How important is Stunning Blow?

[ElrondElfKing]

I'm building a TWF fighter, and trying to choose my feats carefully. How important is Stunning Blow, really, given that it doesn't work on red or purple named foes? I have no problem wiping out mobs without it.

[Captain_Wizbang]

It's a strength base tactic. It works very well in a lot of things except red names. Even whsips can be stunned :eek:. "Poor mans crowd control":cool:

The sound effect *ding* makes me laugh every time I hear it. I spent one life on a dwarf thf kensai what I could NOT stun.

DC 10 + strength mods, + class & racial enhancements + items

Great thing to use.

[RevCo]

I'm building a TWF fighter, and trying to choose my feats carefully. How important is Stunning Blow, really, given that it doesn't work on red or purple named foes? I have no problem wiping out mobs without it.

Dont lol. Go with power attack as it will be more useful if you use legendary dreadnought as an epic Destiny.

http://m.ddowiki.com/page/Power_Attack

[Renvar]

Dont lol. Go with power attack as it will be more useful if you use legendary dreadnought as an epic Destiny.

http://m.ddowiki.com/page/Power_Attack

Those aren't either or choices. Especially on a fighter.

You should DEFINITELY have Power Attack.

If I was ranking priorities:

Improved Crit
TWF, ITWF, GTWF
PA, Cleave, Great Cleave
Stunning Blow
Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Greater WF, Greater WS, Superior WF

Depending on if you are splashing fighter, you will have between 9 or 10 (2 level splash) and 18 or 19 (full 20 fighter) heroic feats.

I just listed 13. Stunning Blow is 8th on the list. You can definitely get it in on any DPS fighter build. And should, imo. Sure you can kill stuff without it, but Trip and Stunning blow are both useful in heroics and Epics. You can add in Lay Waste and Dire Charge later in life, but I'm not sure what feat you are taking instead of Stunning Blow on a Fighter.

If we were talking about a non-Strength build or a TWF Paladin or Barbarian, that's a different discussion. Those builds are more feat starved.

[droid327]

I'm building a TWF fighter, and trying to choose my feats carefully. How important is Stunning Blow, really, given that it doesn't work on red or purple named foes? I have no problem wiping out mobs without it.

Yeah I find its kinda pointless against trash if you're killing them handily already. And it doesnt work against bosses. And its got too long of a CD to be part of your rotation.

But I do find it (or Stunning Shield for VGs) comes in very handy against Champions, who are usually bags of HP and so the helpless damage serves to accelerate those kills, keeping you moving through the quest with efficiency.

[Thrudh]

I'm building a TWF fighter, and trying to choose my feats carefully. How important is Stunning Blow, really, given that it doesn't work on red or purple named foes? I have no problem wiping out mobs without it.

Fighters have a ton of feats, so it shouldn't be a problem to fit it in.

It doesn't work on red or purple names, but it works on champs and orange-names. Being able to knock out a dangerous champ is huge.

Every single one of my STR-based melee has this feat.

[Thrudh]

Dont lol. Go with power attack as it will be more useful if you use legendary dreadnought as an epic Destiny.

http://m.ddowiki.com/page/Power_Attack

You think a fighter can't have both?

[Tricosene]

Even thought it doesn't work on bosses - it works on champions, who can be more deadly than a boss. When you see a DOT champion, like a cruelty champ, stun him first!

I use it for spreading out who I kill when. One mob gets stunned, then I kill the next one, going back to the first to kill him. A stunned mob doesn't damage you (generally) and can't cast - and I find it useful for this. An example - you see two casters, stun the first, kill the second, and go back to kill the first.

Also remember that it induces helplessness, allowing you to do more damage. Even when I have one enemy to deal with, I'll stun him. Then, I don't take damage and I kill him faster.

[droid327]

Even thought it doesn't work on bosses - it works on champions, who can be more deadly than a boss. When you see a DOT champion, like a cruelty champ, stun him first!

