I don't know about the rest of you but i have been in the dumps about my 2 handed rage trying to figure out what to do to make them be competitive as compared to a duel wielding rage set up for power (str, chi).

I've been comparing several of the top glads for each type for awhile now, my own and others,

For duel weild i looked mainly at Caine, Belgarad, Summit, and others for two handed i looked at LULWUT, INCREDULOUS D, Smak, and others. From what i have seen now you start to see patterns:

Two handed users are hitting from 600-1500, rampage doesn't play that huge of a deal cause in many of the fights sunder armor/shock and awe hits are the same damage as the rampages, they attacked 0 - 2 times per round, some fights they didn't attack until last stand triggered, they never attack first unless going against another 2 hand rage.

Duel wield damage ranged from 200's - 700's normal hits with 900-1200 rampages, the duel wields attack 4-5 times per round. They get the jump on their opponents frequently. Several of them are using lightest mace weapons possible to do this but still get the above damages.

Just looking at pure potential i can see the two handers putting out a realistic max of 2800 per round, that would be two shots at 1400 each, super rare but doable, normally i would expect 1800-2000 per round if they attack twice in a round. Now again a realistic max for the duel wield is the same 2800 per round, (1200 rampage, and 4 hits of 400), i would expect their average per round to about the same also. Now Caine and Lulwut are exceptions to these i am looking at averages, those two muscle bound killing machines with their 200+ strengths are capable of higher numbers but again about the same amount of potential damage per round.

So the potential damage i think is about about the same.... but realistically duel weilders get to hit that potential a lot more often then two-handed users, the negatives to me for 2 hand rage start to show up when you get into the battles:

Initiative - the Two handers are wielding the slowest weapons in the game, I saw very very few fights where they get the jump on their opponents (again talking about in primus here), the duel wielders are all either using two fast weapons or a heavy weapon main hand and a light weapon off hand. This allows them to get the jump on opponents very frequently. It is also seen that the two handed users do not attack at all in round 1 (even with berserk) in some fights.

Loosing Initiative = More Crit effects on you, since they go after their opponents, their opponents have hit them with War Cry, Hamstring, bleeds, stuns, knockdowns, hell it even appears if they attack you enough times you just wont attack at all. It also means more damage on you before you attack which = less attack power.

Max of 2 attacks per round, even with 160 agil a 2 handed weapon using rage with berserk will attack twice per round, i've never seen a 3rd attack ever in regular attacks, you can however see it with Last Stand rarely. So each fumble, miss, create distance, "you just only attack once per round for some reason", parry, block, or trip has the effect of lowering your potential damage for the round by 50%.

My personal experiences with Belgarad and Smak have shown me that even though Smak has better stats, they have equal gear, Smak has more trains done then belgarad, Smak has never and will never hit the top 10 with how it is currently, while Belgarad went all the way to the top.

Also i can compare Smak with Zmash, they are both 2 handed glads with last stand... the warrior version is better, Zmash has no where near the trains of Smak, less strenght but he has made it up to 4th in primus. There are currently THREE two-handed/polearm with Last Stand Warriors in the primus top 10, ZERO two-handed rage.

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What I think might would bring some balance to 2 handed Rage:

1. Reach should be a factor in round 1's initiative, in boxing and MMA a 4 inch reach advantage is huge, a 2 handed rage with a great sword is going to have a 4 foot reach advantage over a person with a hand axe or a war hammer in each hand. I think this should be given as a large initiative bonus to a highly mobile leather armor wearing rage gladiator using a two handed weapon for the first attack in round one only.

2. Less "0 attacks per round" rounds, I am not sure how anyone running 10 berserk 10 doesn't attack in a round but it happens way too much I believe.

3. Remove the 2 attacks per round cap for high agility 2 hand rage.... by having it we are just taking out a whole subgroup of glads, we have speed duel wield rages and power duel wield rages, but two handed rage only has power.... I'd personally love to see a 2 handed rage sniveler with a great axe getting 3-4 attacks per round, they would be for less damage then a 200 str power two hand user for sure but hell at least it be fun to read.

I think that would make them more competitive without drastically changing anything.


Anyways this long ass post is sponsored by Samuel Adams Black Lager and by the fact that my wife and kids are off to visit in-laws for a week so i have way too much time on my hands.