Do you find the “Ice Shards Pierce up to 4 times” Aspect Useful?
I have used it this whole time without really thinking about it too much.
But does it actually impact where ricochets happen?
And is the % reduction calculated from the whole damage number or the reduced one at every step?
It’s basically mandatory.
Yes. Each piercing Ice Shard can itself ricochet, which is more AoE damage when you use Frost Nova.
So it ricochets at every point it hits not just the first hit as long as frozen or you have barrier?
Yes. Without the Aspect, Ice Shards wouldn’t have much if any AoE.
I don’t believe it is, because I am using Ice Shard for ST damage.
Now if you are relying on it for AOE that is different.
If you Enchant them they are still going to hit everything.
Let me start over by saying I use Blizzard to freeze everything, but Ice Shards are primarily to clean up and for ST against what I can’t freeze or long range.
I ask this because I had a bright idea and put the aspect on my staff to get 9 pierces.
And yes very good on AOE.
But then I get half damage on my Blizzard spikes.
Unique chest that drags all enemies in with teleport+frostnova = GG
lol I don’t have that I have Razorplate which I am not using anymore…because dangerous.
The Aspect also applies the Enchantment. You’d be right that it’s less critical to your build if you’re using Blizzard or a variant of the Ice Shards build.
So… Imagine there’s an Elite in front of three mobs and between you and those mobs. You use Frost Nova or Blizzard gives them Frozen, with the Aspect, ALL of the instant cast Ice Shards will pierce through the Elite. Without, the Elite will eat them till it dies.
Not really necessary in a blizzard build. Since youll only be using that single target mostly. Shards/nova is what people are assuming you was running and yes it is very necessary.
Are you certain? The way it is worded is “all cast ice shards”
Like I said I used it up till now without thinking too much about it…I never bothered to check if this was the case with the enchanted.
Certain. You’ll fire Ice Shards AT those mobs, but that doesn’t mean the projectile can’t be blocked without the piercing you get from the Aspect.
It’s why positioning is somewhat important with Ice Shards if you’re trying to shotgun a boss, Elite or structure because even WITH piercing… It’s limited and every time is pierces is less damage. Sometimes it really is just better to Frost Nova mobs first then Teleport placing the boss, structure etc between you and the now Frozen mobs.
You can test it yourself by just removing your staff, if you want.
I mean I have all 3.
I am not using Nova to freeze though, more to apply Vuln to a group or boss. Or if something gets too close.
I mean you’re not wrong XD
Oh yeah I died a whole bunch more using that but it is kinda slick.
I just reworked my 3rd paragon board and may try it again. But I would lose my +4 Blizzard because it is on the other chest piece I am using now.
I am just waiting for my necro to get to the level where I can use it with Fortify. 