[ ENGLISH GUIDE ] ZCuneAoi's Level 60 PvE Shooting Star : Basic Build and Knowledge

Yahallo! Ahaha back with me again, Daniel for Dragon Nest's Guide. This time we will guide you about Raid Shooting Star in level 60. First of all, I'm very sorry if I have bad English because I dont have any formal education for English. But I know that out there, only several guide talks about Shooting Star. Then, this time we will talk it deeper. And have other part talks about how Shooting Star do in Desert Dragon Nest ( ongoing ).

Ahaha talks about English guide, formally I would say sorry if take too long to translate it. Well its not an easy task but at least I will try my best in here. I'm playing in Dragon Nest SEA in server Springwood. Come and play together someday =D.

Content :

1. Gearmaster Better Than Us?

2.Party Role

3. Skilltree

4. Skills's Analisis

5. In Depth and How to as Shooting Star

6. Gears and Accessories

7. Plates

 

 

Gearmaster better than us?

My answer is depends on situation. Before that you should know about Shooting Star itself :

1. You must play more aggressively.
2. You must have a good control of your Alpedo in battle.
3. Towers and Ducks are second priority for SS, the main attacks are from your cannon's skills and Alpedo.

If the 3 points of that suit you well, then we talks about the differences between them. I put several aspects when SS better than GM. GM may better from SS in different aspects too, but hey, this is SS's articles so I just write down about SS.

1. When the Raid Nest or Normal Nest demands or have mechanics to destroy something in limited time, SS can do better than GM.
2. When the target have high mobility, example Hulk mode professor K or Storm Ruler Manticore Zuul in DDN then SS comes better. Because SS didnt rely on immobile towers like GM does.
3. SS more effective with Beyond Time ( BT ) or Time Accel from FU. The cooldown of their skills more likely friendlier than GM's.

Shooting Star solo pillar stage Sandworm DDN. Power of  Splash!

Party Role

Your role in Raid party is as Support and Sub-DPS. Why? :

1. Trans damage give special damage reduce to party members and bypass the 75% damage reduce by skills.
2. Biochemical missile reduce all elemen resist including ice resist and critical resist.
3. Ice tower reduce ice resist target, helps your Elestra to do better ice stacking with longer duration. Movement slow helps FU to disable mini manticore in DDN Dragon's phase.
4. Wax boosting party's movement speed.
5. Mechabomber reduce the target's damage. Similiar debuff with Havoc and Taunting Howl from Mercenaries.
6. Splash can destroy statue / lizzard / stelay. Usefull in DDN's stage that have limited time to do the mechanics.

Skilltree

This is the Skilltree of Raid Shooting Star.

 

Skills's Analisis

 

Academic's Skills

 

Wax

 

Use this to boost your friends movement's speed. Very useful in some mechanics in DDN, can replace Spirit Boost if the Acrobat die. Max it for higher chance slipping. Why? Higher level of wax can increase the chance of Mini Manticore slipped, and reduce your cooldown slightly. I recommended max level plus Wax's plate for cooldown. Since with it the cooldown of wax is 14 seconds so you can spam it and use it more often. This skill can boost Flame Road's damage. Use it wisely!

Stun Grenade

This skills have about 60% of your PPB Ex 's initial damage. Take it till level 11, why? Because lvl 11 is the highest level with good leap of damage from other level. You use this skill as a filler when most of your damaging skills in cooldown.

 

Napalm Grenade

 
This skills at max level actually have a higher damage than Stun Grenade. But to make it like that you need high amount of skill points. Its not effective because you need the skill points badly and the range of this skills is limited from melee to near medium.

Dodge

 




Max level! No need to explain ~



 

Quick Shoot

 

Same reason with Napalm Grenade. Leave it in lvl 1.

Air Shot

 

I use this skill just to push the TNT barrel in Sandworm Hazal DDN. Level 1 is enough, dont talk the damage. Just dont!

Air bom

 


The real function of this skills is to change your fall direction and make your fall longer than usual. Useful in PvP, for raid? No No No. Another wasting skillpoints.

