Curse

cellardweller · Aug 09, 2008, 08:11 AM // 08:11

<continued from posts made here>

The recent buff to Battle Rage has opened up new options for new builds capable maintaining constant "Save Yourselves" coverage while doing moderate to high dps. The "ramprage" family of builds combines this new buff with the skill based IAS of never rampage alone to gain double adrenaline with no downtime while attacking with IAS.

The skeleton of the build
Weapon 12+1+1
Strength 10+1
Beast Mastery 8
[never rampage alone] This is your IAS. Note that the skill costs 15e not 25e.
[charm animal][comfort animal] A pet is required for NRA to be activated.
[battle rage] Maintained adrenaline boost
[enraging charge] or [to the limit] an adrenaline kickstart
Any 2 adrenaline attacks
[save yourselves] Give your party constant +100 armour

Attack Skill Choices
[whirlwind attack] Weapon non-specific. Good AoE. Good Adrenaline engine.
[Body blow] Weapon non-specific, good AoE
[agonizing chop] Random interrupt every 4 seconds
[Disrupting Chop] Only better than agonizing against long lived foes like dungeon bosses
[Executioners Strike] I don't see the point in brining this one over body blow unless you don't have a curses necro.
[Counter Blow] Though unpredictable, this generates a knockdown more often than it doesn't in pve.
[Pulverizing Smash] Nice spamable deep wound
[yeti smash] Good armour ignoring AoE.
[gash] there are better sources of deep wound
[steelfang slash] Good for those that have low allegiance ranks
[sun and moon] Good adrenaline engine.
[brawling headbutt] Just as broken as ever. This build cannot use it as well as the Dragonslasher can.
[dodge this] I'd take this over straight damage attacks like [fierce blow],[penetrating chop] or [galrath slash]

Sample dps:
Brawling Headbutt and Steelfang 58dps, max138
Whirlwind attack and yeti smash 56dps, max 129
Whirlwind attack and sun & moon 59dps, max 115
Whirlwind attack body blow (with an axe, deep wound not factored) 53dps, max 116

Comparisons to the Godmode Dragonslasher
Advantages:
Skills can be activated in pretty much any order so its more noob friendly
Unlike fgj, battle rage has no downtime
Can use any weapon
Behaves better under blocking conditions (or other situations where DS is shut down like Sig of Hum)

Disadvantages:
Lower adrenaline throughput makes it less effective at lower alleigence ranks.
Depending on the attack skills chosen, it won't ever be able to get more than 50% knocklock.
Lower DPS
Less versatile

Conclusion
The scales are still tiped firmly in the dragonslasher's favour, the ramprage build provides something that is almost as good for those seeking variety.

Bobby2 · Aug 09, 2008, 04:32 PM // 16:32

...There is indeed no IAS stance I'd ever want to cancel BR with.

New buffed [[Whirlwind Attack] is ab-so-lute juice in this build! I'd like to add to Advantages:

- You can run [[Antidote Signet]. DSers either get &^%$*^!!!!! by Blind, or suffer 10 sec less FGJ! Just make sure to only use it with BR fully charged.