Hello all, Im back from a long abscense and always played casters, so im a complete noob about how weapon stats work now and advice on wich weapon should i get for my new monk, he is 50 now. Btw english is not my primary language so forgive my writting. Right now im wielding: Wavetrasher --> http://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?item=79927 Tideslasher --> http://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?item=71667 Bought them in bazaar a few days ago when my monk was level 30 for a coupple hundred plats so i guessed that while the proc doesnt works, the damage is decent, also the hp buff on them doesnt affects me. After that i got told those might be pet weapons but they wont dissapier when i log so i kept them. I tested using other weapons but my damage was noticiable lower. 1- Are they good for starters or should i remplace them asap as there are other better options? 2- How damage is measured? For example wavethrasher has damage 12 + 7 cold damage + 25 bonus damage = 44 ??... and the backstab damage applies too if my merc is tanking? 3- Wich options you suggest to remplace these? Thanks in advance! Sebr
Only Rogues get Backstab DMG when they use their Backstab skill (similar to dragon punch, tail swipe, etc. on Monks; a skill you have to press). Best to compare damage divided by delay. Elemental damage is usually only 1/4 or so effective since it gets resisted pretty often. Bane damage you can figure full amount, only if you're killing the bane type mob. Killing anything else gets no effect from the bane damage. Hand to Hand or Martial without any weapons is often considered a good or even the best choice until 50s or maybe 65. But I don't know what the ratio is. You can search http://monkly-business.net/ They should list it there somewhere for various levels. Otherwise the list at http://everquest.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=1&mid=1296673084309083686&h=50 is a descent list of twinkish weapons that you can skill up on. At lower levels (20 and lower) there's a severe damage cap, so super high dmg may not seem as good as they would post level 20. With Str buffed over 150 though, you'll at least match the weapons dmg rating if not more, due to the Str over cap bonus. 2Hers don't seem capped nearly as badly as 1Hers, which is 20dmg with 100 or lower strength below level 20. Despite that, I still liked the Adamantite Club as I did 25 and maybe higher dmg with 150+ str at low levels. I'm surprised you can equip those with the Race: None which is why they're claimed to be Pet weapons. Pet weapons are Race: None. Oh, without AAs, the simple 2Her to 1Her comparison, is 2Her ratio compared to Primary 1Her ratio + 1/2 Secondery 1Her ratio. With AAs, may change this comparison, but if you do a parse with 1Hers and a 2Her, you'll be able to tell by how much you need to adjust for the comparison to compare other weapons you don't have yet. As a Ranger, I found the ratio stayed about the same as long as AAs were maxed for dual-wielding and 2Hers equally at least to the 70s. Haven't really parsed since 80 to be sure. Hope this helps some. Yther Ore.
I usually ignore everything except for damage, delay, and proc when looking at which weapon is better. Primarily, go with damage/delay to get your ratio. If one weapon has a particularly good proc on it, you can consider it a tiebreaker for ratios that are close (procs tend to be a little more useful at lower levels). Without a proc, and for ratios that are really close, go with the weapon with less delay. At lvl 50, a Tranquil Staff is pretty nice (from lvl 50-55, the proc stuns enemies very nicely), but in general I try to stick to one handed weapons.
I would highly doubt those weapons are even doing anything for you. Try equiping no weapons at all and see if you do comparable damage. At very early levels monk bare fists can beat some weapons you might have tested with. You should be able to find some type of Defiant hand 2 hand weapons (martial) that can surpass punching with no weapons though. Those 2 weapons you linked are most definitely just pet weapons so I would be shocked if they are even working. At any rate, as has been said, the backstab damage means nothing to you as a Monk. That is purely for Rogues. They are the only class that will use that stat. As far as replacements... Defiant is definitely the easiest option and should be plentiful in the bazaar. You may even get it to drop for you as you progress in levels.
I'll be another one to say I'd be shocked if you're truly using those weapons. When you equip them, do they have a yellow background in your equipment UI? If so, that means they are displaying graphically, but give no benefit at all. So like Symbius said, you'll just be punching as you would with no weapons, and for a monk unlike other classes, that still isn't all that bad. Are you seeing "You punch..." in the combat log, and H2H skill raising while using those? Symbius recommendations are all good for real weapons. Defiant stuff until about level 65, then take a look for Dawnlight Fistwraps, and then at 70 you can look for a weapon called Barrelbreaker, 1HB that is very good and pretty cheap usually.
Copied from Wycca's post at http://www.monkly-business.net/forums/showpost.php?p=207148&postcount=32 Code: Lvl Skill Dmg Dly 005 00034 005 037 010 00064 007 035 015 00094 009 034 020 00124 011 033 025 00150 013 031 030 00175 014 030 035 00200 016 029 040 00220 017 028 045 00240 019 027 050 00260 020 026 055 00280 021 025 060 00295 022 024 065 00310 023 024 070 00325 024 023 075 00335 025 023 080 00345 026 022 Comparative examples at 65, Epic 1.5 21/18; Dawnlight Fistwraps 21/20 (at 65). Also note that Wycca points out that damage is based on skill level. Yther Ore.
2hb was also a valid and sometimes better option than the 1h weapons as well at lower levels. the Tranquil Staff I mentioned kills the bare fists at 55 without the proc, but the proc is sweet sexiness with the damage and long stun.
Just be clear, since I snipped the table, that went into game around SoF and including a forced 280 (unless your's is higher) on epic 1.0s to make it more viable as option at the levels it was designed for. Here looks like an older list along with other skills at http://www.monkly-business.net/index.php?pageid=abilities -- looks like used to be 15/20 for 65. The entire post is a good read about it. Yther Ore.
