Worst patch for build diversity?

1.3 nerfed crit, and put more elemental status effects on the tree. Added a slew of new uniques that are for the most part vendor trash, except for a 2h sword on par with koams primacy, but who is even using swords this patch? Axes are king for RT, and staves are the go to for crit build thanks to the new staff nodes in Templar and hegemoneys new staff.

There is almost no reason as a melee to not go cyclone. It allows you to run BM and LGOH so your entire mana pool can be reserved for auras, meaning no investment in mana/regen in the tree or on gear. Reflect is a non factor with any CWDT EC IC setup. The regen is insane as long as you are hitting something, and to top it off you deal damage WHILE MOVING. The only other melee skill I have even seen being used in BL is ground slam, and the handful of jokers who thought static strike might be good during the 1st week of the league.

Fire damage is king for spells, every lighting damage spec (99% arc) that I knew did terrible dps in comparison and ended up rerolling, cold damage has ONE skill that is even close to being on par with incinerate/flameblast/SRS and that's glacial cascade.

1h builds are pigeon holed into used daggers as the dps is awful in comparison to 2h unless you have high crit/mul, and further you confined to ST. Only other melee builds I see using shields are FB+Abysus+LC cycloners.

Bow builds? Crit baby shot. There literally doesn't exist a bow spec that can even come close. This gets compounded further with the +1 arrow corruptions.

I think the only spec that made it in the top 10 BL ladder that wasn't one of those builds was some weird cleave scion? Someone mentioned it in guild chat, and like clockwork he died 5 minutes later.

With charan possibly hinting at the fact the next patch is nothing but trash uniques, and no new skill gems being added things are looking pretty bad until 1.4.

Every patch that doesnt properly nerf Crit mechanic is the worst patch for build diversity

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Sexcalibure wrote:

Every patch that doesnt properly nerf Crit mechanic is the worst patch for build diversity

Rofl, well said

Edit: i am not advocating for crit nerf

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Sexcalibure wrote:

Every patch that doesnt properly nerf Crit mechanic is the worst patch for build diversity

The new tree seemed to try and add avenues for people to proc elemental status effects without crit. But it just made flameblast even stronger, and fire spells in general for that matter. After the shock nerf lightning dmg cant compare to ignite, and freeze is a defensive ailment, and it can't be reliably used to freeze bosses so people don't care for it too much. And there are tons of increased burning dmg nodes on the tree and on gear, but nothing for shock besides increased duration, and same goes for freeze.

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BossOfThisGym wrote:

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Sexcalibure wrote:

Every patch that doesnt properly nerf Crit mechanic is the worst patch for build diversity

The new tree seemed to try and add avenues for people to proc elemental status effects without crit. But it just made flameblast even stronger, and fire spells in general for that matter. After the shock nerf lightning dmg cant compare to ignite, and freeze is a defensive ailment, and it can't be reliably used to freeze bosses so people don't care for it too much. And there are tons of increased burning dmg nodes on the tree and on gear, but nothing for shock besides increased duration, and same goes for freeze.

what they did to elemental satus effect in the last tree was horrible if they wanted to balance natural proc vs crit proc

cuz the buff applies to both lol

generally agree with OP.

There's been worse.

0.9.6 was the worst patch for build diversity 100%. They introduced Diamond Flasks which, originally on introduction, were 100% crit chance for duration.

Every build took all the crit multi on the tree, 0% crit chance, and ran several Diamond Flasks. Every challenge was just "crit until you win, press flask buttons occasionally".

It is of no surprise to me that the biggest balance problems continue to stem from GGG not correctly limiting risk v. reward when it comes to crit.

so static strike is not as good towards the endgame ? lots of people propped it up as really good when leagues started. whats wrong with it ? not trying to troll or anything, I really dont know.


also I think besides GC, freeze pulse is a very good cold spell. yeah you need to be in closer range but its arguably better than GC besides reflect issues.

Not even close. There have been a lot of patches. 1.0 was kinda up there.

+1