​​Greetings!

Does the block weapon's AOE effect actually work? When Tactical's Radiant Impact triggers, most of the surrounding enemies die instantly. However, when the AOE activates, it appears they are only staggered.

That's a good question. It feels a bit weird on my side as well. Like it has no or just very very small AOE. Could be better and the damage bigger.

Yes but the actual damage range is only like 1 meter. Swing again immediately after though since you have a pretty substantial damage buff for about 1.5 seconds.

It should be a larger AoE, the damage it deals is about 1.5x damage a normal heavy attack from your weapon deals. The stagger range is about 2 meters.

Honestly I would prefer they make it so only a 3 stack has the explosion but every stack provides 1 armor so if you have to burn it early (like a melee execute which does eat your stacks without giving you armor) you still get armor out of it. 

Block weapon damage should be reduced from the 16 most are at now to around 13+ to 14 to compensate. Block should be the "safe but not as strong as balance" type, their speed should be less than balance as well cleave should be higher. Balance weapons should be boosted to be the high damage version with midling in the other stats. Fencing should be the fast but weaker with higher aggression due to the better parry, lower cleave. This gives a solid reason to use every type of weapon depending on what you want out of it. Then of course every weapon should have a 4th option that is one of the three types but with the stats skewed differently just for some variety.

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Shining_Darkness wrote:

Yes but the actual damage range is only like 1 meter. Swing again immediately after though since you have a pretty substantial damage buff for about 1.5 seconds.

It should be a larger AoE, the damage it deals is about 1.5x damage a normal heavy attack from your weapon deals. The stagger range is about 2 meters.

Honestly I would prefer they make it so only a 3 stack has the explosion but every stack provides 1 armor so if you have to burn it early (like a melee execute which does eat your stacks without giving you armor) you still get armor out of it. 

Block weapon damage should be reduced from the 16 most are at now to around 13+ to 14 to compensate. Block should be the "safe but not as strong as balance" type, their speed should be less than balance as well cleave should be higher. Balance weapons should be boosted to be the high damage version with midling in the other stats. Fencing should be the fast but weaker with higher aggression due to the better parry, lower cleave. This gives a solid reason to use every type of weapon depending on what you want out of it. Then of course every weapon should have a 4th option that is one of the three types but with the stats skewed differently just for some variety.

Thanks!

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Shining_Darkness wrote:

Yes but the actual damage range is only like 1 meter. Swing again immediately after though since you have a pretty substantial damage buff for about 1.5 seconds.

It should be a larger AoE, the damage it deals is about 1.5x damage a normal heavy attack from your weapon deals. The stagger range is about 2 meters.

Honestly I would prefer they make it so only a 3 stack has the explosion but every stack provides 1 armor so if you have to burn it early (like a melee execute which does eat your stacks without giving you armor) you still get armor out of it. 

Block weapon damage should be reduced from the 16 most are at now to around 13+ to 14 to compensate. Block should be the "safe but not as strong as balance" type, their speed should be less than balance as well cleave should be higher. Balance weapons should be boosted to be the high damage version with midling in the other stats. Fencing should be the fast but weaker with higher aggression due to the better parry, lower cleave. This gives a solid reason to use every type of weapon depending on what you want out of it. Then of course every weapon should have a 4th option that is one of the three types but with the stats skewed differently just for some variety.

Pretty much this. RN there is still more synergy with parry/balance than blocking weapon (like armor from non-lethal gun strikes which blocking are lacking RN and can't compensate for). 

Just a few things to add with block weapons.  Each stack is +30% damage buff.  The buff lasts for 2.4 seconds.  Get 2 stacks, set off the aoe, and get a few swings in at +60% damage which is nice.  When the adrenaline surge goes off it also restores 1 armor and gives you 60% ranged damage resistance for 2 seconds.

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AshySamurai wrote:

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Shining_Darkness wrote:

Yes but the actual damage range is only like 1 meter. Swing again immediately after though since you have a pretty substantial damage buff for about 1.5 seconds.

It should be a larger AoE, the damage it deals is about 1.5x damage a normal heavy attack from your weapon deals. The stagger range is about 2 meters.

Honestly I would prefer they make it so only a 3 stack has the explosion but every stack provides 1 armor so if you have to burn it early (like a melee execute which does eat your stacks without giving you armor) you still get armor out of it. 

