So, someone correct me if any of the following is wrong (it's all theorycrafting anyhow).

Currently, on the live servers, my character (a 2h/bow nightblade) focuses almost entirely on critical chance. His skills, set bonuses, traits, everything is aimed at getting as high a critical chance as possible, and that's because the great majority of players I seem to go up against in pvp arent wearing 7 pieces of legendary impenetrable-traited gear. Thus, stacking critical chance high enough means I still have a fair chance to land crits on my target.

In 1.6, however, impenetrable is being changed to reduce critical damage taken rather than critical chance on enemy attacks. So, if my line of thinking here is correct:

-In 1.5, a target may have 70 impenetrable rating on 7 pieces of gear, which comes out to around 49% crit chance reduction. If I'm at 60-100% crit chance (varying with potion use), I still have a good 20-30% chance to critically strike for a full 50% (60% with nightblade passives, 70% with the shadow stone) extra damage.

-In 1.5, a target with impenetrable on 7 pieces of gear may reduce critical damage by something like 40%, meaning even if I do crit I'm only getting 10%~ (give or take depending on buffs) extra damage out of the attack.


All of that being said, it seems to me that in 1.6 it is going to be a smarter move to drop critical chance entirely from offensive builds, and gear instead towards stacking as much weapon damage and damage modifiers as possible. This means bonus weapon damage from sets like hunding's rage, ashen grip, and twice-fanged serpent, but it also means finding new ways around an opponent's defenses.

Armor seems to be playing a much greater role in 1.6, so I'm thinking that sharpened may become an even more viable offensive pvp weapon trait than precise, reducing your target's armor and spell resistance is a direct boost to your damage. The deciding factor is, of course, whether or not it makes up for or exceeds the damage bonus you might be getting on critical hits (if any).

This also means that the thief/shadow stones may be less useful now - perhaps it will be a better idea to go pick up the warrior stone now for even more weapon damage?