PoE 1.3 Skill tree revamps Discussion.

Don't have the precise big picture but It feels/seems like a good balance, ubber build get a bit nerfed, the new RF/INCI which I play seems good but needs a no pants now :(
SO overall maybe a better divertsity as max block/eva, crit arn't the best overall way to go.

Looks like Templar and Witch casters/wander is very promising. Anybody rolling ele wander next league ?

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LimitedRooster wrote:

It would be cool if the Increased% Damage with Life% were exclusively deep into two-handed clusters in the Marauder zone. So that block users can't get the survival benefit, but with two-handed it's like RAWR I AM BEAST MODE.

This seems like a great idea. There aren't enough life nodes now, but stashing more deep in the 2handed clusters would be great

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Konkrete wrote:

Looks like Templar and Witch casters/wander is very promising. Anybody rolling ele wander next league ?

I'm looking at elemental cleave being pretty viable with the ele node buffs. Just not sure about surviving with the difficult to acquire life

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BouncingCactus wrote:

Believe it or not, I'd actually be very happy if they set the block cap to 50 or 65 instead of 75. It'd be a lot less problematic trying to achieve max block that way. I'm more concerned with trying to achieve maximum practical power than having more possible power. Maybe I'm strange.

I agree with with this sentiment 100%.
With the new skill tree the block nodes are spread so far and the clusters are so ineffective that max block would require a downright punishing investment - very frustrating when they dangle an impossible 75% cap in front of your nose at the same time.
It seems the nodes have mostly been reworked to provide other benefits, but most of them are kind of lame in the scope of their effects (10% melee physical damage when most other damage nodes grant 12+% or other useful benefits in addition?). Meh.
Dual Wielding block is basically dead. There's only like +25% block left in the tree (plus 4% if you go swords).

I'm glad I played my block/spellblock/Eva/Acrobatics Ranger in Rampage.

I mostly like the changes to Axe, Staff and Mace nodes, especially the extra effects they get - it's kind of nice to see them get more of a proper identity.
What's up with the MASSIVE amount of Sword nodes, though? Maybe it would be time to give them some 1H and 2H specific effects to split them up a bit...

Generic 2H nodes seem to have picked up a bit, though - except for Wrecking ball, which has effectively been nerfed due to the terrible 3% nodes before it. (Also, there seem to be two nodes called Executioner now...)

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I'd actually be very happy if they set the block cap to 50 or 65 instead of 75

Honestly the ideal for me would be a normalized rating [1], like Stun Threshold Reduction has.

So instead of being a stat with accelerating returns, where we have this madness:

70% block - 30% damage taken
75% block - 25% damage taken, 17% less damage

That the last 5% block is the same damage reduction as the first 5% block instead. Meaning every point of block you get above 50% is taxed, cut in half. And a scaled equation approaching cutting it in half again as you approach 75% block.

That makes a lot more sense if you want a game where there's massive block numbers on items and also want block on the tree to matter. The fewest number of people get screwed this way - no need for legacy items, you can have block passives that are strong, and block still gets nerfed while still having the illusion that you can get to 75% block. Even though it would take like 140% block to get there.


[1] I think the cool kids call this a "diminishing return formula".

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StahlregenX wrote:

except for Wrecking ball, which has effectively been nerfed due to the terrible 3% nodes before it.

Or buffed, since it's on actual 2-handed backbones now.

3% ias is still +200 to +500 dps. Superior to a plain +10% increased physical damage node once you have over 500% increased damage (which you will, if you're a Marauder. Especially if you're using Multistrike and/or Melee Splash). Swapping 10% physical for 3% ias is a moderate nerf in the early game, and a very slight buff in the endgame.

I tend to play Wand Witch anyway or Mellee Ranger so New tree setup actualy is something i like to be honest. Easier to get to stuff from the ranger side as a mellee now :P

The skill tree changes look like the worst updates since the game was released.

It seems like GGG is trying to balance all forms of defense (armor, evasion, energy shield, block), and has reduced block as a result. BUT unfortunately GGG left out a fifth form of defense - being a chicken (i.e., being ranged) - and as a result indirectly buffed that defense. End result is that 90% of the top builds in the last league were ranged crit (as stated in the recent podcast), but will now be more like 100%.

Honestly, I don't understand the theory behind these changes. Aren't you supposed to buff underpowered builds (non-crit melee) and nerf overpowered builds (ranged crit)? Aren't you supposed to force a real choice between offense and defense for characters (damage vs. defense), rather than give only one optimal choice (best defense is ranged dps build)? Other changes on the tree seem cludgy and not executed according to a well-thought out game design ("I'm nerfing this shield node, let's add some melee damage to compensate!").

Templar does look better.

Not a fan of the changes in general quit making me redo characters I spent time on only to have them wrecked over and over. Quit trying to balance a pve game around niche pvp scene that not many people even participate in. Start buffing underperforming classes and skills instead of nerfing the only viable ones that are available based on your mechanics and game design choices. I can't even believe the major nerf to duelist when it was already a lesser played class and the nerf to 2 handers when they clearly could have used buffs if anything. Only positive thing is some of the changes to the templar area and new elemental nodes. Would rather keep current skill tree if I had the choice.

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szotyaa wrote:

no more support from me that's sure. they shoudl stop this shit. nerfing all builds every 3 month sucks ass especially in a game where you need 1 year to get the gear the make a build decent, when its ready, ggg destroys it, fuck this!



edit:

nerfing everything every 3 month would be ok if the drop rates would be like you get 70ex every 15 dom kills.

+1 totally aggree

I guess I am beating a dead horse here, and I understand that the tree isnt final. The problem I have is that I honestly cannot understand the starting nodes for the duelist and to a lesser degree the templar.

I have been messing around building various builds and I honestly cannot come up with a duelist build that I cannot make more efficiently by starting as another class, usually a ranger or Marauder.


I dont mind the nerfs, buffs, or the changes in meta. In fact, I think they keep me playing by forcing me to do something I wouldnt have before. But the starting points for classes in this game need drastically to be balanced. Find a way to balance the 1st 6ish points for every class then never change them again.