Ever since the update. Katana focus for braver has acted differently. It doesnt fill as fast as it did prior to the update. Also when you Katana Counter for that purple glow there is no way to keep it up and going from attacks, PA attacks, or even from volcanic carnation. As of right now unless Bow Braver has the same focus issues. Bow braver is now DPS KING of the bravers.

This is actually a balance update to Braver that hadn't been implemented yet because it was added to the JPN server after the NA release; it was apparently implemented with the Ep.4 update for the Global version, but it was not addressed in the patch notes. Here are the relevant changes:

Katana Focus

• Adjusted the skill so that the damage dealt in its un-released state is increased:
  • Focus Lv.0: +35% Damage (previously +0%)
  • Focus Lv.1: +38% Damage (previously +5%)
  • Focus Lv.2 or Focus Released: +40% Damage (previously lv.2 at +10%, and Released at +40%)
• Released state gives a 30% increase to MEL-Pwr, calculated using everything except your weapon's MEL-Pwr.
• Katana Focus will be maxed at the start of the Quest, and the Focus gain rate is reduced.

Counter / Counter Edge

• Counter and Counter Edge's power will no longer be affected by Katana Focus. Its power will now be at the maximum power value prior to this change.
• Counter will no longer consume Focus when Katana Focus is not released.

Katana Focus Boost

• PP Recovery will be increased even if Katana Focus is not released.

Basically, Katana now has a higher general damage increase, and the released state is less do-or-die for DPS.

Ah thank you. so there was a balance release im sure a lot of the NA community was not aware of. Speaking of which even when in released state keeping the focus gauge filled is near impossible.

@NyteCrawler Yeah in the new balance, release state is meant to be a temporary phase who's main effect is to increase your crit rate by an additive 50% for it's duration instead of the bulk of your damage bonus like hunter's guard stance. I'm not sure how I feel about the slow ramp up personally, since it discourages you using your counter-edge in trash pulls, lest you waste your gear before the main boss fight. When countering is meant to be a big part of the braver's playstyle.

@RyuujinZER0 yeah thats how i feel the thrill of the risk/reward isnt there anymore. Guess ill have to adjust, and instead of the crit field ring swap to that new crit ring for dps uptime, and to offset from using katana release.

@NyteCrawler The other part of this balance adjustment is going to even make the Crit Rate increase of the released state pointless. They adjusted Braver's lv85 Skill, Braver Combination, so that you automatically get the 50% Crit Rate increase even when not in the released state, for both Katana and Bow; this makes it so that Braver can easily have a 100% Crit Rate at all times.

It does look like the released state is supposed to also give an increase in MEL-Pwr, but I can't seem to get a solid number on that.

EDIT: Found it; released state gives you a 30% increase to MEL-Pwr, calculated using everything except your weapon's MEL-Pwr. I'm going to go ahead and add that up above.

@AndrlCh so going R crit ring is pretty much what i should be aiming for as of right now, and once level cap gets raised to 85, take points out of crit and use somewhere else since with the crit ring ill have 100%, but man 30% increased Mel-Pwr in release wish there was a way to just keep that up with focus/gear being able to fill like before..... Prior to EP4 thats how i kept my release state use volcanic Incarnation in down time phases to keep Release state up as much as possible, while stille counter-edging when the opportunity was there.

Edits: oops somebody gave you all the details

the original link for update classes - http://www.bumped.org/psublog/march-25th-2020-balance-adjustments/

@NyteCrawler It will get MUCH better when Phantom sub comes around, as phantom helps with the focus generation

I knew someone else was gonna make this topic.