Crush, Slash or Pierce?

[Uld]

<div>Lvled my main (Ranger) to 52 and started to get bored and that feeling of starting a Paladin was too overwhelming (always liked the RP aspect).</div><div> </div><div>Anyway, my question is aimed at those at high levels and can remember the dropped weaponry from mobs (or crafted too) throughout levels (25-70)..</div><div> </div><div>Can you suggest what skill (crush, slash or pierce) I should concentrate on so I dont regret it later when I find a sweet looking weapon with awesome stats and have to go through the pain of leveling needed skill?</div><div> </div><div>I know you will say work on all, but I really cant be bothered doing that and just want to concentrate on one skill.</div><div> </div><div>Thanks in advance.</div>

[Seidhkona]

There are three mains weapon combos I use: 1-H slash + shield, 1-H crush + shield, and 2-H slash.I've found that mostly I'm more effective with a high-end rare imbued shield for my tier plus a good 1-H weapon than with a 2-H of any type, even if I'm backup.  If I am tanking, absolutely I want the shield.Skellies are more susceptible to crushing than slashing. The Starfall mace from TS was a good choice of crushing weapon for a long time.  Some mobs are invulnerable to one type of damage, so you may *have* to switch from one to the other.I have never used a bow or piercing weapon at all.But I do recommend at least a 1-H slashing and 1-H crushing weapon as a minimum.<div></div>

[FieryFurnace]

<div></div>I have them all maxed out. Being able to change weapon type according to what is being resisted is a good thing.

[dozier]

<div><span><blockquote><hr>Uldin wrote:<div> </div><div>I know you will say work on all, but I really cant be bothered doing that and just want to concentrate on one skill.</div><div> </div><hr></blockquote>Hmm. Ok, if you say so. But, that really is the best thing to do.. and it's actually not that hard if you just keep up with it.My primary weapons have cycled through the three damage types continuously through the levels. But the one used least has been piercing.</span></div>

[Uld]

<div></div><p>ok thanks guys <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>I think ill jus work on both slashing and crushing, coz i really like the look of 2h great sword and morningstar + kite shield.</p><p>Thanks again.</p>

[Leawyn]

I use all 3 also. I use a sheild and sword most of the time, but carry a crushing weapon for a nice change of pace. I also keep a 2h peircer and sword for when I am back up tank/dps/back up healer.<div></div>

[Lairdragna]

I have a bag full of weapons, but the funny thing is, while I keep them all maxed...  I most of the time use a sword and shield unless the mob resists it.  I did use starfall in my 20s, the damage was insane.  I then used Berek's (pre-imbued weapons) until I got feysteel.  By the time I could use feysteel we had imbuing and I had a feysteel long sword and mace.  That was before we could use piercers.  I had tons of ebon so it seems I had every ebon combo possible - one hand slash, two hand slash, one hand crush, two hand crush and a totemic kite shield.  I also had the screaming mace for soloing and eventually went with a fabled shiny metallic hammer.  When cobalt rolled around was about the time we got piercing I believe.  By now I also had prismatic so I was using prismatic long sword with totemic and later crimson rock targe.  Back-ups were royal great flail, ironwood pike and a few others.Now in my 60s, my prismatic has greyed out.  I'm using Sandstorm with Sunderguard.  I already have the kettleleader's katana in the bank, although I almost never use 2 handed weapons.  I'll likely skip the Xegonite weapons because the T7 legendary drops are just that good.  I also have a sceptre of the invoker which has decent stats and flowing thought 3 on it.  Rahotep is slated to get an upgrade to a 5% chance to proc a 200 group heal.  Not bad.As a pally, I highly suggest being in defensive stance with a good shield and weapon.  Fights might last awhile, but you should make it through fights most others would get chewed up in.  Our defensive stance is that good when combined with the ability to ward and heal.  Some of the lower leveled fabled weapons are just great and cheap.  I picked up a t4 longsword rancid something for 1p that has better stats and damage rating than feysteel, and a t5 called soul harvester or something like that which has insane stats and a disease proc.  Just perfect for my baby shadowknight as he levels.<div></div>

[Uld]

<div></div><p>wow awesome infor Lairdragna,</p><p>Thanks again <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Excalibre33]

<div></div><div></div><p>I'd say... Ultimately, based on the damage type of the weapon they have equipped, Paladins are not DPSers... so for the most part you can ignore which weapon type you use and focus on the stat bonuses and enchantments of your weapons, just cycling through all 3 damage types to keep your skills maxed. There tend to be nice crushing and slashing weapons in all tiers so you'll definitely want to focus on both of them. Piercing came as an after thought to me and I haven't really found a weapon that justified the skill grind I did in my 50s.</p><p>If you decide to grind out your prismatic before working on the screaming mace you could probably skip using crushing weapons... but I wouldn't advise it because you're gimping yourself from all of the crushing possibilities. The Royal Great Flail sure was nice back in the day when in a support role or just grinding.</p><p>I (like most paladins from the sound of it) keep an arsenal of 1hrs and 2hrs of all damage types (even a couple extra of the same damage type... for stat adjustments) on me in case I run into immune mobs, find myself in a non-tanking-offensive-stance-support-role, or MTing some raid mob that destroys my weapons (can we say "Tremblar". I take 3x 1h crushing with me to that one LOL).</p><p>Message Edited by Excalibre3377 on <span class="date_text">03-14-2006</span><span class="time_text">06:01 PM</span></p>

[Excalibre33]

<div>Ohh and the STR stat adjustment and damage procs on some of the shields out there can easily make a 1handed pally hit like a 2 hander so I definitely agree with some of the folks saying that 1h-VS-2h isn't that big of a margin.</div>