clerification quetions about how cunning works

so ive seen alot of build post for a baha setup lately that i dont quet understand, so i figured i'd ask u guys in a seperate thread of how cunning works exactly.

the way ive allways thought cunning worked, is that it reduced the opposing monsters mdef by around 60, and then did 60 dmg, so it in total did around the 120 mark most other elements skill do.

allso im under the impression, from seeing it in work that the mdef does not stack, but the first mdef lowering applied to all following attacks. like cunning followed up by dream eater which now deals 150 (90+60 from lowered def) while cunning followed up by cunning deals 120 (60+60 from last cunning+0 from this cunning mdef reduction

while i know cunning has the advantage in weather that it will allways attack first, even befor monster swap, wind blast, or foresight, it truly is the only reason why i could understand a cunning attack on an already lowered mdef monster.

yet most people believe that a buff build (pod punishment weather) with only cunning, or punishment which deals same dmg is uptimal. where i dont understand why shadow storm, which is around same dmg as cunning but dualtarget, or dream thief which is 50% more dmg without +skills, and allso a heal, is overlooked by most.

so i figured i probadly had a wrong understanding of the skill setup, could som1 with better insight please help me out?

[Koenaj]

Cunning is the safe skill.
Deals more damage than Shadow Storm, and doesn't have to rely on debuffs alone, like Dream Thief.
Since most battles are fought in 1v1 against non-sleeping enemies, most people tend to get Cunning.
And like you pointed out yourself, MDEF decrease is always a good thing, keep in mind that, if the monster kills Bahamut, his MDEF will still be lowered, and it'll be an easier target for the next monster.

Cunning is the safe skill.
Deals more damage than Shadow Storm, and doesn't have to rely on debuffs alone, like Dream Thief.
Since most battles are fought in 1v1 against non-sleeping enemies, most people tend to get Cunning.
And like you pointed out yourself, MDEF decrease is always a good thing, keep in mind that, if the monster kills Bahamut, his MDEF will still be lowered, and it'll be an easier target for the next monster.

well i never questioned using cunning first for applying the -mdef, but i ment as followupskill, even ambush without +skill deals more dmg as followup than cunning +1 used twice in a row, and with +6 it would deal 190 (130+60 from -mdef cunning) while cunning only 120

just seems to me that with the -mdef debuff already on the target cunning is just a regular 60 dmg attack, unless im wrong about the -mdef not stacking

[Koenaj]

well i never questioned using cunning first for applying the -mdef, but i ment as followupskill, even ambush without +skill deals more dmg as followup than cunning +1 used twice in a row, and with +6 it would deal 190 (130+60 from -mdef cunning) while cunning only 120

I cannot say myself if the MDEF decrease on Cunning stacks or not, but I believe it does, seeing how it works like that for any other buff (beside PoD).
I wouldn't know why Cunning would be any different.

well i never questioned using cunning first for applying the -mdef, but i ment as followupskill, even ambush without +skill deals more dmg as followup than cunning +1 used twice in a row, and with +6 it would deal 190 (130+60 from -mdef cunning) while cunning only 120

I cannot say myself if the MDEF decrease on Cunning stacks or not, but I believe it does, seeing how it works like that for any other buff (beside PoD).
I wouldn't know why Cunning would be any different.

oh, mbe i am wrong then, would make sense for the buff built with cunning as prime, that i didnt understand at first

I think mdef debuff stacks...seems to but only support can say 100%

well i never questioned using cunning first for applying the -mdef, but i ment as followupskill, even ambush without +skill deals more dmg as followup than cunning +1 used twice in a row, and with +6 it would deal 190 (130+60 from -mdef cunning) while cunning only 120

I cannot say myself if the MDEF decrease on Cunning stacks or not, but I believe it does, seeing how it works like that for any other buff (beside PoD).
I wouldn't know why Cunning would be any different.

Cunning deceases MDEF stackably and it decreases MDEF Approx 25% each time

well i never questioned using cunning first for applying the -mdef, but i ment as followupskill, even ambush without +skill deals more dmg as followup than cunning +1 used twice in a row, and with +6 it would deal 190 (130+60 from -mdef cunning) while cunning only 120

I cannot say myself if the MDEF decrease on Cunning stacks or not, but I believe it does, seeing how it works like that for any other buff (beside PoD).
I wouldn't know why Cunning would be any different.

Cunning deceases MDEF stackably and it decreases MDEF Approx 25% each time

To clarify this stacking mechanic is new to 1.5

Cunning works like this since 1.0. Stacks all along