GS Over Hammer?
Lets do a quick break down of the abilities:
Hammer:
- More symbols over time with auto attack chain
- More frequent AE burst damage with Mighty Blow
- Long range immobilize for “potentially” multiple targets
- Fairly fast refresh rate for knockback/control
- Area control with Ring of Warding
Negatives of the above abilities are:
- Auto chain to get symbol is predictable, weak as burst damage, and while the boon reduces damage taken it does not stay up long especially in a mobile fight. Any other actions besides auto attack delay the much needed defensive boon causing you to take even longer to gain the benefits (such as utilizing any other skill on your bar or having to move in and out of combat)
- Supporting to previous bullet, Mighty Blow interrupts your much needed defensive boon, causing even more damage taken. Although it does provide retaliation which contributes well to a defensive play style if you have protection up and doing “thorns damage”
- The only problem with our immobilize (zealot’s embrace) I feel is that it is slow and easy to be dodged, especially at longer ranges. This does work well to a knocked back target though.
- Banish is great as a knock back and is ready fairly frequently, but it is limited to a single target and it is a very slow ability that is often predicted and avoided.
- Ring of Warding again is a great ability but is slow to cast and not mobile. There are ways around the speed of it such as control abilities like knock downs or immobilizes, or even teleports, but this causes more utilities to be dedicated for one ability.
Greatsword
- Fast AE auto attack chain (more for damage than defense). Provides boon on auto attack like Hammer but gives might.
- Good AE damage on a fairly quick cool down, but again offensive based rather than defensive.
- AE blind and leap finisher that provides a longer duration retaliation versus blast finishers. This is great in stopping damage from multiple targets.
- On demand symbol placement that provides even more retaliation. Albeit with a longer cool down.
- AE control via Binding Blades and Pull.
The negatives of the above abilities are:
- This weapon is primarily offensive oriented, which at first glance isn’t what you are trying to do as a bunker.
- There is a distinct lack of the protection boon, which again would assist in bunkering.
- Area control is harder to come by and more difficult to pull off as you would have to move off the point in order to “pull” the targets to you. (Although you are able to pull multiple targets versus banish’s single target).
In the end I think the reason why a lot of people choose the Greatsword over the Hammer is because it is more dynamic with faster acting abilities.
AE blind can stop a lot of damage and buy you more time, versus protection which stops as soon as your auto chain is broken. In stationary PvE fights hammer performs really well since you can rely on your auto chain consistently landing and you will remain in the symbol to gain the full benefit, but the greatsword is a more mobile weapon with better “on demand” abilities.
This does not mean hammer can’t work, but it is all up to style and preference….and I think a lot of us have used hammer for so long some are looking for a change of paradigm. Even though I think hammer does provide better point control with the knock back and ring of warding.
I use GS simply because it looks better
Easy answer imo, gs has a lower skillcap to do well with. 4 out of five skills needs some sort of planning to execute on hammer. and they also do two very different things.
Imo there is no “versus” or “over”. They do different things and they do it very differently.
Easy answer imo, gs has a lower skillcap to do well with. 4 out of five skills needs some sort of planning to execute on hammer. and they also do two very different things.
Imo there is no “versus” or “over”. They do different things and they do it very differently.
this and CMFs round up
/closed