Obscure wrote: »

Step One: Get rid of Rending Slashes
Step Two: Get rid of Rapid Strikes

Both are horrible DPS options with minor build synergy at best. You're literally better off spamming Flying Blade than using either.

What you want to do is use roots, stuns, and off balance effects to trigger your damage boost in Dual Wield. Use Obsidian Shards, Dark Talons, Fossilize, or use a Bow for your second weapon and use Bombard. Maintaining that damage buff passive is a key factor in high Dual Wield DPS. The skill line synergizes with CC's and low health targets, so use CC's and buffs against low health targets (Molten Armaments, and Steel Tornado/Whirling Blade) together for maximum effect.

The best complimentary weapons I've found for DW are Frost D-staff and Bow. I prefer Bow to stack Scorched Earth with Eruption (both flame damage AoE's that are improved by the World in Flame passive), Bombard targets in the AoE, rush into the AoE (Quick Cloak is handy for this but not required), weapon swapping as I do so, and DPSing PvE mobs down with Whirling Blade. Single target is the same except I use a Molten Armaments to buff a heavy attack that I animation cancel by activating Unstable Flame which I tap block to cancel then finish the combo with Whirling Blade. Great for stamina sustainably, WAY more DoT from the AoE's + Unstable Flame, which combined almost always proc the burning effect DoT from all that flame damage, excellent AoE DPS, and way more single target DPS than you'll ever get with Flurry or Twin Slashes.

Even if you just want to keep using those skills, at least be sure you maintain a qualifying CC for your DW passive for the damage increase. You're only hurting your DPS more of you don't. Even still, I'd sooner use Bombard on bow, weapon swap to DW and spam flying blade for the immobilise duration, and keep swapping back and fourth to refresh the CC then back to DPS. I promise you better DPS using just that, and you don't have to get anywhere near the target. I spent a VERY long time trying to get Twin Slashes or Flurry to be optimal in a build, maybe you can succeed where I have not. From my experience, neither skill is optimal, even if viable for your play style. If you really want to get those DPS numbers up, you'll eventually ditch them both.

Obscure wrote: »

Jules wrote: »

Obscure wrote: »

Step One: Get rid of Rending Slashes
Step Two: Get rid of Rapid Strikes

Both are horrible DPS options with minor build synergy at best. You're literally better off spamming Flying Blade than using either.

What you want to do is use roots, stuns, and off balance effects to trigger your damage boost in Dual Wield. Use Obsidian Shards, Dark Talons, Fossilize, or use a Bow for your second weapon and use Bombard. Maintaining that damage buff passive is a key factor in high Dual Wield DPS. The skill line synergizes with CC's and low health targets, so use CC's and buffs against low health targets (Molten Armaments, and Steel Tornado/Whirling Blade) together for maximum effect.

The best complimentary weapons I've found for DW are Frost D-staff and Bow. I prefer Bow to stack Scorched Earth with Eruption (both flame damage AoE's that are improved by the World in Flame passive), Bombard targets in the AoE, rush into the AoE (Quick Cloak is handy for this but not required), weapon swapping as I do so, and DPSing PvE mobs down with Whirling Blade. Single target is the same except I use a Molten Armaments to buff a heavy attack that I animation cancel by activating Unstable Flame which I tap block to cancel then finish the combo with Whirling Blade. Great for stamina sustainably, WAY more DoT from the AoE's + Unstable Flame, which combined almost always proc the burning effect DoT from all that flame damage, excellent AoE DPS, and way more single target DPS than you'll ever get with Flurry or Twin Slashes.

Even if you just want to keep using those skills, at least be sure you maintain a qualifying CC for your DW passive for the damage increase. You're only hurting your DPS more of you don't. Even still, I'd sooner use Bombard on bow, weapon swap to DW and spam flying blade for the immobilise duration, and keep swapping back and fourth to refresh the CC then back to DPS. I promise you better DPS using just that, and you don't have to get anywhere near the target. I spent a VERY long time trying to get Twin Slashes or Flurry to be optimal in a build, maybe you can succeed where I have not. From my experience, neither skill is optimal, even if viable for your play style. If you really want to get those DPS numbers up, you'll eventually ditch them both.

What kind of numbers are you getting with ditching both of those abilities? My friend runs rapid strikes and pulls 12-14k on most bosses. I think it's interesting you choose not to. Also aren't most bosses immune to root/stun abilities?

Against bosses I'm just maintaining Scorched Earth, Eruption, Unstable Flame, and my Molten Armaments buff. My DPS starts at 12k and the lower health that boss gets I push into the 20k range. I've landed a final hit on boss for 38k in a single heavy attack. My stamina never depletes due to the focus on heavy attacking, so unlike other DPS's mine is consistent and doesn't trade off the ability to dodge or CC break. I actually only need to use Magicka potions on occasion to maintain that resource but I otherwise never risk depletion.

