12 replies to this topic

[scannermobs]

Hello.

Have seen a lot of people raving about different weapon sets, but have seen very little love for the axe & torch combo. I was wondering if any theorycrafters consider it nerfed?

Don't get me wrong axe & horn is very strong in some situations, but overall I prefer using a torch, this is why...

I use a bow for single target combat, and my swapped set for aoe/multi-target. Therefore I want each to be as efficient as possible for those uses. The way I see it the horn is better then torch for burst and single target, whereas torch is a better aoe/multi-target weapon, hence more efficient. This is because:

• Throw Torch is similar to horn skill Hunter's Call (birds), i.e. strong single-target dmg, but the torch skill has a shorter cooldown
  
• Bonfire is simillar-ish to horn skill Call of the Wild (CotW), i.e. boosts your damage (obviously CotW is a better group buff and maybe better for PvP) again the torch skill has a much shorter cooldown

So I can spam axes, nuke with Throw Torch, intermittently do combos with Bonfire, and do pretty consistent damage. Yes CotW gives your pet a boost, yes you can run circles and do better burst damage, but the downtime kills it for me. If I really need to nuke I swap to a bow, but killing groups of mobs usually takes more than a few seconds - so no point in waiting for CDs for most of that, I much prefer to have consistent damage for killing groups.

Anyone agree that torches are great for killing groups? Anyone strongly disagree? Any theorycrafters able to prove that torches are weak? Anyone not care? lol

Cya

[JasmineMcCoy]

I love torches, but the main reason is that they illuminate the area around you: no loosing path during the night, no missing a turn in a cave, no falling from some thin ledge in the dark...

[sergel02]

JasmineMcCoy, on 12 September 2012 - 10:35 AM, said:

I love torches, but the main reason is that they illuminate the area around you: no loosing path during the night, no missing a turn in a cave, no falling from some thin ledge in the dark...

lol something i like about the thing. The light really does help in certain areas.

And yeah, i started with torch and the sword and warhorn with the axe, but now they are switched. Feels so much nicer.

I always have the sword with either the dagger or horn and the axe with an OH axe or torch.

[Naginto]

I prefer the torch as well, both for the light effect and for the aoe damage- particularly when soloing.

[Trei]

It's my goto offhand at night and in caves.
I like playing with low gamma, it just makes the game look better to me.

[silentdecay01]

Torch offers better dps for solo play with short bow with a cond dmg build. Provides the Aoe rangers lack.


Aoe fire+shortbow psn is pretty sick dps can solo tons tons kill em all @ once much bettter then the long bows aoe

[Unspecified]

I actually agree with most of what you said but I still use axe/horn.

I started with shortbow and axe/torch and stuck with it from level 7 until around level 70-ish.  I honestly love the SB - A/T set.  If you're running a heavy condition damage build the Warhorn has nothing close to as good as:

Spike Trap -> Flame Trap/Pet Swap -> Piercing Arrow Short Bow 1 Spam (target the ones in back for best results) -> SB #3 -> Weapon Swap -> Bonfire -> Splitblade -> 1 Spam -> Flame Trap -> Splitbade/Pet Swap -> SB 1 Spam (-> Spike Trap -> Flame Trap?).

The amount of burning you can spread around will give you a huge dps bump over a minor +35 condition damage from 1 might and whatever extra you might get from the fury.

That said I still use warhorn but only for swiftness because I want to get around faster and I also switched to a pow/pre/crit% build so the torch isn't quite as powerful though it's still better (imho).  The horn is just more useful for general PvE because of the mobility afforded.  Horn is preferred in WvW as well for the mobility and the group buff and fire fields are a dime a dozen already.  Dungeons I prefer horn if there's someone else providing fire fields.  sPvP the group buff and the mobility win out again.

tl;dr  The torch is by far the better weapon for in combat doing PvE solo and/or AoE farming.  I still use the horn for convenience and ease of travel.

[Jobuu]

I like torch too. Sword torch and shortbow. I drop firetrap and the bonfire, hit the bee sword 2 move to jump back, switch to SB, hit 3 for more distance and unload - you got nice range and burning arrows. very safe too

[Heineken]

If only you could throw bonfire like the traps. OP.

[Rezman]

I'm using shortbow as my primary weapon but for secondary world grinding I go with sword/axe.  The #5 (Whirling Defense) AOE ability from the axe is pretty sweet and looks awesome on top of that.  Combine Whirling Defense with Quickening Zephyr and you literally turn into a ninja blender.

[H4H0hl]

I like using Axe/Horn/Torch

I keep switching between them and throwing traps so I can obtain maximum comboes and damage

Its really great, try it

[Mortec]

Shortbow and Sword+Torch

I was Axe+Horn for a while, but you know what. I just love Bonfire too much. Bit hectic pull? Out with the traps, out with the Bonfire, get the healing spring out. Go nuts with leap. And if/when it gets really hairy - QZ with autoattack sword for batshit raving crazy ninja

[SlappedYak]

I really enjoy torch in pve, I actually prefer it with 1h sword (hornet's sting and monarchs leap is a nice combo finisher for the fire field) for that melee range damage (you can just make your target stand in the fire while you do lots of jumping around like a crazy nature warrior ninja >.<)

I find axe a little slow in pve? but I think that's just my playstyle, I prefer shortbow with sword/torch in pve (throw torch, bonfire, leaps, flank with serpents strike then switch to shortbow, for some daze shots and bleed stacks!)

Horn I only really use for the speed buff, it's definitely a more pvp useful offhand in my opinion.