Recently created a Shadowblade and the time to build a template is coming quickly. Before I do so, I would like to expand my knowledge on what exactly each skill does passively and over 50. I understand that specializing in a certain weapon skill line will increase the style damage in that specific weapon skill line. What I am unsure of is what else comes from specializing in these lines - what are the passive benefits...?

For the majority of the questions lets assume I am only using styles from Critical Strike spec line (I know many of you disagree but bear with me for the sake of research)

1) What exactly does the Left Axe skill line provide for you other than the obvious styles. We all agree the Left Axe stlyle damage benefits from it, Im curious as to what else comes from specializing in LA. Some people claim it increases base non-style damage while others have told me it increases your chance to hit in general and others have said that it only effects offhand damage. Do any of these claims hold any truth?

2) Additionally, will it effect me in ANY way if I ONLY use critical strike styles?

3) Very similar question to the first, only this pertains to the Axe and Sword spec lines. I have heard that it increases base damage and minimum damage when attacking regularly (Non style- attack). Are either of these claims true, or does it do something else?

4) Pretty much the same question except for Critical Strike. Does it affect anything other than critical strike style damage? In other words are there any passive benefits that come with training critical strike?

So in summary, what exactly does each weapon spec line do (All the Passive Benefits) and do these benefits affect only offhand or only mainhand or both?

5) Does over 50 stealth do anything at all? Or is it completely and utterly useless to go past 50? (Example: Rather than having composite 50 stealth, I could have composite 61 or 65.)

Would really appreciate some feedback from anyone who has some knowledge pertaining to these eluding questions..
Thank you in advance.

1) Weapon styles only grant you a style damage benefit when that style is used. So if you had high LA and only used CS or you had 0 LA, the upper damage would be the same. However, i'm unsure as to whether having spec in LA would increase the minimum damage, as it does with Axe/Sword spec.

2) Only using Critical Strike wont adversely affect you. Some people prefer to only use Crit Strike because it has the highest growth rates of all the SB styles. Others prefer high LA for that ShadowZerk style and others still prefer the 5-Spec with Viper.

3) So does increasing your Sword style affect your non-styled swings? i wouldn't have thought so because as it implies, you are only going to increase the minimum and maximum style damage when you increase a weapon spec line.

4) No additional benefit other than the more you put in the more max damage goes up 9 damage per 1 point of CS or something like that.

5) going over 50 stealth does nothing as you only need composite. So you'd best spec for 35-36 Stealth and template/RR the rest up to 50.

Appreciate the response, very helpful.
I am still unsure of a few things. Let me present a scenario: I am level 50 with all my points ready to spend. I plan to only use CS styles lets say. For this particular build and playstyle - why should I spec into sword/axe or LA at all? Will they effect my offhand damages at all or anything of the sort? Many people recommend training sword or axe along with Left Axe even though I state that I wont be using any of those styles. When I confront them with the question why, I recieve a variety of different uncertain answers or a confused response.

Additionally something that came to mind.. You mentioned damage will increase with each point spent into CS. Does this bonus damage only apply to CS styles? Also, will i still recieve these bonuses to damage when I have points beyond 50?

Spec viper3,switch poisoned swords/axes each swing and you are winner.

gnarnuts wrote:Appreciate the response, very helpful.
I am still unsure of a few things. Let me present a scenario: I am level 50 with all my points ready to spend. I plan to only use CS styles lets say. For this particular build and playstyle - why should I spec into sword/axe or LA at all? Will they effect my offhand damages at all or anything of the sort? Many people recommend training sword or axe along with Left Axe even though I state that I wont be using any of those styles. When I confront them with the question why, I recieve a variety of different uncertain answers or a confused response.

Additionally something that came to mind.. You mentioned damage will increase with each point spent into CS. Does this bonus damage only apply to CS styles? Also, will i still recieve these bonuses to damage when I have points beyond 50?

