DPS difference when using two weapons

[pjyelton]

I'm trying to figure out whether I should play my ranger as TWF or a sword/shield when forced to put down my bow and melee. What would really help would be if someone could help explain what the increase in DPS a TWF has over a single weapon. For example, if say my ranger has a 5.0 DPS with a single longsword, what does that increase to if my ranger wields two of these longswords all other things being equal?

Any other things I should be considering? I'm more interested in how this affects a low level character without any raid loot or twinking, I level very slowly and am only at a level 2 Ranger, and it'll be months before I get anywhere near something like level 10.

[Mad_Bombardier]

Ok, here's a quick overview. If you have Greater TWF, you get 3 extra offhand attacks per attack chain, for a total of 7 attacks. However, the attack animation is a little bit longer than the one for one-handed fighting.

So in terms of time (DPS) compared to one-handed fighting, you lose ~8 main hand attacks and gain ~66 offhand attacks per minute. For a net gain of ~58 attacks per minute (a +60% gain). However, offhand attacks are slightly less damaging because you only get half your STR modifier to damage.

The real benefit of TWF is using two different weapon types and applying several different effects (or multiple doses of the same effect, like stat damage). If you don't have these weapons with these effects or don't plan to take all the TWF feats, I really wouldn't bother with TWF.

For more TWF mechanics see the DDOwiki, Combo_chain (http://ddo.enterwiki.net/page/Combo_chain).

[pjyelton]

Thanks, that was a big help!

[Cowdenicus]

What this wiki is not telling you is very very soon, TWF will be at a 11:5 ratio (costing 4 feats) and it will be the UBER.

That is all.