Marauder's In-Depth Feedback

PTR Feedback
1

I appreciate the rework of this set. I am writing to share feedback on Marauder’s, I’ll try to keep it concise:

GETTING TO THE POINT :point_down:

  • The shift in power to the turrets is amazing.
  • Autofiring turrets are lackluster, but the potential is there.
  • Multishot is balanced as an A+ tier build. Keep as is. (Low-Mid 142-145s @ 5-6k paragon)
  • Cluster Arrow needs +6 GRs to be desirable. (see buff suggestions below)
  • Maybe upgrade Elemental Arrow and Chakram legendary items to support nostalgia.

MARAUDER’S FEEDBACK
I am very fond of this set. I have logged at least 1000 hours with the modern version of it (Sentries cast hatred spenders when you do). Autofiring Sentries offer roughly +4GRs to key skills: Chakram/Elemental Arrow.

Special thanks to Dieoxide, Mugsy and sKaKe and others for explaining the 3-Tiers of Autofiring Spenders, Theorycrafting and exposing APS breakpoints. You can click on their names to see key their contributions and learn more.

Multishot
On PTR, I cleared GR142 in 11:58 with Multishot – I was served a great map, Festering Woods with small dense trash, Conduit mid-map and a Power Pylon for boss fight. I predict my ceiling for M6 Multishot is GR144 at 6k paragon with 1000 keys. I was happy to see how effective the Arsenal rune is. It now has a place for top GR pushes with M6.

I strongly believe M6 Multishot is balanced with A+ tier builds across all classes. I estimate its power falls between LoD Bomb and WW/Rend. My vote is to keep it as is. I wouldn’t make any further changes to the 6pc bonus based on the data available on the PTR leaderboard.

Cluster Arrow
I spent time pushing the 4 major Cluster Arrow runes: Loaded for Bear, Maelstrom, and Shooting Stars. I even tried Cluster Bombs with Hellcat (it didn’t work of course). I cleared GR135 with LfB, I was served Battlefields, the conditions were average – it wasn’t memorable. I estimate a personal max clear of GR138-139. Ironically I used Yang’s Recurve to pump out more Cluster Arrows, the 50% RCR was invaluable for Damage, Mobility and Defense. That all said, Cluster Arrow needs 6GRs in upgrades to be desirable. There are a few ways to accomplish this:

1. Consider Adjusting the Autofiring Rate of Cluster Arrow
Change the Tier-3 autofiring rate of Cluster Arrow to Tier-1, matching the player’s APS. It should automatically give 4GRs. Players can approach 6GRs by equipping Odyssey’s End, which is dangerous for the player to use. (an old, yet new way to play)

2. Upgrade or Create Supporting Legendary Items

Manticore
Reduces the Hatred cost of Cluster Arrow by 50% and increases its damage by 300% 900%.

Fast and easy. It just makes Cluster Arrow stronger.

Balefire Caster
New Effect: Increases the damage of your Grenades and Rockets by 250%.

This only buffs a portion of the damage dealt by Cluster Arrow, hence the higher damage multiplier. The other cool thing about this upgrade is that is the Player becomes stronger than the Turrets when choosing the Cluster Bombs rune and equipping Hellcat Waistguard – a possible variant for groups. It simultaneously benefits GoD6 Grenades and LoD Rapid Fire builds by roughly 8GRs making them approach GR137-139 territory.

This upgrade is gives the most bang for the buck.

Helltrapper
10% 20% chance on hit to summon a Spike Trap, Caltrops or Sentry and recover 20% of your resources. Sentries attack 100% faster and deal 75% more damage.

Recommended to address key issues. This gives at least ~5.00 Hatred/sec and 2.64 Discipline/sec in procs. Faster Sentries from procs, more attacks and vaults from the extra resources. It forces an engaging playstyle too.

This is incompatible with M6 Multishot as DML, Yang’s Recurve and Bombardier’s Rucksack are superior from a damage standpoint. They grant ~7-10GRs each, whereas Helltrapper really ramps up Tier 1 Spender dps.

Elemental Arrow and Chakram
I leveraged the autocasting Sentries by equipping Odyssey’s End. It was surprisingly fun and quite active. The survival was horrid when attempting Tasker & Theo in the cube. I had an amazing Battlefields with Swarms and a Conduit. I died A LOT, but I was 45 seconds ahead of the timer on GR135, until the next map. I got to the guardian with 0 seconds left, and it took too long to kill it. I rate this -4GRs below Cluster Arrow, but the play style is cool.

Is there an opportunity to buff Elemental Arrow and Chakram? Buffs to Augustine’s Panacea and Sword of Ill Will in tandem with some DR will go a long way. These two skills haven’t been spotlighted since I started playing seriously in 2.4.2, it could help support the nostalgia factor where the autofiring turrets fell short.

CONCLUSIONS
All-in-all, we’re most of the way towards having a great set that can be used to relive the glory days of Marauder, while also providing something fresh for DH. Many thanks for listening to our feedback. :pray:

31 Likes
2

The number one most important change Marauder’s needs is to remove Multishot. There’s no reason to have two sets that focus on a single ability.

Otherwise, great ideas.

Edit: One other thing that Marauder’s should get, is to add the +2 Sentries to the 2pc bonus. No other set cares about extra sentries. And that would open a big window to having additional support items for Cluster Arrow, Chakram, and Elemental Arrow.

7 Likes
3

Super fun to play with on the PTR. Also agree with the above post by CAVENDAR about the 2 set bonus being changed to +2 Sentries.

Now hang your heads in shame for how bad the Witch Doctor Arachyr Set currently is.

