End game Blunt vs Slash - new ratkiller

[Jaid314]

If you miss on your attack trying to stunning blow, pretty sure you dont get to even roll for SB, and your DPS will drop off while you are waiting for the Cool Down.

you shouldn't need that many bonuses to hit on a fighter.

[DethTrip]

i'd like to run an epic for once where the dps actually brings any form of crowd control at all, or at the *very* least something to help CC land (like cursespewers, strength sapping, shattermantle, etc) or something to make better use of my CC (like dual heavy picks - not even necessarily tier 3 GS heavy picks, just heavy picks would be a good start).

ahh, the joys of PuGging. you get yelled at as a caster for not bringing the CC on everything, while the melees are running around with random low-crit value weapons most of the time, and don't stun, don't trip, don't sap, and don't come prepared themselves.

I Have a WF dark path stunning fist monk (mega bursting effects) with max str. I have run many epics and I understand the importance of having melee that can stun. I typically run with my brother and friends that can also stun. Our epic runs are pretty fun and smooth.

I also have a 40 standing str HO warchanter 16bard/4ftr that now sports the ratkiller (x3 crits) and the cavalry armor. I can't believe how often the earthgrab procs. With past life fighter, sb II, ship buff and rage, 40+sb is easily achievable. Lots of fun.

I also have a WF twf kensei II warhammer (x3 crits) build that isn't capped yet. He stuns very well too.

Once you stun, you never go back =-D

[Wraith_Sarevok]

Epic Ratkiller changes nothing.

Slashing weapons still have superior base damage and critical hit range, and therefore deal more DPS.

What Ratkiller is good for is a better clay golem cutter in Epic Raiyum (Augment: Adamantine), the best stunner in the game, and an earthgrabber for epic elementals to open up vulnerability to Dreamspitter level drain.

I currently use it for these purposes and it works flawlessly.

[BlackSteel]

its possible to get a great stun DC on a mostly fighter or barbarian w/o even swinging a +10 weapon. The ratkiller is an awesome stunning weapon, but theres more damaging alternatives out there if you can crank that DC up.

my barb before his last TR was sporting a 44-47 stun DC depending on what buffs were running (and I dont count titan's grip its too short, mostly madstone, rage spell, and yugo pots) thats w/o a stunning weapon. It could actually be several points higher with the right load out (tome higher than +2, epic chrono set, and one more fighter life).

ratkiller is fantastic to get your DC higher. But for damage its very hard to beat the extra bursts/blasts (or lit strike) of greensteel, or the much higher base damage of the eSoS. Not to mention twf does significantly higher autocrit damage as the game stands now.

[Jhaeran]

Think I've decided: Slash and MinII Falchion. No need to read unless you want to poke holes in my logic, which I'd welcome.

So I've tried ratkiller on epic last stand and epic big top as a primary weapon - it rocks even w/o going blunt. w/o titan my str gets to 53 w/+1 ship buffs and 54 w/ +2. I was stunning reliably in both scenarios...think i have the 3rd lvl stunning blow enhancement. Human race.

I also just got enough larges to make my first MinII so I'm faced with two decisions:
Take my 54 str (no madstone) 12F/6b/2Ro and make him an 18/2 Kensei III. Rage is nice for the extra str/con (+6) but extremely annoying at 2:30 and when I want to UMD something or use a clicky. Dropping rage would give me 3 less stun DC.

Going Kensei III would net me 3 extra feats, +1 to crit range and most likely give me enough AP to get to stun4 enh. So +1DC for kenIII and +1DC for enhancement. Probably take a toughness, sup focus - and then the opposite of what i spec - ic:blunt or ic: slash.

Probably going this direction.

Second big decision: blunt or slash.
After having pretty good success with a +10 stunner as slash, will the increased damage/to hit by going blunt spec make it so i can reduce weapon swapping. Figure a minII for low trash and bosses and ratkiller for high HP mobs.

With all that said, I'll take my tier 2 falchion, upgrade it to MinII next time shroud opens and respec kensei to falchion. Put away all my fun Great Swords and start building up a Falchion cache. Terror, cloudstrike, +5holy/icy burst ada of maiming, SoS (till i get eSoS), greater construct, etc, etc. Sigh.

[Jaid314]

if you are expecting to craft an eSoS at some point, don't go too overboard on the falchions... eSoS is the only weapon that lets you deal more damage than TWF style, it basically *makes* the THF fighting style.

[Waukeen]

I like having an upgraded one on my THF barbarian.

It is nice to have a reliable stun maul that does a bigger dmg dice and can be upgraded to bypass DR/good.

The biggest reason why I like it is because it did not take months of farming to complete, it was just part of one overfarm weekend of spoils

[Quikster]

Just to be clear. Epic augments do not add damage to a weapon only damage type. Big diff for those of you talking about adding damage to your new epic maul. Also you cannot add icy burst to the rat killer. The only extra damage you can get is force ritual.

[Jhaeran]

if you are expecting to craft an eSoS at some point, don't go too overboard on the falchions... eSoS is the only weapon that lets you deal more damage than TWF style, it basically *makes* the THF fighting style.

Agreed. Just did my bridge LR 15F/3Barb/2Ro...yuck. Built my MinII falchion and re-did my inventory. Kept around a few of the Great Swords, but mostly will have the minII, ratkillter, an improved dest/curse/disruptor/banisher for specifics and see if I can come across something for improved dps. Kind of miss my icy/holy burst adamantium of maiming + frenzy + SA 5-7 damage numbers Still need to find a greater elemental and greater construct bane falchion, but will use GS till.

Won't be able to really test drive till tonight, but the next week should be somewhat lower efficiency, but more convenient when i finish the LR.

Doubt I'll slot anything on ratkiller for awhile, have a few other blue slots to fill. Wasn't aware that adding good didn't add 1d6 good damage, so the only real benefit would be on dr breakage for stunned mobs and in between stun attempts.