GameAmp: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

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Sturmwolf

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Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

I currently run a DM/SR-Speedster and as a Veteran my question is:
Is Shadow Maul worth taking if I have Sand of Mu as a Vet-Reward?
Does it make a difference to spend some slots into the power?
Atm it seems like a big NO to me, but I want to hear some opinions.

06/14/07 14:38

pathofwrath

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

I've got a level 38 Dark/Regen. I took both Shadow Maul and Sands. Dark is lite on the straight up attacks, so every little bit helps. Plus, unlike Sands, you can slot Shadow Maul.

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06/14/07 14:43

Electro

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

I have them both on my dark scrapper. I like it. You're lined up for cone damage anyway so why not have 2 cones fire off back-to-back?

06/14/07 14:58

Thundarpants

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

Wrath hit the key point. Sands of Mu is not slottable, and the Dark Scrapper primary is a little lite on direct attacks. Unless you have some sort of leadership buff or accuracy inspiration running, the hit rate is kinda crappy, and with a long animation like that........

I'd say get Sands. The Axe is just lame IMO unless you have some specific story line reason to get it. How often are you getting any advantage from killing undead at the upper levels? The double cone damage is also nice if it happens to hit after your Shadow Maul.

Sands of Mu is basically what I've replaced "brawl" with on most of my new toons. It's fun to leave set on auto to pummel anything that gets into melee range for muh squishies.

06/14/07 15:52

RonJ73

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

Shadow Maul is better than Sands of Mu for one simple reason...buffs (slots, build up, teammate buffs, etc). Sands of Mu cannot be enhanced by anything.

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06/14/07 16:08

Sturmwolf

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

QUOTE

Shadow Maul is better than Sands of Mu for one simple reason...buffs (slots, build up, teammate buffs, etc). Sands of Mu cannot be enhanced by anything.

Are you sure about that?
Can you give some proof about that?
Why should a teammates buff or my own build up not enhance my Sand?

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06/14/07 16:42

pathofwrath

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

Because it's designed that way.

06/14/07 16:53

swissarmy68

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

I agree with Thundar, and I do that for everyone of my characters... Switch out brawl with Sands. Not since hitting once when you can hit 5 or 6 times.

But the slotting is the major difference. Is there a difference in the base damage between the two?

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06/20/07 07:22

Solaronn

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

On my dark scrappers I take Sands, Shadow, and I take flurry also, because there is more of a chance of a critical hit with all those punches going.

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06/20/07 09:34

RonJ73

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

QUOTE

Are you sure about that?
Can you give some proof about that?
Why should a teammates buff or my own build up not enhance my Sand?

I can't give you direct proof, however I can tell you from personal experience. I've used Sands of Mu since vet rewards hit the TEST server. It's a great attack, particularly at low levels when you don't have something to fill your attack chain, but not amount of buffing will help it get better.

As you gain levels, it does more damage, like any attack, but external influences cannot make it any more damaging. A blaster's defiance, a brute's fury, NOTHING makes it any better.

Personally, I think it's an AWESOME attack if you're a tanker. Round em up and beat them down! For a Dark Scrapper, it's extremely cool because it's yet another Area of Effect attack, although the cone is TINY.

06/20/07 12:43

Sturmwolf

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

Ok...I fieldtested it after i got Soul Drain and it is sad but true, Sand of Mu does not improve after a Soul Drain.
So I decided to pick Shadow Maul soon, so that I don't have a waste of time by using Sands while buffed by Soul Drain.

07/09/07 17:02

Shadower

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

I have a dark melee scrapper lvl46, and I have been using shadow maul 6 slotted with 2dam, 2acc and 2recharge. I find that you should get both because of the need of attacks that dark scrappers need. Also the damage from both attacks is very nice if one comesut after the other :P

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07/13/07 04:32

RonJ73

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

*nods* And they both do the Accuracy Debuff too! :)

Accuracy Debuff + Dark Armor's Defense (Or SR's Defense) = WIN!

07/13/07 06:42

realityglich

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

get it. wants not to like?

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08/07/07 15:55

Lazorus

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

What Solaronn said, plus 3 FLurry type attacks going off is AWESOME! Can anyone say... "Machine-Gun fists!"

With all three by level 6 on a Super Reflex Scraper and To-Hit De-Buffs slotted, they will never hit you and your a walking Machine-Gun!

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08/17/07 01:10

RonJ73

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

Flurry is poo.

Animation time is too long (same as Shadow Maul/Sands) it's roughly half the damage of Sands...and it's single target.

Booooo! Bad Flurry. Get hasten instead and use your shadow maul twice.

08/17/07 05:32

Sturmwolf

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

QUOTE

Flurry is poo.

Animation time is too long (same as Shadow Maul/Sands) it's roughly half the damage of Sands...and it's single target.

And that's the reason Flurry cost only half as much endurance.
=P
So...good...pick hasten and blast the double amount of endurance twice, and don't tell me you just use it if there are multiple targets.
=P

08/17/07 06:37

RonJ73

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

No, but with Stamina and Quick Recovery (or even just stamina) I don't really concern myself with Endurance.

You can't argue that Flurry is a particularly good power for a Dark Scrapper. Shadow Maul deals significantly more damage and hits multiple targets. The endurance cost difference doesn't make up for Flurry's failings.

Shadow Maul's Endurance Cost is 8.53. It ranks at 135.1 damage in Mids' and has a cone and does a ToHit Debuff effect.

Flurry's Endurance Cost is 5.46. Ranks at 68.5 damage. No cone. No Debuffs. However it has a faster recharge.

Hands down, Shadow Maul is far superior.

As for the quip about rarely hitting multiple targets, I've become extremely adept at positioning myself. If I have more than 2 targets in Melee range, odds are I'll it as many as possible with Shadow Maul/Sands. Heck, I use Breath of Fire on my Fire Tank and hit quite a few and the cone on that is tiny.

08/17/07 09:59

dougnukem

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

Then there's the part that SM is also Neg Energy and Flurry is all smashing, which will end up doing even less damage due to being more resisted overall.

But in all honesty, I would take the Axe over Sands for a DM, to help against those very pesky ghosts and their insanily high Neg Energy resists.

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08/17/07 11:55

Sturmwolf

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

QUOTE

No, but with Stamina and Quick Recovery (or even just stamina) I don't really concern myself with Endurance.
...
Hands down, Shadow Maul is far superior.
...

First off...Flurry i sjust a Poolpower...Shadow Maul HAS to be superior!
But we are not talking about regen, so scoff that Quick Recovery thing.
It just cost more end and therefore it isnt as effective...buttom line.
=P

08/17/07 23:03

RonJ73

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RE: Shadow Maul vs Sand of Mu

Read my post again.

You couldn't be more wrong. Yeah, flurry costs less endurance. But it does half the damage and only hits one person.

You're right, Flurry IS a pool power. However, it's not a GOOD pool power. As far as I'm concerned, Hasten is ALWAYS a better choice. Flurry is one of the worst damage dealing pool powers.

***THIS POST HAS BEEN EDITED***

08/18/07 08:35

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