First, you’re doing amazing bug hunting btw – just like old times, I will link baseline request #1 to your report as something to look into. What you found today is super interesting, I have to try that on Bombardment again because I was trying to make that work not realizing that the bombs were reducing AC.
Both the bug fixes and balance are important. I feel we should report them simultaneously because they are not mutually exclusive. They can correct the bugs and decide not to implement request #1 – no big deal. On the other hand, if they cannot fix the bug, they have an optional workaround to refer to.
It’s ultimately on them to them be the game designers, they have perspective and authority and figure out what is best.
The PTR is really really short considering the size of the season theme. If they miraculously fix the bug and implement these buffs – and it ends up too strong, they still have an opportunity to adjust things in the final notes.
My plan after this is to test Akkhan’s again once updated patch notes release, then track the Season leaderboards – which is a big undertaking and part of the reason why I’m voicing these opinions early instead of waiting for them to correct the bugs. The build fundamentals are solid enough to assume the notes won’t be filled with strikethroughs and bold red text. The other thing I learned, is we need to speak out ASAP before they review the feedback here.
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Phalanx avatars or bowmen should allow stricken to stack by themselves. That should help with the DPS issue.
Also, bowmen should focus on a target by moving your mouse cursor on a specific enemy while ignoring some of the enemies behind them which they can veer off. There should be an item where their attacks allow them to pierce enemies as well.
In my opinion, they should either keep akkhan the way it was before and should focus on a new set involving Phalanx with those changes listed if there are continued issues.
I got a mega good rift this evening, GR144 in 12:11, adjusted clear became GR144 even (the highest yet).
There is a Season clear of GR140, by a 2888 paragon player, which adjusts to GR142.6. This player is using the exact same configuration as me: with F&R. The next player down has cleared GR135 with 1532 paragon, but taking Slash Guard as opposed to Punish.
I suppose you need to be around ~P2000-2500 to survive with F&R/Unstoppable Force/Punish.
It’s more tricky. They are pets, more complications around granting pets stricken ability. Pet condemn has no problem killing RG. You make up the RG time from.superior aoe ability. This is balance in my eyes. Its a strong pushing build, just need slight more farming ability. I don’t really want to gear AoV just to farm for condemn in seasons.
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I don’t think Pets will be granted Stricken proccing powers for sure.
But at the risk of getting off topic, so many builds of Crusader have this density dependent mechanic to their damage that makes for atrocious single target damage. Akkhan’s Lenciency, Blade of Prophecy, Denial, Faithful Memory.
These items take it further in that direction and lead to a very RNG RG at the end. It doesn’t have to be this way. DPS doesn’t have to be dependent on density any more than it inherently is from having more mobs on the screen and area damage. But since this is a recurring theme with Crusader builds, I don’t believe they will change this either.
A ranged consecration being the 2p skill of choice could have fixed the annoyance of requiring a generator, tho that wouldn’t help FnR builds. Anyway, something that drastic is unlikely to be changed with all the other stuff going on this PTR. We’ll just have to live with a generator in the push build and build stricken the old fashioned way.
One last thing that makes it feel worse than old Condemn: with old Condemn your generator had value besides stacking Stricken, by generating Wrath for 100% of your damage output. This time around, it’ll still stack Stricken but only fuel about 5% of your damage output if you stand by the boss and hit with manual condemns.
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Frankly I don’t see this as a remote reality unless they redid the set and removed the dependence on casting Judgment to do any meaningful damage to something. The best we’re gonna get with this set is an S tier push build.
Perhaps it could be the solo xp set of choice doing slower but higher tier runs, but it’ll have to beat Bombardment or AoV in that content. For t16 or bounties, this build is unusable over AoV, never mind over a Monk or DH. At least as of right now, the premier builds for all content will belong to other classes.
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It is more that I like the way the current live version of Akkhan set works. It feels like you are the exemplar of your order, charging in and saying ‘This is how it is done!’ The phalanx format feels like I am in the back, doing nothing myself, like I am a leech in a team bounty game. More importantly, just trying the new format with Akkhan takes away any ability to prioritize targets, does not appear to work against elites with juggernaught ability, and when using archer rune for most damage output the slow missile elites nearly stop it.
I’m with everyone about eternal union becoming part of the build but I still wan’t it to be completely changed.
Perodically cast Phalanx - Bowmen and Bodyguard and their duration is increased by 100%.
Perodically cast every 10 seconds since bowmen now lasts 10 seconds, perodically casting to get the double effect of the shield instead of just summoning them to your side. This allow allows the player to run a spender rune adding a ton of extra damage to the build.
