Warrior: Best weapon - Sword? Axe? Hammer?

Razer Burn

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: May 2005

W/Mo

Hello. I currently have 3 characters, a level 20 ele/necro, a level 20 r/me, and now i am starting a warrior / monk. I have some very good items for my warrior already, as well as many runes. Although, i would like to know what i should specialize my warrior's attack on. Sword? Axe? Hammer? I don't want to waste any attribute points until i know what you guys like the most, and suggest. Right now i'm only a level 5 warrior/monk on this character because ive just been searchin for skills, but let me know cuz my attribute points are just sitting there Thanks

Jana

Jana

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2005

Knights of the Silver Flame

Mo/Me

How can you waste attribute points on a system with free respecs on attributes? (every 250 xp)

Just try them all and see what YOU like and are comfortable with instead of others oinions (which are always biased).

Or are you just trying to brag about having lvl 20 chars? (Which is not very difficult to do).

*shrugs*


Jana

C-Tzar

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2005

North AL, USA

E/Mo

There is no best, only preference. And half of that post was pointless bragging that had nothing to do with the question.

Razer Burn

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: May 2005

W/Mo

No i was just trying to make the point that i have absolutely no experience with a monk or warrior because i spent all my time with the other professions. Sorry if it came across the way. Would it be better to have a one handed weapon? Because i have some really good hammers, im just scared to primary on it because of the 2 handedness of the weapon type

Razer Burn

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: May 2005

W/Mo

its free respecs? then what is the attribute refund thing about?

Master Gunner

Academy Page

Join Date: May 2005

1 handed Swords give you the fastest attack rate and allow you to use a shield, but do the least damage. 2 handed swords attack slightly slower, do a bit more damage, but no shield. the Axe is sort of a middle ground between the sword and the hammer, with decent attack rate and damage (and of course the 2 handed don't allow you to use a shield). Then there's the hammer which does the most damage but has the slowest attack rate.

Razer Burn

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: May 2005

W/Mo

thanks thats exactly what i wanted to know, thanks alot

Maker

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2005

I've played with all three and find the sword to be my favorite. The hammer knockdown skills were fun, but the thing was too slow. Since I'm a warrior/smiting monk I get extra damage each time I hit, so the faster the better. Plus I can use my 16 ac shield with fast weakness recovery. Using a hammer you can not use a secondary item. Axes, well they really weren't all that interesting.

Rellok

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Feb 2005

Madison, WI

W/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Master Gunner
1 handed Swords give you the fastest attack rate and allow you to use a shield, but do the least damage. 2 handed swords attack slightly slower, do a bit more damage, but no shield. the Axe is sort of a middle ground between the sword and the hammer, with decent attack rate and damage (and of course the 2 handed don't allow you to use a shield). Then there's the hammer which does the most damage but has the slowest attack rate.
You have got to be kidding me. It's posts like this that force me out of my intended cynical reply and into clearing it up.

Weapon speeds have been measured and posted. Weapon types have been posted. Preferences have been posted.

Swords and axes have the same base attack rate of 1.33s/swing. Hammers are 1.75s/swing.

Please view the articles on combat mechanics:
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/content...nics-id674.php
And on skill effectiveness:
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/content...ess-id1103.php
And on base item properties:
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/content...ies-id1275.php

The short answer is that all 3 weapons (that's right, only 3 choices, not the mentioned 1 and 2-handed swords) balance in some way. There is no "best", there will be a weapon that fits better into your build and how you play, but that only makes it the best for you, not everyone else.

At least read a few of the articles that people have spent a long time putting together before accepting the word of someone who references two-handed swords.

Matt

Reite

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2005

do there exist 2 handed swords?

Rellok

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Feb 2005

Madison, WI

W/Mo

no...

Jana

Jana

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2005

Knights of the Silver Flame

Mo/Me

The reason Swords and Axes have the same speed is the variable difference in damage range of each weapon. Taken together, they should produce the same DPI.

In other words, swords have a higher minimum than axes, but axes have a higher maximum than swords.


