Using C-MS for DPS
(This is a rework of a really old project of mine that I finally decided to update and put on this site. This is a look into specific aspects of her DPS qualities. For a general review of C-MS, the usual analytic sites may be useful.)
Fickle Temper ICD 1s/CD 1s
Press skill to switch between different ammo types with different effects. Subsonic rounds (default): Increase evasion by 65%/Spoon Tip rounds: Increase damage by 85%/Standard rounds: Increase accuracy by 200%.
We all know that C-MS is a very solid evasive tank. She has a reasonable amount of HP (925), good base evasion (75), strong tiles (15% FP, 5% ROF, covers all from 5) and an evasion selfbuff that is active from the very start of combat and has no downtime. In that role, you can simply set her to force manual, let her sit in her default Subsonic rounds, and let her tank.
C-MS also has two other modes to her skill - her skill can cycle through a FP and an accuracy selfbuff, allowing her to act more like a direct-fire offtank. The multipliers are lower compared to popular picks like SR-3MP and X95, but she has better uptime and the unique ability to equip AP ammo as a SMG. So, let's investigate these two modes and see which is better, and how she compares to other options in DPS mode.
Autoskill will cause C-MS to constantly rotate skills, so when using these modes, you'll need to manually cycle her to the desired setting and then leave her be. For simplicity, these charts assume she is already set to the desired mode.
Spoon Tip vs Standard rounds#
With C-MS on her own and no other buffs, here's a daytime DPS chart comparing each skill option with VFLs, EOTs, and ITIs.
C-MS' Spoon Tip rounds, the damage buff, are the solid lines with one for each equipment option. Her Standard rounds, the accuracy buff, are dashed. SR-3MP's in-skill DPS is included as the dotted line for comparison, though she's only shown with an ITI.
AK-12's 15% ROF tile interestingly brings C-MS to the same frame (15f) even with the ROF penalty of an EOT or ITI, so here's a chart with that included:
Nothing too dramatic, but an EOT is now viable for a bit longer and can be used at up to 20 enemy evasion. See this table for all the buff percentages this happens for.
Finally, a chart at night where they're all forced to use PEQs:
So: unless we're talking 100+ evasion at day/40+ evasion at night, C-MS should use her Spoon Tip rounds with a VFL/EOT/ITI as appropriate when you want her to deal damage. The accuracy from her Standard rounds is simply not enough to be competitive, despite the much higher multiplier.
For more detail on her equipment selection, here's a chart showing the best equipment for her by net external accuracy buff and enemy evasion:
As seen above, some amounts of ROF buffing will make EOTs much better. Be careful not to build your team around this. It's only a slight adjustment in the relative value of two equipment options.
(Note: there are technically some other factors like crit chance/crit damage buffs. With a Command fairy, VFLs do much better and EOTs get even worse. If you need exact numbers for a specific setup, you may be best off calculating it yourself/checking a combat simulator.)
Compared to other DPS SMGs#
Either way, her in-skill DPS looks quite poor compared to SR-3MP. To see if the advantage from her permanent uptime makes up for that, let's look at some damage-over-time charts.
First, here's one throwing together a bunch of potential DPS SMGs (X-Exo+ITI on all except JS 9 who used an X-Exo+EOT):
Not the best look for C-MS. She has a decent edge over Honey Badger, but even then Badger's tiles could make up the difference (especially if you don't have an AR in position 4).
As noted, I used a wild estimate for X95's net average damage boost based on an earlier study of mine and JS 9 has full damage stacks. While JS 9 can buff her damage and is included for comparison, I would recommend against using her as a DPS SMG due to her much better tanking abilities and enemy group limitations. Real battle conditions will cause results to vary significantly. Numerical rankings are taken at 20 seconds and will change depending on your timeframe of choice (even here, X95 is almost always above JS 9 but barely falls behind at 20 seconds).
C-MS is using HP ammo here. It's nearly a 50% increase over her base FP, so using AP ammo against unarmored enemies will make her much worse.
If you're worried about super evasive enemies, I present three dolls for your consideration: option one, option two, option three. SMGs have awful accuracy. Don't use them against Patrollers.
Before we totally write off the idea of DPS C-MS, keep in mind that her ability to equip AP ammo can occasionally be useful. Perhaps the most notable case was against the Theater Advanced 8 "backwards tarantulas" wave (example, though I always just used HOCs for them). Molotov/hand grenade SMGs may not be able to hit the whole swarm, and regular DPS SMGs like SR-3MP can get blocked by the armor:
Setup: VFLs, 0 evasion, 109 armor, 5* Damage I Artillery. With armor in the picture, C-MS does more damage, more consistently. SR-3MP naturally does even worse if your fairy doesn't give quite so much FP.
Conclusion#
C-MS can be a decent DPS SMG against low evasion, armored enemies. In all other cases she'll be significantly outclassed by standard options. Her accuracy mode is not worth it for realistic enemy statlines/situations - use her evasion mode if she's tanking, and her damage mode for DPS.
Even then, her utility as a DPS is questionable. At day, RFHG/MGSG echelons will tear up armor. At night, RFHG echelons can still handle a little evasion alongside armor. Things like HOCs/Airstrike/piercing (Kord/Hanyang) counter Tarantula swarms and will be more useful in other battles too.
Direct-fire SMGs are, as a class, awkward to use. They need their links to deal damage, so if they take a few hits their DPS potential will drop significantly. Any kiting will stop them from shooting and lower their damage contribution. Large groups are usually better handled with molotov/hand grenade SMGs like Uzi mod and Vector, who also remain effective at low links.
Really, just stick to using C-MS as a tank. She does a great job there. You can also disregard all the DPS optimization stuff and just give her a suppressor for the bonus evasion.
(C-MS is also good for CE stacking, but don't do that.)
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