The Sealed Dagger: A Ninja Guide

I did see the 50% resists you mentioned, rarely. Yeah, you might really be correct; acumen simply is trash.

It may have something to do with the fact ninjutsu damage has a weird formula. When it came to light that magic damage affected ninjutsu in a way we didn't expect that kind of shocked me, and this acumen revelation kind of does too. Probably diminishing returns once you hit a certain threshold in MAB gear/MAB-related buffs.

I used to have 5/5 Hyoton and 5/5 Katon too. My reasoning was simply that I wanted one light-aligned and one dark-aligned element maxed for MBing light/darkness SCs, but whenever my LS did stuff with single element nukes we tended to use fire significantly more often than thunder or wind. This was more in the earlier days of Geas Fete. Maybe you made a similar call at some point and just left it as-is?

My highest post-update nuke. Trust buffs (Monberaux), Innin, Futae, and Aeonic AM effect.

Damn. No GEO either that is impressive. Post your set?




This may be the reason actually. I remember watching Rua's NIN guide and adjusting merits from there and I think he suggested the same thing.

(ignore the title)
ItemSet 359346

Herculean Trousers: macc+8, MAB+35, MBD+13%. Don't have Orpheus's Sash. Samnuha coat is imperfect by 1MAB, 2 macc. And I swap ranged weapon for Raiton nukes, so might as well do the weapons also.

This might have been a magic crit as it was the only one out of maybe 12 that hit so high.

I always forget Donar Gun exists >.>

Are you not swapping in Mujin Band/Locus Ring for bursts?

I used to use those two and Static Earring (which I still have), but not anymore. I should test the damage between those 3 options and play around with the best sets.

Also forgot to say - that DM aug on the herc legs is absolutely filthy.

Oh it is, but of course I wasn't trying for it. And the only thing it's useful for just happens to be ninja nukes. Also got cool hands as well: MBD+15% and mab+21 but they compete (and lose) with leyline and futae gloves. Kind of lame but you build around what you get. Makes reaching the 40% cap on MB1 much easier, freeing up other useful slots.

wow those are indeed insane dm augs- you sure you're getting 9mattck leyline > 15 mdb (for non-futae)?

I was gonna say...herc gloves with MAB21 and MBD15 should blow away leyline in non-futae situations. Doesn't look like he's hitting MBD I cap anyway.


Picked up Donar Gun and been messing around with it. Really nice boost in situations where it's practical to use it on Raiton nukes. Made me think that if they ever add a "REMA" level shuriken they should totally give it something like all elemental (or at least just ice and thunder) affinity + 10 or something...NIN's niche seems to be self SC/MB these days so why not push that as far as it can go. Sort of like what they did with Daybreak...not technically a REMA but game changing for the jobs that can make use of it (RDM seraph blade).

I don't know that Leyline beats my Herc hands with augments. They probably don't, because 15% MBD is huge, but it's also a loss of 32 macc, which for me, is important for ninja nukes on anything challenging since I have no Ninjutsu Magic Accuracy Merits. But I just checked and it looks like I do use them in my burst sets. I think I had Leyline in my sets previously after Logical made his video, but I must have changed them at some point. Probably on harder targets, Leyline would be better.

No, I am not hitting the MBD cap, which is probably why I use the herc hands. The legs are a no-brainer.

Episode 19 of A Guide To Ninja is out covering Elite Blade: Ku Gearsets. Hope some find it helpful. Blade: Kamu next before moving onto other gearsets.

It's worth considering that Ku has rather poor SC properties. Enough so that even for the non-RMEA Gokotai users in the trust buff situations Logical calls out as a good place to use Ku (probably the best use case), you may still get better total DPS using a WS with lower raw WS damage once you account for SC/MBs. For instance, if you're fighting with trust support, Hi>Hi is a simple self-darkness, and you can tack on a nice MB. That's likely going to be considerably better overall DPS than just spamming Blade: Ku, despite Ku beating Hi if all you looked at was WS damage.

A few notes
* Blade: Shun > Blade: Ku (for a level 2 Gravitation SC) is your best solo SC option involving Ku (note that it won't work in the opposite direction).
* Blade: Ku > Blade: Ku will result in no SC, so it's not really ideal to just spam Ku unless you're a Gokotai user in a party with lots of other DDs (so not expecting to have many SC anyway)
* Ku does have some SC utility with some fairly commonly used WS from other jobs. For example, you can close Darkness off of Rudra's Storm, Expiacion, CdC, Torcleaver, Fudo. So it may be a worthwhile option if you're in a small group with others who use WS that play nice with Ku.