I use it for spreading out who I kill when. One mob gets stunned, then I kill the next one, going back to the first to kill him. A stunned mob doesn't damage you (generally) and can't cast - and I find it useful for this. An example - you see two casters, stun the first, kill the second, and go back to kill the first.

Also remember that it induces helplessness, allowing you to do more damage. Even when I have one enemy to deal with, I'll stun him. Then, I don't take damage and I kill him faster.

If you're using it just for CC then Dazing Blow would be better, it lasts longer and no save. The main advantage of stunning is the bonus damage, so if they aren't dead by the time the stun wears off then it's going to waste.

[Tricosene]

If you're using it just for CC then Dazing Blow would be better, it lasts longer and no save. The main advantage of stunning is the bonus damage, so if they aren't dead by the time the stun wears off then it's going to waste.

Dazing Blow? Where are you picking that up for your character?

[Drecas]

The Mini-Thors of the forum are so full of awesome and condescension that they don't need to consider such things as tactics. Tactics are for peasants. Real pros buy Otto's boxes and +8 tomes and leave all the lesser gamers behind eating their farts. Why have you come here? For advice?
Not in my forums! *guffaws*

[Captain_Wizbang]

Dont lol. Go with power attack as it will be more useful if you use legendary dreadnought as an epic Destiny.

Why do people assume he's thinking about epic anything?

I play mainly Fighters and Pally's.

Stunning blow is mandatory as a tactical melee. Power Attack, and Precision are also part of my set-ups. I don't play to meta anything. And people offering advice most of the time here give advice based on the meta. (which is wrong on every level)


If you're a newer or returning player, Stunning blow will make your gaming experience a lot more fun. You most likely don't have crafted items, or full sets from where ever, so listen to this old conger, Use it, and use all the time.

You'll find a 1/2 combo of trip & stun while moving forward is an awesome tactic.


That is a general reply. but based on your OP............

As a twf, the results will vary as you most likely wont be a strength based build. But in Heroic content with a str of 12 or higher, it will work enough to make a difference.

More info on your build really would give a better set of replies.

[Selvera]

Mini-thor you say?

I can indeed inform you that I do use stunning blow on my strength based melees and it works very well against champion casters. And yes; just because I can wipe out an entire group of enemies faster then some people can kill a single mob doesn't mean that I ignore tactics like stunning one caster then killing the other caster before returning to kill the first caster before the stun wears off.

Sap is worse then stunning blow because it breaks on damage. Even my wipe-the-floor with reaper melees can take 2-3 hits to kill a champion; and if it has time to cast one horrid wilting with champion dot it can deal a good chunk of no save damage with a single spell.

Trip is good because it targets a different defense and you can keep the DC high on strength based builds. Helps make killing 2 champion casters at once a lot easier.

For Str melee I'd consider stunning blow as less important then things like cleave+greatcleave+improved critical; but more important then things like weapon focus/dodge/mobility. On a fighter or paladin you should be able to find a free feat for stunning blow. On a barbarian or rogue it might be a little tougher; but probably still worth it. On monk; don't go strength based. On a ranger... has anyone tested stunning blow with dance of death? Sounds like a legit combo.

[RevCo]

Why do people assume he's thinking about epic anything?

I play mainly Fighters and Pally's.

Stunning blow is mandatory as a tactical melee. Power Attack, and Precision are also part of my set-ups. I don't play to meta anything. And people offering advice most of the time here give advice based on the meta. (which is wrong on every level)


If you're a newer or returning player, Stunning blow will make your gaming experience a lot more fun. You most likely don't have crafted items, or full sets from where ever, so listen to this old conger, Use it, and use all the time.

You'll find a 1/2 combo of trip & stun while moving forward is an awesome tactic.


That is a general reply. but based on your OP............

As a twf, the results will vary as you most likely wont be a strength based build. But in Heroic content with a str of 12 or higher, it will work enough to make a difference.

More info on your build really would give a better set of replies.


Guess you didn't see the "IF" in my message. SMH.

