How to fix Arc (Single target that is)

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greatwhitepine wrote:

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zSavage wrote:

A few points here:
1. Most casters who use lightning spells like Arc want to use a dagger or a wand (perhaps dual wield, or weapon + shield). This limits you to one main skill setup (as you can only get one 5L). A skill like Arc (unless in a specific setup, see below) needs 4 or 5 supports to be effective for pack clear and thus demands the main link.

2. Arc is strictly worse than just about every other Lightning Spell for single target (its OK if the boss spawns ads). Other skills (like Storm Call) can match its pack clear speed and do far better single target DPS. Therefore, there is no real reason to use Arc aside from it being a triggered skill due to its autotargetting nature.

3. Arc can be effective in a 4L for pack clearing, but you need a +1 gems item (like Geofri's Crest or the Vertex) with Arc + Spell Echo + Lightning Pen + Empower. Then you're free to use another skill for single target. But the issue is a 5 or 6L lightning skill that is better at single target will match or beat the Arc setup for pack clear (ie Storm Call), thus rendering the setup redundant to begin with.

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Gosen wrote:

BL sucks on bosses as well, not to mention 4l. Arc is good when boss spams minions, but some bosses don't and then you have a huge problem. Maybe just put storm call on second set with some cheap 5l staff +2 lightning skills. Less Duration-Spell Echo-Concentrated Effect-Lightning Penetration. Press X on emergency :P

Yep, been playing with it and any boss I've tried at T12+ having elemental/lightning resists is painfully slow to clear. I have ball lightning in my boots and I can't move it anywhere (cospri's + 3 curses). I'm still determined to try and make this work though so next I'm gonna try a vinktar's (+10% pen). And maybe I'll move ball lightning into the helm to make it a pseudo 5l though not sure how bad that will affect my overall clear speed.

Personally, I'm using triple arc totem hierophant in a vertex (adds 20% pen). I highly doubt, in my case, that storm call would be faster clear speed. My clear speed is amazing! BTW someone on the forums did the math and empower is not actually better than faster casting in this setup. My 5l is in a cospris and I need it to cast warlord's mark, temp chains and enfeeble which I'm not prepared to drop at this time. But it's starting to look like I might have to.

Good thread! Lots of ideas... but I want my build to work just because the clear speed is so high and I really enjoy the triple totems and not playing meta. :-)

I just dismantled my ancestral chieftan build even though it handles bosses way better... it's really slow clear speed compared to triple arc totem.

If all else fails I'm hoping one of the channeling skills is gonna fix this properly for me so I can keep the totems in the helm.

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BundesHeinz wrote:

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SuperMotte wrote:

No. Use another skill instead of spamming a single one for every scenario in the game.

But that's pretty much exactly how the game is designed...

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Perq wrote:

Why do that, when you can simply pick skill that is good against packs, too? Or just get something with AoE, for general clear have Increased Area of Effect, and for bosses switch to Conc Effect? This is a thing now. Nobody is going to use 4L setup to clear their T15 maps - give me a fucking break.

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SuperMotte wrote:

So clear speed is already high and you demand more? Maybe a win-Button would suit you.

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Gosen wrote:

Or maybe make a new support gem for chaining skills (first chain gives 20% more dmg, second 10%, third 0%, etc., down to -xx%).