Upgrading Headstriker

[Hacksaw]

I've been looking at the Headstriker unique sword:

One-Hand Damage: 40 To (86-184) (63-112 Avg)
Required Level: 39
Required Strength: 92
Required Dexterity: 43
Durability: 32
Base Weapon Speed: [0]
150% Enhanced Damage
+ (1 Per Character Level) 1-99 To Maximum Damage (Based On Character Level)
(1.5 Per Character Level) 1-148 % Deadly Strike (Based On Character Level)
Prevent Monster Heal
+15 To Strength

and thinking that the percent chance of doing a Deadly Strike might make
this a great candidate for upgrading. As I understand it, deadly strike is a
chance to do double damage. This thing hit's 100% deadly strike at level 67
so you could easily count on it doing double damage all the time.

Wouldn't that make it be the equivalent of a 300%ED weapon with +2/level max
damage and the additional bonus of doubling the effectiveness of any +ED
jewel or Ohm rune you put into it?

The dex requirement would go to 112 after the upgrade but that's not much
different than a colossus blade and most characters shouldn't have too much
trouble hitting that.

Base damage would become 37-53 from 16-34 which seems pretty significant.

If you were to put an Ohm in it it'd be the equivalent of a 400ED conquest
sword with +2 max damage/level, prevent monster heal and +15 to str. Maybe
not "godly" but it does sound pretty good to me.

Comments? Have I missed something important?


--- Hacksaw

[Clay]

Post by Hacksaw
Comments? Have I missed something important?

Deadly strike doesn't necessarily stack with critical strike--it just kicks
in when critical fails. Still, you're always doing double the listed
damage, but you just don't have a have a chance to double it again. This is
meaningless if you put it on a pally :-)

I'd have to say go for it...

-Clay

[Hacksaw]

Post by Clay

Post by Hacksaw
Comments? Have I missed something important?

Deadly strike doesn't necessarily stack with critical strike--it just kicks
in when critical fails. Still, you're always doing double the listed
damage, but you just don't have a have a chance to double it again.

To tell you the truth, I'd forgotten about the chance of critical strike on
the barbs mastery entirely. :)

Post by Clay
This is meaningless if you put it on a pally :-)

Yeah, I'm thinking that a pally might just get a headstriker. I still have
to decide on a build though.

Thanks for you comments.


--- Hacksaw

[Polarhound]

Post by Hacksaw

Post by Clay

Post by Hacksaw
Comments? Have I missed something important?

Deadly strike doesn't necessarily stack with critical strike--it just

kicks

Post by Clay
in when critical fails. Still, you're always doing double the listed
damage, but you just don't have a have a chance to double it again.

To tell you the truth, I'd forgotten about the chance of critical strike on
the barbs mastery entirely. :)

So that just means you only put a couple points into Sword Mastery.
With the CS skills bug gone, you won't be getting 100%CS from the
mastery anymore anyways.

[rwb]

Post by Hacksaw
One-Hand Damage: 40 To (86-184) (63-112 Avg)
Required Level: 39
Required Strength: 92
Required Dexterity: 43
Durability: 32
Base Weapon Speed: [0]
150% Enhanced Damage
+ (1 Per Character Level) 1-99 To Maximum Damage (Based On Character Level)
(1.5 Per Character Level) 1-148 % Deadly Strike (Based On Character Level)
Prevent Monster Heal
+15 To Strength
and thinking that the percent chance of doing a Deadly Strike might make
this a great candidate for upgrading. As I understand it, deadly strike is a
chance to do double damage. This thing hit's 100% deadly strike at level 67
so you could easily count on it doing double damage all the time.
Wouldn't that make it be the equivalent of a 300%ED weapon with +2/level max
damage and the additional bonus of doubling the effectiveness of any +ED
jewel or Ohm rune you put into it?
The dex requirement would go to 112 after the upgrade but that's not much
different than a colossus blade and most characters shouldn't have too much
trouble hitting that.
Base damage would become 37-53 from 16-34 which seems pretty significant.
If you were to put an Ohm in it it'd be the equivalent of a 400ED conquest
sword with +2 max damage/level, prevent monster heal and +15 to str. Maybe
not "godly" but it does sound pretty good to me.
Comments? Have I missed something important?
--- Hacksaw

Sounds good damage wise .But all my current successful barb builds
in hell
are relying more on crushing blow than critical or deadly strike and
if
I remember correctly you can only roll one of those on a hit. Would
this would eliminate any crusing blow? Or am I missing something in
the way these are applied?
Robert (clcrwl west)

[Hacksaw]

Post by rwb
Sounds good damage wise .But all my current successful barb builds
in hell
are relying more on crushing blow than critical or deadly strike and
if
I remember correctly you can only roll one of those on a hit. Would
this would eliminate any crusing blow? Or am I missing something in
the way these are applied?

Good question. I don't think one excludes the other, but I honestly don't
know.

Anyone?


--- Hacksaw

[Polarhound]

Post by Hacksaw

Post by rwb
Sounds good damage wise .But all my current successful barb builds
in hell
are relying more on crushing blow than critical or deadly strike and
if
I remember correctly you can only roll one of those on a hit. Would
this would eliminate any crusing blow? Or am I missing something in
the way these are applied?

Good question. I don't think one excludes the other, but I honestly don't
know.
Anyone?

DS and CS get a single roll each, and only one can actually be activated.

CB is separate.