Best Low Budget Whirlwind Polearm? [Archive]

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ImmaMechE

01-09-2007, 04:20

Guys, Could I get some advice here please... My friend is making a Polearm Whirlwind Barbarian, we're looking at two weapons as viable and low budget. They are Bonehew and The Reaper's Toll.

Here is some of their stats for comparison/help in thinking:

Bonehew
Ogre Axe
Two-Hand Damage: (103-117) To (536-609) (319.5-363 Avg)
341 AVG (42% higher than Reapers Toll)
2561 DMG/Sec (Adjusted for Crits + Maxing Attack Speed) (77% Higher than Reaper's Toll)
Required Level: 64
Required Strength: 195
Required Dexterity: 75`
Range: 3

+270-320% Enhanced Damage (varies)
Level 14 Corpse Explosion (30 charges)
Prevent Monster Heal
30% Increased Attack Speed
50% Chance To Cast Level 16 Bone Spear On Striking
Socketed (2)

WIAS FPA APS
27 % 6 4.1 (Base)
59 % 4 6.2 (2x shaels)

The Reaper's Toll
Thresher
Two-Hand Damage: (34-40) To (408-479) 240 AVG
1447 DMG/Sec (Adjusted for Crits+Deadly Strike + Maxing out Attack Speed)
Required Level: 75
Required Strength: 114
Required Dexterity: 89
Range: 2

+190-240% Enhanced Damage (varies)
Ignore Target's Defense
Adds 4-44 Cold Damage
11-15% Life Stolen Per Hit (varies)
33% Deadly Strike
33% Chance To Cast Level 1 Decrepify On Striking
Requirements -25%

WIAS FPA APS
0 % 8 3.1 (Base)
17 % 6 4.1 (1 shael)

Ok, so now the quick discussion... Reaper's Toll has lower requirements, but really, a poor barbarian has to get high strength in order to wear big AC armor, so that's not a problem really...

The Pros of Bonehew: Much higher damage, prevent monster heal, and the Bonespear would be funny on a whirlwind barb flying in all directions, lol.

The pros of Reaper's Toll: The Ignores Target's Defense would help IMMENSELY, and the lifeleach would be great. Also, decrepify would probably be more useful than the bone spear, though not as cool looking, lol. The thing isthis, is it really worth a 77% drop in damage output...?

So, let's get some quick opinions, Bonehew or Reapers Toll? (Also, give decent reasoning, maybe someone will think of something I haven't...) Suggestions for other weapons are also welcome, however keep in mind, our budget is low (likely no runes over UM are in budget for the epic weapons like BotD.)

inanefedaykin

01-09-2007, 04:34

I'd go with a dual shaeled bonehew which gets you the last WW bp. As for requirements, since you're even considering a bonehew you're probably going to need a titanish build just for the damage to compete.

sirmessbu

01-09-2007, 05:21

Just so you know ww don't trigger spell and curse on attack, so bonespear or decrep are out of equation. Bonespear lv 16 is ~140-150 damage only.

ImmaMechE

01-09-2007, 05:53

I knew the damage on Bonespear was low, but WW won't trigger them... DAMN... It would be so sweet to be shooting out bonespears in random directions on every other hit, lol! Well, I guess that's a plus for the Bonehew then, since Decrep would have been more useful...

As for the damage, it should be decent... Consider that all skills will be at a minimum of level 25... That's +142% ED from whirlwind, +148% ED from Polearm mastery, +195% ED from about Strength, and finally a might merc at level 85 gives +330% ED. That totals up to +815% ED... So, assuming I get a 110 - 570 Damage Bonehew, my actual read-out will be 1,006 - 5,215. Yes, that's a bit low, but considering that Whirlwind will be attacking at 4 FPS, for 6.2 Attacks per second (obviously can't hit on all of the), the damage should be reasonable... 19,287 average damage per second, with a 22% chance for a critical strike (19, 287 * 1.22).

