Best Axe for Shroud?

[Nyvn]

And (if I may again demonstrate my low Intelligence score)- why will these change in Mod 9?

Transmuting is being changed so that it only bypasses metal based DR.

[Aranticus]

He's also counting triple madstone = which isn't possible. Only goes to double.

i'm counting rage + double madstone, could be wrong but far as i remember, rage stacks with barb rage

And recitation - in which I find I never get on shrouds about 75% of the time. And +2 item - not every barb has the spectral gloves.

i find groups with recitation helps with healing. when i'm on my cleric, i always give recitation for the luck increase to saves (for fireballs). as to +2 competence item, you have tumbleweed and fullplate of defender as well. with hound being run to death, its really not difficult to get the ring

Take those out ,add in bard songs and your in the same boat.

Barbarian's use +5 weapons. Minimum. More to hit means more power attack enhanvems and more DPS.

Your math also never accurately calcuated glancing blows. No one even knows the correct formula as its a special system not advertised. The extra +3 on the axe could add +1 dmg on the glancing blows, making the comparison +3 dmg per swing (9 on crits) and +1 on glacning blow hits, vs +3.5 average, that cannot critical.

actually, the ddo wiki did have an accurate formula. i think the wiki is down thou

The correct answer is much more complicated:
Transmuter for Arraetrikos
Holy of Greater Bane for Red Named Cat/Devil/Orthon
Wounder for trash - IF others in party are using them too. Else Vorpal.

trash? you mean trogs? doesnt really matter if you only take 3-5 swings to kill 1. as for devils, orthons and cats, vorpals are actually faster (statistically) than the wounder

And make a Mineral II asap, as none of those will be great post mod9 =)

qft

[Aranticus]

I only miss Harry on a 1 and don't have anything near these numbers working for me AND I dual wield. But, when I enable power attack I start missing on anything 7 or below. I use +5 transmuters.

So, I think that without PA the OP will have no issues hitting, his damage will be less but he won't be missing. With PA he will miss more often (whether he has max STR is unknown, same with recitation, madstone, etc.). But, I don't have all those things going for me and only miss on 7 or less. My guess is that with all those added effects he shouldn't be having trouble hitting even if PA is on.

Edit: changed "miss on 2" to "miss on 1". I hit on 2+ w/o PA.

it depends on your range of numbers. if you hit on a 2 without PA and hit on a 3 with PA. then having PA is better than none. its technically ~ 8 damage over 18 hits vs 1 miss of ~40-50. 144 >> 50

[Shade]

And (if I may again demonstrate my low Intelligence score)- why will these change in Mod 9?

*I've also got a vorpal of greater evil outsider bane (think it might be min lvl 16 though)- would it be better for trash mobs?

Transmuting in mod 9 only encompases the material types, and not "good, evil, lawful or anarchic" anymore. So it would still be silver - for the devils... But nto good for the Bezikira.. And Arraetrikos needs both good + silver, so it wont bypass.

The other weapons will function the same.. But as disussed, there lower + to hit makes them non-ideal for a Barbarian...

Mineral 2 greataxe is pretty much the ultimate barring ultra rare drops. It takes a long time to get the ingredients for, but it is an excellent all around weapon so should be your first t3 weapon crafted.

Vorpals are absolutely NOT the most effecient way to kill a devil/orthon/cat in the shroud in a 12 man raid. The most effecient way will always be everyone DPS'ing in the same mob. The reason they are used is that rarely happens.. Due to the mobs high hp - if a few people use vorpals and other bad DPS weapons, the ability to DPS them quickly is lost..
Also if people are spread out and taking mobs on 1 on 1 it is also not as effective and often better to use hte vorpal - if youd otherwise take more then 20 swings to bring them down.

Vorpals are just relied on too much imo. There good weapons, but not nearly always the best for trash..

Even high hp devils. At lvl16 I can stun and kill the toughest devils in 10-15 hits, solo.. With multiple people hitting them, they drop like rocks.. With a big raid group of several lvl 20 barbs, i will cringe when I see them using vorpals (and I know they will regardless)

[Khurse]

Isn't "Flametouched" the same thing as good?
I had thought the transmuting would take care of silver and the flametouched good.

Oops( I really should pay more attention to the melee part of the game)

Thanks for the info!

[Shade]

Isn't "Flametouched" the same thing as good?
I had thought the transmuting would take care of silver and the flametouched good.

Oops( I really should pay more attention to the melee part of the game)

Thanks for the info!

A dev, Eladrin explained that Flametouched Iron - wasn't a material type. But rather a type of enchantment bestowed upon the weapon.

So no, it will not be good aligned.

Only things that will work are:
Holy Silver
Silver of Pure Good
Transmuting of Puregood
Mineral 2 (transmuting) - with either holy or puregood burst

[MrCow]

Holy Silver
Silver of Pure Good
Transmuting of Puregood
Mineral 2 (transmuting) - with either holy or puregood burst

Transmuting Flametouched Iron also can go on that list.

[Shade]

Transmuting Flametouched Iron also can go on that list.

heh thought of that after I posted and knew someone would reply. Your quick.

[Garth_of_Sarlona]

Transmuting Flametouched Iron also can go on that list.

For those who don't believe - I just went onto lamannia and checked out my +5 flametouched iron transmuting LS and it shows both silver and good as seen from this screenshot

transmuting.jpg

Useful for my non good aligned cleric.

Garth

[Khurse]

Hmm I've managed to confuse myself..

The +5 Greataxe is a +5 Transmuting Flametouched Axe, so this will work for all the DR I need to bypass correct?

And thanks again for the answers.

[Shade]

Hmm I've managed to confuse myself..

The +5 Greataxe is a +5 Transmuting Flametouched Axe, so this will work for all the DR I need to bypass correct?

And thanks again for the answers.

Oh, yea. Never noticed that before.

Nice greataxe.