So this may be a loaded question with a much more in depth answer than I am expecting but here it goes nonetheless. When concerning dual wield vs. 2handed weapons, if we assume dual wield and any other skills necessary are maxed out, how do 2 one handed weapons compare to a 2 hander if the damage delay ratios are the same when added together. For example two 1hs weapons that are each 15dmg/30 delay each vs a 2hs that is 30dmg/30 delay?? Is the DMG output the same or does the 2hs outperform with larger bonuses and the possibility of the 2nd weapon not always swinging (if that's the case even with dual wield maxed) Thanks!!
It's kind of a fluid situation that takes several factors into account: attack speed (damage bonus application), attack stat, mob AC and player strength. There's not always a one size fits all answer for what will perform better. If you are a fan of parsing you can log into the dev server, summon whatever items you want, teleport to the arena and beat on the dummy for a while.
Generally speaking, I've found that a high end 2hander is comparable or better than a similarly-powered dual wield set. Plus the 2hand has reduced damage taken from dmg shields and usually also offers a chance to nuke without loss of melee dps. As Lenas says, though, there's a lot of variables in play and parsing is usually the only way to tell for sure.
So, there's a parse mob in the arena zone on dev you can use to get legit DPS comparisons between weapon set-ups. Failing that, Luthair's DPS calculator can give a quick-and-dirty DPS estimate. You put in your class, strength, weapons, damage bonus and weapon skills and hit calculate. The raw DPS value it produces probably isn't super accurate since it doesn't account for things like dodges and worn attack, but it's an okay comparison between weapons. AllaKabor has accurate mainhand damage bonuses. (There's no damage bonus for offhand weapons.)
No, not really, although my memory is definitely from a Ranger perspective. I'm very unsure that the situation here is the same, though, especially with possible differences in offhand bonuses and slow weap 2h bonuses, etc. Just relating what a lot of folks used to think on the ranger's glade.
There is literally nothing to debate. Anyone can access dev and parse what options are truly superior.
The situation the OP posted doesn't need parsing to know the answer. Dual wield doesn't go off every time, so even ignoring literally everything else, the 30/30 two hander will outdamage the two 15/30 one handers, and it won't even be close.
A lot of this debate is also a factor of weapon delay and mob AC. When you are dual wielding, MH damage bonus doesn't change based on delay like it does with 2H weapons and it cannot be mitigated. On p99 I parsed my ranger (with a 5/14 Revultant whip MH) doing upwards of 90% of the dps I had while using a Earthcaller MH (swiftwind offhand for both parses) because of all of the guaranteed damage off of your MH damage bonus. I would argue that the same probably holds true with all the high AC bosses in luclin especially.
If you reread, that is not exactly what he said. He actually asked if two 15/30 was like a 30/30, or if there was an easy way to compare.
