Active block should be able to block more hits

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IzzyGOod#7574 wrote:

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Sjatar#1090 wrote:

All projectiles and strike skills are blockable.

I don't think that's true. My main is a Magma Barrier Titan. There are certain non-AOE attacks that sure look like strikes or projectiles and I have failed multiple times to active block them. And I'm not talking about the attacks with the red glow and sound that cannot be dodged.

A few attacks come to mind:
- Some turquoise spirit-like projectiles coming from certain undead who have a tomb on their back or something.
- a regular cultist mob's slow charged up bleeding dagger strike
- Rathbreaker (hyena centaur boss) has a single vertical strike that can be dodge-rolled but not active blocked. It does not have the red glow or special sound denoting an attack that cannot be avoided.

All I want is consistency so I don't feel like I need to test out whether I can block an attack or not.

I just paragraphed what the mechanic tells us what it does. The turquoise spirit like attacks are most likely projectiles that do not hit and apply a dot. I might know the cultist monster you mention as they use exsanguinate I think.

There is multiple boss attacks that are bugged. Crowbell has two strike attacks that look identical, and two bell smashes that look identical. One strike attack is blockable. The other strike attack is followed up with a bell slam, the strike and the bell slam is not blockable. The other standalone bell slam, is blockable. It's quite weird.

I have also noticed that many grenade attacks work differently. Some are unblockable. Some are blockable when the enemy just threw them and they have not landed yet. Some explosions from grenades are blockable. Very inconsistent.

I'm also doing a magma barrier build and the inconsistency is quite frustrating.

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EightInchFloppyDisk#2190 wrote:

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Sjatar#1090 wrote:

I feel there is little reason to use active block if it does not block things passive block does not block.

You do not "feel" that changing your block chance from X to 100% is a good reason to use it?

What do you think about it?

Leave you feelings aside, and tell me what is reason telling you.

I do not understand your comment. I ofc think what I feel. I have also played a magma barrier build from lvl 10 to now 91 in HC. If you look at the numbers it can look decent. But often these systems are not predictable from just numbers.

The system can seem to be strong based on numbers, but feel weak and be weak due to a lot of factors that are unpredictable. That is why feelings and experience is important.

Active block is designed so bad.

Blocking, including active block, does not work against AoE damage sources. If the incoming hit is not tagged as a projectile or a strike then you cannot block it at all.

It's just awful compared to block systems in other games. Even in Dark Souls & Elden Ring for comparison you could block things like dragons breathing fire and giant boss slams. In PoE2 you can cope with a metal disk strapped to your arm.

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Sjatar#1090 wrote:

I'm also doing a magma barrier build and the inconsistency is quite frustrating.

Everything you said makes sense and it sounds like we're on the same page.

Side note: I LOVE the feeling of playing magma barrier. It's a super engaging and fulfilling skill compared to most other options. I just hope they can make it clearer when an attack cannot be blocked.