Ascendancy limiting build diversity

If you really put your mind to it, you can find an class to suit something in your build for any starting class. Even if it is just picking up some defensive nodes, more defense never hurt anyone.

Besides, these 6 points(soon to be 8) are just bonuses to the builds you could create pre asendancy.
Nothing has changed about that. So, this actually creates more diversity in builds.

I used to think this too. But I believe it is better to say that Ascendancy classes promote less build diversity then limit it. Like it was stated before, the option of not using Asc points is still there.

think of it like this. Prior to Ascendancy, if you wanted to do an odd build that really didn't use the starter passives near your class, you would take the least impacting path from your class and proceed to the nodes you wanted. Those first few initial points may not be what you need, but they were necessary to get to where you wanted to go. And they buffed something, so they weren't completely useless.

I did this with a few builds prior to Ascendancy. Now with Ascendancy, you have a similar issue, it's just more prominent. But It doesn't change your ability to try out interesting builds AND use Ascendancy. But like before, there will be some points that simply will not be optimum for what you are trying to achieve.

EXAMPLE:
I am working on a shadow based staff build. Crit is involved, but not priority. To take advantage of the staff nodes, I had to stretch the tree quite a bit. And Obviously, nothing in the Shadow Ascendancy really fits well.

But there are some semi-decent options that are better then nothing. Option one is to go with Assassin for the extra crit and power charges, but with the staff node and my staff of choice (hedge), it's almost overkill.

The other option is go defensively with Trickster, and grab extra Evade, dodge, and then grab the Frenzy charge buff to make generating frenzy charges easier.

Both are viable. Optimum? certainly not for a staff build using sunder as a main attack. But they are both better then nothing, and it still allows me to play the unique build that I want to play...Shadow simply looks B@d@$$ with a staff in hand!

Obviously there are far better options in other Ascendancy classes, but that wasn't the point. The point was that I stretched the box a bit, and took advantage of what was there to make a unique and interesting build.

I can't say exactly what would benefit your build you mentioned in the OP (sounds interesting!), but the pathfinder is about as generic as you can get with defensive and flask based buffs. I didn't realize how powerful those flask buffs could be until I watched a friend play a pathfinder based class. Think of the Ascendancy for your build as a defensive buff, and utilize it to your advantage. flasks get very powerful, you get to remove debuffs, and with the extra elemental resists you have less of a demand for them in your tree and on your gear, opening up more gearing options (which helps allot in those odd builds that stretch their trees).

Just a few thoughts from another person who enjoys doing the odd...

i feel this post is very trollish.

anyway if you really don't know what to pick, there are sooo many possibilities.

you could go deadeye for example and get the chain perk + the proj damage. anyway why in whe world would you use power siphon on a totem? makes no sense. it's not creative, it's just bad