Slashing VS Piercing....

[Dormam]

Level 29 assassin here.  Had a guy approach me tonight and say I was all wrong to be using a Kragnoks Axe in my main hand.  I told him that my best non-flanking attack uses a slash debuff so I should be using a good slash weapon main hand.  He proceeded to say that even Assassins Blade revolves around piercing and that the axe would do much less damage as a main hand weapon.  Well, I think while your skills may do either piercing or slash debuffs, I dont think using one or the other will increase or decrease your damage as long as your DPS on your weapon is good.

 

I kept the axe main hand and didnt really notice any less DPS in any skill.  It seems to me that at level 29 our skills complement slashing as much as piercing anyways.  Insideous Cut does a slash debuff and Cut gives you a slash dot.  Also, the axe had just a hair better DPS than my steel rapier did, so my thinking was to have my best DPS weapon main hand.

 

Any thoughts or comments?

[Demon Wrai]

I think this is dissapointing because I was beginning to like sais.

[UpurBloodst]

Well, using two kregnok axes today, at level 30, I got my highest Assassin's blade yet - 1,035.  No complaints here.

[Fee]

The axes are fine, I wouldn't worry about them. There are many more piecing weapons out there though, so you will probably end up going back to them in time. There just isn't to many dual wield slashing weapons that I have seen.  Personally I'm using Feysteel Hand Axes. Can wear them at 29, +8 Agi +4 Str +26 power +20 health 1.3 speed, 1 less damage then the krenoks axe.

[Vladdax]

It makes no difference when specials are involved, a slashing weapon being used for a pierce attack like assassins blade will be jsut as effective as a dagger or stiletto and like wise a dagger being used for cut will be the same.The only thing a special takes into account is 1. your stats (str modifier), and 2. The quality of the weapon (rare craft>rare drop>pristine craft>common drop of equal dps)EDIT: Also note that depending on timing specials can use either main or secondry hand and the timingdelay is independant so really it makes no difference which is in the main hand (unlike EQL)

Message Edited by Vladdax on 12-20-2004 03:26 AM

[Elv]

I now use a Faysteel hand axe primary and kreg's axe as offhand. Like you pointed out at Lv29 alot of spells compliment slashing. Last night I found higher hits then I did using my Steel Rapier / Steel Stiletto. Also max hit with Assassin's Blade went from 855 to 959. Although for some reason the player profile pages have not updated in the last 3 days. Although due to recent server trouble.. Ill let it slide for now :smileywink:

 

I dont see myself dw slashers for long. Soon as I can equip an Ebon eye dagger Ill be tossing my faysteel hand axe to the side.

 

 

 

 

[Sharde]

That and the fact that there is no "main hand" for purposes of damage if memory serves.... you have an equal chance to hit with either hand and the same damage bonus

[Nagora]

Considering we wield piercing weapons as we would a slashing (animation for piercing is all wrong), you may as well use axes, at least it looks right. 

[Dormam]

"The only thing a special takes into account is 1. your stats (str modifier), and 2. The quality of the weapon (rare craft>rare drop>pristine craft>common drop of equal dps)"

 

I dont think this is true at least not on specials.  STR probably does effect non-special hits, but there is not much evidence that it effect specials at all.

[AstralDrea]

I will add that depending on the mobs you are fighting have different resistances to pierce / slashing. So if you are hunting skels would use slashing, since skels I believe are more resistant to piercing.

[Vladdax]

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Dormammu wrote:

"The only thing a special takes into account is 1. your stats (str modifier), and 2. The quality of the weapon (rare craft>rare drop>pristine craft>common drop of equal dps)"

I dont think this is true at least not on specials. STR probably does effect non-special hits, but there is not much evidence that it effect specials at all.

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I'm open whether it does or not but there was a post that was on the beta board explaining this, from what I understand the damage you see when examining a weapon are "crunched" stats with formula applied to make it into the real numbers. Specials use the same attack as a normal attack but using the "uncrunched" numbers and a modifier according to the specials.Nothing was said that strength didn't affect specials but then again nothing was said it did...

[Drua]

Personally I mix and match I like to keep both skills maxed out, but will switch to slash for skellies as they seem to have high resists to piercing weapons (makes sense).

[Sarevh]

i keep the both maxed out just incase i come accross an awesome slashing/piercing weapon that is better than what i have all this is very interesting however. might have to mix and match what weapons im using from now onwould it be the best of both worlds to have one piercing and one slashing weapons equipt?

Message Edited by Sarevhok on 12-21-2004 07:10 AM

[Soulfla]

No difference whatsoever, between slashing and piercing, in this game its skill+ability level, and adventure level just raises your damage cap   Its funny when ppl think otherwise, try it for yourself   I notice my app 1 incidious cut doing as much as my adept 1 impale with or without slashing/piercing equipped.

[Darkwraith]

Like some of said the only difference I've noticed is against different mobs. Some seem to take more damage from piercing weapons and some from slashing weapons.

[Vladdax]

Here a tip that i just learned today. Keep a stock of both slashing and piercing in your inv because as I found out today some mobs are totally resistant and imune to certain damage. Named in Zek was 100% imune to piercing, unlike wisps which are only bow imune this was bow and dagger... Luckly I had a white con slashing weapon in my inv and swapped a dagger out for that.