Why are everyone ignoring 35 during fight and like 100 idle regain on Gokotai XD It might not be big advantage on single fight, but on something like Dynamis or anything else with downtime between mobs, it starts to be significant.

All true... I definitely had to stretch to make my point of the usecase for this weaponskill because as you point out Blade: Hi > Blade: Hi is going to always outdamage it regardless of Blade: Hi doing less damage per WS.

Having an even more difficult time coming up for a use case of Blade: Kamu for my final video... any idea's? :)

Simon - Yes indeed the Regain does help but with only 1-2 tics between ninja's weapon skills it normally doesn't add much but of course if you end up with 1020 TP on this round you are going to be thankful for that Regain. You also bring up a good point in that places with some downtime like Dynamis or even older events like Incursion with lots of running around. Also helps with starting BCNM fights with a weaponskill as you normally will have enough TP at the start. It's a pretty neat bonus on this Katana that you are right is too comonly overlooked, just wish it was on ANY other REMA katana so that I could get more use out of it. :)

Kamu is necessary for Heishi users who want to make Self Radiance SCs when solo (I do this very often on NIN). 4 step: Ten > Kamu > Shun > Shun or you can even do a 5 step Shun > Ten > Kamu > Shun > Shun. I would focus on that as the primary use case because it’s the most practical/common use of Kamu. And if you’re gonna be using it, even though it’s just a SC linker, might as well get as much damage out of it as you can.

From what I understand, R15 Nagi Kamu is not as bad as people might think but R15 Nagi users are super rare (I think Capuchin has one?) so that would be the other case. Capu can probably elaborate on that more.

i tend to use it for dynamis d around wave 2 and in wave three, i rock my high acc which tends to have the dual wield and downtime inbetween, gotokai/shigi gives me lots of defensive and acc that helps me stay alive through out

Thanks, this is about the only use case I can think of as well as this is my favorite WS Multistep combo. Appreciate the input!

Naegling is considerably cheaper and easier to obtain than any of the REMA. Heishi users should be using Savage Blade (Blade: Savage) instead of Kamu if they're performing a 4-step or 5-step Light/Radiance while haste capped. Alternatively, you could Savage-Shun-Shun for a 3step light/radiance depending on TP gain. Although, getting the 2k TP in time for Radiance is difficult without /DNC.

Even without a Heishi, Shun-Savage will still create a powerful Light skillchain and almost certainly be your best option in terms of raw damage output.

I don't think anyone was actually ignoring the idle regain (assuming you load up with DW when idle). My previous point was just that, for people using Gokotai anyway, using a WS that isn't Ku may be worthwhile due to additional SC/MB damage. Regain remains the same regardless of whether you're using Blade: Ku, Blade: Hi, whatever...

And if you have RMEA, you'd have to have really significant downtime to make Gokotai compete with those stronger weapons. YMMV, that's very situational.

FWIW, I recently got some use out of Gokotai regain doing Mythic magian WS killshot trials to upgrade Nagi to 119. Hit Abyssea with Gokotai mainhand and lv75+ Nagi offhand, and the regain was pretty nice to keep filling my TP as I ran between weak Abyssea mobs.


Aside from any SC utility for other weapons (Luna's examples of self radiance), the big use for Kamu is obviously for Nagi. Now, if you aren't using Nagi... yeah, Kamu is SC only.

Kamu > Shun (or vice versa) is a very simple light SC. It's actually the only 2-step light for most katanas. The two notable exceptions are Kikoku (Metsu-Shun) or Heishi (due to adding light SC property to Shun). For Nagi in particular, rapid-fire light SCs is extremely effective with Mythic AM3 up and Kamu doing good damage with that weapon. Lately that's my go-to approach when fighting with trusts: Omen farming, Odyssey, etc.

Now, Hi-Hi darkness is probably better total DPS for most cases for non-RMEA mainhands. But if for some reason light is preferable due to mob resistances, Kamu-Shun is a useful addition to the toolbox.

Nagi-specific diversion:
Kamu with R15 Nagi performs WAY better for me than I expected it to based on spreadsheets. I think there must be something off with the spreadsheet. Associated WS boost and Mythic AM3 applying to WS are really significant. My best damage WS on Nagi is generally Kamu over Shun, unless I'm offhanding TP Bonus katana (in which case, Ten does well). Frankly, Nagi/Kamu holds up to any other weapon's best WS in raw WS damage when not getting great buffs (if you're rolling with COR BRD GEO support, Ten will be better). And you get higher WS frequency. It's pretty good.

