Benefits of Cleave skill or the lack thereof

[Mino]

Starting over again, I decided not to put any skill points into More Criticals, and especially not into Better Criticals which was probably my only regret from my main game, because if you're increasing your AD from regular level ups, then the amount that gets multiplied goes up so you don't need a bigger multiplier.

The reason I'm not leveling up More Criticals is that I plan to work my way towards a non critical build, using either the Quickstrike dagger, the Balanced Steel Sword, or just no weapon if I want the 2AP attack cost but not the BC reduction. And since Oskar is going to revise the critical hit system in the next update, I think its worth making a build that doesn't rely on it.

If you get Cleave before you start working towards the 2 levels of Combat Speed then you see the benefit from the first level if you have the Jewel of Fallhaven and the Quickstrike dagger.

Cleave level 1, Combat Speed level 1, JoF and QD:
Gives you 11 AP max. You can attack 5 times using up 10AP, with 1 left over. If you're attacking 2 monsters at a time, Cleave gives you 3 AP from the first kill, so you have a total of 4 left, for 2 more attacks. So having Cleave level 1 is the only way to make that extra AP from Combat Speed 1 not a waste, so you get use out of it until you get 4 more level ups for Combat Speed 2.

[fiernaq]

Don't have cleave yet but I am looking forward to it in 6 levels

[Mino]

Bumping this back up.

I'm thinking about going for level 2 of Cleave with my main build (listed in signature).
Even though it would make lower attack cost weapons like the DotSP, QSD, or Balanced Steel Sword overly powerful, it would allow me to get more use out of the higher cost weapons like ElyR, ROL, Skull Crusher, or even the Giant Hammer (if I also use speed potions, I could get a 2nd hit after a kill), which would be more fun because then more weapons would become practical (or at least a little more so).

Just wondering who else has level 2 (or higher) of Cleave and what they think of it.

[Piggy the Slayer]

I have level one and would like level two. Even at level one using BSS cleave is a powerful skill in a tight spot.

[fiernaq]

I also have level one cleave now and while I'm currently save/reload grinding for a RoLS my next few skill up points will probably be going towards at least one if not two or three more levels of cleave.

[Sarumar]

I love Cleave... and level 2 makes it really usefull with crit build you got two extra attack after kill... or you may have lowlevel build with Gutsplitter = 2 attack in single round and one free after kill (without combat speed)

[Pyrizzle]

Cleave is only useful in situations where you have to fight more than one NPC at a time, otherwise it doesn't do anything effective at all.

Plus: i would have to waste 2 skill points (on Hard hit and weapon accuracy).

I'm consentrating on getting a really high amount of Regeneration and HP instead.
right now i regenerate 4 HP every round plus the HP gain from hitting/killing NPCs.
RECOVERY TANK MODE!

[Piggy the Slayer]

Whilst blundering about like a wino on a binge I often ended up bumping into multiple opponents. Cleave makes those fights much easier. Combined with a lot of HP and CE. At level 113 my character is rapidly catching the power of my level 180 character. Cleave is great at level 1. Probably wait for update to see new skills before deciding if its worth investing in level 2 Cleave..

[Mino]

I also find it pretty easy to attack multiple enemies at once (and now do so on purpose). I figured with level 2 of Cleave, I could get more use out of higher attack cost weapons like the Skull Crusher (6 AP with JoF, so I'd get another attack after each kill). The ElyR would also get 2 more attacks after a kill and be more useful.

[Duke]

You guys are making the decision to go with cleave difficult. Pyrizzle makes a strong point, but those that have it, and love it, make a good point as well. And looking back at the poll, it is basically a split decision. I currently have 2 skill points stored up, need four more levels before my next, and I'm leaning towards Cleave, but may wait until next update to see what is coming.