Throw Barb : throw mastery vs axe mastery

[Friskin]

Newbie question to throw barbs.

Does axe mastery work for Lacerators and Glimmershreds? If it does then I'm killing two stones with one bird. I can make a berzerk (using a 1H zerker axe rare or something)/throw barb variant.

Plus, for those throw barb vets: does hell difficulty make it seriously difficult for a throw barb? I want to start one but i don't quite know what kind of difficulties I will face. I do know that throw barbs aren't cookie cutters but still, some advanced warnings would be good.

I have decent equipment so that won't be a problem.

[Hrus]

Axe mastery applies when you use melee skills, throwing mastery applies when you throw them.

EDIT: you are the 4th or 5th person using term Glimmershred. Looking what glimmer means in my english dictionary. HMMM. OK, but it's Gimmershred.

[Malachi]

"Does axe mastery work for Lacerators and Glimmershreds?"

As far as I know they do except when you throw them, at that point only throw mastery is effective.

Hell is not easy for a thrower but it can and has been done. I tried a dual gimmer thrower on the realms, but did not get too far into hell (and it was HC). Frankly I found it a bit boring to play since repairs are so tedious.

I went for a thrower/berserker hybrid which did not work well. Maxing double throwings synergy seems a better deal and gimmers do plenty of elemental damage for those PI's anyway. Either use warcry to stun enemy's or use a holy freeze merc for crowd control and loose damage (since you wont have a might merc in that case).

I was never able to try a dual larcerator barb which might actually work a bit better so I cant advise on that.

[Friskin]

Axe mastery applies when you use melee skills, throwing mastery applies when you throw them.

EDIT: you are the 4th or 5th person using term Glimmershred. Looking what glimmer means in my english dictionary. HMMM. OK, but it's Gimmershred.

Right....Gimmer. I have no idea why I assumed it was glimmer.

[Gohanman]

Frenzy is probably a better complement to Double Throw than Berzerk (IMO), since they share a synergy in Double Swing. With a Lacerator, you should be able to break most PIs anyway.