I have played sampire off and on since ML. I use blackstaff / hammerpick. Some questions / statements I see in the thread could use some clarification:
1) Hammerpick and longsword are the two best AI weapons in game - IF YOU JOUST. Reason is the slow swing speed. Slower swing speed, higher leeches can be imbued. Hammerpick tops out at 90% HLL and HML. HSL is always 50%.
Longsword tops at at 84% (if i remember right).
Jousting is the key. Toe to toe, you want faster wep, but much lower leech rate. If you think Jousting is slow, try this on. I ROUTINELY do no death rikktor spawns. Average time for all levels, from 3 skulls, is 1 hour. Average time to kill rikki is two EOO's (6 minutes). Solo, undiscorded.
I also do Stygian Dragon routinely, no death. Average time is 5 EOO's (15 minutes).
Whammies can do it faster with leafblade, but I like riding.
Several posters commented on AI and consecrate. There is no benefit given from consecrate. AI ignores ALL resistances. Consecrate channels damage to lowest resistance. It does nothing to increase damage.
Now, WW and hit area and consecrate. thats different. Hit area is affected by consecrate. In general, not a GOOD idea to rely on consecrate to fix poor hit area selection, but it can help in mixed spawn levels.
For damage increase: Honor, EOO, 100% DI, slayer, talisman killer property, Divine Fury.
I hit for 189 damage with AI (120 mace, 100 tac, 100 anat, 150 str).
Always joust with Counterattack. Counterattack is parry driven. Parry is calculated after defense chance. Divine fury lowers defense chance, thus more counter attacks landed.
For champion / peerless, I use blackstaff with hit area. Never have to use pots. Use divine fury for stamina. Counterattack or evade against level 3 & 4 spellcasters.
For boss, I use a hammerpick. Slayer, 90 HLL, 90 HML, 40DI, 50 HLA. I run 50%EP from ecru ring. Stam pots, divine fury, confidence, GH pots, life leech for healing. In a pinch, I run protection and cast close wounds. Swing speed is like 1.75 i think.
Will post a suit pic. From what I have seen on shard lately, everyone is using pretty much the woodland, imbued and enhanced with the forged tool. I have woodland legs, gloves, arms, gorger. mace and shields. and (dont laugh) bronzed valkyrie. I have lieutenant sash(thank you rikki), boots(thank you baracoon), factions crimson and talisman.
This lets me hit 150 dex / 150 str. Derived stats are 187 stamina, 148 HP, 76 mana.
With that mana pool, and 40 LMC, I can land 4 consecutive AI's. This usually keeps me good. I have found that lower mana = shorter AI chains. With current stats, i rarely dont leech enough.
I have tinker legs, and dont use them. I see that there is a thought that you can swing at 1.25 with hammer pick. You cant. Here, I would not mind being wrong though.