What is the best damage type against undead? - Guild Wars Guru archive powered by Guild Wars Legacy

sixdartbart

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

Peace Machine GRRR [DiE]

W/N

06 Nov 2005 at 19:51 - 1

I am putting together a sword just for undead and was wanting to find out what hilt would be best for it.
I know that certain monster types take more damage from different things and need someone smarter than me to help.

I have searched alot of places and asked all the people that I know and nobody has a good answer so if anyone out there might know the answer to this please help me.
And if anyone is still wondering about the skelletons being undead the answer is yes I have tested a sheild vs undead and a sheild vs skels and took the exact same damage for an hour.
Thanks for any help that you can give me

FreedomFighter nl

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Nov 2005

Killing Gladaitors

W/Mo

06 Nov 2005 at 19:53 - 2

Maybe a sword hilt of undead like + 16% Dmg vs undead

sixdartbart

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

Peace Machine GRRR [DiE]

W/N

06 Nov 2005 at 20:09 - 3

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreedomFighter nl

Maybe a sword hilt of undead like + 16% Dmg vs undead

That would be a pommel and I have one that is +20% vs undead I need to find out what hilt to use but thanks for your input.

SA_DEMON

Academy Page

Join Date: Apr 2005

South Africa

Royal Knights Of Camelot {HOLY}

06 Nov 2005 at 20:14 - 4

With Undead i have noticed earth dmg does better dmg but havent found an icy hilt to try cold so it might be worth a try

lyra_song

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Oct 2005

R/Mo

06 Nov 2005 at 20:14 - 5

Sword Pommel of Deathbane.

Really smiting magic is the best against the undead. Balth aura, symbol of wrath, shield of judgement, judge's insight, etc.

Dylanowns

Academy Page

Join Date: Nov 2005

Leader of: Zombies Stole My Ecto [ECTO] currently of the [SMS] Alliance, Racthoh ftw

W/N

06 Nov 2005 at 20:58 - 6

Holy dmg duh

sixdartbart

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

Peace Machine GRRR [DiE]

W/N

06 Nov 2005 at 21:14 - 7

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dylanowns

Holy dmg duh

Wow did you even read this thread?
I really hope that you didn't read it and then still reply with that brillant statement

But if your have a holy damage hilt for a sword I would be more then happy to buy it from you

Ray

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Aug 2005

Denmark

06 Nov 2005 at 21:34 - 8

Fire damage kills them too pretty well :/

hmyk

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2005

Finland

Mul On Mese

06 Nov 2005 at 21:37 - 9

Yup, holy dmg are 2x to undeads than normal.

dansamy

Chasing Dragons

Join Date: May 2005

Lost in La-La Land

LFGuild

Mo/Me

06 Nov 2005 at 21:39 - 10

But there's no sword mod to make your sword dmg hoy, is there? He's asking about modding his sword. Not about which skills to use.

Daegul Mistweaver

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2005

The Incredible Edible Bookah [YUM]

W/N

07 Nov 2005 at 01:50 - 11

I've been doing a great deal of testing on the effects of various damage types (inclusive only of those applicable to melee & bow) vs. different MOBs. I'll publish my results when it's complete; or near enough & I've got all my slayers.

Here's a sample though, since I have done testing on most undead. Base means average damage vs. this MOB, X% is % of base; S=slash, P=piercing, L=lightning, I=ice, F=fire, E=earth & B=blunt. Testing was done with max damage of 10 axes(1 unaltered, 4 modded elemental & 1 piercing), max 10 hammer and Wild Blow for each hit, skill in axe&hammer 12, strength 0-1(unvaried for any given MOB):

Zombie Warlock - All were base(19) damage; these are fleshy undead.

Skeleton ranger(named version had similar numbers) - S:base(16), P:69%, LIFE:base, B:138%

Hellhound - SPLI:base(10), F:280%, EB: base

Grasping Ghoul - SP:base(11), LIFE:146%, B:base

Skeleton Mezmer - S:base(18), P:72%, LIFE:base, B:144%

Skeletal Sorcerer - S:base(23), P:70%, LIFE:base, B:139%

Wraith - SP:base(10), LIFE:190%, B:base

Skeletal monk - S:base(24), P:71%, LIFE:base, B:138%

Fog Nightmare - SP:base(7), LIFE:200%, B:base

That's all for now, and I'm not entirely sure if ghouls & nightmares are considered undead class; I'll find out later when I've completed MOB types and finish up with the numbers for how the various bonuses(slaying, custom, X>50) and penalties(DP/bonus) interact. From previous testing that I'm not going to bother to quote ATM, skeleton slay and deathbane are the same vs. skeletons; though if I run across a spare skel with a % that =s my deathbane on a melee I'll doublecheck that.

