[2.0] THOR'S RAINBOWNUKE: DO ALL MAPS, UBER ATZIRI, AND EXPLOSIONS!

I am really glad they are doing a beta, but dang I want to know what the final patch notes are going to be. So many huge changes.

Regarding the ES cluster behind CI. You will need 7 passive point to get the whole cluster: 3 points on the mana nodes, 1 point on the jewel node for intuitive leap and 3 points on the actual cluster. In the end, you will get 15% more ES, 16% increased maximum ES and 12% increased maximum mana for your 7 passive points.

However, I believe this may not be the best option for all. Lets consider the Scion ES nodes near the Harrier notable node. With 7 passive points, you can get 50% increased maximum ES and +20 to maximum ES, which is not bad at all. (6 ES nodes and 1 Foresight notable node).

Personally, I will be picking up 4 of the Scion ES nodes, the Foresight notable node and the Path of the Savant Notable Passive. In total, I will get 38% increased maximum ES, +20 to maximum ES, 16% increased spell damage, +20 to maximum mana and +20 to Int, whilst still having a spare passive point to spend elsewhere. If i have sufficient passive points then I will go for the ES nodes behind CI.

For the BM+Mortal Conviction builds, the ES nodes behind CI is less good, as we waste points on increased mana nodes. However, for hybrid mana+life builds, the CI ES cluster is a very promising investment indeed, as you can actually use the increased mana, which makes it better than the Scion ES cluster.

On the topic of intuitive leap, the jewel's radius is not large enough to immediately connect to the other Scion Jewel nodes, so the dream of having access to 2 jewel nodes via intuitive leap is very ineffective.

Given the change to discipline which reduces its mana reservation from 60% to 40% (subject to change). I might consider dropping vitality from my BM+MC variation of the build and pick up life regen through the passive tree instead. By doing so, I open up a gem slot in my 6-link shavs (which I use for auras) which can now be replaced with Wrath.

Most people end up picking Foresight and the nearby nodes anyway since they're so close to the Scion's starting path, so it's not really like you're going to have to pick and choose between that and the potential of Infused Shield. You are correct about the opportunity cost being a bit steep and BM/MC builds essentially wasting points on the mana nodes, though Path of the Savant may not really be needed even with its spell damage and Intellect bonuses. What's it's really going to come down to is likely whether or not the 15% more multiplier to ES and the 16% increased ES that you get from the cluster along with the opportunity cost to get the jewel socket is worth the point investment compared to potentially unlocking other jewels sockets.

Still, a good point about the OC to be sure.

Could've edited this in to my last post, but it seems like it is worth showing here:



With the quality bonus changed and the cooldown timer added this might mean that even with Increased Duration and Enhance that some extra investment might be needed if you're going for a manual cast setup of IC like my current live build has. Not sure what the actual level bonus is, but going to guess it's going to increase the base duration a bit. GGG is really sticking it the perma-style IC builds in closed beta, but again, all is still subject to change, though I seriously doubt this will get buffed up.

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Tanakeah wrote:

Could've edited this in to my last post, but it seems like it is worth showing here:



With the quality bonus changed and the cooldown timer added this might mean that even with Increased Duration and Enhance that some extra investment might be needed if you're going for a manual cast setup of IC like my current live build has. Not sure what the actual level bonus is, but going to guess it's going to increase the base duration a bit. GGG is really sticking it the perma-style IC builds in closed beta, but again, all is still subject to change, though I seriously doubt this will get buffed up.

The level bonus for Immortal Call adds 3% increased buff duration per endurance charge. E.g. Level 3 IC gives 106% increased Buff Duration per endurance charge, whilst level 20 IC gives 157% increased Buff Duration per endurance charge. With the 3 seconds cooldown, you will need your auto-cast/self-cast IC to effectively last at least 3 seconds as well, if you want "permanent IC". This change was meant to encourage self-casting and picking up additional maximum endurance charge nodes.

As such, if you run a low level IC auto-cast set up, even with increased duration (64% increased skill duration at level 20,0% quality), you will need at least 4 endurance charges to get the 3 seconds IC. If you plan on auto-casting, it might be worth getting the Merciless bandit Quest Endurance Charge for maximum point efficiency.

I was thinking about potentially speccing into the Oak Bandit Reward quest for the Endurance Charge if that is the case. However, Rory did say on ZiggyD's Q&A session with him last night that IC could see some tweaks in the beta if the initial numbers are not good enough. Also to note about jewels, I think either Rory or Chris said something about the spell leech% affix on them being removed because it was going to be too powerful. Kind of a bummer if so and not really being able to test it out.

It's one thing that I wish GGG would allow players to do, at least near the end of the beta and have them able to copy one or two characters over in terms of what gear they have and allowing them to experiment a bit. Of course, GGG could do this all internally but it's still frustrating trying to think through all the 'what-ifs' at times.


**EDIT**

You can use an offline skill-tree planner here: http://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/34c0gh/datamined_skill_tree_json_for_use_with_skill_tree/

Or I believe there's also another one here in this thread where you can check under Reoxy's spoiler tag for it: http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/1023816/page/59

However, be aware that if you try and reload it the tree will go to a foreign language, but if you just reset it from the listed build there you can keep it in English and mess around with it.

