DCleaver or Stormlash

[Livslykka]

I'm considering Death Cleaver and Stormlash as weapons for my conc.barb.

If I choose DC it would be possible to change to an BotD BA, when I can afford it. I also thought about using Crescent Moon BA, but it seems impossible to find a 3sock BA. (Crescent is also slower, and has lower dmg).

I think DC is a good choice, but has anyone any comments?

[Omikron8]

Death Cleaver all the way, stormlash is suited for pallies. The 66% DS on death cleaver along with highlords and level 20 mastery should give you near 100% Deadly strike which is very important with the extreme monster hitpoints. Stormlash has low minimum damage for a barb but can be offset by the paladin's zeal which is why it is suited for their class. You will also notice that the static doesn't go off often enough at a conc swinging speed.

[Radu]

Death Cleaver is an AMAZING weapon. Socket it with a Shael rune, especially if you'll use whirlwind a lot.

[ch33s3 m4st3r]

I think it already hits the last ww breakpoint

[Raging_Zealot]

Yes, DONT put a shael in DC for WW! It already meets the last bp, it'd be a waste. If u wanna to hit a point for swinging with conc or something you can, but I think theres lots better you could put in it..

[Radu]

Yes, DONT put a shael in DC for WW! It already meets the last bp, it'd be a waste. If u wanna to hit a point for swinging with conc or something you can, but I think theres lots better you could put in it..

Hm, I wasn't aware about this; you are right, thanks for clearing the things. I'll socket mine with a 15 to max. dmg jewel :lol:

[Livslykka]

What should i socket my DC with then? If not shael.

[Herald of Doom]

What should i socket my DC with then? If not shael.
Well, I guess %ed jewels would be nice, perhaps combined with some str/+min or max dmg. Other option would be a Lo/Ohm/Um/Ber, although those are quite expensive and could be used better. My fav: a 40%ed +as much mind dmg as you can get.
PS: I haven't tested it, those are just always options for Barb weapons.

HoD

[Omikron8]

Amn for life leech, frees up ring slots for other stuff.

[Radu]

15 to max. dmg. jewel ~ 40% ed jewel.

[Fearoth]

15 to max. dmg. jewel ~ 40% ed jewel.

That is so not true. Want proof? dmg of berserker axe is 24-71 with max dmg added it will be 24-86. 40% ed added will be 24+24*0.4 to 71+71*0.4 rounded up makes 34 to 99.

so 24-86 vs 34-99 and thats even before any skill %ed and strength takes place. Also remember +max jewels are not affected by any existing % ed on weapon, the max is just simply added on the end.

[Radu]

Well, that I know too, but I simply socketed my gear with such jewels and the final damage (from the skills) was even higher.

[Radu]

Well? I want in depth answers.

[mstrnicegui]

If your weapon is low base dmg, you will notice a bigger difference from +min/max items as they are added in before %ed on the weapon and all other ed% +min/max. If your weapon is high base dmg, you will notice a bigger difference from ed%, because % increases scale with the dmg of the weapon.

400% of 3 is only 12, but 3+15 is 18.
400% of 500 is 2000, but 500+15 is only 515.

This is a severely extreme example to show the difference.

I'll modify another example I was given for something somewhat similar.
You have a 6 socket zerker axe (24-71 dmg) and you have 1000%ed from skills.
6 sockets of 40%ed jewels (240% ed) will yield: (24*(340/100)) to
(71*(340/100)) or: 82 to 241 dmg
6 sockets of 15 max jewels (+90 max) will yield: 24 to 71+90 or: 24 to 161

with 1000%ed from skills/other items, that's 820 to 2410 dmg vs 240 to 1610 dmg.

btw Fearoth, your math, while right, isn't the way Blizzard calculates %ed. You understated the dmg. The total %ed actually gets 100% added to it before calculated, dunno why, but using that logic I was able to come to the same numbers from base weapon types to the actual dmg on my weapons.

[Radu]

Accurate, indeed. Thank you, Mr. Nice Guy.

However, on my Death Cleaver, there was about the same final (concentrate and ww) damage between a 39% ed jewel and a 15 to max. dmg one. This is a fact too :). So...