Focused Akkhan 2.7.4 Feedback

PTR Feedback
41

They can work like a Tall Man’s finger.

Phalanx summons half the number of Avatars, but they now hit 250-300% harder.

It cancels out the effect Unrelenting Phalanx but makes them hit 4x harder.

Unrelenting Phalanx + Eternal Union
4 Bowmen @ 300% vs 8 Bowmen = 100% Damage Boost

If they made Eternal Union compatible with other abilities, Falling Sword and Baleful Remnant would yield…

Unrelenting Phalanx + Falling Sword + Eternal Union
4 Bowmen + 2 Bodyguards (50% Boost)

Baleful Remnant + Falling Sword + Eternal Union
2 Bowmen + 4 Bodyguards + 2 Bodyguard = 8 Avatars (100% boost - 60% Additive Phalanx % Damage)

You’d coordinate Falling Sword with your CoE cycle for max damage.

Btw, just cleared GR141 in 14:21 (thank you Orek’s Dream)

42

Yeah you’re right, EU needs a multiplier on top of its effect, assuming they want Baleful/Rise Brothers to be a thing. The melees attack rate is worse than bowmen and certainly will have more repositioning issues than bowmen on account of being melee, thus attacking even less often. Unless they want EU to be a speculative increase that can perform better or worse in certain circumstances, it needs the multiplier.

Or they could not care about Baleful/Rise Brothers at all and then EU would be a rather plain x% dmg increase.

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43

When you say you think another 100% damage would do the trick, do you mean total damage, Phalanx damage, or Condemn damage?

I assume you mean total or Condemn? But maybe you mean Phalanx damage based on the items you listed, and I don’t think another 100% Phalanx damage will change much…

I’d like to see them buff Phalanx damage for a few reasons though (but much more than 100%). It would open up possibly different weapon/item combinations. It makes a LoD Bombardment/Bowmen build a possible playstyle with Mortal Drama, Baleful Remnant, and Unrelenting Phalanx - which based on the Lord Commander passive… You’d think these 2 skills would be used together. And lastly… you do damage without having to cast Judgment all the time. Which means you could potentially be doing damage on your Steed Charge and what not. Won’t be the best damage. But it opens up alternatives imo.

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But uhh, I’m still curious about Baleful Remnant and Falling Sword: Rise Brothers

If both of those are “fixed,” assuming they’re broken/bugged, their damage working like the regular summoned Phalanx Avatars could be plenty of damage to put this build on a high tier.

Except when you get to the RG. You’ll probably lose the Baleful Remnant summons on the RG and struggle there.

44

Hi Jako, I’m leaning towards a multiplicative damage bonus that just influences how hard Phalanx Condemn hits, it should be a separate multiplier with the same type of properties as say Enforcer (Phalanx Pet Damage). We just need 2x damage on the Eternal Union ring to get into GR144-145 adjusted clear territory, which makes the build A-Tier… until some insane player pushes the envelop.

If they did this, the A6 Condemn Bowmen stuff must die because its damage is currently being influenced by Pets and Phalanx % mods. I know the build you want to play, you can sort of set this up on Akkhan right now without Norvalds. It will work, but will be sort of weak. Roll Bombs on Shoulders and Chest, equip Mortal Drama, and go very defensive try to survive without AC.

I’m worried about these two effects from a lag standpoint, not sure yet after the patch – we can’t know if both don’t proc Condemn!

45

It’s hard to judge lag on the PTR, which is unfortunate since there’s so many effects/powers this patch which can cause lag.

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46

Just downed a GR142 in 14:51. I had a solid connection to the server the whole time – no lag. No crazy density though, just some meaty Anarchs/Winged Assassins.

47

can you try no rune build see how it works for a big density map?

48

Ah ok, so enforcer works. I remember Zei was also a nice alternative with that Archer and Bomb built, might work for condemn as well with archers and even that poison gem when your gems are still ranked around level 25 in early season, though it falls off quickly later. Thanks for the work and info.

49

Zei’s works okay as a third gem, you can go without it in casual push — i used Zei’s a few times but it didn’t feel like any big gain over stricken before the guardian. Since i take Punish to reach the 18th frame breakpoint, i need to stay in close range.

So i peg elites with Punish to help move their health bar down quicker. In one full CoE cycle the elite can take -50% more damage via Stricken.

PE was supposed to be awesome, but the breakpoint is very far away and it takes thick density which Judgement cannot make, it must be self made prior to casting it, which wastes valuable seconds.

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50

During my testing ive found the shield charge rune to be superior in trash because the additional damage at the area procs another condemn but the pet build is superior for single target because of taskers and sheet speed they use condemn. I actually want to combine both builds.

Eternal Union: Perodically (15 seconds) cast Phalanx - Bowmen and Bodyguard and increase their duration by 200% (so bowmen last 15 seconds).

