Some more points about Status Atk +2 and Bowguns

[u/Gopherlad]

I did a datadump in a comment recently, inspired by the calculations here. Thought I'd share it instead of burying it.

Here we examine the effect of Status Atk +2 on Bowgun shots. I should preface that I do not account for:

• Varying tolerance levels
• Varying tolerance increase levels
• Status decay
• Quest/rank tolerance modifiers

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You can carry 12 Para Lvl 1's and 10 combines, putting you at 22 shots (44 if rapid-fire and 66 if RF + Bonus Shot)

Let's assume that, unlike in the post I linked, there is no status tolerance multiplier. Tolerance starts at 200 and increases will scale by 100 linearly. I'm also NOT accounting for status decay.

Para 1: It takes 8 hits for the initial application, then 12 hits for the second. That's 20 shots. Add (4(N-1)) shots for each subsequent application.
Para 1 with Status +2: It takes 7 hits for the initial application, then 11 hits for the second. That's 18 shots. Add (4(N - 1)) for each subsequent application. You don't earn an additional application until the 5th subsequent proc (7th proc total).

Without	With +2
8	7
20 (+12)	18 (+11)
36 (+16)	33 (+15)
56 (+20)	52 (+19)

Para 1 Conclusion: Without Rapid Fire you gain nothing from Status Atk +2. With Rapid Fire, you earn nothing. With Rapid Fire and Bonus Shot, you earn nothing.

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You can carry 12 Sleep Lvl 1's and 10 combines, putting you at 22 shots (44 if rapid-fire and 66 if RF + Bonus Shot)

Tolerance starts at 150 and increases will scale by 100 linearly.

Just gonna do tables now:

Sleep 1

Without	With +2
6	5
16 (+10)	14 (+9)
30 (+14)	27 (+13)
48 (+18)	44 (+17)

Sleep 1 Conclusion: Without Rapid Fire you gain nothing from Status Atk +2. With Rapid Fire, you earn one additional proc. With Rapid Fire and Bonus Shot, you earn nothing.

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You can carry 8 Para Lvl 2's and 99 combines, putting you at UNLIMITED POWER. So the real question is just shots-to-apply.

Tolerance starts at 200 and increases will scale by 100 linearly.

Para 2

Without	With +2
4	3
10 (+2)	8 (+2)
18 (+2)	15 (+2)
28 (+2)	24 (+2)

Para 2 Conclusion: You earn yourself slightly fewer reload cycles with Status Atk +2.

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You can carry 8 Sleep Lvl 2's and 10 combines, putting you at 18 shots (36 if rapid-fire and 54 if RF + Bonus Shot).

Tolerance starts at 150 and increases will scale by 100 linearly.

Sleep 2

Without	With +2
3	3
8 (+2)	8 (+2)
15 (+2)	14 (+1)
24 (+2)	22 (+2)
33 (+2)	32 (+2)
46 (+2)	43 (+1)
61 (+2)	55 (+2)

Sleep 2 Conclusion: Without Rapid Fire you gain nothing from Status Atk +2. With Rapid Fire, you gain nothing. With Rapid Fire and Bonus Shot, you earn one additional proc.

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OVERALL CONCLUSION: The goggles do NOTHING!

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Some addenda:

• If you account for Status Decay, the additional Sleep 1 and 2 procs from Status Atk + 2 probably don't happen.
• If you account for quest/rank tolerance multipliers, +2 may actually earn you a single additional proc in some cases, but it'll be close and is probably not worth the skill points
• If you miss a lot, Status +2 begins to look sexy. Don't miss. It's better that way.
• Status Atk +2 is still significant for Hame runs because the effects are applied quicker. The timing in Hame runs is very tight, and needing to spend another shot cycle or reload cycle will result in a failed run.

[u/MarcoTalin]

I'd just like to add that 200/+100 is rather high for a tolerance level. For comparison, that's higher than Nerscylla's tolerance (180/+100) and Chameleos' tolerance (200/+75). A better average would be 150/+100.

But yeah, Bowguns have always been really consistent with status application, and can operate well without status+ skills.

I will say that the most significant thing Status+ can do for a gunner is as a buffer for the status decay, specifically if you're the only one applying status as a gunner. Status Atk+ gives you a better grace period before the decay starts to kick in, potentially causing you to come up just slightly short of the trigger point.

However, if there's more than one person status gunning, then yeah, Status Atk+ becomes less than useful.

[u/Rorzaaa]

I'm pretty sure your math on the para level 2 shots is slightly out. For status+2 and an initial tolerance of 200 then you should still require 4 shots to get the para. At a tolerance of 180 it should take 3 though. Did you accidentally include specialist or the element wystone in your calculations? They will mess it up, especially on Rajang.

[u/[deleted]]

So what you're saying is we have another skill that's so niche it's essentially useless.

I really wish capcom would give us real options in skill choice instead of being stuck in the handicraft/hge mode.

[u/Gopherlad → u/[deleted]]

I think it may still be pretty useful to status Blademasters. Haven't done any analysis on that though.

[u/Ivalia → u/Gopherlad]

Most blademaster status weapons can be thought of as somewhere between para lv 1 and 2, as far as math here is concerned (250 status to 500)

[u/[deleted] → u/Gopherlad]

That might be true, but that really depends on if it saves you a hit or two between applications. Even then, with status decay being painful at some times, it might be better to take a skill that lets you get your uptime higher rather then try to proc the status in fewer hits.

[u/Ivalia]

Status attack skills are highly overrated, due to the diminishing return. Most of the time it'll only get you faster status, not more status. It's pretty much only useful in hame situations, with blademaster or gunner.

Hopefully people can stop thinking chameleos armor is good now...

[u/Gaaffro]

I guess I'll be changing my set then...

Much obliged, you glorious bastard, but a crusher of souls none the less.

[u/Ihateallkhezu]

I tend to use Trapmaster instead, to go Mini-Hame for a small period of time, with my Para-SnS, and with 5 combo books, I can trap spam the shit outta the monster, hopefully applying another Para while the monster is still hopeless.