New Build, what do you guys think?

[Brookston]

So I'm thinking of doing this build for my next generation.  What do you all think?  I'm worried about the low athletics and am considering trading an IF for 5 in athletics. 

Level 30 (4 420 577 xp)

    Strength: 24
    Agility: 15
    Hit points: 75

    Skills to attributes: 8

    Ironflesh: 8
    Power Strike: 8
    Shield: 0
    Athletics: 4
    Riding: 0
    Horse Archery: 0
    Power Draw: 0
    Power Throw: 0
    Weapon Master: 3

    One Handed: 1
    Two Handed: 133
    Polearm: 1
    Archery: 1
    Crossbow: 1
    Throwing: 1

[agweber]

I would always max out Athletics and possibly WM before I would bother with IF.  IF is the change slot for leftover skills, unless your playing a tincan build, in which you may as well drop your agi altogether..

[Kenda]

I think it looks fine personally, I'd do what you suggested though and trade 1 IF for Ath. WM is overrated after nerf imo.

[Torben]

ya id drop 1 if for agi... athl sry

[Brookston]

My reasoning with the low WM goes like this.  (data taken from my Skip the Fun character not the character builders which give a slightly higher weapons points)

WM 3 = 130 two handed wpf
WM 4 = 138
WM 5 = 146

from the forums the contribution of weapon points to damage is (wpf * 0.01 * 0.15 + 0.85)

(okay I'm ignoring the effect of armor on effective wpf but I think the percentages should be similar)

WM 3 = 1.045
WM 4 = 1.057
WM 5 = 1.069

so going from WM 3 to 4 increases damage by only 1.2%
and going from WM 3 to 5 increases damage by 2.4%

in fact, the percentages would be even lower because you slap on STR/5 at the end right?

Where as each IF gives you 2 more hit points which could allow you to survive another if you have decent armor. 

I'm new to this so I'd appreciate if you could point out flaws in the math/argument.

[Brookston]

ya id drop 1 if for agi...

you mean 1 IF for athletics, or 2 IF for agi?

[Torben]

you mean 1 IF for athletics, or 2 IF for agi?

sry I meant athletics.  imo maxing athletics is to be chosen over everything else,  it gives you the ability for better footwork = taking less damage and dealing more : )

edit:
your build will be fun,  i had something similar once as a polearmer.  i teamed up with a great shielder and used a great long bardiche,  we destroyed teams together...  thats more then a year ago though ^^

[CrazyCracka420]

I'd go 5 IF and put 1 more into athletics, and 2 more into WM.

WM not only increasing the damage you do, it also makes your weapons swing faster, and lowers your chance of getting hit with upkeep on weapons. 

Not to mention, IF is a defensive skill, WM is an offensive skill.  Ideally you kill them before they hit you.  I always prefer an offensive skill versus a passive defensive skill.

[GuiKa]

My reasoning with the low WM goes like this.  (data taken from my Skip the Fun character not the character builders which give a slightly higher weapons points)

WM 3 = 130 two handed wpf
WM 4 = 138
WM 5 = 146

from the forums the contribution of weapon points to damage is (wpf * 0.01 * 0.15 + 0.85)

(okay I'm ignoring the effect of armor on effective wpf but I think the percentages should be similar)

WM 3 = 1.045
WM 4 = 1.057
WM 5 = 1.069

so going from WM 3 to 4 increases damage by only 1.2%
and going from WM 3 to 5 increases damage by 2.4%

in fact, the percentages would be even lower because you slap on STR/5 at the end right?

Where as each IF gives you 2 more hit points which could allow you to survive another if you have decent armor. 

I'm new to this so I'd appreciate if you could point out flaws in the math/argument.

And you are totally right, don't listen to people => Do the math and decide afterward.

Weapon master for melee build is worthless, the only real advantage of having a lot of wpf is that your weapon breaks less often.
It makes your swing faster but unless you got for over 160 wpf it wont matter at all, it's only about +6% swing speed each 100 wpf.
Also the slower your weapon is the higher weapon master matters (but still even with a slow weapon it is inferior to IF).

24/15
8 IF
8 PS
5 ATH
2 WM

Is probably the most effective build for "basic" 2h playstyle on eu_1 (and strat).

[CrazyCracka420]

I thought WPF of the weapon and power strike were directly related to each other?  I don't see that in the equations anywhere (but I didn't think there'd be math on the forums)

[oprah_winfrey]

IMO, I would cut 1 IF for 1 athletics. You pretty much always want to be maxing ath and powerstrike. You could cut WM for it, but I usually want to get 3 weapon master, so that you can wear ~15 weight armor, while still having over 100 wpf after weight penalties.

[Equal]

What I don't understand with your build is the 15 agility, but none of your agility based skills are at 5? Drop an IF since you'll have an insane amount of HP already and max out your athletics. Otherwise you might as well have 12 athletics with that build.

[Zaar]

Weapon master for melee build is worthless, the only real advantage of having a lot of wpf is that your weapon breaks less often.
It makes your swing faster but unless you got for over 160 wpf it wont matter at all, it's only about +6% swing speed each 100 wpf.

Since I'm far from an expert, lemme ask you to clarify...you're saying it's about 6% for each 100 wpf...which would mean difference between 100 and 150 (let's ignore penalties for the sake of argument) is 3% when it comes to swing speed?

[Falka]

24/15
8 IF
8 PS
5 ATH
2 WM

This one, WM is waste of points for 2h, you willl get 111 wpf at lvl 30 anyway and difference between 111 and ~130 is meaningless.

[Prpavi]

full wpf, 5 IF, medium heavy armor, the only propper way to play 2h!

jokes aside 5 agi/wm/if 8 PS is my all time favorite 2h build, dont use low wm because youll get outspammed and rage allot especially wearing heavier armor.