Dear Blizzard Devs,
I know that this is a selfish and self-centered kneejerk reaction but as what happens in these patches affects whether or not I continue to play D4 in the future, I feel the need to post this.
As a Sorceress only player who runs a hybrid Lightning/Cold build and has since pre-release, I must say that I hate the change to the Static Surge Legendary node. My build leans heavily on Stun and Freeze for damage and effects. I use Arc Lash and Lightning Spear and the stuns that these produce trigger mana regen from this node. Or rather, it did. Now, it is basically useless to me because I do not use Chain Lightning and I do not cast Charged Bolt (used enchantment slot only). The mana regen allowed me to cast Blizzard regularly. That will not be the case now so my build has gotten a significant nerf.
Overall, It looks to me like the Sorc class did not get much help at all. Certainly, my build, which was far from overpowered got hurt more than helped. I do not feel that I should have to put fire skills on my bar in order to benefit from Sorc buffs.
Thanks for your consideration of my point of view.
7 Likes
Sorc still trash tier in S2 anyway
Yeah it looks like existing sorc builds didn’t get any big favors, they just buffed weak ones.
I think Sorc’s largest problem is still how necessary burning is for damage and defense, which makes fire bolt enchant fairly mandatory on every non burning build.
- Static Surge Legendary Node
- Previous: Stunning Close enemies restores 10 mana.
- New: After spending 100 Mana, your next cast of Chain Lightning or Charged Bolts makes enemies Vulnerable for 2 seconds and grants you 10% of your maximum Mana. This Mana cost requirement is reduced by Mana Cost Reduction bonuses.
This looks like a big buff to me at least for chain lightning and charged bolt builds. The 10 mana per stun was conditional and not needed on later levels. Sorcs have tons of sustain. Free triggers of vuln that are affected by mana cost reductions seems really good guys esp on bosses. Sorcs dont have many options to induce vuln and this still has sustain on it that is probably just as good.
Thanks for including the patch notes. I was about to add it so we know what we are discussing.
For my Hydra Sorc with Charged Bolts build in S1 this is definitely a nerfed on that build. The current Static Surge behavior is a key node on that build to maintain mana. Anything else doesn’t compare when it comes to mana sustain / regen.
So I can see how this could potentially affect other folks who rely on this current interaction. Good thing is my build is just experimental or for fun only but it does add variety to my Hydra builds.
Will I lose sleep on this? Nope. I will find a new build that will utilize this new interaction or just abandon this side build I have (kinda sucks)
I think you are seriously underestimating how good the 10% of you max mana is esp counting in mana cost reductions. I was chain lightning though so I had way more sustain using the 160 max mana build where you gain so much crit chance on aspect from amulet as always over 100 mana.
- Static Surge Legendary Node
Previous: Stunning Close enemies restores 10 mana.
Stunning CLOSE enemies was a serious problem and a slap in the face to the Spell Slinger fantasy. The best mana regen talent forcing you to play close range is cringe.
I am happy I’ll no longer be forced (heavily incentivized) to be in close range.
I don’t think it’s an underestimation. We have different builds so probably for your build, this looks good in paper (in paper because right now it is just patch notes).
But I can tell the existing one really works well for my Hydra Sorc with Charged Bolts. The mana sustain and regen are good. In paper, I have to spend 100 mana first to get 10% mana back with the new interaction. I don’t know how fast that would refill my mana but with the existing one, I am pretty sure I can spam Charged Bolts. I am not convinced the new one is better for MY build until I can try it in Eternal because my old Sorc in S1 will now go to Eternal once S2 drops.
Edit: I guess with mana reduction, that initial 100 can drop down to something like 60
I like finding my own builds and do not like being forced to use certain skills to be successful. Thus my refusal to include a fire spell in my build. I have been playing this build since beta and have refined it so it is efficient and plays the way I like to play. I have tried both Chain Lightning and Charged Bolt during my development process for the build I use. Neither worked well in it. Why? Because of lack of enough mana to support using one of them and my other spell that is core to the build.
This node was one of only two Legendary nodes on the whole Paragon board that was truly beneficial to my build. That will no longer be the case with it being totally changed.
I can change up the build but that will erase several synergies that make it work which means that what I end up with will be about as much like my present build as this node will be compared to what is was. Meaning: not at all the same.
Why didn’t they just add another Legendary node with the new affects and leave the mana generating node alone instead of completely obliterating it? Or if they needed to find a way to make it more widely usable then maintain the original affect but add the new attribute as an additional benefit?
Disappointed in this change.
3 Likes
hmmm, i see where you are coming from, i too wish they at least kept the mana when stunned, if i was to slot this in now, i would only gain .6 more mana.
and now it seems the requirements to gain manner are niche meaning i cant use it for mana upkeep using teleport stuns. now you need to take CL or CB , making it forced vulnerable and skill choice.
