First, here is Damage Calculator that I created on google sheets comparing builds at level 18 and level 23. If you choose File -> Make a Copy you can save it and make edits to play around with different builds on your own. The math in this post is simplified by ignoring elemental damage and crits. But that is all in the spreadsheet.
Second, thanks MikeB for the 'Error in DPS Calculation' thread for unlocking the DPS numbers.
Lesson 1: Whirlwind and Charge Are Overrated
Max Whirlwind does 120% of normal damage (not elemental damage, check the combat log). With Heavy Hand and a strength of 8 (including belt) and a Greataxe of the Falling Stars, a non-critical hit will do 35.5 normal damage per hit (not DPS). Multiply that by 2.2 and add the 5 elemental and you have 83 per hit. The other non-Whirlwind hits will do about 41 damage per hit.
However, Whirlwind has a cool down time of 9 seconds, which means only one out of 8 hits. So take the average and you get 43.1. Maxing out Whirlwind gets you about 5 damage per hit. With a weapon with a speed below 10 that means less than 5 per second. For 9 skill points. Heavyhand gets you just as much damage for 6 points.
What this means is that pretty much all Warriors should go the Bloodlust, Heavy Hand and Duel route. And as we'll see below, Flurry is good that 2H warriors need it too. So it very difficult for Warriors to leverage the massive damage potential of a high STR because they need an Agility of 6. They should also take Body Development and build up their End.
* A point in Whirlwind and especially charge is still a really good idea for crowd control etc.
The Heavy Hand and Duel Path
Let's compare two balanced (for main quest) builds: Light vs 2H at level 18. I'm leaving out crits and elemental damage, but they are in the spreadsheet.
Level 15 Light Warrior with Icicle
Level 18 2H Warrior with Greataxe of Falling Stars
The 2H does about 35% more damage than the Light Warrior
Flurry and the Shield Mimic
However, I left out Flurry! The points that the 2H Warrior puts into 2H Expert the Light Warrior puts into Flurry. That gives the Light Warrior a 75% bonus to DPS. The Light Warrior actually outdamages the 2H Warrior! Of course, a tough boss mob may outlast Flurry, but even so I think the damage output is roughly comparable.
Can the 2H Warrior put points into Flurry? Yes, but at level 18 it is very tough because you need an Agility of 6 for Flurry, which is the same as our Light Warrior's Agility. If you want Flurry at a relatively low level, you have to "spec" your character like a Light Warrior.
Level 18 2H "Shield Mimic" with Greataxe of Falling Stars
The "shield mimic" at low levels is not a viable option. It's damage is comparable while giving up AC bonus of a shield *and* while making a huge sacrifice in skills to take 2H Expert in addition to Flurry, Heavyhand and Duel.
Armor
So far I'm only looking at the damage done. But 2H Warriors have a huge penalty in Damage taken.
Also, remember, the damage reduction with a shield is 40% to 100% of the listed Armor. Without a shield it is 20% to 100%. So a 2H Warrior gets about 6 points of damage reduction per 10 points of Armor. The Shield Warrior gets 7.
Every hit the 2H Warrior takes will do 8 more damage.
Level 23: 2H Warriors are viable but not superior
At level 23, 2H Warriors no longer have to make such dramatic tradeoffs between Traits. They can have a high Agility (for Flurry) and an high Str. But the armor gap remains and you end out trading off dealing damage for ability to tank damage.
I personally have evolved from Light Warrior to 1H Warrior. It means that I can free up the neck slot for resistances (because I used to use the Amulet of Dark Whispers for Stun Immunity) while relying on Infantry Training to prevent stun.
Conclusion
I don't think this is the last word, but I do think that Shield warriors are not second tier warriors. Personally, this exercise has me curious to play "Shield Mimics" who have Traits spent like Shield warriors but use a 2H weapon.
Edit: Just created a Damage Calculator on Google Sheets to make this a bit more concrete. I'll post in more detail in a followup post but here are the quick results:
Edit 2: Cleaned up the post a bit and added a Shield Mimic discussion, which was not in the original post.
Second, thanks MikeB for the 'Error in DPS Calculation' thread for unlocking the DPS numbers.
Lesson 1: Whirlwind and Charge Are Overrated
Max Whirlwind does 120% of normal damage (not elemental damage, check the combat log). With Heavy Hand and a strength of 8 (including belt) and a Greataxe of the Falling Stars, a non-critical hit will do 35.5 normal damage per hit (not DPS). Multiply that by 2.2 and add the 5 elemental and you have 83 per hit. The other non-Whirlwind hits will do about 41 damage per hit.
However, Whirlwind has a cool down time of 9 seconds, which means only one out of 8 hits. So take the average and you get 43.1. Maxing out Whirlwind gets you about 5 damage per hit. With a weapon with a speed below 10 that means less than 5 per second. For 9 skill points. Heavyhand gets you just as much damage for 6 points.
