Crypt Raider vs Silent Avenger

[drunkbarbarian]

So I have a swf Aasimar Barb. My primary tree is Occult Slayer and secondary is FB. (mostly for quality of life with OS capstone and metalline)

My question would it be better to go Silent Avenger, Shadow Dancer and Ethereal,or Crypt Raider, Dreadnaught and Arborea? I don't run reaper very often and if so its a low level.

A little gear tetris and I can have Mists bonus on either set. I have Prowess slotted on main weapon and Blood Feast on swap for hp.

Second question is would it be better to upgrade Whelm (shock wave dazed and +1 19-20) or Soulrazor (vamp, lowering defense, instakill chance)?

Thanks

[Fivetigers33]

Unless you are capped on doublestrike, I think Silent Avenger wins hands down.

Silent Avenger / Legendary Dreadnaught / Ethereal if you've invested/geared for hide, Arborea if if you haven't.

As for the weapons, I think Soulrazor's +20 damage and +20 melee power probably wins out.

[Thrudh]

As a SWF barb, I'd go Silent Avenger.

If you were THF, I'd go with medium armor and Crypt Raider, because the trinket from Baba (Bloodrage Chism) is so good for THF, and part of the Crypt Raider set.

The Silent Avenger belt is kinda of a waste on a STR-based barb, though.

[Emerge2012]

So I have a swf Aasimar Barb. My primary tree is Occult Slayer and secondary is FB. (mostly for quality of life with OS capstone and metalline)

My question would it be better to go Silent Avenger, Shadow Dancer and Ethereal,or Crypt Raider, Dreadnaught and Arborea? I don't run reaper very often and if so its a low level.

A little gear tetris and I can have Mists bonus on either set. I have Prowess slotted on main weapon and Blood Feast on swap for hp.

Second question is would it be better to upgrade Whelm (shock wave dazed and +1 19-20) or Soulrazor (vamp, lowering defense, instakill chance)?

Thanks
SA no question. Also consider that Ethereal won't be doing much of anything for you if you can't make targets sneak vulnerable on your own or if other people don't consistently have aggro.

[Taxidiotis]

As for the weapons, I think Soulrazor's +20 damage and +20 melee power probably wins out.

FYI, Soulrazor's +20MP is a misnomer assuming you have Adherent Mist set (+10Profane bonus to MP). It would actually be +10Profane MP on top of Mist's set.

[Thrudh]

SA is more DPS, but if you're not Dex-based, and not using Ethereal, you end basically wasting two item slots (Cloak and belt - which have a lot of other good options) just for the set bonus.


Also consider that Ethereal won't be doing much of anything for you if you can't make targets sneak vulnerable on your own or if other people don't consistently have aggro.

That's important.

But helpless critters get sneak attack damage, so dire charge and stunning blow help there.

And of course, if you have a caster in the group who can cast mass hold, you'll get sneak attack damage there too.

Note that you can't make a boss helpless with the above methods so your damage output will be less against boss monsters, unless there's another person in the group to hold aggro (or a ranger using Exposing Strike, or another character using Bluff or someone using improved deception)

[drunkbarbarian]

Thank you everyone for the advice.

I really am still torn between ppr and melee power vs sneak damage and evasion. I guess I will have to test both with a couple of ETRs. However in low reaper and LE raids is it better to have defense or DPS?