Komikero: Finding a Technique

With all the new features, I find myself playing Drakesang-Online once more.

Another motivation is that since I'm almost halfway to level 40, I would like to at least reach that level before moving on. But still, moving on is up in the air because the developers have announced more Level 40 quests coming soon, so at least that's something to look forward to.

Still frustrated with the loss of Scream of Rage (or Scream of Fury, I don't remember now which), I've had to find other techniques with which I can dispatch monsters with my Dragon Knight. My usual technique was to use Scream of Rage and then with the added speed, I can use Smash very effectively. I can't do that anymore, so I tried to look for something else.

Here's what I found:

Using Banner of War, alongside with an old trusty skill Mighty Wild Swing, seems to create an awesome combo I discovered. With Banner of War activated, one can use the Mighty Wild Swing continuously with only a split second pause in between. Mighty Wild Swing uses up a lot of Rage so much so you can only use it once, build up Rage for a few seconds, and then use it again. With Banner of War activated, your Rage is always full so you can keep using Mighty Wild Swing on and on for 10 or more seconds.

This has the added benefit of hitting all monsters around you at once.

Surrounded by Level 40 Dragons and Level 39 Skeletons, it becomes much easier to survive and kill them all quickly using this combo. And not once have resorted to use any health potions.

Try it!

Komikero: I Regret The Loss of "Scream of Rage"

With the new R48 update, came two new skills for the Dragon Knight. In the past, I got excited every time new skills were added because for the longest time, the DK didn't have much skills and I've had to make do with around 5 or 6. Upon reaching Level 20, there were no more new skills to learn. Over time, new skills were added that made the DK more powerful and so more fun to play.

But in all this time I've always loved the "Scream of Rage" skill because, for a few seconds, my Rage was upped to maximum and my damage and my attack speed increased. Using a variety of attacks like "Smash", "Bloody Wild Swing", or even the simple "Angry Strike" after activating "Scream of Rage", allowed me to kill enemies more powerful than me quicker. It was very useful whenever I'm fighting for my life.

That skill has saved my skin countless times.

It's a skill that proved to be indispensable when I dispatched Khalys solo earlier.

But with the update, "Scream of Rage" was replaced with a new skill "Dragon Hide".

Dragon Hide does not increase my attack speed, increase my rage or increase my damage. It just increases my armor. Even though the other new skill "Banner of War" allows me to use my skills without the need of rage for the duration of 9 seconds, both new skills were pale replacements for "Scream of Rage".

All of a sudden, battle tactics that I've been using to my advantage for months went out the window. The new skills were simply not as effective as "Scream of Rage" was. Battling big enemies suddenly became much harder and more complicated.

Add to that the difficulty of choosing which skills will go into the hotkey bars because now there are more skills than there are hotkeys.

I really hope the Drakensang-Online developers not only restore "Scream of Rage" but assign a shortcut key on the keyboard to health potions so I can use the extra space on the hotkeys for a skill.

Komikero: Dragon Knight Skills Configuration

Hello! Gerry Alanguilan here again, rambling about my Dragon Knight.

Two new skills have been added with Release 046, in addition to to new skills added with Release 045. I think the two new skills are tremendous but it left a few players are asking, "how am I going to fit all those skills in the hotkeys/tabs?"

That's a legitimate question, because as it is, there are more skills than there are hotkeys. The hotkeys, as I like to call them, are the row of buttons between the two globes at the bottom of the playing screen. The hotkeys are divided into two sections. The left section has 6 hotkeys, while the right section has 3 hotkeys.

The right section represents the attacks that are activated by your mouse. The first key represents your left mouse button, which is your primary attack key. In that key, I placed "Angry Strike", which is probably the only skill I can place there because it's the only attack strike that you can use right away without building up "Rage". In this game, "Rage" is generated by using the "Angry Strike" continuously, and as your rage rises, you can see just  how much in the beige globe on the left. When you have enough "Rage", it is only then other skills can become usable.

