On the Subject of Axes...

[Roryn]

I've been using a lot of different weapons lately in the arena, and I'm thinking that the one-handed axes aren't as powerful as they could be.

To compare the novice battle-axe to the novice short-sword, they're very, very similar in length, and seem to do similar damage... Well, of course the sword has higher slashing damage and the axe has higher impact damage. I'm aware that impact damage multiplies other types of damage, but against even moderately armoured opponents, hacking with the axe doesn't do enough damage; it's much more damaging to slash with the short sword.

So I remembered what Madoc said in one of the threads about slashing damage -- about it having two separate components of slashing and hacking, and then I thought that it might be good to split these damage types up. As it stands right now, hacking with the sword does as much or possibly more damage than hacking with the axe, due to its higher balance, but if there was a separate hacking component to weapons it would make it possible to lower the hacking damage of something like the short sword to almost nil, and make it much, much less effective against armour, which I imagine it should be, and simultaneously raising the axe's worth against armour.

Also, when shields are redone, indicators of a weapon's hacking damage would be a good way to show their effectiveness against shields.

I'm not even sure that many people use 1h axes in combat (we'll see in the poll, hopefully. Maybe there's lots), though I can see their merit in that they're able to hit opponents' heads more easily or get around a block to hit someone's shoulder or arm more easily than a sword. What do we think?

 

[C0rvin]

I personally am a user of Swords and Maces. Although I'd like to try a sword-axe combo once the next update releases. Might make an interesting playstyle.

 

[Kyrinael]

I've been testing different one-handed weapons today in the arena mode and I find the axes being the most challenging to use. I find myself easily landing great and clean blows with swords and maces but with axes I seem to have the most difficulties. Of course, I only bought the game about a week ago and I still have ways to go to learn a smooth style with one-handed weapons to fight but this is what I've noticed after twenty hours of playing.

As far as I am concerned, the axes pack a great punch but require a bit more skill and coordination to use. Same applies to two-handed axes in my case at least. When opponent is wearing heavier armour, it seems to me that axes and swords do pretty much the same amount of damage.

 

[Roryn]

It seems like axes right now are sort of a mix of the qualities of maces and swords, but they don't perform well enough to outclass either one in, I think, most scenarios.

 

[CandleStickZombie]

Recently I have been useing the longer hand axe and I have had success. It's harder to use mainly because of two things,

One: you have to land the blow with the axe head. This was difficult at first because I had been useing a sword, which does damage no matter where you land it. Once I got good at timing, getting around blocks and shields is a lot easyer than with a sword.

Two: sometimes the axe head turns. This ether cancels cut damage or reduces it. The turning is actally realistic but it shouldn't happen as much as it does. If it lands full, it does great damage.

I will say, as fun as it is to use, it isn't nearly as powerful as the falchion I had been useing. I think they need a little bit of work definitely.

 

[Fawz]

The only Axe I've found a use for is the big two handed one, but there are a bunch of similarly effective weapons so it doesn't stand out much. Once we get the ability to pull back the weapon to hock the enemy and trip him up I expect axes will become a lot more viable than they currently are.