The mob clearing is what the CC's are for, and it makes the delve go much faster and you'll get much higher numbers with that in your arsenal than not. DK's specifically do not need Flurry or Twin Slashes for massive damage. Admittedly my build also uses Undaunted Infiltrator and Degeneration for even higher damage numbers than most who only use Molten Armaments and stack Weapon Damage. I also sit on a 68.5% crit rate. Soooooo my numbers are based on being optimised for not using those skills.

xMovingTarget wrote: »

Jules wrote: »

This guy has a strong stam dk build
Focuses mostly on 2h I believe and pulls good numbers.

He uses: Caltrops, unstable flame, burning breath, rally, wrecking blow until execute and then executioner.

http://tamrielfoundry.com/topic/dk-1-6-sick-of-staves/

Hope this helps!

Yes, this one from my friend benawaw is pretty good. But its quite boring to play. But pulls good dps. But is sooo boring to play =D

Obscure wrote: »

Jules wrote: »

Obscure wrote: »

Jules wrote: »

Obscure wrote: »

Step One: Get rid of Rending Slashes
Step Two: Get rid of Rapid Strikes

Both are horrible DPS options with minor build synergy at best. You're literally better off spamming Flying Blade than using either.

What you want to do is use roots, stuns, and off balance effects to trigger your damage boost in Dual Wield. Use Obsidian Shards, Dark Talons, Fossilize, or use a Bow for your second weapon and use Bombard. Maintaining that damage buff passive is a key factor in high Dual Wield DPS. The skill line synergizes with CC's and low health targets, so use CC's and buffs against low health targets (Molten Armaments, and Steel Tornado/Whirling Blade) together for maximum effect.

The best complimentary weapons I've found for DW are Frost D-staff and Bow. I prefer Bow to stack Scorched Earth with Eruption (both flame damage AoE's that are improved by the World in Flame passive), Bombard targets in the AoE, rush into the AoE (Quick Cloak is handy for this but not required), weapon swapping as I do so, and DPSing PvE mobs down with Whirling Blade. Single target is the same except I use a Molten Armaments to buff a heavy attack that I animation cancel by activating Unstable Flame which I tap block to cancel then finish the combo with Whirling Blade. Great for stamina sustainably, WAY more DoT from the AoE's + Unstable Flame, which combined almost always proc the burning effect DoT from all that flame damage, excellent AoE DPS, and way more single target DPS than you'll ever get with Flurry or Twin Slashes.

Even if you just want to keep using those skills, at least be sure you maintain a qualifying CC for your DW passive for the damage increase. You're only hurting your DPS more of you don't. Even still, I'd sooner use Bombard on bow, weapon swap to DW and spam flying blade for the immobilise duration, and keep swapping back and fourth to refresh the CC then back to DPS. I promise you better DPS using just that, and you don't have to get anywhere near the target. I spent a VERY long time trying to get Twin Slashes or Flurry to be optimal in a build, maybe you can succeed where I have not. From my experience, neither skill is optimal, even if viable for your play style. If you really want to get those DPS numbers up, you'll eventually ditch them both.

What kind of numbers are you getting with ditching both of those abilities? My friend runs rapid strikes and pulls 12-14k on most bosses. I think it's interesting you choose not to. Also aren't most bosses immune to root/stun abilities?

Against bosses I'm just maintaining Scorched Earth, Eruption, Unstable Flame, and my Molten Armaments buff. My DPS starts at 12k and the lower health that boss gets I push into the 20k range. I've landed a final hit on boss for 38k in a single heavy attack. My stamina never depletes due to the focus on heavy attacking, so unlike other DPS's mine is consistent and doesn't trade off the ability to dodge or CC break. I actually only need to use Magicka potions on occasion to maintain that resource but I otherwise never risk depletion.

The mob clearing is what the CC's are for, and it makes the delve go much faster and you'll get much higher numbers with that in your arsenal than not. DK's specifically do not need Flurry or Twin Slashes for massive damage. Admittedly my build also uses Undaunted Infiltrator and Degeneration for even higher damage numbers than most who only use Molten Armaments and stack Weapon Damage. I also sit on a 68.5% crit rate. Soooooo my numbers are based on being optimised for not using those skills.

To be clear we're talking trial bosses right?

If I said every trial boss I'd be lying. Manitkora is a ***, and I need to run it more to be confident in DPSing her with my spec. But for Sanctum, yes. The more health they have the longer they'll be in lower damage states which just means I do more and more damage with heavy attacks, equating to higher and higher DPS numbers. Largely comes from Molten Armaments, which in and of itself contributes to Stamina sustainability (5% restore when cast). Dual Wield for other classes might be set up differently, but for a DK, it's all about maximising that low health bonus damage on target. Execute phase is just what I've been doing the whole fight already.

I really need to finish the build so I can post a video already, but I'm still getting beat by RNG on that Spawn of Mephala helm... >.<

I also need to post my updated DPS tests against Flurry and Twin Slashes. My old one against Flurry shows heavy attacks out DPSing it pre 1.6. In 1.6 the difference has only grown more massive.