[Question] Elemental Overload and crit damage

First, incase anyone reading this hasn't seen it : https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/1596094
Use Find and Elemental Overload to find what I'm talking about.


Now, with that said, my question is...What's the point of this? I don't have the greatest understanding of Path and all it's numbers, but...Last I checked the base Crit multiplier was 150%, and this is offering..what, 140% for 8 seconds? What's the point, it's triggered on Crit. I get it means you're doing 'near base crit damage for 8 seconds', but if you're already building to do critical strikes, then you'll end up doing MORE damage without using this. 'mean, even some of my low crit builds were getting around 35% crit chance, with a 250% crit damage easily. So...Wouldn't you end up out DPSing this keystone if you didn't have it?

Again, what's the point, I'm very curious.

Think the breakpoint at which crit ends up being stronger is around 30% crit chance / 240 crit multi (0.3*2.4 + 0.7 = 1.42).

That being said the node is good for all builds that do not want to invest into crit that much, since even with 10-15% crit chance only with enough cast/attack speed you can keep it up constantly since it lasts 8 seconds.

Edit:

Example would be using Orb of storms + Increased Critical strikes gem to proc it. Lets say you grab 60-80% critical strikes for 3 points on the tree (or simply use a dagger lol) and throw the Orb of Storms + Increased Critical strikes combo down.

The orb hits rather fast and rolls for crit per hit so you should have at least 20% chance of it activating Elemental Overload per it's hit, netting you 40% more elemental damage for 8 seconds, not bad for a 3 point investment.

You get a minimal amount of critical strike chance with this, at best, and no multi. You use the points you would have spent on crit elsewhere. It also double dips as a bonus to ignite damage. The mechanic has very good synergy with some skills, such as Explosive Arrow. Some skills cannot crit at all and still benefit if you find a way to proc it consistently (Incinerate, RF, Searing Bond, Heralds, etc.).

It's a node for the twilight zone between RT and crit.

150% is nice multi but not guaranteed. Like Mammoth alluded to, the dps effect of 150% multiplier is minimized due to it not applying to all Hits. For example with his formula at base crit stats (.05*1.5+0.95) = 1.075 = 7.5% more dps. Much less than 40% more. Even at 20 crit chance no multi: (0.2*1.5+0.8) = 1.1 = 10% more damage. With the same investment in crit chance and much more attack or cast speed you get near 100% uptime on elemental overload.

If Orb of Storms truly rolls crit per hit, it will be insanely good with elemental overload. Tons of chance at crits and you only need one to trigger 40% more.

Alright then, so it's more a case of having a consistent increase in damage, verses a possible spike. Makes sense to me. And since it's a buff to all your elemental damage, I imagine certain builds that utilize high crit attacks [For example Ice Spear] can make attacks like Incinerate that don't have crit chance even more useful, no?

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Gigaus wrote:

Alright then, so it's more a case of having a consistent increase in damage, verses a possible spike. Makes sense to me. And since it's a buff to all your elemental damage, I imagine certain builds that utilize high crit attacks [For example Ice Spear] can make attacks like Incinerate that don't have crit chance even more useful, no?

Ice Spear has 7% base crit chance and 600% increased crit chance in it's 2nd form. You just need 30% increased crit multiplier to break-even against EO. Isn't it a waste not to invest into crit directly?

You only need to spam skills with around 6~8% crit chance to get a crit every 8 second on average, so Elemental Overload is designed for non-crits build to increase their damage output, not crit builds.

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Windaas wrote:

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Gigaus wrote:

Alright then, so it's more a case of having a consistent increase in damage, verses a possible spike. Makes sense to me. And since it's a buff to all your elemental damage, I imagine certain builds that utilize high crit attacks [For example Ice Spear] can make attacks like Incinerate that don't have crit chance even more useful, no?

Ice Spear has 7% base crit chance and 600% increased crit chance in it's 2nd form. You just need 30% increased crit multiplier to break-even against EO. Isn't it a waste not to invest into crit directly?

You only need to spam skills with around 6~8% crit chance to get a crit every 8 second on average, so Elemental Overload is designed for non-crits build to increase their damage output, not crit builds.

You don't need to crit with your main skill. So you can crit with Ice Spear to enjoy for next 8 seconds 40% more Incirenate damage. The same for RF or SB.