User blog comment:B214/Volume 21 info & spoilers/@comment-24.113.129.70-20160416024525/@comment-24.113.129.70-20160420052506

That's why I'm saying Issei should train to increase his base stats. Even Ddraig has said several times that "his stats are shit." I realize that it's only been six months(?) since he's awakened his Boosted Gear, and he's progressed it more in those months than Vali has in seven years of training, and that definitely makes him a badass. But he should still focus on and train his other traits, and not rely solely on the his sacred gear.

When the Gremory Group, Saji and Arthur were fighting Vasco, I cringed when Vasco belittled Issei and Saji for relying solely on their sacred gears, and the old man toyed with them easily with nothing but a fake holy sword. I had never been so bothered by an opponents line since Riser Phenex.