Dragonstones could attack from range

[The DanMan]

Was looking around the subreddit and found this video:

 

Hacker messing around had Corrin with a dragonstone attack from range for the heck of it and was just expecting a crash. Instead he found a partially finished animation.
So, dragonstones could've been more viable at their job of tanking. The first half of the animation is intact, but the actual attack is just the thunder spell stuck in as a place holder. So, when in development this was cut is a bit hard to pinpoint.

Edited March 11, 2017 by The DanMan

[Jedi]

Interesting, I guess they wanted to originally make them like the older Dragonstones, but maybe decided it would be too borked? I'm not sure.

[DragonFlames]

If they did enable Dragonstones to attack from range, that would at least makte it somewhat understandable that you can't double attack with them. But as things stand in-game, Dragonstones are basically worthless.

[Interdimensional Observer]

 

59 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

But as things stand in-game, Dragonstones are basically worthless.

I care to disagree. They can make Corrin pretty tanky both physically and magically. Plus, on Conquest and Revelation, Draconic Hex can weaken the baddies nicely and thus set them up for being killed on the next player phase, which is at least as good as what a Kodachi or like weapon can do in all likelihood.

Is a Dragonstone inferior to say DK Corrin plus Horse Spirit or Nostank Corrin? Or perhaps even +Mag Pally+Levin Sword? Probably. But hey, it isn't that bad.

[DragonFlames]

3 hours ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

 

I care to disagree. They can make Corrin pretty tanky both physically and magically. Plus, on Conquest and Revelation, Draconic Hex can weaken the baddies nicely and thus set them up for being killed on the next player phase, which is at least as good as what a Kodachi or like weapon can do in all likelihood.

Is a Dragonstone inferior to say DK Corrin plus Horse Spirit or Nostank Corrin? Or perhaps even +Mag Pally+Levin Sword? Probably. But hey, it isn't that bad.

Sure, it's nice to have it in Conquest/Revelation earlygame, but as soon as the Yato gets upgraded - and this applies especially to Conquest and Revelation - the Dragonstone becomes pretty much convoy-filler material. Heck, you only need a Nohrian Blade to make the Dragonstone not matter in the slightest (aside from the Res-boost it provides, but let's face it, since when do you bait mages with Corrin?). I find this really sad, to be honest, and - as hypocritical as it may sound - I still like using the Dragonstone in spite of everything I said before, especially on earlygame. The dragon form looks badass and that's all the justification I need.

And of course you're right, once you get Draconic Hex and pair that with the Dragonstone, your army will transform into nukes. I personally think that Kana can employ that strategy better than Corrin can, however, if only because of Kana's personal skill.

It's just that, if you need to rush to kill enemies, you are better off leaving the Dragonstone in your inventory / convoy and equip whatever other weapon you have that can actually double attack and doesn't gimp your speed and skill stats as hard.

[Shadow Mir]

On March 11, 2017 at 9:47 AM, DragonFlames said:

But as things stand in-game, Dragonstones are basically worthless.

I disagree - the defense boost is pretty useful since Corrin's not exactly shrugging off everything that comes their way, especially in Birthright, where the Yato upgrades don't boost defense.

Edited March 13, 2017 by Levant Mir Celestia

[Dragonage2ftw]

I mean,

 

On one hand, it'd make Corrin's dragon form more badass.

 

On the other hand, it'd make the spellbooks that Nohrian Prince Corrin uses useless.

[guedesbrawl]

On 11/03/2017 at 5:38 PM, DragonFlames said:

Sure, it's nice to have it in Conquest/Revelation earlygame, but as soon as the Yato gets upgraded - and this applies especially to Conquest and Revelation - the Dragonstone becomes pretty much convoy-filler material. Heck, you only need a Nohrian Blade to make the Dragonstone not matter in the slightest (aside from the Res-boost it provides, but let's face it, since when do you bait mages with Corrin?). I find this really sad, to be honest, and - as hypocritical as it may sound - I still like using the Dragonstone in spite of everything I said before, especially on earlygame. The dragon form looks badass and that's all the justification I need.

And of course you're right, once you get Draconic Hex and pair that with the Dragonstone, your army will transform into nukes. I personally think that Kana can employ that strategy better than Corrin can, however, if only because of Kana's personal skill.

It's just that, if you need to rush to kill enemies, you are better off leaving the Dragonstone in your inventory / convoy and equip whatever other weapon you have that can actually double attack and doesn't gimp your speed and skill stats as hard.

 

It's not about "baiting mages", but "baiting a mix of physical and magical enemies". Corrin (children aside) is the only one that can really do that. The Yatos also have the occasional WTD against Lances and Shuriken which is not nice. It doesn't hold up well in the last few chapters you have before DS+ tho.

Dragonstone+ Bonus is also very significant: +7 DEF over the Grim Yato and +5 RES. An high HP corrin can take a lot of punishment with that thing. I've been able to bait the entire central-right half of C23's wall and survive thanks to this weapon (unfortunately, it didn't kill anything so I was trapped)

You rarely in the game ever need to rush to kill something. Of course, when you do, you are generally right that basically everything Corrin has does the job better (unless you have a low RES enemy you can't double before promotion and don't have the Levin Sword/Tomes, I suppose.)

 

 

 

[BANRYU]

blegh. Would have been nice. :\

[Dark Holy Elf]

The Dragonstone+ is a net of +10 def over Grim Yato, not +7. The Grim Yato gives -1 def while equipped (being a katana) and its passive +2 def is active regardless of whether it is equipped or not (as long as it is in Corrin's inventory), same with the other legendary weapons of this game (except Brynhidr for some reason).

Dragonstones absolutely have a niche in this game, it's just a primarily defensive one. They have their time and place and are the main reason to remain in Corrin's base class... if you find them useless then there are plenty of better sword-using classes.

[Roflolxp54]

Imagine a ranged dragonstone on this monster:

[Avarice Shadow]

I think it would be pretty cool if Dragonstones could attack at range 2. Since you don't get to double I don't feel it would be broken. And I don't really think that Dragonstones are worthless since you can use them to tank as well as using them to weaken enemies with Draconic Hex for other units to get kills from.