Is empower REALLY + to gem levels?

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dudiobugtron wrote:

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raics wrote:

It would be op on spells in mid-game, they often get 50% more damage on certain levels. At high levels the curve kinda levels out and it's not possible to use the gem sooner anyway.
Level 2 is available around the time your other spells hit level 19, if you have a max quality empower it's still around 18.

You know it's possible to level the gem on one character and then use it on a different character, right?

Of course, but level 2 probably requires char level 70 or such and 80 for gem level 3, no matter what we think devs are hardly that dumb to leave us that kind of option.

sporker low life will be happy... RF more op than ever...

As someone who hates, and keeps a vigilant eye out for, power creep, I should be opposed to this gem. But I'm not. I like + skill levels, it's a fun mechanic. Was the entire reason why my level 24 paladin with level 36 thorns would one-shot reflect level 90's in pvp (and sometimes survive!) :) In this case, I like the cheese. As Pneuma stated, it competes with other "numbers get bigger" supports. Don't really think this will change the status quo much except for skills that don't really benefit from many other supports (arc, righteous fire), and might be a little too powerful with IF Purity (6% max). That's the only place I'm really concerned about power creep, if EA had to be nerfed to 2%...

I think this gem will only be really usefull for a certain type of builds. I mean, would you really want 2+ all gems instead of a Faster Attacks, or Melee Phys damage or Faster casting, or... etc. I don't think a 2+ to all levels will be as good as the boost a lvl 20 Q20 support can give you.
But this support does open up a few builds. RF as said before, but I even see some usefullness in Beartrap here, or hell, maybe even EK. What about the Rejuv totem? Hell, my Summoner would kill for a lvl 22 rejuv totem.
All the somewhat underpowered gems will get a boost with this gem. And I think they really needed it :)

Or maybe I'm completely wrong here - didn't do any maths. I guess we'll see how it turns out. but as I view it, this gem might even be what many builds have been waiting for :>

All builds use auras - lvl 23 Purity will finally give us back +5 to all max resist that was lost quite a few patches ago. Also it's got an insanely high requirement as far as lvling it goes. I approve.

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Drakkalen wrote:

All builds use auras - lvl 23 Purity will finally give us back +5 to all max resist that was lost quite a few patches ago. Also it's got an insanely high requirement as far as lvling it goes. I approve.

well, considering that Empower has a 125% multiplier, I don't think that its a good choice for auras, even more for one that reserves a % of mana.


Anyway, I don't think that its overpowered, and like others said, a lot of skills that didn't had a lot of options for support gems will benefit from it nicely.

125% cost multiplier is not too high as well. But when you're using empower with auras I think that's enough to make a difference. It nullifies reduced mana and something like purity it's a big deal. I imagine most people run quite a few auras and this might make an interesting choice of having fewer but more powerful ones.

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vankeris wrote:

125% cost multiplier is not too high as well. But when you're using empower with auras I think that's enough to make a difference. It nullifies reduced mana and something like purity it's a big deal. I imagine most people run quite a few auras and this might make an interesting choice of having fewer but more powerful ones.

And the bright side is it doesn't (at least not completely).

0,71 * 1,25 = 0,89

Your reduced mana just got reverted to level 2 :)

If that's what it does, then most attack skills get the short end of the stick again, since most of them just get like 4% increased physical damage per level... oh well.

Yes, it really is.

Taken from another thread: