Skald specs - Phoenix Freeshard

Looking at the character planner, it looks like there are two "cookie cutter" skald specs.

https://playphoenix.online/charplan/?class=Skald&level=50&realmRank=30&view=skills&s21=17&s26=46&s61=44

46 BS
44 Hammer
17 Parry

46 BS nets you the strongest damage add.
44 Hammer gives access to the highest growth rate hammer style , after landing conquer. Also increased weaponskill.
17 Parry, is well, more parry with a chance to increase your off parry styles.

Alternatively, we have this.

50 BS
39 Hammer
18 Parry (no points left over for anyone OCD)

50 BS seems to be most group friendly, if you're a good twister you have best resist buffs, and a lvl 50 insta DD for minimum amount of resists (Of course Mastery of Focus 2 for a mere 2 RA points is probably a worthwhile investment at some point regardless of BS spec).
39 Hammer, access to an after parry bleed with a nice growth rate and respectable weaponskill.
18 parry

Are there any specs I may be missing? Hammer just seems like the no-brainer choice since you have access to a spammable rear snare style, which axe and sword don't bring to the table, and an after parry stun, though second in the after parry chain.

I'm leaning towards the 50 BS spec personally, I don't think a few more points in hammer for a bit of higher weaponskill and access to a high growth rate style that won't be used too often is worth it. If you're not spamming conquer on a fleeing target, the snare breaks with the level 44 style, right? And if you land the after parry stun in a 1v1 situation, if you swing around to the back, you might get off 2 styles at the most with haste up? It just seems highly situational.

Just looking to see if I may be missing anything, thanks in advance for any input. It's been awhile since DAoC, and of course Phoenix has lots of unique things going on that changes any old knowledge I used to possess.

Sun 6 Jan 2019 1:48 AM by phixion

50 BS
39 Hammer
18 Parry

Sun 6 Jan 2019 8:38 AM by jelzinga_EU

Most likely the 50 BS is better. 5 more Hammer-spec isn't gonna make or break the melee-damage, Sledgehammer is awesome but breaks Conquer snare as pointed out and you can't really rely on landing it very often. The 50 DD on the other hand will be used a lot (replaces the 44 DD) and does considerable more damage.

So all-in-all damage wise I would think both specs are about equal, damage-wise. With 44 Hammer you do more damage in melee, but with 50 BS your shouts hit harder. The 50 BS spec however gives you a better HP-regen song (nice when solo/kiting) and better resist-shouts (which are nice when you're solo).

Sun 6 Jan 2019 9:52 AM by VandenPlause

Thanks for the input all, looks like 50 BS it is unless someone convinces me otherwise.

Fri 11 Jan 2019 7:15 AM by Brokenstring

I didn't find 50 BS worth it myself for the amount of weapon skill and such you lose with lower weapon. Skalds are 2H most of the time, so every miss hurts that much more. I'd go with the higher weapon myself.

Fri 11 Jan 2019 1:51 PM by chryso

I am going 50 BS 43 Weapon on my skald.

Fri 11 Jan 2019 4:50 PM by idknemore

Brokenstring wrote: ↑
Fri 11 Jan 2019 7:15 AM
I didn't find 50 BS worth it myself for the amount of weapon skill and such you lose with lower weapon. Skalds are 2H most of the time, so every miss hurts that much more. I'd go with the higher weapon myself.

Have you actually tested the weapon skill and know the exact number you lose?

Or do you just not like the idea of losing weaponskill 39 vs. 44?

Fri 11 Jan 2019 6:20 PM by Brokenstring

I played a 46/44 Skald on Uthgard to rr5. Did some soloing on it as well. 39 weapon strikes me as just too low, but no I don't know the exact percentages. I'd be curious to see them laid out though.

What do you really gain by adding all those spec points into BS? A slightly higher DD and that's really all. The health chant isn't that useful for RvR.

With 44 hammer, you get sledgehammer, which is massive dmg. It's especially useful if you can mez your enemy and then conquer + sledge on them. They may purge your mez, but still might be able to get off a conquer + sledge if they try to kite you. And as I mentioned the weapon skill increase and such.

As a 2H skald, you're only swinging about once every 5 seconds? As I mentioned, each miss is very detrimental to a Skald and less weapon skill means more missing.

Sat 12 Jan 2019 8:59 AM by inoeth

get a fast 2h hammer for soloing!