Shadow - [2.1.0] Ethereal Knives meta discussion - Forum

Hello, fellow exiles! I would like to share my findings of the new meta(game) of patch 2.1.0. I refer it as meta because as many as you know GGG buffs and nerfs skill gems during major patches. It is our best interests to ~~abuse~~ utilize the new meta. Many of you experienced players may find this post obvious or old news. I write this in good faith to help new players understanding shifting metas of PoE. Definition of Metagame "meta" is a term referring to the the process or idea formed by an existing process or idea metadata is data about data, so metagame is the game about the game in more words, the metagame is all of the "chess" that happens before the game even begins the predicting of what strategies will be most effective given what most people currently do. Creating new play-styles an methods for defeating the dominate method for winning and then creating ways to defeat the very style that you have made. Vitality Void cluster: By grabbing vitality void cluster, one gem slot is now freed up and can be inserted a new gem ie. empower or added fire damage gem. This results in 20~30% dps boost. In reflect maps, one can be reflect immune by utilizing a life leech gem + vitality void cluster + vaal pact node. In addition, if physical to lightning, added fire damage and hatred aura are used, one's damage output is half physical and half elemental. This means one can be reflect immune in either physical or elemental reflect map. This means crit builds are safer to play now. Note: I have yet to test out double reflect map. Spirit Void & Essence Sap clusters: Blood magic gem and elreon accessories are now obsolete. One legacy surgeon mana flask will easily sustain mana if one is playing crit build. Force Shaper Node: This new node should be considered, as it provides additional 5% chaos. Assuming one starts as shadow and grabs physical and chaos damage nodes, force shaper node will provide 5% x 1.66 = 8% additional chaos damage. Moving forward... With removal of two critical strike chance nodes, I suspect assassin ascendancy class for Ethereal Knives will start to outshine other classes. There's always been debate on "to crit or not to crit". I suspect crit EK builds will be in favour in upcoming ascendancy class. Of course this is only speculation, as there's no info on ascendancy class for Scion & Witch yet. Perhaps ascendancy class for Scion will grant 3 ~ 5 more gem slots as someone suggested. "In order to be able to think, you have to risk being offensive" - Jordan Peterson(2018) IGN:TheSnowofWinterFell Last edited by horusray on Dec 14, 2015, 6:34:49 PM	Posted by horusray on Dec 14, 2015, 6:02:49 PM Quote this Post
vitality void and spirit void don't work with EK, it's ATTACK damage leech Last edited by kelthalas on Dec 15, 2015, 4:41:07 AM	Posted by kelthalas on Dec 15, 2015, 4:40:53 AM Quote this Post
" kelthalas wrote: vitality void and spirit void don't work with EK, it's ATTACK damage leech Yep, I was also puzzled as to why those two were cited here in the OP. Force Shaper is awesome, though. Probably the passive which scales EK's dps the most currently. One thing that must be cited as being meta for EK, for the same logic as Force Shaper: Ming's Heart, people!	Posted by Rhoa_Power on Dec 15, 2015, 7:11:24 AM Quote this Post