This would allow you to combine both specs but I feel it’s still not enough.

Blade of prophecy: Increase condemn damage by 800%. Condemn gains the Unleashed rune and casts twice.

Unconditional casting twice for the RG and will not affect trash dps. Unleashed because the build is useless without it, you die once your surrounded without instant damage. Giving the unleashed rune frees up a slot or allows you to take another rune and frankly condemns runes are subpar so I also want to suggest a few changes.

Eternal Retaliation: Enemies hit by condemn take 20% additional Damage.

With the shield, this rune went obsolete. Giving it an additional damage buff would help not only crusaders but Zcrusader come back.

Reciprocate: Condemn now unleashes after 5 seconds dealing 1,856% weapon damage as fire.

Not much to say about this, 40% longer build up and 60% more damage but combined with the BoP unleash rune it’s just a damage boost.

Lasty as a lot of people have mentioned the judgement doe’s feel clunky so I also suggest another change to 2 set that also helps both itself and Zcrusader.

Akkhans 2 set: Your laws effects are doubled and reduce the cooldown by 50%. While your Laws are active, Phalanx also apply condemn while attacking.

Akkhans 4 set: Enemies hit by Phalanx reduce Akarat’s Champion and Ironskin cooldown by 0.5 seconds.

Akkhans 6 set: Akarat’s Champion gains the effect of all runes. While Akarat’s Champion is active, you deal 2000% increased damage and take 50% less damage.

I’m using Valor to hit the 18 frames breakpoint for Phalanx - Bowmen. the 2 set is another buff for Zcrusader in inchange for losing judgement and making it MUCH more convient for phalanxs to apply condemn. You can think of it as the champion’s “aura”. Also perma 16%/30% attack speed again for breakpoints and extra crit dmg…

The 4 set was to give a bit of love back to Thorns bomb with ironskin.

The 6 set to give Akarat’s Champion all runes is because… that’s the set? Also 15% additional AS would go a long way to reach the bowmen breakpoint. Right now im having to run AS on both rings, with law and have punish harden senses up to get the breakpoint for 33% more dps.

Phew that was a lot… hopefully theres something useful in there to take away.

PS: When is hack being changed to give 80-100% thorns and Hollowed Bulwurk being changed for ironskin to have all runes/Increase duration? :stuck_out_tongue:

4 Likes
51

Someone proposal bowmen should follow the Cru more closely.

52

If able to combine it with the playstyle, those bowmen make good meat shields anyway for distance damage like bloodstars if have 8 of them out, so having them closer would be nice. Might be a bit harder with punish though.

53

Can’t agree more. I d like to see more diversity in this build.

  • Unruned has wrath issues
  • Melee avatar has function issues
    Bowmen is cookie cutter, I want to see more melee avatar actions, especially need to fix grouping issues. Judgment need to remove its immobilize ability or rework mass verdict pull effect to ignore immobilize effect, so you need to make rune trade decisions for judgment on other builds.

I think we should work on primary functionality issues as Landy points out before working on buffed multipliers and toughness issues. Overall, the playstyle is creative, but raw.

EDIT: I have cleared 125 in season PTR average map. If extreme pushing, I can probably clear 133 ish with current 1K paragon/15K STR. But that’s more ZB playstyle over condemn true performances.

2 Likes
54

I want Akkhan to be trash killer for 150!

1 Like
55

‘Judgment need to remove its immobilize ability’
100% agree,Akkhan must cast Judgment all the time,plz remove its immobilize ability just like Bone Armor,we hope cast Judgment while running.

56

Bracer of Fury and Hammer Jammers uses Immobilize to proc their damage, I dont think its good to solve a problem by creating more problems. With the s27 Barb angelic power - Whirlwind pulls ignore all knock back CC, I am leaning towards Mass Verdict rune to pull in mobs ignoring their crowd control.

2 ways can come out the proposal:
-A Mass Verdict still cause Immobilize but ignores it when pull OR
-B Mass Verdict lose the Immobilize function but gain ability to pull mobs regardless of mob CC status.

I am leaning towards B, as OP grouping may cause issues in other builds. B also forces you to trade between raw power output vs concentrated damage output.

1 Like
57

Very bright analysis,Thx.

58

BTW we missed the biggest feeback… the hell PTR has 6pc Akkhan at 1500%?? hope its just a display bug, not real ninja nerf. If Ninja nerf, thats 500% emotional damage right there.

59

I hope the DEVS reconsider this build and basically put it back the way it was.
It was far from perfect before, but it worked. This does not in its current form and kills almost any other build that used to have a modicum of fun.

60

Not sure what happened after 2.6.10. People talk like it’s always been this way even though the live set bonus says 2000%.

I completed GR143 in 13:30 using Lord Commander passive, not that it made much of a difference over Holy Cause.

This build has grown on me since starting. I do like it.

3 Likes