Valla's Bequest, important break points, optimizations and more w/video!

Demon Hunter
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As promised, a slim, easy to understand version of the multi hour stream test last night involving Valla’s Bequest and break points. If you want the long version, link is in the original thread below. Timestamps are in the video description.

Link to the original thread:

                                 WRITTEN SUMMARY

1. Valla’s Bequest does nothing for you on single targets. It triggers when multiple targets around at certain distances due to it’s pierce effect. It is inconsistent.

2. The important breakpoint is 1.50 to 1.666 (1.67 sheet). All of the other breakpoints essentially don’t matter. If you are at this break point, Valla’s bequest does nothing because you are already at maximum amount of allotted shots per frame. To reach this breakpoint for each weapon type, you need the following:

- 2H xbow: Full paragon attack speed, 19%+ quiver, and 1 attack speed roll on gear.
- 2H bow: No paragon points in attack speed, 19% quiver or below. No attack speed roll on gear. (primal quiver is BAD for this setup because 20% AS on quiver).
- 1H + shield: Move around paragon points based on quiver attack speed. No attack speed on gear.
- 1H + quiver and DW: You can’t reach this break point. This is when you use Valla’s Bequest because it essentially makes you “not” being at the optimal break point, “the” optimal break point.

3. Rocket storm rune for strafe has similar effects to Valla’s Bequest. You can slot both, but they both won’t work at the same time, however, they work in situations when the other one doesn’t, so it’s not a terrible idea to do both. Rocket storm is beneficial to all setups and is best in slot rune because of it’s interaction with GoD6. Does work on single targets.

4. Strafe weaving with Valla’s Bequest hurts your damage a little as it breaks up the flow. On the contrary, not strafe weaving won’t keep you at max momentum stacks. May be wise to strafe weave at a slightly slower pace.

5. Bug with using dual or triple generator setups while strafe weaving. When you switch generator, sometimes strafe itself won’t fire the generator you switched to, essentially firing the previous generator you were using. This happens roughly 15% to 20% of the time, meaning you’ll have to really pay attention if you’re running Odyssey’s end for audio and visual cues to “work around” this bug so you don’t lose all chain stacks in the middle of a battle. Unfortunate as the setup is already a handful to play.

This is NOT a one man effort! Many hours have been spent on Valla’s Bequest alone between a number of veterans.

Enjoy!

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The video could have been condensed a bit further! Maybe make a video of this video of the original video!

A list of bullet points would be helpful to summarize all the key points.

That said, I’ll link this video in the other thread since more people are likely to watch a 20 minute video instead of a 2 hour one!

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+1

Written form would be much appreciated.

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Even tho i dont like this set playstyle, im glad that someone took care of it for people who like it. :+1:

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Sure. I wasn’t expecting any replies before i went in to work, so ya I’ll do a summary write up when I get home.

EDIT: Done.

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Thanks so much to all the testers and special thanks to DioEX. for his quickness to write the sum up ! :slight_smile:

P.S. We are good to go for tonight season beginning ! ^^

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Thank you and all who contributed for the great effort! :+1:

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I don’t agree with the conclusion here that Valla’s is useless at particular attack speed breakpoints. Unless you are able to maintain a constant distance from your target during rifts, Valla’s will still have value.

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Thanks for all your hard work!

Am I correct in assuming the above attack speed setups involve attack speed on weapon? Didn’t see that listed.

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Technically, yes, but the benefit would be minor as the chances of spawning additional primaries would be slim. Not to mention, rocket storm would cover for the missing frames while moving, so wouldn’t it have relatively little value?

One also has to consider that if you’re using vallas, you cant reach 1.50 without losing dawn. You could go for the 2.50, but that requires multiple attack speed rolls, thus a huge sacrifice to reach it. I can’t imagine that would be worth it and haven’t seen it on anyone’s gear that ran with vallas.

So ya, technically not worthless, but i can’t see why one would do so unless im missing something.

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In the barb forum post for the WW/Rend build, Free put this table up to illustrate gearing recommendations…

Is it possible to do something similar for the AS Breakpoints and where you can/should/might use Valla’s (and if worn/cubed)??

Even after watching the video I’m still confused (big surprise) about this.

Example - I can get to the 2.51 only by equipping hand xbow, quiver with 19, 7 on gloves and both rings (which are both still pretty good including 1 with 7/6/50)…so should I then be cubing Hunters over Diggers???

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You’re right of course. There is no reasonable situation where you would find yourself being both equipped with Valla’s and within 1.5-1.67 attack speed breakpoint range. So noting that Valla’s does nothing there is apt.

My main point (that I completely failed to convey with my first comment) is that reaching this 9 FPA breakpoint doesn’t necessarily increase your DPS. The total number of frames between strafe damage instances is the number that is important. Your Strafe FPA is only one half of this sum. The other half is the number of frames it takes for your projectile to travel. As you weave in and out in a regular rift, there will be variance in the number of frames between damage instances. That can lead to large gaps where the ICD is over and a new damage instance hasn’t occurred. Thus when compared to a Valla’s setup, this setup will have a lower rate of auto gen fire despite being at the stated FPA,

Rocket Storm certainly helps by increasing the number of damage instances, especially on single target where Valla’s does nothing. But the best way to minimize that delta (average number of frames between auto gen procs minus the ICD) is with Valla’s.

