Curse

Calibretto_9 · Jul 09, 2005, 06:20 AM // 06:20

Alrighty, several posts have been dancing around this subject and I'm curious to see what the experts think. I'm designing a warrior, and I absolutely can't decide which will work better for pvp - Axe or hammer? Now, I've read the discussions that some have posted about the pros (And sometimes cons) of each, but normally they are being compared to another topic. I'd like to see a comparison of these two weapons.

Currently my warrior is using a hammer, and I fully realize how dangerous these hammer warriors are. Got a taste of this as my necro sat his butt on the ground for what seemed like an eternity as said warrior aftershocked and smashed my sorry backside. Doesn't take much common sense to realize that a character on the ground is a uselss character. BUT, that being said, I later faced an axe warrior, which I've found (at least in random pvp) to be much more rare. This axe warrior would activate frenzy/flurry and keep pumping out disrupting chops until anything useful on my skill bar was several seconds away from being useful.

That being said, I understand there are pros and cons to both, but I'm curious as to what you guys think. I'm starting to lean towards the axe personally, because the disruption can be put out more quickly along with what I've experienced to be higher damage, but then, I'm still learning and trying to get better. Any experienced advice is more than appreciated.

Zeru · Jul 09, 2005, 06:52 AM // 06:52

Axe is pure dps pretty much; hammer is disruption and combo starter. That's the main difference.

They are very different roles and should be accustomed to team builds that need them. It's not very cut and dry at all.

Calibretto_9 · Jul 09, 2005, 10:14 AM // 10:14

I see, I see. That's interesting. It had seemed like if you were going the disruption route that they would both work in a similar manner, but I seem to be mistaken. I just thought that perhaps and axe's disruption along would work similar to a hammer's since the axe charged faster with adren.

Phades · Jul 09, 2005, 12:21 PM // 12:21

Hammer is akin to using meteor with meteor shower or gale in conjunction with lightning surge or thunderclap. Its a supression tool, but the hammer is better at sustaining a knockdown over time, provided the adrenalin is able to be build in a fairly rapid manner.

Axe, like swords are a means to disable movement over time and have better ways to spike damage without outside means. They lend to have faster adrenalin accrual and gain more benefit from damage adder spells in any form. Pick your favorite spike damage method combined with good dot method to relate them to, but can be less reliable than either due to melee defense options.

Both are tools, but really its a preference for the user as to how the player wants to play. Personally ive found hammers for a warrior more useful in pvp than pve, while swords or axes for pve tends to work out more relaibly due to the tank setups and the bonus of a shield.

Eonwe · Jul 09, 2005, 01:04 PM // 13:04

Axes are more flexible if you want to use certain buffs and go for DPS whereas hammers are better for completely shutting down targets for a short period of time. Both have good DPS, it just really depends on again, what you're trying to get accomplished.

thesecondrei · Jul 10, 2005, 03:32 AM // 03:32

I'm just curious...what are your opinions on swords?

Tellani Artini · Jul 10, 2005, 04:10 AM // 04:10

Swords are nice for PvE tanking, as they have the most defensive skills (riposte, deadly riposte). For PvP, swords are kinda limited. IMO you have no excuse for not packing savage slash, pure strike, and final thrust as a PvP sword warrior; otherwise you're easily outhealed, outevaded, and ignored.

Calibretto_9 · Jul 10, 2005, 09:13 AM // 09:13

That's all really good advice that I'm learning as I keep practicing. I've been playing around with my second profession to see what works best for me, and I'm trying to gauge what it is I really want to get accomplished, and at the moment it seems axes are working out better for "me." On the other hand, as soon as I start getting into guild battles and tournies I can completely see myself turning to hammers. I think my decision is going to come from practice and preference, but the ideas and advice have been really great. Thanks for dropping by for input.

Yukito Kunisaki · Jul 10, 2005, 02:26 PM // 14:26

Actually, the phrase, 'because I like them' works out perfectly fine. If you know your skill setups, it's just right ^_^

proffbeer · Jul 10, 2005, 06:35 PM // 18:35

Axes aren't as good for disrupting as hammers, no doubt about that, but they do have a disrupting attack, but are more for debuffs, deepwound, weakness, cripple and such. The thing to keep in mind though axes will spike for more damage then a hammer, and swing just a little slower then a sword. Hammers are for shuting casters down, axes are for finishing em off.

ICURADik · Jul 10, 2005, 07:11 PM // 19:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by proffbeer

Axes aren't as good for disrupting as hammers, no doubt about that, but they do have a disrupting attack, but are more for debuffs, deepwound, weakness, cripple and such. The thing to keep in mind though axes will spike for more damage then a hammer, and swing just a little slower then a sword. Hammers are for shuting casters down, axes are for finishing em off.

Please stop posting... now.

