The placement of Versatile Combatant doesn't make sense for anyone other than duelists

I think the idea of moving the Versatile Combatant node away from the gladiator ascendancy so more classes get access to spell block is a good idea. However, I think the placement of the node betrays this purpose.

Looking at heatmaps, Versatile Combatant is almost exclusively used by gladiators. Duelists start 11 points (minimum) away from the node, and templars require a minimum of 23 points (!) to get to the node.

Especially if you're investing in the other spell block nodes like Safeguard, Sanctuary or Arcane Guarding building your way over to Versatile Combatant is unrealistic. It takes a minimum of 20 points to get from Sanctuary to Versatile Combatant. This makes it so even if you're investing in block on a marauder, templar or scion you quickly drop versatile combatant, not because of what it does, but because it's too far away.

I think Versatile Combatant should be moved to a more centric position (near the Circle of Life and Command of Steel) to make it more accessible to classes like scion (before ascendancy), marauder, templar and even witch, while not making it inaccessible to duelist.

TLDR: Please move Versatile Combatant so more classes can realistically use it. Please.

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BlindEagle wrote:

Especially if you're investing in the other spell block nodes like Safeguard, Sanctuary or Arcane Guarding building your way over to Versatile Combatant is unrealistic. It takes a minimum of 20 points to get from Sanctuary to Versatile Combatant.

Isn't the point of Versatile Combatant that you don't invest in spell block nodes, since you get double that investment from attack block?

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GusTheCrocodile wrote:

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BlindEagle wrote:

Especially if you're investing in the other spell block nodes like Safeguard, Sanctuary or Arcane Guarding building your way over to Versatile Combatant is unrealistic. It takes a minimum of 20 points to get from Sanctuary to Versatile Combatant.

Isn't the point of Versatile Combatant that you don't invest in spell block nodes, since you get double that investment from attack block?

yeah, its for stacking attack block exclusively pretty much

My point exactly.

The upper half of the Passive is more devoted to Spell Block, while the lower half is more devoted to Attack block. While a Templar or a Marauder can invest some point to get the best of both worlds (bonus points if using a Shield, with the new whopping +25% SpellBlock from Tempest Shield), a Gladiator or a Ranger may find difficult to go there. Thus, Versatile Combatant: they can still fully concentrate themselves on Attack Block and still get some spell block.

Versatile Combatant must also give a drawback to put it in par with Glancing Blow, which can be used for the other way around.
Both Glancing Blow and Versatile Combatant allows a player to reach maximum block chance with lesser investment: GB makes you take some of the damage you block, while VC lowers your maxBlockChance

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GusTheCrocodile wrote:

Isn't the point of Versatile Combatant that you don't invest in spell block nodes, since you get double that investment from attack block?

Fair point. Let's say you're a templar staff build. You get Serpent Stance and Steelwood Stance and Staff Mastery, all three of which exclusively grant +Attack Block Chance. Steelwood Stance is still 18 points away from Versatile Combatant. Furthermore, all the other block nodes near the path down over to Versatile Combatant from Steelwood Stance are + Block while Holding a Shield or While Dual Wielding.

They said they wanted to make it accessible for all, not accessible and convenient for all. They did that. It's still a duelist-themed Keystone.

Also, there's a ton of block for both shields and staves in the Templar/Witch area. Upwards of 50 staff spell block at least, since staff Templar was an example being used, without even touching Glancing Blows. It's not as though you actually have to spend a bunch of points on nothing but pathing down to Versatile to get roughly the same amount of spell block (and also have a significantly lower block cap to go with it).

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aggromagnet wrote:

It's still a duelist-themed Keystone.

My point exactly. In its current state, the node seems centered around and almost limited to duelist. In the patchnotes adressing the change, GGG say its purpose is to give everyone a source of spell block:

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Community_Team wrote:

Give everyone access to a weaker form of Versatile Combatant as a Keystone Passive, and replace the Gladiator Ascendancy skill.

The strength of the node in relation to just flat % to block spells and glancing blows is arguable, but the inaccessibility to it for templar, witch and marauder eliminates the choice itself. Sure you could say its placement doesn't have to be convenient, but it's so inconvenient now it pretty much makes no sense in any realistic build for these classes.

It's not supposed to be the one-stop solution for every class. In fact, I don't understand why anyone would want that keystone in the first place. Since it heavily lowers your block cap.

Templar and Witch get plenty of spell block at the top. Those classes should instead consider seriously Tempest Shield skill gem, if really interested into spell block.

You can also get another 9% spell block from cluster jewels, optimizing travel distance on passive tree.

You seem pretty greedy to want to head into opposite directions of the tree, and still expect to reap all the benefits. (Although I repeat, VC is not that beneficial.)

VC is good for Duelists, Rangers and to an extend even Shadows if u can't fit in Tempest Shield. Also there are some good attack block notes in the same area, to cap out ur attack block chance.

Especially with Scourge I think the importance of spell block has increased significantly, hence 50/50 seems to be better than 75/0 right now.

Also like aggro wrote, Templars and Witch have much easier access to spell block, even with staves... so pathing down to VC makes no sense at all.

I believe the point of that node is Dual Wielding much like the Duelist started out.
It's the only spec I see actually being okay with the heavily reduced block cap.

There's literally one Cluster notable and 0 spell block on the bottom tree for Dual Wield.

Even knowing it's inferior I decided to Dual Wield the build I'm playing and I can't even find a good reason to use Cluster jewels besides Bloodscent. It's just tragic.

Personally I find the new tree to be limiting in general. Fortify is in one spot yet every class can melee.