Greensteel Dwarven Ax

[~Winterbourn]

I am about 2 months into playing ddo and love my barbarian. I am finally aproching they lvl where I can make my greensteel weapons and was wondering what was the best dps bang for the buck. I am a dwarf barb with 2 lvl of fighter splashed in. Right now I duelweild dwarven axes. I have heard I need to switch to heavy picks but I have yet to come across any wounding puncturing heavy picks and I believe that you cant put wounding puncturing on greensteel anyway. (correct me if I am mistaken) I am quite willing to do the necessary work to make my weapons the best they could be but would love some imput from some vetrens as to what that build would be.

Thanks
Winterbourn

[ShadowFox1978]

I would suggest dual Mineral 2 heavy picks. You won't need to take Im crit pierce as Mineral 2 is already keen. They will have the same crit range as your dwarvens, but they are *4 instead of *3. You lose alittle dps from racial axe enhancments, but overall I think your dps would increase with teh higher crits.

[Hanam]

I would suggest dual Mineral 2 heavy picks. You won't need to take Im crit pierce as Mineral 2 is already keen. They will have the same crit range as your dwarvens, but they are *4 instead of *3. You lose alittle dps from racial axe enhancments, but overall I think your dps would increase with teh higher crits.

I believe he asked for the cheapest and strongest "bang for buck". 48 small, medium, and large is a bit expensive(for two mineral II heavy picks). They are universally useful though. Right now the subterranean has mostly flensers and abberations which require cold iron or byeshk. The mineral II is nice for the new raid explorer and the 2 raids(acid works on the horned "devil"). As far as the Vale goes tier 3 positive or postive/shock is better than mineral II. But, only against devils(Devils have acid resistance).

As far as the decision between dwarven axes or heavypicks goes, If you are a dwarf, use axes. Any other race should go heavypicks.

[ShadowFox1978]

I believe he asked for the cheapest and strongest "bang for buck". 48 small, medium, and large is a bit expensive(for two mineral II heavy picks). They are universally useful though. Right now the subterranean has mostly flensers and abberations which require cold iron or byeshk. The mineral II is nice for the new raid explorer and the 2 raids(acid works on the horned "devil"). As far as the Vale goes tier 3 positive or postive/shock is better than mineral II. But, only against devils(Devils have acid resistance).

As far as the decision between dwarven axes or heavypicks goes, If you are a dwarf, use axes. Any other race should go heavypicks.

Wher do you get 48/48/48? It is 24/24/48. There is no dual sharding in the first 2 tiers. He also said he is willing to do the work to get the best. Mineral 2 is by far the best bang for the buck. It replaces almost every other weapon except vorpals(assuming you don't have transmuting Gbanes for every mob.)

[Hanam]

Wher do you get 48/48/48? It is 24/24/48. There is no dual sharding in the first 2 tiers. He also said he is willing to do the work to get the best. Mineral 2 is by far the best bang for the buck. It replaces almost every other weapon except vorpals(assuming you don't have transmuting Gbanes for every mob.)

My mistake.

[ariel7]

I'm certainly not versed well enough to state anything as fact, but with fully specced out dwarven enhancements for axes, is the extra crit multiplier going to make that big of a difference in relation to the racial bonuses? Also, heavy picks are only 1d8 as opposed to 2d8 on the axe, does that change the balance of power between the two any?

Thanks for your input, you've got me wondering here

[Mhykke]

I would suggest dual Mineral 2 heavy picks. You won't need to take Im crit pierce as Mineral 2 is already keen. They will have the same crit range as your dwarvens, but they are *4 instead of *3. You lose alittle dps from racial axe enhancments, but overall I think your dps would increase with teh higher crits.

Greensteel dwarvens are the way to go over greensteel picks. You not only lose the racial axe enhancements, but you also lose the base damage, where dwarven greensteels really shine. If the crit range was larger for the 2 weapons, then maybe, but since it's only critting on a 19-20, the axe enhancements and base damage are stronger considerations.


I'm certainly not versed well enough to state anything as fact, but with fully specced out dwarven enhancements for axes, is the extra crit multiplier going to make that big of a difference in relation to the racial bonuses? Also, heavy picks are only 1d8 as opposed to 2d8 on the axe, does that change the balance of power between the two any?

Thanks for your input, you've got me wondering here


No, the dwarven greensteel will outdamage the greensteel picks, even if you don't consider the dwarven racial enhancements.

[ShadowFox1978]

I stand corrected. I forgot about the abysmal base damage number on the pick. Ax is deffinatly the way to go.

[Hanam]

Assuming you're using a bloodstone and have 30 damage bonus on your main hand :

Dwarven Axe - potential normal hit damage 16(base hit)+30(damage bonus) = 46 x 3(crit multiplier) = 138+18(seeker) = 158

Heavy Pick - potential normal hit 8+30 = 38 x 4 = 152+24 = 176

The dwarven axe does 8 damage more on a normal hit but the heavy pick does 18 more on a critical. Of course this is not counting the racial axe enhancements or a deathnip(seeker 8). Since you only crit with a heavy pick and a dwarven axe on a 19 or 17 on a barbarian the axe wins in the end.

If there's failure in my mathematics, please point at me and laugh.