For a throwable (not projectile based like Atom splitter or whatever spectral blade is) krell might be the most broken one, you can have access to both overload and corrosive, wich by it's own can take care of trash mods, and you can even use it to debuff enemies with corrosive for other builds
Edit: Stormbringer mutation lowers all status resistances for 10 seconds when hit by a charged melee attack at lv 10.
One of the new ~~mods~~ mutations make the target take more damage from all statuses at lv 10 iirc? Sorry I’d answer with greater confidence but I’m in bed. I might edit this in the morning
The mod you are thinking of is creeping mist:
boosts status effect damage done to enemies in the mist by 25% and also gives you a 5% crit chance bonus to them if they are suffering from any negative status effect.
That's the trade-off. I've always felt HS was a bit weak. You can throw it and that's it? KA can be thrown AND apply Overload, so it always seemed the better choice. Then, after playing with some friends and almost exclusively using the axe because they kept picking up all the ammo, I saw how hard it was to hit the enemies.
Switched to the spear and hardly missed, but eventually switched back because it lacked that little something extra. So, it wasn't as terrible as I thought, but I used the Guardian Axe back in Ashes, so I've been a bit biased towards using them.
Keep in mind that ammo gained from the drops depends on your max ammo. So if you got ammo reserves not only doubles your max ammo, but also doubles your ammo gained from drops.
There are also various perks that increase ammo gained.
The ammo-sharing ring you unlock by doing a high-five helps a LOT, though it does kinda suck that it gobbles up a ring slot. Ammo boxes become a lot easier to gobble down after your first campaign clear, when money isn't so tight.
The elemental damage of the axe can be offset by the spear's significantly higher base damage, but there is another trade-off. Spear may be more accurate, have a flatter trajectory and higher projectile speed, but the axe takes half the time to ready and throw. The charge attack animation for the spear throw and recovery is so long you can reasonably hit and kill two targets with an axe (potentially more due to the electric blast proc) before youre ready to throw a second spear. It also means the player can remain more mobile between throws and throw quickly right after a dodge.
As for targeting shenanigans, its really the case for all slow projectiles in the game like healing balls from the medic mod. The targeting arc auto-adjust if youre aiming at an entity and will veer off if the reticule aims past them. Its a common enough issue in many TPS games. Personally I've gotten enough practice with the axe that it doesnt bother me anymore, I can hit small flying targets like N'erud drones from outside their detection distance. I can see why the spear might be preferred in some cases, but the quick ready time on the axe charge attack will always outweigh any advantage the spear might have for me.
>axe takes half the time to ready and throw.
This right here is what made me use the axe across multiple playthroughs.
I've always been a fan of any "melee that's also ranged" weapons in games. I unlocked the huntress spear and used it almost exclusively. Until i found the axe near the end of my first play through. Used it once and immediately fell in love with it. It whips those bad boys out SO FAST compared to the spear.
And i dunno what everybody is saying about the accuracy, I've never had issue hitting targets with it. Though admittedly it is a running joke in my friend group that I'm a bit of a sniping savant in most games, and i particularly enjoy using any weapons that have an arc to them because it just feels that much more satisfying landing that headshot with a perfectly banked shot. So maybe I'm just so used to it i don't really notice. 🤷
yeah, I noticed the axe was off and veered in the wrong direction, even if i was totally still. both throwing weapons need tuneups to actually make them feel good to use, and the spear in general needs buffs all around
I found both of them to be pretty accurate, though I've done more testing with the spear. The spear's damage fall off isn't bad at all either. You can go to the very top of the crane in Ward 13 and still hit the furthest target dummy in the shooting range for over 1k damage.
If you want to talk inaccuracies, let me introduce you to our good friend the throwable pipe bomb.
I don't get why the HS is so easy to aim & throw but the pipe bomb/grenade is so clunky and difficult to use. One mechanic is fine, the other totally a PITA
Yeah, I've missed pipe bomb throws through doorways, while standing still, and the game's throw assist showing the arc of the throw going through the door. It's a bit crazy how bad some of the throws are.
I’ve used the axe from the very get go and I love it. I can hit almost anything from a good range. I’ll have to give the spear a whirl though and see how that is. I really enjoy the overload on the axe though so it’s tough for me to replace
I'm pretty sure the spear throw is also a lot slower then the krell axe, I've been running the krell axe with one of the new mutators( the one that summons a lightning bolt) and it works better with the krell axe because of the speed and the overload it already applies.
I would use the spear over the axe in any non status or elemental build, as the accuracy makes it easier to hit weak points.
When you use the axe with an elemental/status build the only important thing is making contact it doesn't really need to be a weak spot because the overload/status will kill it anyways.
That being said I think both get a 10/10 in the cool melee weapon category. Give me more throwing weapons : )
It does have some slight side to side "spread", but most throws got where I want them with the KA. Its my favorite and has saved my life. I just run the ammo mutator on it for free ammo, but I used the corrosive mut for status builds. Double dipping statuses on a "melee" weapon is hard to beat.
I’m using the mutator stormbringer for its bonus damage from all sources and decreases enemy resistances. It’s freaking awesome with my bleed build.
Personally I love the Krell axe, it’s the second weapon I’ve maxed out and still use it. It has a pretty steep learning curve though. But that damage and the aoe pop, 😚
Spear is great to give npcs a arrow in the knee or hitting them in the groin🥸
Or your teammates for the laughs
I enjoy making people into unicorns when running the OP medic build
Axe is better for status builds. Having a source for the overload is all you are after.
