Backbreaker Vs. Devastating Hammer

itsvictor

itsvictor

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2008

I like backbreaker because heavy blow drops your adrenaline, you can use other skills (pulverizing smash come to mind) to inflict weakness as well. With FGJ, you can build the adrenaline back to KD-lock with backbreaker back to back

Stormlord Alex

Stormlord Alex

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Dec 2005

Beyond the Forest of Doom, past the Cavern of Agony... on Kitten & Puppy Island

Soul of Melandru [sOm]

W/E

Dev Hammer. It charges more KDs at a faster rate than BB.

And that Dev Hammer bar is baed. Hammer Bash > Heavy Blow any day of the week. Heavy is useless if you're forced to switch targets or if weakness gets cleaned up, Bash is not. The flexibility hit isn't worth the ~20 damage gain.

I'd consider BB for RA, because a 4 sec KD is enough to kill the enemy healer easily.
Except by the time I've charge BB, I've won with autoattacks

Shuuda

Shuuda

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Guildless

Me/

What about Earthshaker? If your going to use Hammer Bash instead of Heavy Blow, wouldn't Earthshaker be a better elite, since a potenial AoE knockdown would be better than Weakness you won't be taking advantage of?

Out of them two though, Dev Hammer no doubt.

Tyla

Emo Goth Italics

Join Date: Sep 2006

Dev Hammer imo.

Stormlord Alex

Stormlord Alex

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Dec 2005

Beyond the Forest of Doom, past the Cavern of Agony... on Kitten & Puppy Island

Soul of Melandru [sOm]

W/E

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shuuda
What about Earthshaker? I like Earthshaker very muchly, it's my hammer elite of preference in PvE (essentially, DSlash with Headbutt > any non-ES hammer bar).

Alas, "Coward!" and "YAA!" are too much fun to use in AB, the AoE is generally pointless in RA/TA, and my guild doesn't do any serious PvP. So, yeah... Not had the chance to play with ES much in any decent PvP format for a while now

It's just the op never mentioned it

Cathode_Reborn

Cathode_Reborn

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Sep 2006

As much as I'd love to use Backbreaker, it takes ages to charge, but still fun to use sometimes.

If lame skills like "you will die" or Mokele Smash were buffed a little though, then maybe...

kel77

kel77

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2007

The Deep South

The Arctic Marauders[TAM] Former Leader and Officer | [SMS] Alliance

W/E

I like backbreaker better for the extra damage and extra kd time.

JDRyder

JDRyder

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Apr 2007

Great temple of Balthazar

Mo/Me

[skill]earth shaker[/skill][skill]crushing blow[/skill][skill]mighty blow[/skill][skill]protector's strike[/skill][skill]flail[/skill][skill]rush[/skill][skill]enraging charge[/skill] +15 hammer = GG

Bobby2

Bobby2

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2007

Delayed in order to meet ANet's high standards

[MaSS]

W/E

[skill]protector's strike[/skill] < [skill]bull's strike[/skill]
[skill]flail[/skill] < [skill]frenzy[/skill]

blue.rellik

blue.rellik

Forge Runner

Join Date: Feb 2007

Melbourne, Australia

None

W/

Flail is fine for hammers, just make sure to activate after you hit with your elite

Magikarp

Magikarp

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Nov 2007

[HAWK]

i play almost nothing but hammer in pvp now, and im pure dev hammer, and my 3rd hit chainer is dependant on the arena, so i cant say i pref either heavy or bash.

in pve, nothing compares to earth imo though. shaker+crude+whirlwind=<3

JDRyder

JDRyder

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Apr 2007

Great temple of Balthazar

Mo/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobby2
[skill]protector's strike[/skill] < [skill]bull's strike[/skill]
[skill]flail[/skill] < [skill]frenzy[/skill] u just use protectors for a fast hit at the end kills them most the time on a good spike


and flail + hammer = yay

Shuuda

Shuuda

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Guildless

Me/

Quote:
Originally Posted by JDRyder
[skill]earth shaker[/skill][skill]crushing blow[/skill][skill]mighty blow[/skill][skill]protector's strike[/skill][skill]flail[/skill][skill]rush[/skill][skill]enraging charge[/skill] +15 hammer = GG A Hammer build with only One knock Down, Heck, the average Shock Axe Warrior packs atleast two. You need more Hammer Bash and Bull Strike. Three Knockdowns then.

