I'm not completely sure I understand the question but it sounds like you're taking about hand-to-hand weapons. H2H weapons add delay (there would be 0 if you were barehanded) and usually have damage like +2 since it's adding to your barehands. Other weapons might just have damage of 2 (not +2) because that is the weapons damage and there is no comparison to someting like a barehanded sword. Kinda confusing but that's the way it is.Originally Posted by GOD GUNDAM
As for the waterdrop (or any other symbol) this means it adds 2 resistance to that element. This means you'll have a little extra resistance to any water spells or water based spells (Poison is a water based spell). Of course 2 resistance is scarcely noticable really.
There are things to keep in mind about the delay of weapons. For one keep in mind every weapon has a DPS (damage per second). Multiple the damage by 60 and divide that answer by the delay. Even though some weapons might hit way harder and a little slower they could still be doing less DoT (damage over time.
Bronze Zahgnal (Scythe) Dmg 14 Delay 480.... DPS 1.75
Wax Sword +1 (Sword) Dmg 7 Delay 218.... DPS 1.93
In this case the sword that would be putting out way less damage per swing still outdamages the harder hitting scythe over time. Now also keep in mind that you are statistically more likely to land your blows more often with a faster weapon. Let's say that in one minute you swung your sword 10 times and only landed 7/10 blows. Now what if in that same minute you swung your scythe 3 times and only landed 1/3 blows. Obviously the sword would do more damage. When you miss with a big weapon it's negative effects (loss of damage and loss of TP gain) are way more noticable than missing one time with a low delay weapon.
Aside from all of this you should probably be using what your job's best weapon is. Each job is ranked a certain way in weapons. WARs I believe are A+ in Great Axes and A- in one handed axes. MNK is obviously A+ in H2H. THF is A+ in dagger however at lower levels it is potentially more useful for you to use a Sword (or H2H if you are /MNK)because dagger gets no decent WSs until the 30s. But at that point (after learning Viper Bite) you should stick to your A+ weapon.
There are many WARS that think it is cool to use things like Scythes and Swords but they just aren't made for these weapons. If you are lower classed in a weapon you will have less skill in that weapons and therefore will miss far more often which puts out way less damage.