Lightning Strike

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DeF46 wrote:
There is a Point Blank support gem though, I presume that one works.
No, because it's the same thing. Point Blank applies to attacks from ranged weapons, not melee weapons.
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Mark_GGG wrote:
"
DeF46 wrote:
There is a Point Blank support gem though, I presume that one works.
No, because it's the same thing. Point Blank applies to attacks from ranged weapons, not melee weapons.

Do the projectiles count as attacks?


As I understand it, lightning strike:

1. is a melee attack
2. releases projectiles which do weapon damage

So is it fair to say that the lightning bolts are melee projectile attacks?

If they do count as attacks, any sane person will assume that they are in fact ranged attacks.
Last edited by Malice on Jul 10, 2012, 6:55:05 AM
But is every projectile that is based on weapon damage actually a "ranged attack"? That's a bit of a logical jump IMO, but I can see where the confusion lies. I would suggest that only ranged weapons can make ranged attacks.

Speaking of which, I'm not all that experienced with this skill and I was recently attempting to fill in some info on the Lightning Strike page on the wiki. Does anyone see any errors? For example, I wasn't sure on whether projectiles that miss would travel thru an enemy or just disappear. Brief testing seemed to indicate that it was either the later or the skill wasn't missing at all (which I thought was only true on a successful melee attack). Feel free to correct, if this is not accurate.
Urist McDwarfy has been happy lately. He admired an exceptional ARPG recently. He took joy in slaughter lately. He has been attacked by the dead recently.
Check out the Path of Exile wiki: http://en.pathofexilewiki.com
I think it would be easiest to explain it something like this:

As with all skills the accuracy and critical chance are only rolled once per attack. Thus either the melee hit and all the projectiles will miss, hit, or hit and crit, never a combination of the above.

You have a much better way with words than I do Urist, so I'll leave it to you to massage that into the page.
TehHammer is not a crime!
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TheRabbit303 wrote:
As with all skills the accuracy and critical chance are only rolled once per attack. Thus either the melee hit and all the projectiles will miss, hit, or hit and crit, never a combination of the above.
This is not true.
Skills make only one critical strike roll, but the same is not true of accuracy checks, nor has it ever been.

Accuracy is checked separately for each target.
Lightning strike has an additional mechanic whereby if the initial melee attack is a hit, the projectiles automatically pass their accuracy checks and hit as well. If the melee attack does not hit (including if it didn't have a target) the projectiles test accuracy as normal against each thing hit.

@UristMcDwarfy: When the projectile collides, it will either pierce, or stop. In either case, it will roll an attack on the target (which may miss), but that won't prevent the projectile ceasing to exist from the collision. The only way for a projectile to move through the target is if it has pierce chance. You can think of it as being hit by the projectile, but managing to evade the damage as it dissipates at you.
its op still as we all know.
A comment on the current state: "30% less projectile damage" (edited: got some info about stacking modifiers originally off the wiki which I believe is incorrect).

LMP and GMP seem to result in pretty poor returns for LS, at the current scaling. If I understand correctly how this works, if all modifiers worded "less projectile damage" multiply individually against WD:

My proposed build has 160% IPD including strength bonuses, and 78% IED.

without LMP or GMP:

Projectiles do "30% less projectile damage". Should be 100% conversion to Lit and then 30% off the top?

3 projectiles * WD * ( 1 - 0.3 ) * ( 1 + 1.6 + 0.78 )
total 7.1*WD if all 3 projectiles hit (will only happen if you are surrounded yes)

But with LMP at level 17 (5 projectiles, 30% increased projectile dmg, 30% less projectile dmg):

5 projectiles * WD * ( 1 - 0.3 ) * ( 1 - 0.3 ) * ( 1 + 1.6 + 0.78 + 0.3 )
total 9.02*WD if all 5 projectiles hit (again, won't happen often)
9.02/7.1 = 27% more damage potential, cost is 50% added base mana cost.

With GMP at level 17 (7 projectiles, 30% increased projectile dmg, 50% less projectile dmg):

7 projectiles * WD * ( 1 - 0.3 ) * ( 1 - 0.5 ) * ( 1 + 1.6 + 0.78 + 0.3 )
total 9.02*WD if all 7 projectiles hit. Just an odd coincidence, since 7*.5 = 5*.7
damage potential doesn't budge, but 100% added base mana cost.

It all leads me to believe that LMP and GMP are both damage-inefficient for LS, and should only be used if you require crit-utility from spreading elemental status effects. Though, you could accomplish the same, better, with proliferation and pierce. Other direct %damage-boosting gems (accuracy, pierce, added fire, weapon physical, faster attack) should be significantly better for lightning strike's DPS.

Unless, am I doing something wrong with my figuring? Have I done something wrong with this math? If someone can demonstrate an error I've made here I'll correct my post (maybe by making a new one) so that I make sure to not spread bad info.
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Let him commit no sin.
Let him bear few wishes,
Like an elephant in the forest.
Last edited by Zakaluka on Jul 31, 2012, 5:08:49 PM
This skill should be given a serious consideration to moving to the support gem status. Allowing the cool effects to be applied to other skills tactically. Leap slam + Lighting Strike?

There just seems to be a lot active skill gems that are a repeat of an existing one. The elemental attacks in particular seem redundant when you have support gems like added cold damage, cold to fire etc. If the other two elemental attacks were to be added to the list of support gems they will see greater applications.

Skills like indomitable blow, frenzy, double strike, ground strikes seem like meaningful upgrades to single target attacks.
"How would you like it if I snuck into your country and did this job over there... and not cash in any of your friggin checks?!! You WONT!! Because you will be right here!!" - Master Shake.
This skill should work like Ground Slam, using it instantly on click, and not walking there if you doesn't hold shift.
"I'm programmed to say something that is kind and uplifting at this point, but there is apparently an error that is working in my favor."
I made a macro 'shift-q'. so when i hit my q button i can fire lightning strike and my templar stands still. its like a long range groundslam. I think this makes this skill much better for any mellee char so we can have a long range attack without weapon swapping.

The thing i dont like is the way lightning strike doesnt hit mobs when they stand near very small objects ( like litle rocks) or when i hoover above a mob and still the path of the lightning misses. This happens often realy.

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