Double Strike vs Heavy Strike

Hi.

I am working on a physical 2H build and was wondering what skill to use for single target DPS. I really like Double Strike's style but it sesms Heavy Strike is just so much better.

Heavy Strike seems not only to deal more damage overall but also since it's only one single big hit it penetrates more of the target's armor and has a higher chance of stunning the target. It also gains more attack speed per quality and has the reduced stun threshold. The only thing I dislike is the knockback which is actually I slight DPS decrease I feel (small time of running in between hits).

Double Strike's only upside seems to be "On Hit"-Effects, but I don't plan on using any of these.

So what are your thoughts on this?

I prefer Infernal Blow. Because you can make it a neat AoE ability with MeleeSplash that still deals tons of damage to single enemies. Also it deals 50% phys and 50% fire damage wich helps alot versus reflect mobs.
I thought about using HeavyStrike first but that knockback was really annoying for me.

Double strike scales best with elemental damage and on hit effects, heavy strike is best for pure physical with lowest attack speeds, because as you mentioned knockback, though weapon range is usually long enough that an enemy that wasn't stunned will have moved back toward you before the next swing. Don't forget, one is str the other is dex, that alone can determine which one you'll be using.

Without a doubt heavy strike prevails: incredible DPS,armor crushing,stunning,synergies with elemental sources that can double the damage,etc.But that knockback...It not just makes you desync and stuck creeps into walls,but it can be dangerous if you focus a target and knocking it back soon become surrounded or in a dangerous situation.

Monsters generally do not have significant amounts of armor.

Double Strike is .7 x 2 = 1.4
Heavy Strike is 1.5

If you factor the knockback, the DPS is probably quite similar. Heavy Strike is better for stuns, doublestrike is better for on-hit effects (but NOT better for ele dmg, the only thing that matters for that is the 1.4 vs 1.5 multiplier).

I prefer Double Strike because I absolutely loathe the knockback.

Don't forget though, that if you crit with double strike it crits for both hits. So if you're doing a crit based build that can factor in as well. Probably not going crit with a 2h build, but I guess just keep that in mind.

I also second the infernal blow recommendation. And don't forget that frenzy is an option as well. Dominating Blow is really fun too, though in terms of pure dps it lags behind.

Had a dual strike 2H sword duelist back in closed beta that would Pop diamond flasks and pretty much one shot map bosses, probably wouldn't be as effective with the new diamond flasks.

I personally just liked the skill effect better on swords than heavy strike as well.

"

ampdecay wrote:

Had a dual strike 2H sword duelist back in closed beta that would Pop diamond flasks and pretty much one shot map bosses, probably wouldn't be as effective with the new diamond flasks.

I personally just liked the skill effect better on swords than heavy strike as well.

No you didn't.

Lol... One shot map bosses with dual strike... I guess it's OP-ness escaped everyone. Hah

Path_of_Troll

Looking at your character (shadow), double strike will probably work better in the long run. You won't need to invest so heavily into str to level the gem up, and there aren't any reduced stun threshold passives anywhere near the shadow starting area so you can't really capitalize on heavy strike's reduced stun threshold (and by extension, the massive survivability boost endurance charge on melee stun grants).