1 Like
4

zDH does and has no room for 2pc marauder. They should rather add “60% dmg reduction while at least one sentry is active” to the 2p

3 Likes
5

I thought that too when I first saw the notes, especially when the 4pc bonus was kept at 400%. “It’s going to overshadow Cluster Bombs as well as UE6.” After reliving it, I found Multishot variant is the most fun. This was due to the visuals, strategy of placing turrets along the wall and corners, retreating the trash and ensuring the spray is maximized. With Cluster Arrow LfB, you are placing the turrets on top of enemies packs, trying to max AD around the explosion radius.

Whereas UE6 Multishot is entirely about the Player micromanaging resource to max as many multishots possible against as many targets possible in the densest of settings. UE6 favors Full Broadside, M6 favors Arsenal. They are all different.

The reality is that UE6 and Multishot are not played anymore today and it might take years for DHes to see them revised. I encourage embracing the A+ Tier build upon us.

You’re wanting to replace the Rucksack. What happens to the current Rucksacks, remove the legendary effect? Why even go there when Rucksack is worth ~179-200% damage depending upon how you roll the 6th affix.

I sense concern with long term plans to make certain skills viable on UE6, but there are solutions involving restricting Kridershot/Chakram legendary effects to the player: see examples:

  • Your Chakram deals 500% increased damage.
  • Your Elemental Arrow now casts Molten Arrow which scorches the ground for 2500% weapon damage over 2 seconds.

The Path of Least Resistance

M6 Multishot: Leave as is.
M6 Cluster Bombs: Manticore → 900%
M6 Elemental Arrow: Augustine’s Panacea → 1100% damage | 300% slow ball
M6 Chakram: Sword of Ill Will: → 5.0%

6 Likes
6

No just buff the other spenders to the power level of multishot. It’s pretty obviously not the first time multiple sets have boosted the same ability. For instance this season GoD/UE/M6/Nats all buff Hungering Arrow which is pushed by the majority of people for those sets.

3 Likes
7

Not to mention nearly every monk set boosts Wave of Light. Then there’s sets that operate with channeling skills for the Wizard which is why most of run Deathwish and Disintegrate.

There’s plenty of examples where sets boost the same skill or skills that operate in similar ways.

Edit:

But also, I’d really appreciate the boost to SoIW if these recommendations are acted upon.

2 Likes
8

Not replace. Rework. If the +2 Sentries were on the Set, then Rucksack could have a more interesting legendary effect that boosted CA or Chakram.

9

I understand you now. That makes Rucksack worth like 80% on it’s own if the 100% sentry damage affix is kept. Rucksack gets the legendary effect: Sentries fire 100% faster. Increases the damage of Secondary Skills by 100%, This mainly boosts Chakram/Elemental Arrow. Add Multishot to Tier-3 for very slow attack speed and the skills come together a little tighter.

3 Likes
10

I’d personally prefer either:

  1. CA buffed to be better than MS, or
  2. Skill multipliers not apply to sentry damage and sentries buffed. If they do this, they need to fix the sentries to fire more than 1 of your equipped spenders. I had EA, CA and MS equipped and all the sentries fired was CA.

Interesting suggestion.

I’d also like sentries to gain all runes if this was implemented… so the sentries can fire rockets from the fire rune, but also provide that proc for BotT and also some damage reduction.

11

How 'bout changing the affix on Trag’oul’s Coils to work on Sentries and Spike Trap?

The affix would read like this:

“You deploy Sentries and Spike Traps twice as fast.” Meaning you deploy two Sentry’s at a time and the cooldown is cut in half.

This would make the build a bit faster when transitioning between floors. And then can add damage or defense buff if necessary.

1 Like
12

Wraps is a must have item for DR.

13

Not if they add DR to Coils. Something like 10% per Sentry.

Edit: So the affix would read:

“You deploy Sentries and Spikes twice as fast and gain 10% damage resistance for each active Sentry or Spike Trap.”

14

I think no matter what, Marauder’s will always be limited by the time to get sentries out/buffs dependent on #of sentries out etc.

If you’re doing M6 just give us max sentry stacks with 0.1s recharge time, base. This will eliminate the inherent slowness of the set

2 Likes
15

It is not so horrible in push when running with Captain Crimson and 50% CDR. 3 Charges stored up, then you have to wait 8 seconds for the other 2 charges. Descending into a short floor does kinda stink.

I wouldn’t mind if they allowed the Sentry to charge all the way up to max: 5 charges. And when you open a new game, they are fully charged. Fishing is slightly irritating, you either wait in town for 12 seconds before opening a GR, or start a new rift with 1 charge, then wait 16 seconds to deploy all 5.

2 Likes
16

I just think it’s a bit wrong to a defensive item used for Marauder’s that requires a Primary when your sentries don’t fire primaries. I can understand Primaries doing less damage because they’re primaries but with Marauder, whenever you fire your primary your doing over 83% less damage, plus however much your primary does when compared to your spenders.

It’s too much of a damage loss to use Primaries unless you absolutely have to. So your either so you build to never have to use a primary with Marauder for your damage to more fair in the difference between primaries and spenders with the set.

17

Classic M6 is cluster arrow. I’d rather play that over multi-shot, but I’m okay with it. The tears won’t flow too hard.

1 Like
18

I loved M6 multishot sentries back in Season 1, can’t wait to try it

2 Likes
19

Any build where you have to drop something often, and in this scenario sentries, is not going to be a speed build, especially when a decent proportion of the damage comes from the sentries.

I assume the sentries have been tested with tasker & theo and the enforcer gem. If so, I have nothing to add other than agreeing the cluster arrow even using the older grenade cluster is still behind the multishot.

1 Like
20

Its faster than you think. 2 minute clears are common times.