Curse

LifeInfusion · Aug 29, 2005, 05:17 PM // 17:17

Axe: Disrupting Chop, Eviscerate/Cleave, Penetrating Blow
Sword: Hamstring, Final Thrust???
Hammer:Earthshaker, Staggering Blow, Counter Blow

I just think sword looks the nicest.

Nash · Aug 29, 2005, 05:28 PM // 17:28

Sword is trash.
I like Axes mostly, but the disruption + damage from a Hammer can be nice.

White Designs · Aug 29, 2005, 05:59 PM // 17:59

It helps if you specify in what setting. (PvE, Random Arena, Team Arena, Tombs, GvG)

Phades · Aug 29, 2005, 06:04 PM // 18:04

Sword ends up being flourish for hamstring and savage slash (maybe distracting blow too), for the purpose of having a snare or interupt now instead of later with adrenalin and trying to occasionally use final thrust for a spike.

Axe is far easier to tune for an arenalin engine and the damage mechanics supporting movment favors axe.

Hammers are all about limited knockdown chains creating blackout like disruption while causing damage.

Nexx · Aug 29, 2005, 06:48 PM // 18:48

In PvE, all of the weapons are fine. The only setback is the lack of decent useable weapon skills until late in the game for each of the weapons.

For PvP, I've been using hammer and axe for as long as I remembered. I only started to switch to sword because, well, it's harder. Swords don't damage spike and don't knockdown/disrupt. Also, monks can out heal the damage a warrior does. I haven't had a lot of success with the sword but it may be because I lack a "team" build that can best utilize a sword.

One of the key points about PvPing is that if you're a warrior, you want to deliver as much damage as possible or do enough disruption to kill casters. Swords do neither and the tactic line (which I think the swords benefit from the most) doesn't help in a generally offense based environment. Also, most of the good sword skills are energy based and with only 2 energy pipes, it's much harder to use them constantly such as savage slash.

Man With No Name · Aug 29, 2005, 07:03 PM // 19:03

I'm a recent sword convert and it's Axe all the way as far as I'm concerned....

There's only 1 thing that Sword has going for it and that's Savage Slash -- all the other "fancy" skills like Riposte have no function at all in PvP ( although the "1337" W/Mo whom I saw in Random -- using Gladiator's Defense and Riposte -- might beg to to differ )

With the loss of all adrenaline when using Final Thrust, I just don't find swords to be worth it. An Eviscerate + Executioner's Strike can hit in the upwards of 250+ ( adding in the damage from the Deep Wound ) with no loss of adrenaline and that's anytime -- no just when under 50% health....

I'd say:

Sword -- PvE
Axe -- PvP

LifeInfusion · Aug 29, 2005, 07:06 PM // 19:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Man With No Name

Sword -- PvE
Axe -- PvP

why for pve?

Oh, I'm a sword user just because I found a really nice 15>50 8 req Flamberge.

But I never found a nice axe (in terms of damage AND look). The best so far is a Cruel War Axe 9 req 16<50 and a Chaos Axe of Defense with 8 req.

The day I find a 15>50 sickle or summit axe I will switch. XD

Man With No Name · Aug 29, 2005, 07:08 PM // 19:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by LifeInfusion

why for pve?

You'll tend to tank more in PvE -- and Sword has more tactical skills like Riposte, Deadly Riposte and the Sever, Deep Wound, Galrath, Final combo -- suits the tanking nature of PvE

You'll want all out offense in PvP -- and this is where Axe shines

EDIT: I forgot the most important one -- your critical hits are higher with an Axe

LifeInfusion · Aug 29, 2005, 07:10 PM // 19:10

Sword versus Axe: a Skill-by-Skill Run Down (at level 12-16 attribute)

Why Sword Versus Axe?
Sword and Axe are the only two viable choices if you are going to use a shield. Hammer is also a different rate of attack and play style, so comparing it to axe or sword, would be unfair. Both have similar average weapon damage (Sword has 18.5, Axe has 17) and both have an attack rate of once every 1.33 seconds.
If there are two numbers with a - in between, it means it varies according to the weapon attribute. The first number is at a level 12 attribute and the second number is at a level 16 attribute.

Popular Looks:
Sword: Crystalline, Fellblade, Fiery Dragon Sword
Axe: Chaos Axe
Note to self: I prefer Sickle and Summit Axe, Flamberge and Long Sword.

