As a melee Arty: Which is better for leveling? Dwarven Axe or Bastard Swords?

[Bacab]

I am a returning player and I plan on rolling a melee Artificer again...have done like 15+ lives on this build.

I will be doing Warforged and pure arty. I generally put most Enhancements in the BE and some in RM for tanky-ness.

Anyway, I have been away a long time and I am curious if you guys recommend using Bastard Swords vs Dwarven Axes?

I used to use Warhammers, but the strike through thing made the hand and a half stuff seem to be the way to go.

Any recommendations? I was really leaning toward the Dwarven Axes because I have a few nice ones from some Dwarven Battle Cleric Lives in the past.

I also have almost every Named Warhammer in the game up until Sharn (shortly after that, I took about a 2 year break?), but I just think Strike Through is too good to not use.

Currently I am doing a WF FVS, melee build and its super easy. It just has a lot of staying power (I am in heroic leveling atm, haven't seen how the Epic levels are now...that change will be new to me)

My playstyle was generally use the AoE stun spells and clean up with Melee strikes.

Also I am a Cleric/FVS/BRD/support at heart. I enjoy buffing teammates and grouping up.

[kmoustakas]

I am a returning player and I plan on rolling a melee Artificer again...have done like 15+ lives on this build.

I will be doing Warforged and pure arty. I generally put most Enhancements in the BE and some in RM for tanky-ness.

Anyway, I have been away a long time and I am curious if you guys recommend using Bastard Swords vs Dwarven Axes?

I used to use Warhammers, but the strike through thing made the hand and a half stuff seem to be the way to go.

Any recommendations? I was really leaning toward the Dwarven Axes because I have a few nice ones from some Dwarven Battle Cleric Lives in the past.

I also have almost every Named Warhammer in the game up until Sharn (shortly after that, I took about a 2 year break?), but I just think Strike Through is too good to not use.

Currently I am doing a WF FVS, melee build and its super easy. It just has a lot of staying power (I am in heroic leveling atm, haven't seen how the Epic levels are now...that change will be new to me)

My playstyle was generally use the AoE stun spells and clean up with Melee strikes.

Also I am a Cleric/FVS/BRD/support at heart. I enjoy buffing teammates and grouping up.

Being a long time artificer, I would argue that the best weapon for leveling is... repeater. My favourite plan is to go pew pew (with no ranged feats, it's THAT strong) until about 12 where I switch to casting before switching to melee at 15-16 for all the cool bastard swords there like twinblade and thirteen. For EPIC you want dwarven waraxe, absolutely no doubt. If you plan to go full on melee from level 1 (sounds like a terrible idea) go bastard sword assuming you have the toee bastard sword that is x3.

[unbongwah]

In heroics, Spinal Tap will probably still be your best option: 19-20/x3 to start, 16-20/x3 at level 12 with Improved Critical + Reconstructed Edges. That's comparable to what you would get from most warhammers with Knight's Training. You can equip Chimera's Breath for free b.sword proficiency so you can delay taking the feat.

[kmoustakas]

In heroics, Spinal Tap will probably still be your best option: 19-20/x3 to start, 16-20/x3 at level 12 with Improved Critical + Reconstructed Edges. That's comparable to what you would get from most warhammers with Knight's Training. You can equip Chimera's Breath for free b.sword proficiency so you can delay taking the feat.

That's the name I was looking for. Mind you, I'm not sure how easy it is to farm that bastard sword with the TOEE changes.

[Bacab]

That's the name I was looking for. Mind you, I'm not sure how easy it is to farm that bastard sword with the TOEE changes.

I have a Spinal Tap from a long time ago...I was farming for that Paralyze Staff from there for my Thief-Acrobat lives (did a bunch of like 12MNK/8THF and 12THF/8MNK live)

I did traps, crowd control and mediocre DPS on those builds.

So sounds like Bastard Swords are the way to go to go for a long time. Maybe swap to Dwarven Axe later.

I have done a bunch of repeater lives and they are super fun too. I will probably do one of those again down the road.

[kmoustakas]

I've been playing melee artificer for my past three racial lives. Spinal tap is crazy good all the way to cap.

Technically, you want bastard sword until 14 where you switch to either stormkeeper guardian's axe (for set!) or axe of famine (2d8 base, doubled with deadly!) but you can just keep swinging spinal tap and it's fine. You could even go knight's training and grab nightforge hammer which is x4 and keep using that all the way to cap. Assuming you're using single weapon fighting style of course and not two-handed fighting style.

[Zdevor]

I have to agree with @kmoustakas. Melee Arti is not good for leveling till lvl 15. I have been playing Melee Arti since 2020 with the same build and I also found that Repeater is a far more better choice for leveling.
I dont have any ranged feats and still outkill my Inquisitive friend till lvl 15. (Fusilade at lvl 7-8 is a big deal)
I use a Vorpal Repeater at lvl 1-4, A Cannith Crafted Repeater for lvl 5-9 and 10-14 (Metalline/Alligned with a Ruby of Snowpeaks slotted) and Fatal Flaw at lvl 14.
At lvl 15 I switch to melee mode and beat the **** out of everything.

Currently I am running a version of my own build as a Warforged SWF Melee Arti which has got 300+ Melee Power, 300+ AC and PRR. I enjoy the leveling and engame too. Can solo r6-8 quests at cap with it.

Here U find all my leveling gearsets of my Melee Arti
lvl 1-4: https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showth...=1#post6395576
lvl 5-9: https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showth...=1#post6395577
lvl 10-14: https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showth...=1#post6395579
lvl 15-20: https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showth...=1#post6395580

Scroll down for more if U wanna see the Epic and Endgame gearsets

Hope it helps!

Cheers!