Guild Wars 2

The Trait description states that Axe damage is increased by no amount mentioned, it continues to say that Axe CD is reduced by 20%.

Any idea how much Axe damage is increased by and if it applies to 1, 2 and 3?

Lastly, a fully taited Staff Vs a fully traited Axe, are the near in DPS or not? Seems the staff out damages the Axe (in a power build).

according to wiki, it’s 15%.

and it applies to all 3 axe-skills, just like the cooldown reduction.

i usually dont take it, cause it doesnt do anything to the wells’ damage and, as i thought, the DS-damage.
but i read somewhere here in the forums that it increases DS-damage aswell, when you have the axe equipped.

Just tested it with a steady weapon in the mists and the trait adds 15% dmg. This also applies to Life Blast

to kill the big testing golem it took me approx.:

-8s with dagger#1
-15s with axe#1 , 13s if using axe#2 twice
-25s with staff#1 , 16s with staff#2 thrown in also

But those are just ideal tests. If ur enemy cleanses, then staff falls waaay back in dmg.
It also “requires” 10traits for greater marks. its more a defensive utility weapon.

I did some world tests and found that our weapons work best when using both sets, so:

Which two sets kill the fastest? Use all abilities, switch and use all abilities?

I really wish Axe Training was at 20 points just like the Warrior’s Axe training.

It’s one thing that has always bugged me.

It’s hard enough to squeeze damage out of the wet rag…. 30 points in that line is must-have.

Cempa.5619:

I did some world tests and found that our weapons work best when using both sets, so:

Which two sets kill the fastest? Use all abilities, switch and use all abilities?

No need to test. Run a power build, hit Focus #4 as you are getting close and Spam Dagger #1. By far the highest DPS available to necro and swapping to another set only reduces it. That said, it is very hard to stay on a target since your mobility is poop.

If you are running conditions, then Scepter is the fastest killer, but initiating an encounter with Marks from staff, then swapping will marginally improve kill speed due to the quick application of conditions while closing in. Under no circumstance that I can think of will Staff or Axe outclass dagger and scepter. Attack speeds and base damage on axe and staff are just too bad (not to mention that Staff #1 is dreadfully slow moving and prone to miss).

Actually if you are running conditions the fastest kill is using scepter/dagger and DS along with terror, you can burst 15 bleeds onto someone and then fear them.

Cempa.5619:

I did some world tests and found that our weapons work best when using both sets, so:

Which two sets kill the fastest? Use all abilities, switch and use all abilities?

If all you care about is raw killing speed, it’s dagger autoattack spam. Don’t switch to anything else, just dagger autoattack spam away. Even lifeblast or lich form are lower DPS then dagger autoattack spam.

It’s really boring though.

That’s a lie. My Lich form in berserker is easily critting for 5.5-6k damage, and it pierces.

Dagger spam at best crits for 3k on the last chain, and the first 2 attacks are usually on the 700-1200 scale. The whole chain is about 4k damage in good circumstances and takes a bit longer than lich form auto, is restricted to melee, and doesn’t even pierce or cleave. (All these numbers don’t consider BiP or signet).

People are saying necro dagger is great, but thief dagger is just the same. The difference is the thief has backstab and he can take that burst anywhere instead of praying that his target stays in a 40 sec cd well.

If you’re playing dagger necro you might as well get used to dying anyways. You’re wet tissue like a thief or mesmer, without the mobility or spike. All you have is high sustained single target damage.

I just tested in the mists, and dagger slightly out-damages lich form’s autoattack (by like 10% – 15% or so)…. except lich form gives you 916 precision which raises your crit chance by something like 41% which makes it… more complicated. However lich form will usually win unless you’ve got a very high crit rate already (or are attacking something you can’t crit against)

So my statement was half correct, I admit that in most situations lich form will somewhat outdamage dagger autoattack (though flesh golem + dagger will probably beat lich but I guess that’s a whole different matter)

Dagger #1 is great DPS?… Oh yeah, look at my face beloved mob.

Dagger is strong, but too much risk, Axe + Life blasts all the way.

Axe 2 can do some amazing things with Fury on, Vulnerability on the enemy + a few might stacks (mostly BiP, but if in party with a Staff guardian…) with a really short cooldown. + LF generation..

Bhawb.7408:

Actually if you are running conditions the fastest kill is using scepter/dagger and DS along with terror, you can burst 15 bleeds onto someone and then fear them.

Then I suppose I’ve been doing it right all along. I let enemies walk into my marks for initial conditions, then swap to scepter+dagger, along with deathshroud and terror, with increased fear duration. I also traited so my deathshroud skills recharge faster, so I can swap in and out of deathshroud more often.

Then sometimes I swap back to staff, to place a mark of fear. Rince and repeat.

Axe was buffed by the dev’s last fall but it is still primarily a vulnerability-stacking weapon; i.e., a conition delivery tool like all of Necromancer’s weapons.

Also, note that the shorter the weapon’s range, the higher the #1 skill’s dps (generally). It is a risk versus reward design. Personally, I like scepter in PvE because I can run all over the place and not miss while auto-stacking conditions but dagger rips through trash mobs fast. If you do not have many points in precision but do in power, then axe/focus makes more sense along with dagger/war horn. Weapons synergize with your build, or are penalized by it.