Dismember/Disrupting Chop Damage

Another off the wall question...

Neither of these axe skills have inherent damage. Two questions:

1. Does the use of these skills negate your weapon's normal damage?
2. If not, does your strength attribute's armor penetration add to your weapon's normal damage when using these skills?

It seems like the answer to both questions is "yes", but I've noticed that when I use dismember I do little to no damage on higher level opponents.

It's a mix of things...

Against Higher Level opponents in PvE -- there's two things working against you:
- Their massive armour level and higher XP level
- Strength only applying to skills


We'll compare Dismember to Eviscerate at 12 Axe Mastery with 10 in Strength fighting level 25+ opponents

Dismember reads: If this attack hits you inflict a Deep Wound on the foe for 21 seconds

Eviscerate reads: If this attack hits you inflict a Deep Wound and strike for +34 damage


Now Dismember will hit for your base damage on an Axe (6-28) with 10% Penetration -- hitting for something low like 6-15 damage.

Eviscerate will hit for (6-28 + 34) with 10% Penetration -- the difference is we'll likely hit in the 35-50 region


In short, you'll see higher numbers on the +damage skills since most of the base Axe damage is absorbed by their high armour level. You'll also land fewer "critical hits" ( bonus damage ) against higher level opponents -- whilst they'll land more on you.


This really is why PvE becomes completely boring to Melee classes

I'll link to the Combat Mechanics guide -- http://www.guildwarsguru.com/content...nics-id674.php

Dismember just nets you a deep wound and disrupting chop just interupts and disables a skill for 20 seconds. basically if you hit either of those skills its just going to do base armor pen and axe damage :b