Your favorite 1-hand weapon + obsolete weapons matter

[0rion79]

Hi all, I am just ending the game (as much as possible so far) with my sword & shield warrior, that is not that big deal.

Anyway, such a build made me to notice how many weapons are made obsolete by others.

If I think carefully, in fact, I keep using only the Iron Golem Fist especially vs. ghosts and creatures vulnerable to shock damage, the Paladin's longsword and, occasionally, the Magma axe vs. animals (since it's faster and with a higher critical) and vs. other creatures vulnerable to fire. Since warriors use strength as main attribute, I tend not to consider light weapons and so weapons as Winter Wail really have no meaning to exist since the Paladins' Lonsword would still deal the same or more damage.

The same happens with other weapons, including rare or unique drops from boss monsters, as:
- Lightning Blade, that makes sense for rogues only in need to have a shock-based weapon
- Justice, that deals as much damage to undeads as the Iron Golem's Fist and Paldin's Longsword, and probably is less effective than the latest vs. werewolves too.
- Righteousness, the same
- Flaming Warhammer (ok, not a drop) is not really a big deal since it gets obsolete very shortly and and is not really useful to clerics since they can cast Might anyway. It is just a lame replacement for the Magma Shortsword if you need to equip a rogue and you can't access the Warrior Guild's shop and you missed the reward in Kingsbridge.

Probably the only weapon that does not get obsolete is the Primeval Icicle, that is probably the best ice-based 1 hand weapon in the game and one of the best weapons ever.

Death-based weapons, instead, are nice but there is plenty of monsters with high resistance to death effects.

I mean, all this is quite a shame because they are really nice but, when I get those weapons from boss monsters (together with some other nice piece of gear), they are already useless and less performing than the top 3 I've mentioned above, even vs. monsters with vulnerabilities.

What is your opinion? What is the best 1-hand weapon that you assign to your main character and why?

 

[ZeroesHero]

As a rogue, I do utilize the light weapons. Devourer's Sting is my go to weapon of choice for any situation (when not using bows). Not the hardest hitting, but that paralysis effect is top notch. Hard to beat it in my opinion.

Just realized you did say 1 handed weapons. In that case, I will agree with you that Iron Golem Fist is probably the best weapon of that category. I've tried equipping Hirge with the Fist, Paladins longsword, and Ghosts Bane. All are pretty similar to one another, but I feel like the Fist gets it done just a little bit better. Haven't really tried a one handed warrior build, so I can't say for certain in that regard.

 

[0rion79]

Yet another super rare weapon that never gets obsolete and that I habe never been able to find. Great choice.

 

[Linosaurus]

I don't use 1h much but you seem to have it right. I used the flaming Warhammer for hirge for quite a long time before I got the paladin longsword, but that's a detail.

I think it's unavoidable that a few weapons end up on top, and I kinda like that not all the best stuff is random rumor drops. But maybe it'd be thematically neat if the faction specific bonuses mattered in the end?

For example, my favorite light weapon is the (non primal) icicle. It's the best weapon my rogue has found for undead, and one of the best weapons overall that is not a random rumor boss drop. This one has a bonus against orcs, not undead.

Or maybe it's neat that you don't just automatically pick the faction specific weapons every time; sorta fun to discover that cold works on skeletons in this game. I'm undecided.

(yes stiletto is a little better against many things, and for characters with lots of warrior guild skills I imagine faster weapons pull ahead).

 

[Zaocide]

My rogue uses Stiletto as it has better DPS then Icicle.
Flaming warhammer is for trolls (incidents on the roads, you know).
Magma shortsword is the go-to option for midgame.
Troll cleaver (Hammer of corrosion) are nice as acid-based weapons (vs earth golems, Undermother).
Devourer sting - already mentioned.
The only poor late game drops that I could remind is Soul cleaver and Sonnet which have no use because you probably use better weapons already if you managed to get them.

