For clarity, I’m talking about this one:
4 warlord, 2 fury, whirlwind axes.
I understand the cleave damage depends on the damage bonuses from the cleaver and in the zone to mow down mobs with impunity. So that axe you really need. And the other axe provides some healing. But the set bonus is very bad, and when everyone was discussing the balance changes I saw a lot of people talk about low armour being an issue.
I assume you all see me coming from a mile away
.
Arena is full of these warriors swapping out one of the axes for a shield and doing really well. So it made me wonder if a build with cleaver and shield could be done instead. I’m not talking about loading up on block or anything. But both the increase in armour a shield gives, and 40% base block, would add a ton of damage reduction. Just equipping the shield ups armour dr to over 90%, and 40% block at 75% dr would add another 30% average.
Downsides would be slower cleave and no healing from the second axe.
So here are my questions:
1. does the build really need the healing bonus from the second axe? As you are rounding up the mobs, you use charge basically perma-stunning enemies. And this would be partially offset due to damage reduction gains.
2. Is there much use for lightning reflexes? As far as I can tell it’s only there so you don’t need parry on your gear. Changing this one out for sword and board would add an extra damage source from shield slam, double the shield armour and adding some block (so yet more damage redux).
As I see it for the price of a few equipment slots (some haste, parry, armour on the shield), you gain a whole lot…
4 warlord, 2 fury, whirlwind axes.
I understand the cleave damage depends on the damage bonuses from the cleaver and in the zone to mow down mobs with impunity. So that axe you really need. And the other axe provides some healing. But the set bonus is very bad, and when everyone was discussing the balance changes I saw a lot of people talk about low armour being an issue.
I assume you all see me coming from a mile away
.Arena is full of these warriors swapping out one of the axes for a shield and doing really well. So it made me wonder if a build with cleaver and shield could be done instead. I’m not talking about loading up on block or anything. But both the increase in armour a shield gives, and 40% base block, would add a ton of damage reduction. Just equipping the shield ups armour dr to over 90%, and 40% block at 75% dr would add another 30% average.
Downsides would be slower cleave and no healing from the second axe.
So here are my questions:
1. does the build really need the healing bonus from the second axe? As you are rounding up the mobs, you use charge basically perma-stunning enemies. And this would be partially offset due to damage reduction gains.
2. Is there much use for lightning reflexes? As far as I can tell it’s only there so you don’t need parry on your gear. Changing this one out for sword and board would add an extra damage source from shield slam, double the shield armour and adding some block (so yet more damage redux).
As I see it for the price of a few equipment slots (some haste, parry, armour on the shield), you gain a whole lot…