HoD Sword

I noticed in this guys thread about soloing UW/FoW, he says to use the collectors truncheon outside Dunes of Despair. Ive heard many times the HoD sword is really the best to use for soloing. I know its very expensive, but im just curious what is the best to use? Right now im using some gold sword that has the 20% enchantment mod on it. It was working OK last night against trolls, avicara, hydras and sand drakes.

http://forums.gwonline.net/showthread.php?t=381665

The HoD sword only offers +5 to your energy pool. Not really that amazing.

+5 sounds pretty valuable to me.

But even with Godlike Satans set up, you dont even get the extra 20% longer enchantment mod. That mod alone seems pretty important to me. It seems more important than having any kind of faster skill recharge.

Maybe im wrong though. Im new to all this soloing stuff.

I would go with a sword with a 20% or a collector truncheon rather than a HoD sword for 500k+
+5 Energy isn't anything for a 55hp, since they have both balta spirit and ess bond to gain energy.

Well I'd rather have something with the 20% enchant mod than just some collectors truncheon. Like I said, I have some sword with that mod and it was working OK last night. I was just curious why someone that is going down into UW/FoW would not even bother with the enchant mod. Is it just not really that helpful? Seems like it would be to me.

Almost without fail, 20% enchantment length is more valueable to you then +5 energy. And +5 energy can come in damn handy in some situations.

+5 energy may come in handy if you screwed up big time vs Grasping Darkness. If you need energy that damn badly bring Essence AND Balth and save yourself 500k on a useless item.

What i don't understand is why when the bug with the 40% axe was discovered. Anet did nothing for a bit, then announced they were going to remove it from the game entirely, existing axes and all. Yet with the HoD sword, an item that was obviously been abused almost as badly because i never even considered it once when i went through there on my warrior (wish i had though now). It just made the early farmers richer the longer they kept hold of it.

Well I think they left the existing HoD's in the game because they maybe are not throwing off the balance of anything like that axe was. That's just my guess. They may have seen that axe as a threat to the balance of the game and it could not be left in.

When I was soloing yesterday, I really had no energy issues. So it wouldnt seem like the +5 is all that important to me just yet, but there is obviously a reason why this weapon is so desired outside of the fact that there is only so many going around. I am sure that 5 energy is going to come in very useful in certain situations. I think if you had the money to waste and like to solo farm, it probably would not be a waste of money.

I suppose your right there. The HoD sword wasn't unbalanced it was just abused. That axe was a pretty serious bug.

The way i see it the HoD sword is just a way to make people look better than they are. Anyone can farm often enough to get 1. Surely if your good enough you wouldn't be in a position where that +5 energy actually mattered.

Yeah you might be right in that there is plenty of successful solo farmers out there that don't use this sword. So no, it's not needed. But like I said, if you had themoney to spend, that 5 energy may not save your life or maybe it will for all I know, but it certainly could making farming slightly easier. It might be less hectic during battle when you have 5 more energy to work with. Is that worth 500k? Well sure if your rich. If you dont have it or only have just enough for the sword, then it's probably not. Depends on how you look at things.

Also, ANET may view the HOD as this sort of mysterious weapon that adds a little special something to the game. There is a limited amount and it is actually useful. So they may actually have thought that keeping it in would be good for the game and the community. It's good for these kinds of games to have certain things that are legendary and difficult to obtain. It gives certain people something to work for long after they hit level 20 and beat the game. Keeps them interested, and therefore keeps the buzz going about the game until the next chap. I would expect more things like this to happen in Factions.

The HoD sword can grant both +5 energy and 20% enchantment duration if fitted with the appropriate pommel. This makes it one of the best one-handed caster items in the game.

The best looking caster-sword is probably the pre-searing Moa bird longsword... I actually fitted one with an extra 20% enchant mod I had sitting in storage, lol!



The next best option is a Fiery Flame Spitter w/ 20% enchant axe grip.

Ive only seen one HoD in person since someone was generous enough just to let me check it out.

Energy +5
Dmg #
Enchantment mod

This is everything it had on it. Now cant you get another mod on here to make this sword even better? I dont know anything about swords so maybe I sound like a complete noob.

Unless you have oooodles of money laying around, I'd get a FFS and use it.

4 scorched lodestones vs. ~500k (decisions, decisions)

If you DO have that much money, remember your Aunt Carinae, who would like a HoD also....

unless i'm alone in this, ppl solo in order to make money... so y drop 500k on a sword that u don't need?

1 question. What the hell is a Fiery Flame Spitter? I keep hearing the name but never seen 1 ever.

I gotta say that if I had 500k to just blow, id easily much rather have the HOD over the FFS.

I think i'd just save it and spend it on a chaos axe/fellblade i might actually appreciate...
Out of interest what does this have to do with necromancers?

Well these are the weapons we use to do the 55hp soloing.