Two Handed Fighting with no auto-crits

[Osma77]

Haven't played my melee in a while and i was wondering something. I read a while back (before the update) that the general idea for two handed fighters was that falchions were better for low levels (lots of crits), greataxes were better for epics (due to autocrits with hold monster and such), and greatswords were simply ok for either but not best.

Has that changed any now that you do NOT get automatic crits anymore? Are falchions now good any time, or perhaps greatswords are now a good balance of high damage with reasonable number of crits? Or is the x3 still fantastic due to extra damage spikes?

[Edited x3 for greataxe. Either i had a brain fart, or it was a typo, but i put it as having x4]

[ProdigalGuru]

There are no two-handed weapons with x4 Crit multiplier.

[k1ngp1n]

Falchions are king now except for the eSoS. Greatswords are superior against full fort targets, though honestly it really doesn't matter (good aligned mauls for raiyum/abbot). Greataxes are now the 'sub-par' choice except for dwarves.

[Shade]

With U9.1 .. Greataxes are once again king.. For barbarians.

Why?
Supreme cleave.
It rocks.
It's incredibly fast with a greataxe. Not so much with a greatsword.

Fighter?
Got an epic sos? .. Greatswords duh, since thats your kensai spec.
Don't, but planning to get one? Greatsword anyways, u dont wanna recraft your greensteel.
Don't care to ever get esos?
Critable? Falcion.
Not? Greataxe (They swing faster then greatswords, even cleave)

Maybe a lower dps class like clr/fvs/brd?
Not falcion. Falcion only becomse better once you hit a rather high +dmg mod mark, taht those classes will simply never reach, thus they will do better with a higher base damage weapon that relies less on criticals, like a greataxe.

Greataxe will never becomes obsolete. Never!

[k1ngp1n]

Greataxe will never becomes obsolete. Never!

Heh. Glad to see you two are still happy together.

[ProdigalGuru]

I am having a hard time swallowing the claim that Greataxes swing faster than Greatswords.

Of course my mains are Monk and Sorc, so I don't have firsthand knowledge either way.

[Shade]

I am having a hard time swallowing the claim that Greataxes swing faster than Greatswords.

Of course my mains are Monk and Sorc, so I don't have firsthand knowledge either way.

could watch the various video evidence...
Tho it is pretty minor and tough to tell, for normal attacking. 1-2% at most.

For supreme cleaving, the difference is rather significant and easy to tell firsthand, so just ask any nearby halforc barbarian to show ya and youll see. (less difference on a dwarf barb, but still there too)

[Postumus]

With U9.1 .. Greataxes are once again king.. For barbarians.

Why?
Supreme cleave.
It rocks.
It's incredibly fast with a greataxe. Not so much with a greatsword.

Not? Greataxe (They swing faster then greatswords, even cleave)

Maybe a lower dps class like clr/fvs/brd?
Not falcion. Falcion only becomse better once you hit a rather high +dmg mod mark, taht those classes will simply never reach, thus they will do better with a higher base damage weapon that relies less on criticals, like a greataxe.

Greataxe will never becomes obsolete. Never!

So if I'm reading this correctly, if I don't plan on farming for an esos, my half-orc barb is better off with a green steel great axe than green steel falchion?

What about my half-orc warchanter? Still great axe? Or falchion b/c no cleave?

thanks in advance.

[voodoogroves]

Greataxe will never becomes obsolete. Never!

Get a room ;-)



... but spot on, except I'd wager that for most non-prime-melees the difference is likely very negligible and very dependent on gear.

[Shade]

So if I'm reading this correctly, if I don't plan on farming for an esos, my half-orc barb is better off with a green steel great axe than green steel falchion?

What about my half-orc warchanter? Still great axe? Or falchion b/c no cleave?

thanks in advance.

Very little difference, but would go greataxe as it would be straight superior against high fort targets, which are common foes for the bard since your so often wanted on raids like shroud/tod/vod where pit fiends and portals are plentiful.

The number guys that recommend falcion expect damage bonuses in the 80+ range, which bards don't reach. At lower bonuses, greataxe and falcion are more or less equal against 0% fort foes.

[k1ngp1n]

The number guys that recommend falcion expect damage bonuses in the 80+ range, which bards don't reach. At lower bonuses, greataxe and falcion are more or less equal against 0% fort foes.