Block weapon damage should be reduced from the 16 most are at now to around 13+ to 14 to compensate. Block should be the "safe but not as strong as balance" type, their speed should be less than balance as well cleave should be higher. Balance weapons should be boosted to be the high damage version with midling in the other stats. Fencing should be the fast but weaker with higher aggression due to the better parry, lower cleave. This gives a solid reason to use every type of weapon depending on what you want out of it. Then of course every weapon should have a 4th option that is one of the three types but with the stats skewed differently just for some variety.

Pretty much this. RN there is still more synergy with parry/balance than blocking weapon (like armor from non-lethal gun strikes which blocking are lacking RN and can't compensate for). 

Once you get the hang of block weapon combat flow, it is quite competitive. I personally like the block hammer, knife, and chainsword better in most situations than the fencing versions. The power fist is more of a meme weapon that is best used for the balanced version since it has the highest damage and heavy attack ready time is not governed by the speed stat. Power sword block version is the worst block version in the game in that it has a lower damage than the fencing version AND a lower speed, speed being the entire reason you take the power sword over the chainsword so not getting high damage and not getting speed is not worth it in the current state of the game.

Blobie wrote:

Just a few things to add with block weapons.  Each stack is +30% damage buff.  The buff lasts for 2.4 seconds.  Get 2 stacks, set off the aoe, and get a few swings in at +60% damage which is nice.  When the adrenaline surge goes off it also restores 1 armor and gives you 60% ranged damage resistance for 2 seconds.

Oh and the stacks don't decay unless you use your melee weapon for anything other than blocking. That can be melee finisher or just swinging it (even if you hit nothing). If you swing the weapon the damage buff triggers as does the ranged DR for 3 charges and if you are able to land a hit while the buff is active with 2 or 3 the explosion will still happen and give you armor. (sometimes, this seems to be inconsistent and should not be relied on, also sometimes in this state you cannot gain charges until the buff runs out but again that is inconsistent and probably a related bug) 

The stacks trigger the buff state on button press, not on hit (I said it before but it bears repeating).

If you are very quick you can just manage to get off a short-hop uncharged ground pound with assault after releasing 3 charges for the single most damaging attack in the game. Deals over 1/5th-1/4th an terminus health bar and one-shots extremis from full health. The timing is very tight though so most of the time it doesn't happen but when it does it feels great.

Honestly I'd exchange half the damage buff per stack for an increase uptime on the buff, especially the ranged DR which makes Assault not feel so punishing vs ranged units.

The Relic Block Power Sword has a high Cleaving Potential. It can hit up to 11–12 enemies per light swing and 16–18 per heavy swing, effortlessly mowing down hordes of Minoris. For comparison, the Relic Fencing Power Sword can hit only 1–2 enemies per light swing and 6–8 per heavy swing.

Source: Space Marine 2 Fandom Wiki

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G07hmog wrote:

The Relic Block Power Sword has a high Cleaving Potential. It can hit up to 11–12 enemies per light swing and 16–18 per heavy swing, effortlessly mowing down hordes of Minoris. For comparison, the Relic Fencing Power Sword can hit only 1–2 enemies per light swing and 6–8 per heavy swing.

Source: Space Marine 2 Fandom Wiki

I actually don't want to mow down minoris since I want them available to set-up gunstrikes on. The fencing version despite on paper having low cleave still hits plenty and due to its superior speed stat can get two power swings in for every one from the block version. I'm not saying there is no reason to use the block version just that the power sword's strength lies in its speed and the mobility it has while swinging so swinging slower and not hitting as hard just isn't a good tradeoff.

Yes, technically you can do more damage due to the block temp buff but that flow just feels wrong with the power sword in a way it doesn't on the other options.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Bulwark's storm shield should inherit the block property of any block weapon he uses so that blocking with the shield counts as a perfect block. Thematically Bulwarks should be THE block weapon master and it would offer such a unique playstyle AND make him inherently more tanky (like the davs have now flat-out said their original vision for the Bulwark was/is: the tank). If the shield could perfect block, I would be more tempted to use the block power sword.

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Blobie wrote:

Just a few things to add with block weapons.  Each stack is +30% damage buff.  The buff lasts for 2.4 seconds.  Get 2 stacks, set off the aoe, and get a few swings in at +60% damage which is nice.  When the adrenaline surge goes off it also restores 1 armor and gives you 60% ranged damage resistance for 2 seconds.

