What does Cleave mean?

Community General Discussion
1

Is a cleave strike any different than a melee attack?

2

Cleave means do aoe damage or damage that hits more than one targetm

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3

Abilities that hit two targets.

Sweeping strikes for example let Arm Warriors hit two targets, or “cleave” their abilities. Another example is the talent splitting ice for Frost mages, it lets Ice Lance hit a second target for about 60% of the damage.

4

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleave

5

we have single attack, like slam, aoe attack is 5 target plus, cleave is between 2-3 target attack.

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6

Thanks, everyone.

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7

eh cleave is more a short ranged cone type aoe that would spread damage to targets next to the one you are striking to be more specific.

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8

cleave doesnt need to be a cone, just 2-3 targets

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9

a cleave is a melee attack that has a wide ranged hurtbox in front of the user.

it can be conal it can be a big rectangle in front of you it can be whatever and it can hit however many things it hits.

10

I mog for cleave

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11

Cleave is just dealing damage in front of you to multiple targets.

12

There’s actually a slight distinction between cleave and AoE, while they both hit multiple targets cleave typically hits fewer enemies at one time and is often directional based rather than hitting one large area.

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13

No & it usually hits an enemy/a few enemies closest to the current target.

14

cleave doesn’t have to be a melee attack. frost mage has cleave via their icicles or whatever.

15

And hunter with chimaera shot

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16

Damage that hits 2-3 targets is Cleave.

Damage that hits one target is Single-Target.

Damage that hits 4+ targets is AoE.

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17

Cleave can also mean a term used to describe an arena composition where a majority of the players or damage dealers are [melee] classes. The original “Cleave” setup is Warrior/Rogue/Restoration Druid.

18

at some point the distinction between cleave and aoe is academic. all you really need to know for dungeon/raid purposes is that “cleave [down] an add” means it’s not the priority: keep the main target and the add will die to cleave/incidental damage.

19

That’s my fault because I always think of the feat in D&D when I see/hear the word cleave.

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20

Cleave damage is generally AOE (area of effect) damage.