[matthewmwps]

there is no problem with a weapon to shine in an area, imo. Axes do good with some good competition in the weapon range and the weapon is fun.

And I doubt it will be "the best basic attack weapon" for it. I wouldn't even consider it the best axe in slot, up there, sure. But best? Doubt. It still has some conditionals, 50% DR is not exactly true either, and shouldn't be mistaken for it. Thats just when you look at it in a vacuum and assume you always get all the HP back. And you only get 200 damage a round.

I would monitor it for a while longer with the proposed changes, there is no need to over-nerf an actually fun-designed weapon.

Spoken by someone who hasn't seen how terrifying this thing can get. Bapths offering, sheer cold and vampire bat all have their own helpings, but there is no way around this being the objective best axe, and basic hit weapon in the game.

50 HP on a crit would make it only 3 - 5x stronger than pre-existing vampiric weapons, before any of the other Monster spine strengths are factored in. I like this weapon, I like it's theming; but it is undeniably power creeped in such a way that even with the provided nerfs in this thread it will continue to be the best basic hitting weapon in the game: regardless of class combo.

Denying people from just thwunking you into guard is nice and all, but that's not really where this weapon shines. 

If you can reduce your damage taken per round to around 200~, which is obviously very easy in a one on one, Monster spine as a use case provides an effective 50% DR. On top of it's very bloated base stats, weapon parts, and passives it isn't even competitive to find a replacement for this thing. This ignores the crit damage amped knockdown, reductions to parry effectiveness n hit, built in aoe's etcetera.

This wep is far better than anchor edge was, and even post suggested nerfs will continue to be so.

If you think these suggestions aren't enough to level things out, what would you suggest? Add more conditions to the healing?