Larian Studios Forums Divinity 2 - Ego Draconis (English) Help/Tips/Tricks Which is the better weapon?

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Normal Light Iron Cleaver (Dog's Normal Light Iron Cleaver of Doom)
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OBTAINED: Press a button in the back of Jackson's cellar, then pick it up from
a chain in the middle of the room.
One-handed Axe
Melee damage: 13 - 29; Critical Chance: 5%
Requires Level 7; Strength 4
+8 to Mana; +1 to Evade skill
1 empty enchantment slot

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Slayerbane (Witch's Slayerbane of the Mage Priest)
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OBTAINED: Mindread Talana during your first (and only) actual conversation. It
is on a small path near the cliff in the northern middle part of the valley
proper. It has a glowing blue aura around it, so it's difficult to miss.
One-handed Axe
Melee damage: 7 - 17; Magic damage: 5 - 11; Critical Chance: 8%
Requires Level 10; Strength 9
+3 to Spirit; +1 to Jump Attack skill
1 empty charm slot
2 empty enchantment slots


I'm a Mage, currently using the Cleaver (cant use Salyerbane due to low level [lv. 9]), but, just looking at the basic stats (disregarding the slots), I'm assuming that the Cleaver is better all 'round as I use mage spells until I get swamped then use melee, or does the Slayerbane (Magic damage: 5 - 11)pump up my magic stats and increase magic damage for my spellcasting?

As regards the slots in Slayerbane, when will I start seeing items to socket that are worth committing to it, currently I have left Broken Village, killed all the monsters at the 3 exits from the derilict tunnel and currently at a trader called Noryfundus (is all his stuff reall fake apart from the earrings?), looking for the bandit camp.

Thanks

The magic damage stat on a weapon is the magic-based damage the weapon itself inflicts. The damage is counted alongside melee (or ranged, if its a bow). It will have no effect on your spellcasting.

In that case, the Cleaver is definitely better, unless you plan to enchant them with Increase Damage enchants. In that case, the Slayerbane is better, due to two slots (Increase Damage and Increase Magical Damage can both be put on it).


And yeah, Noryfundus' stuff, earrings (and potions) aside, are all fake. When you buy them, as soon as you leave the trade screen, they revert to their useless version.

Thats great, thanks, I just wanted to be sure I understood correctly, how the damage modifier worked in this case.

Any idea what level I can see worthwhile charms/enchantments for Slayerbane.

Thanks again

I found the enchanter at level 12, and had a couple useful enchantments then. Also, if you find an enchantment on a piece of equipment, you can unenchant it to recover the formula (though you don't get the ingredients back).

The best quality charms (divine) you will not get until you have the battle tower, about half way through the game (at which point both weapons above will be obsolete). Until then blessed charms are the best you can find (the other types are lesser, minor and major), but I don't recall what level or area they start showing up.
Charms can not be removed once placed. If you add a charm now it may not be as good a quality, and you may loose it if you find a better piece of equipment, but you will get the benefit right away. If you hold off you may find better charms, but you are going to upgrade eventually, so you would have that bonus for less time.
I held off on charms until I had divine charms and equipment I was pretty sure I would be using for awhile, but by then I didn't need a bonus, and didn't use any charms.

OK thanks raze, I hadnt thought about it like that, cheers

A little different perspective:

Slayerbane is better. However, the cost to acquire it is much greater--ie, a bunch of experience points.
Within a couple of levels or less, you are going to find melee weapons that are better than Slayerbane. For example -- Tagos'Axe -- Melee damage: 13 - 31; Magic damage: 2 - 6; Critical Chance: 8%
Requires Level 10; Strength 9
+5 to Magic Damage; +2 to Strength; +1 to Death Blow skill
2 empty enchantment slots
Cannot be sold, stored, or destroyed

So, when it comes to adding a crappy charm to a lower level weapon, armor or piece of jewelry, you might as well do it. Otherwise, what are you going to do with the charm? They don't sell for much. Therefore you might as well use them; you'll get better equipment and charms later on.

Thanks, I have Tagos quest, so I'm looking forward to that weapon now, cheers