What this means is that pretty much all Warriors should go the Bloodlust, Heavy Hand and Duel route. And as we'll see below, Flurry is good that 2H warriors need it too. So it very difficult for Warriors to leverage the massive damage potential of a high STR because they need an Agility of 6. They should also take Body Development and build up their End.
* A point in Whirlwind and especially charge is still a really good idea for crowd control etc.
The Heavy Hand and Duel Path
Let's compare two balanced (for main quest) builds: Light vs 2H at level 18. I'm leaving out crits and elemental damage, but they are in the spreadsheet.
Level 15 Light Warrior with Icicle
- Duel and Heavyhand for 15 damage
- Agility 7 (with gear) + Str 4 (for Heavy Hand) for 9 damage
- So Icicle will have normal hits of 28-34, average of 31
- Speed 12 gives a total DPS of 37.2
- A good rule of thumb is that you get 6 points of damage reduction per 10 points of Armor. So a Boss with Armor 30 has 18 points of damage reduction.
- So Icicle does about 19 DPS normal damage against a Boss
Level 18 2H Warrior with Greataxe of Falling Stars
- Duel and Heavyhand for 15 damage
- Str 9 (with belt) for 22 damage
- So GFs will have normal hits of 40-55, average of 47.5
- Speed 9 gives a total DPS of 42.8 (realize this is only 5 higher than Icicle above!)
- A good rule of thumb is that you get 6 points of damage reduction per 10 points of Armor. So a Boss with Armor 30 has 18 points of damage reduction.
- So GFS does about 26 DPS normal damage against a Boss
The 2H does about 35% more damage than the Light Warrior
Flurry and the Shield Mimic
However, I left out Flurry! The points that the 2H Warrior puts into 2H Expert the Light Warrior puts into Flurry. That gives the Light Warrior a 75% bonus to DPS. The Light Warrior actually outdamages the 2H Warrior! Of course, a tough boss mob may outlast Flurry, but even so I think the damage output is roughly comparable.
Can the 2H Warrior put points into Flurry? Yes, but at level 18 it is very tough because you need an Agility of 6 for Flurry, which is the same as our Light Warrior's Agility. If you want Flurry at a relatively low level, you have to "spec" your character like a Light Warrior.
Level 18 2H "Shield Mimic" with Greataxe of Falling Stars
- Duel and Heavyhand for 15 damage
- Str 6 (with belt) for 15 damage
- So GFs will have normal hits of 33-48, average of 40.5
- Speed 9 gives a total DPS of 36.5 (realize this is slightly lower than Icicle above!)
- A good rule of thumb is that you get 6 points of damage reduction per 10 points of Armor. So a Boss with Armor 30 has 18 points of damage reduction.
- So GFS does about 18.5 DPS normal damage against a Boss - Less than Icicle!
The "shield mimic" at low levels is not a viable option. It's damage is comparable while giving up AC bonus of a shield *and* while making a huge sacrifice in skills to take 2H Expert in addition to Flurry, Heavyhand and Duel.
Armor
So far I'm only looking at the damage done. But 2H Warriors have a huge penalty in Damage taken.
Also, remember, the damage reduction with a shield is 40% to 100% of the listed Armor. Without a shield it is 20% to 100%. So a 2H Warrior gets about 6 points of damage reduction per 10 points of Armor. The Shield Warrior gets 7.
- Armor difference
- 21 : armor from gear (not including belt)
- 3 : Shield
- 2 : Belt Choosing1 Str, 2 Armor belt over +2 Str belt
- 4 : points of extra Agility for Shield warrior
- 2H Warrior damage reduction: 13
- Shield Warrior damage reduction: 21
Every hit the 2H Warrior takes will do 8 more damage.
Level 23: 2H Warriors are viable but not superior
At level 23, 2H Warriors no longer have to make such dramatic tradeoffs between Traits. They can have a high Agility (for Flurry) and an high Str. But the armor gap remains and you end out trading off dealing damage for ability to tank damage.
I personally have evolved from Light Warrior to 1H Warrior. It means that I can free up the neck slot for resistances (because I used to use the Amulet of Dark Whispers for Stun Immunity) while relying on Infantry Training to prevent stun.
Conclusion
I don't think this is the last word, but I do think that Shield warriors are not second tier warriors. Personally, this exercise has me curious to play "Shield Mimics" who have Traits spent like Shield warriors but use a 2H weapon.
Edit: Just created a Damage Calculator on Google Sheets to make this a bit more concrete. I'll post in more detail in a followup post but here are the quick results:
Edit 2: Cleaned up the post a bit and added a Shield Mimic discussion, which was not in the original post.