Swift flurry vs lightning strikes

[malchiorita]

Hey guys, i think it has probably been discussed before but i was wondering at which condition swift flurry becomes better than lightning strikes.

 

I'm currently playing a ravager with max perception but no particular skills to proc crits (apart from pallegina killer froze stiff).

 

Which one should bring more damage?

[Lokithecat]

I could be wrong, but if you were 100% guaranteed to crit every attack, then the 1/3 chance at free hit would be the same damage as the 1/3 more damage from lightning... assuming you're rolling 'average' on the proc, and your enemies are not particularly resistant to a damage type.

 

That said, there are gimmick builds which try to exploit the free 'full attack' by using an offhand that has an exceptional chance to crit.  (Check out the builds section on the Burn Baby Votary for an extreme example of chained effects).

[shadowbunker]

I could be wrong, but if you were 100% guaranteed to crit every attack, then the 1/3 chance at free hit would be the same damage as the 1/3 more damage from lightning... assuming you're rolling 'average' on the proc, and your enemies are not particularly resistant to a damage type.

 

That said, there are gimmick builds which try to exploit the free 'full attack' by using an offhand that has an exceptional chance to crit.  (Check out the builds section on the Burn Baby Votary for an extreme example of chained effects).

I believe the +30% shock is additive with other "deal +25% as XXX damage" effects,

i.e. It is not +30% total damage if your weapon/skills/etc are also stacking such damage.

 

And damn I forgot if such damage is same as +XX% damage buffs (soul whip) or not...

[robovoid_dev]

Swift Flurry is much better unless they nerf it

[Kaylon]

If you don't have high accuracy/hit to crit and especially an attack doing multiple hits, then it's better to get lightning strikes...

[Boeroer]

Swift Flurry procs can proc Swift Flurry again - and so on.

 

There's a certain point where you can trigger a chain reaction that one-shots groups (if you can generate multiple hits per attack).

 

For single target attacks Lightning Strikes is better (30% lash is multiplicative with base damage and damage bonuses).

[Climhazzard]

I imagine lightning strikes is better against high defense enemies too, not that you'll have that problem late game.  I just see it as less bursty/gimmicky and more consistent.  But I will keep passing on swift flurry as long as it can proc off itself.

[Clerith]

I don't even mind if they delete Swift Flurry from the game, Lightning Strikes is extremely strong.

[Climhazzard]

I wish there was a fire version actually, though monks already have a fire lash, I would want it just for the fire fx on the fists.

[dunehunter]

Both are pretty good, pick whatever u like.

[Phyriel]

I like lightning strikes more myself because its more "fair" but objectively swift flurry is better for raw damage output. Lightning strike may be at best equal if you wanted to pick Swift Flurry on a monk that went out of his way to have absolutely NO hit to crit conversion. I'm running Nalpazca/Wael Priest Contemplative solo potd atm and I have lightning strikes because its weaker I respecced for Swift Flurry for fun and used maxed alchemy merciless gaze potion, I was generating tripple, quadra hits with auto attacks all the time.

 

That goes without saying that with Lightning Strikes you're going to reck faces equally easy, in late game difference between those 2 is simply overkilling content by 5 times or overkilling it by 10 times which results the same... you enter the screen -> blur -> pile of gore to loot. 

[Lampros]

So many of my questions were discussed earlier!

 

Though I guess this is pre-nerfs...

[Boeroer]

Yes. Pre-nerf.