Curse

Lux Aeterna · Jun 10, 2009, 05:16 AM // 05:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by scruffy

primal rage is better

My latest thing has been putting axe rake on instead of body blow for my primal rage build.

Body blow has always struck me as a bit fail on PR builds, and after reading something chiizu said about snares I tried axe rake. It gets me soooo many kills, people hate getting hit with it because they're completely unable to kite and in the end it results in an exponential damage increase. Body blow is always available far too late in my spike, then it just randomly hits for sad 40 and in the end snaring is much better.

Would use whirling axe more, but I'm not really an axe war at heart and mostly play primal rage for the sake of primal rage.
The bar compression on whirling axe pisses me off, I'm too used to having space for five melee attacks or completely shutting down a target for half the time on hammer.

scruffy · Jun 10, 2009, 06:24 AM // 06:24

I also find it funny when people say axe rake doesn't do enough damage and inform me that body blow or executioners would be better, when the constant criticals you get from being in primal rage on a crippled target are pretty insane. Also I like that both attack skills are the same adrenaline cost, it just works better for me.

My favourite axe bar right now would have to be the following:

Dismember, Axe Rake, Warriors Cunning, Bulls Strike, Shock, Primal Rage, Rush, Ressurection Signet

I run 12+2 axe, 9+1 strength 9 air

I equip a 15^50 air wand instead of a spear for wanding people who would otherwise escape, and I have a +15 -1 energy offhand on one of my weapon swaps for when I'm stylin on dem.

I created a youtube video of me using this build on ladder, can't embed but you can see it here in HD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp5gGAkf4vY&fmt=22

IMMORTAlMITCH · Jun 10, 2009, 07:07 AM // 07:07

What's the point of Axe Rake on a Primal Rage bar?

Lux Aeterna · Jun 10, 2009, 07:14 AM // 07:14

^ Because people kite quite a bit of damage despite your IMS, but if they're snared you stay on them the whole time and don't lose any damage at all.

How do you play axe without dchop? Use it on a target getting up, just like you would with hammer bash.

lutz · Jun 10, 2009, 07:15 AM // 07:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by IMMORTAlMITCH

What's the point of Axe Rake on a Primal Rage bar?

For people who can't quarterstep, obviously.

It's like Mantra of Resolve - for people who can't avoid being interrupted.

IMMORTAlMITCH · Jun 10, 2009, 07:20 AM // 07:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lux Aeterna

^ Because people kite quite a bit of damage despite your IMS, but if they're snared you stay on them the whole time and don't lose any damage at all.

So learn to quarterstep..

Lux Aeterna · Jun 10, 2009, 07:21 AM // 07:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by lutz

For people who can't quarterstep, obviously.

You mean pre-anti kiting them via click to move between attacks ?

People don't just kite a little tiny bit, they run pretty far away and you lose several seconds worth of damage before you catch up enough to bull's strike.

IMMORTAlMITCH · Jun 10, 2009, 07:28 AM // 07:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lux Aeterna

You mean pre-anti kiting them via click to move between attacks ?

People don't just kite a little tiny bit, they run pretty far away and you lose several seconds worth of damage before you catch up enough to bull's strike.

If you can land a bull's strike on them they shouldn't be able to get away from you anyway, even with axe rake you're still gonna have to land either a bull's or dismember + axe rake..

scruffy · Jun 10, 2009, 08:43 AM // 08:43

The point of axe rake is it's an easy snare on a melee character that relies on being in melee range to do damage. Hard to understand I know.

I will explain, you're attacking them for 59 damage in the back without pause while in a 33% ias. They die before a healer can get in range. Mission accomplished.

Why do warriors take grasping earth on their bar? Sure it's also a cover hex in some builds but I'm guessing the main reason isn't "because they can't quarter-step".

distilledwill · Jun 10, 2009, 08:54 AM // 08:54

I dont think, as a warrior, you need much more than bulls and skill to stop a target from kiting. Axe rake either reduces your damage (if you sub it for body blow/exec) or your utility (if you sub it for agonizing/dchop).

