Currently Dual Wield seems to be far an away the least useful melee weapon set, it lacks both utility and damage compared to 2H (and obviously is not a tank skill line). So can it be made to work... by that I mean fixed, and how? Well, here is my attempt at a set of suggested changes...
Please be aware that this was written last year before Orsinium and so is slightly out of date. Most points still stand, but the idea of stacking bleeds is probably no longer viable due to maelstrom weapons and the CP star that boosts DoTs (it would be OP).
Dual Wield
Dual wield is designed primarily for fast and deadly attacks, and hence deal mostly with bleeding DoTs, criticals and debuffs.
Note: Bleed DoTs need to work against all types of opponent (change them to poison if bleed is an immersion issue), and to work against damage shields (i.e. bleed the damage shield). In addition, if a bleed has been successfully applied it should not be mitigated by block or shields (it would have to be purged or healed).
Twin slashes
Current: Two hits for medium damage. Adds a bleed DoT that does not affect shields, work through block or work against all opponents (many are immune to bleeds).
Suggestion: Increase base damage slightly. Make DoT work on shields and against all opponents. Allow the DoT to stack up to 3 times.
Reason: Increases base damage and makes the DoT work against the vast majority of opponents, rather than the current version which does not work against a significant proportion of opponents.
Blood Craze
Current: Adds a self-heal based on the DoT applied
Suggestion: Apply an initial heal on hit (relatively small compared to rally, but better than the current DoT component, maybe worth 3 ticks?) and then apply the DoT based self-heal. As the DoT will now work on shields and against all opponents, so will the heal component.
Reason: Provides slightly better healing without it being overpowered.
Rending Slashes
Current: Increases the DoT duration
Suggestion: Do not increase the DoT duration. Instead provide a buff depending on the weapons used:
Axe: Berserk (damage)
Sword: Brutality (weapon damage)
Mace: Brutality (weapon damage)
Dagger: Force (critical damage)
The buff is minor for a single weapon of a given type and major for both weapons (including mace and sword combination). The buff is for a short duration (i.e. 4 or 5s at rank IV so you can cover a flurry)
Reason: Provides a damage buff for a short period that suits the flavour of each weapon type.
Flurry
Current: Six hit uninterruptible channel, with bonus damage on last hit
Suggestion: Increase base damage slightly and/or decrease channel time.
Reason: Currently the channel time is too high at around 3s – and the damage is too low for that time period. As this does not have a built in cc (like uppercut) the damage needs to be better than uppercut, noticeably.
Rapid Strikes
Current: Increased damage per strike
Suggestion: Increased damage per strike and apply a stacking bleed DoT (separate from Twin Strikes) for 5s (max 3 stacks).
Reason: Although the increased damage per strike is nice, the skill needs something additional to make it comparable in effectiveness to Uppercut (2H). The bleed, synergised with Ruffian, should help to do this.
Blinding Fury
Current: Each attack has a small chance to disorient opponent per hit
Suggestion: Make the disorient chance stacking, such that the more strikes that hit, the higher the disorient chance – with the last strike being 100% if it has not yet occurred. Prevent the damage from Flurry breaking the disorient (if it can do so)
Reason: To bring it into line with 2H, the skill needs to actually perform the CC rather than potentially perform it.
Whirlwind
Current: PBAoE strike. Damage increased against low health opponents
Suggestion: No change
Whirling Blades
Current: Restore stamina per opponent hit
Suggestion: Slight increase to the stamina restoration
Reason: The amount of stamina restored is insufficient to make this a good choice over Steel Thunder, esp. with the new max resource stacking meta.
Steel Thunder
Current: Increased radius
Suggestion: No change
Blade Cloak
Current: Reduce AoE damage by 20%. Cause damage to foes in melee range
Suggestion: Change the skill to “Parry and Riposte”. This provides a minor dodge chance, minor protection and minor resolve buffs for 20s – this is the Parry. When this ability ends(or you cast it again) you gain the Empower buff (increased damage on next attack) – this is the Riposte.
Reason: This provides a utility skill which gives set of minor buffs that synergise with the major buffs that all classes get (i.e. major Resolve) and that are available as armour skills. It also provides additional utility for DPS on demand.
Morph 1
Current: Throw a blade for high damage on second press
Suggestion: Change skill to “Lightning Reflexes”. When attacked in melee you automatically strike back with causing damage to the attacker (essentially the same damage and effect as Blade cloak – although the damage should be scaled slightly upwards). This could be considered as a bleed in order to trigger Ruffian, but probably does not need to be.
Reason: Provides a reason to keep parry up with some continuous damage (i.e. a self-centred DoT).
Morph 2
Current: Provides expedition buff for X seconds
Suggestion: Change skill to “Flashing Blades”. Skill provides an expedition buff as previously (but with all the baseline changes).
Reason: This allows the melee fighter to stay in melee combat more easily, especially when combined with a snare.
Hidden Blade
Current: Ranged attack that interrupts and snares (for x seconds)
Suggestion: Change the name to “Leaping Strike” and change from a ranged attack to a gap closer. Keep the damage and the secondary effects. The graphical element could be the same one as used when an NPC jumps over you.
Reason: The rest of the line is melee based, and hence a gap closer synergises better than a ranged attack – regardless of the snare on the ranged attack.
Shrouded Daggers
Current: Hits multiple targets in frontal arc
Suggestion: Change the name to “Death from Above”, apply the base ability changes and remove the AoE frontal arc attack. Instead provide a minor Mangle and Fracture debuff (5s).
Reason: The skill line already has a powerful AoE ability and hence this is somewhat redundant – whereas applying a set of debuffs would synergise better with a deadly melee fighter.
Flying blade
Current: Increased range
Suggestion: Increased range (+ changes to the base ability as above)
Reason: An increased range gap closer would be useful
Passives
Only fairly minor changes here to be honest – mostly linked to Ruffian such that it synergises better.
Slaughter
Current: Increases damage against low health foes
Suggestion: No change
Dual Wield Expert
Current: Increases off-hand damage
Suggestion: Increase the amount of damage caused by DW skills, light and heavy attacks through increased offhand damage. Also increase off hand enchant proc rate to match main weapon at 2pts.
Controlled Fury
Current: Reduces cost of dual wield skills
Suggestion: No change
Ruffian
Current: Deal extra damage against disabled opponents
Suggestion: Ensure disabled covers all CC (snare, root, stun, disorient) and also apply to bleeding foes.
Reason: Internally synergises with a greater proportion of the tree’s skills.
Twin Blunt and Blade
Current: Axe causes DoT; Swords causes extra damage; Maces reduce target armour; Daggers increase critical chance
Suggestion: Increase the DoT chance for axes and make all opponents affected by bleed DoTs.
Anyway this is my attempt. Have a read, critique. Enjoy.
Edited by Jar_Ek on 12 February 2016 19:34