Curse

Vladmoney · Aug 12, 2005, 06:00 PM // 18:00

Well there are post about Hammers vs swords, but i am mainly wondering about sword vs axe. I really can't decide which way to turn. ONly thing that keeps me with the sword is final thrust cause i think thats one of the best meele attacks. What do you think?

Tellani Artini · Aug 12, 2005, 06:34 PM // 18:34

I think axe. You can kill people real fast with an axe. Sword.. not so fast.

QuixotesGhost · Aug 12, 2005, 06:54 PM // 18:54

The first thing I noticed when I switched from sword to axe was how much more time I was wasting chasing after people without hamstring, even though I had sprint.

OneArmedScissor · Aug 12, 2005, 06:59 PM // 18:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuixotesGhost

The first thing I noticed when I switched from sword to axe was how much more time I was wasting chasing after people without hamstring, even though I had sprint.

There are axe skills that cripple people when they run.
And if an enemy is running, he's not hurting/killing anyone. So your point is completely irrelevant.

Axes > Swords

QuixotesGhost · Aug 12, 2005, 07:12 PM // 19:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneArmedScissor

And if an enemy is running, he's not hurting/killing anyone.

Neither are you and as soon as you stop chasing he stops running. In my experience, the called target needs a snare on him to get anything worthwhile done.

Quote:

There are axe skills that cripple people when they run.

In most situations, Axe rake is inferior to Hamstring.

Zeru · Aug 12, 2005, 07:19 PM // 19:19

Sword lets you adrenaline spike better and works best with good coordination.

Axe gives better overall dps.

They're fairly similar, with the exception of elites. With axe you want eviscerate or cleave above all others. With sword you have other options open.

Neo-LD · Aug 12, 2005, 08:05 PM // 20:05

by "other options open" you mean "you have no good elite so youll have to make do with battle rage" lol. Final Thrust is honestly the only worthwhile sword skill. Hamstring isnt even worth it for 10 energy so I wouldnt take it even if I was a sword war. Sprint is sufficient.

Overall I have had much more sucess with axe than sword, though I like hammers better than either.

Tellani Artini · Aug 12, 2005, 08:05 PM // 20:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeru

Sword lets you adrenaline spike better and works best with good coordination.

Axe: Eviscerate, Executioner's, Penetrating. Deep wound, +85 damage (plus penetration on the last hit).

Sword: Sever artery, Gash, Galrath, Final Thrust. Bleeding, deep wound, +73 damage (+105 if the target is under 50% health).

I find it hard to say that either "adrenaline spikes" better just looking at adrenaline skills and adding numbers together. But I would point out that the axe damage is non-conditional and applied in a shorter period of time. If you added a fourth energy-based power attack to the axe lineup above, you'd have another +26 or so in the equivalent amount of time. Sure, two sword warriors with final thrust is a big spike at the end of the skill chain. Two axe warriors is a big spike all the way through the skill chain.

Darc.Syde · Aug 12, 2005, 08:17 PM // 20:17

i like axes for their higher critical chance. if and when they're running, this becomes very significant.

Ensign · Aug 12, 2005, 08:48 PM // 20:48

Er, if they're running your critical chance is 100%...

Peace,
-CxE

Sammiel · Aug 12, 2005, 08:56 PM // 20:56

He probably meant higher crit damage I'd imagine. Or at least I hope he did.

Lord Merdock · Aug 16, 2005, 12:33 PM // 12:33

Personally, I switched near end-game from sword to axe and have used them both.

I prefer the Axe greatly now for PVE because I created a defensive farmstyle build that benefits greatly from the AOE cyclone attack.

I still have a swords build that I prefer for PVP though.

So I actually prefer the axe for pve and sword for pvp.

Wilymo · Aug 17, 2005, 12:16 AM // 00:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neo-LD

by " Hamstring isnt even worth it for 10 energy so I wouldnt take it even if I was a sword war.

Hamstrings is probably the best sword skill in the game. You really have no clue how devastating constant cripple is... maybe you should try to make a RANGER/WARRIOR with EXPERTISE. Seriously dude, why do you bash skills which you know nothing of? Hamstrings is awesome, nuff said.

Me Burn U · Aug 17, 2005, 12:22 AM // 00:22

Personally I use axe over sword because here's how i figure it:
At higher lvls of axe/sword mastery u have better chances to crit and seeing as how axes have higher max dmg than swords u will be doing better dmg overall. In PvP i think swords are slightly better than axes cuz of hamstring and bleeding.

Vincenzo · Aug 17, 2005, 12:44 AM // 00:44

I prefer axes, but only just.

