I consider the executioner's axe the staple of any shadowknight. There is nothing quite so satisfying as cleaving your opponents in two. Sometimes, after a hard day fighting for harvest nodes, camping that durn crocodile hunter for court of coins faction or just fending off spectres that noobs pull to the docks, it is a good way to unwind. Much more satisying than impaling, eviscerating, or smooshing something with a big hammer. It just chafes the tail a bit.Besides, an axe is a classic strength weapon while a sword is a bit more about finesse. As for the mace/hammer, I'll leave those to the templars.