Path of Exile's March expansion, Ascendancy, introduces nineteen new Ascendancy classes that change the game in large ways. In order to accommodate these classes, we're making changes to various game systems. Today's development manifesto entry describes how we're changing Utility Flasks.
Our goal is to create a more diverse selection of Utility Flasks and to make sure they're compatible with the flask balance changes in Ascendancy. Many of these new Utility Flasks are directly useful for specific Ascendancy classes. For, example the Silver Flask for the
Raider, the Sulphur Flask for the
Inquisitor and the Stibnite Flask for the
Saboteur.
We've added new mods that can be rolled on Flasks:
- Increased Duration (Utility Flasks)
- Increased Effect, Reduced Duration (Utility Flasks)
- Poison Removal and Immunity (All Flasks)
- Reduced number of Charged Used (All Flasks)
We've made some balance changes to existing Utility Flasks:
- Resistance Flasks have been reduced to +6% maximum resistance. (It's getting easier to dramatically increase maximum resistances, so this change is designed to partially counteract the new tools such as the Flask Effect mod and new Ascendancy options.)
- Quartz Flask now provides Dodge and Spell Dodge, as well as Phasing.
- The duration, charge requirements and maximum charges on many existing utility flasks have been updated. In general, they're now easier to use, but there have been specific balance changes in some cases. For example, Quicksilver Flasks now have a slightly shorter duration (until you boost it with the new mod or an Ascendancy passive skill).
- Existing Unique Flasks which don't have high usability have been improved where necessary to make sure they are still desirable choices. An example is Lion's Roar, which now has more than one use per full flask.
Other than changes to Unique Flasks, these changes affect existing Utility Flasks that your characters have (no legacy versions are created).
Ascendancy introduces new base types of Utility Flasks:
- Basalt Flask: Grants additional physical damage reduction.
- Aquamarine Flask: Grants additional chance to avoid cold damage and creates chilled ground on use.
- Stibnite Flask: Grants increased evasion and creates smoke clouds on use.
- Sulphur Flask: Grants increased damage and creates consecrated ground on use.
- Silver Flask: Grants Onslaught.
- Bismuth Flask: Grants elemental resistances.
