u/Entire_Possible_9976

EVEN IF the game was better balanced, the META would remain so limited because virtually every mode contains the same formula:

Clear speed/Trash Mob check > Followed by a single target DPS check.

I'd suggest the following to actually expand build variety.

The Tower - Remains as it is, requires a balance between clear/single target with a 10 minute time limit.

The Pit - Remove the single target dps check, make it a full clear speed test, once you fill the bar you've completed that tier, with a 10 minute time limit.

The Arena - Fight 3 random lair bosses back to back, with a 10 minute limit.

All 3 modes would scale post Torment 12, like the Tower/Pit does now.

Meaning you have three different METAs to push at Endgame and you would significantly increase build variety.

EVEN IF the game was better balanced, the META would remain so limited because virtually every mode contains the same formula:

Clear speed/Trash Mob check > Followed by a single target DPS check.

I'd suggest the following to actually expand build variety.

The Tower - Remains as it is, requires a balance between clear/single target.

The Pit - Remove the single target dps check, make it a full clear speed test, once you fill the bar you've completed that tier.

The Arena - Fight 3 random lair bosses back to back, with a 10 minute limit.

All 3 modes would scale post Torment 12, like the Tower/Pit does now.

Meaning you have three different METAs to push at Endgame and you would significantly increase build variety.

PoE players come back to this IP time and time again because we're given new challenges every League, with new tools to complete them.

I think the issue is that players enjoy the "Combo" gameplay....But that comes much more in the form of "Triggers". They want to gear and progress their character in a way which enables them to press a limited amount of buttons which then "Trigger" other effects.

They like the "Combo" of skill 1 interacting with skill 2/effect 2, interacting with skill/effect 3 etc....But don't really want to be pressing multiple buttons/have a rotation.

Look at RF in PoE 1, part of its popularity is because it's simple to play, but also that the Chieftain version "Triggers" explosions and they can chain together. You're essentially getting multiple effects happening, without even pressing a single button.

The problem with forcing Combo gameplay, is that you need to design a hell of a lot of Combos, in order for players to feel like they're not just playing a handcrafted build.

If you go and play Diablo 4, even with this latest expansion, it feels like every build has been pre-crafted and the designed synergies are glaringly obvious.

ED + Contagion + Unearth is a really nice "Combo" in PoE 2.

Why? Well it's because once you set it up, your Unearth minions continue to spread contagion and therefore you only actually need to press one button for 90% of your map.

ARPG players don't enjoy rotations imo. Which I believe is because they like crafting their own builds. When you design a "Combo", you're essentially telling players how to play. That "Combo" will generally always be the best way to play those skills and synergies will be designed around playing that build.

So many of the variants are just completely useless....Even those that aren't, can only really be used in one ultra specific way.

E.g. The "Behemoth" Hydra....What's the point?

A 15 second Cooldown, which by the way, makes it completely incompatible with two of the "Side upgrades" right away.

20x damage per head it is supposed to have....Which literally means that it does less damage than if it had a single additional head.....As after the base 3 heads, a 4th head clearly results in an additional 33x damage.

It's not just a simple case of balancing either, there's a lack of synergy, only enhanced by the fact that Set Items contain a disproportionate amount of damage compared to builds which don't align with Set items.

You place an Item.

You place a piece of Currency.

You are then presented with a list of all possible affixes which can roll.

Maybe you can even "Example Roll" the item with the Currency so it demonstrates what will happen to the item without actually using the currency.

I understand the desire to hide something like this early and through the Campaign, but once you hit Endgame, there should be a system like this in the game to avoid 3rd party sites.

We're avoiding 3rd party sites/addons for Build guides....

We're avoiding 3rd party sites/addons for Trade....

Hopefully we can do something about the requirements of 3rd party sites for Crafting.

For some reason the "Bathed in Flame" variant does not synergise properly with the "Hydra reduces the Cooldown of a random skill by 0.3 seconds whenever it attacks" option for the skill.

If I summon Inferno (With the Overpower node) followed by Hydra.....

When the base Hydra disperses, Inferno's cooldown has been reset.

When the Frigid Hydra disperses, Inferno's cooldown has been reset.

When the Bathed in Flame variant disperses, Inferno's cooldown still has 4-6 seconds left.

It doesn't appear as though it is an issue with attack speed, as the base variant and two variants of Hydra listed above, all release 12 bursts of projectiles from spawning until dispersing.

Interestingly, it also doesn't synergise well with "Aspect of the Orange Herald" where Cooldowns are decreased by cast Core Skill damage if Ophidian Iris is equipped.

What is interesting about this, is that is does actually work with this aspect if the Hydra is placed directly on top of the target dummy, which I assume is because unlike the cooldown node on the tree, this aspect reduces cooldowns with "Damage" not "Attacks", and therefore the burning part underneath the Hydra also triggers the Cooldown.

My conclusion would be that it's the "Attacks" from the heads which are bugged with this variant, as they work with the base variant and the Frigid Hydra variant.

The Heads do not appear to be working properly for this variant with EITHER the node on the tree OR the aspect you can use in synergy with Ophidian Iris.

It only works if you use a Core Skill and have a Basic skill equipped which share the same element.

The reason for this suggestion is certain Uniques, like Fists of Fate for example, have lost what made that item fun - The HUGE Lucky Hit Chance affix not available anywhere else in the game.

Now don't get me wrong, the change to make the affixes Variable is a good one overall, as it now enables you to scale the same Unique in different ways.

Like Fractured Winterglass as an example, if you chose to ONLY allow +skill ranks to Core Skills OR Conjuration Skills, then you limit the damaging element of this Unique to either category. However, by allowing both to roll, you can either decide to scale the damage of a Core Skill, with the summoned conjurations being used as Support options, or vice versa, where you're using the Core Skill as the support and the conjurations as the damage dealers.

The change is overall a positive one, but some items, like Fists of Fate, have lost Unique affixes not elsewhere available that made the item more purpose....Now it's just a generic damage increase item.

Enchantments do take into account the "Skill Variant".

The Hydra Enchantment - "After spending 200 Mana, a 5-headed Hydra spawns for 10 seconds".

With the "Bathed in Flame" variant, it summons the Burning damage aura underneath the Hydra.

With the "Behemoth" variant, it summons the single headed Hydra.

With the "Frigid Hydra" variant, it summons a 5 headed Cold Hydra.

I don't really play Sorc but the changes to this item really intrigue me.

• Casting a Core Skill has a 25% chance to summon a Conjuration of the same element. Each active Conjuration grants: - x [3 - 6%] increased damage - 1 Mana per second - +5% Movement Speed - +3% Damage Reduction

Firstly, do you think we can "Block" Conjurations which could spawn, by investing points into the tree?

For example, if we want to use Fire Orb (Frozen Orb variant) to summon just one of Hydras or Familiars, do you think we can "Block" the other from having a chance to be summoned, by choosing the "Cold Variant" on our tree? Or do you believe this item doesn't take into account our tree?

I was just looking at the Familiar stuff in the tree and "Prismatic Familiar" gives the skill all 3 elemental tags and does 268% Frostbite, Sparking or Burning damage over 4 seconds to surrounding enemies based on the element cast.

I'm not entirely interested in "Meta" builds, I like builds with proc other effects.

So I'm looking at using a Core pyromancy skill, to proc Fractured Winterglass and summon Familiars only, by blocking Hydra by selecting its Cold variant.....

Core pyromancy skill > Fractured Winterglass proc to summon Familiars > Familiars Proc Iceheart Brais which casts Frost Nova > Frost Nova applies Vulnerabilty, CC with Freeze and the Shatter variant procs another Frost Nova.