Whelm build request - highest possible DPS with hammers

[BigErkyKid]

Dear fellow builders,

What do you think would be the highest possible sustained DPS with warhammers? The point is to build a DPS character that uses Legendary Whelm. No class, destiny, or race restrictions. Let us see your creativity!

Thanks in advance,

[Discpsycho]

It depends what you want from the build besides melee DPS.

The answer varies depending on who you ask, but most folks say the kings of melee dps are:
- Tempest Ranger (aka Cuisinart)
- Vistani Assassin
- Silvanus Wolf Barbarian monstrosity
- I haven't a clue because I'm on the TR hamsterwheel at the moment and haven't been playing with many folks at endgame

Two of these three have very specific weapon requirements, so the easy answer is probably a Tempest. Warhammers aren't light weapons (wouldn't that kinda defeat the purpose?) so you're going to want to go Str-based rather than Dex-based.

How does this compare to a Scimitar/Rapier or Khopesh Tempest? Attack rate will be the same, weapon choice is locked in and I don't know how the damage of Calamity's Utter Disintegration compares to Whelming Shockwave, so let's jump straight to crit profile:
- Base 20 x4 (thanks to Blunt Trauma on the weapon)
- IC: 19-20 x4 (still including Blunt Trauma)
- KT: 18 x3, 19-20 x4
- Tempest C4: 18 x4, 19-20 x5
- Deepwood C4: 17-18 x4, 19-20 x5
- LD's Pulverizer: 16-18 x4, 19-20 x5
- Overwhelming Crit, Devastating Crit: 16-18 x4, 19-20 x7
Total crit profile multiplier: 15%*4 + 10%*7 = +130%. Khopeshes get +2 from IC but no bonus from KT or Pulverizer, so Calamity ends up at 16-18 x4, 19-20 x6 for a total of +120%. Hooray, hammers are competitive! So a Whelm Tempest should compare favorably to Str-based Khopesh Tempest and would probably build similarly. On the other hand, I'm not sure I want to see the lag produced when Dance of Death + Haste Boost + Doublestrike meets the shockwave...

Thanks to LD, KT and Blunt Trauma, Whelm is a good substitute for pretty much any SWF or TWF build where the weapon isn't otherwise locked in - this excludes Vistani, Swashbuckler, and most Monk builds. The only builds that benefit more from Whelm than any other high-end weapon are TYWA Dwarves and Artificers. The latter get the same bonuses to hit/damage and crit range/multiplier as Kensai, but get a bunch of other shiny Artificer perks. The former are restricted to axes, hammers and mauls, but since they can't get Con-to-hit their damage usually isn't comparable to a Str version - the exception may be a TWF TYWA pure Barbarian

If you have a favorite DPS build that doesn't fall into one of these exclusive categories (and the 18 Fighter / 2 Monk that I hear may *also* be near the top of the DPS ladder would be fine, thanks to Kensai's T5), consider warhammers. You may not overwhelm them with your dps, but at least they'll be Whelmed

[BigErkyKid]

The answer varies depending on who you ask, but most folks say the kings of melee dps are:
- Tempest Ranger


If you have a favorite DPS build that doesn't fall into one of these exclusive categories (and the 18 Fighter / 2 Monk that I hear may *also* be near the top of the DPS ladder would be fine, thanks to Kensai's T5), consider warhammers. You may not overwhelm them with your dps, but at least they'll be Whelmed

So you vote for a STR tempest. Thanks for the explanation!

I agree that possibly the largest boost is to arties, and niche builds (synergy).

Anyone else willing to have a go at it?