2h or Sword-n-Board...preference?

[TeamSKKeris]

I would like to note that I do not hold aggro as well with 1h weapon as I do with 2h. When they fix AoD, maybe I will be using S/S more.

[Fhyn]

Have always like 2hd. Right now, just picked up a 2hd ax, was using a 2hd spear a guildy bought me.

Need to pick up a shield and 1hd weapon, but havent had the need yet. But I know I should have one none the less.

[Jinxxer]

I'm still not sure...partially because yesterdays restart has everything buggered to all hell. My Greatsword skill is maxed, but 2-hand slashing is stuck at 103/140 with 707 points left in my pool. I just spent a good 3 hours in the Achatlan Caves and VoH and it didn't move ONCE. So my damage comparisons may be a little off due to the high miss rate of my 2hnd because 2hslash isn't maxed.

Anyone else notice that 2-hand weapons aren't showing up in the exchange if you filter primary or secondary hand? I had to have empty filters (aside from class filter) and put "great" in the search field to even find any 2-handers...noticed that yesterday...might have something to do with my 2hand slash not going up???

Just a note too, I usually do decent DPS S/S because I normally stay in offensive stance because I block fairly often, but there are times that I will go defensive stance...I think everyone knows when those times are. ^_^

Like I said though, it seems the DPS isn't too far off. 1hand weapons have lower damage, but higher swing rate, and 2hnd = higher dmg, slower swing rate. So to me it would make sense to sword/board when grouped in def stance due to the 30% hate gain per attack. More atks=more hate. Plus I personally use Vengeance (which seems to trigger more often with s/s), so a no-cost attack with additional damage plus a stun (comes in handy disrupting spells/heals) is nice. Only downfall to that though is it lasts for 3 hits...so it would have to be perfect timing (which you have little control over due to fast timer, and it executes on next attack) to disrupt abilities because 3+ people...that mob will be hit 3+ times very very quickly. lol So luck is definately a factor.

The biggest benefit I can see to a 2hander is for the abilities that increase damage by percent, as well as Harrow. Like I said though, I need to be able to max my 2-hand slash skill though to truly test these things. Nonetheless, I see nothing wrong with carrying around both and making yourself a quick switch macro.

Okay, I'm done rambling on!

[velzevul]

1 little detail Jinx... If I am not mistaken, currently, the only component out of our defensive stance that actually works, is the -10% DPS. +10% mitigation and +30% aggro doesnt work. correct me if I am wrong.

[Jinxxer]

Originally Posted by velzevul

1 little detail Jinx... If I am not mistaken, currently, the only component out of our defensive stance that actually works, is the -10% DPS. +10% mitigation and +30% aggro doesnt work. correct me if I am wrong.

You know, I was thinking that too actually as I wrote that. Could very well be a possibility. I generally can hold aggro unless a ranger or such gets in the first shot...then it takes some time to work it away from 'em. Thank goodness for rescues. Ironically enough, I've had to use my rescue more on fighter classes than on healers.

[Jinxxer]

Last patch shortswords got a 5% bonus chance to crit added to them(I feel bad for the rogues, daggers should AT LEAST have stayed 10% IMHO). Anyways, I went to the exchange today and picked me up a nice shortsword to try out.

For anyone running s/s style, I reccomend you give it a try. I used longswords before, but that 5% bonus is nice, especially since our chain triggers off of a crit. Granted I'm dumping a lot of points into DEX as it is, but that along with the bonuses from DC and the 5% on the weapon = a nice crit chance.

...just my 2 cents.

[TeamSKKeris]

Even with the crit chance I would bet a longsword is a better choice because of a higher damage floor. I'm still not convinced criticals are working properly.

[velzevul]

I was in a cave last night, I am level 20, mobs were ranging from 3 dots lvl 10, to 3 dot level 14.

Well, I saw many more crits on level 10s, than on level 14, and of course, both were significantly higher crit chances than i would ever get on mobs of my level. I mean... I was pulling off combos like VS->Wrack => Malice->Wrack => VS => VS=>Wrack.... like crit chance was definitely in the 30% ratio, it was crazy.

Leads me to think crit chances also factor in level difference. Which could be a cause for concern, because Sigil has tried to have everything factor in level difference, and it is buggy. Bugs ranging from invis to crit chances, to defensive and mitigation calculations.

[Jinxxer]

Sorry to revive this dead post, but I just want to say that I was wrong.

I've started to use my 2h Greatsword pretty much all the time (outside of group) now. I have found it to be more efficient when soloing. Lower mobs were a given, but I started trying 2h against even con 3-dot mobs (which I always went s/s before), and still performed better with my 2hander than s/s on most occasions. Heck, my 2-hand slashing still wasn't even close to maxed yet. I found a pretty efficient way of doing it as well to maximize damage and minimize incoming damage, which helped.

Also my comment about the DPS, I was only talking about weapon DPS, not what it scales to on your character sheet.

So basically 2h > s/s. But with higher-end mobs and group situations, I'll still use s/s to make things a bit easier on my healer.

I must say, I'm kind of happy to see this. DRK screams a class for 2h weapons IMO.

[Niteflyx]

Yeah, I really need to get my 2h skills up, it sounds like things die so much easier..

But I have that awesome 1h from Tsang's Tomb quest which has better DPS than most 2handers at that level; now I'm wishin' I got the 2hander =p