Not only do the claws have limited availability while the T7 Waki is up for grabs whenever someone feels like doing an O3, the item itself is somewhat overrated (good for sure, but not something to be that hyped about). For a Ninja to continuously use the claws, they would have to wait three seconds between each usage, since it takes that long to regenerate ~90 MP using a Lvl 90 pet + standard WIS. The 2025 damage that the claws’ projectiles can potentially dish out only amounts to 675 DPS, while the Waki can still maintain its 690. It’s also important to note that the damage output for the claws is more unpredictable. As for the Killer Instincts, there’s only a 1/3 chance of actually receiving the buff, and it’s not even like it buffs both DEX and ATT – it randomly chooses one of the two. And like I said in my previous post, we haven’t even yet talked about the whopping +7 DEX from the Waki that (I’ll have you know) is permanent.
With the way I’m wording things, I’m aware that it may seem I’m derogating the Ninja as an inferior class. I’m not. I’m just saying that the Samurai is more than capable of rivaling the Ninja when it comes to pure DPS. Exposing an enemy when fighting in a large group can be a godsend, and the group’s overall DPS can increase drastically. Even in solo play, the Samurai can still hold his ground. While this does creep out of the DPS question and more into the general “Samu vs Ninja” debate, the Samu’s ability to tank more while dealing basically the same damage, and sometimes even more, could make him a better choice in some areas. At some point, solo DPS becomes meaningless – no one cares if a character can deal 3000 or 3100 DMG in x seconds. I see people (and I don’t mean you guys, I’m talking about random people all over) comparing the two classes and coming to their conclusion that the Ninja is always better just because apparently a huge portion of the general playerbase thinks the Samu’s weak? ATT and DEX caps aren’t the entire story, and Wakis can do so much more than some people want to believe.