Linking LMP and GMP To Get 7 ST Projectiles?

What would you do?

It seems like 7 projectiles would be better then 4 and 4 was better then 1, but I still only have a 2L sword and Faster Projectiles with LMP or GMP gives better DPS then LMP and GMP together. I'm thinking that GMP is still at a much lower level since I just started using it.

Thanks.

If you're using ST purely for damage, only use LMP. That grants it a large enough AOE to serve all your purposes (placing your cursor close to your character model gives a very wide spread), but means that the projectiles can be thrown close enough together that multiple projectiles can hit the same target, boosting your damage immensely. Using GMP (alone or in combination) prevents this, never mind dropping the damage of each projectile too much to be worthwhile.

Also, don't use faster projectiles, as it makes it very hard to catch enemies at max range (causing them to be hit multiple times as the projectiles reverse direction). Stick to faster attacks, physical projectile attack damage, added fire damage, that sort of thing.

The disadvantage of doing so is that you get both the '30% less projectile damage' and the '50% less projectile damage' from both gems, which stacks to a 65% projectile damage reduction.

As you cannot shotgun with ST, this would result in very bad single target damage, and rather poor but large AoE damage.

Honestly, I would stick with LMP only over GMP if you're using ST as a dps skill and not a trigger for a CoC gem.

Topic turns out more interesting then I had anticipated.

I've switched back to LMP putting GMP in storage. Interesting that I successfully used GMP up against Vaal requiring only ~5 town portals--all resurrections. (Portals look like how I measure the success or failure of a boss battle.)

Prior and after Vaal I noticed several minion battles where I was in the face of a minion and they were not taking any damage at all. This might be because GMP was so spread out at close range that nothing was actually hitting the foe? And iirc LMP didn't do this.

Since I have no idea when I will successfully find or mold a 4S weapon my 3S-2L will have to continue. Unless a CoC gem drops I will be forgoing that too.

So I've switched out Faster Projectiles for Faster Attacks too. What would your preferred green gem be here?

Thanks for the help.

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viperesque wrote:

[...] but means that the projectiles can be thrown close enough together that multiple projectiles can hit the same target, boosting your damage immensely. [...]

That's not how ST works, it does NOT shotgun!

No, it doesn't shotgun but ST does hit some targets more than once on a blade's return path. Switching back to LMP and FA (Faster Attacks) was a good improvement.

LMP's working great but I'm pretty sure I would benefit getting Point Blank too as a passive? When foes stay at some distance ST works its best (especially good sized mobs) but often foes rush up and although they take hits they go-down slower. PB would resolve this? I'm 3 Dex nodes away from it. What do you all think about PB?

Also, I hardly ever use Warlord's Mark, Enduring Cry, and Immortal Call--not even in a boss battle. And when I have or have played around with it I don't see any benefits. I am very ST, Heavy Strike, Lightning Strike, and DS oriented. I think that means I am very melee and projectile with ST oriented and don't need these gems (yet).

BTW, this leaves 3 green and 5 red sockets empty (some linked) on gloves and boots.

Your thoughts and thanks!?

Not sure if you know this or not, but you can control the spread of the multiple projectiles by moving your pointer closer and farther away from your character. In case that helps.

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Ratsneve wrote:

No, it doesn't shotgun but ST does hit some targets more than once on a blade's return path. Switching back to LMP and FA (Faster Attacks) was a good improvement.

LMP's working great but I'm pretty sure I would benefit getting Point Blank too as a passive?

Grab projectile physical damage support too, it's almost a must.

Point blank is good only with slower projectiles support, it isn't called point blank for nothing, as soon as your projectile is beyond pissing distance you start to lose damage and it won't do almost anything on return.

Our general thoughts are you're using too much active gems, decide on one for single targets, one for crowds and stash all others away, or level them in secondary gear for quality recipe. Maybe you aren't using curses or enduring cry much but you will need to at some point, have a levelled enfeeble curse at hand too.

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mark1030 wrote:

Not sure if you know this or not, but you can control the spread of the multiple projectiles by moving your pointer closer and farther away from your character. In case that helps.

Yes, I knew that--thanks.

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raics wrote:

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Ratsneve wrote:

No, it doesn't shotgun but ST does hit some targets more than once on a blade's return path. Switching back to LMP and FA (Faster Attacks) was a good improvement.

LMP's working great but I'm pretty sure I would benefit getting Point Blank too as a passive?

Grab projectile physical damage support too, it's almost a must.

Point blank is good only with slower projectiles support, it isn't called point blank for nothing, as soon as your projectile is beyond pissing distance you start to lose damage and it won't do almost anything on return.

Our general thoughts are you're using too much active gems, decide on one for single targets, one for crowds and stash all others away, or level them in secondary gear for quality recipe. Maybe you aren't using curses or enduring cry much but you will need to at some point, have a levelled enfeeble curse at hand too.

Are all gems dropped also--if lucky? I've missed my chance for Physical Projectile Attack Damage (support) according to the Wiki as quest rewards--I didn't take either opportunity.

Okay, will hold branching to Point Blank. Besides, when I think about it, Heavy Strike's DPS is 1013.x and takes 'em in a couple hits which also saves mana.

Crowds is ST
Single targets is HS

Just picked up Blood Rage gem and going to play with Smoke Mine for escape. Here is what's equipped right now:Aha! I should remove Lightning Strike and put Life Leech with Heavy Strike... Double Strike DPS is 706.7 but maybe there is reason to support it over Heavy Strike? (BTW, I may have indicated I had Dual Strike--my bad, it is Double Strike.)

My bad again... I have LL between DS and LS. I'll leave LS alone until I need the 'position' for now. Here are all the current gems I have stashed: