Determining the absolute "strongest weapons" in Path of Exile (POE) is complex due to various factors influencing a weapon’s effectiveness:
Factors Affecting Weapon Strength:
Base Damage: This stat directly translates to the physical damage dealt with each attack. Weapons like Two-Handed Axes and Maces typically boast high base damage.
Weapon Type: Different weapon types have varying attack speeds and implicit modifiers. For example, Daggers have inherent high attack speed but lower base damage compared to heavier weapons.
Skill Compatibility: Certain skills function better with specific weapon types. Skills like "Ground Slam" benefit from the high physical damage of Two-Handed weapons, while "Flurry" utilizes the faster attack speed of Daggers or Claws.
Item Mods and Crafting: Crafting mechanics allow adding powerful modifiers to weapons, significantly enhancing their damage output, critical strike chance, or elemental damage.
Instead of a single "strongest weapon," here’s a breakdown of factors to consider for maximizing weapon effectiveness:
1. Build Focus:
Physical Damage Builds: Prioritize weapons with high base damage like Two-Handed Axes or Maces. Aim for crafting mods that further increase physical damage, attack speed, and critical strike chance.
Elemental Damage Builds: Focus on weapons with inherent elemental damage or those that can be easily crafted to deal elemental damage (Fire, Cold, or Lightning). Prioritize mods that enhance specific elemental damage types.
Chaos Damage Builds: Look for weapons with high base damage and the potential to be crafted with Chaos DoT (Damage over Time) modifiers.
2. Skill Selection:
Choose skills that synergize well with your weapon type. For instance, utilizing a Two-Handed Sword with "Ground Slam" leverages the weapon’s high physical damage.
3. Crafting and Gear:
Utilize crafting mechanics like Essences, Orbs, and Foesils to add valuable prefixes and suffixes that enhance your weapon’s damage output, critical strike chance, or elemental damage.
Consider other gear pieces like helmets, gloves, and amulets that can further amplify your chosen damage type or provide beneficial auras.
Resources for Finding Powerful Weapons:
Unique Weapons: Certain endgame bosses and specific areas have a higher chance of dropping powerful unique weapons with exceptional stats and modifiers.
Online Resources: Consult online resources and build guides created by experienced players for recommendations on weapon choices and crafting strategies tailored to various builds.
Here are some examples of weapon types and unique weapons generally considered strong in POE:
The "strongest weapon" is subjective and depends on your specific build and playstyle.
Focus on creating a synergy between your weapon, skills, passive skills, and other gear pieces to maximize your character’s overall damage output and effectiveness.
By understanding these factors and utilizing various resources, you can make informed decisions when choosing and crafting weapons in Path of Exile.