Jark

I don't think that weapon delay should have any impact on flurry damage, since the flurry proc is almost always up (even with slower weapons). While it's true that you will get fewer flurries over time with a slower weapon, they will hit much harder (assuming comparable damage ratings), and it should all average out (the same way that double attack shouldn't favor faster weapons).

You should, however, see more DPS from Fanatical Devotion with a faster weapon, since its damage is independent of the weapon's damage, and it is not always up. It's not going to be a big difference in your overall DPS, though (maybe 100, give or take?).

I have found that you can judge the melee DPS output of weapons simply by comparing their damage rating (min + max)/delay. It won't tell you how much more DPS one weapon will do than another, but it will generally tell you which one will do more melee DPS. That leaves you to compare the proc damage from each, which should be somewhat less of a factor now than it was in the past.

I haven't had a Thex Mallet to test, but I can say that Bonecrusher outperforms the hammer from WoE. I just got my dogwood staff, and haven't had a chance to compare them yet, but I'm pretty sure it should outperform Bonecrusher in most circumstances. From my experience comparing other weapons, I would hazard a guess that the dogwood staff should outperform the Thex mallet.

nyquist

This is true, but:
Actually, I think you're missing the point of a hit rate. A bad hit rate doesn't affect a slow weapon more that a fast weapon, it just makes you spike more in DPS. i.e. 80% hit rate is 80% on a fast or slow weapon...with a 2 sec. delay you will miss ~6 times/minute and with a 6 sec. delay you will miss ~2 times/min which will average out in the long run


Anyway, you want to keep your flurry buff up at all times. This is VERY important as it is a massive contributor to your DPS, and fanatical devotion is important too, as well as any other raw percentage procs you have (as opposed to procs/min which proc ~approximately~ the same no matter what weapon you have); making a fast weapon better if it has comparable damage attached to it. However, if you will not be straight melee/CAs and plan on casting anything during the fight, you might want to consider sticking with a slower weapon so that you can time your Autoattacks with spells in order to not lose ANY autoattack dps.

TBH it would be best to just grab a few weapons and try them out for yourself, because there are so many factors to consider especially your personal play style.

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-- nyquist --


(Downloadin' like a BOSS)

grahsa

it matters when trash mobs live for 30 seconds - faster delay + high crushing skill to get in hits while you can!

Calain

I love the dogwood staff for soloing, but while grouping or in a raid it's delay is to short so I use the Hammer out of WOE for those fights, as it allows me to refresh my reactive without loosing one auto attack swing. I would love to test bonecrusher, but it never dropped and I don't have time to lead purs through that zone.

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pagansaint

Ehhh I had Thex, Lava Wrought and the Dog Wood. Depends on how much haste and hit rate you have.

With high, near cap or capped Haste, the Lava Wrought won for me on anything I could attain 95%+ hit rate on consistently. Can't really beat 70-80k+ in one auto attack round a couple times a fight. (Strength/DPS mod dependant, DPS shows more pronounced changes with higher base top end.)

Though for anything where I was getting less than 120-150 haste mod I would use the Dog Wood. Especially if the hit rate is lower than 95%. Not as much damage potential but many more attacks in the same amount of time.

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Elucard

For me the weapon choice comes down to what I'm doing. If I'm "dps'ing" in a fast xp/dungeon group where I'm also supposed to heal I go wtih a longer delay weapon since I can actually get a heal off while I wait for the auto attack timer. Also if I'm soloing the extra time to cast heals helps.

But if I'm in the group with another healer and I'm not MH'er I'll go with the faster delay.

It seems like I get less agro when I use the faster weapons. The 3-4k damage I get off a double attack with MC weapons is enough to snag aggro off any tank my level. Where if you spread that 3-4k into 4 hits instead of 2, over the same period of time, it just seems to not get me hit as much. Though I still have aggro a lot of the time.

Hoping the aggro issue changes a bit when tanks are 80 and in 80 gear.

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