Can anyone tell me the main benefits of using a two hander of dual wielding? The average damage per second on dual wielding(just working the numbers) seems to always been significantly higher.

Is there a benefit of using two handers?

Thanks for help

Dual wielding gives you an automatic +20% weapon speed to each weapon, so it lets you strike faster and cause more consistent dmg, imo... BUT two-handed weaps generally have a much higher min and max dmg with better +crit% chances as bonuses. When used with a skill such as cleave and you connect, you cause more avg damage to more enemies ideally. So, although you swing less because of weapon speed, you're supposed to deal out more wicked dmg in one punch. Some two handed rbws/mythics such as wake of the devastator are even normal speed instead of sloth or grandma...

The debate over DW or 2h will never die, so its each personal preference, but in game you can see both ways of gearing being efficient. I run a lot with DarkFighter (darkwanderer from here on forums) and he runs a crit fighter with a 2h and I run Swiper as a tank with DW (backwards maybe to some ppl, lol) but when we're mobbed or farming we both seem to get the job done at about the same pace and results.

What Teclis said - also, it depends on what you're fighting. If you're having to chase lots of mobs around, a grandma 2h can single shot them, whereas you'll have to hit them several times with DW.

Just to throw in a suggestion, When you are fighting many mobs, and are around level 60 or higher, equip Cleave and Awesome Cleavage, put on a grandma weapon with even 1.50 speed, doesnt matter. Stand in group and swing, works perfectly for me in hdol.

At the other hand, dual wield is imo a bit overpowered. I can get around 11000 average dps, while a dual wielding Skulliosis fighter can get well over 16000 without any effort. That being said, some rainbow dual wield combinations are just too good compared to 2H's.

It really does depend on what you are doing, soloing a 2h along with cleave and awesome cleavage will generally take down mobs fast since you can hit most at one time for higher damage, just so long as you have high enough attack rate to hit consistently. If you can't hit consistently the speed factor can really hurt, and in that case you may want to respec or change out other gear to get more agil. Works great for solo boss farming as well. But if you're in a group its better to just have higher weapon dps. When i farm with a group i use DW, Skee'tor and Moonglaze(my favorite weapon combo ever, if set up right, just as fast as dual wrath but hits harder).

So it really depends on what you are doing, and how you are built and what you are using. Everything plays a factor in whats most effective. Other gear is just as important in getting the most out of your weapons.

But just a rather general guideline: small mobs use DW, big mobs use a good 2h with cleave and awesome cleavage.

Also when i do use DW i put the faster wep in my off-hand(left) as that hand is slower, so it helps to balance the speed out some so there are no odd hiccups(hard to explain).

Oh, I always think DW should be better, as it give you one more item slot for magical properties, and the DPS seems always higher than 2H. Ummm, may be just because I didn't found any super good 2H yet.....

Generally speaking, the stats for 1h weapons are balanced so that 2 of them will have roughly the same stats as an equivalent level 2h. Something else to consider, is that the main hand weapon is the only one used for weapon based skills (like cleave).

I got 2 rbs around that amount. Lvl 25-28 C. Blade and Fragnot (both mems). I don't think that any yellows will match your needs. If your a non-mem, go for purples.



Edited by Anonymous (04/21/08 07:12 PM)

Thanks for the advice. I can't resist the temptation and finally logon the game in office, and burn 48 coins to get some 2H. Too bad all I got are yellow and most of them got worst stats. I do got one slotful 2H as following:
+29 Strength
+29 Endurance
+59 Defense Rating
+133 Melee Attack Rating
+22 Damage per Second to Slashing Attacks
+22 Shadow Damage per Second to Weapon Attack
Kind of similar except there is no Critical Hit, but when I check the DPS with demosthenez it only shown 977, and my attack rate dropped a lot as it give me STR and END, not AGI. Should I just keep my DW, or give this 2H a chance?

2 questions:
1.Do you group?
2.Are you a "meatsheild"?

1. I usually solo.
2. As I'm solo and I'm a fighter, yes, I'm the meat shield.

Like most everthing else in the game, it is personal prefrence. Try out some to handers. If you like your results thus far with a duel wield after that, stick with them. I usually deul wield and have done so from day one. However, I do not pass up the opportunity to try out new things when I come across them.

it depends on the situation also... DPS for my dual skullies is roughly 13k... DPS for my Gavel was around 8k...
but somtimes the skullies just didn't cut it because the minimum damage was much lower than the min on the Gavel

my advice reiterates Necro's...try it if you like one over the other use the one you love:)

Gary

I give that slotful 2H a try, but the result is not that good when compare with my ludicrous DW, so I probably will stay with DW, until I found some better 2H. Thanks the advice from everyone.