Guild Wars 2

Rending Claws – Aftercast of this ability has been reduced by 0.25s. Meaning that you can activate new ability or repeat Rending Claws at a much faster rate than before.

Ghastly Claws – Damage increased by 10%

Can some one please explain what the after cast will do to the axe auto attack? How much of a damage increase will it mean for Rending Claws if any?

Ghastly Claws animation made it very east to dodge, will the 10% damage increase make it any more useful?

Also is there suppose to be a change to the animations of these attacks? and what impact do you think it will have on the axe?

I know dagger is a better weapon in power builds, but I have always liked axe better since it is a ranged weapon.

Mexamese.5163:

Can some one please explain what the after cast will do to the axe auto attack? How much of a damage increase will it mean for Rending Claws if any?

One might think that “about 0.25 sec” means that the auto attack will make each repetition faster by that amount.
However, I tried to time the demonstration in the video and the current auto attack:
They did 6 attack chains which took about 6 seconds. Currently you can do it in ~7 sec.
So apparently -0.25 really means -0.17.

How much more damage does this mean? Nothing.
Why? Because no one will repeat that many axe auto attacks in either PvP or PvE.
It might make you a little faster overall because you can queue up other skills more quickly.

Mexamese.5163:

will the 10% damage increase make it any more useful?

Yes.

Mexamese.5163:

Also is there suppose to be a change to the animations of these attacks? and what impact do you think it will have on the axe?

Animations will be the same.

As an axe user for almost 2 years now, this should hopefully mean that… it’s hard for me to explain, lol. Sometimes ghastly claws will not activate for ~0.5s or so after using rending claws in the midst of combat – it’s not easy to repeat. That’s pretty huge because it totally throws off your combos.

I was never really sure why it did that until now because of them showing the new rending claws, reason being the aftercast on rending claws.

Rending claws is something you basically do in between combos to keep pressure up because you never want them to dodge ghastly claws. This change should allow for rending claws pressure -> opponent dodges or whatever else -> you ghastly claws when you need it.

Thanks Guys! I just have been working on a cool build and I wanted to know whether to go dagger or ax after the patch. I still like ax just wished the animation for ghastly claw was so insert word here that makes sense because people always dodge it. Maybe ill share it one day and get some of your info on it!

The most viable axe build will still be DS centerd. For PvE the dagger cleave makes the axe pretty obsolete i guess.
Overall its a nice PvP buff.

The build I am working on is more WvW oriented. although I agree that axe and DS go hand in hand, I have been working on something else and I hope it works.

Screw it i’ll post it. LOL.
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fRAQNAndWjc0UTbLN22whjiaBR2i1gMRgo6Q3cA-TlCBABbpsSLlK9pP4q9HQTJYDHCAJeCAAcCAsU9gMVxhUAXsMC-w

I wonder how much crap I’ll get for posting my build. lol

i tryed axe over staff this week, giving me a 2nd damaging weapon set to open, while getting a bit more LF and not needing soul marks trait.

It works in hotjoin.

Its still terrible in any level of tpvp.

Edit:
I see it great in wvw zergs, and also good for wvw roamint. though i must say its more wvw roamers are dodging less than needing the open field range.

^^^ LOL. not using it in PvP though! but thanks for the feedback!

Flumek.9043:

Its still terrible in any level of tpvp.

Not true.

Yes true.
15…..

Depends on your build. Staff is an awful weapon for builds that are able to actually make use of axe’s extra damage, and don’t need the ranged utility staff brings. I haven’t used staff since Putrid Mark was gutted, and I’ve reached top 20 in yoloQ.

Haha you guys are funny. the build I posted is WvW! not PvP lol

Right now, pre patch, Axe is in sorry shape.

It’s a direct damage weapon with some of the worst DPS in the game (vulnerability is just a boost to direct damage all said and done).

Ever since the changes to sigils, Axe does less damage in death shroud than Staff, even Traited with Axe mastery (DS 1 does the same damage, but DS 4 and 5, based on the offhand, do less).

Many Pvp power/wells users have been using staff instead of axe, even though staff is a condition weapon, with scepter or dagger as the offhand swap. Scepter offers a sweet cripple field and poison on auto attack (poison doesn’t need condition damage stat to nerf healing).

After the patch, Axe DPS is up slightly but, even traited, still isn’t on par with staff for death shroud builds. Axe still has the vulnerability stripping, #2 ranged spike, and utility #3. Does this allow it to keep pace with daggers, which can now hit invisible thieves?

We’ll see.

I think the changes to axe make it more desirable in pvp, especially depending on what classes you’re up against.

Also you could always hit thieves in stealth with dagger. Cleave doesn’t really change that. It is a nice change for downed state people though, as is the death shroud change (obviously).

Axe #1 could use range boost to 900 and it would be better.

Overall, small tweaks, but nothing gamechanging. People who already use Axe get something more, people who can’t use or don’t like this weapon will shrug and ignore it same as before.

Bhawb.7408:

Depends on your build. Staff is an awful weapon for builds that are able to actually make use of axe’s extra damage, and don’t need the ranged utility staff brings. I haven’t used staff since Putrid Mark was gutted, and I’ve reached top 20 in yoloQ.

YoloQ ranking doesn’t really mean anything, but for what it’s worth I use both staff and axe and I’ve been in the top 20 as well.

Rym.1469:

People who already use Axe get something more, people who can’t use or don’t like this weapon will shrug and ignore it same as before.

Correct.

Mexamese.5163:

I wonder how much crap I’ll get for posting my build. lol

That build looks good actually.
I’d probably go for Unyielding Blast instead of Vital Persistance. And as soon as you’re not with a zerg I’d drop Focused Rituals for Weakening Shroud.

Thanks Flow! I have been working on it for a while now. I was actually thinking the same thing as you! I think 5 in death Is just ridiculous to pass up on, and I’m getting very nice crit hits and damage while in battle.

In that build i’d want retaliation on death shroud.

I always liked necro axe tho it was always little underpowered… hopefully that will change some day..

I would rather have had the axe #2 skill sped up considerably even if it received a damage nerf.

99% of the time you are never going to land a full chain in WvW – been running axe/power build forever and getting a full chain to land is like haley’s comet passing the earth..

Axe 2 should have had its cast time cut
Axe 1 should have had a damage increase and a small aoe around your target

Rather disappointed with the lack of changes for necro

Rym.1469:

Axe #1 could use range boost to 900 and it would be better.

Overall, small tweaks, but nothing gamechanging. People who already use Axe get something more, people who can’t use or don’t like this weapon will shrug and ignore it same as before.

they need to just make axe melee since thats where they really want us anyway.

Lightsbane.9012:

Rym.1469:

Axe #1 could use range boost to 900 and it would be better.

Overall, small tweaks, but nothing gamechanging. People who already use Axe get something more, people who can’t use or don’t like this weapon will shrug and ignore it same as before.

they need to just make axe melee since thats where they really want us anyway.

I’d actually prefer a melee Axe with higher damage. I want the axe #3 skill, but I use dagger instead for the auto chain damage.