Mega Hammer

 

Boss cant get stunned, so skip skip skip~

Circle Bomb

 

Well, must have skill. If can take it more than 1 I would take it =D

Force Out

 

Melee range, magic damage. Boss cant knockback, so skip skip skip.

Bubble Bubble

 

Low damage in PvE, and magic damage. Boss cant be bind by this skill. Dont take this skill.

Summon Alfredo

 

Max! Some people think that Alpedo have high HP in battlefield is useless. Never do that! Max it!!! Higher HP of Alpedo help your party member survive more in TD ( trans damage ) and you dont need it to resummon it over and over just to make Alpedo's HP full again.

Alfredo Recall

 

Take it!

Aerial Evasion

 

Max level ! You dont have extra tumble like sorce / archer. So, any skills that can make you wake up easily must max. Including Aerial Evasion.

HP mastery

 

Max level, every class need high HP.

MP mastery

 
Level 1 only to open MP regen.

MP regen

 

Max, for better MP regen.

Auto Dispenser

 

Free skill, why not?

Engineer's Skills

 

Pingpongbomb

 

 

 

Basic skill for Shooting Star. Max it! Each level increase the percentage of bonus damage dealed to enemy.

Mine Thrower  or Brain Projectiles

 

 

 

 

Level 11 got significant of damage increase. The weakness of this skill is that the minibomb-pellets are spreaded over the area. If your target is small, similiar with human size then this skill is not effective. But if your target's size is medium to large ( medium like Proffessor K or Typhoon, large like dragons ) then this is your best skill to do damage. Deals insane damage for large sized monster.

Biochemical Missile

This skill is not damage skill. You use this Biochemical to open the battle. Why? This skill reduce enemy's resist ( ice / fire / light / dark / critical / stun / etc by 15% ) and reduce critical resist by 30%. So, totally the enemy will get 45% critical resist reduce. Raid party is not about you and the Dragon, but you and your friends. So, use this skill to open the battle and your friends will have some advantage from that.

Rocket Jump

This skill for extra dodge when doing dodge. Provide you invicible frame when the skill casted. Leveling this skill wont decrease the cooldown, so level 1 is enough

Alfredo Stomp

This skill wont interrupt Paladin's provoke. Level 6 for higher damage. This is one of your best skill to release sand binding in dragon's phase ( Ex mode only, without Ex cant ).

Alfredo Berserk

Take this skill in level 1 only. If you after the extra duration for level up, then you better play resummon the Alpedo than wasting skill point in here.

Damage Transitional

This skill actually is not damage reduce. Trans Damage ( TD ) is out of the damage reduce skill's system that have 75% damage cap reduce. The real thing is, this skill move the damage that players received to Alpedo. If you got maximum damage reduce like MR 75% damage reduce, and have Trans damage buff in your head active. Then actually you have about 87,5% damage reduce. But if you dont have TD's buff in your head and you got MR + Howl Charging's buff, your damage reduce still 75%. Max for the party's sake.

Alfredo Hurricane / Whirlwind

This is actually good skill. But this skill have higher priority than Alpedo Beam. If you want to spam Alpedo's beam then better leave this skill unleveled. My Advice, dont take this skill. The damage and the skillpoints spended are not worthed.

Fake Bomb

This skill stopped your dodge's action on mid air. You need your full action of dodge and combined it with Rocket jump in Raid. The damage isnt worthed to level up.

Gravity Grenade

In T3, this skill did insane damage if level up well. But in T4 this skill have lower damage. Take 1 level for function, not worth to level up more than 1.

Gatling Tower

Gatling tower in max level have sama overall damage with Cannon Tower max level too. This tower is visible, so can be an alternative aggro for the monster. For PvE SS, this tower better take it in level 1.  Worth to max level? No! The range of this tower is melee - near medium, and piercing. If the monster very mobile, this tower will be useless.

Cannon Tower

 

This tower in lvl 1 and lvl 11 have difference of damage about 40%. The range of this tower is medium, and splash. Once again, the cooldown ( 18 secs ) and limited only for 4 attacks are not worthed for your skillpoints. Better leave it at level 1 and safe your skillpoints to another skills.

