Wizard Patch 2.6.10 Changes

Even that would have been okay… the core issue is that all three channeling items buff all damage. We can ignore Mantle since it’s only 25%, but Deathwish is the real cancerous item here. What they should have done is:

• double Deathwish buff but limit it to channeling skill damage only
• triple Etched Sigil buff, affecting only channel skills and autocasts

That’s still a harsh nerf to current channeling builds, but at least it leaves room for improvement to build around. If they feared the interaction with Hydra, they could have excluded pets from being autocasted… job done. But no, they just had to carpet nerf channeling (again)…

2 Likes

I’m happy to see the all signatures addition to FoD, and also the AO buff to the wizard spike. I do wish signature spells could get a bit more love on their respective sources though. For the wizard spike, could we please increase the chance to hurl a Frozen Orb? Why not 100%? This would make a lot of interesting options for builds. Also, PLEASE add “Arcane Orb now Pierces.” to the wizard spike! Having AO pierce would buff up the arcane runes a lot. Obliterate would be amazing when popping a pile of enemies if it pierced through and exploded on impact. Small change making a huge difference. Need it please.

@Also, PLEASE add “Arcane Orb now Pierces.” to the wizard spike! Having AO pierce would buff up the arcane runes a lot

Arcane Orb is the only one who is not piercing. just buff the the AO numbers of the non-Frozen Orb Runes… i will never understand why they only buffed Frozen orb many patches ago.

@ triple Etched Sigil buff, affecting only channel skills and autocasts
The Autocast was a problem as well. It removed almost the whole Arcane Power Management for Wizards. It would made many builds to a channeling build even without Deathwish.

If the damage modifiers for Death Wish and Etched Sigil were made for only the channeling skills, then the autocast effect of Etched Sigil wouldn’t be much of an issue, especially if the loss power the dw + es combo was properly reallocated to the appropriate legendary items (even more so if fragment and winter flurry dmg modifiers were made global).

1 Like

I dont think its possible to balance the autocastfeature.

  • Either the casted spells do not enough damage --> no one will play it
  • The Autocasted spells do the same damage as casted one --> everyone will play it
    Mabye its possible to balance stuff like this for one Skill as Blizz try in this patch. but not for many different skills.

I am totally on your side that deathwish and ES should only be an issue for Channeling spells. i would also like an buff to the RoF Orb and the unused Arcane torrent runes. Like i wrote in the Arcane Orb thread. The useless Arcane passive would be a nice option.

Really disappointed to see this change to Etched. I’m a filthy casual and typically “do my own thing” without following the latest and greatest build trends. I’ve always liked channeling builds and Etched has been my go to for a long time. Thumbs down on this one, Blizzard. Boo!

If anything I wouldn’t mind if they gave etched sigil the following effect:

Arcane Torrent, Disintegrate, and Ray of Frost damage is increased by 300%, and you also cast one of your other damaging Arcane Spenders for 75% of their damage every second.

I mean it would be fine if the autocasted skills didn’t deal as much damage the manually casted skills as the main benefit of going death wish and etched sigil would be to buff your channeling skills. The autocasted skills could just be a support (or just added damage) for the channeling skills instead of the other way around.

That said, I’ll wait until the ptr launches before furthering stating my disdain for the patch. But I’m definitely in an agreement with a buff towards Ray of Frost.

What does it mean for the proc rate of Paralysis in combination with Electocute - Chainlightning, Manald Heal, The Shame of Delsere, Myken’s Ball of hate, Velvet Camaral?

That should lead to different break points.

Just for an old fun build like of this character of mine: Ravolos#2713 - Community - Diablo III

It’s clear, that it won’t clear GR 150 :stuck_out_tongue:

P.S.: Perhaps Cratic has a second :wink: He should remember this play style!

Any chance to mix that with LoD and Hydras with 2.6.10?

Thanks :slight_smile:

Last I remember is they removed the interaction between Hydra and Manald Heal. Either that or they severely nerfed it

FoD should allow Paralysis to proc more often with skills like Electrocute, yes. The breakpoints will shift with having both Shame and FoD.

Electrocute is a speed co=2 if I remember, this is unique, but stricken stacks poorly.