JDRyder

JDRyder

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Apr 2007

Great temple of Balthazar

Mo/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shuuda
A Hammer build with only One knock Down, Heck, the average Shock Axe Warrior packs atleast two. You need more Hammer Bash and Bull Strike. Three Knockdowns then. nope i kill things 1 attack run, almost never fails. no need for 2 KDs id try the build before knocking it :P

Shuuda

Shuuda

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Guildless

Me/

Oh? But you'd do more damage with an Axe Spike, the reason you run hammers is for the disruptive element of reliable and less conditional knockdowns, you may kill things in one run in RA/AB, but in general, a hammer build with only one Knockdown fails.

JR

JR

Re:tired

Join Date: Nov 2005

W/

I wouldn't run a Hammer bar in PvP without Bull's and Bash along side the elite, because if I am using a Hammer it is to get the disruption of the knockdowns. If I don't want knockdowns there are better alternatives.

If it's in PvE I would run Earthshaker and lol at things falling over.

RhanoctJocosa

RhanoctJocosa

Legendary Korean

Join Date: Aug 2006

The Benecia Renovatio [RenO]

W/

[skill]Frenzy[/skill][skill]Backbreaker[/skill][skill]Crushing Blow[/skill][skill]Irresistible Blow[/skill][skill]Gale[/skill][skill]Sprint[/skill][skill]Healing Signet[/skill][skill]Resurrection Signet[/skill]

Quote:
Originally Posted by JR
I wouldn't run a Hammer bar in PvP without Bull's and Bash along side the elite, because if I am using a Hammer it is to get the disruption of the knockdowns. If I don't want knockdowns there are better alternatives. QFT

I personally like Dev Hammer more only because of the lower adren.

JDRyder

JDRyder

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Apr 2007

Great temple of Balthazar

Mo/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by JR
I wouldn't run a Hammer bar in PvP without Bull's and Bash along side the elite, because if I am using a Hammer it is to get the disruption of the knockdowns. If I don't want knockdowns there are better alternatives.

If it's in PvE I would run Earthshaker and lol at things falling over. i dont run monk w/o rof but, super nova japan does not use rof and do well IMO :O

<3 MH

Splitisoda

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Nov 2007

STALKER!

Not in One

N/A

Backbreaker. You can end up with a possible 5 seconds knockdown from it. Then follow up with Heavy blow, and then maybe shock. Hy monk, i hrd i sht u dwn nub.


Although Devestating Hammer DOES have its uses, I sometimes use it.

Sir Pandra Pierva

Sir Pandra Pierva

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2007

Sardelec yelling at Tenshi

Angels Of Strife

E/

how do you get 5 seconds of kd from it?

since using the stonefist insig only adds 1second and thats up to a max of 3 seconds.

what i like a lot is
[skill]Tiger Stance[/skill][skill]Backbreaker[/skill][skill]Crushing Blow[/skill][skill]Mighty Blow[/skill][skill]Hammer Bash[/skill][skill]Enraging Charge[/skill][skill]"For Great Justice!"[/skill][skill]Resurrection Signet[/skill]

thats a fun build for RA and mayby HB
7 seconds of kd=pissed off people.

xDusT II

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Aug 2006

Melbourne

Quote:
Originally Posted by Splitisoda
Backbreaker. You can end up with a possible 5 seconds knockdown from it. Then follow up with Heavy blow, and then maybe shock. Hy monk, i hrd i sht u dwn nub.


Although Devestating Hammer DOES have its uses, I sometimes use it. KD's are capped at 3 seconds from more than one source.

Devastating Hammer is 3 adren less for 1 second less KD. I also prefer Hammer Bash over Heavy Blow because:
-You don't lose the KD if your DevHammer fails.
-You aren't tied to a specific target to get the KD.