It’s very difficult or impossible to say if that singular advantage to using Valla’s outweighs the opportunity cost of the other setups.

I think if you do choose to go with the FPA mentioned, you also have to make a concerted effort throughout the rift to maintain a consistent distance between your target. Since we’re talking about frames here, I think the only way to consistently do that is to Strafe on top of mobs as much as possible. That way you’ll have a consistent 9 frames in between damage instances and maximize your auto gen rate of fire without Valla’s.

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Oh yeah, what about using Enchantress Focused Mind for the 3% AS boost?

Or is it unlikely to benefit due to her not always being in range with the aura because you are speeding around so much?

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So assuming Valla’s will be used, what legendary gems and passives would be optimal? BotT w/ TotH & CtW? Simplicity’s is a given of course, but curious what everyone might slot for a dw Dawn/Valla’s setup that won’t be getting the defensive benefit from Fortress.

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I generally dislike telling others what to do verbatim. Closest I’ll do is telling someone when something is, or isn’t working. I often try to help one achieve their goals rather than “you must do this or else” with suggestions.

This build has many different options and variations, so in my other GoD6 thread, i laid out every possible skill/gem/amulet/passive/weapon you’d want to consider using and gave a description for each. This way, you can build your own GoD6 based on how you want to play. For that, a chart like the above would not work out.

You don’t want to reach the 2.51 BP. I only highlighted it in the video to explain that it exist. Putting IAS on rings, gloves and weapon, thus losing stats such as CDR, AD, avg damage, % damage etc is sacrificing way too much to achieve something that simply equipping valla’s will take care of. Easy way to think of it is if you want to 1h+quiver or DW, either wear or equip Valla’s so you’re not having to be as finicky about break points.

As far as hunters wrath, there’s not a setup out there in which you won’t use both depth diggers and hunters wrath. You have to cube depth diggers and wear hunters wrath at all times unfortunately.

@Landy. You’re absolutely correct. You’re talking more into how to play the build, whereas I was attempting to keep this as simplistic as possible in terms of explaining the absolute necessities. It’s why I linked the other thread with the 2 hour video that has all of the technical jargon for those that want to see that level of detail. I want to be fair to those that may not enjoy the nitty gritty and just want blunt info.

Taeguk. Most tend to run simplicity strength, stricken and taeguk. If you’re using Odyssey’s End or running with a zDH, then swap taeguk for zei’s or bott. Honestly the only must have gem is simplicity. The others can be swapped depending on needs (speeds, push, bounties, etc).

People seem to rely on FoK and follower for CTW proc, or even simply not use the passive at all when not running bott. Passives used overall will depend on your survivability. There are no “must have” passives for this build to work. You take what you need, more damage or more toughness or more sustain.

No, it does not. I consider weapon as gear. Sorry I didn’t make this clear.

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All Im seeing is a lot of posts telling how to effectively not use Valla’s Bequest…

The focus here, gentlemen, is what yields the most damage overall and that still isn’t really addressed, yes in some of the replies it is…

How do you play Valla’s Bequest most effectively, and how does it work with granting an extra attack (this does not reset CD part of the ICD correct? as in it is actually an extra attack) or does it reset icd because if it doesnt reset icd then the assumption of it not benefitting at a certain APS is incorrect – Testing this would be excruitiating. If it does reset (perhaps I should use the word start) if it starts the cooldown then yes 9 frames per attack seems logical unless travel time is 2-3 frames in which case 6-7 might be but that would vary throughout the rift… in which case youd want to purposely either go faster (this comes at the cost of affixes that could go to damage in other ways) or find a steady frames per attack that allows for most travel time + strafe icd to be 9 frames or less … slightly over works too but then you lose a frame though it might be easier and more consistent

the other thing is also what the cost of Odd + Entangling in attacks lost vs its damage gained other set ups that could be as effective.

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Totally get you here DiE…it was more of the “here’s where this might be useful” in a table format (where’s Micro when you need him lol) for the intellectually challenged like myself sort of thing versus a “you must do this” directive.

I guess it was more of a “ok I want to DW or 1h+Quiv - does Vallas help”

PS - i tried running with the 2.51 setup since I had decent gear for it, but it was a quit after about 2 minutes.

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I sorta did that in the original OP

Maybe you just really want a table lol. I dunno if i can even do that since I don’t have TL3 capabilities. Not to mention you’re in TPA. All you have to do is log in and you have near limitless resources to answer any question :stuck_out_tongue:

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Tables or it didn’t happen.

I think this is what was throwing me off - with either of these options, it’s impossible to be at the 1.50 to 1.667 bp right (I’m at 2.0 or 2.05 or something with FB/Dawn DW) so Valla’s is useful?

I’ve never completely understood BPs other than with MS being to high can drain resources to quickly even with proper setup :slight_smile: .

Well last night I was asking about rolling off the CHC on my FoT for Cold and got nothing but :cricket: :cricket: :cricket: :cricket: :rofl: :rofl: (though tbh it was a little dead for clannies playing at the time).

S21 starts soon so this is moot until I get all the new gear again :innocent: or complete Guardian before I do and then go back to NS to tinker.

seriously need Pez or the new guy to get us some stickies for these threads.

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So your saying if I wear shield I dont put any points into atk speed with paragon points?