Area of Effect (AoE)
Cyclone Axe: +10-12 to all adjacent opponents
5 energy, 4 recharge
Hundred Blades (Elite): Swing twice at target and all adjacent
5 energy, 8 recharge
Axe (Lower Recharge, hits all around, does not require elite slot)

Against Stances
Swift Chop: +16, if blocked 20 seconds deep wound and 16 additional damage (no evade)
5 energy, 4 recharge
Seeking Blade: +16, if evaded bleeding and take 16 damage (no block)
5 energy, 4 recharge
Pure Strike: +24-32 (if not using stance, no block/evade)
5 energy, 8 recharge
Axe (Deep wound is more useful than Bleeding)

Crippling
Axe Rake: 20 seconds cripple, +16-21 damage (if deep wound)
7 adrenaline
Hamstring: 13 seconds cripple
10 energy, 15 recharge
Sword (Axe requires Deep Wound and Adrenaline)

Disruption
Disrupting Chop: interrupt, if skill then disabled for 20 seconds
6 adrenaline
Savage Slash: Interrupt action, if spell +32 damage
5 energy, 10 recharge
Axe (Long term Disruption)
Damage Over Time (DoT)
Sever Artery: 21 seconds of bleeding (21* 3 pips* 2HP/pip = 126)
4 adrenaline
Sword (Axe does not have DoT)

Armor Penetration
Penetrating Blow: +17 damage, 20% armor penetration
5 adrenaline
Axe (Sword doesn’t have armor penetration)

Pure Damage Adrenaline Attacks
Executioner’s Strike: +34 damage
8 adrenaline
Eviscerate: +34-42 damage, Deep wound for 17-21 seconds
7 adrenaline
Cleave (elite): +22-26 damage
4 adrenaline
Galrath Slash: +32 damage
8 adrenaline
Axe (More damage for same adrenaline, more choices)

Deep Wound Infliction to Counter Healing
Eviscerate: +34-42 damage, Deep wound for 17-21 seconds
7 adrenaline
Dismember: Deep wound for 17-21 seconds
7 adrenaline
Gash: +9 damage, Deep wound for 17 seconds (if bleeding)
7 adrenaline
Axe (Sword Requires Bleeding and Adrenaline)

Spike Damage
Final Thrust: +32-42, double if foe is below 50% health
10 adrenaline
Sword has a spike damage attack, axe does not

Tactics Skills (assume 9-16 tactics)
Riposte: For 8 seconds, block next attack, attacker takes 24-42 damage
4 adrenaline
Deadly Riposte: For 8 seconds, block next attack, attacker takes 16-27 damage and bleeding for 18-32 seconds
5 energy, 10 second recharge
Sword has skills in Tactics, but the skills are mediocre.

Other
Axe Twist: +16-21 damage and target suffers from weakness (if Deep Wound)
8 adrenaline
Against Soothing Images/Against Energy Denial
Axe: 8 are adrenal, 2 are 5 energy
Sword: 4 are adrenal, 3 are 5 energy, 1 is 10 energy
*Depends on your skill bar

Axe wins ALL AROUND. It's quite sad.

ICURADik · Aug 29, 2005, 07:35 PM // 19:35

Edit: Above poster has no clue.

If you have 3-4 warriors then having one sword war makes a bit of sense. Instant slow, allows you and the other warriors that are most likely spiking your target to use frenzy constantly. Deep Wounds don't stack so if you attempting a true spike simultanious Galrath/Eviscerate followed by Executioners/Final Thrust can do upwards of 500 damage.

Ensign · Aug 29, 2005, 07:57 PM // 19:57

Hammer is used when you want your Warrior to function more like a Mesmer. You get the knocklock chains which can compliment a spike by holding down one target while the team spikes out another target. The damage is still pretty good, too. Use if you can make use of the knockdowns.

Axes are your damage mainstay, with the Eviscerate / Executioner's Strike combo that hits harder than anything else in the game. This is your standard high damage Warrior that's a staple of builds that just want 'a Warrior'. If you don't want knocklocks, you want Axes.

Swords are the bastard children. The only reason I'd use them outside of specialized builds is because I had to stash a non-attack skill elite on a Warrior. Basically if I want a high damage Warrior but can't run Eviscerate I'd switch to a sword for Galrath/Final. Though in fairness, the only build that's fallen into this situation so far was a lord gank where we needed Charge! on the Warriors.

