Armor Ignore and Weapon Damage Types

[Obsidian]

To enhance or not enhance, that is the question...

Ok here goes the details: I need your advice before I make a serious blunder with my weapon. I want to chain AI on Navrey with a War Axe. I adjusted my sampires suit to fit 40 LMC and I have over 300 of the key skill points to get the full weapon specials mana reduction. So each AI should only cost me 12 mana.

I read that AI hits for physical damage. So here is my question... would I make a huge mistake if I used a bronze weapon for this (40% Fire & 60% Physical) instead of a standard iron weapon? I usually use bronze weapons for Navrey because fire is his weakest resist. But if I'm chaining AI and a bronze weapon reduces my potential damage output then I don't want to do that. Just looking for advice before I enhance with bronze or not. Thanks!

-OBSIDIAN-

P.S. I am aware that Navrey will eventually run out of mana to leech. When that happens, I'll just switch to my diamond mace and use Lightning Strike as I usually do.

 

[Stupid Miner]

To enhance or not enhance, that is the question...

Ok here goes the details: I need your advice before I make a serious blunder with my weapon. I want to chain AI on Navrey with a War Axe. I adjusted my sampires suit to fit 40 LMC and I have over 300 of the key skill points to get the full weapon specials mana reduction. So each AI should only cost me 12 mana.

I read that AI hits for physical damage. So here is my question... would I make a huge mistake if I used a bronze weapon for this (40% Fire & 60% Physical) instead of a standard iron weapon? I usually use bronze weapons for Navrey because fire is his weakest resist. But if I'm chaining AI and a bronze weapon reduces my potential damage output then I don't want to do that. Just looking for advice before I enhance with bronze or not. Thanks!

-OBSIDIAN-

P.S. I am aware that Navrey will eventually run out of mana to leech. When that happens, I'll just switch to my diamond mace and use Lightning Strike as I usually do.

AI hits for Direct Damage. Has nothing to do with the elemental type.

 

[Lord GOD(GOD)]

Consecrate Weapon makes the weapon hit 100% in the targets weakest resist.

Also, the Hit Mana Leech property on weapons doesn't depend on the target having mana, only the drain from Wraith Form does that (although there are some recently added weapons with Hit Mana Drain & Hit Fatigue). Hit Leech properties convert damage into hp/stam/mana.

 

[eurin]

I had made an imbued bronze new leaf blade yesterday before the same thought occurred to me. I've had it hit for 3x the max listed in the status window, so like Stupid Miner said, it is direct damage. I'm glad I don't have to remake it 100% physical.

Speaking of 100% physical, what do you guys think of the newly craftable Black Staff as a whirlwind weapon choice?

 

[Obsidian]

Great! I am glad it is direct damage and not physical. I'll give this a shot and see if I like it better than my normal technique.

Good reminder on HML vs Wraith mana leech. I got that one confused.

-OBSIDIAN-

 

[[JD]]

Speaking of 100% physical, what do you guys think of the newly craftable Black Staff as a whirlwind weapon choice?

My sampire is a macer and I have been using black staves for a while. Very happy with it imo.

The great allure of the black staff is that it does such high DPS (42) yet is a FAST weapon so it needs barely any SSI on it, leaving more intensity available to jack up other mods.

Yes there are other whirlwind weaps which will do slightly more dmg, like the double axe. It'll go to 46+ DPS, but it's much slower, and as such requires a heavier investment in SSI & STA to accelerate to CAP.

As such it will cost you more (120 swords is expensive), you will need higher SSI & STA on your suit.

So the question becomes just how much do you want to spend to get up and going. I went the black staff route because it was inexpensive and easy to setup.

Check the #s out for yourself at the link below. Plug in 150 STA, 180 STA, 30 SSI, 20 SSI... mix it up and find the best weaps for you

http://uo.stratics.com/content/arms-armor/arms.php

 

[eurin]

Hmm, I'll give a black staff a whirl. I play on siege, so I can't really run around with SSI rings, armor, or clothing, which eliminates the slower axes.

 

[Obsidian]

I use a npc purchased and fortified/imbued black staff for arachnid spawns. I haven't worked on it yet, but I plan to make a new exceptional one. I'll eventually play around with enhancing using ash to push the SSI even higher. So yes, black staffs are great macing weapons for spawns or where you can whirlwind multiple foes. Definitely beats using a UBWS whirlwind weapon. You just loose too much imbuing intensity adding UBWS.

-OBSIDIAN-

 

[Obsidian]

I wanted to add a follow-up. I finished building my upgraded suit with 40 LMC. I'm now swinging the following War Axe:

Bronze War Axe (60 Phys/40 Fire)
57 HML
46 HSL
30 SSI
40 DI
Spider Slayer

My AI is hitting Navrey for about 140. My LS crits are for about 160. Normal hit is ~60. With this setup, I am able to chain AI 3-5 times in a row (dependent on HML going off) and then LS once or twice then more AIs. My damage output has doubled compared to just using a diamond mace and using LS (with crit hits about 1 in 6). Because of the consistent high damage hits, my vampire form life leech has been enhanced. So far I am very happy.

-OBSIDIAN-