Lightning Strike

Do we have any info whether 0.10.0 will 'fix' LS? I've just recently found that attacking a monster with LS melee where it applies melee hit and also one projectile hit is not intended behaviour and that this will be fixed so that projectile doesn't hit the target you are meleeing (so all 3 projectiles will continue behind).

This might be quite a nerf to LS single target damage ouput.

any news about the fix to meele hit or bringing the other meele abilities to a similar level?

Does this spell work with multiple projectiles, chain and fork?

Yes it does.

I think we can count on thay the "free" projectile hit on the main target is gonna get removed (or more like fixed i guess) but other then that do we know if there will be any other changes to the skill when OB hits?

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wigg55 wrote:

I think we can count on thay the "free" projectile hit on the main target is gonna get removed (or more like fixed i guess) but other then that do we know if there will be any other changes to the skill when OB hits?

They will post patch notes soon Chris said, of all the OB changes. So far from what we "know" from Kripp's stream, besides the projectiles not hitting the main target there's no change. It seems to still hit the main target sometimes too, or maybe it's just a graphical issue but I've seen him use it and only seen 2 lightnings shooting, might be he was out of melee range so the middle lightning connected right away instead).

In planning out my OB build, I have to determine how important Iron Grip and Point Blank are to a typical LS build. This is the build I expect to use, with the damage passives taken last (I don't really expect to hit level 100, I just filled all the points out for closure).

You normally wouldn't go near the middle of the skill web with a softcore melee build, so reaching Iron Grip will cost like seven or eight points, most of which go into near-useless +10 strength nodes. For the same amount of points, you could get upwards of +50% damage with swords which will apply to both the melee and projectile portions of LS.

With LS being "fixed" so that no projectiles hit the target of the melee attack, I think boosting the base damage will be more important. My build ends up with 350ish base strength which is only about 70% increased damage, applied to projectiles that already get -30% by default, and half of the skill is in the melee attack anyway. I suspect Iron Grip isn't worth it, or would at least have to wait until the last ten levels if one ever goes that far.

As for Point Blank, its benefits are more obvious but also more situational. This keystone all but rules out the use of LS as a ranged attack--if you're close enough to benefit from Point Blank, or at least not suffer the long-range penalty, you're so close that it doesn't really count as being ranged and you won't get any of the safety of range.

Once more, with projectiles no longer hitting the main target, Point Blank seems to help only with one thing: clearing out big waves of easy mobs a little faster. It does nothing against a boss as your projectiles aren't hitting the target of the melee attack, and it isn't useful (and might even be detrimental) against hard mobs that you might want to kite for survivability. I think Point Blank ends up being useful when you need it the least, and useless or actually self-penalizing when it matters.

What do you guys think?

iron grip means that the melee damage boost will still apply to the projectiles. projectiles have a multiplier based penalty, the 70% still there. use a support gem and save yourself the 7 skill points you mentioned.

point blank (also can be a support gem) mathematically removes the -30% less damage to the projectile portion of this skill, and gives a tiny extra.

as far single targeting mess that is trying to be explained, i don't know anyone who actually tried to make light strike a single target skill when. it hits multiple foes via extra projectiles, it can be used as a ranged skill for melee classes, and it converts damage types so it can be great for elemental builds. i don't remember if this skill can shotgun, but you can intentionally miss with the melee hit and be close enough for 3 bolts to hit large foes like bosses.

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soul4hdwn wrote:

iron grip means that the melee damage boost will still apply to the projectiles. projectiles have a multiplier based penalty, the 70% still there. use a support gem and save yourself the 7 skill points you mentioned.

There's no iron grip support gem, iron will is different.