Is Whirlwind in the expansion ineffective?

[warriorrk]

Hi,

I was playing D2classic on bnet with a whirlwind barb and i had managed to get to level 85. I decided to buy the expansion and i switched my character over to the expansion but now I find that in the late levels of nightmare and any level in hell that i literally can't hit any monster with my whirlwind. I have to use berserk to have any chance of hitting a monster in the expansion whereas whirlwind was great against nightmare characters in the classic D2 and decent against even Act IV monsters in hell. I know it's not a problem with attack rating as I am using angelic amulet and ring. Is a ww barb completely ineffective in the expansion? Is there anyway for me to salvage my character at this point or is it a lost cause? What characters are the best for the expansion? I wish i would have kept my character in the original because now i can't do anything.

Thx

[PhatTrumpet]

Sounds like you need a faster weapon.

[s4nder]

Indeed. In the expansion, WW speed is dependent on weapon speed, whereas in the Classic it's fixed. So using slow high-damage weapons as you would in Classic isn't the best option in LoD.

[warriorrk]

Indeed. In the expansion, WW speed is dependent on weapon speed, whereas in the Classic it's fixed. So using slow high-damage weapons as you would in Classic isn't the best option in LoD.

I was using a steeldriver great maul. Is this slow? It says fast attack speed on the mods. What's a good weapon to use then? Also is it better to use two weapons for whirlwind? Thanks again,

[Souljer]

I was using a steeldriver great maul. Is this slow? It says fast attack speed on the mods. What's a good weapon to use then? Also is it better to use two weapons for whirlwind? Thanks again,
A good maul for Whirlwind in LoD is an IK maul. Just make sure you socket the 2 sockets it has with 2 jewels/runes that have 30% or more IAS to hit the last 2-hand Whirlwind speed breakpoint.

Two-handed weapons need a speed of -60 to hit the last breakpoint.

One-handed weapons need a speed of -34 to hit the last breakpoint.

[Omikron8]

Base weapon speed is extremly important, as well as additional WEAPON IAS (non-weapon doesn't help)

You also need far far higher damage on the weapon itself to have the same killing speed in hell

[Souljer]

One-hand 120 damage Executioner Sword won't cut it. lol

Add 200 damage to that and then we'll talk.

4 Sojs for Tearhaunch!!!