Rage Vortex - skill from another game

first things first - it is a potent skill, can be built into a potent character

so, gear first (not yet optimised, im rushing levels in heists):


First problem with this skill:
this skill IS A BUILD. the way it works (doesnt work without rage) FORCES people into Redblade Banner and that in turn forces Berserker and Berserk and Warcries and Bear's Girdle (if you are rich). This also kinda forces passives distribution as well - because you HAVE to get all the rage from the tree, thus you are forced into axes.

Checking the poe.ninja is kinda depressing: 60%+ players plays THE SAME build. like 100% identical.


Second:
This is obviously POE2 skill, a skill you use mid-combat to boost your DPS uptime when dodging or simply stacking 'striking' and 'DoT'. I believe it will be fine in POE2. but this is POE - it really does not belong here. the 'no rage' attack is TERRIBLE, it is just TERRIBLE design. It is so bad that i believe it would be better completely removed.


Because this skill doesnt fit the game, the playstyle is very taxing - you have to babysit your rage, rebuild it with timed warcries (risking a lot, because you have to check top-left of the screen almost constantly), constantly in the weird state of 'do i still have the damage?'.
This skill without rage is worthless.

Third:
Melee. I kinda know why - because if not, there wouldnt be enough sources of crit/crit multi to make a viable build. but this skill being melee is just rude to 'gems' like Boneshatter (that still has TWO gamebreaking issues not fixed: divergent gaining tripple the Trauma and strike range being nonmodifiable).


Skill is in general less-buggy than other released this patch. It deals solid (imo - bit too solid) damage. Has very easy support choices and the premise of 'deal damage when running in circles while not being a heavily nerfed phys DoT' is strong. I also like the visuals - sparks from hitting obstacles are cool and in general this skill deals with obstacles very well.

but.. was it a good idea to release it this early? this trully is a skill from POE2 and will shine there and then. not now.

Skills that require rage are not the core of the problem.
sustaining the skill because current rage generation is made of Warcries with Warbanner Shield and Berserker is what feels bad because it require an active stop in gameplay in a game where all other skills automate their resource with like mana leech or minus mana cost crafts or lifetap/blood magic.

The flow of the skill feels unnatural in current PoE. And from what i have seen the dps is not rewarding enough to justify that gameplay.

In general i have tried a few of the new skills so far i seem to only got the duds:

- Concoction (goddamn is it bad)
- Boneshatter nice idea with Trauma Charges but the dont hit yourself aspect is not so good. I feel like stun in this game as a theme since the patch that makes bosses immune after a stun is just bad. To be gomest i feel like it should have been a 350% effectivity skill with that downside because negating that downside brings opportunity cost that lowers dps and make the skill more like a 180% dmg effectivity skill.
- Voltaxic Burst with Voltaxic Rift on a Inquisitor Battle Mage and Astral Projector ring with Cast on Crit. Gameplay felt nice but the damage SUCKED big times it was unbearable. Cospris Icenova still wins a thousand times over this in terms of dps.
- The overtuned braindead shield skills well just check the poe.ninja ladder speaks for itself yet those shield skills are super boring.

MbX plays without Redblade ....

mbx might play without it NOW. i expect him to switch back to Banner soon. his method is cool but in practice a) it puts ENORMOUS pressure on rare items (he can fund these, most players wont) b) automation.. i kinda prefer having more control

by manually spamming 3 warcriess (and just one when clearing) you get biggest bang for your buck. rage vortex getting smaller makes it semi-easy to get the rhythm right without looking at rage counter.


and yes, it is the rage upkeep that is bad. it does not exist in POE2, because there you have your main skill 'get' the rage that you spend with vortex. we are close to D3 system then.

as for new skills:
- Boneshatter is first and foremost bugged. other than that it is a strike skill. and stun DOES NOT WORK properly vs endgame bosses, it is 95% worthless. the mechanic is cool (GGG widely overestimated what kind of AR rating people have thus you kinda kill yourself), the clear was surprisingly good (better than with the Rage Vortex for me)

- Concoction.. cool flask skill in a nerf-flask league. i havent yet seen successful build with this skill that isnt simply overgearing the issue. oh and i think 'fire flask' being an ignite is a GREAT MISTAKE. i was very sad to see that. it closed, not opened, build space.

- Storm Rain.. ive got good(tm) PC but im scared already. why is GGG putting skill with build in FPS reduction into already badly performing game?

- Manabond seemingly is bugged and half of it doesnt work. sad, because i actually like StormBind A LOT and this one seems very similar (Stormbind is dope, just scale AOE. each extra overlap is 100% more damage)

- Wanted to try Voltaxic Burst but i hate CoCS builds and self cast supposedly is terrible

- Forbidden Rite is so obviously broken (who let this skill scale from TOTEMS ffs?) that it is not even funny

whats left? Winter Orb? maybe.. but this one AGAIN works best as mine skill.. at least i got the proj speed enchant for it on a Inward Eye so maybe this is it?

I see Rage Vortex as an excellent Utility skill.