Pardelian Gladius Combat Guide
Pardelian Gladius Combat Guide
Below you'll find everything important to know about the Pardelian gladius style.
In a Nutshell
Pros
- You can use Skill Points (SP) from Swords to train Pardelian (and vice versa).
- Assuming Turtle Stance gives a small bonus to shield bashes.
- Hidden Thrust has defense penetrating capabilities, is a difficult attack to block and inflicts good damage.
- Ankle Thrust is a heavy-hitting attack (5th level damage), aimed low by default. Oftentimes strong enough to pierce armor and cause an opponent to wince with minimal hits, though it can be difficult to land.
- Shield Charge is a good advancing attack with a chance to knock your opponent down.
- Reaper Slash is a strong-hitting attack, capable of unwielding your opponent's weapon if blocked.
- Downward Block is an additional block, added to the layer of Sword Blocks.
- Stab and Twist can boost the damage of piercing attacks in Pardelian Gladius Combat & One-Handed Swords.
Cons
- This is not a standalone skill set and many prerequisites require you to first learn One-Handed Swords.
- Using Pardelian means the investment in a completely separate skill set, outside of Swords and Shields. This will likely lead to longer training and more overall SP required to progress to higher tiers of combat.
- Shield Charge has a chance for the attacker to stumble and fall down is missed. This will no longer occur one you've reached grandmaster (90 ranks) in Pardelian Gladius Combat (Basics).
- Killing Thrust will leave the attacker in a kneeling position if performed without fellow Pardelian users surrounding the target.
- Tag and Strike is a difficult move with a penalty, making it very hard to successfully land.
- Slash and Sap and Shield Sap are near identical maneuvers in terms of damage & defenses blocking them. Neither are particularly easy to land.
- Pardelian has a number of skills which are difficult to land against opponents () or have additional penalties when not in an ideal situation (Side Jab, Killing Thrust), meaning fighting opponents 1-on-1 of moderately the same skill level can prove difficult.
- Lion's Gambit will lunge at a target, forcing the attacker into a completely defenseless berserk stance while tossing their shield aside. This has a high chance of being painfully countered.
Advice & Tips
- Pardelian is meant to be a group-combat skill set. Fighting without other Pardelian users will significantly reduce the skill set's effectiveness.
- Stab and Twist should be maxed as soon as possible to take advantage of Pardelian's maximum damage capabilities.
- All attacks that have chances to make the wielder fumble, leave openings, fall down, etc. will no longer do so after achieving rank 90 in Pardelian Gladius Combat (Basics).
Weapons
In most cases, if still using Reflexes, you'll want a retalq gladius. If your character has maxed their Speed stat at Outstanding, a reforged boison gladius may prove more beneficial.
For detailed information, see the Sword Guide (Weapons).
Moves
Worthwhile
- Hidden Thrust - Defense-penetrating attack.
- Ankle Thrust - Heavy-hitting attack aimed low.
- Reaper Slash - A strong attack.
- Shield Charge - A solid advance, with a chance to knock your opponent down.
Less useful
- Killing Thrust - Heavy-hitting attack against prone targets, but it leaves you in a kneeling.
- Lion's Gambit - Stance-changing attack, straight to berserk that tosses your shield aside.
Complimentary Skill Sets
- Brawling is highly encouraged.
- Avros Gladius Combat is highly encouraged.
- Nelsor Gladius Combat is highly encouraged.
Complimentary Traits
Miscellaneous
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