Where are the search nazi's at?
Here and accounted for. It used to be fairly straightforward when sundering was 10/10 and completely blew, now it just kind of blows. Also, another recent thread tried to prove vamp vs sundering through 1v1s... yeah.
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Assuming 16 in the weapon attribute, a 60 AL target, 23.5% critical hit chance (no critical strikes), 115% damage due to the weapon attribute (yes, 115% is a fraction of a percent off), a +15% damage modifier, and a +20% customization:
Hammers: Average damage is 51.11 damage per hit. Sundering triggering once every five hits will give a bonus of 11.81 damage. Vampiric steals 25 health in five hits. Total difference is 13.19 health per five hits or 2.64 health per hit. At normal attack speed that is a difference of 1.51 health per second.
Axes: Average damage is 35.44 damage per hit. Sundering triggering once every five hits will give a bonus of 8.19 damage. Vampiric steals 15 health in five hits. Total axe difference is 6.81 health per five hits or 1.36 health per hit. At normal attack speed that is a difference of 1.02 health per second.
Swords: Average damage is 33.98 damage per hit. Sundering triggering once every five hits will give a bonus of 7.85 damage. Vampiric steals 15 health in five hits. Total sword difference is 7.15 health per five hits or 1.43 health per hit. At normal attack speed that is a difference of 1.08 health per second.
Bows: Average damage is 40.91 damage per hit. Sundering triggering once every five hits will give a bonus of 9.46 damage. Vampiric steals 25 health in five hits. Total bow difference is 15.54 health per five hits or 3.11 health per hit. At shortbow attack speed that is a difference of 1.56 health per second. At hornbow attack speed that is a difference of 1.15 health per second.
Daggers: Average damage is 23.50 damage per hit. Sundering triggering once every five hits will give a bonus of 5.43 damage. Vampiric steals 15 health in five hits. Total daggers difference is 9.57 health per five hits or 1.91 health per hit. At normal attack speed (including double strikes) that is a difference of 1.92 health per second.
Summary:
Vampiric is actually very effective on hammers because the higher average damage (which affects how much of an increase sundering gives) is nothing compared to the additional 2 lifesteal per hit they have over other weapons. Axes have the least difference between sundering and vampiric due to a high average damage rate and only 3 lifesteal max. Daggers show the greatest difference due to the fact that they have a low average damage rate. But regardless, sundering is always inferior to vampiric.
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"But Savio, what if sundering triggers when I get a critical hit?"
Hammers crit for 78 damage. When sundering triggers they will hit for 96 damage, or an increase of 18 damage. Vampiric will steal 25 health over five hits, a difference of 7 health per five hits or 1.4 health per hit.
Axes and bows crit for 63 damage. When sundering triggers they will hit for 77 damage, or an increase of 14 damage. Vampiric will steal 15 health over five hits, a difference of 1 health per five hits or 0.2 health per hit.
Swords crit for 49 damage. When sundering triggers they will hit for 61 damage, or an increase of 12 damage. Vampiric will steal 15 health over five hits, a difference of 3 health per five hits or 0.6 health per hit.
Daggers crit for 38 damage. When sundering triggers they will hit for 47 damage, or an increase of 9 damage. Vampiric will steal 15 health over five hits, a difference of 6 health per five hits or 1.2 health per hit.
So not even the high end of the sundering damage range can justify taking it. Although sundering is vastly better than its former 10/10 state, it still does not outperform vampiric as the physical damage mod of choice. Also, before anyone says anything about it, armor penetration does not affect +damage from attack skills (as they already ignore armor), so they are irrelevant.
If you took some time to get a decent farming build you could get some of your own! 