[Theory Craft] New Unique - Sire of Shards Serpentine Staff

Let me correct myself:
1. Ball Lightning
2. Spark + back to a wall (Frost Wall if necessary)
3. Trappers

The first, because spell shotgunning is OP and no caster in their right mind would ever sacrifice it for the nova effect. The second because ricochet allows it to shotgun with the nova anyway. Third, because everything else gets more from PoH.

The staff could be okay on a self-damage (Scolds) CWDT build. Part of the problem with Scolds/CWDT is that the resulting spell(s) picks a random direction to fire in, sometimes firing away from the enemy and wasting the cast. This solves the problem by casting the spell in all directions instead, ensuring that at least one of the resulting spells hits what you want it to hit.

I don't think it's best in slot for this, but it wouldn't be terrible. Maybe as a weapon swap or something.

Spork totem could be interesting.

Some trap setups as well.

Main thing is the projectiles shoot 360 degrees and typical playstyle is to not be surrounded (rather keep mobs on one side of you). Plus the obvious that you lose a lot of dps and defense potential so whatever setup has to have synergy to make up for that.

Freezing pulse may be able to shotgun if you are overlapping the mob? well have to see, but you will definetly lose range and probably lose clearspeed overall.

EK has like 12 projectiles shooting in (about?) a 45 degree arc. With this you would get 16 projectiles (33% more) over a 360 degree (4x more). Not to mention ek does not shotgun and you will lose a LOT of dps.

ST would need flat damage to scale it and the slow attack speed works against it.

Molten strike was the skill the devs were worried about. You do get over double the projectiles, yes. But once again you need flat damage to scale it and I think using a 2+aps would still do better as a one hander and actually have good dps in itself.

I feel like there could be some huge synergy with a skill I am missing that would make it OP, but from what i see it is balanced.

That which was broken (=spark before nerfs) may yet break again...

"

Brolf wrote:

That which was broken (=spark before nerfs) may yet break again...

Problem with that is, spark is completely viable as is. It's even extremely good in my opinion if done correctly.

Peace,

-Boem-

With the new information we know about projectiles:

Casting spark with this staff means that regardless of how big your nova is or how many projectiles you release, only 1 of all those projectiles can hit a monster before the rest do no damage.

The staff was nerfed before it was even released, lol. :D

Nah I'm jk though it will still be really good though. It let's you completely forgo using lmp/gmp on some abilities.

"

DestroTheGod wrote:

With the new information we know about projectiles:

Casting spark with this staff means that regardless of how big your nova is or how many projectiles you release, only 1 of all those projectiles can hit a monster before the rest do no damage.

The staff was nerfed before it was even released, lol. :D

Nah I'm jk though it will still be really good though. It let's you completely forgo using lmp/gmp on some abilities.

Depends how fork works and honestly how spark itself works.

As far as i know, spark is the only ability that has built in lmp and as such might have a rule of exception to the norm.

Peace,

-Boem-

Holy shit, didn't notice the whole "planned death of spell shotgunning" thing.

All of that makes this staff better. Much, much better. I think it would be best with wide projectiles though, such as Ball Lightning and Freezing Pulse.

Wishful thinking, but...

Raging spirits? Echo casting 5 at a time could mean a huge number of minions.