CombatShrine

01-09-2007, 11:12

i dunno
ww just rarely works with big-range weaps.
you need godly items to trade to get one with enough ias to hit the last bp, which goes against the spirit of this build.
to be honest i would just say the hell with it and make a mace barb, and get enough pgems to get ikmaul and 2 shaels.

ImmaMechE

01-09-2007, 19:41

Whirlwinding with big range weapons is not a problem at all, it just requires a bit of skill. As a matter of fact, if done right, it works out considerably better. You just can't do the usual barbarian whirlwind directly through the middle of the enemies. Instead you whirlwind around the outside, such that you can only attack the guys on the very outside, and those guys can only attack you. This doesn't ALWAYS work out perfectly, as enemies move around a lot, but it will work with a bit of practice.

Besides, Mauls are range 2, and Bonehew is a range 3... not a big difference at all.

And all you need to hit the last breakpoint is a bonehew and two shael runes... How is that godly items???

CombatShrine

01-09-2007, 19:59

but bonehew sucks :/
and mauls have range 3
spears and polearms have a range of 4 or 5 (i forget which)

RTB

01-09-2007, 21:34

but bonehew sucks :/
and mauls have range 3
spears and polearms have a range of 4 or 5 (i forget which)
Maul range 2, Great Maul range 3. Spears and polearms have varying range, Ogre axe range 3, Thresher range 2. The difference between range 2 and 3 is quite big though.

Smackin

01-09-2007, 22:05

Shop larzuk for a 300ed 40ias GPA and hope he gives u 2 sockets. Pump shael/Lo or two ias jewels for the last BP in ww. It aint the easiest thing to get, but it certainly doesnt cost as much as those uber RWs u've mentioned. Seriously, If ur gonna use and 2h weapon for ww, use a range 5 and one that hits the last ww BP because thats what 2h weps are for.

rikstaker

02-09-2007, 15:56

a mid tombreaver would be another good option,has really nice defensive mods as well-resists & revive after kill(which works with ww kils btw).I'd take a bonehew over any maul anyday just for the added range.

zrk

02-09-2007, 16:21

Bonehew is really cheap and a decent weapon but personally i would go for something else for a budget ww barb, like an ariocs needle or ribcracker. Ribcrackers low recs really are wonderful and allow your barb a lot more life than he could with a bonehew (while staying budget that is). And ariocs is plain awesome.

Smackin

03-09-2007, 03:19

The topic creator wanted polearms so I dont think he wants staves nor spears. Ariocs is a great ww weapon, as it grants a big 50% ds and some skills, and it can hit the last BP with a shael. Ribcracker aint bad, but u might as well put a butcher's pupil or razor's edge if ur gonna use a range2 2h weapon.

therocklobster

03-09-2007, 04:52

Not all decent runewords are expensive

Obediance, 5 socket polearms

Hel + Ko + Thul + Eth + Fal

30% Chance To Cast Level 21 Enchant When You Kill An Enemy
40% Faster Hit Recovery
+370% Enhanced Damage
-25% Target Defense
Adds 3-14 Cold Damage 3 Second Duration (Normal)
-25% To Enemy Fire Resistance
40% Chance of Crushing Blow
+200-300 Defense (varies)
+10 To Strength
+10 To Dexterity
All Resistances +20-30 (varies)
Requirements -20%

Very nice dmg, cast enchant real quick with a few concentration kills, very nice overall (I actually use an etheral one on my palladins might merc)

sirmessbu

03-09-2007, 05:08

CombatShrine

03-09-2007, 11:53

yeah obedience is seriously awesome on my mf necro.
i got an ethereal thresher with 12% base enhanced dmg, and rolled the obedience with allres+30.
its like 60-1040 dmg

lack of ias is a bummer but on threshers its no biggy because theyre pretty quick, and weapon deals massive damage, and has 40%CB anyways so it only takes a few hits to kill anything that isnt PI.