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EDIT: The analysis is outdated. The raids have since been nerfed and Miri was also nerfed (Chainswing now regens 15 SP instead of 25 SP. 4 Stamina/sec regen buff during Garb is removed.)… (more)
Because of this, Cat is much better unless you plan to be in Trans (Dark Knight/Paladin) for the entire run.
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I have both, and from testing them, if you really want to maximise your damage, you need both depending on the boss. It'll also depend on the length of the battle.
For Raids:
> Paw is better in Regina. Using SP from parry and a couple of LR, get enough SP for Garb as you get to 8 bars. Lure Regina to the right side (3 o'clock position) before 8 bars since that's where the white grass always is. Garb and fight while keeping her on or very near the white grass. Use paw after she comes down from the KO grab. If I use Cat here, I only use it twice at the start and have too much SP later that I don't even use it.
> Cat is better in Braha since I run out of SP near the end and lose dps from LR spam for SP. Even if I parry his nail slam, arm resting and stamina drain attacks.
- Paw is better in Braha if I trans to get enough SP, using the starting ledges to trans cancel paw at the start, after trans ends, Garb with paw and kill before the bomb phase.
> Paw is better in Glas. Use at start and use again right after you Garb to avoid gravity KO.
> Paw is better in Lugh. Use at start, use again at 6-7 bars. Orb phase usually happens at 4 bars. After collecting 3 orbs, time Garb animation to end as he comes down and paw with the speed and 100% penetration buff. If you are not grabbed before orb phase, try get the shield or he will likely grab you during Garb which is annoying. If you fail to get exactly 3 orbs, you can Garb a little later to avoid the blast.
> Paw is better in Eoch. Use at start, Garb right before Eoch lands from the roof and use in the latter half of Garb. Or do break off right as he lands, use your Flamebreaths then Garb.
> Paw is better in Abom but needs to be carefully used to avoid Abom's full shield + E spam phase. Don't go for 10 bar bell, gain SP while shield is up, paw after someone rings once. Can go for 7 bar bell if you want, then if you go for the 5 bar you can skip Garb trans animation as you fall from letting go from the bell, paw here. Power through the 3 bar shield. Should have plenty of SP to spam for the last 2 bars.
> Cat is better in Zecallion. You can get stuck under him as it starts, Garb early and skip your spin animations for even more damage, get unstuck after Garb ends before he changes his attack pattern at lower bars. If I have paw, I 'll run out of SP like in Braha since this battle takes a while and he dodges Blazing Spine a bit.
> Paw is better for all [Special] battles since you can hit multiple bosses for lots of SP.
- Shining Keaghan and Shrouded Truth, lure them to a corner, usually the top left corner.
- Last Garden, lure them to the bottom left corner, Ingkells can go out of the map if you are near the gate so that place is not as good.
- Desert Contract, lure them to your starting area.
- Underground Assembly, best place is the far left of the map since it's flat and narrow, your starting place has ledges which make you miss them if they move up there.
For RAR:
> Cat is usually better in Bear if he runs too much, easily miss your Blazing Spine, waste paw from needing to chase him.
> Paw is better in Spiders. Chainswing hit multiple bosses, SP overflow.
> Paw is better in Siggy, Beo, Elch, Lak. They fly or go out of the map often enough for Flamebreath to recharge over time for enough SP.
Overall, if your battles are fast either because you or someone else is carrying so you don't run out of SP, you'll do more damage with Paw, or if you plan to trans. But if the battle is long because Braha or a low DPS party, then Cat. Unless it is a long battle with many pauses like Neam and Aes where you recharge your Flamebreath during them, in this case Paw is better.
If you can only get one, get good with your parry and your Blazing Spine timing + aim, get strong so your battles are fast enough for you to not run out of SP before winning, save trans for Braha, get Paw. If you aren't that good and are constantly running out of SP, get Cat. (less)
The problem is if it booms, mainly due to enhancing, you can't hand it down. Would be nice if they make it so that boomed stuff can be sent to the same account instead of stuck on the one … (more)char.
What I did for Dulla armor was to have a set on my main, then on an alt I make another set, if the enhance passes my main, I unbind and send to main to boom. If it doesn't pass main, I still have decent gear on alt which isn't really wasted. (less)
