does magic shards in weapon work?

HippiePanda - Sanctuary
HippiePanda - Sanctuary Posts: 91 Arc User
edited March 2010 in Barbarian
yup thats my question. If yes, it should be better than phy. attack shards. Or am I wrong ?
Post edited by HippiePanda - Sanctuary on

Comments

  • Kephras - Heavens Tear
    Kephras - Heavens Tear Posts: 1,472 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Short answer: You are wrong.

    Long answer: Open your character stats, and look where it says "Magic Attk: 1-1", directly beneath your Phys attack listing.

    Barbs don't get a magic attack, making the shard useless.
    You COULD shard with an elemental gem, such as Ruby or Amethyst, and add that to your phys attack - that will work. It's generally better to just use a Garnet for +Phys though.
  • KageYingZi - Heavens Tear
    KageYingZi - Heavens Tear Posts: 823 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    yup thats my question. If yes, it should be better than phy. attack shards. Or am I wrong ?

    If your atks were magical,then sure thing

    edit:what's a 8x barb asking bout this
  • Kephras - Heavens Tear
    Kephras - Heavens Tear Posts: 1,472 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    If your atks were magical,then sure thing

    edit:what's a 8x barb asking bout this

    At least he's asking. b:surrender Imagine the ones that don't - those are the really sad ones.
  • HippiePanda - Sanctuary
    HippiePanda - Sanctuary Posts: 91 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    okay my question is about elemental gems like ruby, topaz etc. since poison fang adds wood damage aswell.

    Not about sapphire gems!!!
  • Kephras - Heavens Tear
    Kephras - Heavens Tear Posts: 1,472 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    lol, that does clear things up. And yes, elemental gems will add "X" damage in element attack to your physical. If you're up for carrying around sharded copies of weapons, you can destroy elemental mobs with the right gems :) And, since they're seldom used, you're likely to find them pretty cheap.

    That being said, I still suggest refinement + garnets.
  • Fuzzy_Wuzzy - Raging Tide
    Fuzzy_Wuzzy - Raging Tide Posts: 770 Arc User
    edited February 2010

    That being said, I still suggest refinement + garnets.

    Since OP's question seems to have sorta been answered and no real point in starting a new thread for the same sorta question, what about garnets vs. amber shards?

    Garnets seem to be recommended by most barbs and have been an excellent choice so far with 2 imac's in the thunderdeath's however there does still seem to be a problem.

    Even with 2 refined Misty rings, accuracy is quite frustrating in pk. The +100 accuracy from even a single imac in the next weapon is more and more sounding like the better choice. Sacrificing the +32 phys attack from one equivalent garnet for a much better accuracy % be better in the long run no?

    Thoughts?

    (sorry if hijacked thread)
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • Kephras - Heavens Tear
    Kephras - Heavens Tear Posts: 1,472 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Actually in perfect honesty, I've been working to create a G10 Amber for my TT80 Thunders as well. I think the preference for garnets stems from the fact that we get an accuracy buff, and as a class we're expected to equip at least one Misty Forest ring (which tends to cover our accuracy needs well enough without additional help).

    Now me, I'm a freak: http://pwcalc.ru/pwi/?char=5ff20f76a65b5576

    I don't need mistys OR bloodbath to help my accuracy, it's good just on its own merits. I plan on getting a TT90 Mastadon ring (+30% accuracy) and putting an Incomparable amber in my axes to help top that off (only one socket on those Thunders, gotta make it count), but take that with a grain of salt since I'm hardly your typical example of barbarian...
    b:embarrass

    Final thoughts: if you have accuracy issues even with dual Misty rings, I'd suggest sharding amber, most certainly. And invest in some dex for PvP work, at least where tome & gear is concerned. Barbs get some of the best evasion & accuracy bonuses for dex points, per class - make 'em count for something.
  • Fuzzy_Wuzzy - Raging Tide
    Fuzzy_Wuzzy - Raging Tide Posts: 770 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Thanks for the insight Kephras b:thanks

    Fuzzy thinks imac amber be the way to socket with the Calloused Lionheart's....?? (praying for 2 sockets when forge em this week) Sadly, with trying to shard the the 90 gold armour with citrine imac's, leaves no bank for a G10 amber for the dual axe. b:cry

    Garnet is good an all, but since me think to go demon barb, perhaps a further refine on the Misty's combined with imac garnet in the axe's ftw?
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • Rawrgh - Raging Tide
    Rawrgh - Raging Tide Posts: 6,790 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I haven't had too many problems with accuracy with dual mistys, although I would like a bit more, as I seem to miss sins and archers. My plan was to shard my calamity axes with 1 G7 (G8 if I had enough money) accuracy shard and 1 garnet, although I ended up getting +3 calamity axes with 2 Garnets (PK drop) and using them.

    Still keep my dex at minimum for axes, I was thinking maybe investing in a tome to add +dex, would be cheaper than having to get a reset.


    Also @ Kephras, I can't read a world you said without highlighting the text >.>
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    "My understanding of women only goes as far as the pleasure. When it comes to the pain, I'm like any other bloke - I don't want to know."
  • Kephras - Heavens Tear
    Kephras - Heavens Tear Posts: 1,472 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Sorry Rawrgh, I'll edit. Blame whoever f*cked up the forums with this halfassed "Invisionfree" layout.
  • Rawrgh - Raging Tide
    Rawrgh - Raging Tide Posts: 6,790 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Sorry Rawrgh, I'll edit. Blame whoever f*cked up the forums with this halfassed "Invisionfree" layout.
    You know how PWE works, if it isn't broken, break it.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    "My understanding of women only goes as far as the pleasure. When it comes to the pain, I'm like any other bloke - I don't want to know."
  • Lycanthar - Sanctuary
    Lycanthar - Sanctuary Posts: 389 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    I've been putting ambers in all my axes since TT60... I think it's a must for barbs, just my opinion. They give far greater returns than garnets for barbs, who are not traditionally dex based.

