Curse

Rynas · Dec 06, 2007, 04:11 PM // 16:11

I'm new to Warrior primaries, trying to put together a potential build with AE for general PvE and selective farming. Does anyone have any ideas on maximizing AE damage output as a Warrior primary? I'm wondering if it's even possible to approach the AE potential of a Sin or Earth Ele...

[Edit] From the other thread, the only suggestions seem to be to bring along a caster with Splinter Weapon and Ancestor's Rage, but I was more thinking about solo...

Cebe · Dec 06, 2007, 04:34 PM // 16:34

For farming there is a W/Rt Vengeful was Khanhei build which could solo the UW. If it's a solo farming build you're looking for why not look in the farming section?

Rynas · Dec 06, 2007, 05:05 PM // 17:05

Not strictly looking for farming, though that would be a nice side benefit.

I'm more interested in how to maximize AE damage as a Warr primary. Would a Rit secondary be better than, say, Ele with conjures?

nebuchanezzar · Dec 06, 2007, 05:48 PM // 17:48

[skill]Whirlwind Attack[/skill] Sunspear pve only skill
[skill]Cyclone Axe[/skill]
[skill]Triple Chop[/skill]
[skill]Crude Swing[/skill]
[skill]Yeti Smash[/skill]
[skill]Earth Shaker[/skill]
[skill]Hundred Blades[/skill]
those are the AoE warrior skills I can think of. You can add [skill]Distracting Blow[/skill] but it only interupts(and adjacent) and doesn't do damage. Things like Conjure X with an axe and Cyclone Axe/Triple Chop is a suggestion. Or Earthshaker with Crude Swing and Whirlwind Attack for AoE damage and knockdowns. Still adding Splinter Weapon to those makes it do much more damage.
There are other secondary skills that you can use. Ele skills like [skill]Shockwave[/skill] and [skill]Aftershock[/skill] and others can be used. This is more pve minded as pvp warriors have very full bars already and tend to focus single target killing.
Hope those thoughts help a little bit.
GL and HF.

Crom The Pale · Dec 06, 2007, 06:06 PM // 18:06

One of the most damaging AoE war builds is centered around 3 skills.

[skill]Triple Chop[/skill] + [skill]Cyclone Axe[/skill] + [skill]Splinter Weapon[/skill]

You can layout your attributes to give you :14 Axe 10 channeling 9Strength

This will allow you to deal significant damage and bring other skills such as [skill]dismember[/skill] , [skill]Flail[/skill] and [skill]Executioner's Strike[/skill] to help you kill single targets.

Rynas · Dec 06, 2007, 06:17 PM // 18:17

Thanks for the combos.

Regarding the Axe skills, would Hundred Blades + Whirlwind Attack be suitable proxies with swords? Seems like the extra adrenaline gain and lower cooldown on HB might be a good tradeoff. Or is the bonus damage from TC that much better than an extra attack?

Bryant Again · Dec 06, 2007, 07:15 PM // 19:15

Having a Rt bring Splinter Weapon can have some fun AoE effects. It's the only reason I bring WW attack, just because I likes all the huge numbers.

Krazax · Dec 06, 2007, 07:24 PM // 19:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rynas

Thanks for the combos.

Regarding the Axe skills, would Hundred Blades + Whirlwind Attack be suitable proxies with swords? Seems like the extra adrenaline gain and lower cooldown on HB might be a good tradeoff. Or is the bonus damage from TC that much better than an extra attack?

The Extra attack just becomes an adren charger really in this situation. Compared to the axe, the bonus dmg from TC makes a difference, just as having an extra multi-attack with +dmg does. This is because when you go with an axe, you're not just using 2 multiple target attacks. You're using 3.

Triple Chop + Whirlwind + Cyclone Axe vs 100 Blades + Whirlwind.

Sure, 100 Blades gives you 2 hits, so it's like 3 multi attacks between the two combo's, but the thing is.. that 2nd hit is more like the +dmg of cyclone axe more or less. Although in both cases you are hitting everything 3 times, the difference of having separate recharges comes into play. When you use the axe, it's like this:

Triple Chop
Whirlwind (charged from TC)
Cyclone Axe
Whirlwind (charged from Cyclone Axe)

Now you have like 7 seconds, less if not using an IAS, before TC is able to be used again, and 4 secs before Cyclone Axe can be used again. So 4 secs later you have:

Cyclone Axe
Whirlwind
1 sec (or shorter if not using an IAS)
Triple Chop
Whirlwind
Cyclone Axe
Whirlwind

etc.

-=-=-=-

With a sword, it's like
100 Blades
Whirlwind

Now wait 7 secs and then it's..
100 Blades
Whirlwind

The same exact thing.

