Reave

After playing with Reave since it was released I must point out I'm extremely satisfied with it as it is, except for one issue: Not falling back to standard attack when out of mana.

I've seen a lot of disappointment targeted at the core or the skill (loosing stacks when using another skill, having an AoE-cone instead of 360degrees all around AoE and alternating weapons of used Dual Wielding).

I honestly think the skill would be totally OP when any of that behavior would be changed, its just very balanced the way it is now. I use Reave with a CI-GR-VP (1H + shield) Shadow and the AoE synergizes perfectly with Life Leech. Its insane how much survivability it gives, with 360degrees around AoE one would be virtually invulnerable. Also loosing stacks when using any other ability just keeps it away from being totally OP; the AoE at 8 stacks is so big (note that I use NO AoE increase) that being able to Flicker to the next mob without loosing the stacks would be insane, imho.

Only real problem I encountered was that my char stops attacking when out of mana, which occurs regularly (desync, but also in big parties when other ppl kill the same mob and things are crowded and the screen is full of effects/loot). It just stands still in the middle of the fight and does absolutely nothing. I just cant get used to it as all other skills (have more chars in PoE) fall back to default attack.

I hope this will be fixed soon, it would provide a big improvement in terms of smoothness of gameplay, while not affecting the mechanics of the skill. Imho the stacks shouldn't be reset upon using default attack as default attack isn't a skill afaik, but even when loosing the stack I'd prefer that over standing still and doing nothing at all. If one doesn't leech mana fast enough to Reave again within 2secs the stacks are lost anyway due to the 2secs timeout.

Note that for now I use default attack under the left mouse button, but I would really love being able to use "Move only" again, as using default attack to move often results in weird pathfinding due to accidentally clicking chests, boxes and desynced monsters.

Hope to see a fix soon!

Edit: I can also state that loosing the stacks on using another non-attack skill like Enduring Cry does NOT discourage the use of other skills, EC in my case. Besides the benefits of the charges it supplies it also draws the monsters right into my AoE, again, without loosing the stacks it would be OP.

Even just a 1 second increase in the timer for losing stacks would work wonders. It borders on the ridiculous when one looks at how quickly the stacks are reset. Especially considering it takes 8 attacks to get the full effect.

Reave is not well-designed. The progressive gain and abrupt loss of "charges" makes it an awkward skill to use(same thing applies to Incinerate). Here is my suggestions to improve the skill:

- Reduce charge stacks to 4, increase charge effect to 30% more area of effect, slightly increase the time required to reach a higher charge level.

- All existing charges do not dissipate under any cause of "actions", however, they shall have their own timer. Charges loss if not use the same skill for several seconds(may be the same time as getting a charge). Charges loss in a one after one manner.

e.g. Suppose Reave gain one charge after 2 seconds of standard attack time(that is 2 attacks, hence is modified by attack speed). I get 3 charges after killing some enemies, run to another group in 4 seconds then I end up having 1 charge of Reave when starting my attack on them.

In conclusion special charges that benefits a single skill should be designed differently in behavior from general charges which can be generated and consumed by several skills and have a global effect.

Reave was designed without taking desyncing into consideration. It's not even a client side issue that might cause the skill to be imbalanced in the hands of those who do not experience desync: EVERYBODY experience desync.

The fact that you have to walk up and close to get those first few charges (lest you use a increased aoe) is already a disadvantage to builds that might use the skill, especially given the large number of mobs in the game that utilize strange (though probably intended) positioning skills like the frogs in act 3 or flicker strike mobs. The final aoe of reave is gigantic and is extremely effective in clearing waves, but you HAVE to gamble for your first few stacks. If you win, you clear the wave just as effectively (note: not more so) than skills such as explosive arrow and spectral throw. If you lose, you have to run back and reposition yourself again.

I'm not here to discuss the stack issue or the AOE range.

I want to know if a certain "feature" is a bug or is working at intended.

When I attack mobs, if my cursor is not over the mob then I don't hit the mob or any mobs for that matter. As long as my cursor is over a mob then I will get the full AOE effect and hit all the mobs in my cone. I don't get why the skill will still fire, but will not hit if I haven't targetted a mob. This happens at 8 full stacks as well as none.

1. Either the skill should not activate if my cursor is not on a mob or

2. It should hit all mobs in the cone just like an AOE skill is intended to do.

Ground Slam/ROA/LA/LS and all other AOEs I know of don't need to be targeting a mob in order to hit with the AOE. I don't understand why Reave has this significant limitation?

I run in. Melee Melee Melee..Kill the mob I was aiming at...then continue to swing with nothing under my cursor and die to the 15 mobs standing right in front of me. It just doesn't make sense. It's an AOE skill...should hit all targets in Area of Effect, whether or not I'm targeting one to begin with.

This has become very problematic with a CI Life Leech build that relies on hitting to sustain thru damage. And it gets unplayable when lag and desync are inserted into the equation.

Using reave on my acrobatics ranger, pretty much one of the best melee skills in the game. Free AoE (saves one link that would otherwise be mandatory to melee splash on other most skills), monster range at max stacks (INSANE range with some AoE bonuses), no damage penalties, works just as well vs single targets, works with claws (that's another free link!).....

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aon921106 wrote:

The fact that you have to walk up and close to get those first few charges (lest you use a increased aoe) is already a disadvantage

How is being in melee range every now and then a disadvantage to a melee build using a melee skill?



Oh, and by the way, I couldn't replicate NYE's bug.

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Dechef wrote:

Even just a 1 second increase in the timer for losing stacks would work wonders. It borders on the ridiculous when one looks at how quickly the stacks are reset. Especially considering it takes 8 attacks to get the full effect.

At low levels that might matter. With 8aps and multistrike you can be fullcharged almost instantly.

why cant I reave with a one hand reaver axe?

Is this skill bugged? Are you supposed to move out of the way of your own stacks so you don't kill yourself?

I had seen a few times where I take massive damage and just RIPped on Normal Nemesis A2 Crossroads with good gear fighting a rare boulder I went from 100% HP to RIP which made no sense my teammate was equally stunned as he was fighting right next to me and suffered no damage.

Build:
http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgMAB2MI9BFQMYg74VcrbRlzU3kDfll_xot6oqOnK6xmwFTB8-L35oE=

Skill: Reave + Added Lightning Damage

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nugstash wrote:

why cant I reave with a one hand reaver axe?

This.