Blade of Prophecy also should unconditionally cast condemn twice. Personally I think the additional cast should be the unleashed rune. Doing so does allow the player to play with other runes while your extra condemns all explode instantly. That said Eternal Retaliation was killed by the shield and Reciporate was always just a trashy rune so they need a tweak personally.
Eternal Retaliation: Enemies hit by condemn take 20% additional damage. (group play, judgement is ur strong arms proc)
Reciprocate: If you’re hit while charging condemn, unleash it immedately dealing up to 90% additional damage depending on the duration charged. (30% per second charged, combining this with your angel shield??)
Lastly there are a few changes to akkhans I want.
4set to also reduce ironskin cooldown. This will allow you to use Flash rune for mobility and give a bit of love to Thorns.
6set for akarat’s champion to gain access to all runes. Hasteful rune for the bowmen breakpoints, prophet for the toughness, embodyment for your own phalanxs and lasty Rally for perma Law/ironskin (wuidjo also did a video showing u can spam bombardment with this rune thanks to the 2set resetting akkhans).
So pathetic in 2H builds. I wonder if ditch Stricken entirely and adopt PE to snapshot 12f 2.5642 att spd , 6f is not realistic (4.7620) by using Eternal union. Need a toughness option to remove unity though. Unity is pathetic in my eyes. I guess for generic playstyle, FnR is more straight forward
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If anyone is curious what Akkhan Bombardment is like without Norvald, using Akkhan’s Addendum w/ Rally, I managed to get ahead of timer on a really dense GR140 map. Definitely can do GR140. Taking Norvald without Prophet was not working out so well, but I didn’t try this without Phalanx using the bugged CDR tricks Landy reported, which may let me keep one more defensive ability.
There was a ton of build depth to explore playing with F&R, with and without high Block % and without Invoker 2pc, and even without Crimson.
The most stable build was the Akkhan Addendum one w/ F&R. Bombs do about 75T damage.
Oh, I also played it hybrid with Condemn doing damage too, weak sauce for push, but okay for speeds.
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I hope Blizzard can modify it directly according to the proposal of Dmkt. In addition, I still hope that in version 2.7.4,Invoker and FoTH can be buffed 3GR.
Are the Condenm Damage on the shoulders and clothes still not working on Akkhan Avatars in PTR phase 2?
They did nothing with Akkhan.
Crusader got nothing, sanctified Powers + Akkhan got no change. This is bs.
Yes the Angels were changed but sorry, no crusader build wants to slot that skill
Theyll probably address phalanx or akkhan next update if it does come out by the end of the testing phase.
Otherwise, theyll most likely flesh out phalanx in general and the set next season in around 3 months or so by adding more phalanx specific items and an akkhan rework.
I am doing about 50% less damage, not sure why. Gonna keep testing.
It feels very nerfed – not sure if my character is somehow bugged.
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The Avatar AI is still sub-brick and the leash range is way too long.
I like the general concept of the Akkhan Phalanx, the gameplay is quite straightforward but dumb AI and the Avatars not following the player close enough makes the build a lot more clunkier than it should be.
I found the AI to be fine originally, the radius of Condemn is forgiving so the leash can be longer, it feel super tight compared to before.
I’ve done GR132 in 13:38 after the July 26th patch. At present the superbly neutered Bombardment build is stronger than this A6 Condemn abomination.
I died often in GR132… like what the hell happened here?
What would make me lose close to 6.58x damage or 12 Tiers?
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I did a 115 just to see how powerful the angels are with Rolands. Usually i start hitting walls around 110. 1 keyed a 115 on a bad map, so the angels are pretty decent.
Tried a 120 with A6. Holy stuggles lol. Have yet to finish a map with it. Not that Im trying to finish it, just getting disappointed and remaking the grift…
Just started testing but Enforcer and Phalanx% no longer affect Condemn dmg now. Will keep testing. (Side note: Enforcer not working may be a problem, since Bowmen are not immune to damage and dying. IDK how their toughness scales but Enforcer made them effectively invulnerable)
Lord Commander and Warhelm don’t buff Condemns either.
Condemn% blue text is working on condemns, in the DIBS bucket (additive with Heavenly Strength, Holy Cause, Enemy debuffs, etc.)
The bug whereby delayed detonation Condemns were losing 21.6x multiplier was fixed. All runes should be usable without crippling your dps.
Falling Sword-Rise Brothers continue to not cast condemn and not be affected by Eternal Union.
Baleful Remant avatars do appear to cast full damage condemns now (I haven’t tested all modifiers yet) however they continue to not be affected by Eternal Union.
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