When does a Sword perform better than an axe?

Couldn't get my exact question in the title, so here it is:

What advantages does a sword user have over an axe user with Eviscerate (besides not requiring an elite to function well)? I've read everywhere that an axe has a higher dps. I usually test out builds on the wooden targets at the Nameless Isle, but it seems that a basic sword build is more powerful than an axe. I was comparing these two combos:

Sever - Gash - Standing Slash - Galrath
Eviscerate - Executioner's - Furious Axe - Penetrating Chop

The sword combo usually left the target very close to death, while the axe combo would sometimes kill much faster, or do much less damage compared to the sword. Another question I have is, why are axes always used in gvg? It seems the sword has better spiking power with Final Thrust. I don't gvg at all simply cause my guildies don't, so I don't have too much knowledge of these things. Why do swords appear less in gvg? I was always under the impression that an axe would do more damage than a sword if used with an elite such as Eviscerate, but sometimes I just get unlucky and hit for really low damage. I always run my weapon attribute at 16.

Last question: why do axes have much less damaging attack skills compared to swords? Besides Executioner's strike and Furious axe, there really isn't anything else that does a hefty amount of damage. Swords have Galrath x2, Standing Slash, and Final Thrust. It seems abit unfair, but I'm guessin there's a reason for it.

From what I have seen axes are used more for spikes while swords are used more for conditions and pressure. I could be wrong but that seems the most likely reason most people use axes.

People also use axes because with a sword the enemy must be bleeding before you can apply a deep wound which can be removed by monks before you get gash off, while eviscerate gives unconditional deep wound with extra damage.

when you use dragon slash.

Axes are good for spikes and unleashing damage on a target all at once and they are also better against kiting foes. But on the other hand swords are good for damage over time and also have about the same +damage attacks that the axe does. I prefer axes over swords, they do about the same damage except swords have more attacks. And axes allow you to hit a deep wound on a target a lot sooner than a sword.

A sword with no attack skill will preform better at DPS than an axe with weapon mastry 11 or lower. With 12 or higher, the axe outperforms the sword. Because all good builds have more than 12 weapon mastry, people say an axe is better DPS than a sword.
An advantage a sword has is the ability to use Dragon Slash to pump out a truly HUGE amount of deep wounds and DPS. A Dragon > Sever > Gash > Sun and Moon chain is probably the highest DPS in the game.
A big advantage an axe warrior has is he afford to have only 2 attack skills (evis/exe), so he has a lot of free slots for utility.

You're forgetting Eviscerate.

At 16 Mastery...

Eviscerate + Executioners + Furious = +112 damage (33+42+37) AND a Deep Wound (which is basically +100 damage on a 500 health character)

Total damage = 212

At 16 Mastery...

Galrath + Silverwing + Standing = +128 damage (43+43+42)

Total damage = 128

A three hit-combo is a better gauge of a "spike", as by the time you land that fourth hit, the target has likely been healed.

Even using your four hit combo above, Axe does +143 damage (assuming +10 damage from the 20% AP) while Sword does only +106 damage.

Thanks for all the info. It seems axes are better for spiking purposes. Maybe I'll start usin a sword more often since I don't pvp often.

I meant besides elite skills, an axe doesn't have much damage to offer....I'm was assuming it's to balance them out, but I'm not sure.

Exactly - the axe elite skills make the axe better at spiking. If you plan on using a non-weapon elite skill, sword is absolutely the way to go.

Jetdoc is right.

Sword is used over axes because sever gash final is good without wasting an elite slot. It let's you use charging strike, bulls charge, or YAA. Any character with these elites is a far stronger split character than an evisc axe warrior. Charging and bulls also make for very strong pressure characters.

And I see sword way more in gvg than axe, not sure where the perception of axe being more popular came from.

Axe was, for a very long time, MUCH preferred over swords. I seem to recall sword warriors being considered newbish in GvG and HA. This was the time of IWAY and shock warriors. Axes and Eviscerate ruled.

In my case, I always have a glad armor set, with runes used for axes, and a platemail for usage of swords. Since both are useful in their place, being able to switch between one or the other is the way to go. (both 15k armors btw. with obsidian helmet, lol)

IMO
axe = PvE + tripple chop and HA + steady stance
sword = GvG + sever/gash/thrust + charge or something

Axes and Swords are quite similar.

For PvE dont use Eviscerate. Go Cleave + dismember. Eviscerate takes too long to charge against mobs, so when u finally use it pretty much every one is dead and charging it a 2nd time will only happen vs very tough mobs.

Dragon slash suffers from a similar problem, but in the long run, and against tougher mobs you will spam more sever arteries, gash and suns and moons, than eviscerates+executioniers due to adrenaline gain from dslash.