You have sited damage example on golems. Golems have set toughness values that are usually exceeded by players who wish to run a toughness build. So the damage values you are siting are not always the same values you will actually see in game. The golems are also conveniently situated on flat ground and don’t move.
Actual facts about greatsword are:
Skill 5-Rush- has a range of 1200 unites. If you use rush at 1000 units or greater it will always overshoot and miss. That means it’s actual usable range is 600-800 units. Any evade movement performed by the target once engaged causes the skill to still target the area the target last was, and then rubber band to where the target currently is, often resulting in missing again, even though it has entirely remained in range.
skill 4-blade trail- Exhibits behavior by flight of the crow. This often results that if your target moves to higher ground on an incline that it interprets the incline as a wall and blade trail will begin it’s return path prematurely even though the target is still in range.
Skill 3-whirlwind attack- In a game mode designed around nodes, WWA range movement is equal to the node size. This results in the player being taken in and out of capturing the node. As decap engineers have shown, the ability to defend or assault while remaining within the cap node area will result in you capturing it. Players that move in and out will eventually lose it. The skill itself strikes 4 times, however that is not to say it will strike a single target 4 times. At it’s maximum range WWA often carries a 50% miss rate, and on occasion when used at point blank range will still miss. Think of this like dropping an apple onto a helicopter blades while moving. It will probably get hit, but it is not guaranteed. The only time the skill definitely will strike 3, perhaps all 4 times is if you pin a target up against a solid object,..even then it is not guaranteed.
skill 2-100 blades- Unarguably one of the longest channelled skills paired with the most obvious animation. With reduction of damage delivered with the starting channel and only the final strike of the channel remaining unnerfed this is also arguably one of the most PvP unfriendly skills. It will soon be a case of only fools using it. It is long, self rooting, very obvious and doesn’t deliver much damage if you can’t ensure the full 3 second duration. Much the same as Barrage is being changed because the channel and self root versus the damage delivered and conditions suffered were considered underwhelming, 100B needed this consideration. This is not to say it is useless, but when a stun and/or knockdown and quickness are needed to deliver a skill that will most likely only strike for 7isk at best, well that’s a lot of investment for a non show stopping result. Arcing slice was always underwhelming and was deserved of a change. The increase damage it will soon do only justifies that with adrenaline nerfs it needed more. It does not justify that great sword as a whole needed overall damage reduction.
Great sword on paper looks good, but in reality with its long channels, self roots, obvious animations, inconsistent strike rate place it firmly as a weapon choice for those who like it, but not one for those who wish to Pvp at any sort of higher level. If you look at all the video’s of great sword in PvP, you can see it being used well, but often the best results come from opponent bad play (I.E Having no vigor and being within range of 100B and not being able to dodge now or by not evading bull’s charge or failing to use a stun break when being set up for a big hit.) Greats word just lacks a clean, fluid style. If it is not over shooting past your target, firing you out of the node or experiencing bugs..or simply just overtly telling the world “Don’t come near while this highly visible, ultra long channel is happening.” It needed real finesse changes, not adjustment to numbers and how it’s burst skill worked.
