The newly modified gems; I'm at a loss.

I'm really confused as to what we're anticipating from Scourge that requires so many stark changes in how so many gems work or the insanely buffed addons to gems that are already mainstay gems that are popular.

For example; Purity of Elements; Whose idea was it to make this a 50% Reserve but give it IMMUNITY TO ALL ELEMENTAL AILMENTS? The increase in reservation is steep to be sure, but it's not so much that the value of that insane addition to the gem is just crazy. In fact, it generally re-introduces a synergy with Elementalist which was taken out last league under the suggestion that Elemental Ailment immunity was overpowered. But now...... Golemancers with Purity of Elements are going to be right back where they started - with a MUCH higher resist all without investing in Gems.

Furthermore, Necromancers will now have ele ailment immune minions with no significant investment, that also generally are ele resist capped, because there's a branch that adds 30% Ele resists, and PoE will finish off the rest with a tiny amount of aura effect mods.
Given the fact that there's also a new way to gain Immunity to Physical Damage reflect, it's likely necro minions will now rarely die, unless some extremely large phys hit hurts them, and Necromancers with Ele ailment immunity + max caps + Immune to corrupting Blood/Bleeding leaves the only vulnerability left to the Exile is reflect from Physical and a couple minor things like Maim/Impale.

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Then I look at the deceptional change to Frost bomb (which is actually a massive buff by making it cold damage over time), and think...... this is now a killing skill rather than a utility.

Or how about Anomalous Tempest Shield with rework? Immune to Shock is redundant with PoE, but the near 500% buff in damage, and an ADDITIONAL 27% chance to take Block spell damage from Q on top of what the skill will already give? I know that 90% of all mapping damage is Phys on Attack damage, but omfg..... that kind of spell block - for Free - without Glancing Blows.... is boss content "Must Have."

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Then there's the fact that Steelskin is now LITERALLY a personal Bone Armour, with the same durations, guard skill status, except Steelskin can also give 16% All Res (including Chaos)


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Then there's the fact that Literally every Awakened skill has been more or less reworked with More damage, or a previously non-accessible Active Skill Gem level. If you are playing some skill like SRS, you get an automatic +2 to SRS skill level just from equipping Added Fire damage and equipping Burning Damage, which literally has NO DRAWBACK AT ALL in equipping two now 100% conversion damage ratios.

There's now +2 levels to Chaos skills.
+1 to Curse in addition to allowing 2 curses and 18% chance to affect curse immune.

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I know some of this is due to the restructure of skill masteries and the passive tree. But Gem levels were never part of that.

What is Scourge's damage scaling that it's so urgent that we have 12 links with level 31-32 skills, and almost free ele resists and ailment immunity?

Be less at a loss and read/compare more carefull ;)

- Frost bomb is not damage over time
- Divergent tempest shield has additional 2% blockchance from quality, not 27.
- Resistance for steelskin is on alternate quality (and its 20% iirc)
- As said in the other thread SRS get nothing from + phys
- Its easier with the RMR-changes, but calling a 50% aura "almost free" is a bit off imo

Awakened gem were heavily nerfed in 3.15. Any of these changes are moving the previous quality bonus to gem level 4. I forsee this getting abuse by +2 level to support gems, but otherwise they just want to see investment for the buff.

Likewise many of the less used auras got buffed. I can't see any reason for Purity of Elements to have been used except while leveling or early maps.

If it makes you feel better, the Kingmaker nerf man's Necro's only get a 10% Fortification. They of Tul likely also had a nerf to their Snow Cloak.