oh, so the topic was specific for the ML expansions, my apologies XP
I thought it was about the changes implemented since the AoV huh, my bad XD
Crazy as it might be, it is very possible to use solely stigmas but only using «Illusion Blade», however we better meet in-game for those kind of discussions :/
More on topic,
About «Evanesco», it is true that now it looks a lot more appealing due to the fact that it can both AoE and return a 20% damage dealt to the enemy. However personally I haven't been able to figure out a situation in which I may need it, let alone a build that can afford it.
I personally wish «Stigma Mastery» was already working properly because those extra seconds on Stigma duration would be beyond lovely <3
Like:
Furnuculus -> Raw Tilt -> Crucio -> Illusion Blade -> Earth Worm -> Contingency -> Land of Darkness -> Illusion Blade -> Tempest -> Curse Burst till your finger falls <3
Speaking of which, «Land of Darkness» works if the oponent has Stigmas on? I will test it out right away!
*and then the test happened*
:<
It still won't hit any target, regardless of them having Stigmas or not.... most it did was 1, then all misses .____.
«Bram Gush» always had a chance to add Stigmas, but prior AoV said chance was of 6 x level %, for a max of a 30% at lvl 5, now its 100% at level 5.
It is true that prior to AoV «Diem Wind» was a must for a Stigma based build, however, current Vigor rates calculations can bring you up to a 30% far too easily, with which you can cooldown «Illusion Blade» fast enough and «Earth Worm» can also add another Stigma + some slow effect, after that you only need to do some skill in-between before you can use Illusion Blade again and puff, 5 Stigmas >=D!
Diem Wind can easily do what Earth Worm now does, Stigma adding wise is even faster, however, its no longer a must, IMO.
On the other hand, about «Tempest» and «Contingency»... say, would you max them? would you leave them at level 5, or would you keep them for utility at level 1?
«Tempest» is a fierce strike, a very painful hit with the addition of doing even more damage when Stigmas are around. However, sadly it is ATK based and most of Cres gears are tilted to the INT side. Of course that even if its not in the best of the Cres expertices, it is not a poor damage dealing attack, and it is more deadly now that the animation doesnt root the character to the spot and you can resume attack almost as soon as you casted the skill, which in converse allows you actually take adventage of the Stun effect which comes along with it. Definitely an useful skill even if only at level 1.
In the case of «Contingency», I would personally not max it... I mean, from level 5 to level 10 there is an increase in the damage the skill does, it even has a new animation in which the Cres will swing the Scythe in a double circle, which divides the damage in 2 instances (altho it happens as just one), and like with Tempest, it will not stop you from continuing your fierce attacks. However there is no increase neither its DoT, nor the enemy DEF reduction per stack and the cooldown of the skill remains the same no matter which level... so, given that Crescentias have already a lot of skills with side effects to worry about, I would not level it past level 5, and since the DoT is ATK based and most of my power is based on MATK, maybe even leaving it at level 1 would be enough :/ (btw, if the first strike of the skill animation misses but the second one lands, neither the DoT nor the DEF debuff will apply :\)
Im saying all this, but Im still going to have them as high level as possible eventually (if the skill scrolls get a less ridiculous price or the exp we get is not as lame as now that is), how about you O___o?