For today’s topic, I’d like to put the emphasis on how to ranking all non-support weapons. Here we go:
Swords:
- Broadsword: 3/10
- Only saving grace is the double interrupt. But Damage is awful even for a tank weapon, and with no other CC, you will rarely be able to get close to those you need to interrupt.
- Claymore: 4/10
Both E’s give a moderate amount of damage, but still suffer from the lack of mobility. - Glaive: 6/10
Same damage as rest of Sword line, but Fling is both and interrupt, peel, and offensive pull. Started off weak, but due to a damage and distance buff on E, it is much better.
Axes:
- Battleaxe: 2/10
Offers up no utility or damage. Among the worst weapons in the game. Part of the problem is the weapon itself, the other part is the horribleness that is offhands. - Greataxe: 7/10
Offers best AoE melee damage, second best AoE damage next to Glacial, but it is harder to avoid the Whirlwind. - Scythe: 7/10
Where Greataxe has AoE, Scythe has single target. Part of its problem is that the healing reduction seems to be bugged.
Maces:
- Mace: 5/10
Great single target CC but is outshined by the Heavy Mace who gives up a damage for a better CC. - Heavy Mace: 7/10
Tied for second for best tank and control weapon. The AoE Silence can turn fights. - Flail: 2/10
This is one of those items that is basically another item but worse. It provides the same thing that Mace does, single target CC, but worse.
Hammers:
- Hammer: 5/10
Radius of E is a bit too small, and is handicapped by offhands, but overall it is a great control weapon. - Polehammer: 6/10
Basically the same as Hammer but with a bit more reach. - Great Hammer:7/10
Used to be really bad, but now it very good. Basically turns area around him into slush.
Crossbows:
- Crossbow: 4/10
Outshined in every way by Heavy and Repeating Crossbow. - Heavy Crossbow: 5/10
Outshined by Repeating. - Repeating Crossbow: 9/10
A powerhouse weapon, instant AoE that deals damage comparable to most single target abilities, is ranged, has self peels, and an insane Q.
Bows:
- Bows: 4/10
Decent single target damage, but brings nothing to the table. - Warbow: 5/10
Used to be great, but now the E is easily dodge-able and only AoE if all enemies collectively decide to stand ontop of each other. Great Choice in Qs, and a good W. - Longbow: 6/10
Can be devestating in certain comps, but overall it will be akin to a non-moving blizzard once blizzard is no longer bugged.
Spears:
- Spear: 7/10
It is good, even with the bad offhands. It is basically a Ranged Weapon with great AoE, decent CC, and good burst. - Pike: 6/10
A one trick pony that has a huge CD on its one trick. - Halberd: 9/10
Insane and instant burst, great AoE, great CC.
Daggers:
- Dagger: 1/10
Worst Weapon in the Game. Zero redeeming qualities. - Dagger Pair: 3/10
Good burst that is impossible to actually use. With no other utility to speak of. - Claw: 5/10
Similar to Pike, it is a one trick pony with a long CD, but unlike Pike, Claws are easily countered by almost every weapon/armor.
Quarterstaff:
- Quarterstaff: 4/10
Great weapon but, the Iron-Clad does everything it does but better. - Iron-Clad: 10/10
Best tanking/CC item in the game, hands down, zero competition. Good Q, great choices in W, and an insane and annoying E. - Double-Bladed: 7/10
All the awesomeness that is Quarterstaves, but it more tuned to open world and solo fun.
Fire Staff:
- Fire Staff: 4/10
Great single target damage and utility but suffers from a long cast time that are easily avoided given its range. - Great Fire Staff: 5/10
Huge AoE, a bit more utility, but suffers from avoidability due to cast time and telegraph. - Infernal: 6/10
Awesome open world damage, less useful the smaller the group gets.
Frost Staff:
- Frost Staff: 5/10
Go Glacial or Go home. Short Range, limited zoning potential and CC. - Great Frost Staff: 6/10
Good Zoning, Good CC, Good AoE. - Glacial: 10/10
Best AoE in the Game, due to a bug, if the bug is fixed it would be more of a 8/10 weapon.
Curse Staff:
- Curse Staff: 8/10
Best single target in the game. Iceblock, Invisibility, or Cleanse needs to be burned or you die. - Great Curse Staff: 6/10
Decent AoE and Utility, outshined on all accounts by Demonic. - Demonic Staff: 8:10
Awesome AoE, Awesome Single Target, Awesome Utility
Conclusion:
There are clearly standout items, the problem with these standout items is that they totally eclipse all other times. It would be one thing if they were 10-15% better than the average item, but they are 50-100% better. This creates two problems, firstly, the run of the mill item is now relative garbage, the second problem is the below average item might as well not be in the game.
Right now the (Bugged) Glacial, Iron-Clad, Halberd, Repeating Crossbow are all too good. With all of this overpoweredness coming from their E’s.
Curse Staves on the other hand are powerful mostly because of their Armor Piercer and Curse Beam Ws.
The Dagger Branch is all just bad; Bad Q, Bad W, Bad Es.
Sword Branch is similarly bad, but for different reasons, where Daggers have problems with the way abilities function, Swords just have problem with Damage Numbers.
Battleaxe, Frost Staff, Fire Staff, Quarterstaff, Bow, Crossbow, and Mace all suffer from their only real utility being mimicked and outmatched by weapons further down their line or in another tree altogether.
Many One-Handed Weapons suffer from weaknesses from offhands, though the shield change might address some of these problems.
Overall, any melee weapon without a sprint, charge, or movement based damage ability is bad. Part of this problem is the fact that for every auto-attack and ability cast, the melee have to stop and then resume the chase after losing ground from stopping. Melee either need to not root themselves for abilities, or autoattacks, or have a movement speed passive on the base weapons similar to the health and health regen they already have.