Shield or Dual

Rev Hellfire

I'm currently working on a charcter in DAOC and am trying to decide if I should go with a shield or dual. Piercing is the weapon skill I'm using so what you think ?

OSiriS

might help to know what character you are playing ...

Ranger?
Blademaster?
Mercenary?

Though I would guess you will jump on the bandwagon and play a ranger:P

Rev Hellfire

nightshade

Funky

nightshades are pretty strapped for spec points , i wouldnt put any into CD at all ... better to keep your weapon at 2/3 level , crit strike high , some in envenom i think DoT is useful soloing , and once you get close to 20 start pumpin stealth up high for the battelgrounds

OSiriS

Nightshades are pretty well off as classes go ... you can almost spec to 50 (with bonuses) in every major line.

eg:

Stealth 40
Evenom 39
Critical Strike 39
Piercing 39
Celtic Dual 13

With item bonuses you will max Stealth, Evenom and Piercing, and by the time you hit Realm Rank 5 I think it is you would max crit strike (provided you collected all the necessary items)

unfortunately nightshades are probably the worst of the assassin classes, I'd more persuade you to go with a shadowblade (although you can't max all the abilities like the NS)

And to answer your original question, as a nightshade whether or not you spec in CD you should dual wield anyway. You can apply your poisons to both blades, and your damage output will be much greater. Just remember that for each spec point you invest you will only swing 0.5% more often, from a base of 25% at level 1 with no points in CD. For every level you gain you will swing 0.25% more often ... so thats 37.5% chance of a double swing at level 50. Some rangers feel that a shield is an option, but for you it isnt.

hope that helps

regi

I was talking to dr teeth the other night, and he mentioned something about high level nightshades being able to land double poison damage, so a nice high envenom (double lifebane damage drool) would be good.

Does anyone have a good nightshade spec at different levels? I also play one

OSiriS

Hmm I wasn't aware that you could stack them ...
Most assassins would PA with Lifebane, and land a stun with the off-hand. Unfortunately NightShades PA for about 300-400 less than a crit-blade would.

regi

Apparently its in one of the new US patches - a realm ability or somesuch

OSiriS

I play on the US server:P

Yes Viper, supposedly doubles the damage of all your DOTs
Another skill everyone is raving about is see hidden, it enables assassins to see stealthed archers all the way to the clip plane

Nemesis

What server you on with your nightshade?
You will need a lot of help getting him to 50 as grouping can be tough post 40.
But once you get there you will enjoy it.:)

Avoca lev 42 Ranger --Excal---
Caoimhe lev 44 Ranger --Bedevere---
Nemesis crazy quake 1 guy who dabbled in CS.

Look me up on Excal for any help/advice/gold/equipment.

regi

We play on prydwen