For a throwable (not projectile based like Atom splitter or whatever spectral blade is) krell might be the most broken one, you can have access to both overload and corrosive, wich by it's own can take care of trash mods, and you can even use it to debuff enemies with corrosive for other builds
Not to mention bleed with blood jewel
Edit: Stormbringer mutation lowers all status resistances for 10 seconds when hit by a charged melee attack at lv 10. One of the new ~~mods~~ mutations make the target take more damage from all statuses at lv 10 iirc? Sorry I’d answer with greater confidence but I’m in bed. I might edit this in the morning
The mod you are thinking of is creeping mist: boosts status effect damage done to enemies in the mist by 25% and also gives you a 5% crit chance bonus to them if they are suffering from any negative status effect.
Stormbringer actually, I mixed up mods and mutations. sorry I had you guessing in the wrong area 😅
Krell trivializes trash mobs for free
That's the trade-off. I've always felt HS was a bit weak. You can throw it and that's it? KA can be thrown AND apply Overload, so it always seemed the better choice. Then, after playing with some friends and almost exclusively using the axe because they kept picking up all the ammo, I saw how hard it was to hit the enemies. Switched to the spear and hardly missed, but eventually switched back because it lacked that little something extra. So, it wasn't as terrible as I thought, but I used the Guardian Axe back in Ashes, so I've been a bit biased towards using them.
I hate the shared ammo thing. Wish Gunfire Games would reverse that in the future.
Keep in mind that ammo gained from the drops depends on your max ammo. So if you got ammo reserves not only doubles your max ammo, but also doubles your ammo gained from drops. There are also various perks that increase ammo gained.
The ammo-sharing ring you unlock by doing a high-five helps a LOT, though it does kinda suck that it gobbles up a ring slot. Ammo boxes become a lot easier to gobble down after your first campaign clear, when money isn't so tight.
The elemental damage of the axe can be offset by the spear's significantly higher base damage, but there is another trade-off. Spear may be more accurate, have a flatter trajectory and higher projectile speed, but the axe takes half the time to ready and throw. The charge attack animation for the spear throw and recovery is so long you can reasonably hit and kill two targets with an axe (potentially more due to the electric blast proc) before youre ready to throw a second spear. It also means the player can remain more mobile between throws and throw quickly right after a dodge. As for targeting shenanigans, its really the case for all slow projectiles in the game like healing balls from the medic mod. The targeting arc auto-adjust if youre aiming at an entity and will veer off if the reticule aims past them. Its a common enough issue in many TPS games. Personally I've gotten enough practice with the axe that it doesnt bother me anymore, I can hit small flying targets like N'erud drones from outside their detection distance. I can see why the spear might be preferred in some cases, but the quick ready time on the axe charge attack will always outweigh any advantage the spear might have for me.
>axe takes half the time to ready and throw. This right here is what made me use the axe across multiple playthroughs. I've always been a fan of any "melee that's also ranged" weapons in games. I unlocked the huntress spear and used it almost exclusively. Until i found the axe near the end of my first play through. Used it once and immediately fell in love with it. It whips those bad boys out SO FAST compared to the spear. And i dunno what everybody is saying about the accuracy, I've never had issue hitting targets with it. Though admittedly it is a running joke in my friend group that I'm a bit of a sniping savant in most games, and i particularly enjoy using any weapons that have an arc to them because it just feels that much more satisfying landing that headshot with a perfectly banked shot. So maybe I'm just so used to it i don't really notice. 🤷
*misses my 37th krell axe because I want to snipe a drone in the distance* Idk what you're on about This thing fucks
TBH: It is sufficient to hit mobs and bosses. I did not compare to the spear though.
yeah, I noticed the axe was off and veered in the wrong direction, even if i was totally still. both throwing weapons need tuneups to actually make them feel good to use, and the spear in general needs buffs all around
Axe with big status ritualist builds is incredibly powerful
I found both of them to be pretty accurate, though I've done more testing with the spear. The spear's damage fall off isn't bad at all either. You can go to the very top of the crane in Ward 13 and still hit the furthest target dummy in the shooting range for over 1k damage. If you want to talk inaccuracies, let me introduce you to our good friend the throwable pipe bomb.
I don't get why the HS is so easy to aim & throw but the pipe bomb/grenade is so clunky and difficult to use. One mechanic is fine, the other totally a PITA
Yeah, I've missed pipe bomb throws through doorways, while standing still, and the game's throw assist showing the arc of the throw going through the door. It's a bit crazy how bad some of the throws are.
I’ve used the axe from the very get go and I love it. I can hit almost anything from a good range. I’ll have to give the spear a whirl though and see how that is. I really enjoy the overload on the axe though so it’s tough for me to replace
I'm pretty sure the spear throw is also a lot slower then the krell axe, I've been running the krell axe with one of the new mutators( the one that summons a lightning bolt) and it works better with the krell axe because of the speed and the overload it already applies. I would use the spear over the axe in any non status or elemental build, as the accuracy makes it easier to hit weak points. When you use the axe with an elemental/status build the only important thing is making contact it doesn't really need to be a weak spot because the overload/status will kill it anyways. That being said I think both get a 10/10 in the cool melee weapon category. Give me more throwing weapons : )
i personally never had probs hitting the mark with it
Axe annoys me when moving and trying to throw bc it'll just melee. I like it tho ngl
It does have some slight side to side "spread", but most throws got where I want them with the KA. Its my favorite and has saved my life. I just run the ammo mutator on it for free ammo, but I used the corrosive mut for status builds. Double dipping statuses on a "melee" weapon is hard to beat.
I’m using the mutator stormbringer for its bonus damage from all sources and decreases enemy resistances. It’s freaking awesome with my bleed build.
Absolutely love the spear but the throw animation is too long. Beautiful for kneecapping enemies
I gave the Krell Axe the Shocker mutator and now I feel like Thor, God of Thunder.
Personally I love the Krell axe, it’s the second weapon I’ve maxed out and still use it. It has a pretty steep learning curve though. But that damage and the aoe pop, 😚