Chiming in with something I've found while playing with my NPC, with me using different jobs/weapons, on the "WTF is this NPC Smoking for these WS's???" question.
Babekeke wrote:
# 14) This is an odd one... my NPC used Tachi: Kagero while I was lvl 14... it is a lvl 100 skill, so she should have been lvl 33 to use it, not 14. Even more bizarely, she is only lvl 30 uncapped still as I have not levelled her with a high job yet. Strange, huh?
This is simple, and easy enough to test out...I'm a RDM, and I have both party macros (where I'm always swapping out my weapon and loosing TP) and solo macros (where the weapon swap is removed to maintain TP in battles).
To put it bluntly...my staff skill -sucks-.
Accidentally switching weapons and forgetting to hit my "melee" macro, I've noticed my NPC always does the same WS's...when using my Sword or Dagger (both much higher level than staff since RDM can't skill staff up), she does a range of WS's.
All weapon change (on the NPC) does is generally give different WS's...now yes, H2H gives one punch on Healer, but then only Monk or /monk gives the "normal 100% double-attack" with punching now (changed in I forget which patch)...even when your job has a listed H2H skill, and can (and does) equip punchers, you still only get 1 attack/action, unless you have MNK somewhere in your <job> display.
The weapons do seem to have general ranges of damage/delay, depending on whether you're doing 1 or 2 handed weapons (both hands = slower but harder attacks), but in general, all you get are different WS's.
Here's the interesting part though...no matter what WS your NPC does, one of your WS's -will- close the chain...doesn't matter if they just got that weapon a few minutes ago, the have -all- weapon skills except (no one I know has seen one do) the "quested" WS's...but whatever they throw, if you have -any- WS's, you can "close" the chain.
So take something you have only the 1st WS with, and go fight something, and the NPC will only throw a -very- small number of specials...because they will always throw something you can chain with (but it's up to you to know what WS to use).
Hope this helps (and hey, it beats just saying "bump" heh).
Galantdramon
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Sensubean on Midguardsormr