But the semi-final analysis to the OP's question: there is no 1 type of elemental damage that does extra damage universally to undead; tho there are exceptions and skeletons of all types are resistant to piercing and vulnerable to blunt.

Hannibel

Banned

Join Date: Oct 2005

Playboy Entertainment

07 Nov 2005 at 02:04 - 12

holy dmg is the best dmg against undead by far

Daegul Mistweaver

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2005

The Incredible Edible Bookah [YUM]

W/N

07 Nov 2005 at 02:39 - 13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hannibel

holy dmg is the best dmg against undead by far

How useful to know; I'm sure he'll head right out and get that holy sword hilt.

master_ranger_matt

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Nov 2005

Salt Lake City, Utah.... no im not mormon

Radicals Against Tyrants [RAT]

R/Me

07 Nov 2005 at 02:45 - 14

if u have it, bring jusdge's insight: 20% penetration and all attacks u deal do holy dmamge.

sixdartbart

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

Peace Machine GRRR [DiE]

W/N

07 Nov 2005 at 15:13 - 15

Hello all:
Daegul that is a really interesting study you are doing and I would really like to see it when you are finished.
Sa Demon , dansamy , Ray and of course Daegul thank you for your efforts at having a possitive discussion and trying to help answer the question that I was asking.
For all the rest of you

Seriously why not go ahead and read the thread not just the title before you start dripping your puddles of wisdom all over the place?
I have so far tried all of the elemental hilts except for ebon and have seen no damage difference but my tests haven't been nearly as in depth as what it appears Daegul is doing.
If anyone else has any further suggestion for this please let me know.
I will also be paying 100k for any of you that can get me a holy sword hilt

end sarcasm

I will leave you with a thought from Mark Twain. " It is far better to remain silent and be thought a fool then to open your mouth and remove all doubt"

FFF_WarRaven

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2005

Behind the black shroud.

FFF

R/Me

07 Nov 2005 at 15:29 - 16

ok i haven't bothered to look this up in the skill listing as i am at work, but check the monk skills, theres a skill that will add holy damage to attacks +20% armor penitration, this works well, but yes holy damage hands down, i don't seem to ever see much differances with elemental damage.

I do run my solo monk from Bergen to Toa for farming runs, and as in the other posts, soj, bal's, sow, etc all these are the most effective against undead, as for the pommels and such as deathbane and vs undead, i still don't see much of a differance in the effectivness of the weapon addons, i know for sure one of them is straight up garbage, the other does ok, i'll have to sk a guildie about that.

side note: I believe the uw, and fow, monsters are not considered "undead".

:::End Transmission:::

BrandonIT

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2005

Dallas, TX

Tribal Instincts

R/E

07 Nov 2005 at 15:32 - 17

Daegul, yes please post your information when you are completed. That is most enlightening.

I can confirm that against hellhounds fire damage is MUCH more effective. Funny with a name like HELLhounds that fire would be the most effective damage...

Align

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2005

Protectors of Awesome[AWE]

W/

07 Nov 2005 at 15:36 - 18

Looking at those numbers, most monsters take normal damage or additional damage from elemental, and hellhounds take extreme damage from fire, so I'd go with a Fiery hilt.

Seissor

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Aug 2005

Squiggilyville. Population: Me.

[oRly] Hello Kitty Death Squad

R/Me

08 Nov 2005 at 12:00 - 19

Hammers blunt dmg works on undead, and holy dmg...ohh boy, that does a tonne of dmg. so pack judge insight.

my ranger goes into FoW with barrage and judge insight, works nicely.

Dwiggit

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2005

Heroes Unlimited (HaCK)

R/Mo

08 Nov 2005 at 12:51 - 20

From Daegul's post, fire damage almost universaly does increased damage to undead. In no cases did it do decreased damage. So fire would be the way to go IMO.

In my experience, fire seems to do very well. I love using inferno againt hellhounds. I've seen damage numbers near 280!

