Thread: (DW) Relentless Strike vs Brutal/Savage Strike

From the various guides I have found, it comes up that if you Dual wield it is better to use Relentless Strike as a fervor move and if you go with a 2-Hand weapon is better to go with a combination of Brutal and Savage Strike. Is this still true or the guides are outdated?

I am asking because I checked the class Deeds and found that the The Berserker deed line, which I suppose is the single-target damage deal traits, gives bonuses to Brutal and Savage Strike. Specifically, it gives (2 equipped) +40% Critical Multiplier for 2nd and 3rd attacks from Brutal Strikes and the 2nd attack from Savage Strikes!

This result to 2 questions:

1) Is The Berserker trait line and generally the Single-target Damage designed to work better for 2-Hand Weapon?

2)Despite the bonuses in Brutal/Savage strike, is it still better to go with Relentless Strike if DW and have 2 traits equipped in The Berserker trait line?Or by then, Brutal/Savage strike becomes better?

I know there are xxxxxx created threads about DW vs 2-Hand(I also have created one :P ) and every discussion ends up that there is minor differences and that it depends on playstyle. But still I don’t think so. If Brutal strikes and Savage Strike is Designed to work better for 2-Hand weapons and the Berserker trait line give bonuses to these skills, isn’t more clear that Single target DPS with a 2-Hand is more viable?

From the other hand, the Deadly Storm trait line doesn’t seem to give clear bonuses to DW for AOE as the Berserker gives to 2-Hands for single-target, except that in DW you generate Fervor faster and you are able to use more abilities as you need to do it..Blade Storm, Raging Blade, Cleave/Rend and if solo Bracing attack/Sudden defense are lot of abilities to spend fervor and more fervor is crucial. But even for AOE it seems that Cleave/Rend favor 2-Hand weapon also but not enough I suppose to counter the slow fervor generation.

As I am still Leveling my Champion, I will stick in DW and AOE because I usually fight 2-4 mobs at a time. Although in those moments that I have to fight single strong mobs I wanna know if it is better to use Brutal/Savage Strike or Relentless Strike because I will slot for sure the Blood-lust and Flurry of Blows traits for sure and so I will have the 2-equipped bonus from The Berserker.

Lastly, is it possible a Champion can be much effective in both AOE and single target at the same time? Is there any balanced build to buff both damage types with minor loses than if you trait specifically for one type?

I gear and trait specifically for single target. Aoe are still great and you can really pump the damage out ST.

I don't think anyone is using savage strikes at end game (It turns into feral strikes). I used to use that as my main fervour dump when I used a 1H rotation but i do not any longer.

Mainly people just Brutal strikes in a 2h rotation and Remorseless in a 1H. I however think Ferocious strikes is also an amazing skill to work into either rotation.

With my lvl 60 2nd age, I do massage damage with Remoreless/Relentless Strikes with my 2H greatsword. I tend to trait 4r, 3y. This allows me to AOE very effectively since I'm still leveling, but it also gives me the chance to dish out pain on ST fights. I keep a 2nd age sword and offhand, and the greatsword in the inventory and on my action bar to allow me to switch quickly. I tend to use Feral Strikes and Remorseless Strikes as my Fervor dumps, and use Wild Attack, Swift Strike/Blade and Blade-wall as the generators. Rend I keep stacked on targets, as it lowers their armor rating, making everything easier.

Without the trait line bonus from the berserker line the second and third strikes of brutal/savage/feral crit for less than the first strike. The trait line bonus just makes all the strikes have the same crit multiplier. However, even if all the crit multipliers weren't the same, what matters is the DPS in the end. You can't look at one feature and say that makes X superior to Y. You have to look at them all together.

I prefer to dual wield, and I alternate between Remorseless Strike and Brutal Strike. Remorseless has a long cooldown so while it is cooling down I have no choice but to use Brutal Strike. Also once you get Improved Seeking Blade you will use it all the time with Remorseless Strike as it gives it a guaranteed crit. Once remorseless is on cooldown you have no choice but to use Brutal Strikes. And the Improved Feral Strikes costs too many fervour pips and doesn't do as much damage.

Originally Posted by Vysion34

I prefer to dual wield, and I alternate between Remorseless Strike and Brutal Strike. Remorseless has a long cooldown so while it is cooling down I have no choice but to use Brutal Strike. Also once you get Improved Seeking Blade you will use it all the time with Remorseless Strike as it gives it a guaranteed crit. Once remorseless is on cooldown you have no choice but to use Brutal Strikes. And the Improved Feral Strikes costs too many fervour pips and doesn't do as much damage.

It sounds like you are either confusing remorseless with ferocious strikes, or have brutal and remorseless swapped. Remorseless has almost no cool down. The only way you ever have to wait on its cool down is if you hit battle frenzy or pot a fervor potion. Remorseless also has the guaranteed crit from seeking blades. Brutal's cooldown is longer, and you might have to use something else to spend your fervor. Ferocious has an even longer cool down.