Why is this game so "spiky"?

Path of Exile is full of spike damage, and it's only getting more and more... Some of it is appropriate, but a lot of it isn't.

My issue with this "spikyness" is how unrewarding it makes playing this game. When I die to 1 shot that is unpredictable (or anything thats less than a second), I feel cheated. Dying should be a consequence of a poor decision, or a misplay.

Due to the insane burst in this game, characters (especially hardcore) stack high amounts of mitigation and hp. Then, they stay at 90-100% hp for awhile, and then are suddenly at 10%, and insta potion back up to full. This makes most of the game a cakewalk, until you get 1 shot. Not fun.

Watch a youtube video that contains a RIP compilation of hardcore deaths. There are a few deserved deaths, but most are just ridiculous 1 shots.

So, why is this game so spiky? It occasionally leads to exciting moments, but is usually punishing and absolutely sucks to die to. I could see this game being much more enjoyable (especially on hardcore) if the game wasn't so spike oriented, and could kill your character without 1 shotting it.

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Bradytribe wrote:

Watch a youtube video that contains a RIP compilation of hardcore deaths. There are a few deserved deaths, but most are just ridiculous 1 shots.

That's usually a player biting just a tiny bit more than he can chew. The game's really good at that, it will lull you until you overstep yourself.

It's pretty much the fault of game pace, we move fast, kill fast and have very efficient methods of restoring our HP pools, the only chance monsters have is to burst us down. Try to go over to the other side and think of some way to kill your char using PoE monsters, imagine playing an RTS game.

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raics wrote:

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Bradytribe wrote:

Watch a youtube video that contains a RIP compilation of hardcore deaths. There are a few deserved deaths, but most are just ridiculous 1 shots.

That's usually a player biting just a tiny bit more than he can chew. The game's really good at that, it will lull you until you overstep yourself.

You're right, the game is good at that, but I wouldn't consider that a good thing about PoE. It's practically trying to say "gotcha" by luring a player into that state.

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raics wrote:

It's pretty much the fault of game pace, we move fast, kill fast and have very efficient methods of restoring our HP pools, the only chance monsters have is to burst us down. Try to go over to the other side and think of some way to kill your char using PoE monsters, imagine playing an RTS game.

Yup, game pace and you are right, burst is really is the only way to kill characters, and that is the core of the issue (in my opinion). As for how this would be done, get rid of the things that make burst the only option.. such as
- Instant heal potions
- Instant log out

These are just a couple examples of how GGG is forced into 1 shotting us, resulting in an unpleasant experience.

How would players die if the game isn't spiky in damage? And if you are honest with yourself, when was the last time you died where it wasn't your fault?

Earlier today when I died in 1.5 seconds from piety before malachai in cruel even when potting.

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Bradytribe wrote:

Earlier today when I died in 1.5 seconds from piety before malachai in cruel even when potting.

Hate to break it to you buddy, but that is definitely avoidable. Unless she's hiding up against a wall or something.

Let's try a different approach.

Do you prefer this spike damage? If so then I guess good for you, PoE is great for you. I just don't think its the right way to go, and I thought others shared, but if not that's fine.

I just don't like the idea of 98-99% of time at full life, other 1% at 0-20% life. It's not fun to me.

Sure don't, I like having the time to react and for monsters to have a chance to wear me down. But that would require a lot of reworks, cooldown on potions like in TQ, nerfs to regen, leech and a few other mechanics, portal opening delay, general reduction in game speed and so on.

Ah, and about Piety, you shouldn't try to tank her laser, dominus/vaal/malachai slams and a few other skills, they're telegraphed for a reason. Just checking, but did you have a flask with a staunching mod? The laser applies powerful corrupting blood stacks on you but they can be removed with a staunching, it's pretty much a must have flask mod later in the game and freeze immunity is also handy to have for opening boxes, others are optional.

it would be cool do get less one shoot but it is hard to make. But if Attack is meant to be one-kit-kill then it is avoidable most of the time, by using some counter tactics.

Can you post HC detach compilation video?

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Bradytribe wrote:

Let's try a different approach.

Do you prefer this spike damage? If so then I guess good for you, PoE is great for you. I just don't think its the right way to go, and I thought others shared, but if not that's fine.

I just don't like the idea of 98-99% of time at full life, other 1% at 0-20% life. It's not fun to me.

Totally agreed, it would be way cooler if you had to manage your health, instead of always having to be at maximum to avoid instant death. As racis said, though, it would require a pretty massive rebalance of all health-regaining methods.