Dual wield - Slow main hand, fast offhand ?

**leska** · 08-07-2012, 19:57

I wanna try some dual wield on my barb. But im not sure on what weapons to look for.

Ive got my eye on a dagger with crit hit and socket, and a slow mainhander with the same stats. But i dont know if ill cripple my damage with dagger in offhand ? Im just thinking for the speed of a dagger it would be nice ?

**Such Violent Storms** · 08-07-2012, 21:38

The game simply alternates between which weapon strikes. It will strike at the speed of and with the damage of whichever weapon it is on. If you dual wield and just hold shift to stand still and attack, you'll see your APS on the character sheet go up and down. So if you get a slow weapon, it will attack slow when you're hitting with that weapon. If it's a dagger, it'll hit with damage within the damage range of the dagger.

**liquid_mage** · 08-07-2012, 22:44

SVS is correct about the weapons alternating every other attack. From what i've read you want your highest damage weapon in your main hand because your special attacks(Revenge, Overpower, Charge, etc) are based on the main hand. But damage and dps are different so make sure it's damage.

**Wheeze** · 08-07-2012, 23:04

I thought the whole point of the attack speed buff on dual-wielding was because the 2nd weapon doesn't add it's own damage onto the skill and your attack speed becomes the average when one speed is combined with the other, multiplied by any attack multipliers that you have.

Because the weapons aren't attacking individually the game has to decide where to resolve the value for weapon damage%, namely, your main-hand.

Which is why you can swop off-hand and main-hand all day long and not discern noticeable change.

Am I mistaken?

**thewoodshed** · 09-07-2012, 00:12

Originally Posted by Wheeze

I thought the whole point of the attack speed buff on dual-wielding was because the 2nd weapon doesn't add it's own damage onto the skill and your attack speed becomes the average when one speed is combined with the other, multiplied by any attack multipliers that you have.

Because the weapons aren't attacking individually the game has to decide where to resolve the value for weapon damage%, namely, your main-hand.

Which is why you can swop off-hand and main-hand all day long and not discern noticeable change.

Am I mistaken?

Maybe that's WoW you are thinking of?

**ScottieK** · 10-07-2012, 14:57

Depends on the skills ur using. Eg whirlwind and sprint dmg are based from main hand dmg and also sprint tornados as is based from main hand as. I know furious charge alternates which hand it bases dmg from, as I've tested it. If u want to find out easiest way is to go to act 1 inferno equip your wep and a 10 dps weapon in other hand and test the skills. Just watch what numbers pop up.
Peace

**Karth** · 10-07-2012, 16:56

Originally Posted by ScottieK

Depends on the skills ur using. Eg whirlwind and sprint dmg are based from main hand dmg and also sprint tornados as is based from main hand as. I know furious charge alternates which hand it bases dmg from, as I've tested it. If u want to find out easiest way is to go to act 1 inferno equip your wep and a 10 dps weapon in other hand and test the skills. Just watch what numbers pop up.
Peace

Whirlwind alternates damage between main hand and off hand, though you're right about sprint and furious charge