Knight Spec for Hunting

Rhyssin

Is there a significant difference in the effectiveness of the knight specializations when hunting denizens? I am SnB currently and I like it, but am considering 2H when I hit level 80. I want to make sure I'm not doing something stupid by switching though!

Sorry if this was answered elsewhere. All the threads I looked at focused mainly on PvP differences instead of PvE.

Cynlael

SnB is best for hunting. Tanky, solid damage/speed, and doesn't use any endurance whatsoever.

Sena

Dual cutting seems to have better DPS than SnB (comparing level 3 weapons), at the cost of needing two artefact weapons instead of one and being unable to use SoA. I don't have any current details for the other specs.

Rhyssin

If I switched to 2H would it be a huge detriment or only slightly noticeable?

Kiet

Other specs do more DPS as far as I know, snb can just be tankiest. I forget which one is the highest clear speed though.

Hirgrim

I'm S&B and do pretty well. I took racial specialisation for strength, and with Runes you get +1/+! for Strength and Constitution on top of that, and then Nimble trait. Just remember, you can use Slice in a combination against denizens even though it only says adventurers. Very quick.

Aesi

I haven't done SnB Runie, but I did 2H all the way to dragon. The crits on 2H get absolutely monstrous after 80.

Jonathin

SnB with SoA is pretty much the shit.

Aerek

To my knowledge, S&B has the best hunting ability, both in DPS and in damage soaking. The other specs have all had periods of time in which they were better, (DWB and 2H were absolutely crazy hunting when first released) but they've all been nerfed or adjusted downward over time.

Not to say that the others are bad, (Though DSL and DWB don't impress me on the hunt) but S&B reigns supreme in my opinion.

Aereidhna

From an anecdotal perspective - I can tank 4-5 orc rooms in Dun as SnB with a SOA and I can't as 2H. I swapped to 2H with the hope of learning combat eventually but I much prefer SnB with SOA for hunting - 2H hits harder and that's great with crits but the slower speed makes a noticeable difference in difficult hunting spots, for me at least. If min-maxing for hunting and you can afford a SOA, I'd definitely recommend SnB, but 2H isn't at all bad, it's just personal preference.

Citrus

What is it that give SnB such more tankiness over the other specs?  Just the fact of wielding a shield and battlerage bulwark?

Any specific numbers on actually how much tankier SnB?  I really want to go 2h, and if it's only slightly less tanky seems like more fun than SnB.

Matias

All runewardens have bulwark.

SnB can have a shield of absorption, which is a huge buff to defense.

Aereidhna

Ability to use a SOA and the speed. Speed trumps damage in hunting difficult spots, for me at least.

Citrus

Ahh makes sense.  I just wish I didn't trade my SoA in before knights were able to use them.

I need to figure out where the good huntings spots are nowadays.