Dwarven Axe vs Khopesh?

[Annosirus]

On a Dwarven TWF I know the axe comes as a free feat but for end game max dps wouldn't the khopesh be a better source? I know GS D.A. is 2d8 5% crit x3 and the khopesh is 1d10 10% crit and also x3. I am leaning towards the khopesh but would like some opinions from you all. Also is it better to remain pure for the capstone or should I splash either monk, ranger or fighter? I am fairly new to the game and this is my first Barb. I just want it to be viable in the higher content. Thanks in advance for your insight.

[FuzzyDuck81]

dwarves get the racial enhancement to boost base damage & attack, so its probably worth saving the feat & using it elsewhere

[toughguyjoe]

You can't splash Monk Requires Lawful alignment and Barbarian excludes Lawful alignment.

Anyway. I would suggest that you stay with dwarven axes, and stay Pure. Building for a 2Rogue splash is one thing, tossing it at the end is not nearly as good In my opinion.

Dwarven Axe with the enhancements will outshine Kopesh against Mobs that can't be crit. Agianst Mobs that can be crit the Kopesh gains a little ground but its really not worth the feat on a dwarf, at least for me.

[Therigar]

I am almost certain that the math shows khopesh beats dwarven axe even for dwarves with the axe enhancements. However, the difference is very small. In the order of ~1% IIRC. And, I seem to recall that against fortified targets dwarven axe is better -- although I might be remembering that incorrectly.

What it boils down to is that for a dwarf it is probably worth saving the feat that would be spent on khopesh.

However, see my thread where there is some indication that rapiers/scimitars have a higher damage profile. Not certain that is true for dwarves with the axe enhancements. But interesting none-the-less.

[Therigar]

Also is it better to remain pure for the capstone or should I splash either monk, ranger or fighter?

Issue of monk has already been addressed.

Splashing fighter seems to be commonplace in an 18/2 split. This gets you 2 free feats in a feat starved class. Often considered worthwhile.

Splashing ranger makes sense if you are going for a TWF build. Again the split is 18/2 with the ranger class bringing bow strength and TWF (first of 3 feats). Again, makes sense in a feat starved class. Not as commonplace as the fighter splash.

Splashing rogue makes sense because of evasion. This is a case where taking rogue at L1 isn't really critical. Yes, you get more skill points at L1 with rogue but you really don't have a good use for them. The rogue splash is only for the evasion and not really for any other rogue skills or abilities. You might keep UMD and spot up but you aren't, probably, going to try to be the trap monkey in a group. So, taking rogue a bit later isn't horribly harmful. Once more the split is 18/2. This use to be popular but I don't know about now.

Is it worth giving up the capstone? Opinions will vary. My guess is probably, yes.

[Morlen]

Splashing rogue makes sense because of evasion. This is a case where taking rogue at L1 isn't really critical.

Barbarians get a decent amount of skill points, so with minimal investment to intelligence you can make a trap monkey out of your 18/2. Rogue is still good to take at level 1. ^_^


On the OP's question... If have already created your character as a Dwarf, there is very little if any reason to take Kopesh Proficiency. As others have stated, barbarians are already a feat starved class and Dwarven Waraxes are still very admirable DPS weapons.

[Therigar]

Barbarians get a decent amount of skill points, so with minimal investment to intelligence you can make a trap monkey out of your 18/2. Rogue is still good to take at level 1.

Not saying that you couldn't, saying that you shouldn't. If you are giving up points to INT it means you are shorting STR, CON and (if going TWF) DEX. That is just poor decision making in a game where every other character has a trap-monkey rogue splash in it.

Splash rogue for the evasion and UMD if you are doing it. Ignore the trap skills.