Essence Drain

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Emphasy wrote:

I think Trap is all you need. Since there are two options to pass most frustrating Elements one is Pierce, the other is Trap. And since it basically is a shadow skill it seems made for Traps.

1. You don't need to cast it that often so ammunition is not an issue
2. The projectiles are very slow which is not an issue if they are created underneath your target
3. Strong enemies often block your projectiles from reaching weaker targets for the spread, which can be bypassed by traps
4. Traps offer more damage modifiers close to the shadow start
5. Using Traps likely makes it easier to time Contagion with Essence Drain

Theoretically, yes. Practically, if a skill can only be useful as a trap why make it a spell with a hp regen to user?

I've been putting some more thought in to this spell and here's what I've come up with.

1. Essence Drain should be an AoE spell with a fairly large radius (similar to Contagion) so that its damage can be applied immediately to a pack of mobs without the need for Contagion.
2. Contagion should maintain its current behavior and also life leech 2% of chaos DoT damage done to mobs that are affected by Contagion.

In general, Essence Drain shouldn't require Contagion in order to be effective.

Similarly, Contagion should be a spell that you *want* to cast, not *have* to cast.

Also, please don't turn Essence Drain in to another crit-based-insta-one-shot-charley skill. Essence Drain should be the spell with the lowest initial DPS but the highest sustained DPS. Throw in some much needed life leech from Contagion for theme and survivability and you'll have a set of skills with great synergy and unique gameplay.

Yeah make it so " if killed by essence drain spreads to nearby enemies up to +2 enemies " or something !

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ichishi wrote:

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Emphasy wrote:

I think Trap is all you need. Since there are two options to pass most frustrating Elements one is Pierce, the other is Trap. And since it basically is a shadow skill it seems made for Traps.

1. You don't need to cast it that often so ammunition is not an issue
2. The projectiles are very slow which is not an issue if they are created underneath your target
3. Strong enemies often block your projectiles from reaching weaker targets for the spread, which can be bypassed by traps
4. Traps offer more damage modifiers close to the shadow start
5. Using Traps likely makes it easier to time Contagion with Essence Drain

Theoretically, yes. Practically, if a skill can only be useful as a trap why make it a spell with a hp regen to user?

I'm having lots of success self casting it. Since there's no way of untrapping a trap I think it's fine in this respect.

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ljlevend wrote:

1. Essence Drain should be an AoE spell with a fairly large radius (similar to Contagion) so that its damage can be applied immediately to a pack of mobs without the need for Contagion.

Just put GMP with pierce or the like on it and it'll do just that.

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Zoroch wrote:

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ljlevend wrote:

1. Essence Drain should be an AoE spell with a fairly large radius (similar to Contagion) so that its damage can be applied immediately to a pack of mobs without the need for Contagion.

Just put GMP with pierce or the like on it and it'll do just that.

But whats the point of having this nice contagion/essence drain combo if using it like every other spell is more efficient ? Similar thing for the "trap solution".

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Zoroch wrote:

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ichishi wrote:

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Emphasy wrote:

I think Trap is all you need. Since there are two options to pass most frustrating Elements one is Pierce, the other is Trap. And since it basically is a shadow skill it seems made for Traps.

1. You don't need to cast it that often so ammunition is not an issue
2. The projectiles are very slow which is not an issue if they are created underneath your target
3. Strong enemies often block your projectiles from reaching weaker targets for the spread, which can be bypassed by traps
4. Traps offer more damage modifiers close to the shadow start
5. Using Traps likely makes it easier to time Contagion with Essence Drain

Theoretically, yes. Practically, if a skill can only be useful as a trap why make it a spell with a hp regen to user?

I'm having lots of success self casting it. Since there's no way of untrapping a trap I think it's fine in this respect.

I am having a lot of success in general as well. But there are too many cases when this approach results in extreme inconvenience.
I think it is okay for game to make us put in more effort and thought at times.
But out of 4 times I died so far trying the build out before going into hardcore 3 were during casting Essence Drain or right after it.
And uncountable times I almost died to some hidden-in-the-dark barrel in the way of my Drain into charging pack of deadly mobs.
And how unreasonably more effort it takes to kill "Allies cannot die" things with ranged pack around them.

I'm loving Essence Drain so far, and it honestly feels broken in zones like Dried Lake with huge packs..
WAY more efficient than Poison Arrow ever was imo. Just 1 cast of ED, and it spreads, and spreads, and spreads, until 3 screens have died.. Without me barely lifting a finger.

It is glorious. :P

I think Essence Drain is fine the way it is. (I'm using a 5L +1 Staff, and plan to go 6L +2 eventually.)


I hear using Poison on ED is great for Single-Target.

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Sheriff_K wrote:

I hear using Poison on ED is great for Single-Target.

a bug going to be fixed