Falchion beats GA on 0 fort at 34+ to damage. At 50% fort, it wins at 69 + to damage.

[Shade]

Falchion beats GA on 0 fort at 34+ to damage. At 50% fort, it wins at 69 + to damage.

You expect anyone to believe some random figures from someone new to the forums?

The ones i posted come from people who have done things like.. actaully show there math, and have credible accuracy.

Aside from that, theres dozens of factors that change the exact number, which your blanket statement lack, thus make it inaccurate.

Things such as:
Glancing blow modifiers
Attack speed differences
Kensai III improved threat
FB muliplier increases
etc.

[TheDjinnFor]

Falchion beats GA on 0 fort at 34+ to damage. At 50% fort, it wins at 69 + to damage.

Falchion barely squeaks by at +96 damage, its just 9 DPS above.

http://forums.ddo.com/showpost.php?p...9&postcount=11

[Monkey_Archer]

With high a damage bonus falchions have the highest dps potential. However, with lower damage bonuses or on fortified targets greataxes beat falchions.

In general I subscribe to the following (ignoring obvious epic weapon choices like eSOS):

• Dwarfs should always use axes
• Elves should always use falchions
• Non-dwarf dps classes should use falchions for the majority of targets (trash, most named mobs, 0% fort) and should prefer crafting trash weapons like lightning strike or radiance for this purpose.
• Non-elf dps classes should use a DR breaking greataxe instead of falchion for bosses (although sometimes the falchion will be roughly equal anyway)
• Non-dps classes (like bards, etc..) should use greataxes for everything
• If you are unsure about your character's dps capabilities, greataxe is the safer choice.

[Morosy]

You expect anyone to believe some random figures from someone new to the forums?

Apparently time spent here has nothing to do with it as you are wrong plenty of times, and heavily biased.

[Shade]

Apparently time spent here has nothing to do with it as you are wrong plenty of times, and heavily biased.

The last thousand PMs of people saying they appreciate my advice/guides would tell otherwise.

I don't deny my bias, but i'm rarely wrong on topics like this.

[Shade]

With high a damage bonus falchions have the highest dps potential. However, with lower damage bonuses or on fortified targets greataxes beat falchions.

In general I subscribe to the following (ignoring obvious epic weapon choices like eSOS):

• Dwarfs should always use axes
• Elves should always use falchions
• Non-dwarf dps classes should use falchions for the majority of targets (trash, most named mobs, 0% fort) and should prefer crafting trash weapons like lightning strike or radiance for this purpose.
• Non-elf dps classes should use a DR breaking greataxe instead of falchion for bosses (although sometimes the falchion will be roughly equal anyway)
• Non-dps classes (like bards, etc..) should use greataxes for everything
• If you are unsure about your character's dps capabilities, greataxe is the safer choice.

Pretty much dead on.
except:

[*]Non-dwarf dps classes should use falchions for the majority of targets (trash, most named mobs, 0% fort) and should prefer crafting trash weapons like lightning strike or radiance for this purpose.

Should include non-halforc barbs too.. At least ones that like supreme cleave as i've mentioned.
And fighters as I've said.. Crafting a GS falcion/min2, only to finish your esos a week later would suck. (as youd want to swap ur kensai spec to GS, and falcions without kensai spec arent so hot)

[NaturalHazard]

could watch the various video evidence...
Tho it is pretty minor and tough to tell, for normal attacking. 1-2% at most.

For supreme cleaving, the difference is rather significant and easy to tell firsthand, so just ask any nearby halforc barbarian to show ya and youll see. (less difference on a dwarf barb, but still there too)

Why did they make great axes swing faster? is it wai or a bug?

[Shade]

Why did they make great axes swing faster? is it wai or a bug?

Cuz greataxes are cool as hell?

Same reason they gave khopesh x3 crit?

Turbine does as it does. Who are we to quesiton them.

[NaturalHazard]

Cuz greataxes are cool as hell?

Same reason they gave khopesh x3 crit?

Turbine does as it does. Who are we to quesiton them.

I like all the weapons, I dont like this making one or two types superiour to all the rest, its nice to see people using different weapons not all the same weapons and all the same armour, feels like clones online sometimes.