Putting points into you base weapon spec line helps to reduce the variance received when using that weapon type. So if you are going to use swords, put points into Sword to reduce the variance or lower 'damage threshold' of the style you are using. If you swing using a CS style, the maximum damage you can attain using that style, is based off the Composite Spec of that style line.

However, the minimum damage you will do is determined by the composite spec of the weapon 'type' line.

Therefore you swing a CS style and both weapons hit;

If you spec composite 50CS and composite 50 LA/Axe would do for example 120-200 damage main hand and 60% of that for off-hand.

If you spec composite 35CS and composite 35 LA/Axe you would do 80-150 Main hand and 60% of that for off hand.

** numbers are fictional values for representation only.

As you see, if you are going to spec CS, you should probably do teh following:

at RR5
44 CS - +11 from temp and +4 from RR to total 59 CS <-- increase max damage
35 Sth - +15 as above (must have either 49 or 50 composite stealth or don't bother at all)

rest is optional but you might want to look at

24 Sw/Ax - to raise minimum damage and therefore reduce variance
35 Env - Use the current Viper3/Lifebane combo
39 LA - if you miss your PA/CD stun combo then you have enough points into LA to use the Comeback/Frosty stun combo.

Others would just suggest you do the following at RR5

35 Stlh
35 Env
35 Axe/Sword
35 LA
39 CS

or

39 Axe/Sword
50 LA
35 Stlth
35 Env

the choices are endless really

Just choose whatever reflects your play style.

First of all, you always do "unstyle damage". And a "damage bonus from style" is added when you use a style.

If you are using 2 weapons, a damage reduction is applied to both weapon (but both swing at every round)
Damage are 60% + [LA Spec] * 0.25 of normal damage of weapon (the damage you would have if you use this weapon in main hand without any weapon in left hand).

CS doesn't increase "max" damage. It increases only damage bonus of style.

Weapon spec increases
- damage done by style of this line (but you should use CS or LA styles)
- overall unstyled damage part untill you reach the "target level +1" with the spec

Damage done by a LA style using a sword in main hand, will be increased :
- by sword spec until you reach a 51 composite spec (base + bonus SC + bonus RR)
- by every point in LA spec (style bonus and LA penalty)
-> 4 specs needed (with poison/stealth)

Damage done by a CS style using a sword in main hand, will be increased :
- by sword spec until you reach a 51 composite spec (base + bonus SC + bonus RR)
- by every point in CS spec (style bonus)
- by every point in LA spec (LA penalty)
-> 5 specs needed (with poison/stealth)

Keep in mind that having only 40 to 45 composite weapon spec is not a huge reduction of damage.

How much damage does viper 3 lifebane tick for against 26% resists?

Without power relics 120, with them around 126-132 I believe.

u can take my template which u find in the template section. pretty cheap and still competitive.

One thing to consider aswell is that on uthgard, weaponskill doesn't effect defense penetration correctly.. So going composite axe/sword isn't necessarily a huge bump if you're going to be using CS or LA styles.

Wow, thanks for that input. I have always dreamt of being able to use both slash and slash ! Uthgard makes it possible !!

It's soooo better than just slash.

Uvea wrote:Wow, thanks for that input. I have always dreamt of being able to use both slash and slash ! Uthgard makes it possible !!

It's soooo better than just slash.

Your attempt to troll was a huge fail which made you look moronic. IF you weren't a baddie, you would realize going lower main hand and upping LA would be beneficial. Continue on people, the peanut gallery can be ignored.

Ieall wrote:Your attempt to troll was a huge fail which made you look moronic. IF you weren't a baddie, you would realize going lower main hand and upping LA would be beneficial. Continue on people, the peanut gallery can be ignored.

I am afraid that you are the troll sir. My post was a reference to an old vnboard post that was extremely funny in the old days - and obviously you haven't read it.

gnarnuts wrote:How much damage does viper 3 lifebane tick for against 26% resists?

and poisons are bugged,dont have decreased duration while target have high resist.
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