Vulnerable Needs to Change

PC General Discussion
1

I’m really enjoying the game so far, but one of the common issues/complaints I see is surrounding vulnerability as a mechanic and how it has caused several builds to require a source of vulnerability in order to be viable.

I think there is a simple and easy solution for vulnerability, but it would require some dev work and a rebalance of skills afterward.

Firstly, why is Vulnerability a problem?

I think the main issue here is just how every build needs a source of it at the moment due to how powerful the effect is, and it doesn’t really create any kind of unique or interesting gameplay. You simply put a skill on your bar that generates the effect, or you take the exploit glyph (note that not every class has the bonus secondary effect that applies vulnerable).

The skill trees and paragon glyphs are interesting, but I hate that build diversity is stunted a little bit because of how powerful this effect is.

Vulnerable as an effect is extremely powerful because it’s one of the very few ways to multiply your damage, and builds without it just don’t really… get to deal big damage.

How do I propose we fix the issue?

I think Vulnerability has a place in the game as a status that you can apply, but I think the effect should be significantly more interesting than a damage buff. There already are some skills and legendary aspects that have bonus effects when a target is vulnerable. Examples of this would include the Bone Spear Necro and their Splintering Aspect that causes Bone Shards from Bone Spear to deal additional damage and pierce through all Vulnerable targets. Sorcs have things like the Avalanche key passive where the Lucky Hit effect is doubled against Vulnerable targets.

Instead of simply applying a multiplicative damage debuff to enemies and having the added benefit or sometimes working with some skills and effects, I think Vulnerability should be adjusted to ONLY provide these type of bonus benefits and should have the increased damage aspect removed entirely.

Yes, it would be an overall nerf to the amount of damage we deal and the game would probably need to be adjusted for this, but I think the benefits outweigh the negatives in this situation. Having Vulnerable be more build specific would allow it to be something more akin to how Blood Necro builds look at Overpower as a mechanic. As a Bone Necro, I don’t really consider Overpower as a stat because it’s not what my build is designed to do. That’s totally okay. I think every build can have a unique stat like Overpower or Lucky Hit or my proposed change to Vulnerable as it simply makes the game more interesting overall.

There could be several ways to interact with Vulnerability that could be much more interesting than how every build in the game currently uses it. I would love to know other’s thoughts on this, and maybe Blizzard will take a look in here and discuss some changes.

Overall, I think Vulnerability as a stat is just boring, and builds are currently required to take a source of Vulnerability at the moment through either a specific skill on their tree (Frost Nova, Corpse Tendrils/Bone Prison) or the Exploit glyph unless their build is lucky enough to naturally have Vulnerability applying effects. I think it could use a redesign whether it be my proposed suggestion or something else that Blizzard cooks up.

Edit: I realize this post needs a TL;DR so

TL;DR
I propose Vulnerable should no longer provide a multiplicative damage bonus and should, instead, be used to proc special effects such as the Avalanche key passive that Sorc has or the Splintering aspect that Necro has.

23 Likes
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no thanks Vulnerability is good as it is.

26 Likes
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Changing vulnerable probably could be a good idea. It it is something all viable builds want, then there is a design issue. As with crit in D3.

One solution could be to throw vulnerable into a bigger pool of additive dmg factors so it just doesn’t scale as much.

More interesting changes could be to make it have weaknesses, or entirely change what it does.

Like, what if you could not deal critical dmg against vulnerable monsters. Giving a more direct choice between crit and vulnerability builds.

To make it a very different system, vulnerable could also be more of a debuff that allowed you to trigger other effects, like vulnerable monsters would be more susceptible to lucky hit procs or CC effects.probably too big a change to pull off.

9 Likes
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Agreed. Make it chance based instead of guaranteed or put it on high-cooldown skills. Or make it an affix that can appear on gear. “Chance to make enemy vulnerable”

Edit: The poster above me has some good ideas.

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It may possibly be too big of a change to pull off, but effects like it are already in the game.

You have things like the Avalanche key passive on Sorc where the Lucky Hit chance is doubled against Vulnerable targets or the Bone Spear aspect that causes the Bone Shards to pierce and deal bonus damage to vulnerable targets.

I think just adjusting Vulnerable to exclusively be related to those type of mechanics would be an improvement, and those systems are already currently in the game as we speak with examples.

I appreciate the constructive feedback.

1 Like
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Maybe if 80% of item modifiers weren’t all merged together into one amorphous additive damage category, the 2-3 multiplicative ones wouldn’t be so overcentralizing.

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its a bit too strong. i can only have it up 3 seconds every 20 seconds (from exploit glyph) and vulnerable dmg is still one of the best mods i can rock. FeelsWeirdMan

1 Like
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I went ahead and put a TL;DR because I realize that my post was made from the standpoint of being respectful and a literal essay instead of being short and to the point LOL

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People have pointed out that vulnerability is just like slag in Borderlands 2 – offers nothing interesting with regard to gameplay, but everyone uses it because you need to for great damage. There’s a reason the Borderlands devs got rid of it in future games.

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Vulnerability is a required mechanic.

Live with it.

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And whats with crit…are right…all use it too…
Thats the endgame…at the end in each game ppls plays similar builds.
And here you have more than enough options…and blizz is not able to balance this what we already have…

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Vulnerability was a mistake - it seemed like they had intended it to create a CC type effect for bosses but then somehow made it a straight damage multiplier that is basically required for every class but restricts the builds even more. It really does need to go. Rework it to similar effects like how Ice Shards treats vulnerable enemies as if they were frozen, thats a unique ability rather than just here is straight damage increase.

12 Likes
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Firewall sorc don’t use crit chance at least.
But yes this issue goes beyond Vulnerable. It just seem to be the worst offender this time around.

1 Like
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Your right it does need a change sorcerer needs more than two ways to use it…

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The Ice Shard thing is exactly what I think they should do.

Avalanche key passive is doubled when striking a Vulnerable target as well. The mechanic is already in the game. Frost Sorc could apply vuln and gain bonus effects from it, Bone Necro has some of that as well. I would love to see them redesign it this way.

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No, just no. How do you think you gonna make up for that 100%+ dmg you gonna lose?
Ok, now everybody will just go for a cold or stun build.

The idea is just bad, cuz the game mechanics were built around all those modifiers. Just like dmg to cc is OP - put on the unique boots that chill enemies and here you go.

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nah, vulnerable is good. If you don’t like it then don’t build for it. Sounds like you’re just salty because you don’t have a good build. You can easily swap over to chilled damage or CC damage

1 Like
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stop, just stop. The game is being nerfed to oblivion, and you want to take away the ONLY good effect melee users have because you are salty?? The effect is fine as is. Stop calling for things to be nerfed in an already slogfest of a game.

3 Likes
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The game would be better if it was as if every mob was permanently vulnerable. Then it would feel like a diablo game. At least if more density was added, anyway.

But D2 didn’t have density

In D2 you just teleported to the boss. If they want to force us to essentially clear all dungeons, then it needs to have D3 style density. There was also always the option to just do cows.

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Sir, I play Bone Necro where everything is permanently Vulnerable 100% of the time because Bone Spear makes everything it touches Vulnerable with Splintering aspect.

I am the build who probably benefits from Vulnerable THE MOST, and I want it completely changed.

6 Likes