA.
Using a two-handed sword means you're missing out on two of our skills - Shield Mastery and Deflect Arrow. For A-grade, the choices become a little less distinct. While I am a big proponent of sword+shield, you could do some decent damage with a Dragon Slayer.
Through both your posts I'm sensing that you like the benefits of being an SwS (defensive songs, high DEX, reasonable CON and STR) but you're thinking that you can be a DD. Up to a point you can indeed dish out the damage but our role is fighter/assisting buffer not true DD. If you go two-handed sword and +STR tattoos, you might get high STR but totally screw your CON.
If you want to really do some damage, get a one-handed weapon with Focus. Focus SA + Focus and DeathWhisper buffs + Song of Hunter + high DEX + sword fast attack speed means you'll be really punishing mobs and players.
Of course you're free to play your character in your own way, nothing I've said here should force you to change your personal playstyle. Just try to think of the role you want to play; if you're giving high damage during PvE you're likely to pull aggro, and with Light Armor or -CON tattoos it'll hurt a lot. We don't get a lot of HP anyway so, in my opinion, make the most of what you have: fast one-handed sword with a decent SA (Focus or Critical Damage), shield and heavy armor.
Going +4 tsu*sls for a choice of B grade weapon is not a bad idea. The SA the swords get is increased crit rate and combined with your song of hunter your damage output isnt too bad.
From C grade till A grade I used a different variation of armors. I simply chose what was pleasing to look at, as well as damage potential. I did nerf my con considerably, however I exchanged it for dex which increased my accuracy, crit rate, atk spd, and other things. I also used haste duals since powerstrike is pretty useless, thank you ncsoft for making us light elves knight types nothing but half defencive classes. Course if you want to increase your damage already off an awesome crit rate. I would recomend using in A grade a dark legions edge, nightmare shield, tallum plate set, the sa on the dark legions edge for a sws should be something that compliments our crit rate, that being crit damage. But then again its up to the player. Ive seen sword singers use daggers, bows, blunts, two handed swords, poles, dual swords, and single handed swords. Again its up to you.
Bear in mind that while using haste sa's I have creamed spellsingers and spellhowlers into the ground, but have lost against other classes. Using a dark legions edge, currently no sa thanks to the kain adena farmers and pvp overhauled alliances consistent camping, can't afford a red 12 sa crystal, Ive creamed a treasure hunter, silver ranger, hawkeye, phantom ranger, and plainswalker. All equal level to me and using their own OE weapons with their sa's. It boils down to tactics, equipment and strategy.
The shield comes in handy against archers and daggers, the duals against mages, (recomend NM heavy) and for dwarves, either a soulbow with quick recovery, or a carnage bow with your choice in sa's. We are a class that can quickly use any of our defencive buffs with any weapon but as for damage output, it varies upon what you take on.
Though I would like to see temple knights and sword singers get at least another damaging skill to help augment themselves, but the chances for that are slim to nill since everyone thinks opposite. After all blade dancers have sting, which can be used with duals and does far more damage. But thats another topic for another day.
that really depends on how you play. If you only play in groups where you are not the tank then PL with focued weapon is a good SwS/DD setup. However in PvP you will get slaughtered with that setup typically, IF people target you. Now I know most SwS aren't priority targets but I seem to get targeted a lot in PvP myself. If anything though DO NOT go duals or Doom heavy. Doom heavy is not a great armor at all in my opinion unless you are a true tank. Defensively for a SwS in B grade I'd go Avadon, I guess BW is fine if you don't mind looking absolutely ridiculous and having -DEX. As far as duals go I would NEVER use any except maybe Dual Keshes in A grade.
PL is a good armor provided you dont get hits, str bonus is more than noticable.2H sword is the way to go in PvE, OE'd great sword is all you need there (even very late game).
Doom heavy is good only for extra PvP length, so u can sing more. Other than that: no.
Avadon is general choice for B grade, that's it.
PL is a good armor provided you dont get hits, str bonus is more than noticable.2H sword is the way to go in PvE, OE'd great sword is all you need there (even very late game).
Doom heavy is good only for extra PvP length, so u can sing more. Other than that: no.
Avadon is general choice for B grade, that's it.
Wouldn't Zubei's Set be better if I was using a 2hander? Because Avadon and Zubei's Set give the same HP but Avadon gives extra block rate (which is usless w/o a shield) while Zubie's gives extra P.def.