Jana

mr_boo

mr_boo

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2005

San Diego, CA US

SoF

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Razer Burn
its free respecs? then what is the attribute refund thing about?
What Jana meant was that for every 250 exp, you get 1 refund point, so essentially it is a free respec...in other words, don't worry about experimenting when you can always change things later.

Here's a quick rundown:

Sword:
1. Considered the fastest attack, tied with Ax
2. DoT (Damage over Time)
3. Weakest in terms of damage potential between all 3
4. Has a pretty moderate range for damage.
5. Get to hold a shield

Ax:
1. Considered the fastest attack, tied with Sword
2. A lot of nice status effects
3. In the middle in terms of damage potential between the 3
4. However, has large range of damage (can hit for hi or low damage)
5. Get to hold a shield.

Hammer:
1. Considered the slowest attack
2. Knockdown moves (nuff said)
3. Highest damage potential between the 3
4. Consistent Damage
5. No Shield

Romac

Romac

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Apr 2005

from someone yet to create his warrior alt...

that sounds reasonably balanced so what's with that other thread i read this morning that seemed to pretty unanimously consider axes to be inferior to swords.

i assumed them to mean the sword skills were a lot better than the axe skills...someone referenced some sword attack that added 32 onto damage

so to boil my question down a bit...Between axes and swords, setting aside the actual weapon properties, which of the two's skills seem better or more useful overall?

Jana

Jana

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2005

Knights of the Silver Flame

Mo/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Romac
so to boil my question down a bit...Between axes and swords, setting aside the actual weapon properties, which of the two's skills seem better or more useful overall?

Hammers.

In terms of skills (especially in PvP, hammers have the best... including the all-powerful KD and interrupt).

Now, for swords and axes, sword skills have the better damage adds, yes, but axes have DoTs and even some PBAoEs. I STILL, overall, think it's a wash in terms of useful skills, unless like others, you consider something else more important (like damage).


Jana

asdar

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2005

People are leaving out an important part.

Each weapon has it's own type of skills. I'm not a warrior but I know the hammer has a knockdown. Sword has a bleed, I'm not sure what Axe has.

I like the look of the axe, I hate to be knocked down by the hammer and I can't keep up the healing through a sword attack on a still ally.

jray14

jray14

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2005

NC, USA

Ohm Mahnee Pedmay [Hoom]

Here are a few lessons from my experience with these 3 weapon types:

- Swords seem to lay out the most damage against fleshy creatures because of the nice bleed / deep wound combo that Sever Artery / Gash offers. But these skills are almost worthless against non-fleshy creatures.

- Axes beat swords for non-fleshy creatures because they have high-damage adrenaline-based skills that don't depend on the ability to cause bleeding. They are also nice when you can successfully get a crowd of enemies directly around you because its AOE skill (Cyclone Axe) is non-elite. However, I've found that it's difficult to hit very many enemies with Cyclone Axe because the radius is so small.

- For fleshy creatures, axes are still pretty good, but the adrenaline costs seem a little higher (compared to damage dealt) than for swords.

- Hammers are best when knocking down enemies is important. This often applies in PVP, and against enemies that use vicious spells on you with long casting times. Knockdown is a nice way to both interrupt an enemy's skill AND get in a couple free hits. Other than that though, hammers don't have much to offer, and they deprive you of extra defense and often drain your adrenaline. And the best hammer skills aren't available until late in the game, so I'd say hammers are almost always inferior for low and mid-end PVE.

Rellok

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Feb 2005

Madison, WI

W/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Romac
so to boil my question down a bit...Between axes and swords, setting aside the actual weapon properties, which of the two's skills seem better or more useful overall?
Seriously, it completely depends on how you want your character to play, what skills you are going to use and what your role is.

All of the weapons are balanced to have ups and downs. Many people will claim that they have the best weapon, or whatever. A lot of the time experience with characters stems from parts of the game where not all of the skills are available yet, and that leads to a skew in the data. It is all dependent on which skills are available.

To answer your question, the weapon decision is one you have to make, and one you will likely change your mind on during the game, which is the beauty of the skill/attribute respec system.

