Curse

Fenix Swiftblade · Feb 02, 2006, 10:06 AM // 10:06

Ok, I wrote this for a different thread, but it's relevant here (original thread was on the posibilities of combining Illusionary Weaponry with daggers. Conclusion there was that it wasn't all that worth it becuase of the requirement of spending attribute points in dagger mastery):

Double Strike is a very valuable addition to the dagger, as it is basically a way to increase the attack speed while requiring a sacrifice of some sort. Daggers effectively have the fastest attack rate of any weapon, but to get that attack rate you have to be willing to put a lot of points into Dagger Mastery.

Lets see if I can remember enough from my stat classes to get this right...

First, I'm going to assume a base attack rate of 0.8 hits per second (or a hit every 1.25 seconds, the sword is 1.33, and I believe the dagger is slightly faster, it might not be, but you still get the idea from these numbers)

Dagger Mastery at 0, Doulbe Strike Rate: 0%
Single Attacks per second: 0.8 * 100% = 0.8
Double Attacks per second: 1.6 * 0% = 0.0
Total attacks per second: 0.8
Seconds Per Attack: 1.25

Dagger Mastery at 15, Double Strike Rate: 30%
Single Attacks per second: 0.8 * 70% = 0.56
Double Attacks per second: 1.6 * 30% = 0.48
Total attacks per second: 1.04
Seconds Per Attack: 0.96

So, assuming I got my math right, an Assassin with 15 dagger mastery will have an expected attack rate of 1 attack per second while under no attack speed boosts. (Remember this is an expected value, the actual value can be anywhere from 0.8 to 1.6 depending on how lucky you are, but on average, you're attack speed will be 1/s) Also note that this is the attack speed without an attack speed increase. The same calculations with a 33% speed boost:

Normal Attack Speed: 0.8
33% boosted Speed: 1.2

Dagger Mastery at 0, Doulbe Strike Rate: 0%
Single Attacks per second: 1.2 * 100% = 1.2
Double Attacks per second: 2.4 * 0% = 0.0
Total attacks per second: 1.2
Seconds Per Attack: 0.83

Dagger Mastery at 15, Double Strike Rate: 30%
Single Attacks per second: 1.2 * 70% = 0.84
Double Attacks per second: 2.4 * 30% = 0.72
Total attacks per second: 1.56
Seconds Per Attack: 0.64

Yes, you read that right, with a 33% speed boost and 30% double strike %, the expected attack rate of daggers is one attack ever 2/3s of a second.

Phades: An assassin might actually be the best thing to counter Union. While yes, each hit will deal almost no damage, the extreme rate of the damage packets will cause the spirit to lose it's health very quickly (every time damage is prevented, the spirit loses 15 health), and most likely die within seconds.

Phades · Feb 02, 2006, 10:28 AM // 10:28

That would depend on how many contacts per second per target is being made with the assassin included. I would think that attacking the spirit directly via large packets or via ranger spike would be most effective. However, that doesnt mean that 15-20s later that another one will be dropped down in its place or not. 4-5 seconds is probably a fair estimate under high stress circumstances in a 8v8 situation assuming all attacks hit. The real question is, do you want to operate in a situation where zero damage achieves the intended target durring that time or not.

Fenix Swiftblade · Feb 02, 2006, 12:46 PM // 12:46

True, but if you're hitting with 3 hits every 2 seconds, I'm sure you can find something to take advantage of that to make it worth it even if you aren't doing damage with just the dagger attack damage (orders and SoH come readily to mind, especially since OoV is considered loss of life and isn't affected by union (wait, I've never been sure, OoP and SoH say they add damage to the attack, but are they considered seperate in terms of things like Union? Will you get the extra damage from the orders, or just the extra Union redirect? (yes I like using excessive nested parentasis (sorry, LISP has taken hold of my soul))))

But then again, you also have to make sure you're hitting :-/

Legendary Battousai · Feb 05, 2006, 06:42 PM // 18:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShadowStorm

hehe, I wonder if it's possible to get critical hits while you're double-striking...

oh, and don't forget that elite skill in the Critical hits attibute that increases your chance for a double strike by 20%....

52% chance of double strike!

yes, you can get a critical strike while using a double strike. I used Lotus' Fury for quite awhile and she seemingly hit max damage a lot during those double strike, not always, but a sufficent ammount-- the normal ammount per strike.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rikimaru

Wow, I wonder if it's possibe to trigger a double-strike during a double-strike.

If you notice with sword attacks, there IS an animation where 2 yellow strikes appear, if you were weilding a dagger, that would have been a double strike. So as common as that animation comes up, you double strike. Skills like lotus' fury boost how often that animation comes up though, making you double strike. to double strike causing another, it would cut the animation in half doing 3 hits, so I doubt that could happen due to arena.net wants smooths animations, right?

twicky_kid · Feb 05, 2006, 11:08 PM // 23:08

Double strike is linked to dagger mastery and will not work with any other weapon type.

IWAY is going to be replaced with assassins or die completely. If it dies ranger and necro spike will take over.