-=-=-=-

So as we can see, the axe just gets more attacks, more armor ignoring dmg, and the combo sequence recharges faster because of the stair stepping ability of recharge times. Now just toss on something that does bonus dmg with your weapon attacks, and you're just splashing it out all over.

You're really best off with the axe against large clusters, and sword on fewer targets (and tossing in Sun&Moon).

Rynas · Dec 06, 2007, 07:37 PM // 19:37

Ah, that was exactly what I was looking for, thanks!

One more question about HB: If I have Splinter Weapon on when I use it, does it cause AI scatter, since it's two AE attacks at once? I'm assuming TC and WW don't, if they're used far enough apart...

Sir Pandra Pierva · Dec 06, 2007, 10:09 PM // 22:09

Not really sure
Though in my experience in NM tthey don't scatter almost ever in HM I don't see them scatter much

Coloneh · Dec 06, 2007, 10:26 PM // 22:26

Great post Krazax

Winterclaw · Dec 06, 2007, 10:38 PM // 22:38

Splinter weapon was nerfed.

zling · Dec 06, 2007, 10:41 PM // 22:41

as already mentioned to maximize your AoE output you'll need: Triple Chop, Cyclone Axe, Whirlind Attack and Splinter Weapon.
the other 4 skills include: self heal(lion's comfort seems best as you should have tons of adrenaline), IAS(recommended but not a must), survival(watch yourself is nice, but there are tons of options here) and res(unless soloing)
and if you're soloing you'll probably need to bring more survival skills, and most likely abandon Splinter Weapon and /rit for /monk and its defensive power houses...

Quote:

Splinter weapon was nerfed.

yeah and? a hit from the nerf bat and you abandon your precious skills? Splinter Weapon is still very much usable and fits perfectly into any AoE melee build... all you need to do is learn to adjust... like waste a bit more time and energy to get the same results you could get before... its still very much worth it!

Krazax · Dec 06, 2007, 11:22 PM // 23:22

Btw, if you're doing undead areas, bring Judge's. Have a Zealous mod no matter what when running TC+WW+CA axe builds. If doing Undead areas, make your 2nd mod Deathbane.

Rip em to pieces!

MisterB · Dec 06, 2007, 11:57 PM // 23:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krazax

Btw, if you're doing undead areas, bring Judge's. Have a Zealous mod no matter what when running TC+WW+CA axe builds. If doing Undead areas, make your 2nd mod Deathbane.

Rip em to pieces!

I prefer [skill=text]Heart of Holy Flame[/skill] for Holy damage conversion; it's much more energy efficient at 10 energy every 30 seconds(or 36 with a 20% mod) than [skill=text]Judge's Insight[/skill].

Krazax · Dec 07, 2007, 12:30 AM // 00:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterB

I prefer [skill=text]Heart of Holy Flame[/skill] for Holy damage conversion; it's much more energy efficient at 10 energy every 30 seconds(or 36 with a 20% mod) than [skill=text]Judge's Insight[/skill].

Yeah ok. I agree. That shizzle is like 10 frigging times better.

What he said!

Rynas · Dec 07, 2007, 05:04 AM // 05:04

Hmm. With a Conjure build, the elemental requirement on the axe means no Zealous mod, right? So maybe that's a bad idea? After testing a little on Isle of the Nameless today, it seems like being able to spam Splinter with a Zealous mod might be better DPS...

Age · Dec 07, 2007, 11:47 PM // 23:47

You don't need an axe although triple is good for farming for AoE as Warrior just keep switching targets as they are at 50% health.

Krazax · Dec 08, 2007, 12:22 AM // 00:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rynas

Hmm. With a Conjure build, the elemental requirement on the axe means no Zealous mod, right? So maybe that's a bad idea? After testing a little on Isle of the Nameless today, it seems like being able to spam Splinter with a Zealous mod might be better DPS...

Conjure's really aren't all that because of what you pointed out. Personally, I don't see why more people don't realize how good
[skill]Brutal Weapon[/skill]
is. Faster recharge means if it gets removed, you can re-apply sooner. At 10 skill it's only 3 dmg difference. Big woop.

I think splinter is better on sword 100 Blades/Whirlwind builds. If you're going the Triple Chop + Whirlwind + Cyclone Axe way, use Brutal. That one big hit from splinter is nice and all, but when spamming those AoE attacks with your axe, one after another, it adds up nicely too and you don't have to keep stopping to re-cast.

Savio · Dec 08, 2007, 12:47 AM // 00:47

Brutal Weapon becomes crap when you're not enchanted. How often do monks not enchant you?