Zerker vs. the CB

[Sedhrw]

Hey guys, I am not exactly new to this game at all, but I never knew this: What are the advantages to using a Zerker over a combat, and I am mainly concerned about the usage of these weapons for the skills whirlwind, concentration, and smite. Thanks!

[safetypro]

Zerker is Range 3. It has a wider attack radius than say Phase Blades which are range 2.

[Immortal_Daemon]

Zerker: Slightly slow, range of 3, high damage.
Phase Blade: Very fast, range of 2, low damage.
Colossus Blade: Slow, range of 3, high (but not as high) damage

CB is definitely the worst of the bunch. Lower damage than Z, and it takes more stats to use it. The only reason I'd even mention using it is because they look cool.

[Sophist]

Damage
24 to 71 (47.5 Avg) Zerker
25 to 65 (45 Avg) CB

Base Speeds:
5 - CB
0 - Zerker

The difference is somewhat negligible, but it would matter a lot more if you really cared about attack speed and were using say grief as your runeword (not that this would be a very good choice for a CB at ALL).

A CB is a non-issue for smite, but for a PvP smiter, definitely go with a zerker axe. I prefer phase for pvm just because it's annoying as hell to repair constantly, especially given that there is no way to get gold in repeated uber runs, so eventually you run out of gold and need to mule it over from another character or go find some or something. Much more effective to have an indestructible weapon for a PvM smiter.

Conc, you're just looking at the normal attack frames. That you can just calculate.

WW, similar to above. Both CB and ZA are range 3, so you're more or less in the clear, but be careful of the breakpoints.

Refer to this site for specific speed concerns: http://diablo2.ingame.de/tips/calcs/weaponspeed.php?lang=english

[Sedhrw]

Thanks guys, very helpful.

[DarkPrinceLoki]

if your going with WW, then i suggest a war pike type weapon, range = 6, and supports high damage, though a tad slow, but with WW I dont think thats too troublesome.

then for conc have a weapon on switch, that way you switch weapons and skill sets at the same time.

[Todd]

Loki tho More WWers BvBs anyway Use Grief and a Shield or other barbs use 2 weps for more damage and for the effects : / and a majority of the "Ggeh" runewords are for Axes and they have higher Average damage/speed Then the rest of the weapons so it is a natural choice.

[DarkPrinceLoki]

What if its for PVM? i didnt see the words bvb anywhere in the first post.

[Omnicide]

In Thag's defense, you also didn't state your decision was for PvM.

Other than that...I've always considered CBs and Zerkers the same, damagewise...as far as barbs go...and depending on how much IAS you can get on the weapon.

I use PB like Zarley said, for indestructability...or if there's no other way I can reach a top IAS breakpoint.

[dainbramage]

In terms of pure damage, a war pike can't compete with the typical grief/beast combo for a (pvp) bvc (believe it or not, it doesn't compete in pvm either, however both are overkill).

That said, should I stumble upon some 450ed/40ias/2soc/ethrep war pike and wanted a weapon for a bvc, I'd probably use it over the typical combo for the extra range, and more importantly the style.


On topic, zerkers are all-round better than most swords. Compare:

Zerkers have the highest 1h damage for a range 3 weapon
Zerkers have the highest 1h damage for a base [0] speed weapon; it is equivalent to most speed [10]'s.
Zerkers have the highest 1h damage for a 6-socket weapon
Zerkers have the lowest and most suitable out of similar weapons (in this case, clearly superior to a CB, CS, comparable to a scourge).

Additionally, axes support more useful runewords than swords do, most prominently Beast and Doom.

In other words, axes are overpowered; zerkers especially.


In certain circumstances (where high speed is necessary, or where repairing is frustrating in pvm) phase blades can be superior to zerker axes. However, it is rare when a weapon other than those two (or claws for sin builds) is the best weapon base for a given melee character.