Godsword vs Abyssal Whip analysis (and the other new items)

VERY EXTREMELY LONG POST, READ ALL BEFORE REPLYING! EVEN IF YOU ARE REPLYING TO SOMEONE WHO POSTS IN THIS THREAD!

First of all: wow... Awesome weapon this Godsword. The interchangable spec (if you can actually afford those) is also a nice addition.

The Saradomin Sword (not the Godsword + Saradomin Hilt) is something of a let-down. Basicly it hits slower, but has a spec to do a bit of extra damage, somethign I'd rather use a DDS for. Other then that it's also 2-handed, so you can add a shield or defender to your Whip

Zamorak Spear, while awesome looking and versatile in its use (high stab slash and crush attack bonus), is also a bit of a let-down, largely because of the un-original spec.

Just reviewing the specs of all 4 Hilts, I can already tell you that there are some that are far more usefull then others.

Zamorak Hilt: Basicly an ice barrage effect, which will freeze your opponent for a good long while. If anything I'd say that this was good for PK-ing, but the cost of it to get and rareness of this weapon makes it far too valuable to risk taking into the wild.

Saradomin Hilt: A spec that heals you for half the damage you do, and also restores your Prayer for a quarter of the damage you do (minimum of 10 hp and 5 pray points). If you get this one I'd take it with you to kill Jad. Hey if he can heal, so can you.

Armadyl Hilt: Knowing that this weapon already hits insanely high, whats adding another 25% to it? It doesnt give it an extra use, and given it's speed, if you DO use it PvP, you'd better use it on the first attack (Vengeance anyone?).

Bandos Hilt: My absolute favorite. In PvP without a doubt one of the best weapons. It does 10% damage extra, but it also will drop the stats of your opponent, starting with Defense, then Strength and then Prayer (all in conjunction with HP loss). If you havent KO-ed him by then the offensive stats are next; Attack, Magic and Ranged.

This weapon is also the absolute bane of pures, sapping away their one advantage immediatly.

The two major weaknesses of this weapon are ofcourse the speed, and lack of a shield. A logical conclusion of this means that you better hit and damage your opponent on every swing you take at him (this is why I like the Defense draining ability of Bandos). If you get damaged yourself up to a point where you need to eat, then you forfeit an attack, something that can prove fatal with such a slow weapon speed.

(My clan has researched a way around this though, and have this as a closely guarded secret)

In my opinion, if 2 people were to do a melee-only fight. One in the best melee defense you can muster, with a whip as weapon, will defeat the other one wielding a Godsword with Saradomin, Zamorak, and Armadyl more often then not. However with a Bandos Hilt and its Defense and Prayer draining abilities, will make you hit more and more often. The whip will lose.

In the above example I have asumed every player to use the full extend of options available to him: Potions, food, and a volley of Dragonfire from the shield.

That'd be it for weapons, on to the new 3rd age God armor:

All Armadyl and Bandos equipment have +1 Pray bonus. Something we may see in a future update on rune god armors?

Bandos Chestplate: perfect substitute for a Torso. Basicly a hybrid between Barrows and Barbarian Torso. High melee defense (roughly equal to 3rd age Platebody), 1 point better range defense then Barrows, and still the +4 strength bonus of the Torso.

Bandos Tasset (legwear): Legwear with strength bonus, its here! 'Zerker' outfits (maxing out strength bonus) have gotten what they wanted. Defense wise its inferior to Barrows (again, range is better though).

Bandos Boots: Good defense, better (slightly) then Dragon boots, but no Strength bonus, which you'd expect for boots these days, as well as Bandos equipment normally giving strength bonus. Bug?

Armadyl Chestplate, Legs: Like all Armadyl armor, it has superior range attack bonus, and these two have superior defense on ALL stats, beating even Karils, 3rd age and Black Dragonhide.

Armadyl Helmet: Also superior range attack, but a few points lacking in crush and range defense compared to Karils Coif. Makes the Robin Hood hat obsolete.

The ONE drawback of Armadyl armor compared to the other high level range armors is that it has negative offensive stats in stab slash and crush, making it unsuitable to do melee combat in (people often do melee combat in Black Dhide for added mage protection)

Analysing these stats, I can soon forsee Zaros armor filling the gap of 3rd age magic armor.

Speaking of magic, the Steam staff has also been released. Now all double-element stavaes have been released that do not include air in the equation. Only a handfull of spells use both Water and Fire runes;

Ape Atoll Teleport (even if you can get Bananas, Camelot teleport is still mroe xp / Law)

Bake Pie (L)

Humidify (L)

Magic Imbue (L)

I highlighted the last spell, Magic Imbue, because it will revolutionise the making of Combo runes. You will no longer need Talismans to make double-runes. For example to make Smoke runes:

[hide]Get either a bunch of Air runes (make em by the thousands) or Fire runes (Harpy Bug swarms drop 500 at a time), and an equal ammount of Pure essence. Wield the Steam Staff and go to the altar you do not have the runes from (If you have Air, go to Fire Altar, I'll use this as example). If you use pouches, make sure to bring the extra elemental runes. And if you have those, you will have without a doubt saved a bunch of Binding Necklaces, wield one of them too.

What to wield when doing this:

- Steam staff

- Anything to get you into the Fire Altar, like Dueling Ring and Fire Tiara.

- Binding Necklace

What to have in Inventory:

Astral Runes

Fire Runes

Pouches with Pure Essence

Pure Essence

Before using the Air runes on the Fire Altar, Cast the Magic Imbue spell (will only cost 2 Astral Runes), then use the Air runes on the Altar, withdraw all Pure essence from the Pouches and repeat.

