let me see if I have this right, re: left axe, CS, and 2 han
using 2 axes means damange from both weapons is halved, then boosted a bit. Boost depends on left axe skill, but even skill 1 means about 10%. So even without ever raising the skill, you are doing at least a *bit* more damage, though it is dependent on keeping good quality on both weapons.
CS - damage bonus is *not* dependent on weapon. Where most styles add a percentage to the dps, CS styles add a flat rate depending on level and skill, giving the same numeric bonus regardless of weapon used.
2 handers - have a damage boost above and beyond their dps. This means that, like left axe, the damage is supplemented, however in this case, it is supplemented without needing another skill. Downside is that you swing less often, which hinders ability to interupt, and how often you can use your static damage rated CS styles.
Is that getting close?
Llava Registered User
Posts: 392
(2/2/04 8:12 am) Reply
Re: let me see if I have this right, re: left axe, CS, and 2
2-hand, you're right.
Celtic Dual- it's not affected by styles. Your chance to swing your offhand weapon as well as your mainhand is entirely based on your Celtic Dual skill, styled or not.
Left Axe- you're mostly right here, except that you forgot to take into account that the variance on the offhand weapon is based on left axe skill. Thus the slight bonus to damage is removed because of extreme variance on the offhand.
Re: let me see if I have this right, re: left axe, CS, and 2
Yeah....I clued into that lately. Makes me wonder whether my left axe is worth it right now. At level 24 I have axe 18, left axe 13. If the variance and to-hit chances for the left axe are based on left axe skill, I'm actually wondering whether I may do as much or more damage with just the right axe (and a shield maybe, don't want the slowness of the 2 hander). Can't use the left axe styles....but I don't really use them anymore anyways with pillager and plunderer, plus my CS styles.
Gonna be mighty pissed if those points are wasted in left axe.
I haven't 100% decided how far I want to go with LA, but I plan to take Axe to 44, at least. CS will probably 39. This will probably leave LA at 22.
At level 50, using the proper assumptions... assume your unmodified base damage is 100 (prob. higher with 16.5 DPS, 100% quality/cond.)...I believe unstyled damage will be about 69.64
Realize that for every point you put in LA you will experience Decreasing Returns to Scale, meaning that as you increase your LA skill, the marginal rate of return (% of damage increase) gets smaller.
Example... given LA 22 spec, with the above assumptions and 69.64 modified damage -- increase the Spec to 34 (for Doublefrost) and you are sitting at 74.06 modified damage (a 2.35% increase over your LA 22).
Now, the optimal use of a Shadowblade I have see so far...
High Axe/Sword spec 44 or 50
Reasonable CS spec 39 +
Perf with 2-hander (envenerating on it)
Switch to Axe/LA...
I believe a series of test should be done on 2-handed (with max hastes from ToA gear/buffs/MoA) and Main/LA damage.
I know someone has done this test, however the problem I see is the way a Shadowblade must spec wasnt taken into consideration. For simplicity, the assumptions were always based on 50Axe/50LA.... I don't know many SBs out there with that spec.
It is worthwhile to see the variance in to hit/damage overtime with 2-Hander vs. the lower Axe/LA spec or the varied Axe/LA
(varied meanding LA doesnt equal Axe spec). Furthermore, maybe a view of LA being greater than Axe, however SBs lose out. Because Axe/Main controls the variance of your CS styles, giving up a Higher Main for a Higher LA may not be worthwhile...unless you are staying out of CS to go the SZ route.
....at any rate.... *sigh*
It's just craziness to think about the issues facing SBs!!!!
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