Infernal cry skill description is misleading.

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Damage cannot be Reflected


It also triggers combust, that does reflect, even though combust description is on the same skill gem. This is not a bug, but it is misleading. They are separate skills, but live on the same skill gem that includes text saying "Damage cannot be reflected".

There are some other threads about this. I assume one has been archived because it's posted on the bug forum and it's not a bug. Technically the wording is correct, but isn't there a better way to convey this information?

Anything involving reflect should be very clear, beyond just being technically correct. Do any other gems have the text 'Damage cannot be Reflected'? None of the other gems listed on the reflect wiki appear to have this modifier, but rather mention reflect in the skill blurb, referring specifically to the explosion damage.

It has a range of properties additional to the above, that make it function differently than other gems and an exception case that may need more care on the wording. It's has a triggered component combined with a damage component. It triggers one specific skill, that is unavailable itself as a skill gem, instead of a range of other skills applied by linking other available skill gems.

Due to not actively adding a second skill, it feels like just one skill, using a warcry that gives buffs. Battle mages cry does something similar, but you need to link a second skill, so it does not feel like a warcry buff. Battlemages cry also doesn't have text on the gem saying it wont reflect. Clearly some people who read them gem will miss the nuance and assume they will not take reflected damage stemmed from use of the warcry. Even someone who understands the nuance of two skills on the one gem would likely need to test or confirm how it works before using it in a build that can not handle reflect.

Having combust power increase directly as a result of increasing the level of intimidating cry, means they do not function completely separately. Combust doesn't appear to have its own levels, or at least it is hidden and tied to the level of intimidating cry, and does an amount of attack damage that is increased based off the level of intimidating cry. It is not possible to run combust as a level 1 and intimidating cry at max level, like you might do with battlemages cry and another gem.

https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3352372
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3540114

The skill itself works well. The goal of the description should be to help the user understand everything about the gem in the shortest amount of time. Not having to go onto a forum after reading the tool tip.

Also there doesn't appear to be a discussion section on the skill gem feedback forum for infernal cry. Adding one may help as a reference for people researching the gem or providing feedback as above, rather than on the bug forum.
Last edited by Belegur85#5784 on Aug 11, 2024, 8:37:59 AM
Last bumped on Aug 11, 2024, 1:02:51 PM
If the only damage a skill deals comes from explosion, "Damage cannot be Reflected" is written as a modifier in blue (e.g. Herald of Ice). If an explosion is a part of damage a skill deals, the line migrates to green descriptive text and specify relation to the explosions (since it doesn't apply globally to the whole skill damage).

Infernal Cry falls under the first category, the tricky part is that it triggers another damaging skill (provided by the same gem) with its own description and modifiers. I agree that it's confusing for many players, and I don't think it will be a big loss if the line becomes part of green descriptive text (with explosions mentioning) for all skills that cause explosions no matter whether they can deal damage otherwise or not. Some players may also think that added cold damage from HoI buff is non-reflectable, so it'll help to clarify this case as well.
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the tricky part is that it triggers another damaging skill (provided by the same gem)


Yes I think this sums it up well. All these mechanics make sense on their own and function correctly, but when there is 3+ different types of mechanics combining, like on infernal cry, it becomes a perfect storm and the descriptions that make sense on their own become less clear. Still all technically and functional correct, but difficult to identify from the skill gem description.

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Some players may also think that added cold damage from HoI buff is non-reflectable, so it'll help to clarify this case as well.


Herald of Ice is a good example you have brought up. I think it might be the only other gem that has this text? So the buff reflects even though the skill says it does not reflect because the line only applies to the explosion? Is this also the case with the Infernal cry buff? I'm trying to replicate it using splitting steel but I'm not noticing reflected damage. It's possible i'm not doing enough elemental damage, 3000 on the tool tip should be enough to see even with mitigation I would of thought. If not, why would this be different for buff from warcy vs buff from herald?

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I don't think it will be a big loss if the line becomes part of green descriptive text (with explosions mentioning) for all skills that cause explosions no matter whether they can deal damage otherwise or not.


I guess it has to be written like that so that it covers the first skill not reflecting it's hit damage. I think this highlights where it gets confusing and it is more than just the wording. Why have they decided that this damage shouldn't reflect? Is it because these skills can do a lot of damage that is somewhat uncontrollable? I think mechanically this is all fine to work like this, but as design it seems curious having a warcry that says it doesn't reflect but inherently triggers another skill that does reflect. Programmed all correctly, but where is the step having that functional information reach the user of the program who is reading the skill gem?
Last edited by Belegur85#5784 on Aug 11, 2024, 1:04:07 PM

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