Which do you prefer: Blood Magic Gem or Blood Magic Passive?

What's the cons and pros, short term and long term? Especially for heavy melee skills Marauder.

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Mikelodeon wrote:

What's the cons and pros, short term and long term? Especially for heavy melee skills Marauder.

soultaker + blood magic gem so you can stack auras to the roof

BM passive mostly used for leveling purpose. (not many links on items skills can´t support bloodmagic gem yet, not much abilitys/mechanics for easy mana gain etc.)

Later on you want to switch bm passive with bm support because you have the links available to do so. The result is you free your mana pool thus able to stack mucho auras.

That´s a rule of thumb though and not a guide or something like that. There are enough other situation i think. :/

Bloodmagic passive gives you an unlimited casting resource, so you'll never have to worry about mana, which can be frustration at times. Unlike the gem, you can use that additional slot for dps/leech. However, it prevents you from using powerful auras like Determination and Purity.

The gem requires an additional slot, which can take away from dps/effectiveness. However, it allows you to use aura's like determination, Purity, and even Hatred.

Sould Taker is widely considered OP, because it allows you to disregard mana entirely without having to waste a slot on BM. You can also run enough auras to the point of reaching 0 mana, and still cast skills.

Soul Taker... I need that weapon then o_O

Thanks for heads up clue. I am new so it's hard to decide things without knowing what is ahead.

The Blood magic keystone allows an extra support gem and lower mana cost for skills. However, it limits your auras choices : only Grace, Discipline, Anger and Wrath are possible. Clarity, well, Blood Magic characters obviously don't need that.

Personally, I dislike using the blood magic support gem for my main skill. The damage lost potential (by losing a support gem) is too big. I'd rather get some mana leech (on gear) and mana regen. I'd use Blood magic for secondary skills like curses, temporary buffs like Molten shell/Blood rage though.

I actually find the blood magic keystone much more interesting for casters or elemental attackers than physical attackers. For physical attackers, the blood magic keystone makes Hatred non-available and that is a big drawback.

i think the blood magic support gem needs some sort of nerf. it kills the blood magic keystone in 90% of cases.

when you are playing a melee character you can trade blood magic passive for the support gem than run hatred + haste to make up for the damage, along with determination and grace. (and possibly more auras depending on spec)

I'm quite fond of the keystone myself. The lack of auras isn't that big of a deal if you build your character right.

Sorry, but what is "keystone"?

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Mikelodeon wrote:

Sorry, but what is "keystone"?

Keystones are passives. They are the ultimate, gamechanging passives. They usually comes with drawbacks, but not always. On the paasive tree, they appear bigger than normal passives or notable passives.

Exemple of keystones : resolute technique, chaos innoculation, acrobatics, zealot's oath and, of course, blood magic.