So Axes for DPS, Hammers for disruption, and Swords if you can't run Devastating / Eviscerate.

Peace,
-CxE

Anton H · Aug 29, 2005, 08:15 PM // 20:15

I'd agree with the above.

Swords really are mostly useless.

Additionally, with Dwarven Battle Stance fixed, Hammer disruption has a few more options than simple knockdown chains.

Phades · Aug 29, 2005, 08:18 PM // 20:18

You are still using a skill with a 1:3 uptime vs downtime on a slow attack speed to interupt. It is only useful against necros and elementalists. Knockdowns are better against most everything, creating the pseudo blackout effect on the target.

By contrast rangers get preperations that have a longer lasting effect and do not interfere with any "stances" they are using, which allows for attack speed boosts and still use attack skills. Dwarven battle stance is like other warrior stances where it neuters the class prematurely before it can really take advantage of the situation.

Zeru · Aug 29, 2005, 08:59 PM // 20:59

Dwarven Battle Stance still is mediocre.

Swords definitely aren't useless but as ensign said they work when you can't run eviscerate or devastating (backbreaker has its uses, cleave is weak, and besides flourish the rest suck).

White Designs · Aug 29, 2005, 09:05 PM // 21:05

Flourish sucks too

Anyways, the only thing I can think of for Sword is perhaps using it on a "Fear Me!" Warrior, since Cyclone Axe isn't as good without the spirits being spammed all over the place...but its still arguable.

Racthoh · Aug 29, 2005, 09:25 PM // 21:25

Flurry/Fear Me/Hundred Blades works nicely for draining energy, and if the Zealous Upgrade does in fact steal 1 energy on it, it works even better. Since swords can't compare to axes in damage (which seems to be the universal consensus) you might as well use Flurry over Frenzy just in case someone notices that you opted for the latter. I personally like to increase the damage output via Zealot's Fire and the constant spamming of the above 3 skills.

All you need to stop a hammer warrior is Balanced Stance and Dolyak Signet. Sadly, these are on the warrior line and there probably aren't any monks who can spare two skill slots for these skills let alone the attribute points required in tactics to keep one of these two in constant use. So basically it is the best way to go in PvP.

Axe? Soothing images, Sympathetic Verge if anyone uses them. I don't PvP very much but the few times I did and had Soothing imagines against me it was annoying (and I use a sword). I could only imagine what it would do to an axe wielding warrior. In which case, your sword can still cripple with Hamstring as opposed to waiting several strikes from your axe thus allowing your fellow warriors brandishing axes to do the job.

But nothing really matters when there is a black trail following your warrior around and you can't do anything about it.

cookiehoarder · Aug 29, 2005, 09:28 PM // 21:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by LifeInfusion

why for pve?

Oh, I'm a sword user just because I found a really nice 15>50 8 req Flamberge.

But I never found a nice axe (in terms of damage AND look). The best so far is a Cruel War Axe 9 req 16<50 and a Chaos Axe of Defense with 8 req.

The day I find a 15>50 sickle or summit axe I will switch. XD

Swords are trash in PvP as stated above. Why? Axe can put out damage way faster and way better IMHO.

Bast · Aug 29, 2005, 09:39 PM // 21:39

Zealous doesn't steal energy. You "gain" energy when you hit. It does nothing to the target.

Alura Pyro · Aug 29, 2005, 09:52 PM // 21:52

I use a sword as my mesmer (IW) because of attack speed

Anton H · Aug 29, 2005, 10:24 PM // 22:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeru

Dwarven Battle Stance still is mediocre.

Swords definitely aren't useless but as ensign said they work when you can't run eviscerate or devastating (backbreaker has its uses, cleave is weak, and besides flourish the rest suck).

Backbreaker is pointless, as DH allows for a dual KD combo with Heavy blow. Not to mention BB is 10 strikes to fill, and with Stonefists, other KD's last long enough to swing two attacks.

DBS is not perfect, and the recharge should be shorter yet, but it is 11 seconds of interruption, which could easily be followed by a knockdown for another two seconds. With a monk out of the picture for 13 seconds, much can be done to the other spikewise.

I make a case for it only because I am so, so tired of using DH. I think Anet should consider making other elites worthy of use.