Throwing Axes should be usable as a melee weapon. Maybe like Javelins?

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Gameplay Feedback
1

Like maybe the throwing Axes can control like Kerillians Javelins where blocking is replaced by aiming the weapon?

Or alternatively the special attack button could let Bardin switch between melee and throwing mode?

Course the former suggestion is probably preferred as the latter kinda renders regular one handed axe pointless.

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i always thought it would be nice to combine the throwing axes with the hand axe. It would give the hand axe a reason to be used if nothing else.

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i would appreciate using throwing axe in melee

4

Maybe I just have Vermintide 1 nostalgia, but I actually liked the 1-handed axe on Bardin. I remember in V1 Bardin swings like a machine and each hit that connects felt so solid.

But I wouldn’t be opposed to merging the two weapons. Like make the special attack button switch between throwing and melee mode.

Course if they do that I also want the same for 1-handed hammer. Where in if the thrown hammer connects, rather than sticking on the targets hit it should instead bounce off and bounce around on the floor while the target hit gets staggered or even knocked down themselves.

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Can’t speak for others but at least for my playstyle this would be a welcome change. I rarely use the quick throw against anything other than monsters. If the weapon were to get buffed to a level where it’s a viable sidegrade compared to other ranged options I’d probably forgo said attacks altogether. Having a swift melee strike as primary would definitely open up more loadout options. (Dual hammers + Throwing Ax yasss)

About the merging of 1h axe and throwing axe though, maybe not. I think they should remain their own distinct weapons. One could argue, based on their visual design, that the rounded and awkwardly heavy throwing axe is less effective in cleaving flesh than it’s narrow-bladed cousin, which easily concentrates force onto a small area. Perhaps our devs could use 1h axe as a template for the melee attacks, but juggle the armor piercing and crit chance numbers a bit in favor of the original.

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I’d rather see them do something different than doubling as an impromptu melee weapon. I mean… I love the javelin, and the throwing axes are quite a bit lackluster in comparison, but 1h axe isn’t exactly spear to begin with. I fear it would be nothing but a gimmick without much practical use.

There are two things that I would like to see on throwing axes to give them a distinct profile and make use of their mechanics, which are quite a bit different from javelin:

  1. Being able to double throw: weapon special should give you the ability to throw two axes at once at reduced range and accuracy, giving your an option for a harder hitting alpha strike at the cost of effective range and hitting heads. Ideal to unload on bosses or to guarantee a quick kill on a special in close range, and not additional cleave from charged throw means you can’t use it as well for horde clearing.
  2. Have axes inflict bleeding damage as long as they stick.
    This is something I would absolutely LOVE to see, as it not only caters to the fact how the axes work (as in: There is a “limited amount” of axes in play at any given time and the ones stuck in your enemies are the ones that return to you when “reloading”), it would give the axes a whole new level of meta-game: Call your axes back to have them available to use against additional enemies and be ready in case of a special? Or keep all of some of them stuck to the boss and use it as a source for passive damage?

The damage doesn’t have to go overboard. Make it akin to Sienna’s permanent flame-thing (albeit let every axe inflict an additional tick of damage).

Bardin has almost no means of inflicting DoT, anyhow, apart from his drakefire weaponry. It would give TA a unique profile and would probably allow good builds for both RV and Slayer.

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I agree, I’d love a little more versatility in the axes as well. Nothing major but something that makes it a fun choice over a 3 shot with a medium reload.

maybe a multi target sweeps would set it’s utility apart from the spears and differ it from the other axes. rounding it off as a ranged weapon thats got a nice way to make breathing room to aim.

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I mean yeah axes are definitely different from spears, but they’re certainly not bad either and more importantly it gives flexibility the weapon lacks between its lengthy reload and more difficult firing arc.

Plus… it’s an axe. It’s comes to a point where suspension of disbelief is crossed when you’re carrying a weapon that is supposed to have dual purpose of being thrown and in close quarters can’t be used in melee just because the video game arbitrarily designated this as a ranged weapon. Heck Grudgerakers and Griffin Claws can be used to thwack an enemy in the face so it’s even sillier than a tomahawk can’t.

That being said…I really do like your bleed idea a lot. It sounds really cool and fun.

Or hell if the axes stuck on an enemy model becomes new “weakpoints” and hitting the axes grants headshot bonuses (like hitting a chisel embedded in a rock)

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it’s not terrible, i use it on slayer along with dual hammers to provide the pure AP that hammers lack. In that regard it is very good since if you’re at the very least “decent” you can hack your way through SV patrols with ease. It just doesn’t have any cleaving power whatsoever so you can’t depend on it during waves as much. But it does provide a nice spike to your damage when you need it. I think it would still be nice if it had a special attack that you can press and hold to throw the axe. Obviously you’d only get one throw but the reload mechanic is there to save you from having to go pick it up. It would still serve its role as an quick spike in AP damage but it allows you to reach that medium-longer ranges in order to stagger things like warpfire throwers or ratling guns long enough for you to close the distance.

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Elven Spear and 1h axe serve different roles. I’ve shared my gripes with elven spear before (mainly that you can’t stagger things with a 2 handed spear but can with a spear and shield?). Its AP is limited to headshots mainly so unless you’re hitting those you’re going to lack a lot of AP damage with elven spear, unlike the axe which is just pure AP with no cleave and a moderate stagger, just enough to engage a few elites but not enough to engage a wave. Spear is kind of opposite, it’s good at dealing with the wave spear shade was a thing and still might be with the stacking headshot buff since spear relies on it so heavily it compliments her playstyle in that way well, but against a group of elites you’re pretty much donezo unless you can really nail your headshots because your push attack on spear is crap against elites in comparison to the dwarven 1h axe.