Some suggestions - passive tree/keystone modifications

Right now blind reduces hit chance by 75%, if I understand correctly. What it should do is reduce the target's accuracy RATING by 75%, that way, if you have ten thousand accuracy, you can still hit somebody who only has 5 evasion rating.

I think doing something to acrobatics and phase acrobatics would be incredibly important. There are two major problems with Dodge as a mechanic. Firstly, most Diamond uniques focus more on block than dodge. Secondly, there are way, way more sources of block than dodge, just take a look at the passive tree. Thirdly, Hyrri's Ire, which gives Acrobatics, has all of the bad points and almost none of the good points.

The first suggestion is to combine Acrobatics with Phase Acrobatics. Secondly, the dodge cluster should provide some spell dodge (maybe a total of 5%). Thirdly, the dodge cluster should be moved in front of Acrobatics. This makes Hyrri's Ire useable, since you will save 1 passive point. Lastly, you need a downside. Move Acrobatics to Phase Acrobatic's current position. Change current Acrobatics to a notable that gives a small amount of dodge (5% each is good enough), with the downside that says Player cannot block (or for something less harsh, 50% less block chance). This means that players will be unable to stack block with dodge for perfect damage mitigation, and also gives the possibility of higher dodge % than currently available, though a cap on dodge should be established.

I think IR should be changed to (% evasion also applies to armour). This makes hybrid builds more viable, removes Grace from the equation, and also takes away the advantage that evasion gear gives as they have higher numbers than armour (that I have seen).

GR needs a downside. reason I proposed the "less ES" is because once you're able to leech, you should not have a higher effective damage buffer as compared to someone who doesn't, for instance.

If you do not reduce the damage buffer that GR users have, there's no point in a player not taking GR and trying to focus on ES CDR instead.

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Invalesco wrote:

GR needs a downside. reason I proposed the "less ES" is because once you're able to leech, you should not have a higher effective damage buffer as compared to someone who doesn't, for instance.

If you do not reduce the damage buffer that GR users have, there's no point in a player not taking GR and trying to focus on ES CDR instead.

Truth

These changes would make shadows shine.

One effect the new placement of IR would easily allow is CI IR shadows easily. Don't know how that would work but the combo would be very easy to pull off and it might be pretty powerful since one of the problem CI users have at the moment is lack of armor. (at least to my understanding).

But changes in the passive tree would be very welcome cos now there is areas that just lacks power.

I'd actually say Iron Reflexes should be changed to be more about armor than about evasion.

Evasion has two keystones. Ondar's Guile is great while Acrobatics could use some work, but they're both evasion-focused keystones.

There aren't any truly armor-focused keystones that take all that armor and make it do something interesting.

A possible idea, for a different take on the keystone, would be to make a percentage of armor apply to accuracy. It's defined nowhere that the reflexes have to be defensive. Give the keystone a some flavor text about the impossibility of evading an avalanche of steel (or iron) and it should work.

Possibly move it more to the left side of the tree, closer to all the weapon crit nodes and if the percentage is balanced right you'll have a very interesting alternative, finally, to Resolute Technique.

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Invalesco wrote:

If you do not reduce the damage buffer that GR users have, there's no point in a player not taking GR and trying to focus on ES CDR instead.

Probably it's my personal opinion, but there is no point in focusing on ES CDR instead of leech because it does forces playstyle not fitting into action RPG. Considering current meta, going CI should be rewarding, not punishing, because it's much easier to build EB/MoM melee/active caster than CI one and you yourself wrote posts showing that they can be more effective than CI ones.

If we look on top streamers with top gear, maybe their's CI have 10K ES and can laugh at such drawback. But for average player it will be closer to 5-6K and having to spend some part of it to be able to leech is a no-go and without leech you can't progress on actively fighting character.

But, really, do you want to map with ppl, who have to wait few second every other mob to regenerate ES? Do you want to go with such ppl to Torture Chamber, Labyrinth or Residence? :)

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tmaciak wrote:

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Invalesco wrote:

If you do not reduce the damage buffer that GR users have, there's no point in a player not taking GR and trying to focus on ES CDR instead.

Probably it's my personal opinion, but there is no point in focusing on ES CDR instead of leech because it does forces playstyle not fitting into action RPG. Considering current meta, going CI should be rewarding, not punishing, because it's much easier to build EB/MoM melee/active caster than CI one and you yourself wrote posts showing that they can be more effective than CI ones.

If we look on top streamers with top gear, maybe their's CI have 10K ES and can laugh at such drawback. But for average player it will be closer to 5-6K and having to spend some part of it to be able to leech is a no-go and without leech you can't progress on actively fighting character.

But, really, do you want to map with ppl, who have to wait few second every other mob to regenerate ES? Do you want to go with such ppl to Torture Chamber, Labyrinth or Residence? :)

a CI ES CDR oriented build won't have to wait a few seconds for ES to regen. It'll take 2 seconds tops, and that's only if the player takes damage. And of course, why wouldn't I want to go with these players to those maps especially if CI gets buffed and they can reach 13k ES?

However, the GR fix I suggested may punish low life builds unwittingly. Another option is to leave GR and CI the way they are, or just change GR to 10% less ES and instead buff the ES CDR nodes to 15% increased ES cooldown recovery + 4% increased max ES

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Invalesco wrote:

It'll take 2 seconds tops, and that's only if the player takes damage. And of course, why wouldn't I want to go with these players to those maps especially if CI gets buffed and they can reach 13k ES?

I specifically indicated those maps, where during boss fights you should not expect having any second without taking damage. From lover levels we can also drop in Dark Forest and it's devourers packs. It's like GGG during creation of new monsters for releases sabotaged it's own ES CDR idea.

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tmaciak wrote:

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Invalesco wrote:

It'll take 2 seconds tops, and that's only if the player takes damage. And of course, why wouldn't I want to go with these players to those maps especially if CI gets buffed and they can reach 13k ES?

I specifically indicated those maps, where during boss fights you should not expect having any second without taking damage. From lover levels we can also drop in Dark Forest and it's devourers packs. It's like GGG during creation of new monsters for releases sabotaged it's own ES CDR idea.

I don't see what's the problem with those maps or devourers?

The whole idea of CI is to have a massive enough damage buffer to take damage while dishing out your own. When you reach the point where you think you can't handle damage anymore, you run to a safer spot, avoid damage for 1.5 seconds, regen fully, and then continue the fight.