Ice Pump Tower

Ice tower is a support tower. You didnt take this tower for the damage. Minus 30% ice resist and slow can help your Elestra in ice stacking and slower some monsters in DDN. Level 6 is enough, level 7 for more ice resist duration. Actually you dont need to put cooldown plate in this skill because your party mostly bring Acrobat and FU in DDN.

Mecha Duck

 

Level 1 only. Increasing this skill only increase the impact damage of the duck when summoned. The Max HP of the ducks remain same, 75% of your HP.

Mecha Shock

 

Even without Ex version, this skill do great damage. Take it level 6 for highest loop of the damage growth.

Mecha Siren

 

 

 

 

Without ex, we use this skill to silence the target and remove target's buff. Level 1 enough for PvE.

Mechabomber

 

This is must have skills for every class of Engineer after Biochemical Missile / Trans Damage / Wax / and Ice Tower. Level 10 for 30% damage reduce and to do some reduce damage's tricks in some mechanics ( explained in other part of SS's guide, Desert Dragon Terminator ). When casted, the ducks will have their antena burned and 3-4 seconds later will blow up. The ducks still survive, do damage and reduce target's attack. Weakness of this skill are need time to blow up and if the ducks dont have yellow super armor bar then ready to get wiped out and canceled by the boss's skills. Simple activation? Aim summon mechaduck to the target, after duck summoned and you can see the duck's HP and super armor clearly then cast Mechabomber.

Flash Grenade

 

This is your saviour in some stage of DDN. Mostly when Manticore Zuul use Stomp and the wave caused by the stomp can drag you far away with high damage. Also to " iFrame " damage when Golem Kajiff casting Triple Stomp. First stomp flinch, dont left click 1st wait the second stomp near crushed the ground and left click! You avoided the 2nd stomp and ready to jump evading 3rd stomp. Leave it in level 1.

Demolition

 

 

 

Overall, this skill have better damage than Sky Line. But you must stand near the target, immobilized for 8.4 seconds. Even if you want to cancel it, need 2 seconds to release the cancel blast. This skill is not good if the target mobile and in the Raid Nest.

Sky Line atau Horizon

 

 

 

Actually, the damage of this skills almost equal with 3 times of your Ping Pong Ex. But the good side of this skill is you just need to cast it and bye bye. At least you dont need to wait till 8 seconds.

Shooting Star's Skills

 

Splash

 

 

 

Your trademark skill. Splash can take down every DDN's mechanics with time limit and destroy's task easily. Detail in other section.

Alfredo Beam / Overdrive

 

 

 

This is "fun" skill of SS or Alpedo. Alpedo release 4 directional laser beam for 1,5 seconds. Beam damaged each 0,5 second after the 1st beam hit the target. Why take it level 1? Level 1 and 4 have slight differences in damage. You dont need to wasted your skillpoints in here. Level 1 enough.

Pingpongbomb-ex

 

 

 

One of the best level 15 nuke's skills in Dragon Nest. Ex version make it more good to do more damage. Detail in other section.

Alfredo Stomp-ex

 

 

 

This skill in PvE can give you alternate nuke from Alpedo aside from his beam. Stomp Ex can release you and your party member from Dragon's Sand binding.

Mine Thrower - ex

 

 

 

Ex skills add more AoE from the pellets in non-Ex mode. The bomb-pellets will do higher splash AoE dan each pellets's damage increased 30% in Ex Mode. Detail on other section.

In Depth about the skills and how to play as Shooting Star

 

Wax

boosting party's movement.

 

Use it mostly to boost your Cleric's movement in Raid.

In DDN, you can use Wax to replace Spirit Boost's function. Example, escaping Poison Prison in Scorpion DDN. If the Acro alive and the SB cooldown when the time it needs, use Wax!

