Rapid Fire: how does it work (light or heavy weapon)? der=0>

[Human]

I thought I'd ask if anyone had done any testing with Rapid Fire? I suspect that some weapons may be better than others with this skill.

From my initial impressions, the skill fires at the same speed wether you are using a 2-handed heavy crossbow, or a pair of light hand crossbows.

Given equal DPS weapons, in generally heavier 2-handed weapons do more damage per hit, but you fire/swing less often. However, if Rapid Fire unleashes the same number of shots either way, than anything that does more damage per hit will ultimate deliver more damage than faster weapons, if both fired at the same rate.

Does anyone know how weapon damage from Rapid Fire works? Do each of the small bolts fired do their own damage? Do each generate their own chance to proc other abilities? How are other weapon modifiers applied?

If a weapon has +1-2 fire damage for example, thats about +1.5 damage(avg) per hit. Then does that apply to each bolt fired for Rapid Fire? Obviously if it did, it may be overpowered, but it might suggest that weapons with damage modifiers would do more damage.

In short, can anyone recommend the best type of weapon to use with this skill for the most damage in the shortest time? Or does it just not matter as long as their DPS is high?

Thanks.

[Zelas]

Rapid Fire multiplies your attack speed by 4 and each shot deal 1/4 of the total tooltip damage done by this skill per cycle.

Thus it is affected by speed and damage range of a weapon, slower weapons will hit harder per shot, but with a lower firing rate.

[Human]

Rapid Fire multiplies your attack speed by 4 and each shot deal 1/4 of the total tooltip damage done by this skill per cycle.

I'm actually looking for a serious answer. If you multiple by 4 and then by 1/4, you are still at 100%, not the listed damage on the skill. Furthermore, it didn't answer any of my other questions about proc and bonus damage.

[Tryzx]

you are still at 100%, not the listed damage on the skill.

No, read what he said twice:

multiplies your attack speed by 4 and each shot deal 1/4 of the total tooltip damage done by this skill

[Karpalo]

Pretty sure that's strafe. Weren't rapid fire 6 times the as and 38% per shot.

[Qvardz]

Anyway, the point is - choose weapon with highest DPS.

[chinz]

Pretty sure that's strafe. Weren't rapid fire 6 times the as and 38% per shot.

You're right that the multiplier he said was wrong, but otherwise his description was correct, as the tooltip damage (228%) divided by 6 is exactly 38% per shot, just like you said.

Anyway; DPS is all that matters, and RF will be doing 2.28x your character's DPS no matter what AS and damage you have.

[mike20599]

Faster weapons will burn through your hatred faster though right?

[Qvardz]

Faster weapons will burn through your hatred faster though right?

nope, its static 10 hatred per second

[Ganoidyn]

It's a static 10 hatred per second and the attack speed is six times your current attack speed, whatever that attack speed is. This works out where a higher attack speed weapon will proc more crits while a lower attack speed weapon with a similar DPS will hit harder per hit.

This in contrast to skills such as the Wizard's Ray of Frost, which does in fact cost more AP the higher your attack speed - and will also do more damage to compensate.