I've been threatening this forever. This is a living document, and I'll post it as such. Impressions, input, what you guys want to see, just let me know. Let's get a solid general guide to the Axe secondary up and running.
[u]Overview[u]
So you're looking at picking up the Axe, the quintessential tool of the fire service for hundreds of years. Good for you! It's a set that's functional and powerful with amazing utility and a wide selection of single target and area of effect attacks. It's set that provides entirely lethal damage and an inherent 5% Accuracy buff, as well as the damage mitigating capability of knockdown for even level or greater bad guys and knockback for sublevel enemies and those weak to knockback such as Clockwork.
[u]Purpose[u]
This guide is simply a reference to the powers themselves, along with Brawl Index(a,b) ratings, common usage, alternate usage when applicable, recharge times(b), activation times(b), and my own personal rating of the power based on my subjective opinion of frequency of use, value (endurance versus usage), and functionality, on a scale of 1 to 5 Alarms. Common slotting techniques, whether SO, IO, or HO, will be reserved for a later guide.
[u]The Powers![u]
Level 1: GASH
BI: 2.778 END: 5.2 Rech: 4 Act: 1.83
Gash is the entry level power for the Axe secondary. It shares the honor of the 2nd quickest activating power in the set with Chop. While the cheapest power to use overall in the set, be aware that it also has the dubious burden of being the most expensive power to fire over time, as the endurance cost exceeds a consistent pattern of recharge in seconds roughly equaling points spent in endurance. It provides knockback/knockdown consistent with the enemy level rules mentioned previously. As your entry level power, you'll wear this one out in the early going. Certain builds will relegate this power as a replacement for Brawl in an attack chain at higher levels.
Alarms: 2
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Level 2: CHOP
BI: 4.556 END: 8.528 Rech: 8 Act: 1.83
Chop, the maligned stepbrother of Axers gamewide. Oftentimes found as filler in many a pre-respec build, this power provides solid single target offense, second only to Fire Melee/Fire Sword's total damage output in Tier 2. Sharing the role of the second fastest activating attack with Gash, Chop provides the groundwork for strong offense in the early levels, adds single target pop to older builds, and contributes to damage mitigation through knockdown/knockback, again consistent with the aspects mentioned earlier. Some opinions place this power as replaceable through respecification of powers once other powers become available. Others, including my own, place this power as the tail end of an attack chain with Gash relegated to a role as a Brawl replacement and IO holder.
Alarms: 3
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Level 4: BEHEADER
BI: 5.445 END: 10.19 Rech: 10 Act: 1.4
The single target gem of Axe. Regardless of the power's description this is the racehorse of the set, coming in as the fastest activating attack at a blistering 1.4 seconds. Arguably a mandatory pick, this power is fast, powerful, and has a manageable enough endurance cost to swing for the fences as soon as it's available, which is amazingly early at the third Tier. Our good friend Beheader gives you the 2nd highest available damage in Tier 3, second only to Stone Melee's Heavy Mallet and tied with War Mace's Jawbreaker (which activates nearly a second and a half longer than Beheader). Once again, this power provides knockdown/knockback consistent with the level rules. This power is gold, Jerry. Gold!
Alarms: 5
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Level 10: TAUNT
I won't go there. Barbecue, anyone?
Alarms: 1-5, depending on flavor of sauce
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Level 16: BUILD UP
END: 5.2 Rech: 90 Act: 1.17 Duration: 10
Hooooo boy. Plain and simply put, Build Up is the can
opener you've been searching for to open up a can of proverbial whoop-youknowwhat. But its function isn't simply damage. A 20% To Hit buff goes along with the whopping 80% damage buff for that ten seconds of greatness. In the grand scheme of things, ten seconds is an eternity as most full attack chains can be fired within the duration of our good friend Build Up. Given recharge reduction, Invention Origin enhancements, and the Super Speed pool power Hasten, sub-30 second recharge times can be realistically attained without outside help. But enough of talking IOs, didja catch that 80% damage buff? 20% To Hit Buff? For the exact same price of your Tier 1 attack? This power is a no-brainer, gang.
Alarms: 5
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Level 20: SWOOP
BI: 6.333 END: 11.856 Rech: 12 Act: 2.87
Okay, things start slowing down for the Axe tank once you reach Swoop. From here on out, activation times start to increase, yet consistently we have the rough equivalent of one endurance point per second of recharge to keep us within convention. The point however of this pearl is the variant it provides to the consistent theme of knockdown/knockback. With its powerful BI, Swoop gives us the benefit of KnockUP, a feature found in similar powers such as War Mace's Jawbreaker and Super Strength's Knockout Blow. Regardless of level in proximity to the player's, when the effect hits, it sends the target vertically from the player with increasing heights from decreasing levels of enemies and weaker knockback resistances. Given this effect, targets must not only make their trip through the wild blue yonder, they must pick themselves back up from the ground as if suffering from knockdown, giving the Swoop-er an extended moment of damage mitigation from the Swoop-ee's round trip effort. This is the second most powerful Brawl Index one will find in the Axe secondary, and a VERY handy tool to support damage mitigation through your inherent power. However, some place this power, for reasons ranging from it interfering with the selection of Stamina to limited build space, as an option to select between Swoop and Beheader or at the least, delay the pick until certain key pool powers can be selected. This may be a consideration, but don't let this power pass entirely.
