This guide has one primary objective: to assist players in understanding where to allocate their resources for optimal results when upgrading or creating their Wind Hawk.

To facilitate comparison, we will establish a base gear, excluding any enchants or gear that could potentially alter the test results. Therefore, no Varmundt enchants for Element or Race were utilized in this guide. Similarly, all tests were conducted on a single type of monster to ensure consistency across the board.

Additionally, with the exception of the [MVP] Ranger Shecil Card (4676) , the damage output of no other MvP Cards will be explicitly mentioned in these tests. This approach aims to minimize any potential interference with the market prices of the items and cards listed and tested.

Disclaimer: These tests were conducted solely by me with the assistance of some friends, taking into account BiS (Best in Slot) gear and a stable testing environment. It's important to note that the results may vary depending on your own gear, stats, and the specific monsters you're targeting.

All tests were carried out on the GemstoneRO Test Server.

To ensure consistency and clarity in the comparison guide, with the exception of a few tests, all evaluations were conducted using the same gear.

Disclaimer: During the recording of gifs for this guide, there was an oversight where the default card in the Armor slot was [MVP] Realized Amdarais Card (4602) instead of the intended Two Eyes Dollocaris (300376) . However, this error will not impact the results of the comparisons and tests, as both cards provide generic modifiers (class% and atk%), and no other item in the comparison relies on these modifiers.

Furthermore, it's important to highlight that the only buffs applied were: The One Potion (50035) , Enrich Celermine Juice (12437) , Awakening Potion (656) , and self Wind Hawk buffs.

For consistency with the stable gear used during the tests, the monster's attributes such as Defense, Resistance, Critical Shield, Class, Element, and Race were also kept constant. The chosen base monster for these tests was the Depth Morroc Incarnation at Depth 2.

You may observe that certain gears, such as Nebulas, Master Shadow Gear, and others, are not included in the tests. The reason for this is straightforward: either the gear is considered unsatisfactory and not worthy of testing, as is the case with Concentration Nebula, Aferde+Timbers, and Master Shadow Gear, or it is currently not the most suitable choice for our current game state, as is the case with Creative Nebula.

The purpose of this section of the guide is to provide you with a deeper understanding of how to compare and optimize your Status and Traits based on your Garment Slot Card and Varmundt Gear enchatments.

Below, you will find all the tests related to various Trait distributions. However, before delving into the results, there are some important observations to consider.

The objective of this section is to provide a clearer understanding of how each trait impacts the character's damage output. It's essential to remember that variations in your build and gear may influence the final results of your specific tests.

However, certain fundamental principles can be defined:

• POW should take precedence over CRT when the numbers are equal.
• C.RATE should surpass P.Atk when Total P.Atk is less than Total C.RATE.
• Critical Damage % holds precedence over Ranged Damage %, which in turn is prioritized over Atk%.
• CON should be reserved for hybrid Hawk builds or those sharing gear with another class.

Below, you'll find tests for various combinations of trait distributions.

The Galensis Card (300261) should be considered for Wind Hawks who lack access to the [MVP] Ranger Shecil Card (4676) . It significantly boosts Crit. Rate and Critical Damage, making it a strong choice for endgame builds that do not utilize [MVP] Ranger Shecil Card (4676) .

The primary challenge of using the Galensis Card (300261) is reaching 125 LUK. However, this should be less difficult now than in the past, as players typically have 120 LUK due to the Engraved Corruption Poison Rune Cloth [1] (450285) .

One drawback of using Galensis is the difficulty of achieving Instant Cast without Bless/Clementia buffs. Even with these buffs, heavy investment in INT is required, resulting in reduced VIT, AGI, and possibly STR for additional weight capacity.

The Ranger Cecil card is likely the first MvP Card Wind Hawks should pursue. While it may occasionally yield slightly lower damage output than the Galensis Card (300261) (less than 2%), its bonuses of +20 Crit. Rate and +20 to all stats significantly ease the process of stat and gear optimization, making it a valuable investment.

The crucial point to highlight here is that if you don't have the Soul Rune Ring [1] (490302) , there's little incentive to craft it unless you're dedicated to hardcore hunting for double Brilliant Biosphere Gem (Boss Type) (311943) on the Ring.

Typically, the Creative Signet of Star [1] (490135) already outperforms the Soul Rune Ring [1] (490302) . However, with the impending release of the Hall of Life new accessory that synergizes with Nebula Suit of Creative [1] (450172) , the Creative Signet of Star [1] (490135) is poised to reclaim its position as the top accessory in the game.

The objective of this test is to explore and demonstrate how we can trade off damage for increased survivability. Based on the results obtained, we can conclude that in certain situations, opting for Glade Rune Boots may be viable, particularly on maps like Varmundt Depth Maps. However, it's crucial to note that if this change transitions you from a 2-hit kill to a 3-hit kill scenario, it may be wiser to stick with Ice Rune Boots.

Regarding other variations involving the use of Glade items, such as Manteau and Boots+Manteau combinations, I strongly advise against it, as the reduction in damage output may be too severe.

Ice Rune Manteau [1] (480232) Glade Rune Boots [1] (470174)
HP
135.400
1st CB Hit	Last CB Hit	10s DPS
79m	126m	321m

Glade Rune Manteau [1] (480231) Ice Rune Boots [1] (470175)
HP
123.600
1st CB Hit	Last CB Hit	10s DPS
77m	125m	317m

Glade Rune Manteau [1] (480231) Glade Rune Boots [1] (470174)
HP
151.900
1st CB Hit	Last CB Hit	10s DPS
75m	121m	306m

While many players tend to favor the Pirate Captain's Coat due to its relatively easier crafting process, my personal preference lies with the Ice Rune Manteau. Its versatility allows me to capitalize on the additional damage provided by the second slot enchantment, particularly against certain elemental foes.