[ElrondElfKing]

This guy is strenhth based. Kills mobs like crazy but too squishy against magical attacks. I'm going to roll up a sword and board strength based halg orc to play with some options. Someone who can do some damage but won't get killed every time I step into Proof is in the Poison.

[Tricosene]

This guy is strenhth based. Kills mobs like crazy but too squishy against magical attacks.

That's why I'm such a fan of stunning blow - because of the casters. It's especially difficult when you are newer and aren't geared as well as some of us. Eventually you've be able to start building in enough UMD into your melee builds to cast shield from scrolls, which will also make casters easier to deal with, since it blocks magic missiles.

The approach I take is to head straight to the back of the crowd of enemies, to where the caster is at, and stop him with a stunning blow.

If there are two casters, trip the first, then using stunning blow on the second, kill him, then go back to the first.

Trip doesn't always land reliably for me unless I have an uber-tactics build, but it still works often enough to use, especially on casters.

BTW: Proof is in the Poison can be rough. Consider skipping it, for now.

[Valerianus]

totally take stunning blow.

and spec for tactics dc.

and use trip too.

who cares about bosses, some champs are more Dangerous. a total nonsense, but we must deal with it.

[Tilomere]

For leveling, it's a starter feat like luck of heroes for newer characters that need a slight bump in the right direction but who haven't moved on to quicken and splashed soundburst yet.

[Alled78]

I'm building a TWF fighter, and trying to choose my feats carefully. How important is Stunning Blow, really, given that it doesn't work on red or purple named foes? I have no problem wiping out mobs without it.

Stunning blow IS the only cc u have If go pure fighter until lvl 29

So If u are pure and strength based IS a must have

What IS Your build? 20fighter?

[Enoach]

If you're using it just for CC then Dazing Blow would be better, it lasts longer and no save. The main advantage of stunning is the bonus damage, so if they aren't dead by the time the stun wears off then it's going to waste.


Dazing Blow? Where are you picking that up for your character?

I believe the feat name they are looking for is SAP. This is a stun that works much like the Daze Monster spell except that it has no save. But breaks if the mob takes damage.

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Often times when a player concentrates only on DPS killing they over look the benefits the tactical feats grant them. Feats like Trip (one less thing hitting back) and Sunder (open up a better chance for other party members to land a blow) are auto granted but it is a rare sight to see it being used even if a Charisma based paladin can pull these off - so it is not because they can't get the DCs it is more they don't see the tactical advantage.

Stunning blow is similar in that it is one less thing hitting back so potentially less incoming damage thus less healing needed as you hack away. Some of its best uses are against dangerous mobs such as the caster, named champion, orange named mini-boss. It is also useful as a way to stop the healers of the group as stunned clerics/shamans can't heal, and if they can't heal that means less hits until kill is achieved.


Sure you don't need stunning blow to be successful as a DPS focused melee. But it does not take away from your DPS, in fact it enhances it by reducing your "non-DPS" time needed to heal as well as potentially reducing the number of hits needed to kill something.


...

BTW: Proof is in the Poison can be rough. Consider skipping it, for now.
This quest can be made easier with the following prep...
1. Acid Resistance of 10 or better - If you do not have a source for this you can purchase acid resistance/protection potions from vendors
2. Protection from Magic Missiles - Shield scrolls/wands are UMD 20 and last 5 minutes. Having a UMD of 10 gives you roughly a 50% chance, apply before going around a corner. If UMD is not an option, farm out
a. gloves of protection http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Protective_Gloves
b. Raktu's Trifle http://ddowiki.com/page/Raktu%27s_Trifle
c. Scarab of Protection http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Scarab_of_Protection

[Tricosene]

I believe the feat name they are looking for is SAP. This is a stun that works much like the Daze Monster spell except that it has no save. But breaks if the mob takes damage.

That was my assumption, too, for what they called "Dazing Blow." I can't think of anything else that quite matches droid's description... but who knows what they had in mind.