Power Choice: Sands, Axe, Blackwand, or Nemesisstaff

So if my character is tech and has Sands of Mu and Nemesis Staff, I'm thinking I should go with Ghost Slaying Axe, right? What are other peoples' experiences? Could it still be worth it to go with Blackwand instead, despite not being the right origin?

It kind of depends on the character, but for 95% of my characters, I go with the other ranged weapon. Sure, you don't get the bonus damage for having the right origin, but it still does decent damage and is ranged. The GSA is really only useful against true undead. On everything else, it's just a bad attack that requires you to get up close to use, which isn't helpful against some of the very enemies you're trying to fight.

Pretty much what Aett said.

I don't think I've taken the axe on a single character.

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The powers in the second choice (the one with 4 options) don't give the origin bonuses anyway, so even if you could still pick the Nemesis Staff, it wouldn't give you a bonus for being tech.

I'd usually pick the blackwand here, as it does decent damage even without the bonus, and has a to-hit debuff.

I'd only consider the axe if my character concept was so strongly tech that they would never, ever, touch something overtly magical (and I'd RP the axe as being just a normal axe).

I hate the axe. I never take it, and I wish I could go back and get rid of it on those few characters that already have it.

I'll grab the axe where it's more appropriate for the character concept, but otherwise I'll go with anything else.

Another vote for "Axe is for concept only". It has a base level of unenhancable accuracy, primarily used against foes for whom the bulk of their attacks debuff accuracy.

When Hero-1 goes god mode on you during the LGTF, so he's only vulnerable to psi and neg energy, Sands of Mu and the Black Wand will back you up.

I do have a couple of characters with the axe. It's my ghost close encounter weapon for characters whose normal powers don't work well against ghosts. Most have Sands of Mu.

Either power works a lot better if you have some kind of global To Hit power active.

another vote for Sand and both Rangeds.

I have only taken Axe once and that to check if it was as bad as people say....

..... They were wrong.....

......It's worse

I've found that the Nemesis staff seems to miss more often than Sands, but that may be because Sands is AOE.

Anyway, they're all better once you get some +Acc set bonuses.

Like others, I've only taken the Axe on one character (a Dark/Dark Stalker).

I don't think it's horrible, but I'd definitely rate it the worst of the 4 Vet attacks.

That said, my stalker does find it handy against: Ghosts, CoT Demons, and
Banished Pantheon.

I also use it to take out those guys with just a sliver of health left, rather than
waste a "real" attack on them.

One thing to note with all the Vet attacks, their accuracy is lacking. That's
not a big problem with Beginner's Luck, but once you hit L20+, you'll want some
global Accuracy and/or ToHit in your build if you're going to continue using them.

Another related aspect there is that they can mess with streakbreaker as well
if you whiff with one.


Regards,
4

Sands (because it's good to have a melee early w/ a ranged toon), wand/nem (depending on toon's template), axe...maybe (depends on template, but until I unlock the 4th related badge/token then not likely)

I choose Axe because by the midpoint of the game, I usually have enough attacks so I really don't need another one, but having one that does really strong damage to undead is nice. Zombies, Banished Pantheon, CoT spirits, ghosts, spirits, nightmares.... there's quite a few things you come across regularly that the axe works really great against.