Let's talk about the 800LB gorilla, Vaal Gems

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Aim_Deep wrote:

Total garbage. I don't know why you cant use them normally then press a modifier like shift when charged. I never use one as is. Much better to link a real gem.

Exactly this. I started playing a Rain of Arrows char in the Invasion league and found a Vaal RoA, which was the first Vaal gem I decided to try out. After replacing my regular RoA with the Vaal one I was astounded as to why GGG would make them work (read: not at all) this way. I would have thought that the gem would at least function like a regular gem until the charges had built up, and then either consumed the charges on the next attack, or as you say, with a modifier or alt key to activate the special function.

If I'm using RoA on a 5-link bow, there's no way I'm going to waste a perfectly good 4-link boots/glove/helm to socket a Vaal version of a skill that already works perfectly well, since I'll have my single target skill on one, auras on another and curses/other defensive support skills on another and a trigger set-up on a chest or something.

Seems to me this Vaal gem idea is a non-starter. You're being asked to give up even more survivability for a second (or 3rd) attack skill that isn't even available for use most of the time while charges are being accumulated. Yeah, no thanks.

@Ironmask Vaal roa is one of the weakest vaal gems unfortunately. There is examples of very strong ones that are definitely worth using(siphon,cyclone,spark).

Vaal Molten Shell

If you get the fire throwing misscreation to fire a barrage at you whilst you are next to anything it will instantly melt.

Any situation where you are being hit by a lot of small rapid fire hits that molten shell will crush, especially if you have boosts to the fire damage, which I don't.

At level 40 it's hitting for about 200 a time as a small AoE with no added damage from any other source.

2 of them useful: st and ice nova
rest is kinda garbage
most useless piece of shit - vaal ls
does nothing, 50% to hit mob with some smaaaaaal lighting does half of my regular attack
forgot detonate dead and siphon, useful too.

I find vaal detonate dead to be pretty underwhelming. I don't have it linked to anything, so that may be the problem but as is, it doesn't kill a god damn thing for me

del wtf ive done lol

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Pinchyskree wrote:

Vaal Molten Shell

If you get the fire throwing misscreation to fire a barrage at you whilst you are next to anything it will instantly melt.

Any situation where you are being hit by a lot of small rapid fire hits that molten shell will crush, especially if you have boosts to the fire damage, which I don't.

At level 40 it's hitting for about 200 a time as a small AoE with no added damage from any other source.

This. Here's a demonstration on shock and horror: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ihr_P5VIzQ

that looks pretty awesome

Im thinking there would be less complaining if they had given them different names. For instance, instead of Vaal Spark or Vaal Fireball, call it Vaal Electrify and Vaal Airbust. At the very least there wouldnt be any confusion about overlap.

Also, that vaal molten shell video is hilarious.