There are so many possible variables that could be changed as a result of patch 2.0, to the point that I'm kinda afraid. I tried messing around with the beta passive tree planner, but i dont feel like I can create anything solid without complete information. Firstly, are there going to be additional passive points added to the game due to the act 4 quests, and if so how many? A small increase in the available pool of points will drastically change my build structure.

Right now I'm finding myself leaving 7 passive points blank, in case i want to go the route of getting the ES behind CI. Despite the reduced reservation cost of discipline, it gives less ES overall as a trade off. With the uncertainty on changes to leech if any, and the loss of buff effect, defense is another aspect I worry about.

The big issue on everyone's mind is of course: Will Mjolner get nerfed retroactively or will it a get a legacy version? The latter would not really affect most of us current Mjonler users, but the former will significantly undermine the DPS of this build. A 30% proc chance is comparable to a rather mediocre Fakaner COC proc chance.

Too many changes right now imo :\

I agree. This build feels like it has the proverbial 'Sword of Damocles' hanging over it and there are so many unanswered questions that we can't truly know how much it's going to change. I do know that you do get an additional passive point in Act IV along with all the original points for quests, so at the minimum there are three additional points. Act IV isn't completely shown off and there's a strong likelihood given that all the other acts have awarded approximately 6 points (Act III being the exception) with all playthroughs combined that Act IV will offer us 6 as well. My level 94 (almost level 95) Witch that runs this build would get a total of 121 points to play around with if that's the case and those extra points do make a difference, but yeah...still all up in the air now.

Huge Aura Changes in Beta

These changes drastically affect the way in which we plan our build.

The main change: Reduced mana gem now reduces mana cost of skills rather than mana multiplier, ergo, we cannot use the Reduced mana gem to reduce the mana reservation cost of our Auras.

However, in order to balance this change, the base reservation cost for multiple auras have been adjusted. Here are some of the known changes:

Purity of Lightning/Fire/Ice/Elements: Reservation reduced from 40% to 35%

Discipline: Reservation reduced from 60% to 35%

Haste: Reservation reduced from 60% to 50%

Anger/Wrath/Hatred: Reservation reduced from 60% to 50%

Vitality: Reservation reduced from 40% to 35%

Clarity: Significant reduction in mana reservation

Herald of Thunder/Ice/Fire: Unchanged


As a result of this change, I now have 2 spare sockets. However, my new total reservation cost is 102% approximately for running Empowered PoL+PoF,PoI,Vitality,Discipline,Haste,HoT. (with BM+MC and 26% reduced mana reservation)
As such, if i want to keep my same Aura set-up without making sacrifices, I will definitely need to use 2% reduced mana reservation unique jewel to reduce my total reservation to 99%. Otherwise, I might have to drop empower or vitality, although I will probably drop vitality if I have a choice. (and get life regen from passive tree). Alternatively, I can use the newly changed enlighten gem, which also reduces mana multiplier to 92% at level 3. (88% at level 4)

If I plan on using wrath, i'm going to have to make serious changes to my aura choices. Personally, i might just end up dropping HoT and Vitality for Wrath, but I will have to wait and see.

Personally, I am mixed on this change. On one hand, I was happy running all my auras, yet on the other hand, opening up gem spaces also feels good. I might be able to fit in fortify into my build as a result of this change. What do you guys think?

Looks like there is a beta aura calculator https://poe.mikelat.com/beta/#; however, if you use empower or enlighten you won't be able to select which gems are connected. If you’re using empower to boost Purities to lvl23 for the +5 bonus, you’ll need a lvl6 enlighten to break even on the mana cost. +7 max should be easy for lvl23 purity, +8 will require taking some more aura nodes but is possible. However, for under lvl23 purities looks like +6 max will be a bit more difficult to get.

I dropped vitality from my rainbownuke build. You can get life regen from the tree, carry a life pot, and/or take the Lust for Carnage cluster.

With the proposed 2.0 changes to reduced mana no longer working with auras I did some calculations on what auras could be run with Enlighten. If you take aura reductions in 3 areas of the tree (Sovereignty cluster 14%, near Leadership 4%, and near Influence 4%) you have 22% reduction. Along with mortal conviction you have a 0.39 reservation multiplier (0.50 x 0.78). Assuming you want Wrath (50%), Haste (50%), Discipline (35%), 3x purities (35% ea), and Herald of Thunder (25%), you could run all auras with a lvl 3 Enlighten at 99.1% life reserved (with the two 50% and one 35% connected to Enlighten) making it difficult do any attacks/cast spells. At lvl4 the amount is 97% life reserved and lvl5 (lvl4 in +1 to gems) you have 95% life reserved.

If you drop the herald you would be at 93.6% life reserved without needing Enlighten, which probably seems like the best course to go. Or you could drop wrath and be at 83% reserved.

For situations where you can drop one purity and use Herald of Thunder and Ash (e.g. the final Atziri boss fight where you don’t need purity of ice), you’d be at 99.5% life reserved without Enlighten and 95% at lvl3 Enlighten.

For the life version with alpha howl, 3 purities + HoT brings you at 91% mana reserved (assuming the 22% mana reservation on the tree) or you can run 2 purities and wrath for 84% reserved. A level 3 Enlighten brings down the reservation somewhat but might not be enough to take another aura/herald without getting more mana reservation reduction on the tree or with Jewels.

tldr: ~6 auras will be able to be run on low life. Lvl4 Enlighten will help you stick in an extra herald