Summon Alfredo

 

When resummon Alpedo, you must see the battlefield's condition. You are a SS, not GM.  Often recall your Alpedo or watch your robot's doing in battle. Specially about Alpedo's HP and Alpedo's yellow bar :

1. If your party members got Trans Damage buff,  a blue shield sign over the head with butterfly tie never resummon Alpedo unless Alpedo's HP below 20%. Resummon again wont guaranteed the monster wont interrupted your resummon's casting.
2. You can spam resummon Alpedo to play " Beam's Nuke Strategy ". Noticed that if the party didnt bring any tanker in list, never play resummon to do beam's nuke. Your party need "another" aggro than your "phew phew beam".
3. If you were in 8 man party, the main function of Alpedo is for the Damage Transfer's destination. If the TD's on, never resummon Alpedo unless low HP. You can play resummon to do "beam's nuke" when your TD is on cooldown. If not, cast TD again !
4. Ignore 3 points before this if you know what you are doing.

Basic information about your Alpedo :

1. 600% Summoner's vit as Alpedo's HP.
2. Have same Def and MDef with the Summoner.
3. Have same attack / critical / FD with the Summoner.
4. Same basic movement speed.

You must know that some buff works and not work with Alpedo :

1. Beyond time wont give any effect to Alpedo.
2. Spirit Boost ( SB ), the cooldown reduce effect wont affect Alpedo. But the movement boost effect Alpedo's movement. Same effect with Wax.
3. Buff that increase your attack, like Battle Howl / Striking / Dark Elf Dance / etc will boost your Alpedo. Same stuff with Critical's buff. Thats one reason why Engineer must have max critical cap, because the summons will copy the critical percentage. You cant ranting the party leader to ask crit booster in your party every runs. Do it by yourself!!
4. Super armor buff from Guardian and Merce affect Alpedo.
5. TD from other Engineer in the party will give our Alpedo TD's buff too.

One tips for me also, always set on your game settings to see your friends's HP bar on field :

1. In chaos mode or panic, example sandstorm in manticore zuul. When your vision is limited, the HP bar give you more visions. HP bar with blue line ( MP ) are players. HP bar without blue line or with yellow line are summons.
2. This methods can give you more visions to decide what you do in limited screens. Always looks where is your tower's position, ducks, and Alpedo.
3. You can ignore 2 points above this line if you think you have better methods in fields.

Oke, the last one about Alpedo is about Alpedo's yellow bar:

1. Yellow bar shows Alpedo's super armor.
2. If the yellow's bar is not zero, Alpedo wont knockdowned so easily if receive any normal damage. Alpedo knockdown only if receive super armor break skill such Stomp / Claw Swipe / etc.
3. Yellow bar will decreased every Alpedo receive super armor break's attack. Greater the attack, will decreased greatly. Example dragon's stomp will decreased Alpedo's yellow bar to zero instantly.
4. The yellow bar will regenerated till full when Alpedo didnt receive any super armor break attack about 7 - 14 seconds.
5. Thats one good reason why I always resummon Alpedo after the boss do stomp.

Alpedo got Highlander buff

Alpedo's yellow bar is zero, will take a long time till Alpedo standing up again.

Prof.K 's Hulk when cast poison wave, can easily break super armor of Alpedo till zero.

From that pic, we can know where is my friends ( Green HP's bar with Blue line ). And my summons ( Green HP's bar with yellow line or without yellow line ).

Can you see where is your summons and where is your friends from the pic?

Clearly see where the summons and where the party members.

Alfredo Recall

The only one logical reason why this skill have 3 seconds cooldown is to make us controls our Alpedo's position easily :

1. If your Alpedo didnt aim the monster that supposed to aim, go to the near monster that suppose to aim then recall!
2. If the boss do skills that give massive damage, safe yourself first then recall the Alpedo.
3. If you bring a tanker, you can freely recall the Alpedo wherever you need it to be. If not, recall Alpedo infront of the boss.
4. If you go to a nest / raid nest that give a player / summon a marked eye like SDN / GDN, make sure to recall your Alpedo when that time come. To make sure your Alpedo didnt get that.
5. I usually know that SS were good or no from how she treat her Alpedo.

Recall first before cast TD.

Pingpongbomb - ex

This skill actually easy skill, but if we try to look it deeper it will more complicated. But you know, this is SS's guide so we need to know deeper about our skill. Lets go!