So go for that fire mod!

Dwig

Sister Rosette

Lady Fie

Join Date: Aug 2005

Sapporo

Tha Skulls [Ts]

D/W

08 Nov 2005 at 12:57 - 21

Holy, Fire, Earth, Ice, Lightning, Dark

Most effective to least effective, in that order.

Alex The Fat

Academy Page

Join Date: Sep 2005

Piscataway, Nj

The Manlock Bearloves

R/Me

08 Nov 2005 at 13:23 - 22

yes i would recommend fire and ebon but fire > ebon IMO but that's just cuz i know the hell hounds are weak against fire i would test out both but i don't have an ebon sword hilt, atleast i read your post and am not screaming JUDGES INSIGHT FTW!!! lol well good luck

Former Ruling

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Oct 2005

Cedartown, Georgia

R/

08 Nov 2005 at 13:36 - 23

Blunt Damage should do better based on the norm (In most games, Undead -especially skeleton types and zombie types - take increased damage from Blunt attacks)

So try a hammer if you arent totally offended by hammers.

Yukito Kunisaki

Forge Runner

Join Date: Mar 2005

Chicago, IL

W/N

08 Nov 2005 at 15:56 - 24

If you want a sword designed to turn undead into chopped liver.

Fiery Dragon sword of Deathbane +15% while in a stance is probably the absolute best you'll get in terms of sword upgrades.

Things like holy enchantments/spells are irrelavent to the opening post...

Bugeater

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2005

looking for a guild

08 Nov 2005 at 20:56 - 25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sister Rosette

Holy, Fire, Earth, Ice, Lightning, Dark

Most effective to least effective, in that order.

Are you sure about Earth, Ice, Lightning, and Dark? I haven't done the tests to prove it, but it's been my experience that after Holy and Fire, everything was the same.

Jenosavel

Master of Beasts

Join Date: Jul 2005

Servants of Fortuna [SoF]

R/

08 Nov 2005 at 23:35 - 26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daegul Mistweaver

Hellhound - SPLI:base(10), F:280%, EB: base

You sure about that? If it were true, the hellhound would be taking more damage from fire than it does from smiting, which is 200%. I have a feeling you didn't notice the hellhounds using Frenzy and thus didn't take that into account in your test. While they do take extra damage from fire, they most certainly don't take more from it than they do from smiting.

Seissor

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Aug 2005

Squiggilyville. Population: Me.

[oRly] Hello Kitty Death Squad

R/Me

09 Nov 2005 at 01:21 - 27

It's a shame you can't buy a holy dmg mod for melee weapons....but then they'd be too powerful >.<

Daegul Mistweaver

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2005

The Incredible Edible Bookah [YUM]

W/N

09 Nov 2005 at 03:03 - 28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugeater

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sister Rosette

Holy, Fire, Earth, Ice, Lightning, Dark
Most effective to least effective, in that order.

Are you sure about Earth, Ice, Lightning, and Dark? I haven't done the tests to prove it, but it's been my experience that after Holy and Fire, everything was the same.

Please show the numbers and reference the specific types of undead you used for data; making claims based on casual observation isn't terribly useful.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenosavel

You sure about that? If it were true, the hellhound would be taking more damage from fire than it does from smiting, which is 200%. I have a feeling you didn't notice the hellhounds using Frenzy and thus didn't take that into account in your test. While they do take extra damage from fire, they most certainly don't take more from it than they do from smiting.

Actually, I did notice the frenzy; made verification of the hits a pain, even with use of wild blow. However, I'll double-check that one soonish; but as far as the OP is conscerned, it shouldn't effect his choice of hilts...more is more.

zsoltcc

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2005

Mo/W

09 Nov 2005 at 03:48 - 29

I would sugest a furious or armor penetrating hilt. Furious u get more adrenaline=more attack =more dmg

I use the same with my dwarfslaying sword. On the original post, u would have to use judges insight to be real effective, so any elemental hilt would be useless. Imho

Daegul Mistweaver

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2005

The Incredible Edible Bookah [YUM]

W/N

09 Nov 2005 at 05:15 - 30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenosavel

While they do take extra damage from fire, they most certainly don't take more from it than they do from smiting.

Well, as it turns out, they most certainly do. It actually wasn't as hard to test I as I'd thought it was; once you drop them below 50% life they won't use frenzy anymore.