 

[0rion79]

Linosaurus, I don't get the meaning.
The basic Icicle is like the primeval one but deals 1 ice damage less and the orcslayer ability is at level 1 and not 2.
Vs. undeads, ice element is good as much as fire in many cases, especially vs. ghosts, but it depends, because the Magma dagger is much better vs. mummies for instance.
If you mean that it is one of the best weapons in the game that you may get for sure without waiting for boss monsters, yes: I agree.

And by the way...

Or maybe it's neat that you don't just automatically pick the faction specific weapons every time; sorta fun to discover that cold works on skeletons in this game. I'm undecided.

With "factions" do you mean monster categories, as Undead or Beast, right?

Zaocide, to me the DPS is just one of the many variables because there is even damage reduction from monsters. Especially as the game goes on, damage per hit is more important than damage per second, because it is simply more effective: there is no purpose in hitting your enemy many times if you deal no damage at all or poor damage. I did a comparison when using my archer equipped with the Jester Bow and the compound bow: even if the latest is much slower, proved to be much more effective on the long run, so I consider weapon speed as a bonus when basic damage is very similar.

Flaming warhammer is for trolls (incidents on the roads, you know) -

yep, but you usually get it too late in the game!

Magma shortsword is the go-to option for midgame,

agreed but it depends by when you can get it.

Troll cleaver (Hammer of corrosion) are nice as acid-based weapons (vs earth golems, Undermother).,

it also works decently vs. golems of any kind and acid elementals (that are not healed by it) since it is one of the light blades offering the highest damage per second, and therefore for flanking too. But I do not use it all the time because having a high elemental damage is a much bigger advantage.

The only poor late game drops that I could remind is Soul cleaver and Sonnet which have no use because you probably use better weapons already if you managed to get them

Well, I use Sonnet as a generic weapon for any emergency, great vs. werewolves for instance, but I feel it is one of those weapons that you may get when you already have better stuff, that is needed to kill the guardian owning that weapon. For the records, the Primeval Icicle and basic Icicle deal more damage in the whole, among basic + elemental damage.

You know, my basic feeling is that I cannot grasp David's big picture about weapons, yet I have the gut feeling that light weapons and 2-handed weapons are more interesting and with better abilities, leaving 1-handed weapons somehow in the background a bit.
In fact, in some cases, you may find light weapons dealing more damage than 1-hand weapons too!

But, at the very end, I am a bit sorry to see that drops from boss monsters - that are already a pain to find - are made obsolete by weapons that you can find for sure along the path if you complete all of the main quests in the game, as explained in the comparison among the Paladin's Longsword and Justice.

 

[ZeroesHero]

But, at the very end, I am a bit sorry to see that drops from boss monsters - that are already a pain to find - are made obsolete by weapons that you can find for sure along the path if you complete all of the main quests in the game, as explained in the comparison among the Paladin's Longsword and Justice.

May be true for 1 handed weapons, but I would have to disagree a little bit in regards to other weapons categories. Soul Drinker is a phenomenal 2 handed weapon (probably only eclipsed by Rancor). And the Imperial Troll Hunting Bow is awesome. More damage than Jesters Bow and faster than Composite Bow. It's fire damage makes it work with almost any enemy too.
Even the damage done will outweigh healing effects to most fire based creatures.

 

[0rion79]

Yes, in fact this is about 1-hand weapons only, coherently with the title

 

[ZeroesHero]

Ok. Well then I gotta say that one handed weapons are never going to do more damage than other class weapons. They shouldn't. Light weapons may not have as high a damage rating, but they are built for speed. They hit faster and more often. 2 handed weapons are built for total offense. 1 handed weapons are for more of a defensive build, providing some offense without sacrificing defense. 1 handed weapons aren't left behind. Just not for heavy hitting builds.

 

[Hisoka Approves]

Ok. Well then I gotta say that one handed weapons are never going to do more damage than other class weapons....1 handed weapons are for more of a defensive build, providing some offense without sacrificing defense. 1 handed weapons aren't left behind. Just not for heavy hitting builds.

My rogue heavily disagrees with you. With high agility the light weapons do insane DPS.