Help with Str. versus Weapons

[Shait]

So this may be completely wrong, and that's why I'm asking because I'm confused.  I thought I read somewhere that the strength AA line of bruiser or monk (they are the same right... or similar enough?) was nice because it let you do great DPS without relying on good weapons.  Now, I was doing some tests to decide what skill to get at 14 for my Master ii, and I was noticing that I do barely better DPS with my weapons equiped than with nothing equiped.  My attack rate is much faster with weapons equiped, but I hit almost 3 times harder with nothing equiped.  Now I also thought I read that when you got to endgame weaponry, that fabled weapons and such outdamaged the bonuses from the strength tree.  This would seem to imply that strength doesn't help you when you have weapons equiped... but that just seems wrong.  So I guess I'm wondering what the deal is... does strength help you with or without weapons equiped or what?  Was what I read about fabled endgame weapons making the Strength AA line useless correct or not?  Thanks in advance. <div></div>

[Kronadin]

<P>Strength helps to do more damage... but do not confuse str with the str AA-line. I f I read correctly, you're only level 14... AA levels do not begin before you turn level 20, and even then it'll progress veeeeery slowly. Don't expect to have enough str-line AA points to validate fighting weaponless before you turn about level 40.</P> <P>As for you doing barely less damage without weapons... bare-handed fighting is like fighting with a weak one-hander. If you equip a good 2-hander or two good dual-wield weapons, you WILL do significantly more DPS (damage per second) than when fighting bare-handed.</P> <P>And about the end-game weapons that make the str AA-line useless: Well, if you think for a minute you may realize that there are very many brawlers out there who will never be able to acquire these weapons. Fabled endgame weapons don't grow on trees, you know -- they can only be acquired if you're in a good raid guild, and even then you'll have to be lucky enough for them to drop. So the str AA-line is a good alternative for non-raiders who want to do DPS.</P>

[Shait]

Okay, I think I'm beginning to understand.  So post level 40 it is probable that you could do more DPS with the str AA line with no weapons?  I guess I'm still a bit confused as to how much strength helps otherwise.  Like is it just totally useless if you use weapons?  That doesn't seem to make sense.  I hadn't really looked all that closely at the str tree until just now.  I see now that the skills have requirements of using no weapons which explains that a bit.  But [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] the final strength tree skill is crazy haha. <div></div>

[Bladewind]

Increasing your strength stat will increase the amount of damage that your combat arts do.  It will not effect the damage you do from auto-attacking, though.  That is determined by your weapons and any buffs to attack speed or dps you may have.

[trin ka]

Str increase mana pool on fighter classes?

[Ryuugekitai]

<P>Yep</P> <P>and for crusader Wis counts towards it to</P>

[Pennilen]

<DIV>I played a monk to 70, non raid, just couldnt find a guild where i could meet the entrance requirements or find anyone that was recruiting monks. However at about 54 or so i came about enough AA points that i decided to focus on str line AA only, as groups werent asking me to tank i was mainly expected to be just a tougher dps style character. I made it to 4/4/8/4 in str AA Let me tell you the difference in my auto attack dps was incredible. To test the difference i went out and found blue no arrows .... I killed 30 of them 15 with weapons  15 without....myself at level 54 during the first test...using no combat arts including buffs or stances(it was just me and my equipment)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I averaged 46 seconds per kill with weapons....With no weapons i averaged 31 seconds per kill</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>at 67 i ran my tests against a field of similar level single down arrow mobs, 30 mobs killed during test 15 armed and 15 unarmed no combat arts of buffs</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I averaged 38 second kills with weapons....without weapons i averaged 22 seconds per kill,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>67 with weapons i was hitting for a range of 58 being low hit to 167 being high hit....without weapons i was low hitting for 150ish and i was high hitting for as much as 468 which was my highest single hit without weapons.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I havent gotten all scientific about my tests i was just relying on as much simple observation as i could. I would have to say for me at least focusing on the str line of AA really helped me out, and i feel it made me unique even when people didnt understand why i wasnt using weapons.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Be aware if you take focus on the Str AA dps path people will not understand even if you explain to them. Be prepared to go solo when groups decide to boot you because they are not capable of thinking outside the box.</DIV>

[Supp]

<DIV><FONT color=#cccccc>Also, the monk forum community is better than any other subclass Ive seen. If you can ask it, you can bet it's here. Cant say that for the other subclasses.</FONT></DIV><p>Message Edited by Supple on <span class=date_text>09-20-2006</span> <span class=time_text>10:30 AM</span>