Thoughts + Ideas for the Kukri

Discuss Median XL!
Semigloss
Onyx Knight
600 | 26
Great Popularity Badge
Has a thread with over 50.000 views
Common Love Badge
Earned over 20 cookies
Common Guide Badge
Created a complete character guide
Just wanting to get some opinions from folks (and also maybe answer a few questions I have) about the new
Kukri
Kukri
Kukri (Mastercrafted)

One-Hand Damage: 45 to 50
Required Level: 30
Required Dexterity: 550
Quality Level: 200
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.14 per Dexterity)%
Cannot be Renewed
+1 Lightning Damage per 1% Bonus to Defense
+1 Lightning Damage per 1% Total Physical Weapon Damage Bonus
Socketed (3)
item.

Overall, I love the idea. I really enjoy unique ways to scale/build around non-typical stats. That being said, I haven't actually found one yet (I play SSF), so I can't say if it actually performs well. Anyone else tinkered around with it yet?


CLASSES
Here are what I've thought about each class as far as building around the kukri goes.

1. Barbarian. Barb has access to LOADS of bonus defense, which equates to damage. If you used Bear Stance, Runemaster, AND spirit guide (or w/e it's called), you should be able to achieve some huge damage numbers. Physical damage boosts are not as easy to come by on barb so I would probably just forgo that all together. You also have the option of speccing full dex (no block though), or you could go full vita build. For usable skills, you have iron spiral as main AoE, and Shower of Rocks for single target (or primordial strike but I seriously despise it's mechanics). You could also work in Fortress/guard tower. My #1 choice.

2. Paladin. Holy melee is your only useful tree here. Lionheart gives pretty good balance of bonus defense and phys damage bonus, both mean more kukri damage. That's the highlight of the tree, but you also have decent melee skills, retaliate and divine judgment. Breakpoints and pierce are eased by euphoria and spark of hope. Since pally block sux, I would say full vita here as well. You'll have loads of extra points to sink into any support skills you want. My #2 choice.

3. Necromancer. Melee tree of course. This was my initial no-brainer choice, because you get decent physical damage boosts and MASSIVE defense boosts. But after reviewing Deathlord further, I noticed the defense boosts it provides is a flat boost, not % bonus, so that won't give us damage unfortunately. Boo. The only defensive skill that gives us damage is Death Ward, which eventually only reaches the 400%ish range iirc. Famine is decent though, thats essentially 15% of dex/str added as kukri damage. Necro actually makes sense to go full dex on too I think, since you can reach respectable block. That's another 14% of dex as damage from the weapon scaling too. BUT, Necro is going to struggle with pierce, as -light is not native to the character. My #3 choice.

Honorable Mention: Druid. While you could go the wereowl route (nice synergy with the kukri design), I'm actually drawn to the Werebear route for the big defense and damage. Barkskin, Werebear morph, and ancestral protection combo for defense probably gives barb a run for it's money. Plus you have Primal Bond for extra damage, and Tracking that helps with pierce. The big downside here is that you need an Oskill for attacks (though idol of scosglen does help with AoE), and you also need an axe/mace on switch for casting your morph.

Every other class I felt didn't have enough to be worth mentioning.


QUESTIONS:
Here are just some general questions I have:

1. Does %TCD count as %Defense for kukri purposes?
2. What phys damage stats DONT count for kukri? Flat damage I'm aware of... What about EWD?
3. Is there an area level requirement on the side zones?
4. Also, what exactly constitutes a side area? Aside from the obvious. Im not sure how having a side-quest plays into this (countess Tower for example).


Looking forward to hearing what everyone else thinks!
Bliyadolubov
Grubber
314 | 10
what does that weapon for? how it work?
User avatar
Giu
Core Lord
381 | 60
Great Popularity Badge
Has a thread with over 50.000 views
Common Love Badge
Earned over 20 cookies
Common Guide Badge
Created a complete character guide
Common Auction Badge
Won 50 auctions
Bliyadolubov wrote:what does that weapon for? how it work?

https://median-xl.com/changelog.php
Bliyadolubov
Grubber
314 | 10
Bliyadolubov wrote:what does that weapon for? how it work?

interesting stuff...Next question - can it be base to runewords
Siosilvar
Cow Ninja
1218 | 263
Common Posting Badge
Posted over 1.000 messages
Great Popularity Badge
Has a thread with over 50.000 views
Great Love Badge
Earned over 100 cookies
Great Guide Badge
Created 3 complete character guides
Semigloss wrote:QUESTIONS:
Here are just some general questions I have:

1. Does %TCD count as %Defense for kukri purposes?
2. What phys damage stats DONT count for kukri? Flat damage I'm aware of... What about EWD?
3. Is there an area level requirement on the side zones?
4. Also, what exactly constitutes a side area? Aside from the obvious. Im not sure how having a side-quest plays into this (countess Tower for example).


1 - TCD should all have been renamed to % Bonus to Defense, Runemaster is not the same stat.
2 - The stat that counts is EWD, which is the same stat as Weapon Physical Damage (I believe Physical Weapon Damage is just an error). Unlike other scaling of this kind, it does add 14% of your Dexterity as flat lightning as well.
3 - All the side areas on Hell drop it.
4 - Side areas are the ones with green named mobs, where oils drop.

It doesn't count as an elemental base for the ele barb tree.

Also might be worth considering oskill zons with the Spear tree, it's possible to get over 2000% bonus to defense from Lioness.