TBH, I fully expected Nagi DPS to suck and wanted to just make it for the hell of it. But once I actually got it, I had a bit of a revelation and it's now one of my favorite NIN toys (lately I tend to default to it for solo stuff like Odyssey or Omen farming). It's also just plain fun to use, IMO.

As most of us kinda get now, NIN's optimal damage isn't just based on raw WS numbers, it's in NIN having exceptionally good SC utility along with the ability to add its own strong Magic bursts. Therefore, something like Nagi/Tauret is quite good at gaining TP like a maniac for x-step SCs, and tacking on powerful MBs (this is the reason to lean toward Tauret offhand in that situation, and Nagi itself is a solid mainhand due to the same M.Dmg as the other RMEAs along with Macc+40).

Malignance gear is also amazing for Mythic AM3-up TP sets, and that wasn't an option not so long ago. It makes other setups extremely viable, like Nagi/TP Bonus and spam Blade: Ten much like a Heishi mainhand user. Nagi setup gets higher WS frequency, Mythic procs on WS, and a lot of safety since you're likely TPing in Malignance set for very strong Meva/DT-. Heishi gets an extra 500 TP Bonus, but I don't think that's quite so important when even the Nagi setup means firing off a WS at 1000tp is effectively 2250tp (offhand + Moonshade). And you get more TP overflow with Nagi thanks to AM procs.


Knock yourself out if you really want to switch between katana and sword in a single skillchain. I don't see that as viable for anything other than a quick parlor trick. If I had to do that on a sustained basis for a lengthy event, I'd just log off since it sounds about as fun as rolling around in broken glass.

I'm also still a skeptic that swapping weapons and losing TP really gives optimal overall DPS. But that's kinda beside the point here.

Good info on Nagi/Kamu. You posted your Kamu set on page 191, what kind of numbers are your Kamu putting out, on average, in trust buff situations like Odyssey and Omen solo? You mentioned something may be off on the spreadsheets. Have you compared your values with the spreadsheet to figure out how much of a difference there is?


Darn. One of these days you'll see the light and be converted to the Church of Naegling NINs. I find it to be significantly more fun than sticking with one weapon type, but I do wish Katana got enough of a buff to push Naegling out of the top spot. It's only around 150~200 TP lost per swap, which is a lot less damage lost than damage gained from using Savage Blade. Plus, if you're already swapping weapons to make stronger skillchains, you may as well swap weapons again for stronger magic bursts resulting in even higher DPS potential than static weapon cases.

Only church we believe in round these parts is the church of Metsu dangit

WSD is super weak for Kamu. Not sure why you try to stack it Capuchin.

What would you suggest then? In particular, since I'm already using Adhemar +1 head/body/hands, I'd be interested in recommendations for:
1) Legs - I'm currently using Mochi+3, and I don't see anything better
2) Feet - I'm using a WSD+7% DM augmented Herc Boots (sadly, no STR augment on that one)

I'm using STR+30/WSD+10 cape (Blade: Ten cape), which I think is still better than STR/DA Andartia's for Kamu. But even so, I'm pretty satisfied with my cape because I'm not super enthusiastic about making another Andartia's Mantle to go with the seven I already have. If I'm using the 2nd BiS there, so be it.


This is definitely on my to do list, but probably after the current campaigns are over. Gonna get some actual data on ws avg with various weapon/WS setups and same buffs though, stay tuned! Some short previous (very unscientific) testing, I was getting similar numbers on Shun and Kamu for Nagi. Naegling/Hitaki Savage Blade was indeed my highest WS average, but not the best DPS due to slow cycle time (and like the Blade: Ku discussion, no SCs). Kannagi Blade: Hi ended up being pretty strong due to very good WS average, far superior white damage to any other choice, and tons of darkness SCs.

Anyway, I want collect some better solo parse data with all of the relevant weapon/weapon skill options. Probably most consistent to just find some Apex mobs and beat on them for a while, since it's fairly easy to keep them unbuffed (Ajido and his super fast dispels) and not have to mess with changing targets very often.