Blobie is right here, but I don't know, if there was a tweak in the blocking system with patch 6.0 other than:

• Adrenaline Surge stacks needed for maximum effect are decreased to 2 from 3.

• Armour recovery from maximum effect is decreased from 2 to 1.

I play now mostly exclusively with the block weapons and sometimes the AOE affects only the 1 targeted enemy. Other enemies around you won't get staggered or throwed back like previously with the old system - only in rare cases when the other enemies are like on you directly. Like to AOE was reduced to 1 meter from 4.5 m. Maybe it is a bug, who knows, but I see it all the time - every run with every block weapon type.

Also, the power sword is the worst block weapon. Something is off with the timing there or it is not working correctly with the shield. I tried the chainsword and the fist on bluwark and the timing was ok...just the sword feels off a bit.

I would also suggest to increase the windows for block weapons a bit (20-25%). Maybe it could solve some issues. Also, if you have a bit lag (more than 50), then you will have issues to get the timing right and just get slapped all over the place.

Also, I kinda agree with Shining_Darkness as well. Good points.

Having a 4.5-meter stagger on AOE discharge would be nice! ​

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Freddy7623 wrote:

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Blobie wrote:

Just a few things to add with block weapons.  Each stack is +30% damage buff.  The buff lasts for 2.4 seconds.  Get 2 stacks, set off the aoe, and get a few swings in at +60% damage which is nice.  When the adrenaline surge goes off it also restores 1 armor and gives you 60% ranged damage resistance for 2 seconds.

Blobie is right here, but I don't know, if there was a tweak in the blocking system with patch 6.0 other than:

• Adrenaline Surge stacks needed for maximum effect are decreased to 2 from 3.

• Armour recovery from maximum effect is decreased from 2 to 1.

I play now mostly exclusively with the block weapons and sometimes the AOE affects only the 1 targeted enemy. Other enemies around you won't get staggered or throwed back like previously with the old system - only in rare cases when the other enemies are like on you directly. Like to AOE was reduced to 1 meter from 4.5 m. Maybe it is a bug, who knows, but I see it all the time - every run with every block weapon type.

Also, the power sword is the worst block weapon. Something is off with the timing there or it is not working correctly with the shield. I tried the chainsword and the fist on bluwark and the timing was ok...just the sword feels off a bit.

I would also suggest to increase the windows for block weapons a bit (20-25%). Maybe it could solve some issues. Also, if you have a bit lag (more than 50), then you will have issues to get the timing right and just get slapped all over the place.

Also, I kinda agree with Shining_Darkness as well. Good points.

Yeah, the radius is supposed to be at least as big as the perfect parry stagger but in practice it feels like 1m maybe 2m at best. Regardless it "works" but probably not as intended. 

I don't use block weapons for the damage anyway (except on hammer) I use them for the ranged DR.

I love blocking weapons now in SM2.  Well actually I like blocking chainsword and blocking thunder hammer.  Blocking powerfist is not bad but I prefer the balance powerfist. Can't say I have really used the blocking power sword or combat knife.

I do agree with you guys the aoe hit from adrenaline stacks should be a larger aoe.  It seems really small, maybe 1 or 2 meters at most.  One thing I do really like about it is how strong of a stagger it is.  Even against the hive tyrant it will blast it back and stagger it allowing you to get some nice hits in.

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Blobie wrote:

I love blocking weapons now in SM2.  Well actually I like blocking chainsword and blocking thunder hammer.  Blocking powerfist is not bad but I prefer the balance powerfist. Can't say I have really used the blocking power sword or combat knife.

I do agree with you guys the aoe hit from adrenaline stacks should be a larger aoe.  It seems really small, maybe 1 or 2 meters at most.  One thing I do really like about it is how strong of a stagger it is.  Even against the hive tyrant it will blast it back and stagger it allowing you to get some nice hits in.

Yeah give the block knife a go, especially on vanguard. It clowns on the tyrant due to how quick the light attack is after you get two charges. Heck sometimes I zip over to the minoris reinforcements, get two quick charges then zip back to the tyrant to slap him.

Because it is legitimately bugged. It used to work in 5.0 but since 6.0 the aoe has completely disappeared. 

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KittyChillder wrote:

Because it is legitimately bugged. It used to work in 5.0 but since 6.0 the aoe has completely disappeared. 

No it is still there, as stated it is just like 1 or 2 meters. For sure bugged though since there was never a note about reducing the radius.