1. Pingpongbomb ( PPB ) level 16 plus Ex can bounces 10 times maximum.
2. If PPB hit A, still have 10 bounces left then PPB will search nearest target beside A. If B available then PPB will bounce to B. If A move from initial position, A will get PPB bounce from B. If not, then PPB will search another target. If cant find another target, then PPB will stop in B and B will get bonus damage.
3. If PPB Ex lvl 16 hit single  target, lets say 200K initial damage ( critical ). Then the target will receive bonus damage [ Bounce Left x ( 16% + 5% Ex ) ]. In this case, the target is single then the bounces left is 10. So, the bonus damage will be 210% from Initial damage ( about +420K ).
4. What if the case of PPB hit A --> B ---> A again. How much damage that A received? Lets say the initial damage is stable 200K each. First, A receive 200K damage then bounced to B and B got 200K damage. After that, bounced to A again and receive 200K damage plus damage bonus because stopped at A. How much the damage bonus? The bounces left when stopped at A is 8. So, the bonus damage is 8 x 21% =  336K. Total damage that A received is 200K + 200K + 336K = 736K!
5. Differences between PPB Ex and PPB non Ex in lvl 16 to single target? PPB non Ex do 100% + ( 100% (8 bounces x 16% bonus bounces )) = 100% + 128% = 228%. PPB Ex do 120% + 120%( 10 bounces x ( 16% + 5% bonus Ex ) ) = 120% + 252% = 372%. The difference is 372% - 228% = 144% !

Pingpongbomb shooted from far away

Die!

The yellow damage is Initial damage, and the white damage is the bonus damage.

Always use range advantage of PPB for battle.

Mine Thrower - ex

Never, just never underestimate the damage of this skill.

No combo hit happens, I cast the mine thrower to prof K.

37 hit with average damage about 42K. Total damage about 1,4 million!

Biochemical Missile

Actually, this skill is pretty easy. But many engineer use this as a damage dealer in Raid party, and its wrong! The cooldown of this skill is high ( 40 seconds ). In DDN, when the dragon reach x10 and below you cant spam this skill because this is your best skill to break Sand Binding. Level up this skill wont increase the debuff, so level 1 is enough.

1. Always open the battle with this skill, specially in party. Because you are not the only one hitter in your party. Dont make your party waiting you to use biochemical then start hitting.
2. If you do solo run, you can set up your ducks and tower 1st then use Biochemical.
3. Because the party actually need the debuff of this skill, my advice is use Biochemical Missile plate with increase debuff duration.

Rocket Jump

This skill in raid party can safe your ass more often than a Saint can heal you. Dont rush to use this skill, make sure your dodge's loop reach half of the loop then do the rocket jump. Use that strategy to make your iFrame longer than usual.

Poison ball, get ready!

Dodge casted!

Rocket jump! Evade the damage...

Alfredo Stomp

This skill actually wont override Provoke from Paladin. You can activate it when DDN. But if you want sure Agrro, better turn it off. Turn on only in Golem Kajiff and x10 Dragon for Sand Binding release tricks.

Transitional Damage

So many articles that talks about TD, so I make this short :

1. Cast TD only if you sure about Alpedo's position and condition.
2. If you really dont know where your Alpedo stand, recall!
3. If Alpedo when you want to cast TD below 30%, better resummon it 1st.
4. Resummon Alpedo when the TD's buff active wont cut the buff out. The damage trans still works and will transfers the damage to new Alpedo.

 

Splash

Ahaha sorry for the bad pic, I hope you can see the line of the splash's bullets.

 

Very simple skill, I will try to make it short :

1. Splash divides into 2 type of damage. One is the damage from the bullets that piercing the body of target. And the other is from the bullet that explode when reach maximum range.
2. After casted, 5 bullets will shooted to 5 differences direction. It will make about 45 degrees angle and each bullet will have 9 degrees differences.
3. Splash's bullet will explode after reach maximum range ( about 5-6 metres ). Each explosion deals 20% damage when the body pierced the target.
4. The effective range for target that have human size is near melee, and for dragon's size you can stand back till 5-6 metres away for maximum damage.

