Ethereal knives questions

I have been curious about the skill ever since I obtained it. I realized that its a very slow attack. Is there any way to make it faster such as IAS, IPS, or ICS. It is a spell but is also a projectile. Also does it deal physical damage or spell damage? Would a skill such as doomcast increase the crit chance for EK? Any information would be awesome! Im planning on building my new character around that skill.

This should help

http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Ethereal_Knives

A good EK guide:
http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/64424

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Mr_Bill wrote:

This should help

http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Ethereal_Knives

i already looked at that. what I want to know is how does increased spell damage effect EK and if items with increased spell damage or cast speed effect EK.

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hostilesinbound wrote:

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Mr_Bill wrote:

This should help

http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Ethereal_Knives

i already looked at that. what I want to know is how does increased spell damage effect EK and if items with increased spell damage or cast speed effect EK.

Spell Damage increases its damage since it is a spell.
Cast Speed increases its attack per second.
Projectile speed increases its range since it is a projectile.
+weapon damage effects don't do anything for it since it is a spell.

Don't let the fact that it does physical confuse you, its nothing more then a physical spell and works like all other spells.

Fork works well with it.

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Mr_Bill wrote:

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hostilesinbound wrote:

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Mr_Bill wrote:

This should help

http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Ethereal_Knives

i already looked at that. what I want to know is how does increased spell damage effect EK and if items with increased spell damage or cast speed effect EK.

Spell Damage increases its damage since it is a spell.
Cast Speed increases its attack per second.
Projectile speed increases its range since it is a projectile.
+weapon damage effects don't do anything for it since it is a spell.

Don't let the fact that it does physical confuse you, its nothing more then a physical spell and works like all other spells.

Fork works well with it.

so increased projectile damage is useless?

Projectile damage will increase it's damage as long as there's no "weapon projectile damage" in there. Physical damage buffs (like that from a rustic sash belt and the cruel oak reward) will also buff it's damage.

PS. Ek's quality bonus is projectile damage :) I would hope it helps

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hostilesinbound wrote:

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Mr_Bill wrote:

This should help

http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Ethereal_Knives

i already looked at that. what I want to know is how does increased spell damage effect EK and if items with increased spell damage or cast speed effect EK.

If you look at the wiki page, the skill has keywords 'Projectile' and 'Spell'

That means that anything that modifies 'Projectiles' WILL work, as well as anything that modifies 'Spells.'

BUT, a key point here: 'Projectiles' is not the same as 'Projectile Attacks.' Attack are done with weapons, and is influenced by attack related passives and item mods. This is a Projectile Spell, so is modified by spell related things. But there are a few passives (like at the beginning of the Shadow tree) that apply to 'Projectiles' in general and apply to both.

Also I believe there is one node in the Ranger area that add % Physical Damage (general) that would modify EK, but the vast majority of Physical related nodes are for Physical attacks.

It's a SPELL - so anything that works on spells works on it. And it's also a PROJECTILE, so anything that works on those, works, too. Spell Damage +8 or Projectile Damage +8 are the same to it, and Freezing Pulse, and Fireball, all the same.

Elemental Damage nodes don't do anything unless you Added Fire or Hatred with it (and then it only affects that portion).

And, most important of all, anything that say "ATTACK" won't work on it. So, for example, Mana Leech on gear won't work on it, not will the node that gives you Mana Leech on Physical Attacks. It's a Spell, and it does Physical damage, but it's a SPELL, not an ATTACK.

Another thing to notice, is that since it does Physical damage, stuff like affect it's damage (and so does the Bandit Reward from Oak on Cruel).

However, again, items like don't affect it's damage, since that bonus is only for ATTACKS.

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haplessG00N wrote:

Projectile damage will increase it's damage as long as there's no "weapon projectile damage" in there. Physical damage buffs (like that from a rustic sash belt and the cruel oak reward) will also buff it's damage.

PS. Ek's quality bonus is projectile damage :) I would hope it helps

ok thanks so much!