Bliyadolubov wrote:interesting stuff...Next question - can it be base to runewords


If you find a way to make a runeword in it on ladder, please report the bug.
Bliyadolubov
Grubber
314 | 10
Semigloss wrote:Just wanting to get some opinions from folks (and also maybe answer a few questions I have) about the new
Kukri
Kukri
Kukri (Mastercrafted)

One-Hand Damage: 45 to 50
Required Level: 30
Required Dexterity: 550
Quality Level: 200
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.14 per Dexterity)%
Cannot be Renewed
+1 Lightning Damage per 1% Bonus to Defense
+1 Lightning Damage per 1% Total Physical Weapon Damage Bonus
Socketed (3)
item.

Overall, I love the idea. I really enjoy unique ways to scale/build around non-typical stats. That being said, I haven't actually found one yet (I play SSF), so I can't say if it actually performs well. Anyone else tinkered around with it yet?


CLASSES
Here are what I've thought about each class as far as building around the kukri goes.

1. Barbarian. Barb has access to LOADS of bonus defense, which equates to damage. If you used Bear Stance, Runemaster, AND spirit guide (or w/e it's called), you should be able to achieve some huge damage numbers. Physical damage boosts are not as easy to come by on barb so I would probably just forgo that all together. You also have the option of speccing full dex (no block though), or you could go full vita build. For usable skills, you have iron spiral as main AoE, and Shower of Rocks for single target (or primordial strike but I seriously despise it's mechanics). You could also work in Fortress/guard tower. My #1 choice.

2. Paladin. Holy melee is your only useful tree here. Lionheart gives pretty good balance of bonus defense and phys damage bonus, both mean more kukri damage. That's the highlight of the tree, but you also have decent melee skills, retaliate and divine judgment. Breakpoints and pierce are eased by euphoria and spark of hope. Since pally block sux, I would say full vita here as well. You'll have loads of extra points to sink into any support skills you want. My #2 choice.

3. Necromancer. Melee tree of course. This was my initial no-brainer choice, because you get decent physical damage boosts and MASSIVE defense boosts. But after reviewing Deathlord further, I noticed the defense boosts it provides is a flat boost, not % bonus, so that won't give us damage unfortunately. Boo. The only defensive skill that gives us damage is Death Ward, which eventually only reaches the 400%ish range iirc. Famine is decent though, thats essentially 15% of dex/str added as kukri damage. Necro actually makes sense to go full dex on too I think, since you can reach respectable block. That's another 14% of dex as damage from the weapon scaling too. BUT, Necro is going to struggle with pierce, as -light is not native to the character. My #3 choice.

Honorable Mention: Druid. While you could go the wereowl route (nice synergy with the kukri design), I'm actually drawn to the Werebear route for the big defense and damage. Barkskin, Werebear morph, and ancestral protection combo for defense probably gives barb a run for it's money. Plus you have Primal Bond for extra damage, and Tracking that helps with pierce. The big downside here is that you need an Oskill for attacks (though idol of scosglen does help with AoE), and you also need an axe/mace on switch for casting your morph.

Every other class I felt didn't have enough to be worth mentioning.


QUESTIONS:
Here are just some general questions I have:

1. Does %TCD count as %Defense for kukri purposes?
2. What phys damage stats DONT count for kukri? Flat damage I'm aware of... What about EWD?
3. Is there an area level requirement on the side zones?
4. Also, what exactly constitutes a side area? Aside from the obvious. Im not sure how having a side-quest plays into this (countess Tower for example).


Looking forward to hearing what everyone else thinks!

Wereowl is too fucking good for that Kukri. I saw some one playing it on tvitch
Semigloss
Onyx Knight
600 | 26
Great Popularity Badge
Has a thread with over 50.000 views
Common Love Badge
Earned over 20 cookies
Common Guide Badge
Created a complete character guide
Oooooh that's great about it not being an elemental base. I knew that but it didn't register for me. I would much rather prefer using EQ over iron spiral.

So would Runemaster bonus not increase kukri damage then? That's quite unfortunate if not. Not sure if this ruins barb. I suppose you could just go all dex with glad dom for the block, plus toss in Fortress for more block

I had thought about that with spearzon, as you also get a big phys damage boosts. But that's basically the ONLY skill she has that helps. Can't go frenzy, flat def doesn't help (for damage), nothing Uber tree gives damage, etc.
Edited by Semigloss 1 year.
Semigloss
Onyx Knight
600 | 26
Great Popularity Badge
Has a thread with over 50.000 views
Common Love Badge
Earned over 20 cookies
Common Guide Badge
Created a complete character guide
And you CANNOT make runeworda with a Kukri because it drops rare and oil of renewals can't be used.
Siosilvar
Cow Ninja
1218 | 263
Common Posting Badge
Posted over 1.000 messages
Great Popularity Badge
Has a thread with over 50.000 views
Great Love Badge
Earned over 100 cookies
Great Guide Badge
Created 3 complete character guides
Semigloss wrote:So would Runemaster bonus not increase kukri damage then? That's quite unfortunate if not. Not sure if this ruins barb. I suppose you could just go all dex with glad dom for the block, plus toss in Fortress for more block.


Correct, Runemaster's bonus (along with the penalty from Ecstatic Frenzy and the aura from Ice Elementals) uses a totally different stat.

Semigloss wrote:And you CANNOT make runeworda with a Kukri because it drops rare and oil of renewals can't be used.


It's possible on nonladder or singleplayer. I leave the method as an exercise to the reader. :)
Semigloss
Onyx Knight
600 | 26
Great Popularity Badge
Has a thread with over 50.000 views
Common Love Badge
Earned over 20 cookies
Common Guide Badge
Created a complete character guide
Siosilvar wrote:Correct, Runemaster's bonus (along with the penalty from Ecstatic Frenzy and the aura from Ice Elementals) uses a totally different stat.


Lameeeeee. This makes me reconsider the barb I am leveling... I feel like Runemaster is just such a huge bonus that I was banking on.

Any class stand out above the rest to anyone?