Phase Run

The new phase run is really nice! I'm using it on by bow evasion ranger in a CwDT setup with increased duration and temp chains...great for running away from burst damage if I get cornered or something.

But I noticed something important:

Just like the old enduring cry + immortal call setup, you have to pay attention to the order. If phase run is socketed above/left of temp chains, phase run will proc first and immediately be cancelled by temp chains since the phase run buff ends when you use a skill.

Maybe in this case spells linked with phase run to the same CwDT gem shouldn't cancel the buff (i.e. only actively used skills should cancel)? A new player might very well decide to put phase run on CwDT with a curse, but unless they happen to get the order right they'll be at a loss as to why it doesn't work.

Wonderful ability; it's more fun than the original.

Only critique: the % to more melee physical feels arbitrary. For example, leap slam doesn't receive the same kind of benefit; I don't think there's any conceptual difference between leaping into a pack and phasing into one.

Breaking phase by attacking feels very much like a 'first strike' type of engagement. This should be damage type agnostic, even at reduced rates than currently awarded to melee physical.


Regardless, phase run is great.

You bet. I just think the bias towards melee physical here is arbitrary, a consequence of being included in a patch focusing on melee.

I feel the skill itself is more of a first strike opportunity as opposed to up close backstab type of thing. The former is damage source agnostic, the latter implies something more.

The technicality of a 'backstab' bonus is in the word. If that's the aim, then restrict the damage bonus to those from dagger/claw types.

There's nothing backstabby about moving in and performing a sweep or a cyclone.

On the other hand, you can be sneaky by either creeping into a pack or around it and unleashing on your terms. Distance and sneakiness aren't tightly coupled like distance and backstab implies.

It's a minor thing, and I'm sure this kind of nitpicking can be done with many other skills.

Either way the skill is still much fun.

For information, there is currently a bug with cwdt+phase run if you use whirling blade when it procs.

I'm not quite sure about the purpose behind phase run. It's a dex spell gem.
So it improves movement speed. Well, if I want to move faster, whirling blades is much better, and it can be used to gain fortify.
It buffed your melee damage. But the duration is so short. Like it has been said in other thread, if it is linked with cwdt, phase run will consume all of your frenzy charges but only gives you a short duration buff. It's not worth it if you only need the buff.

So maybe this is a pvp gem?

Yeah I don't get this skill either. It doesn't seem to fit anything well.

- The cast speed and duration make it useless as a movement skill. You actually LOSE distance covered, unless you have multiple frenzy charges and a long way to run, which doesn't happen in merciless.
- The cooldown makes it USELESS as CwDT. You get one attack with 20-30% more damage every 4 seconds.

So if it's not good for damage or movement, what is it there for? Perhaps there was fear that it would be powerful again, so it was put in the game in a diminished state. But, if we knew the GGG intended purpose of the skill, it would make this forum thread more useful for giving suggestions.

If you want it to be movement, reduce the cast time and slightly increase the duration.
If you are worried about CwDT, then scale the duration with the gem level.
If you want a rogue backstab ability, then decrease the cooldown significantly.

I'm curious as to how the "stealth" effect works, and it's worth noting that it's somewhat challenging to figure out how enemy AI works in this game; playing as a summoner, I have no idea why an enemy decides to attack a minion instead of attacking me or vice/versa. There doesn't appear to be anything like "aggro" but who knows.

Can Phase Run be used to "disengage"? Say Phase is set up with CWDT: once it procs will the enemy that attacked me maybe decide to attack a minion instead?

EDIT: So I've been using this for a while this way, and it SEEMS like it's working like I want it to. I get hit, the spell is triggered and I go all phase-y, and the enemies who were focused on my switch to attacking my minions. Very useful! Even when I'm spamming Flaming Spirits and the phase turns off a fraction of a second later, it seems like enough to confuse the enemies to some degree.

But then again, anything dealing with enemy AI is hard to test, and maybe I'm just seeing what I want to see.

is this gem supposed to not work with Increased Duration gem?

cause it aint increasing...