Is Choosing a Transformation Now Required?

boddole · July 30, 2017

I picked up on my lvl ~40 alt after Rise came out, but now at level 50 I've ran out of all the quests I still had except for "Oath of Honor: Mission and Faith" (Main Stream: Season 1). It seems this is where you pick either DK or Pala, and I've got no clue 'which is better' anymore and its a very expensive decision to change ($20 last time I checked). My main doesn't even have a transformation...since it wasn't required and I didn't like the idea of the game more/less making someone choose blindly given how expensive it is to swap.

So does anyone know if this choice is now actually required? Or can it still be 'brute forced' by hitting a level high enough to trigger S2 (or any other main quest line)?

Order5 · July 30, 2017

I gave up before getting that far with my new test character, so I have no idea if choosing a Path is required now. However, I know that you cannot advance the main story by level alone, and you will miss out on a lot if you choose to ignore the main story:

-It is impossible to start a new Season without first completing the previous one.

-Almost all battles will still unlock just by leveling and completing prerequisite battles except for the ones that are revealed through stories (ex: Sea of Reflection). In addition, you cannot participate in any of the special story versions of battles like "Autumn Reed Bed" even if someone else is the host.

-You will not receive sub-stories that are directly related to a main story area like "The Rumors and the Memory". Also, some content sub-stories like "Borders of Niflheim" will be unlocked but cannot be completed without advancing the main story.

-NPCs in Berbhe will be unavailable until you reach that part of the Season 3 main story.

-Obviously you deny yourself any rewards offered through the main story (equipment, AP, titles...) as well as titles from sub-stories specific to main story areas, and extra experience from the Story Goal rewards.

erthos · July 30, 2017

Yes, it's required, but seriously don't worry about it, even before it was an incredibly minor difference (and one that would only come up once every hour), and now they've been even further brought into line with eachother. Your main choice is basically whether you want petrify balls and a gigantic shield or lifesteal or something balls and a boss stun. The real choice is whichever one you think looks nicer.

Kourin · July 30, 2017

Before, the choices might have had some impact on gameplay. But now that you can eventually max out every Transformation skill given enough time, I don't think it matters.

Paladin:
Grasp - Smashes send out damage dealing projectiles (it's not much. My ones deal like 900 damage each in Dullahan)
Divine Punishment - Increases Grasp projectiles to 4
Petrification - Petrifies 1 enemy hit by Grasp. Doesn't work on bosses

Active: Conviction - Become invincible while you send out projectiles and gain a shield afterwards. (Projectiles deal very little damage, but recover 250SP)
Discipline - Increases damage absorbed with Conviction by 100% (I'm unsure about shield health but it's around 10,000 or so)

Not sure about DKs, but their version of the projectiles slows enemies instead of petrifying and might have some other effect.

And, of course, their Active: Fissure. Doesn't do much damage either but "freezes" a boss for around 2 seconds and removes hit drags for anyone who hits the frozen boss. Think of Arisha's ultimate except it happens instantly. You should also be invincible for the duration and recover some SP.

Everything else is literally the same. Either choose the trans based off of those two actives or just the one you like the aesthetics of the most.

Raijinn · July 31, 2017

I have also done some testing with a friend, each of us being a Paladin and a DK. In transformation 1, our ATK and DEF stats increased by 2k, and in stage two, by an additional 2k, granting us a 4k increase to both ATK and DEF in second stage transformation. With the new level 95 skills out, there's a minor difference in how they're used, as Paladin's Sacred Sword skill has a vertical hitbox and DK's level 95 skill throws a disc-like projectile, followed by a huge AoE explosion for two hits. Statistically they're the same now, but their differences are still in aesthetics, and a few minor differences in their skills such as Conviction and Fissure, as listed above.

Weiss_Oswald · August 5, 2017

You make it sound like choosing your transformation is like choosing the woman you'll marry.
And then if you don't like her the divorce papers and stuff will be a mess (The change coupon).

It's not very important to have transformation path, but, to not have it is kind of silly, since you have chosen not to have it, you are wasting the time you could be leveling your transformation up.

It takes TONS of time to level up your transformation (well now it doesn't have levels, but rather TP, but you know what I mean). If you go around without any transformation at all, you're just wasting away points that you could've had, but don't because you don't have transformation.

As for your question, any transformation is fine, just choose the one you like the most by Looks or, choose Paladin because it is superior in every way

Aquamakeesha · August 6, 2017

If you really want to 'strategically' choose a path, it really depends on your character. DK's projectiles deal roughly 1/3 more than pally's, and DK gives roughly 5% more damage to normal hits/smashes. DK is obviously 'slightly' better for characters like xgun kai, CB vella, spear lann, hammer fifi, and arisha. Pally's SA is 'slightly' better than DK's, and is the obvious choice for characters more susceptible to interruptions like scythe evie or lynn. Even though DK might give slightly more overall damage, the slightly better SA from pally gives some characters more opportunity to attack. DK's projectiles also increase your ATT/MATT with each projectile hit on a mob, and can make leveling your character slightly easier. That said, there's really no point in changing your path if you decide you want the other one. You're only level 40ish, and making a new character is easy with the RISE update. You can easily get to level 80 in 12 hours now. I have multiple arishas with max trans so it's easy for me to compare the two. Although it would be nice to have all my arishas be DK, is really not that big of a deal.

boddole · September 15, 2017

Thank you everyone for the feedback and info, I really appreciate it!

@Weiss_Oswald
"You make it sound like choosing your transformation is like choosing the woman you'll marry."
-You don't want to know how much time I spent on character creation before the appearance change items were made airtight....The other problem is that I think both pa/dk look good visually....

Darvhas · January 22, 2019

Go for what you think makes sense for the character.
Grimden is easily DK for me, wasn't even hard to pick.
Hurk gets DK because GUTS

Dunno aboot the others, Fiona definitely gives pure Paladin vibes though.
*Edit*
Whoops necro lmao

Cloakshire · January 23, 2019

Darvhas wrote: »

Go for what you think makes sense for the character.
Grimden is easily DK for me, wasn't even hard to pick.
Hurk gets DK because GUTS

Dunno aboot the others, Fiona definitely gives pure Paladin vibes though.
*Edit*
Whoops necro lmao

This is you right now @Darvhas

Good job necro'ing a thread about a year and a half old. :thumbs-up:

Darvhas · January 23, 2019

My duty is now completed. AWAKEN, MY MASTERS.

Is Choosing a Transformation Now Required?

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