Executioner vs Killer's Blade

Strider_Roshin

Has anyone compared the two? If so, which did you find to be more viable?

leepalmer95

Executioner just out damages it.

Killers blade does the same damage as reverse slice but without the huge aoe damage attached.

Killers blade is pretty bad to be honest, especially the added effect.

Van_0S

leepalmer95 wrote: »

Executioner just out damages it.

Killers blade does the same damage as reverse slice but without the huge aoe damage attached.

Killers blade is pretty bad to be honest, especially the added effect.

Yes, especially when you perform the animation cancelling move.

MrTarkanian48

I opt for Executioner for a couple reasons.

1) I am on console, and even though we now can see health percentage, the font is very small and hard to see, especially while in combat. I get burned too many times when I think the enemy is in execute range, but really has 26-30% health and KB hits without any bonus damage.

2) I prefer the stam regen from the 2H passive, over the heal from Killer's Blade. Especially in PVP.

3) Damage scales higher with Executioner. KB might do more damage to an enemy at 24% health, but then you can run into the issue with #1 if you misjudge their health.

Now I think the bigger question is Executioner vs. Reverse Slice. I have been running Executioner on my gank build, but would definitely opt for Reverse Slice on any other build that is not 100% single target oriented. The splash damage is very powerful.

Gilliamtherogue

At face value Executioner seems to out perform Killer's Blade, however this is far from the truth (aside from PvP).

Executioner's scaling mechanics means it doesn't reach the total 375% bonus damage until the mob is at .1% health. It begins scaling the second the target is at 99.9% but isn't worth using until ~35% when compared to most "spammable" abilities. This is one advantage, as the execute range begins 10% earlier than Killer's Blade. However, it will not out damage Killer's per cast until ~15%.

Furthermore, Killer's Blade allows you to use any weapon, and scales much stronger with Dual Wield daggers, as you get a staggering amount of critical strike chance paired with this. This here seals the deal as to why Killer's Blade out performs Executioner in PvE, the extra crit equates to a massive boost of DPS. Plus it fits more in line with high performance builds, as 2h is extremely weak in terms of raw DPS (in PvE).

In PvP however, Executioner/Reverse Slash are much stronger as they have added utility and fit into more self sustaining builds with Rally and whatnot. Plus you can animation cancel it much more smoothly, while Killer's is extremely wonky atm with weaving.

BlackMadara

The damage on executioner starts scaling up st 50% HP on targets, it doesn't automatically hit that extra 350% damage unless the target is basically at 1% health. Its damage is rather lack luster until you get the target under 25% in all honesty. It'd be more efficient to use wb or sa instead of executioner until the target is around 25%. Killers blade, however, hits the 300% extra damage as soon as the target is at 25%, at least according to the tooltip. So killers blade will do more execute damage at execute range overall, while executioner will do more damage than it from 26%-50% and at really low HP where it scales to that over 300% bonus damage.

Strider_Roshin

Interesting. Thank you all for your input. I'm going to have to do some experimenting in PvE

DRXHarbinger

This should demonstrate why you should be using reverse slice instead.

http://xboxdvr.com/gamer/DR X Harbinger/video/18895514

I mean a free crem guard for nothing whilst doing epic damage?! Loving this new skill it's beast. Much better than killers blade, ditched that for this, weaves nicer too.

Strider_Roshin

DRXHarbinger wrote: »

This should demonstrate why you should be using reverse slice instead.

http://xboxdvr.com/gamer/DR X Harbinger/video/18895514

I mean a free crem guard for nothing whilst doing epic damage?! Loving this new skill it's beast. Much better than killers blade, ditched that for this, weaves nicer too.

Well you definitely make a valid point :-)

psychotic13

I actually like the reverse slice morph, you're already doing big damage with an execute anyways why not damage some others at the same time

Attackopsn

Killer's blade is more effective in places like vma or group pve, executioner is better for pvp since the threshold is more lenient

Oreyn_Bearclaw

Killers blade is better in PVE because you will be running DW so the choice is made for you. 2h is just not a great PVE weapon.

In PVP, I like executioner. At certain health levels KB will hit harder, but health bars move a lot in PVP. It's far more likely that killers blade will "miss". At 26% health, killers blade sucks.

A lot of the best NBs don't even run an execute in PVP. Surprise attack hits hard enough at all health levels. If you want to put a fear, heal, gap closer, and cloak on your main bar, your really don't have room.

Strider_Roshin

Attackopsn wrote: »

Killer's blade is more effective in places like vma or group pve, executioner is better for pvp since the threshold is more lenient

You don't think reverse slice would be useful in VMSA on stages 3, 4, and 5 where you're typically fighting the boss along with a bunch of adds?

Strider_Roshin

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Killers blade is better in PVE because you will be running DW so the choice is made for you. 2h is just not a great PVE weapon.

In PVP, I like executioner. At certain health levels KB will hit harder, but health bars move a lot in PVP. It's far more likely that killers blade will "miss". At 26% health, killers blade sucks.

A lot of the best NBs don't even run an execute in PVP. Surprise attack hits hard enough at all health levels. If you want to put a fear, heal, gap closer, and cloak on your main bar, your really don't have room.

Oh this question was purely for PvE. I don't use an execute in PvP either :-)

Autolycus

Executioner used to be the superior option to Killer's Blade. For pve purposes, that is no longer the case; Killer's Blade is now the superior option.

Destruent

Strider_Roshin wrote: »

Attackopsn wrote: »

Killer's blade is more effective in places like vma or group pve, executioner is better for pvp since the threshold is more lenient

You don't think reverse slice would be useful in VMSA on stages 3, 4, and 5 where you're typically fighting the boss along with a bunch of adds?

If the boss is in execute range i want to kill it as fast as possible, no need to dps the adds. Same on the video @DRXHarbinger did provide. Reverse slice is just amping up dps but doesn't provide any usefull dps in this situation.
If you want big numbers, use reverse slice, if you want to be effective use killers blade in PvE

Oreyn_Bearclaw

Strider_Roshin wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Killers blade is better in PVE because you will be running DW so the choice is made for you. 2h is just not a great PVE weapon.

In PVP, I like executioner. At certain health levels KB will hit harder, but health bars move a lot in PVP. It's far more likely that killers blade will "miss". At 26% health, killers blade sucks.

A lot of the best NBs don't even run an execute in PVP. Surprise attack hits hard enough at all health levels. If you want to put a fear, heal, gap closer, and cloak on your main bar, your really don't have room.

Oh this question was purely for PvE. I don't use an execute in PvP either :-)

Only place I would run 2H in PVE is VMA. Everywhere else you will do better with DW. In VMA, adds always despawn when you kill the boss. Once any VMA boss is in execute range, you should just burn them. Splash damage is totally irrelevant. Killers Blade is better for that, especially since they changed how it scales. The NB passives from the assassin tree are also nice for having it slotted.

MuddledMuppet

Remember also kB and every assassination skill slotted passively increases your crit, that will effect ALL attacks so will passively up all dps

Edit: killing an enemy with an assassination skill also gives minor berserk to allies.