In the second and third key I placed "Mighty Swing" and "Mighty Wild Swing". The second key is the skill that's activated when you use your right mouse button. Key 2 and Key 3 can be interchanged by clicking "Tab".

Before Release046, I would generate "Rage" by using "Angry Strike" continuously. When my rage level is at maximum, I would then press Button #5 (on the keyboard) to activate "Scream of Rage". This would increase the damage I can give as well as give me speed. I would then use up the rage by using a combination of the "Mighty Swing" and "Mighty Wild Swing".

With Release046, I replaced "Mighty Swing" with "Smash". I did this because "Smash" can be used continuously as long as you have rage. Unlike most other skills, "Smash" doesn't need a cool down period to be used again. You can use it again and again in quick succession.

Not only that, "Smash" brings 200% weapon damage, which is insanely powerful. I love using it because it really kicks those monsters asses. Awesome sound effects too.

Which brings me to the left set of hotkeys. I already mentioned Button #5. I will now talk about the rest. The left set of hotkeys represents a bunch of other skills that the Dragon Knight possesses. They can be activated by the number keys on your keyboard from #1 to #6.

Button #1: Not really a skill but a shortcut for health potions. This assignment is indispensable because I absolutely need a shortcut for health potions which would allow me to quickly regain health when I'm dangerously close to dying. With the increase in the number of skills, it might be wise of the developers assign a different key on the keyboard to activate health potions (probably "H"?) so that this button can also be used for skills. Now I don't know if there is actually a health potion shortcut somewhere on the keyboard. Let me know if there is.

Button #2: Paralyzing Onslaught.

Button #3: Furious Battle Cry. Before Release 046, this button was assigned the "Furious Battle Cry". This is a skill that instantly increases your rage, allowing you to use other skills right away without engaging in battle first. It's useful, but it's a skill I never really used much anyway and I thought I could do away with it by replacing it with the new skill "Rage Jump". Like "Furious Battle Cry", "Rage Jump" can be used right away without needing to generate rage.I like using "Rage Jump" to either jump into battle or escape from it (to regenerate health).

Button #4: Iron Brow.

Button #6: Ground Breaker.

I use Buttons #2, #4 and #6 in one after the other to keep monsters almost perpetually stunned. That allows me to take down the more difficult monsters much quicker, and much easier than before.

One trick I really like to use now is clicking "Iron Brow" and then using "Smash". "Iron Brow" both stuns and lowers the armor of monsters. This makes "Smash" even more powerful when it brings in 200% weapon damage. Big monsters fall like ten pins.

And that's how my Dragon Knight skills configuration stands as it is now. And it's awesome!

Release 044

At last, the new skills are finally here with the coming of Release 044 for Drakensang-Online!

New skills have been unlocked for the heroes of Duria. Each class of characters will receive two new skills, one at level 18 and one at level 30.

• The Dragonknight will receive the “Iron Brow” skill at level 18 and the “Ground Breaker” skill at level 30.
• The Spellweaver will receive the “Chain of Lightning“ skill at level 18 and the “Frost Wind” skill at level 30. Also, beginning at level 1, the “Lightning Shot” skill will be replaced with the “Magic Missile” skill.
• The Ranger will receive the “Bird of Prey” skill at level 18 and the “Adrenaline” skill at level 30.

Click thumbnail for a larger image.

“Release 044 is ushering in a skills renaissance – there will be two new skills available for each archetype. There will also be a new quest in the Norselands and jewels can be improved using the work bench from this point on.”

I’m kinda disappointed with the new Dragon Knight skills though.

It seems to me that the two new skills I got (Iron Brow and Ground Breaker) basically produces the same effect as the Paralyzing Onslaught (produce 20 Rage points, stun enemy, deal some damage) but with different visuals and animation. The head butt courtesy of the Iron Brow skill is useful though as it also weakens your enemy's armor which makes him vulnerable while he's stunned for the next 2-3 seconds.

Still, it would’ve been nice if they came up with something different.

Click here for the complete details of Release 044.