[Orange Duke]

Originally Posted by Sunder the Gold

So maybe you should have quoted her words, because that's what I really need to get a feel for her informed opinion on the matter. What good is Haruyuki's barely informed opinion?

“…It’s that “there are exceptions to every rule” thing. Listen here, level 9 is, in reality, the “cap” for brain burst. 'Cause no matter how many points you earn, you can’t go to the next level. The path to become level 10 is hunting down five other level 9s… meaning making five other people lose all their points. On the flip side…”
Lowering her eyes again, Niko whispered quietly:
“That means when you become level 9, nobody else can figure out how much time you spent on the accelerated world, and how much experience you gained. On that I thought I ain’t losing to the rest of the king crowd. In the accelerated world, I thought I had the power to not have what I lost in the real world taken away again. But… I was naïve. They… the Originators, have long ago overcome the wounds I’m clinging to. Those… What would you call them, if not monsters?”

As you can see, there wasn't much of a point in me doing so, as the context doesn't alter my point, which was that Brain Burst is built on the concept of "same level, same potential".

Originally Posted by Sunder the Gold

I'm sure it doesn't. That was my point.

All avatars are equal, and all choices for upgrade are equal, but not all Burst Linkers are equal. Success depends on who you are and how well you can use what you have.

I take it then, that you agree that based on that concept, it would not be possible for a chromatic avatar to select an ability that is out of its spectrum of affinity?

Originally Posted by Sunder the Gold

Silver Crow and his potential ranged attack are a good example. If he had chosen that, he would have had something to fall back on if faced with an opponent he did not dare to punch or kick.

If someone is using tactics specifically designed to defeat his ability to dive-strike from the sky, using a different tactic like sniping from the sky might throw his opponent off. And Crow could switch back and forth between the two strategies to keep his opponent guessing.

But to really make that work, Crow would need to practice and gain experience with using the ranged attack, which is time and effort not spent mastering his flying and strike skills or developing ways to deal with counter-tactics against his dive-bombing.

But as Niko said, when you're at endgame, the only thing that is going to rank you against other level 9 avatars is the amount of time you have played the game. If Crow took the versatility, it does give him a slightly heightened chance of surviving to level 9 as compared to having to constantly rely on his flight. Once he gets to level 9 he can have all the time in the (Accelerated) world to improve his flight.

Originally Posted by Sunder the Gold

You're missing two of the most important advantages of Splash Stinger: Area-of-effect, and fire-and-forget.

While the Pile Driver's extending strike is fast (and its range may be unexpected), if the opponent properly anticipates and dodges it, Cyan Pile is vulnerable until the spike retracts, and unable to fire another shot until it does.

What's stopping him from using Splash Stinger when his spike is out? The resulting distraction will give him the time he needs to recover.

Originally Posted by Sunder the Gold

But it would really help him out if he could swap out Spiral Gravity Hammer for a normal sword, or some other method of improving his face-to-face combat ability.

I doubt that option would be available to him, though, as I think the system wanted his avatar to be centered around his pile driver. This is the fact that Pile had been banking on which prevented Taker from stealing his pile driver. Giving him another weapon would be like giving Roller another ride.