To be candid with you as you peruse this guide, simply stick to whatever you find easier and ensure it aligns with your After Cast Delay reduction requirements. With the imminent arrival of the new Hall of Life gear, there's no need to hastily swap out your completed garment.

EDIT: Since nowdays are a lot easier to get ACD% and +15 on gears, I currently changed my mind on which enchant is better for the Rune Crown. At first the used of the ACD% jewel (AGI) was more appealing than the Crit on for me, however after seeing how +15 is easy on end-game players and the rate of drop and current price of Sealed Kiel, I can tell that having a +15 Crit Rune Crown with Kiel is the best option.

To be candid, the primary objective here is to grasp how to optimize your After Cast Delay (ACD) build. During testing, I observed that the adjustments required to incorporate a Time Dimension Jewel (Luck) Lv3 (312712) might lead to a decrease in DPS for your Windhawk.

Personally, I find it challenging to achieve the 50% ACD threshold when using a Sealed Kiel Card. If you lack access to any Kiel Card, it's advisable to adhere to the Time Dimension Jewel (Agility) Lv3 (312700) instead. This is because having the Mega Blitz Shadow Shield (24767) outweighs the benefits of having the Time Dimension Jewel (Luck) Lv3 (312712) on the Time Dimensions Rune Crown (Wind Hawk) [1] (400539) .

Time Dimensions Rune Crown (Wind Hawk) [1] (400539) Time Dimension Jewel (Agility) Lv3 (312700)
Card	ACD	CRIT
Limacina Card (300363)	53%	212
1st CB Hit	Last CB Hit	10s DPS
82m	131m	332m

Time Dimensions Rune Crown (Wind Hawk) [1] (400539) Time Dimension Jewel (Luck) Lv3 (312712)
Card	ACD	CRIT
Isaac Card (27395)	50%	224
1st CB Hit	Last CB Hit	10s DPS
81m	131m	324m

The objective of this guide section is to elucidate how each refinement impacts the damage output of your Windhawk. However, given my belief that the Time Dimension Jewel (Agility) Lv3 (312700) generally outperforms the Time Dimension Jewel (Luck) Lv3 (312712) , I opted not to conduct tests with the Time Dimension Jewel (Luck) Lv3 (312712) to fully exploit the Time Dimensions Rune Crown (Wind Hawk) [1] (400539) Refine.

It's important to note that these tests were conducted before the availability of Ep20 Cards. Refinement will have a more pronounced effect on them compared to the Polluted Wander Man Card (27361) , particularly concerning the Dimensions Wind Crossbow [2] (700093) . As for the Time Dimensions Rune Crown (Wind Hawk) [1] (400539) , unless a +15 refinement is necessary for a Sealed Kiel Card (4480) , it's advisable not to exceed +12.

If you possess a [MVP] Kiel Card (4403) , it may be beneficial to over-refine your Time Dimensions Rune Crown (Wind Hawk) [1] (400539) to +15 with a Time Dimension Jewel (Luck) Lv3 (312712) .

With the arrival of Episode 20 comes the introduction of new items, new mobs, and a plethora of relevant information. However, what we can focus on discussing here are the cards present in this new adventure. Let's analyze those that could potentially become part of our journey in the Windhawk endgame.

The [MVP] Snow Angel Card (300473) , at first glance, appears to be an undoubtedly remarkable addition to a Windhawk's build. And it would be, if not for the penalty incurred by having LUK in the build.

In today's meta, running 120 LUK is essential due to the Engraved Corruption Poison Rune Cloth [1] (450285) , and this 120 LUK combined with the [MVP] Snow Angel Card (300473) card leads to a surprisingly -30 Crit.Ratio. When we consider that we should abandon the [MVP] Ranger Shecil Card (4676) , we're not just losing 30 Crit.Ratio, but also missing out on the +26 Crit.Ratio that the [MVP] Ranger Shecil Card (4676) provides.

For this reason alone, in the current meta, there is little reason and hardly any possibility of this card being used by Windhawks. It will likely become the target of ridicule among the eccentric characters of Rune-GemstoneRO.

The [MVP] Fallen Angel Iceslug Card (300471) is a breath of fresh air in the current Windhawk metagame. Though quite specific in its application, the card earns its place in the limelight with a substantial increase in damage output in certain situations. This makes the card a highly coveted goal for any physical build.

Let's keep an eye on this card, as the future may prove even brighter than we anticipate for the Slug.

The Copo Card (300455) + Grey Icewind Card (300457) combo already appears intriguing at first glance. With the addition of Icewind Egg Card (300456) , it transforms into a more comprehensive toolkit that could breathe new life into Windhawks hunting both Small and Large mobs. While it may be a rather specific combination, it promises to shine and outperform our current gear in these particular situations.

The utilization of the Snow Rabbit Iceslug Card (300468) could potentially offer a refreshing upgrade for Windhawks. However, we find ourselves still “trapped” in a meta where LUK is a necessity, and Crit is not universally present on every gear piece. For the time being, the Snow Rabbit Iceslug Card (300468) may remain on the bench, but there's hope for smoother sailing in the future.

Update: I did tested the card and the result I got is that it gives the same Damage a Void Mimic would offer.

The combo of Elite Rgan Healer Card (300459) + Elite Rgan Cleaner Card (300466) may initially seem appealing. However, upon testing, players will quickly realize that the performance of the current cards is not overshadowed by the new addition. It's disappointing, and indeed, quite useless.