Auras: A Build Decision or A Build Obligation? Alternatives Inside

Auras are very powerful and with few exceptions they have become obligatory when building a character, much like curses. That's all well and good but it seems to me auras and their % reservation undermines the entire mana mechanic. How much more difficult it is to run non-regeneration, non-clarity setups with a huge portion of your buffer rendered inert. Of course, to give an aura up would be a tremendous disadvantage.

I would like auras to be a more significant choice, not merely the optimal selection. I think that could be accomplished by tying their effectiveness closer to items and the skill tree. For example, capping auras at 1 like curses, but allowing that limit to be increased by items and the skill tree. Alternatively, weaker auras that are augmented by +%increased aura effects on items and the skill tree. Additionally, it would behoove GGG to diversify the drawbacks of auras. I don't see why they should favor one particular mana setup. That would also make them less interchangeable, making your mana choices really matter.

Some alternatives to % mana reservation include the following:
Fixed Mana Drain
-## mana per second
(Arctic Armor)

Mana Degeneration Rate (Opposite of Mana Regeneration Rate)
-#% mana regeneration rate
(Righteous Fire, but for mana)

Fixed Reservation
-### maximum mana
(Clarity)

And for comparison, our current system:
Fixed Percent Reservation
-##% maximum mana


In essence, I would like auras, even a single aura, to be something players specialize into, or a function of more factors than merely your personal preference - which is often a matter of choosing the optimal - which is not really a choice at all. That isn't to say I want auras weaker. The same goes for curses, I'd rather curses were much less effective until +% curse effects were picked up on the skill tree. Not everyone has to be a Necrobarbadin.

Hi

I really think GGG should've just figured out how many a average POE player was using 1-2 auras? and the rich POE player was using 4-7? and most of all was it just a niche of players using 4-7 auras? If so this was a mistake to affect everyone.

Would it not be easier to cap players at 2 auras and have a keystone that could allow another 2-3 auras?

This aura 60% flat cap mainly affects poor players the most while the niche group that has the uber uniques can still run 3-5 auras instead of 4-7 or even 8.

Seriously if a player wants to use lots of auras and figures a way to do it let them, this present approach just furthers the cookie cutter approach and promotes parties (facerolling) over solo play and what is so bad about solo play?

cheers

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Seriously if a player wants to use lots of auras and figures a way to do it let them, this present approach just furthers the cookie cutter approach and promotes parties (facerolling) over solo play and what is so bad about solo play?

I have to agree with that. I actually love playing solo hardcore, but with these new aura costs, I feel like I don't have a lot of choice choosing my aura(s). Some auras are mandatory (or let's say auto picks) for some builds, and since you can't (easily) stack more than 2 auras, I'm afraid this will affect the build variety of the game. I understand why GGG wanted to nerf some builds, but in the end, they destroyed a bit of the gameplay.

I really loved to stack many auras, and I didn't feel like I was cheating the game because this was not free. To stack many auras you needed (usually) Eldritch Battery for fixed mana cost auras, reduced mana support and sometimes the few passive nodes. I feel like the quality on the reduced mana gem was a bit OP, and that some of the fixed mana cost auras were a bit cheap... but other than that, they should have kept the old mechanic. Some auras were more powerful and useful than others, but since you could stack many of them and play with the different mana costs, I felt this was okay. Besides, I think the standardization to 60% mana reserved for all auras is a HUGE nerf for EB, but this is probably no news to anyone...

Variable costs of auras is a good thing in my opinion.

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I think the solution is pretty simple both for party and solo player...

Just make aura back to open beta, with a little difference in the way it's affected in party.

Solo old way with flat and cheap % reservation. Make a build that can run 5-6 aura in solo play viable.

For party solution, just put put some inscreased reservation has the party is inscreased...

Solo= normal cost, 2 player let's say 10% inscreased reserved mana cost and a fixed inscreased % aura buff, 3 Player 20% inscreased, etc to get to 6/6 party with maxed cost/bonus (at it is right now, just like the boost to life inscreased for party mobs). More party members, more life-dmg-inscreased mana reservation-inscreased aura power-inscreased stuff rarity.

I think that will fix the problem, that will not change the gameplay implanted for party, and it still be fun for solo play.

Cause in my way, i hate party play and even a bit laggy at solo play. And let's face it, all my build are ruined 6 caracters 70+ Tryed other build with refund and all are scrap now. Even tryed a fresh new play in the Domination League...

It was a game i was having fun, the game in my mind is now dead. I dont have any fun in party/ trading at all.

Make the fun back for soloplayer too !

I don't disagree with why auras were changed. In fact I totally agree, cheap stackable auras don't encourage choice, they encourage reliance. What I disagree with is how they did it. Admittedly it was effective but it's lazy from a design perspective and has all the disproportionate drawbacks mentioned by others.

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After testing the 1.0.0 changes, there are a few issues with percentage based mana reservation compared to flat mana reservation.

Increasing mana under the percentage reservations comes with a diminished rate due to having X% of that mana reserved. For example, 10 mana only gives 1 mana under 3 auras, each with a .56 mana multiplier (60%+60%+40%*.56=90% Mana Reserved).

The Increased Mana stat should be used instead of Mana Reservation (under the flat-mana system).

Increased Mana applies to: Skills & Auras, Mana Regeneration & Mana pool availability, and have a 1:1 ratio. The Mana Reserved stat, however, only applied to Auras and not Skills. It also provides no Mana Regeneration and a diminished Mana ratio.

This is an interesting suggestion but poses problems with specifics values. It's really difficult to balance fixed reservation with %increased reservation which is why I suspect GGG went with percent reservation in the first place. Also, fixed reservation isn't a big deal if your pool is deep and you rely on regeneration instead of a buffer or leech.

I see nothing wrong with the current system.

You do not need to run all auras at all times. For example, if monsters are mainly physical in an area, then use Determination/Grace. If they are Elemental, then switch Determination/Grace for Purity. If the map is easy enough, then drop a defensive one for an offensive one. Sure it's more hassle but not game breaking.

"

GFValkyria wrote:

I see nothing wrong with the current system.

You do not need to run all auras at all times. For example, if monsters are mainly physical in an area, then use Determination/Grace. If they are Elemental, then switch Determination/Grace for Purity. If the map is easy enough, then drop a defensive one for an offensive one. Sure it's more hassle but not game breaking.

See, I'd rather you had to build around certain auras. Say one auras is particular demanding in fixed mana reservation - you would need a significant mana pool to run it then. Conversely an aura with fixed percentage drain could be difficult to run if you don't have enough regeneration.

Hi

I am all for capping players usage of auras to an average amount(2) and adding a keystone for another 2-3 giving a player a total of 5. The auras could have different costs like Veta321 suggests to give it more flavor then the old pt or % based auras.

It feels like Chris asked Jay for advice,''DOUBLE IT!'' flat out.

I agree with Veta321 also on that GGG took a lazy approach to this issue since high lvl players with access to the uber end game uniques can still use 4-5 auras instead of 7-8. In the scale of things GGG has actually done nothing and will have to come back to this issue which they never would have had to if they did a better more balanced fix.

Hopefully GGG won't be so busy being rich to read these posts and think about it because there are some good ideas here.

cheers