Alfredo's  Beam

This is the phew phew phew skill of Alpedo, what you should know :

1. Beam have 4 explosion beams in 4 directions within 1,5 second animation ( about 0,5 second interval per hit )
2. Alpedo's beam is in the 3rd priority in Alpedo's skills. First priority is Alpedo Hurricane, second is Alpedo Berserk. To make it effective, we vanished the 1st priority by not take the Hurricane skills. So whenever the Alpedo summoned, the delay from using Beam only from berserk.
3. When Alpedo casting beam, nothing can interrupt it. Two skills that can cancel Alpedo's Beam are TD and resummon Alpedo.
4. Resummon Alpedo will reset the passive skills of Alpedo, including the Beam. You can use this for advantage for "Beam's nuke" tactics.

Alfredo Beam!

Non-activate the alfredo.

then resummon!

Alfredo do berserk, second priority for Alpedo's passive skills.

Alfredo do the phew phew beam again!

 

Alfredo  beam!

Resummon again =D

 

Slower the fallen time

As academic, you have a good advantage when comes to Stomp Mechanic in DDN. Do the jump and click left mouse for extra air jump :

worm do stomp!

After reach maximum heigh of jump, do the left click!

!!!!

You can slower your time fall to the ground =D

Gears dan Accessories

Because this is a guide, so i will give you so many option and up to you which type of gears you choose.

Low Budget's Player

1. Use all Dangerous Desire ( DD ) set first.
2. Change the weapons into 2 Bloody Fighter when updated.
3. Change the tunic to Hero 60's  tunic when updated.
4. Change all to hero set when possible.
5. Use all skills acc +1. TD / Pingpong / Wax +1
6. Use costume with AGI as high priority.
7. If use pots, take AGI VIT HP pots in armor. Then Attack STR AGI in weapons. If jade system, use Inter Wind Life in armor then Destruc AGI in weapons. AGI VIT HP in necklace and earring, jade inter life if jade system. Same pots and jade for rings and weapons.
8. If use suffix, use Wind in upper lower beret and HP in glove and shoes. Destruc in main weapon and Iron wall in second. If use jade system, use any cheap jade skills in armor because you arent tanker and should do dodge. For main weapon, use jade skills that can reduce enemies defense and for second weapon is free.

 

Medium 

1. Use 2 GDN Legends weapons, and 1 GDN L shoes for movement speed.  Two GDN L weapons provide more vit for your Alpedo's HP.
2. The rest of four can use DD armors +10.
3. DD acc set.
4. Same jade or pots or suffix with the low budget. Except the Legends parts.

 

Luxury

1. Cannon and Loop GDN L +13 for  maksimum vit and raw attack. Five GA armors +10.
2. GA accs.
3. If you have full 3rd FD plates, you can replace the epic gears later to Unique DDN or Hero 60 after update
4. Rare costumes. 
5. Same suffis / pots / jade with the medium.

Plate

8 - Slots Heraldries

1. Wind
2. Destruction
3. Life Vitality
4. Health
5. Ultimate
6. Tent
7. Iron Wall / Shining
8. Any plates that add FD/ Attack/ AGI/ VIT.

Note : I didnt use fatal plate because the critical already over the cap as an AGI chars. Build your gears with heavy vit for Raid and TD.

4 - Slots Skill + 3 Slot extra from cash shop

1. Pingpongbomb ( damage ).
2. Splash ( Damage )
3. Mine Thrower ( Damage )
4. Damage Trans ( Cooldown )
5. Sky Line ( Damage )
6. Biochemical Missile ( debuff duration )
7. Wax ( Cooldown 

Note : This build for support the party in Raid. Very Good in DDN.

My Current Shooting Star

This is my Shooting Star in DN SEA - Springwood. Pic taken about October to November 2013.

 

Thank you for reading this articles. For next english guide, I will try to translate my guide about SS in DDN. I hope that I will have many spare time to do the translation. Can do discussion also in my FB vintagevant@gmail.com or whatsapp +6281252635695. Thank You and Happy Dragon Nest ^^.