Bobby2 · Jun 10, 2009, 09:53 AM // 09:53

I kinda like Whirling Axe, in the same way that I like Axe Twist - it doesn't make me wait until 7/8 adren to gogogogogo

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lux Aeterna

People don't just kite a little tiny bit, they run pretty far away and you lose several seconds worth of damage before you catch up enough to bull's strike.

Prediction

But seriously you have Bull's and Shock, whaddya need Axe Rake for

IMMORTAlMITCH · Jun 10, 2009, 10:07 AM // 10:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by scruffy

The point of axe rake is it's an easy snare on a melee character that relies on being in melee range to do damage. Hard to understand I know.

Except you already have Primal Rage so if someone gets away from you you're doing something wrong, if it was on a whirling axe bar it'd make more sense, I still don't think it would be great though but yeah.

Quote:

I will explain, you're attacking them for 59 damage in the back without pause while in a 33% ias. They die before a healer can get in range. Mission accomplished.

With bull's and shock provided you don't suck and actually hit your bull's (which judging from your youtube movie you seem to be having some trouble with) you should be able to delay just about anyone for long enough to do lethal or close to lethal damage to them and if not you still have primal rage to ensure you'll keep up with them.

Now Axe Rake might make it a little easier to do this as you won't actually have to bother quarterstepping it will also be significantly worse in every situation where there isn't a lone guy running away from you (which tend to happen quite often).

Quote:

Why do warriors take grasping earth on their bar? Sure it's also a cover hex in some builds but I'm guessing the main reason isn't "because they can't quarter-step".

I don't actually remember seeing anyone run Grasping Earth on a Primal Rage bar..

Sun Fired Blank · Jun 10, 2009, 10:28 AM // 10:28

I would also point out that if you land the Axe Twist and your target's not stupid, he or she will probably just turn around and start backing away rather than let you indulge your fantasy of neverending autocrits.

EDIT: Rake. Damn it, lol

Lux Aeterna · Jun 10, 2009, 10:39 AM // 10:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by scruffy

The point of axe rake is it's an easy snare on a melee character that relies on being in melee range to do damage. Hard to understand I know.

Which results in much more damage than body blow.

Neverending autocrits are pretty awesome, in fact it's why I play a PR bar which includes a 5 adrenaline snare.

Thamior Shamus · Jun 10, 2009, 11:33 AM // 11:33

Whirling Axe kind of sucks in the fact that you give up damage. But in order for you to have the same damage you have give up your d-chop for body blow. Dont know why Whirling is being used so much... either people are bad at shock axes now or are very lazy.

IMMORTAlMITCH · Jun 10, 2009, 12:20 PM // 12:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thamior Shamus

Dont know why Whirling is being used so much... either people are bad at shock axes now or are very lazy.

Or balanced stance.

Greedy Gus · Jun 10, 2009, 01:21 PM // 13:21

Axe rake plays a lot better in places like RA I'd say, but cripple is really never a bad thing. Typically it would be in the same slot as a dchop/agonizing though, not replacing your big damage DW follow-up skill, unless you're really going utility for small scale engagements.

Whirling axe play the same as cleave bars did, unloading the low adren stuff constantly, with 10 less damage but stance removal, which can be a lot stronger pressure depending on meta.

Bobby2 · Jun 10, 2009, 02:30 PM // 14:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sun Fired Blank

I would also point out that if you land the Axe Twist and your target's not stupid, he or she will probably just turn around and start backing away rather than let you indulge your fantasy of neverending autocrits.

AGAIN teh mix upz!!!!11! Rake != Twist

...I feel really underground now

Xyon the Greatest · Jun 10, 2009, 02:45 PM // 14:45

Whirling Axe has to be better that PR since the crazy amount of people bringing block stances...

Lux Aeterna · Jun 10, 2009, 02:51 PM // 14:51

Question: when playing non-eviscerate builds, do you use attacks when they're ready, or do you save them and use dismember + executioner's strike sequentially ?

I've played with axe twist in the past, because I'm so used to throwing weakness around with dev hammer. I think in the end rake gets you more kills than either twist or body blow, though.

Plus the only reason I went back to axe was to practice my quarter dchopping, so I wouldn't want to give it upl.