The exact formula behind Dual Wielding

[saint_of_killers]

I couldn't find a thread for this, and I just got more curious as I did some weapon testing.

So DW. I'm aware of the basic mechanics of it. It averages the dmg of the 2 weapons and adds 15%ias. The fact it averages out the 2 weapon dmgs is why its best to have 2 weapons similar in DPS. Also, it rotates hits of the 2 weapons for proc purposes. I got all that, fine and dandy. But I noticed, just now, that it takes the base IAS of your right-hand weapon. So how does this not affect the overall dmg/dps, if one weapon is greatly faster than the other? I guess I always assumed it averaged out the IAS too before adding the 15%, but it appears this is not the case.

I wonder now, b/c I have 2 weapons, 1 is 180dps and 1 is 175 dps. The 175 dps is faster than the 180 dps one. And when I swap them between hands, the dmg stays the same, but the attack speed is greatly different.

I'm really trying to wrap my head around it (I'm good at remember math, but not comprehending math...), but if the base IAS isn't averaged out, then how does the dps stay the same? How can I go from 1.75 aps - 2000dps to 1.50 aps - 2000dps (just as an example) after the 15% ias increase? If i'm getting more attacks in, but the dps stays the same, then obviously there's more to it than just the 2 weapons dmg being averaged, right?

Am I just missing something here? Is it something really simple and I'm just brain cramping?

Thanks

edit:
so more testing shows the attack speed on the details page changes per swing. Which I figure explains it, but actually kind of confuses me more. I thought, in terms of games mechanics, you just swung at 1 speed, but rotate the weapon affixes per swing. Kind of like you were just doing 1 attack, but the effects rotate per swing. But it now appears you actually are alternating the 2 weapons as swings themselves?

[hubb]

Yes, if what I know about DW is correct then you've got it figured out. Char screen shows average DPS while APS is based on the weap that's currently primary, and since that changes every time you swing the displayed APS will also change. Well, that is what happens with Frenzy/Bash/Cleave in any case. I don't know if the weap being used ever changes for other skills that don't specifically swing with a weap. I wanted to test some of these things today but since EU is down... (<3 Blizz)

Spoiler

in before irrelevant comments about attack cycles and Fury generation

[zakaluka]

in before irrelevant comments about attack cycles and Fury generation

No, no, that's completely irrelevant to this topic, why would you bring something like that up

really, it is.

(spoiled this spoiler because I know it's poking in my direction)

[hubb]

Well, that's partly true, but you've been way more of a help than a nuisance. Generally speaking, it makes my search for info on mechanics a massive chore when 4/5 of these threads degenerate into theoretical discussions about other things :<

*EU was down again, then had login problems.

[koticgood]

edit:
so more testing shows the attack speed on the details page changes per swing. Which I figure explains it, but actually kind of confuses me more. I thought, in terms of games mechanics, you just swung at 1 speed, but rotate the weapon affixes per swing. Kind of like you were just doing 1 attack, but the effects rotate per swing. But it now appears you actually are alternating the 2 weapons as swings themselves?

Yes. Just think of it as real life instead of numbers. You swing two different weapons. If one is heavier than the other, you swing it slower when it's your turn to swing that one. Not sure why you thought the damage was averaged. The DPS that the character sheet lists is exactly that, the damage you deal per second.

[zakaluka]

Point taken, I can avoid the discussion on how different resource systems benefit from haste. It's all fairly irrelevant anyway, as I'm finally piecing together after learning so many different builds. And it's been replayed a few too many times.