My thoughts on this ability.
MNK Relic Armor:
This set primarily is used for a Counterstance setup. Counterstance, leaves MNK with only the Defense given by their Vitality stat, making the Physical Damage taken significantly larger. However the trade off is a significant bonus to MNKs Counter Activation rate.
-This set gives a rather significant Subtle Blow Bonus (+15), being that Physical Weapon Skills will do much more damage from the Defensive hit of Counterstance, you will give the enemy less TP which in turn reduces the Weapon Skill frequency.
-This set gives a large Hit Point Bonus (HP+23%, this is calculated after HP+!), this again is to give you the needed Hit Points to take the extra damage from the increased Physical Damage.
-The boots are the largest part of the Relic Set; they give a Bonus to the Counter Rate! (10% Bonus), while also including +12 Guard Skill! (Guard Skill when activated greatly reduces Physical Damage from a Melee Attack; it also, when triggered, can Null a Physical Damage Weapon Skills Damage!)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I’ve soloed with this Set, and it’s A LOT of fun!; however; this Set I feel becomes undermined, when you’re not playing Solo, when you’re with your friends, especially doing a Linkshell event, like Dynamis.
When you have a huge pack of Melee feeding TP to the enemy, the Subtle Blow has no effect. The enemy will continuously use Weapon Skills at an impressive rate.
I have a capped Guard Skill, which for Solo does make a notable difference, soloing; however, when you’re in a situation where you need extra players, because the enemy is that powerful – The capped Guard Skill with Merits and the +12 from the set (+20 Guard Skill) is still much to low of an activation rate. Again this undermines the set, the Weapon Skills aren’t slowing down for nothing and chances are they will be hitting you for large amounts of damage.
I know this was a really long post, but I felt I had to make all these points in order to discuss this list of things MNK needs in this department lol.
My Conclusion!
1. MNK needs some other method to deal with Physical Weapon Skills, that isn’t the universal you must sub /NIN, I mean a MNK ability to deal with Physical Weapon Skills.
2. Counterstance should not be able to be dispelled, that undermines the entire set, without Counterstance on this set really serves no purpose. Either that or a reduced cool-down timer, like SAM gets for Seigan and Hasso. So there’s a chance it can be re-applied.
3. SE really need to add more MNK Counter+ Weapons. The “Cross-Counters” and “Retaliators” are the only ones with Counter Attack in the entire game, aside of the MNK Relic Weapon, Spharai.
Cross-Counters (LVL 50):
DMG:+19
Delay: 96
Accuracy +3
Counter +5
Evasion -10
VS
Spharai (LVL 90)
DMG+40
Delay: 86
Attack: +35
Counter +12
Attacks will occasionally do 3 times normal damage.
This gap is weapons is ridiculous, add more Trials/Weapons with higher DMG with Counter+ for MNKs!