Alarms: 4
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Level 28: WHIRLING AXE
BI: 2.7778 END: 13 Rech: 14 Act: 2.87
Ahhhh, your first AoE, or Area of Effect power. Whirling Axe, also known as a PBAoE (Point Blank Area of Effect), fires in an 8 foot radius from the player, 360 degrees around the player. But that's not all! This power ALSO provides knockdown/knockback, essentially giving the Axe tank a point blank, 360 degree, melee range, aggro generating damage mitigation tool. However, given the sheer endurance cost of the power, its low Brawl Index (equal to Gash), excessive END usage per enemy hit in solo and small team environments, an almost non-existent application in PvP, and the means by which Gauntlet acts only on targets hit when deployed via AoE, this power can be found to have a limited function in later levels. But the fact remains, it's a PBAoE, and it's the only one you have. Weigh heavily the need for one, the playstyle you use, the typical team composition you play under, and your ability to manage the endurance this power spends for the output you get. Regardless, using the power as part of your repeatable attack chain is ill-advised. The power is best used situationally, with personal benchmarks as to the minimum number of enemies in melee range before it will be deployed to save overall endurance and to place maximum amounts of damage per power fired. After all, if you fire Whirling Axe against one minion, you've essentially spent 13 endurance for the same amount of damage you would get from firing Gash at 5.2 endurance. Think about it!
Alarms: 3
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Level 35: CLEAVE
BI: 7.667 END: 14.4 Rech: 15 Act: 2.87
Welcome to your SECOND AoE.
"But Maltese Knight, it doesn't say anything about an AoE." You're right. In all actuality, our friend Cleave extends beyond melee range to hit targets directly in line with the initial melee range target. Some call it a very narrow cone, and by definition, you could say that. Just be comforted in the fact that if you line it up just right, you can unleash the highest Brawl Index found in the set on more than one enemy head, and with experience and practice, as many as three (in my experience). And wouldn't you know it, this power also provides knockdown/knockback consistent with the rules mentioned earlier in the guide. Great power. The lynchpin of the set and what should be your opening shot regardless of scenario. Just remember to line it up first and take advantage of that extended capability! If only we could get that BI kicked up a lil' bit...
Alarms: 5
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Level 38: PENDULUM
BI: 5.2778 END: 14.352 Rech: 15 Act: 2.27
Now you're serious. Now you're ready to uncork a can on numerous heads. Now you're ready for level 38, and our good friend Pendulum. This too is an AoE, giving your character, from melee range, the ability to strike enemies in an approximate 180 degree cone from the player with a BI similar to Beheader in damage. But there's a catch... Of all the powers in Axe and their appropriate knockdown or knockup, Pendulum is the only remaining power where if the knockback effect hits and is not resisted (read: Archvillains, Elite Bosses, et cetera), the power will actually knock back the enemies affected, regardless of where they fall in level in relation to yourself. So on one hand, we have an amazing power in the fact that you can easily strike multiple targets with a facemeltingly solid Brawl Index with the drawback of the targets hit being potentially knocked out of the range of the auras of your primary. However, just like with any knockback power, this can be somewhat mitigated through the use of physical aspects of the terrain by deploying the power while facing walls, stairs, anything that can reduce the distance the enemy goes after the effect hits. Quality power. Great additional AoE functionality. Solid damage. But watch the knockback. Definitely worth the pick and associated slots.
Alarms: 4
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[u]Summary[u]
So, you're looking at picking up the Axe. This is what it brings to the table. As a word of warning, later on in your career you'll begin to notice a few enemies out there that your big, bad axe just doesn't quite dent like you'd like it to, certain bad guys that are resistant to Lethal damage. That's okay... Don't sweat it. Powers like Build Up, inspirations, and various invention enhancements help to ease that impact on the Axe tank. However, those enemies are outnumbered tremendously by those that aren't, and the brand of canned whoop-youknowwhat you bring to the table works just fine. Not to mention the synergy of a Tanker having a damage mitigating secondary effect that's available every time you pull the trigger, every time you attack. Which in turn only serves to lessen the incoming damage and increase the effects of Gauntlet.
So let the naysayers have their soapbox. Now we
know just how amazing this tool can be.
Now we know why it's the Fireman's Friend.
[u]Appendix[u]
a) The Brawl Index, for those unaware, is a multiplier of how much more damage an attack would do against an identical enemy with zero resistance compared to Brawl. For instance, Brawl does 10 points of damage to Bad Guy A. Attack B does 100 points of damage against that same bad guy. Attack B would have a Brawl Index, or BI, of 10.
b) All specific power information taken from Sherksilver's
CoH/CoV Character Builder and
Mid's Hero Designer .
