First Impressions on the Hydra Set?

v2.6.8.66666 (love the build number) :japanese_ogre:

Tested LoD Mammoth Hydra. Tried a few non-seasonal iterations, ended up with an Ice Climber + Stone Gauntlet + Teleport build that was easier to manage defensively.

Good Things
  • Hydra attacking slow after summon appears to be fixed for all runes. Haven’t tested with Typhon’s yet, but definitely will be much more fluid for low GR and Nephalem speeds.
  • Haven’t tested the Set head death order yet, but if it indeed has been fixed for FIFO then that’s also good.
  • Per other players, shields issue with TV 4pc bug is fixed.
  • It’s Hydra!

Clear Potential

Cleared GR122 with <10 keys, and this is with primal weapon, unaugmented at 21k INT (about 2000 paragon equivalent).

Test Build, note: ran Evocation in the video, but perfect gearing with CDR glove, shoulder would allow to run EE as a passive, at the cost of 20% AD and 10% toughness.

https://ptr.d3planner.com/721355698

I think with better RNG on the rift, and perhaps a slightly better gameplay or build, GR124 is readily possible at this power level, and GR125 with higher level of effort (~200 keys).

Compare this to seasonal, where you get Echoing Fury and OID, a 1.4x multiplier and an AS increase that places your hydras at 1.67x damage. Granted, EF would not be up all the time, so assuming with 3/4 uptime, you’re talking about a total of ~1.75 multiplier over Non-seasonal. This is about 3.5 GRs increase.

Rounding up, we might clear GR129 in season at 2k paragon, if lucky and a good player, using a good build. This is really low, if you compare with Vyr Chantodo, which can already topple GR130 at this same paragon non-seasonal, and in season will likely hit around GR133, with great effort.


Non-Seasonal LoD Mammoth Playstyle

Non seasonal LoD definitely lacks toughness in comparison to the seasonal (which can include OID). You’re forced to manage this lack of toughness by either using APDs or Stone Gauntlets+ABBs, meaning no Ranslors.

The non-seasonal LoD Mammoth build itself is not quite as interesting to play compared to an archives seasonal build. However, it maintains moderate level of interest. Defensively we are worried about:

  • Channeling uptime during CoE
  • Making sure Squirt’s is active
  • Positioning of Hydras
  • Storm armor / Karini uptime.
  • Getting hit for Stone Gauntlets / or freezing for APDs (happens all the time in density). IMO, Halo of Arlyse + APDs is much more engaging on this front, but that’s too low of toughness in comparison to these other options + Halo of Karini.

While this is a good base, I don’t think this is enough to make it overly engaging, especially offensively.

Edit: since having adjusted cooldown, the etched sigil procced Spellsteal does add some interest offensively, as it scales damage with density, more regularly procs, and allows pulls of enemies into the river of flame.

Edit: Teleport also makes the build slightly more engaging as you can use this tool offensively by Teleporting to an Oculus ring spawn, or defensively to avoid heavy elite affixes. It also helps move through the rift.

With the seasonal LoD Mammoth build, i really enjoyed items like:

  • Echoing Fury
  • Ranslor

Also enjoyed with Hydra in general:

  • Pain Enhancer
  • Taeguk

These drastically modified how the build was played, and even make the Hydras attack faster, which felt great. The 30 frame Hydra BP especially, feels really slow to me.


Channeling

The channeling changes requiring 1 full second before damage goes into effect make it such that it is really annoying when you get CC’d (fear, knockback, stun), and this build doesn’t have room for any significant CC other than Spellsteal (on an 11 second base cooldown).

This is probably why I gravitated towards the Ice climbers.

While this does make CC immune and reducing items such as Invigorating and krelm’s more of an option, in a push you’d likely just be fishing for a more perfect rift with very few cc capable elites.

I really don’t like the changes to channeling requiring 1s. We used to be able to still benefit from CoE some if we were crowd controlled during our cycle. Now, even one knockback means you’re losing out on that 3x multiplier for a significant chunk of damage.

The feedback on channeling is also not as swift. By this I mean: the instant gratification of Channeling and seeing the increased damage was more satisfying.

Maintaining a channel used to feel important, now it just feels disconnected.

We used to be able to weave spells without detriment. Now we have to plan ahead, to match CoE.


Overall Impressions

It just feels really lackluster, especially with my having PTR experience with the same build in season, with archives bonus.

It’s a really bad combination to have to deal with channeling on this build after a severe nerf to channeling, and then combine that with a decrease to Hydra multiplier items as compared to PTR.

This build is more on the level of LoD meteor shower at the moment in non-season. I doubt it will be used over Vyr Chantodo.

IMO, Frozen orb, Meteor shower, Twister, EB all need increases to make them more competitive (those balance changes can be saved for later though).

Hydra should at least compete with Vyr Chantodo on an equal level in Non-season.


Recommendations

Multiplier increase to balance Hydra in general:

  • Increase the multiplier to SS, Magistrate, going up to 6x, 6x multipllier (500%). EDIT: revised values after looking at NS Hydra vs NS chantodo, even at 5.5x, the build would still need +1 GR to compete.

Balance Typhon’s Veil with LoD:

  • Increase Typhon’s 6pc to 1400% to 1500% per head.

Not required, but would be nice:
Shift multiplier from Magistrate to Serpent Sparker:

  • This would free a slot if the player so chooses, and allow for more diversity with Typhon’s Veil and slightly more with Non-seasonal LoD.

Supporting Math

If I have time, I’ll try out Typhon’s again.


EDITs:

  • 3/5/2020: Managed clear of GR122 Non-seasonal. Could definitely clear 123 with better gear (missing 8.3% damage from LoD and cleared without DMG% on weapon) also cleared a minute ahead of the timer, so some minor breathing room there. With a good rift, and swapping in EE, I can definitely see a GR124 possible. However, updated my Chantodo’s estimate as I felt it was a bit low (by at least 1GR). As a result, differences did not change, and recommended increase remains the same.
  • 3/6/2020: Added Test clear GR122 NS, <10 keys spent.
  • 3/6/2020: changed opinion on playstyle. After build adjustments and placing more CDR, Spellsteal actually adds some interest offensively, so I’ve reworded the playstyle section to voice that. Teleport also helps interest. Made note of that as well.
  • (3/7/2020) EDITED: 6x down from 6.5x and 1400%-1500% down from 1550%-1650%. This is due to more playtesting with LoD and Typhon’s Veil, could potentially clear 1 GR higher than originally mapped. Typhon’s is significantly closer to LoD than I originally thought, this is due to my overlooking the extra gem slot. Edited values and estimates for LoD increased by 1 GR.
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