Matt

Lord Palidore

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by C-Tzar
There is no best
Really?

So if im lvl 15 with a flaming dragon sword owning in pvp, if i switched to a 1-3 damage sword, would I still fight the same?

Tikig0d

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: May 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lord Palidore
Really?

So if im lvl 15 with a flaming dragon sword owning in pvp, if i switched to a 1-3 damage sword, would I still fight the same?

C-Tzar was talking about the Skillset (Sword, Hammer, Axe)... not equipment. Think about your arguements before posting.

seeker monk

Banned

Join Date: May 2005

hammers are knockdown and double destroy combo (heaviest dmg)

axes are wound(down 20%) cripple and slow

swords are bleeding (continual demise) and the o'so wonderful final thrust which cuts through my reverse fortune every time

sword is the killer (have 1), axe is the anti runner/bullshiz (have 1), hammer is the supporting cast (have 2)

now all you need is the 2-3 monks and a nuker/mes/necrobone and you are set

Gaoth

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2005

Hammer does the most damage. You go with a team, a good healer will keep your health while you smash the monsters, no shield necessary.

Swords and axe are for solos when you have to slowdown your owies from monsters while you slash.

Mirrasi

Academy Page

Join Date: May 2005

Quote:
What Jana meant was that for every 250 exp, you get 1 refund point, so essentially it is a free respec...in other words, don't worry about experimenting when you can always change things later.
Agreed. As an elementalist I'm constantly respecing depending on what I plan on fighting. Sometimes fire, soemtimes air, etc. When I get low on refund points, a quick farming run takes care of that

mlsevero

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: May 2005

Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

Fode a Porra Toda[FODE]

W/Mo

Weel i like swords. Its cool, but now in PvE i'm using Axe. Cyclone axe and dismember are very effective with mobs. And skills for axe are unlocked early than skills for sword.

[]'s Marcio

ba22a

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: May 2005

Personally i agree with Jana, its all what you want. I'm making a Mo/W and i want to stick to a shaolin monk style so i plan to uses swords really furthermore i dont think anything looks better than a fire sword.
Valid points made by the other, nothing better than to knockdown someone trying to heal or ressurect someone. not a great deal of difference and again you can always refund, try the different fighting styles and post what you think.

EnDinG

Keyboard + Mouse > Pen

Join Date: Apr 2005

Mo/W

I've been using Axes since I started. I found them to be pretty good and well, most of the skills I found are axe based so far.

Axes are very good for status effects. I can cause armor reduction, deep wounds, and a slow attack effect with my current skill set. Fighting against someone with a shield I use the anti-blocking skill. (Does + damage, but if blocked, does more + damage and causes a deep wound.)

I use one energy attack, 4 adren, mending, skill stealing signet, and ressurection. In most battles I can use my energy attack till I build up a constant line of attacks with my adren skills that range from 4-7 per adren per attack.

Works great for me, with the loss of mana regen from mending, running one energy attack with 4 adren gives me the edge needed to keep fighting.

Romac

Romac

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Apr 2005

well this thread seems more reasonable than that other one that seemed to say that swords were obviously better

i like axes...i just like the style and idea of using an axe, but i'm glad the three are relatively balanced.

VonGimli

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Feb 2005

The Von Brotherhood

W/Mo

Also, the axes skills generally use Adrenaline. If you look at the skills listing, almost all of the axe skills use Adrenaline, only like 2-3 use energy.

Crom the Conqueror

Crom the Conqueror

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2005

New York

Rage Three D

W/E

Well there is one thing I like about swrod although it lack the power than axe and hammer, but it is balanced. Sword skills arer balanced between energy and adrenaline. You can start with a energy skill and wait for the adrenaline to build up, than unleash all your fury on your target.

Lord Palidore

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tikig0d
C-Tzar was talking about the Skillset (Sword, Hammer, Axe)... not equipment. Think about your arguements before posting.
Lol it annoys me when people do that and think theyre so superior -.-

Well be that as it may, fine with me