    I have just over 4k accuracy and I find it lacking at times...

    A good example is an LA veno I know with 100~ dex, we often 1v1 in pk. When her purge kicks and I lose bloodbath its just terrible, it feels like my non-autohit skills are 50/50 hit/miss.

    b:surrender
    ==Sanctuary's Last Demon Barbarian== ... (lol strife)

    Off through the new day's mist, I run
    Out from the new day's mist, I have come
    We shift, pulsing with the earth
    Company we keep, roaming the land while you sleep...
  • Nevaglar - Sanctuary
    Nevaglar - Sanctuary Posts: 95 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    I've been putting ambers in all my axes since TT60... I think it's a must for barbs, just my opinion. They give far greater returns than garnets for barbs, who are not traditionally dex based.

    I have just over 4k accuracy and I find it lacking at times...

    A good example is an LA veno I know with 100~ dex, we often 1v1 in pk. When her purge kicks and I lose bloodbath its just terrible, it feels like my non-autohit skills are 50/50 hit/miss.

    b:surrender

    Wow, 4k acc. How did u manage that? I have double misty, full buff, with min req Dex for axes and have in all 2600 acc. What's ur secret?
  • hawkflight
    hawkflight Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    lol, that does clear things up. And yes, elemental gems will add "X" damage in element attack to your physical. If you're up for carrying around sharded copies of weapons, you can destroy elemental mobs with the right gems :) And, since they're seldom used, you're likely to find them pretty cheap.

    You don't even need to do that though. You really only need the (ele)mental damage versus bosses. So, for example, if you're level 34, and going up against qingzi, you take your normal weapon, sharded with garnets. Then you take a second weapon, a copy of it, and shard it for extra wood damage, since Qingzi is weak vs. wood.

    Which leads me to a bit of an off-topic question. Does the extra damage from shards stack with the barb's Poisoned Fang, which adds extra wood damage to the attack?
    PLEASE, for the love of all that is chocolate. If your advice involves me spending IRL money on this game, save us both the trouble and don't bother. And before you tell me to suck it up and get a job, I have plenty of money, for me it's the principle of the matter. I will be the best, and without spending a dime. Thank you for your time.
  • Bartack - Heavens Tear
    Bartack - Heavens Tear Posts: 253 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    Ok to the OP: In early levels its fine to shard with elemental shards, because your phys damage modifiers are still maturing and they cost less for higher grade=more damage. Later on, when you can level up your axe mastery and titans buff, you should be using garnets for added damage because they stack with damage buffs and strength modifier.

    As for Garnets vs. Ambers, that all depends on your build and care-bear status. PVE accuracy is not that big of a problem, and a misy or two will cure all your ills seemingly regardless of build. PVP is very very different and you will really wish that awesome blow you threw at your opponent landed. Also take into account how difficult it will be for garnets to increase your DPS enough to make up for the decrease in DPS due to misses.

    Poison fang adds wood damage based on a percentage of your weapon damage, it does not increase any other damage modifiers, be they physical or elemental.

    Now if i may ask a question, does anyone know if elemental shards effect magic attacks or only phys attacks? Ive never been a squishy before.
  • hawkflight
    hawkflight Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    Poison fang adds wood damage based on a percentage of your weapon damage, it does not increase any other damage modifiers, be they physical or elemental.

    So wait, does that mean that it doesn't stack with Poison Fang? It's either one or the other?
    PLEASE, for the love of all that is chocolate. If your advice involves me spending IRL money on this game, save us both the trouble and don't bother. And before you tell me to suck it up and get a job, I have plenty of money, for me it's the principle of the matter. I will be the best, and without spending a dime. Thank you for your time.
  • Lycanthar - Sanctuary
    Lycanthar - Sanctuary Posts: 389 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    Ok to the OP: In early levels its fine to shard with elemental shards, because your phys damage modifiers are still maturing and they cost less for higher grade=more damage. Later on, when you can level up your axe mastery and titans buff, you should be using garnets for added damage because they stack with damage buffs and strength modifier.

    As for Garnets vs. Ambers, that all depends on your build and care-bear status. PVE accuracy is not that big of a problem, and a misy or two will cure all your ills seemingly regardless of build. PVP is very very different and you will really wish that awesome blow you threw at your opponent landed. Also take into account how difficult it will be for garnets to increase your DPS enough to make up for the decrease in DPS due to misses.

    Poison fang adds wood damage based on a percentage of your weapon damage, it does not increase any other damage modifiers, be they physical or elemental.

    Now if i may ask a question, does anyone know if elemental shards effect magic attacks or only phys attacks? Ive never been a squishy before.

    That's an excellent way of explaining the diminishing returns I mentioned earlier, really well said and simplified!

    To answer your question, elemental shards only add dmg to physical attacks (stupid - yes it is).
    ==Sanctuary's Last Demon Barbarian== ... (lol strife)

    Off through the new day's mist, I run
    Out from the new day's mist, I have come
    We shift, pulsing with the earth
    Company we keep, roaming the land while you sleep...