Cleave vs. Penetrating Blow

These two skills are very similar... they are both axe skills, they both deal similar amounts of damage, and they both cost similar amounts of andrenaline. But... which is better?

Penetrating blow, at level 12 axe maxtery, deals +17 damage, and +20% armor penetration. Cleave, at level 12 axe mastery, deals +22 damage and no armor penetration. Penetrating blow costs 5 andrenaline, and cleave costs 4 andrenaline. Penetrating blow is NOT an elite, but cleave IS. Is it just me, or is penetrating blow better to use over cleave... since it is so similar? Wouldn't it be better to use penetrating blow, and a different elite? Is cleave even useful?

[EDIT] I tried to delete this post after realising I accidentaly put it in the wrong forum, but I can't find the delete option!!! Help? [/EDIT]

For what it is worth I use Penetrating Blow. With Executioner's Axe. I always have Executioner's Axe loaded. Sometimes I'll add Dismember and Cyclone Axe. With those combinations I can get some decent DPS.

The reason why Cleave is an elite is cause it does great damage and at low adrenal cost...no one says that Penetrating Blow and Cleave are mutally exclusive...try taking both and see how much damage you can throw out...ie Cleave, Penetrating Blow, Executioner's Strike, Power Attack...

I like using both ^^

Actually... I just use both since their adreniline eventually resets once you use them. AKA- No matter how much adreniline you have, you can only use the same skill twice if you re-build it for that specific skill, plus it's just nice to have if you want to save it up for when they're running so you can spam two at the same time. (You do more damage to fleeing enemies.)

Heh, I think the term you're looking for is, Cleave AND Penetrating Blow. Spamming those two is an excellent tactic.

I'd rather have eviscerate and penetrating blow, so I can save a slot that dismember would normally be in.

Ya, I see what you mean. Cleave + Penetrating Blow works. I use dismember for my last melee attack, as a W/R. Although, what if a character only needs one offencive? Cleave OR penetrating blow? Penetrating blow would definately be the superior, so that person may use a different elite (since cleave and penetrating are so similar, there'd be no use in choosing cleave over penetrating and losing a different elite).