I dont think doing same damage as shun is anything surprising. Shun is kinda weak for pure damage. Even just with am3 TA proc you are getting 8hit limit already and 9.6 ftp . Kamu has better wsc and better bonuses to reach higher cratio. Kamu has massive gains from multi attack. Triple attack doubles the damage (assumin 0%wsd) and 2x triple attack multiplied by mythic bonus would put you at same ftp as 8hit Shun. Probably something between single triple attack and triple attack with double attack is needed to match Shun damage with triple attack, considering mythic bonus and better WSC. Even less is needed to match/beat Shun if you are only with trust buffs.

Wsd on cape is probably fine. 10DA might be slightly better, but not enough to be bothered. Relic legs are fine too, because outside of afaik Rao Haidate+1, relic has highest STR+INT for WSC and also great acc/att.

Then its kida hard without making bigger calculations and im not in home for next 2 days. Its even harder if you want to calculate it for trust buffs. If you have nin sheet I would suggest checking things like Kendatsuba +1 body, Argony jerkin +1 r15 for body. Herculean feet and hands with 15STR and 3%TA. Mochi head has signigicantly higher WSC and very good acc/att. Herc head with 10str and 4%ta is direct minimal improvement over adhemar head, but its not easy augment to get.

I almost never use kamu given it's dmg- even if mob is resistant to hybrid ws dmg it seems to at least do about the same as kamu and if it's not then...



This is with trust buffs only (dont have a pocket geo etc), soloing SR, but also a MA hit- norm prob around mid 20-30k's

Blade: To > Tekki > Shun > Shun if wanna add another step start w/tekki for indur>frag

Numbers sounds a bit higher then my testing. Care to share your :To build? Would be very interested in testing this out more.

Sure, tried to share a page or 2 back to start a discussion on it and try to figure out what's bis (and have nin be more competitive for a spot in groups- im anti church of naegling nin lol, if I'm going to be doing sb might as well do it on cor or rdm so I can benefit the pt in some way with buffs/debuffs. (unless special fight like Onychophora)

ammo="Seeth. Bomblet +1",
head={ name="Mochi. Hatsuburi +3", augments={'Enhances "Yonin" and "Innin" effect',}},
body={ name="Herculean Vest", augments={'Mag. Acc.+20 "Mag.Atk.Bns."+20','"Dbl.Atk."+4','INT+8','Mag. Acc.+10','"Mag.Atk.Bns."+15',}},
hands={ name="Herculean Gloves", augments={'Mag. Acc.+16 "Mag.Atk.Bns."+16','"Dbl.Atk."+3','STR+9','"Mag.Atk.Bns."+15',}},
legs={ name="Mochi. Hakama +3", augments={'Enhances "Mijin Gakure" effect',}},
feet={ name="Herculean Boots", augments={'Mag. Acc.+18 "Mag.Atk.Bns."+18','"Dbl.Atk."+4','MND+3','Mag. Acc.+3','"Mag.Atk.Bns."+12',}},
neck="Fotia Gorget",
waist="Orpheus's Sash",
left_ear="Friomisi Earring",
right_ear={ name="Moonshade Earring", augments={'"Mag.Atk.Bns."+4','TP Bonus +250',}},
left_ring="Epona's Ring",
right_ring="Gere Ring",
back={ name="Andartia's Mantle", augments={'STR+20','Accuracy+20 Attack+20','STR+10','Weapon skill damage +10%',}},

This is my general set that I use w/really solid #'s. In ody-A can pretty much one shot all trash mobs on floors 1-5 @ around 1500tp (I think the mobs are around 45-50k hp) with this set + trust buffs and to>tekki frag anything else. If I pop NM usually to>tekki>shun is usually enough if not one more shun for raid.


In SR w/trust I was goofing w/set and actually swapped out herc body for relic+3 for more acc/attck. The above set is a little more light on acc than I'd like. Adh body path B seems like it should be better on paper w/ta etc but swear I was getting better #'s on relic+3. If only we could wear sancro breastplate </3

I focused a good bit on multi-attack given the herc pieces already come w/2%ta and extra attacks will put your damage through the roof.

Some pieces I'm still curious about would be like frim vs lugra (but given stat mod %'s think frim still better), epona vs something like ding or regal (but again that da/ta so good for dmg) and jse neck vs fotia or sanct (usually just go w/fotia since ftp so low to start with anyways).

But, yea- if anyone is having good results and wanna add in I'd love to hear it. Hybrids work well in a fare amount of content but definitely not in any ambuscade I've tried so far (I'm guessing mobs have a good amount of MDB- prevent aoe burns or something?)

For mainhand / offhand I went with r15 heish + gotai, kinda was shooting for highest base dmg along with other obvious benefits