First, the attack skills are so much more exciting and more useful (now why would you run in pvp? and ive never seen monsters run in pve :P). Its a high risk chance weapon (greater max dmg, but lower guaranteed base dmg), which can be good or bad (i like to take the punt). However, swords have a greater average dmg [(6+28)/2=17 vs. ((15+22)/2=18.5]. I also agree with the other axe-fans; its more defensive and lots of dmg from attack skills.
Finally, I just want to look different to other ppl, coz all the noob players use swords...

Tuna · Aug 17, 2005, 01:04 AM // 01:04

The axe is far better with adren skills. Sure, if you add them all up like above, the sword may come out higher, but last I heard final thrust and spammage doens't mix to well. On swords you're limited to gash, glrath and bleeding. You also miss out on a lot of dmg if the target isn't below 50% However, due to final thrust coordinated sword warriors can pretty much drop a target below 50% in one attack.

Jake · Aug 17, 2005, 01:17 AM // 01:17

If you want to use a non-weapon elite, swords are probably better in most situations. Without eviscerate/cleave, axes can't keep up with a +43 galrath/final thrust damagewise and swords have more energy based attacks for things like endurance/flourish.

There are some exceptions though.. like if you want to use your secondary to spam energy skills you might want axes still with warrior's endurance since axes are primarily adrenaline based. You can still go all adrenaline mode with swords since it has 4 adrenaline skills too though.

Axe has a major advantage imo in disrupting chop, it's lightyears better than savage slash to me. In just standard non-skill based attack dps, axes are a bit better there as well. With 16 in axes your crit rate is solid enough to definately negate the low minimum damage and the crits just hurt more obviously.

Swords can be really good if you have someone else to deep wound for you, sever + gash is a waste of 2 skill slots to me but if you have an eviscerate axer with you then you don't need gash and can just go with galrath + FT then fill the rest of your slots with more meaningful skills than sever + gash. Up to you to find out what to do with the rest but I think the first step to getting good damage output with swords is to not waste 2 slots on sever + gash.

Yukito Kunisaki · Aug 17, 2005, 04:49 AM // 04:49

Instead of sever and gash...

I'd say go with Seeking Blade and Savage Slash. The other two being Galrath and FT...

However, the "standard" adrenal combo for a sword user is Sever, Gash, Galrath, Final Thrust.

The standard for the axe user is far more devastating in my opinion, however takes a little more time to pull off due to the adrenal cost: Penetrating Blow, Dismember, Axe Rake, Executioner's Strike.

The sword will out damage the axe should the hp drop to 50%, but axe dmg is always going to be high no matter what the condition of your opponent. [so long as they're not enchanted or what not.]

cookiehoarder · Aug 17, 2005, 10:59 AM // 10:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wilymo

Hamstrings is probably the best sword skill in the game. You really have no clue how devastating constant cripple is... maybe you should try to make a RANGER/WARRIOR with EXPERTISE. Seriously dude, why do you bash skills which you know nothing of? Hamstrings is awesome, nuff said.

I think that er...Expertise doesn't effect warrior skills, just your own. Anyway, why make a r/w? Just make a W/R and get the 16 stat +strength, you'll still have enough for a 9 second tigers fury. Also, rangers are kinda squishy compared to warriors. I took down a r/w, w/mo, and me/n with a W/R. If I had been anything else I'd of lost.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Me Burn U

Personally I use axe over sword because here's how i figure it:
At higher lvls of axe/sword mastery u have better chances to crit and seeing as how axes have higher max dmg than swords u will be doing better dmg overall. In PvP i think swords are slightly better than axes cuz of hamstring and bleeding.

The only thing worth while on sword imo is final thrust. Axe on the other end is a lot better in PvP imo due to the skills available. Eviscerate, Executioner's, Axe rake, disrupting chop. Sword doesn't have any interupts to my knowledge besides disrupting blow which everyone has.

Xellos · Aug 17, 2005, 11:16 AM // 11:16

Unless iQ is hiding some monster sword build, I can confidently say the high-mana dependant sword line is inferior to axes in the current meta-game. The way warriors are doesn't allow much. While I've seen/used builds which have a small energy engine and can maintain it, I rather not for the sake of damage or some measly savage slash/hamstring. I rather use that small energy engine to power something more useful in the warrior lines. Sword is gimped from energy, skills being overshadowed by skills in other skill lines, and how their combos work like severe/gash. It's plain horrible at this point, and you can completely tell when a move like Pure Strike has more use then Hundred Blades which is elite only because of IW, which has already been obsolete since the dawning of time.