Hand axe is a viable strength wep

So I was giving it a whirl in the burg and its EXTREMELY similar to the falchion what I mean is its fast, it hits hard in a combo and best thing is this......ITS A FAST STR WEAPON!!

Choppy choppy! >:D. I use a hybrid build and started using the Hand axe to pretty good effect so far.

I haven't used it in pvp yet but...soon!

Yes it is, butI would only use it as backup for quick finish off. It can't break 21 poise when 2 handed so that makes it worse than a Falchion, and the fast speed works wonders with a buff.

Its pretty damn underated and needs more love.

For Str builds that don't use buffs nor have 40 Str I think elemental works better, giving it has some scaling in Dex.

Then again not many people take the hand axe seriously so ppl underestemated.

STOP RUINING MY DREAMS!!

It seriously demolishes stamina if they try to block to many of its 2hr1s. It will never be the next Big thing in PvP but it's not entirely unusable

It's one of my favorite side-arms. I've murdered a few brazen invaders with it when my other weapon was too slow. And it's light.

It's a good backup weapon, and it breaks as much poise as a greatsword, which is fantastic for catching those nimbler guys who dodge the bigger Str weapons. It also doesn't leave you open after a swing like the other handaxes.

^It doesn't ghadis. It's the only small axe that doesn't break 53 poise when 2 handed. Doesn't even break 21.

While it is good to finish off opponents the reach sucks and it's so easy to parry since you need to be really close to your opponents even when unlocked, I parried wyrm most of the times he used it against me. Other than him I've yet to come up against someone else that uses it.

The hand axe is not a strength weapon IMHO.

I'd choose a longsword over this. If you compare their damages, the longsword ultimately has a higher damage potential while being a more effective poise breaker and having a more diverse moveset. The hand axe is a good light weapon for characters under 10 dexterity, but those characters are very much in the minority.

Doing co-op in the Burg my host was invaded by a pyro with a hand axe. I ran away quick to switch from my +5 Chaos Rapier to my +0 Warpick because I thought he was my first honest Burg invader. Four electric chops later I realized that he was just the most deceitful one.

So yes, I agree. Pretty effective weapon.

Siegfried. wrote:I'd choose a longsword over this. If you compare their damages, the longsword ultimately has a higher damage potential while being a more effective poise breaker and having a more diverse moveset. The hand axe is a good light weapon for characters under 10 dexterity, but those characters are very much in the minority.

At 40 str and 10 dex, the damage difference between the Handaxe and Long Sword is negligible.

It only weighs 2.0 too. I think this weapon's appeal is mostly the surprise factor.

Thing is, the longsword outdamages the hand axe as early as 15 dexterity, single-handed, and 20 dexterity two-handed (at base strength 27, at least). It also has more range, a better moveset and deals more poise damage. The hand axe really has nothing on it except for weight.

Siegfried. wrote:Thing is, the longsword outdamages the hand axe as early as 15 dexterity, single-handed, and 20 dexterity two-handed (at base strength 27, at least). It also has more range, a better moveset and deals more poise damage. The hand axe really has nothing on it except for weight.

Strength builds shouldn't have more than 10 dex. I agree, the Hand Axe has crap range, but it doesn't have a penalty for missing either. Sure, long swords might have a "better" move set and slightly better stats, but I like the Hand Axe... it looks cool and that's more important to me than negligible stat differences.

The guy has something against Str weapons. You got a problem bro?

WyrmHero wrote:^It doesn't ghadis. It's the only small axe that doesn't break 53 poise when 2 handed. Doesn't even break 21.

Really? my mistake then, I thought all of the small axes did.

StockpileThomas wrote:Strength builds shouldn't have more than 10 dex. I agree, the Hand Axe has crap range, but it doesn't have a penalty for missing either. Sure, long swords might have a "better" move set and slightly better stats, but I like the Hand Axe... it looks cool and that's more important to me than negligible stat differences.

I'm not trying to dissuade anyone from using it, mind you; the golden rule of Dark Souls weapons is "If it works for you, it works", and no amount of theorycrafting can change that.

Jus' saiyan that the hand axe has a very specific and limited build application. A good light weapon for a strength build, but that's about it, 'cause if you have any decent amount of dexterity, something else is going to be "objectively" better (exception: see golden rule above).

I have 18 dex for blakk knight weps I forgot to get a longsword.

Dude, if you like the hand axe so much try the pickaxe/war pick. I agree completely. Especially on a slow strength build having the hand axe in your off hand is perfect to deal with katana builds who just ninja flip all over the map or abuse the **** out of i-frames or fish.. It has amazing stunlock and amazing damage. The pickaxe is just as fun, as well as the Reinforced club. Try em

StockpileThomas wrote:

Siegfried. wrote:Thing is, the longsword outdamages the hand axe as early as 15 dexterity, single-handed, and 20 dexterity two-handed (at base strength 27, at least). It also has more range, a better moveset and deals more poise damage. The hand axe really has nothing on it except for weight.

Strength builds shouldn't have more than 10 dex. I agree, the Hand Axe has crap range, but it doesn't have a penalty for missing either. Sure, long swords might have a "better" move set and slightly better stats, but I like the Hand Axe... it looks cool and that's more important to me than negligible stat differences.

Long sword is a quality weapon.. for a strength build it's less useful, slower, less stunlock, less DPS and easier parry :|

Apickaxe isn't as viable since if you miss you suffer, hand axe is the falchion of str weps.