The Binding Necklace is there to prevent failure while combocrafting.

This gets you (if you make the Air runes yourself) 5.0 + 9.5 = 14.5 RC xp per Smoke Rune made, and 86 Magic xp per Magic Imbue spell cast.

And voila, you saved yourself a spot in your Inventory to put more food in.

[/hide]

The graphics of the Steam Staff couldve gotten a better job. After the Mud Staff its a major let-down...

And lastly the Dragonboots.

Nice extension to the line of boots, and with its +4 better melee defense, and +2 strength compared to rune, I see this becoming the new standard boots. People will often be found slaying the Spirituals for these.

I'd like to thank my clan in bouncing around ideas and thoughts to help me come to this full analysis.

FOOTNOTE:

I see herblore taking an ever increasnig role in combat. It used to be just Super-sets and perhaps the odd Prayer potion in PvP, but with all these new weapons lowering stats, doing Dragonfire damage, is the future inventory goign to be:

Super Attack, Super Strength, Saradomin Brew, Super Restore, and Anti-Fire?

Perhaps even Sanfew Serum to replace the Super Restore. The Serum is a Super Restore + Super Anti-poison + Reclym's Balm all in 1. It's just a matter of time before weapons will inflict Disease damage as well... Finally a use for Innoculation Bracelets?

I agree, the Bandos special is my favorite too. I really want the Saradomin sword for it's awesome looking special, but hardly anyone sells for a decent price :(

*Hi fives*

Very well researched. Only thing i could reccomend is maybe setting it out a bit better. Bold your headings and find some pictures. Maybe from the KB or something.

really good written! I, as many, don't got members or don't play. (i don't play) but think it's fun to know much about the updates. =D> =D>

for awesome services to tipits research you sir have been awarded the "Medal of Win"

Seriously, great job.

I dont wanna hog all the credit though... My clan has helped me a good bit forming the overall opinion...

nice

I don't understand why the saradomin sword is a let down

the only way I can think is if it doesn't train str or if the str training option isn't as accurate (yes I know it'll be slower)

i like what you have said abot the steam staff and what we can do now!

great research.

Thanks for info. Does zamorak spear have a special attack of somesort? Can't find any info from knowledge base.

Yes...

The Zamorak Spear has exactly the same special as a Dragon Spear. It shoves your opponent 1 square back and stuns him, and doesnt do damage.

I dont know yet if this Spear can be poisoned (Guthans cant), but even if it could, it doesnt amaze me...

Yes...

 

 

 

The Zamorak Spear has exactly the same special as a Dragon Spear. It shoves your opponent 1 square back and stuns him, and doesnt do damage.

 

 

 

I dont know yet if this Spear can be poisoned (Guthans cant), but even if it could, it doesnt amaze me...

Ok Ty for info :).

Excellent research, however I doubt we'll see Zaros 3rd Age Mage. Mainly because he died in the 2nd Age, the 3rd Age was the rise of Zamorak :P and most of the force were Mahjarrat and didnt need robes to increase magic power because magic was natural to them, unlike humans.

Again, great research, nice read about the steam staff! My desire for Armadyl range gear has gotten bigger and i've already liquidated most of my assets so I can eventually buy the Bandos Chest Plate and Tasset. :D

great post although it took ages to get one godsword never mind the 3 known to have been smithed from the shards but theyll soon be circulating around after a month or so.

zammy spear is looking like a d spear with the same spec designed for those elite cwers who like to use the falling rocks.

saramdodin sword,well we havent even really had any comparisons to whip.does anyone know if its 2 handed or not?

the one i was most interested in was the hilt which allows the mini ice barrage.that could be devistating in the hands of a high leveled player.hit them with that freeze them and theyre down for the count.

however dragon boots will be the new standard for boots.they seem to have te drop rate of rune boots and tehyre better stats.

too early to tell rteally on how these will affect combat but once we have a few of these in players hands and willing to do some exp per hour and max hit figures we will be able to weight this update up.

it's my belief that the (edit) sara sword has the speed of a normal longsword and can train strength, but uses the crush (not as accurate) it has a 60 or so crush bonus I believe

it's my belief that the godsword has the speed of a normal longsword and can train strength, but uses the crush (not as accurate) it has a 60 or so crush bonus I believe

It has a 4 speed rating, so that means it's the speed of a battle axe and war hammer.

it's my belief that the godsword has the speed of a normal longsword and can train strength, but uses the crush (not as accurate) it has a 60 or so crush bonus I believe

your wrong, the godsword has the speed of battleaxe.

sorry, I meant sara sword, I'll edit that

what does the first post say ? :oops:

what does the first post say ? :oops:

I reckon any version of the godsword will hold its own against a whip.

Great read... What does it take to acquire the Armadyl and Bandos armours? Are they drops, and if so, rare?

Great read... What does it take to acquire the Armadyl and Bandos armours? Are they drops, and if so, rare?

Kill the armadyl boss and bandos boss and from what i heard the drops are rare.

Nice to see you've done your homework. :)

I want to get every single version of the weapon, if it's possible.

It's possible, but you need to get 7 rare drops:

Shard 1 through 3, and all 4 hilts... total worth at roughly 140m

Fantastic, but I'm still looking for a comparison of Saradomin Sword and the Whip.

But, after reading this, I want Bandos so bad. :shock:

It's in the first post:

Saradomin Sword = 2handed and slower, but has a crush attack and has option to train strength as far as I know (probably with the crush attack).

The spec isnt as good either as you can do more damage with DDS specs, although the fact that it does magic damage may ahve the odd use...