I agree this sucks as it was more universal to more applications than it is now.
I dont mind buffs but forcing skills and skill damage type, is for too much on this one imo. so its buffed if you use those to skills, anything outside the box you loose that option now.
All i can say is hopefully you can fit in concertation aspect or unleash glyph, concentration though i believe is currently not giving intended gains,
Stunning CLOSE enemies was a serious problem and a slap in the face to the Spell Slinger fantasy. The best mana regen talent forcing you to play close range is cringe.
The problem is MY fantasy is a Lightning/Cold Battlemage. I have no problem going toe to toe with mobs and bosses because I am stunning/freezing them and using affixes and barriers that provide damage reduction which allows me to survive and kill without taking a ton of damage. With the bosses, I kite and fight until I stagger them and then attack. It is far from OP but it is (or was) a very satisfying playstyle for me.
Some odd changes to sorc, but i wont know until i play it, i was a fire/comtrol, teleport stun build,
The what appears to be a nerf to searing heat, it odd, even at 700% it did not much, so now i only gain 1% every 75 intelligence seems crap. But if other stuff is fixed maybe it evens out,
Trust us like they said, lol. well i hope so, i too enjoyed my sorc build and hope its not crap now. but i am concerned about lack of creative freedom with some changes.
The endless rage staff is odd as slow may have seemed stupid, but it works as a source for the slow after immobilising build, so plenty of sources already for fire damage, so more fire damage, lol. idg that one?
Some of these changes seem like randomly made up, lol. or was written by someone else and they are re-written someone’s work, either way, a little rough in places for sorc it seems. Buffs are fine, but so is opportunity of usage in a build for out of the box thinking.
1 Like
Everyone not a Lightning Sorc got screwed.
I am a half Lightning Sorc and I still got screwed. Now, you have to be a Chain Lightning-Charged Bolt Sorc. And you must also use Fire skills or you are missing out on some of the best synergies in the class.
SUGGESTION TO REVISE NODE:
- Static Surge Legendary Node
- Previous: Stunning Close enemies restores 10 mana.
- New: Stunning Close enemies restores 10 mana and after spending 100 Mana, your next cast of Chain Lightning or Charged Bolts makes enemies Vulnerable for 2 seconds.
That way we do not loose the mana regen aspect while the Devs are still giving Lightning builds the ability to make enemies Vulnerable.
1 Like
Everyone says Occy is trash or useless.
I figured out a way to have an absolute blast teleporting in, amongst, and around multiple mobs, filling up the areas with Blizzards, free Frozen Orbs and massive chill, then blast everything with Ice Shards, high Crit/Vuln and plenty of Lucky Hit. I literally didnt give a s#!( how much aggro i acquired. I was doing this in groups of 4 Players (so all monsters were +300% stronger) in 50-75 NMds and i didnt have to always wait on tanks or backup. A lot of times i cleared room fulls of mobs and Elites by myself. That was because of Static Surge and spamming Blizzards everywhere. I froze so much crap that i stopped using Frostburn and Ice Heart brais cause i didnt need them anymore. Well thanks to Blizz Devs catering to ONE TYPE of Sorc ill have to completely rework a build ive been working on since June. I lost my best source of mana, crit/vuln damage and a barrier i really needed between Flame Shields and Ice Armors. The only thing ive really wanted to play was an Ice Sorc similar to the one i played for years on D2 L.O.D.
Was it upper Tier using Raiment and Occy?
No i dont think i could solo above 80s but it was FUN doing NMds with my friends with stronger Classes and more than holding my own. I can’t count the number of times i was the last one standing in a big room full of mobs and Elites because i just bounced around dropping bombs until everything was dead and i could start rezzing. Did i die sometimes? Yeah but considering i was the squishiest if i missed a barrier i still did pretty good with all the Rogues, Necros, Druids, and Barbs with way more survivability.
One of the keys was Static Surge plus all the Crit% and Lucky hit% on my gear. Now ill have to redo EVERYTHING, probably using a cookie cutter build that the Devs seem to approve of instead of something outside the box.
so it made it so telestomp sorcs dont have infinite mana. and this is bad?
Yeah, don’t worry. You are not the only one that is overreacting.
Static Surge is a lightning node. It was made to work with a strong lightning spell - Chain Lightning, it’s a really strong option + 10% instant max mana return.
Now if that ruined a playstyle for you, it gave more options to Lightning builds so yes.
People are overreacting again.
Maybe next time they will gut your build you spent months working on. Was my build wrong for some reason? Be specific. How did my build hurt you?
Uhm that may sound mean, but If you’re a sorc and your whole mana regen relies on a paragon node, you’re doing it wrong.
i have a telestomp sorc. i also have a bulwark druid. i am not on here crying about it. in s2 i will make a new character and work within the new parameters.