Undead Slaying Axe vs. Sands of Mu
By
Baby_Phoenix,
Posted on: 2008-07-21 09:24 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
I always pick sands of mu too.
Must...restrain...from...commenting... 
The Ghost Axe unfortunately can't compare to Sands of Mu. The few ghosties you meet are not enough to really make the axe shine compared to the immense damage of MU.
I mainly go Sands of Mu too, mostly due to its faster activation time (although this is traded off for the rooting animation). The exceptions tend to be on characters when they deal out Negative Energy damage. My D3 has Dark Blast so foes that resist Negative Energy Damage are a pain to deal with (Banished Pantheon, Ghosts, Circle of Thorns etc). However, most of the foes that do resist it are, surprise surprise, undead! And thatÂ’s when having the Ghost Slaying Axe really rocks.
Plus it looks cool and hangs around for a while after drawing it out which earns it bonus points in my book. 
@Dante EU - Union Roleplayer and Altisis Victim
The Militia: Union RP Supergroup - www.themilitia.org.uk
Sands all the way, but if you stick around long enough you will get both.
@Boy Wonder
Quantum Flash - Ill/Kin Controller
Leader of the Legion of Heroes
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The Ghost Axe unfortunately can't compare to Sands of Mu. The few ghosties you meet are not enough to really make the axe shine compared to the immense damage of MU.
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False... Unless you go easy mode and never take any Circle of Thorns missions.
Which I do not. So I always take the axe.
That and the animation on Sands of Mu is horrid.
Sands of Mu defo, I'm the same as the OP and share the bonus powers between several of my alts and the Ghost Slaying Axe misses half the time due to the undead using dark powers with -acc!
@SkullFester
I'm not changing this signature until I'm proclaimed 'King of the World'.
Generally pick Sands, unless it's either a Natural origin toon where the Axe fits the concept better or - as Dante says - a Negative Energy-based toon that could use something to put the wind up undead mobs.
None.
I only use Mu on my tankers (currently have 2: one will be deleted and one will be change into scrapper if future brings EM/EA to scrappers) for an extra attack.
I generally pick Sands Of Mu, it actually fits more concepts I have. Also DM/SR being my first 50 I've learned that the animation leads to cone death. Sure it doesn't work out that way unenhanced and without soul drain but my mind links the animation to good memories
"Well, they found my diary today.
They were appropriately appalled
at the discovery of the eight victims
They're now putting it all together.
Women wrapped in silk
with one leg missing
Eight legs, one body, silk,
spider, brilliant!"
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Ghost Slaying Axe misses half the time due to the undead using dark powers with -acc!
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How... Shocking.
Could it be because its -acc? Which could mean that Sands of Mu also misses!
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Ghost Slaying Axe misses half the time due to the undead using dark powers with -acc!
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How... Shocking.
Could it be because its -acc?
[/ QUOTE ]Unlikely, because there's not a single power in the game that does -acc
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and the Ghost Slaying Axe misses half the time due to the undead using dark powers with -acc!
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...as does any other power you care to use against them. At least the Axe does double damage if it actually hits!
Ghost Slaying Axe every time (disclaimer: Some themed chars of mine do have Sands, but by far the majority have the Axe.)
Why? Axe gets +5% Acc bonus due to redraw time. It does bonus damage against undead and if you are wise, like Chatarsis and myself, you go hunting magic foes like CoT and BP for that tasty salvage.
It has a waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay lower recharge time than sands and if you miss, you miss once and move on to your next attack power. If you miss with sands come back in 5 minutes when you're still flailing wildly at thin air. I do not believe that Sands of Mu does 4 times the damage of the Axe and yet it's recharge is about that long.
When do you use the bonus power more? Well, it's not when you've got 2 power trays of attacks all running is it? It's when you're at low level and needing an extra boost, between lvls 1-16. When every attack counts and a miss can make the difference between life and death.
THAT, dear friends, is why you should take the Axe
Thelonious Monk
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Ghost Slaying Axe misses half the time due to the undead using dark powers with -acc!
[/ QUOTE ]
How... Shocking.
Could it be because its -acc?
[/ QUOTE ]Unlikely, because there's not a single power in the game that does -acc
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-acc...
-tohit...
*pokes you in the eyes* See the difference?
I choose on the basis of whether i want to hit more than one mob at once, regardless of damage dealt.
But normally, it's Sands of Mu.
If devs added Cone to GS-axe - everyone who created new toons with that vet reward, i can almost certainly guarantee would then select it... 
I always take Ghost Slaying axe. Mostly because it's looks nice, and sands of mu has the stupid flurry animation.
Also the axe really puts the hurt on ghosts (ghosts in croatoa, CoT spectres, Tsoo ancients, banished pantheon husks, and i'm sure i saw something else it worked on), and at lower levels it does decent enough damage to non undead to make it worth using.
For me it's mostly style over substance. It was fun to convince people i had unlocked the new axe powerset for scrappers when i first got it as a temp power
I can't have both? Oh wait, I can I just ave to wait a few months for the privledge!
I prefer the axe personally as, in later levels, I am less likely to use my permanant temporary powers regularly and find the axe more use situationally than the sands of mu.
I used to prefer SoM but lately I have started taking the Axe for thr troublesome wee beasties that are CoT Spectres. Also on my Fire/Fire scrapper using Scorch then Axe gives me a lovely flaming axe to hit things with
Golden-Phoenix - Lvl 50 Fire/Fire Tank
Oodja Nikabolokov - Lvl 50 SS/WP Brute
Baby-Phoenix - Lvl 50 Peacebringer
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could Chuck Norris?
Used to always take Sands and wondered why anyone would take the Axe.
Then I accidentally chose it on one of my character who had lots of To Hit bonuses - was fantastic against CoT, Vazhilok (yes, I know they don't count as undead, but they're fairly partial to the lethal damage) and the Shivans (and a few others).
Always take the Axe now. Sands just can't compare.
"Idealism is such a wonderful thing. All you really need is someone rational to put it to proper use." - Kerr Avon
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Sand of MU for me - first, I prefer not to carry a weapon, and second, it has the same animation as Flurry, so I could respec out Flurry and still keep the cool animation 
@Golden Girl
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Axe. Choppy death vs magic sand? Yeah, big decision
@Jay Leon Hart
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Zwillinger: I put on my robe and wizard hat...
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Depends on character concept. Took SoM on my Dark/Dark Scrapper just so that, for a brief time, I could have three Shadow Mauls
However, it turned out that Smith was not a time-travelling Terminator
I'm interested as to which is the most popular choice for this Veteran's Award. With several alts I've had the chance to pick both, and for me...
Well, it has to be the Sands of Mu! Oh sure, the axe is big and powerful and has a bonus to smacking the undead around... but when that Sand of Mu hits, it never ever fails to put a big, goofy smile on my face. Pure comedy - for one brief moment you are the star of your very own, badly-dubbed kung-fu B-movie. And that, I believe, is a feeling that money cannot buy.
I'd love to know what everyone else picks. Am I the solitary saddo who just loves the Sands of Mu, or are there other like-minded souls out there?