Fragment of Destiny allowing all signature skills is a nice QoL change! I’d love to sink my teeth into a nice Magic missile, Electrocute, or Shock Pulse build (living lightning anyone?). :grinning:

Sad that both MH proc damage, synergy with other items, and Signature damage is still unchanged. The damage still isn’t where it would need to be for those builds to compete.

If the intent is to promote Hybrid builds by combining Hydra damage and Signature damage on the same item, I’m of the strong opinion that this is the wrong way to go about doing it. It forces the player into one Hybrid playstyle to fully take advantage of said item, instead of letting them choose their own.

As I’ve said above, I think the Spectral buff would work well on Typhon’s Veil. Sets are positioned uniquely such that they CAN limit player choice into a certain playtstyle, and that’s okay, because we always have LoD to fall back on if we prefer not to be limited, for example, by using a signature to gain our Spectral Stacks for Hydra multiplier. As the spectral buff is on Fragment of Destiny though, it would put this restriction on ALL Hydra builds.

We won’t be seeing any Hybrid builds exist from Fragment of Destiny likely soon, (and maybe ever). Signature skills still don’t have the support needed. On top of this, to successfully Hybrid, the damage between the two abilities have to be balanced relatively the same, otherwise you’re wasting itemization (less DPS).

Things that would go a long way to allowing us Hybrid:

  • More slots available to itemize. Need Space for BOTH skill bound multiplier items. On top of this, space for toughness or Utility (OID,AW,EF,IG,Karini,SG+IC etc.).
  • DPS increasing items that boost damage of both skills are very appealing. This is why we saw some hybrids with Hydra / Meteor channeling in S20 that were… okay damage wise. DW+ES were those type of items that multiplied both skills damage. Combined with the low weapon slot investment for Meteor + Hydra it worked out. LoD could fit the armor items too. The new FoD allowing all signature skills is great because it could potentially allow for DUAL generator builds to exist in the future! :hugs:
  • Better DPS balance between differing skills.

That’s why I’m going crazy; the reverse is occurring. We have more and more weapon slots taken away by multipliers that all affect the SAME skill.

EDIT (10/1/2020): Granted DPS increasing items that increase damage of multiple skills taking up multiple weapon slots can cause the same issue (evidence Deathwish), but these items can instead be designed in such a way that there are more class themed, mechanically interesting, interactions in place for activation.

Even though we’ll have a 4th cube slot next season, because of the above, I doubt we’ll have the space needed to reasonably Hybrid.

1 Like

Are we expecting the current ES to be changed during this update, or will the “classic” versions still be the same in NS?

We’ll find out some time tomorrow when the ptr launches. Now honestly speaking, any ES existing prior to the patch should remain unchanged. However, if they are indeed changed (which I imagine could have some members of the community enraged) or rendered useless (such as had their legendary powers disabled), then I wouldn’t be surprise.

I’d expect no one to care in NS if they remain the same.

If they are changed, there will probably be an uproar.

I spent countless hours (true solo, so no split bounties) on farming the 1500+ act mats reforging costs to get my primal ES. You bet I will be very pissed if this horrible patch turns my item into garbage (and anything other than “unchanged” is equal to becoming garbage for me). There should be NO FREAKING REASON to do that since the old affix isn’t game breaking or bugged.

Any news yet on if current es are changed? Praying not.

The patch is out but the ptr is still down.

I’m in now…

Yup. same.

Good news, at least for now:

• existing items are unchanged and work (before and after ptr copy)
• new items have the new affix
• reforging an old item will NOT update to the new affix!

Let’s hope it will stay like this.

6 Likes

Oh thank goodness, i will be so happy if the old ones stay the same. I too worked hard to set up my build in single player and waz pretty gutted to think all that time amd progress was getting thrown out the window.

Let your voices be heard, guys! Post on the PTR how bad Etched Sigil is now. Post how awkward and un-fun Winter Flurry is. We complained about having to use one of 3 channeling spell; so they remove that and make us use one spell that is even more awkward than channeling.

Speak up. Maybe it’ll make a difference. Can’t hurt.

2 Likes