Is CI dead or something?

Returning to game, not having played since Domination, I went with a Witch for my first char, and went with CI since that used to be the only thing that made sense to do with witches back in the day...

Apparently not, all the high level witch players have builds centered around life and lightning resist (I assume for Atziri?). I don't see the usual crop of CI shadows running around.

So: Is CI as a concept dead or sth? No longer viable?

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delray wrote:

Returning to game, not having played since Domination, I went with a Witch for my first char, and went with CI since that used to be the only thing that made sense to do with witches back in the day...

Apparently not, all the high level witch players have builds centered around life and lightning resist (I assume for Atziri?). I don't see the usual crop of CI shadows running around.

So: Is CI as a concept dead or sth? No longer viable?

Technically CI got buffed quit significantly, but I guess there's too much spike-damage in the higher end-maps for people wanting to go CI.

That and getting the gear is a real pain in the ass.

Also mana regen got nerfed pretty hard, so maintaining a mana pool as CI now can be a tough job.

Wrong, mana is easier to sustain thanks to reduction of mana multipliers. CI is as viable as it was back then. Got nerfs and buffs.

If it wasn't played a lot the gear would actually be easy to get.

Tbh, the balance between life and ES is better than it was ever before.

Doesn't going into a Blood Magic map instant kill you if you have any mana reserved on auras when you enter it as CI (since it gets rounded to 1 no matter what)?
Just saying because with all the master trading and what not, you never know where you will enter, and toggling them ON/OFF every single time seems like a hassle.

Also, not the expert on CI or ES in general, but since you need quite the expensive set for CI to be really good, people who can go CI usually can go Low Life Shavrones or what not, and I have seen some of those.

If entering a Blood Magic map as CI with any mana reserved does in fact kill you, I think they should change it and make it just remove your auras. Such an inconvenient with all the master partying and whatnot.
If it doesn't kill you, forget I said anything.

You get your auras removed and you can only use default attack in BM maps afaik

CI is still stronger than life because of bigger pool as there is a lot of spike damage

CI if you can afford the gear (600+ ES 5L+ chest, 300+ ES helm with good resists, etc)
If not go life & EB for mana sustain.
CI is limited by gear cost, life isn't.

Still no good alternative to mandatory eye of chaylua / dream frags bullshit so yea

I made 2 witches recently, one Cold/EB/MoM, the other Lightning/CI since I never had a CI char before so wanted to give it a try. Sporting 6k ES in the gear I had lying around though not much else in terms of defenses. Mana sustain for a 5L Arc is a big problem compared to EB though at least she can use Divination Distillate. Still tweaking them both but I enjoy the cold version more, permafreezing the whole screen and all.

How do you run auras with CI? I really dont understand anyone playing it since I like to run all purities usually and some DPS aura like haste/hatred.

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Aim_Deep wrote:

How do you run auras with CI?

On mana, like all non-low life builds.