Using this Skill

The skill requirements and it having a cooldown implies that this is an active skill yet everything else suggests is a mastery. What does it do?

It does what it says it does. It allows you to control a marionette.

Combat Mastery and Ranged Attack are also mastery skills, yet both are technically active skills, too.

I still don't understand what that means for Control Marionette's name. I mean, with combat mastery you can normal attack (although you need a different icon to hotkey a usable form and the final attack of the combo is considered an alternate version of the skill), and ranged attack lets your normal attack with a bow. But what does this do? It's for sure not a normal attack, obviously. And as far as I know you don't need to do any character switching to use fighter skills, etc.

The final attack of a melee combo is the same skill..?

Control Marionette allows you to take control of your marionette and play from its point of view.

I'm not sure if its applies to every weapon type but I've observed the fifth attack of a knuckle combo is usually higher than the max damage shown in the character window whereas the other four are of the range max damage that is a hidden stat. That might also explain why you can knock back with a final combo attack but idk. All I know is that it is abnormally high for an attack that's not a skill or a critical hit.

It doesn't have to be a final combo to knock back/down. Knock back is done by knockdown gauge. As for the damage, I don't think so.. damage should always be the same formula, if not, it's still the same skill. There's no alternate version. The calculations are just done differently (if so).

Then perhaps there is a graphical error that shows the wrong numbers?

That's more unlikely than a 2nd damage formula. Lol..

Yes, it's like summon golem more or less when you use this skill.

To hopefully head off a golem vs marionette flamewar: golems are one skill that gives you disposable crystals with brute strength; puppeteer skills are a large set (more AP) which gives you two reusable marionettes with a player-like set of tricks. If you've never touched summon golem then of course now is a ridiculous time to start, but if you've already gotten far with summon golem then it is a good thing to (already) have.

What's good about golems? Don't need to fix them, can get spectacular stats with clay alchemy, can load spell crystals or hailstorm while the golem fights, requires less AP and player energy than puppets, can send a golem out even if your level is low to 'scout ahead' while the player is mostly safe.

What's bad about golems? Have to switch the camera/controls around as if it were an instant RP quest, control broken if you get hit at all, control broken if you accidentally step out of range, golem has fewer tricks it can use, making GOOD golems requires farming resources.

What's good about puppets? Switching control is seamless, you keep control if the player is hit, connection is maintained as you move around, puppet has a broad range of good combat moves, puppets don't require resources to summon.

What's bad about puppets? Uses a lot more AP, patching one up involves more than just a new crystal, player follows behind the puppet and walks into danger, but any problems arising from that can be managed unless it's overwhelming.

...

If I were starting off with nothing I'd go for puppets hands down, but I'm glad I already have plenty of golem skill as there is no harm in having both other than the AP that was already spent.
Ninjinto (talk) 10:32, 27 October 2012 (PDT)

That's kinda irrelevant to this discussion.