Noob question: What does a melee weapon say?

[pnoypogs]

Hi, im basically new to WoW. Can somebody tell me about melee weapons? In particular the weapon speed, im quite confused whether a lower number make a faster speed or otherwise? And how about DPS? Or can somebody show me a link to answer these questions pls. Ive been searching but to no avail. Thanks. :embarassed:

[Valas Azuviir]

Hi, im basically new to WoW. Can somebody tell me about melee weapons? In particular the weapon speed, im quite confused whether a lower number make a faster speed or otherwise? And how about DPS? Or can somebody show me a link to answer these questions pls. Ive been searching but to no avail. Thanks. :embarassed:

DPS = damage per second. Take min. damage, add to max damage divide by weapon speed and that should be the dps, iirc.

Weapon Speed: 1.2 is faster than 3.6. While 3.0 is slower than 2.2.

[bwirum]

When you look at a meleeweapon you'll see the damage, like 10-20, that means that the damagerange of that weapon is between 10 and 20 on a target with no damage reduction. You'll also see the weaponspeed, for instance 2.0, which means you'll strike once every 2 seconds with this weapon. So to find the dps on this weapon you'll take your 10 and your 20 and add up to 30, then divide that by 2 to get an average of 15, divide your average damage by the 2 seconds per attack from before and get damage per second of 7.5.

Hope that answered your question.

Edit: Well, Valaz beat me to it, but I still think my answer was more fulfilling :wink:

By the way, there are a lot of skills that are "instant" and don't take dps into consideration at all, only the damage range of a weapon. Take backstab for instance, if you can choose between a weapon with a 40-70 damage range and a weaponspeed of 2.0 and a 35-60 weapon with 1.5, you'll always take the former even tho the dps of the latter is better.

[Wintrow]

@bwirum
That's not really true...
For instant attacks (Like Sinister Strike for Rogues, Stormstrike for Shaman, Overpower and Mortal Strike for Warriors, ...) the dps of your weapon is taken and multiplied with a set multiplier. The multiplier is dependant on the weapon type:
* Two-handed weapons: 3.3
* Daggers: 1.7
* All other one-handed weapons: 2.4
(* Bows, Guns, Crossbows: 2.6 (i think))

This means that the swing rate doesn't matter anymore (since patch 1.8) and you just take the weapon with the best dps regardless of it's swing speed.

The only skill that still works "the old way" is the Warrior skill Slam. This is meant for a warrior that is not being hit on (--> that is not the designated tank). This because it has an actual casting time. After 1.5 seconds the warrior applies the "per swing damage" to its target. This makes it the only reason to get a REALLY slow 2 hander to do dps (outside of PvP off course where you often only are in range of your target for a small time).

[Valas Azuviir]

Edit: Well, Valaz beat me to it, but I still think my answer was more fulfilling :wink:



Well, I did forget that final divide by 2 though, then again, I was rather in a hurry this morning. :grin:

[Merging soul]

Also I don't believe this was mentioned the faster you attack less you would hit with a slower weapon.

[Ashoran]

"Oh no, are we going out killing again? I told you im a pacifist, I dont agree with this violence at all."

[Valas Azuviir]

Also I don't believe this was mentioned the faster you attack less you would hit with a slower weapon.

Then again, slower weapons tend to have higher min and max damage ratings as well. So it tends to even out in the long run.

[bwirum]

@bwirum
That's not really true...
For instant attacks (Like Sinister Strike for Rogues, Stormstrike for Shaman, Overpower and Mortal Strike for Warriors, ...) the dps of your weapon is taken and multiplied with a set multiplier. The multiplier is dependant on the weapon type:
* Two-handed weapons: 3.3
* Daggers: 1.7
* All other one-handed weapons: 2.4
(* Bows, Guns, Crossbows: 2.6 (i think))

This means that the swing rate doesn't matter anymore (since patch 1.8) and you just take the weapon with the best dps regardless of it's swing speed.

The only skill that still works "the old way" is the Warrior skill Slam. This is meant for a warrior that is not being hit on (--> that is not the designated tank). This because it has an actual casting time. After 1.5 seconds the warrior applies the "per swing damage" to its target. This makes it the only reason to get a REALLY slow 2 hander to do dps (outside of PvP off course where you often only are in range of your target for a small time).

Indeed, and that's pretty much what I said, I just tried not to overcompicate things for him, seeing as he is obviously very new to these things. Basic lessons and all... i.e. in case of (many) instant attacks, don't worry about speed, worry about damagerange, since speed is a constant (depending on weapontype). See, now things start getting complex again.... meh.

[pnoypogs]

thank you people, to recap: instant melee attack skill such as rouge's Sinister Strike ignores weapon speed and does damage on the min-max range.

follow up question pls, how does the main hand and the off hand differ? can we take the scenario of a dual wielding dagger rouge (which i am). If you do an SS, which hand will do the SS? Is it done by both hands or the main hand alone? :ponder:

I knew this fact from other sources that i should prefer a slower weapon on my main and a faster one on my offhand. Why is this so? Does it necessary follow that a slower weapon has a big min-max dmg? If so, the premise should be made that I should put a big min-max damage on my main hand and not because it has slower speed. :ponder:

Lastly, i notice weapons that have "chance to hit" abilities rarely hits at all. I give the "chance to hit" a 1% chance to hit out of 100 strikes. Do you agree guys? Since then i prefer weapons with stats rather than abilities. :ponder:

Now for my follow up questions pls... thank you thank you thank you. :flowers: