Real "Buff" to bow? Or hidden nerfs?

Equipment:
In order to play a "decent" bow build, the bow contributes to MOST of the damage, which usually comes from a lot of physical conversion.

We need to pack the prefixes with physical affixes, but now add-ed cold skill gems are NERFED, we perhaps would need to pack 1 more line of prefix into our bow, hypnotically increasing our effort of crafting which hence, increasing the cost, is this really a "Buff" to play bow builds in cheaper investment?

A big portion damage from bow users are scaling arrows to deal more damage with voidshot, voidfletcher is going to be killed, is this is "Buff"?

Skills
Alot bow of builds uses hydrosphere to double boss damage with hydrosphere (be it returning arrows, double pierce, chain, etc), killing hydrosphere with 1 seconds cooldown is it really a "Buff"?

By nerfing two big elements (hydro & voidshot) of boss damage combined with lowered skilled gem benefits (skill gems are easier access compared to crafting?), is this really a "BUFF" bow league?

I highly doubt that, what are your opinions?

Hydrosphere aside I think its a buff, i'm a bit on the fence about if it will achieve what they want it too though my gut feeling is it will still be expensive to rock a real bow character.

Should be a significant buff to voidfletcher unless i've forgotten how it works

Appears (to my little brain) that they're buffing "normal" play and trying to go after the min/maxers that exploit whatever mechanic they can to eek out a bit more damage.

they just keep doing what they were planning:

poe2 will introduce a different gem slot system.
so since scourge they're moving power from support gems to skill gems so the balancing the new system isn't that difficult.

ggg removing exploits? just look on reddit, people are begging them to nerf their overpowered exploits to force them to play a more exciting game but the official ggg statement is: no nerfs.

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Draegnarrr wrote:

Should be a significant buff to voidfletcher unless i've forgotten how it works

how? voidfletcher is a mid tier quiver from a "late game" boss to help out with single target. my guess is it gets a starforge treatment and nothing changes.

the base changes are interesting, but giving gems more flat might be better overall, to not be so gear depended.

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pifpep wrote:

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Draegnarrr wrote:

Should be a significant buff to voidfletcher unless i've forgotten how it works

how? voidfletcher is a mid tier quiver from a "late game" boss to help out with single target. my guess is it gets a starforge treatment and nothing changes.

the base changes are interesting, but giving gems more flat might be better overall, to not be so gear depended.

OP was asking about it and as far as I remember voidfletcher is 100% scaled off flat damage from your bow/equipment so anything that gives higher values of those is a pretty solid buff to it.

Considering the nerf to (Awakened) Added X Damage supports, the buff is minimal. It's not like we can scale all 3 elemental damage types efficiently, to benefit from multiple prefixes with "Adds X to X damage".

For reference, my Ritual bow:

Most of what I get from "Adds 121 to 217 Cold damage" ---> "Adds (140–187) to (278–322) Cold Damage" buff, I lose from the Awakened Added Cold Damage Support nerf. Might consider using another support gem instead.

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Shagsbeard wrote:

Appears (to my little brain) that they're buffing "normal" play and trying to go after the min/maxers that exploit whatever mechanic they can to eek out a bit more damage.

I agree with you here. And also bow builds were fine before hydrosphere. I realize the meta is ever-shifting, but were they ever really suffering damage-wise? These changes give players more choices rather than the 'you're-shooting-yourself-in-the-foot-if-you-don't-use-it: Hydrosphere'. They'll be just fine.

you also get new quiver base types, and higher damage buffs from them.

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Thror2k5 wrote:

you also get new quiver base types, and higher damage buffs from them.

Yup, quiver buffs look really good.