MNK/PGL : STR vs INT vs ATT

[Almalexia]

General MNK info regarding AF bonuses. Figure I'll throw it in here:

MNK feet = 30% WS recast, over 20% default. No increase to damage. Correction: 6.5% increase to FoW movement speed.
MNK body = 25MP/tic, down from 28MP/tic.
MNK legs = 6-8s recast reduction on Shoulder Tackle

Also, the bonuses to feet and body persist even after the AF is removed, as long as the ability is still running. This means you can activate Fists of Wind, remove body and feet, and get both bonuses as long as FoW persists.

Now, on to stat testing.

Conclusions up front if you just want the good stuff
- STR is more effective than INT on auto-attack damage.
- STR and INT have approximately the same effect on WS damage; STR ekes ahead slightly.
- ATK>STR>INT still...
- ...but you should be more worried about your ACC!

Conditions
Target: Lv.52 Zahar'ak Halberdiers
Fists of Wind for WS recast and lower damage/hit, so the fights last longer
Mugwort Carp for ACC bonus

Data
Here is the first test done with my regular gear, built on the assumption that 1.20 rules for ATK>STR>INT still applied. Note that the Max and CritMax are incorrect due to one attack round (two swings, 1 crit) without FoW slipping through. The average is a better representation of the data: (not pictured: 92.13% hit rate)


Here is the second test, cleverly manipulating gear to swap STR and INT values while preserving relevant stats. Note that my Accuracy should read 390, but my food had worn off when I took the shot. We'll call this a "high INT" build, on the assumption that INT is now the better stat: (not pictured 90.49% hit rate)


Analysis
Although the WS count is low, the trend is clear. STR and INT offer a comparable bonus to WS, with STR creeping ahead ~10-20 points in average damage.

With over 4 points of average damage, auto-attacks show STR with a big lead on INT.

I also want to draw attention to my hit rate. My ACC remained the same throughout each test, but my DEX changed 10 points. Although my hit rate adjustment was less than 2%, it adds some additional value to gear like Paragon's Crown. Now that the party bonus "bug" has been fixed, we must re-examine items that provide DEX and ACC bonuses.

Unfortunately, it's too early to answer questions like "how much ACC should I have?" I only know from a recent parse with Myrmidon Princess that 463-468 ACC (depending on whether full PT bonus counts food before or after its applied) will grant 98% hit rate--without Minuet. This is for me a fair guideline when gearing for big things in raids. (Edit: just to be clear, that's 463-468 with PT bonus applied, NOT as it appears in equipment screen).

All said, the biggest change to gearing a PGL/MNK is figuring out how to work in accuracy. The ATK>STR>INT formula still applies, though for maximum optimization it should now read "ACC>ATK>STR>INT until hit rate is capped then ATK>STR>INT."