Elf 2H sword

[jsgunter92]

I’ve been trying to change it up with career and weapon builds and have recently been using the elf 2h sword. I really like the weapon but have found it struggles against armor unless you can land consistent headshots. Even then it doesn’t really perform all that well. Part of this is because the stab has a weird hit reg box that can at times be inconsistent. So I got to thinking, what if the sword had another heavy attack in its combo set? Something like a downward sweep at a 30 degree angle from the top that still focuses on single target damage, like the stab. It would chain better with combos (say a push attack chained into a heavy uses the heavy 2 to perform a downward strike) and make headshots more consistent in big groups where you’re trying to single out that armored elite. I’m not saying make it executioner level in terms of armor killing, but make it flow better and have more oomph. I think this would improve the weapon tremendously and make it more in line with what I imagine it to be since 2h swords are used by the likes of sword masters and harganeth executioners. (Maybe give the elf an exe sword in the future? ) It would not only buff the weapon in my eyes, but make it not need a direct damage buff. It already performs well against infantry and berserkers it just needs that something extra to help with armor that avoids making it a jack of all trades like the glaive used to be.

I’d like to hear what others think about it and improvements that can be made to the weapon.

[JayJay]

@jsgunter92

(say a push attack chained into a heavy uses the heavy 2 to perform a downward strike)

This sounds like you don’t know about the already exisiting 2nd heavy attack.
Not saying anything against your points, 2h swords are all a bit lacking which will hopefully be fixed soon, more so the elf greatsword.

If you don’t know, the 2nd heavy can only be actived as a heavy + light combo, meaning stab + light attack uses the 2nd heavy attack (before the BBB, the big balance beta, it was just a normal heavy chain, heavy stab then heavy swipe then repeat, but was changed to repeating stab with the aformentioned changes to 2nd heavy).
It would also help if you could use it the way you suggested for the downward attack, as a heavy follow up of push attack.

Also, before WoM it was able to one-headshot SV (on legend) with only the ‘+15% power -5% atk speed’ talent, which is now not achievable anymore (even with a lot of buffs to it).
In my experience, it’s just enough to kill one with both heavies headshoting in a row, but thats a bit too hard to accomplish, even more with just one enemy in the way of the swipe.

[Bullwark]

I truly loved this weapon on lower difficulties back in the day. As you’ve said, it’s very inconsistent which gets frustrating a lot!
What I like about this weapon is it’s feeling. Somehow it’s very special and dear to me, that her heavy attack can be hold indefinitely. Gives me a good feeling in combat because I have milisecs to rethink my target. So I wouldn’t want that to change --> don’t feel good about a second heavy attack, even though I understand your point.

I only use this on Handmaiden, because I think it fits her best aesthetically and playwise. My playstyle with her is spiraling down hordes (flanking and circling), headshoting elites and sniping specials.
Because of her movability hordes aren’t a big problem. So this sword doesn’t need cleave live exe-sword f.e…When it comes to specials she’s nothing special, but eventually gets the job done. Headshotting elites is inconsistant and feels very weak.

My suggestion is to increase headshot dmg (heavy attack) a little and also buff her hit-reg to make it more forgivable and also for the sake of a two handed sword with a broad blade!! It should be stronger!
For now you have to be very precise with this weapon which doesn’t fit a 2h sword. For Saltz’s Rapier I understand and like that!

Nowadays I use her Glaive or Sword&Dagger. Would love to change it back, because the feeling of her 2h-s. is awesome!

[Kitten]

This is the best build I’ve found to make 2H Sword work on HM, which works decently well against Elites because of the Crit/Crit Power:

Talents: 2, 1, 2, 1, 1, 3

Melee Weapon: 2H Sword - Crit/Crit Power (Swiftslaying)
Ranged Weapon: Hagbane Shortbow - Chaos/Monsters (Barrage)
Neck: Stamina/Health (30% healing increase)
Charm: Chaos/Crit Power (Decanter) - Chaos could also be swapped out for Armoured (-Boss killing).
Trinket: Crit/Stamina Regen (Shrapnel)

Playstyle:
2H Sword has 25% inherent Crit Chance on the Push-Attack, and the Push-Attack is one of the fastest of any weapon in the game (0.37 seconds). This makes it extremely safe to use, as constantly holding block and being able to attack quickly killing things in a few Push-Attacks makes random mobs on Cata easy to deal with.

The higher Crit Chance during Push-Attacks also ensures a Swiftslaying proc, giving it even more survivability in Attack Speed. I usually spam Push-Attack > L2 in Hordes, or if I’m stacked with another player, Push-Attacks until Swiftslaying procs, and then spam lights to clear, Push-Attacking when necessary.

Against Elites, or Elites inside Hordes, I usually spam Push-Attacks until I get a SS proc, and then start doing charged spam. This gives you safety and killing power. You’ll be surprised at how many Elites you end up killing with Push-Attack Crits in Hordes too.

15% Attack Speed from dodging, and constant SS procs means you don’t have to stack any AS at all to make it viable.

Once you start to utilize the Push-Attacks for safe clearing of small mobs, that’s the biggest problem 2H Sword has out of the way, as with other Careers it feels like you end up with too much AS.

On the ranged, I’m running Hag (Boss killing), because I find being able to STR pot and blow Bosses up satisfying, and because it combines well with the 10% Power Talent. You could easily run any of the other ranged weapons and still do fine.

The 10% Power Talent is good, because you’re stacking Crit Power to make the Push-Attacks more worthwhile and to make your charged attacks more devestating.

Stamina Regen on Trinket combined with HM’s passive Stamina Regen, and Stamina on Neck, is more than enough Stamina for everything (4.5 Shields). Some Block Cost Reduction could also work fine, but this build seems to have a nice balance of defensive and offensive Stats.

Scoring an Ult through 3-5 enemies in a Horde is what makes this build worth it, but it’s hard to get off.

2H Sword is still a bit meh, but this is the closest I’ve come to a satisfying build with it. It feels really safe with the Push-Attacks, but mediocre elsewhere as too many stats are needed.

[RandomLurker]

It’s one of my favorite weapons and I’ve stretched builds to their limit to make it work, but in 2.0+ it just can’t keep up with the increased enemy HP. The heavy attack (stab) used to be able to 1-hit Stormvermin with a headshot, which mostly made up for it’s weakness against armor. Now it’s not possible to do that, and it’s weakness is just too great.

[jsgunter92]

That’s interesting, I had no idea that was a thing. Thanks for the info I’ll check it out.

Edit: Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit, you’re right! It doesn’t do much damage but I’ll certainly be using it.

[jsgunter92]

This is actually exactly how I’ve been using it minus the crit power. I’ll have to use that and see how it goes. I’ve found getting a crit on a push attack into the head of an elite does some pretty good damage and chains nicely into the stab.

[jsgunter92]

I was thinking the swipe would be the second heavy attack so that the stab would be unchanged and could still be held forever. It would just be nice to have something extra to combo into. Regardless of animations or combos I think it does need a buff to headshot damage and hit-reg.