Will anyone really use bash/frenzy?

[Crane]

But for each cast of a fury spender (well, almost each cast if you count cooldown-based generators), you must cast several fury generators (cleave/bash/frenzy). In AOE situations, having a non-AOE generator will greatly reduce your AOE capabilities. You can't just stack fury on single targets and then spend it on AOE.

I like frenzy's playstyle. I think that opening fights with Warcry+Leap for 45 fury and then spending it on AoE skills will be a viable way to clear the trash creatures and focus on frenzying the hard ones. I also do think that I can stack fury on single targets (And with skills like warcry/leap) and spend it on AoE if I play smart. We'll have to see, but I still think that frenzy builds are viable and will be decently powerful.

[galzohar]

For this to be effective, that "smart play" will need to be extremely trivial and easy to do, since the extra fury and single target damage you gain by using frenzy instead of cleave is extremely minimal.

[HardRock]

Both if understand correctly hit only in line (and sidearm is additionally random ) which means it is very situational. I do not see how they can come even close to cleave.

Pulverize has similar range as the third hit of Deadly Reach and as most monks will tell you Deadly reach is really good, range or otherwise. I think it has the potential to beat Broad Sweep or Rupture in tight corridors. Other playstyle choices may change this however. If you like to jump into the middle of crowds, then you're better off with Cleave in general.

The projectile of Sidearm has lower damage (27.5% per hit on average), but you'll also have much higher attack speed with it and if it's indeed a generic projectile, then it has more than double the range of Pulverize.

I think both may turn out to be good alternatives to Cleave.

It will be more like Rupture vs Broad Sweep. Honestly Rupture shouldn't be overlook even if trash take 4-5 swing to kill because once they start dieing... Crom Bless Us All.

Yeah, Rupture can hit brutally hard if you kill many enemies at once. This can be used to your benefit if you lure weak enemies near a tanky one. I'm not saying that Rupture is bad, but it may not always be the best choice for a free AoE.

[galzohar]

Even with tight corridors, it's going to have to be pretty damn tight for 38% damage over 22 yards to beat 152% at melee range.

For sidearm to be effective, you basically need a similar scenario to what you need for single target abilities to be almost exclusively what you want to use, which is probably not going to happen.

[HardRock]

When you're facing enemies in a line formation, Broad Sweep will only do 156% damage against one target, while Pulverize will do 150% and then 38% for every enemy standing behind your initial target in a 26 yard line.

The same goes for Sidearm. Its target selection may be random and it's damage lower per hit (on average), but it's DPS can be potentially much higher than Pulverize's or Broad Sweep's because of the extra 75% attack speed and it's range is definitely better.

Basically, every one of these rune options have their unique advantages if you ask me.

[LucianDK]

Interesting thoughts on Pulverize, though the extra damage seems rather low compared to what Deadly Reach is capable of putting out for such a high level rune. Cleave still seems to me to be higher and more steady damage.

[Doppel]

The only thing i take issue with with cleave is it's 5 fury generation, should be much lower imo, or dependant on enemies hit (like 1 fury per enemy).

[galzohar]

In order for broad sweep to only hit one monster in a situation with lots of monsters you need a very very special case of a corridor, which may be rare or even non-existent. Same goes for situations where sidearm is superior to cleave.

[edistotiger]

I've only gotten to play the open beta weekend, but Frenzy seems like it could be a good boss-killer. Does the stun from the Smite rune work on bosses?

[LucianDK]

I remember the Skeleton king was vulnerable to the stun from Ground Stomp as long he wasnt in a casting animation, like whirlwind that would render him imune.