Kriegar · Jul 11, 2005, 05:21 PM // 17:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by proffbeer

Axes aren't as good for disrupting as hammers, no doubt about that, but they do have a disrupting attack, but are more for debuffs, deepwound, weakness, cripple and such. The thing to keep in mind though axes will spike for more damage then a hammer, and swing just a little slower then a sword. Hammers are for shuting casters down, axes are for finishing em off.

Exactly right...

except axes and swords are same speed, and you'll get a bigger spike out of hammers with the correct skill set.

Deathlord · Jul 11, 2005, 05:50 PM // 17:50

Yep... Axe is mainly a stable high DP Outputter meanwhile Hammer is a knockdown/disrupter combo. Axe of course can still disrupt, but not nearly as well (No knockdown) as hammer. Hammer is capable of doing more damage but it could be significantly harder to pull off.

Axe Pros - Stable High Damage, Faster Swing, Easier to pull off
Axe Cons - Cannot disrupt as well, Damage fluxuates

Hammer Pros - Incredible damage potential, Good interruption skills
Hammer Cons - Harder to get used to (For some people), slow attack rate, requires decent energy management (Not neccesarily easy if you're used to 4-regen rate).

If a good KD warrior can pull out an aftershock, then he'll probably be able to achieve up to about 200 damage while the opponent is nearly useless. To the same person, a axe warrior might be able to do a stable 3-hit combos nearing 30 - 70 each. Both require some buildup, hammer possibly a bit more than the others. It's really up to preference and such, find whatever's comfortable, both do seemingly well in PVP (Atleast... better than swords >_>"0)

Creed · Jul 11, 2005, 08:40 PM // 20:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deathlord

Yep... Axe is mainly a stable high DP Outputter meanwhile Hammer is a knockdown/disrupter combo. Axe of course can still disrupt, but not nearly as well (No knockdown) as hammer. Hammer is capable of doing more damage but it could be significantly harder to pull off.

Axe Pros - Stable High Damage, Faster Swing, Easier to pull off
Axe Cons - Cannot disrupt as well, Damage fluxuates

Hammer Pros - Incredible damage potential, Good interruption skills
Hammer Cons - Harder to get used to (For some people), slow attack rate, requires decent energy management (Not neccesarily easy if you're used to 4-regen rate).

If a good KD warrior can pull out an aftershock, then he'll probably be able to achieve up to about 200 damage while the opponent is nearly useless. To the same person, a axe warrior might be able to do a stable 3-hit combos nearing 30 - 70 each. Both require some buildup, hammer possibly a bit more than the others. It's really up to preference and such, find whatever's comfortable, both do seemingly well in PVP (Atleast... better than swords >_>"0)

Axe stable high damage? And then you say it's damage fluxuates? I dont mean to offend you, but axe is'nt stable high damage atall. You can swing and hit for 9 with an axe and then next hit for 50. Sword could be considered as stable. The fact axe relies on crits to do most of its damage distinctly states it is in no way stable.

If you on the other hand had of said based on skill usage and damage output it's stable then i'd agree.

Pros and Cons of each weapon?

Axe pros:

-Axe has the highest damage of all melee weapons when you take into accounts its skills.

-Cripple. Anything which slows an opponent is usually considered a good thing.

-1 Disruption based attack.

-Cleave allows for high Dps.

Axe Cons:

-Without use of skills axe will have very low effect. Meaning if you're shut down by use of energy denial spells and/or adrenline effecting hexes you're really going to be usless.

-Unreliablity. Need 30 damage to finnish off that enemy? That's np you've been doing 60 right? What the hell? a 12? Hitting on a scale which such high and low points you are going to hit the lower points sooner or later.

-The single Disruption skill is adrenline based. Meaning if some one tries to get the spell you want to disrupt off at the start of the battle you've no way to stop it.

-Cripple which is also adrenline based. If some one is going to run from you and they wait for you to get the 7 hits you need to get cripple off first they are retarded.

Hammer Pros:

-Knockdowns. Goes without saying, your enemy cannot hurt you while he/she's lying on the floor.

-Knockdowns. De-ja-vu? No, no a completly diffrent point, knockdowns can also be used to dirupt a target, stopping them from ressurrecting. Or from healing, or from... what ever you so choose.

-Knockdowns. An emeny cannot heal his friends if he's on the floor. Nor can he run away. Being the only warrior with both weakness and blind skills, hammer will defeat other warriors in a 1 on 1 basis, unless the other warrior is significantly more intelligent.

Hammer Cons:

-Hammer has a slow attack already, couple that with any anti-attack speed spell, eg: shadow of fear / feint heartedness, you wont be doing much of anything.

-All status effects are based on being able to knock an enemy down. Serious tactical error.

-Serious problem with being shutdown. All knockdowns are based on adreniline. Meaning if you'e hit with soothing images... you can no longer knockdown, meaning you can no longer use your status effects.