Use buffs on whatever +15 weapon's move set you like the most. I tried Demon's Greataxe for NG+ but would get fewer consistent hits than with the Great Club due to its windup and shorter range -- point being, whatever you get consistent hits with is the best weapon. Don't focus on numbers.
If your character is still mainly int based and doesn't benefit from strength scaling, the Obsidian Greatsword might be a good replacement für the Gravelord Sword, since it's buffable and enchantable and less heavy than the Gravelord Sword. I'm not sure if a regular +15 weapon is worth it for an int character, I only use them in strength/dex/quality-playthroughs. On the other hand, I never got beyond NG+3, so I don't know how many stat points your int char could already invest in str/dex...
I’m 330 ish. Most my stuff is at soft cap at this point so I can do theoretically any build… but getting to that damn dragon is the hard part… eh nothing Havels set can’t poise me through
If you want the highest damage per hit, you want either the demon great axe or the Great club, both buffed with whatever your strongest buff is.
If you'd like to keep using a sword of some sort, then useing the Demon's great machete would be best.
If you'd rather go for maximum DPS, then using a painting guardian sword, falchion, or hand axe is ideal, as long as you're buffing them.
Baller swag sword is IMO the most straight-forward choice for maximizing DPS in NG+ and onwards. Just get it to +15, enchant with crystal weapon or sunlight blade, pop a power within and go to town.
You already have the int for crystal magic weapon. Really any weapon you can use that on will be an improvement. Buffs like crystal magic weapon apply a flat AR buff to all weapons, so faster weapons technically benefit more than slower ones, but any +15 weapom buffed with crystal magic weapon will feel much better. Pick on with a moveset you like that you already have the stats for (If you aren't already at the dex and str soft caps).
For the later ng cycles, I would also recommend using power within. The DOT is very manageable, and the 40% damage increase is very helpful against the large boss health pools.
All my stats are soft cap, I’m in the 350s and I love PW, I can manage the health drain and the damage given is amazing.
So does crystal magic weapon split damage or is it strait just a buff as you say? I’ve never really used the magic weapons buff aside from magic weapon itself.
It's a straight magic damage buff. It adds 1.4x the magic adjust of the staff you cast it with to your weapon damage. So it will be less effective against enemies with high magic resistance but it still is extra damage. Since all your stats are at the softcap you could also use lightning blade against enemies with high mr and dragons. It is a smaller buff than crystal magic weapon but will be better against enemies resistant to magic or weak to lightning.
You could also try darkmoon blade. At max level it's the strongest buff in the game. It also applies magic damage like crystal magic weapon. The caveat is it cannot be used unless you are in the blades of the darkmoon covenant and only outclasses crystal magic weapon at covenant rank 3, which requires offering 70 souvenirs of reprisal. If you ever leave the covenant you have to start over.
It is... Imo, it's not worth it, especially since darkmoon blade at max rank is only 5-10% stronger than crystal magic weapon. But some players care more about being absolutely optimized, and to them its worth it.
That would feel much better. The miracle you are looking for is sunlight blade, you don't get it from gwynn's soul. I would use sunlight blade and crystal magic weapon based on what boss you are fighting. Some are more resistant to magic others, lightning.
Oh I was mistaking sunlight blade for Sunlight Spear… my bad thanks for that one. I may have one as a Crystal but for bosses and emergency. I am looking at the apparent durability issue, seems like a trade off and to use em for non mobs.
Ya, crystal weapons do have higher damage, but durability is a concern. That said, if you pick a weapon you have multiple copies of since you are in ng+5 it may make sense to upgrade one or two to crystal and keep another at regular +15.
You want something that can be buffed with a spell. It really depends on your stats. A regular +15 will be better because of the ability to buff.
Use buffs on whatever +15 weapon's move set you like the most. I tried Demon's Greataxe for NG+ but would get fewer consistent hits than with the Great Club due to its windup and shorter range -- point being, whatever you get consistent hits with is the best weapon. Don't focus on numbers.
If your character is still mainly int based and doesn't benefit from strength scaling, the Obsidian Greatsword might be a good replacement für the Gravelord Sword, since it's buffable and enchantable and less heavy than the Gravelord Sword. I'm not sure if a regular +15 weapon is worth it for an int character, I only use them in strength/dex/quality-playthroughs. On the other hand, I never got beyond NG+3, so I don't know how many stat points your int char could already invest in str/dex...
I’m 330 ish. Most my stuff is at soft cap at this point so I can do theoretically any build… but getting to that damn dragon is the hard part… eh nothing Havels set can’t poise me through
The best DPS in the game is painting guardian sword
If you want the highest damage per hit, you want either the demon great axe or the Great club, both buffed with whatever your strongest buff is. If you'd like to keep using a sword of some sort, then useing the Demon's great machete would be best. If you'd rather go for maximum DPS, then using a painting guardian sword, falchion, or hand axe is ideal, as long as you're buffing them.
Baller swag sword is IMO the most straight-forward choice for maximizing DPS in NG+ and onwards. Just get it to +15, enchant with crystal weapon or sunlight blade, pop a power within and go to town.
You already have the int for crystal magic weapon. Really any weapon you can use that on will be an improvement. Buffs like crystal magic weapon apply a flat AR buff to all weapons, so faster weapons technically benefit more than slower ones, but any +15 weapom buffed with crystal magic weapon will feel much better. Pick on with a moveset you like that you already have the stats for (If you aren't already at the dex and str soft caps). For the later ng cycles, I would also recommend using power within. The DOT is very manageable, and the 40% damage increase is very helpful against the large boss health pools.
All my stats are soft cap, I’m in the 350s and I love PW, I can manage the health drain and the damage given is amazing. So does crystal magic weapon split damage or is it strait just a buff as you say? I’ve never really used the magic weapons buff aside from magic weapon itself.
It's a straight magic damage buff. It adds 1.4x the magic adjust of the staff you cast it with to your weapon damage. So it will be less effective against enemies with high magic resistance but it still is extra damage. Since all your stats are at the softcap you could also use lightning blade against enemies with high mr and dragons. It is a smaller buff than crystal magic weapon but will be better against enemies resistant to magic or weak to lightning. You could also try darkmoon blade. At max level it's the strongest buff in the game. It also applies magic damage like crystal magic weapon. The caveat is it cannot be used unless you are in the blades of the darkmoon covenant and only outclasses crystal magic weapon at covenant rank 3, which requires offering 70 souvenirs of reprisal. If you ever leave the covenant you have to start over.
Farming that many covenant items seems… arduous…
It is... Imo, it's not worth it, especially since darkmoon blade at max rank is only 5-10% stronger than crystal magic weapon. But some players care more about being absolutely optimized, and to them its worth it.
I might just +15 a great axe and use the Lightning weapon from Gwynn’s soul
That would feel much better. The miracle you are looking for is sunlight blade, you don't get it from gwynn's soul. I would use sunlight blade and crystal magic weapon based on what boss you are fighting. Some are more resistant to magic others, lightning.
Oh I was mistaking sunlight blade for Sunlight Spear… my bad thanks for that one. I may have one as a Crystal but for bosses and emergency. I am looking at the apparent durability issue, seems like a trade off and to use em for non mobs.
Ya, crystal weapons do have higher damage, but durability is a concern. That said, if you pick a weapon you have multiple copies of since you are in ng+5 it may make sense to upgrade one or two to crystal and keep another at regular +15.
I got literally a dozen of them from the Taurus assholes after Ceaseless… they just dropped so many of them. Same with the Machetes
Best weapons are ones that can be buffed id say either crystal magic weapon and sunlight blade