EK weapon style

[Cold_Stele]

Looking at EK builds I see a couple of conflicting views on weapon choice... SWF for more Spellsword DPS from higher attack speed or THF for more weapon DPS.

Which of these two has the edge over the other?

[archest]

Looking at EK builds I see a couple of conflicting views on weapon choice... SWF for more Spellsword DPS from higher attack speed or THF for more weapon DPS.

Which of these two has the edge over the other?

haven't experienced thf but long sword and shield suits elf race well.

[Hitstorm]

Looking at EK builds I see a couple of conflicting views on weapon choice... SWF for more Spellsword DPS from higher attack speed or THF for more weapon DPS.

Which of these two has the edge over the other?

What are you going for? 1-30 TR or staying at cap running raids? Do you mostly solo/pug or play in a static group? Going int or str based?
I just did a int based longsword+orb deep gnome wiz EK(capstone)+PM life. It was a lot of fun, but tapered off solo in R3-R4 at cap. Ok'ish in groups at R6, but the normal melee problems with survivability
and getting to mobs apply. This assumes you have some gear sets/raid gear (i used Fellblade, magewrights, suulo set, red dragon armor ++). Single target damage is great in raids. Haste boost from vistani is a must.
What annoys me the most is touch range spellcasting with mobs turning around in circles + latency. I played in Fatesinger with Draconic (for burst or vortex depending on playstyle + spellsword dice + SD for evasion in light armor (took insightful reflexes). Best DPS for SWF is probably Primal Avatar mantle (however, you need to gear for 4! spellpower types (cold, lightning, sonic + nullification if you want self healing)
Great thing about using SWF+orb is Offhand Versatility. That proc goes off, boom 2-3 spell crits (remember to refresh death aura now and again when this happens). It is also easier to gear with an orb, since
you can get casting stats / nullification etc depending on what you need the most. Most orbs also come with 1-2 augument slots, so again easy to fill in what you need.
I have done EK THF in heroics only, so don't know how it plays at cap compared. However, i assume spellcasting apart from CC wouldn't be that great. Self healing would be lower, but
strikethrough would help you get through packs quicker.
If you want top DPS only, i hear Tiefling fire sorc SWF is fantastic (assuming you have the racial AP to take all the goodies). They would be total glass cannons though, so have your res cakes handy

[Cold_Stele]

Thanks for the replies.

I’ve had a very, very long break from the game so I’d be looking at doing a few TR’s and hitting the new content I’ve missed on the way.

I’m aware that EK isn’t optimal for end game but I’d like to give it a go for a few lives as, again, it’s all new to me.

As the build isn’t optimal I’d like to not make this worse by making the wrong choice between THF or SWF.

[KoobTheProud]

Both work fine. SWF will turn into more single target DPS by a bit and THF is like being a walking AoE, which alongside all the spell AoE you can fight in is very effective.

If you have an orb that you really want to use, like Stygian Wrath, you are better in SWF.

[Hitstorm]

Thanks for the replies.

I’ve had a very, very long break from the game so I’d be looking at doing a few TR’s and hitting the new content I’ve missed on the way.

I’m aware that EK isn’t optimal for end game but I’d like to give it a go for a few lives as, again, it’s all new to me.

As the build isn’t optimal I’d like to not make this worse by making the wrong choice between THF or SWF.

Wiz EK is very sturdy with death aura heals. You can comfortably run R1's with some OK gear all the way to cap no matter if SWF or THF. I would decide based on what weapons i had, try one TR and then see what i would change. You could consider going THF and PM capstone for insane selfhealing and just wade in like a barb.

[KoobTheProud]

Wiz EK is very sturdy with death aura heals. You can comfortably run R1's with some OK gear all the way to cap no matter if SWF or THF. I would decide based on what weapons i had, try one TR and then see what i would change. You could consider going THF and PM capstone for insane selfhealing and just wade in like a barb.

The only thing missing from an EK/PM build is the HP's that a Barb would have. However if you have enough HP's to survive a couple of big hits back to back this generally does not matter because death aura will keep up with the damage over time.

Running Elite/R1 at cap (30 cap) I never felt like my Wiz was at risk of dying. I'm guessing that changes some at higher reaper levels.

[Hitstorm]

The only thing missing from an EK/PM build is the HP's that a Barb would have. However if you have enough HP's to survive a couple of big hits back to back this generally does not matter because death aura will keep up with the damage over time.

Running Elite/R1 at cap (30 cap) I never felt like my Wiz was at risk of dying. I'm guessing that changes some at higher reaper levels.

The normal death aura works well in R1-R3 (depending on your gear). I could solo Isle quests at cap on R3, although some bosses had me running around in circles for a bit
frantically casting negative energy burst as well. Greater death aura heals much stronger, and might let me solo R4. That would require 41 points in PM, leaving less
than 30 in EK once harper int to hit/damage/trance is taken. So, less dps and loss of EK T5. Might be a wash, but the playstyle would be less frantic.
On a well equipped PM caster, greater death aura tapers off in R6.

[Zretch]

Looking at EK builds I see a couple of conflicting views on weapon choice... SWF for more Spellsword DPS from higher attack speed or THF for more weapon DPS.

Which of these two has the edge over the other?

If you're first life, SWF is easier to fit as you only need to put skill points into balance to qualify and you have plenty of skill points as an int build wizard.
THF requires 15 STR to start, and 17 STR for higher ranks to get more strikethrough and damage multi.

If you have a 36 point build and a +4 STR tome, THF will be a smoother leveling experience. 13 points into STR to start, take Power Attack at 1. The tome should kick in by 3 so you qualify for THF. You can't take ITHF until 12 (need a 6 BaB), and need a 17 STR. You should have that by level 7 due to the tome. GTHF doesn't come until 21 (Need an 11 BaB) and still only 17 STR, so you're set. 13 STR, 16 CON, 18 INT, remainder of your ability points in whatever you want to round out your stats. 32 point build is harder to fit, 28 point build I'd just go SWF.

[KoobTheProud]

If you're first life, SWF is easier to fit as you only need to put skill points into balance to qualify and you have plenty of skill points as an int build wizard.
THF requires 15 STR to start, and 17 STR for higher ranks to get more strikethrough and damage multi.

If you have a 36 point build and a +4 STR tome, THF will be a smoother leveling experience. 13 points into STR to start, take Power Attack at 1. The tome should kick in by 3 so you qualify for THF. You can't take ITHF until 12 (need a 6 BaB), and need a 17 STR. You should have that by level 7 due to the tome. GTHF doesn't come until 21 (Need an 11 BaB) and still only 17 STR, so you're set. 13 STR, 16 CON, 18 INT, remainder of your ability points in whatever you want to round out your stats. 32 point build is harder to fit, 28 point build I'd just go SWF.

28 pt build Human THF is 16 Str, 10 Dex, 14 Con, 16 Int with 1 level up in Str and the rest in Int. It works really well because EK/PM and THF were made for each other.

I don't use the Power Attack chain at all, relying on Strikethrough, Spellsword and the various AoE's to go over the top in a crowd. This leaves room in the build for Insightful Reflexes, Maximize, Empower, Quicken, Extend, Heighten, Spell Pen, SF: Necro alongside THF, ITHF and Imp Crit: Slashing. SF: Evo and SF: Enchant are both options in some builds as is Imp Spell Pen. If I'm going Harper Agent for Int to hit and damage and the trance I will also often choose Heavy Repeater as a feat during the leveling process because it is another way of leveraging Spellsword when I'd rather pick mobs off at extreme range and save power for the big fights.