[Megathread] Path of Exile

[Coldkil]

-snip-

You are "somethingwithshock"? Lol i found you in global chat and i suppose we have also talked a little about stuff :P

[Cyclone Jack]

I'll be curious to see how they deal with Resistances and the Labyrinth with this new 3.0. I was unsure about the "going back through Acts 1-5 as Acts 6-10", but ZiggyD's video really cleared things up. After seeing how Act 6 will be both recognizable and different, and that you really do take a different path through the Act, I'm really looking forward to this change. I think this might even get me into Maps, as I usually burn out most of my characters some time during Merciless. I am hoping they do some pruning to Act IV as they have done with previous Acts and expansions.

[Fencers]

Ok, much clearer. it's part of the new 3.0 endgame so nthing to worry about right now. I'll just proceed with my Scion and experiment stuff to use later with my SSF Shadow char.

Not sure if it is going to be endgame. It could just be parallel to the normal leveling process. The fact the acts from 6-10 suggest that a good portion of those bosses are the newly awakened gods it is possible players might get their first "pantheon points" sometime around what is now Act 2 Cruel.

[Coldkil]

I suppose lab will be one difficulty only with increased tiers for unlocking more points (like maps work). Also i love the new 1-10 playthrough as i have never stepped foot in endgame, like at all.

[Gallahadd]

They could remove it but then again it would require you to start at -60 or a complete re-balance of resist affixes. If not the gear requirement to cap resists would be 2x tri res items...

That's a fair point . I guess they'll have a global resist nerf that kicks in at -20 when you enter acts 5/6/7 and -60 for acts 8/9/10.

Either that, or remove the resist nerf AND remove the dual/tri resist rings, since they're not strictly necessary anymore. It's not like you'd run out of stuff to wear, with stat/regen/damage rings floating around.

That i find myself dying and dying alone in normal XD Anyway it's just trying to use all "herald" skills (Ice, Lightning, Ashes). I suppose Templar or Marauder are the best choices to do something like that due to the huge elemental damage node they have near their starting point.

Ooooh yeah, that makes sense. I could see something like that working, but it would require a fair amount of fuckery to really work in higher difficulties. It's a cool concept though.

[Coldkil]

Not sure if it is going to be endgame. It could just be parallel to the normal leveling process. The fact the acts from 6-10 suggest that a good portion of those bosses are the newly awakened gods it is possible players might get their first "pantheon points" sometime around what is now Act 2 Cruel.

Yeah, it's a reasonable guess. Cannot wait for more details.

- - - Updated - - -

That's a fair point . I guess they'll have a global resist nerf that kicks in at -20 when you enter acts 5/6/7 and -60 for acts 8/9/10.

Either that, or remove the resist nerf AND remove the dual/tri resist rings, since they're not strictly necessary anymore. It's not like you'd run out of stuff to wear, with stat/regen/damage rings floating around.

Ooooh yeah, that makes sense. I could see something like that working, but it would require a fair amount of fuckery to really work in higher difficulties. It's a cool concept though.

I hope it's like you pictured in second point for resists - imho the concept of nerfing them for higher difficulties becomes bogus when you have a single playthroguh system and i suppose they can work through the rebalance of affixes and elemental damage.
Imho they should be changed to a resistance rating that has a less/more effect based on your level and monster level - so you naturally want to increase the overall rating but the reduction% can be controlled and kept in a certain area.

As for the herald build, i can focus on two of them for best effect and less fuckery Probably fire/lighting if starting with templar, or Lighting/Ice if Witch.

EDIT: ice/lighting with Templar is what i want to do, but the DEX requirement for Ice may be something that won't let me do it. I need to check how much investment on DEX i need for a lvl 20 gem (should be around the 90 park).

[Gallahadd]

I hope it's like you pictured in second point for resists - imho the concept of nerfing them for higher difficulties becomes bogus when you have a single playthroguh system and i suppose they can work through the rebalance of affixes and elemental damage.
Imho they should be changed to a resistance rating that has a less/more effect based on your level and monster level - so you naturally want to increase the overall rating but the reduction% can be controlled and kept in a certain area.

Indeed, there are multiple ways that they could handle elemental damage in a one playthrough system without having global resist nerfs. Tbh, based on some of the boss fights I've seen in the preview video they don't NEED enforced difficulty through resist stacking, as the fights themselves and the tactics required are difficult enough. Resist should be something you can stack if you choose, to make yourself tankier, not something you HAVE to stack, just to break even. IMO at least.

As for the herald build, i can focus on two of them for best effect and less fuckery Probably fire/lighting if starting with templar, or Lighting/Ice if Witch.

EDIT: ice/lighting with Templar is what i want to do, but the DEX requirement for Ice may be something that won't let me do it. I need to check how much investment on DEX i need for a lvl 20 gem (should be around the 90 park).

You need 98 dex for Herald of Ice level 20, not impossible to get for a Templar. I think Ice/Lightning Templar could work well.

I'm thinking after I'm done with my Juggernaut, I want to try and make a build styled after the Knight Enchanter from DA:I. Melee mage with shield on hit, does that even exist in PoE?

Maybe something like This?

DW Wand witch, curse up enemies then wand them down. btw, does DW Block work with wands?

[falagar112]

You are "somethingwithshock"? Lol i found you in global chat and i suppose we have also talked a little about stuff :P

Haha yes, I guess Wraeclast is a small world

[Gallahadd]

So... got a Tabula Rasa to drop for me today, I see A LOT of people rocking it and I have to wonder...

Is 6link REALLY worth losing all the other stats a chest would give?

[Lysah]

Act 6-10 might reuse some of the same zones but they also have entirely new zones and completely different story progression, it's not an alternate timeline or a mirror universe or anything, it's an actual continuation of the story. In act 1 you are arriving at the beach after being kicked off the exile ship, left to fight for your survival in a zombie infested wasteland. In act 6 you are selectively choosing to return to Wraeclast after apparently becoming aware that ancient gods have awoken and started messing shit up. The actions of acts 1-5 have taken their toll on the continent and many changes have happened, requiring you to progress through the land in a different manner entirely. For example, in act 1 you are blocked by Piety and must go through Merveil's lair to make your way to the forest. In act 6 the path is open because you opened it in Act 2, Merveil isn't in the caverns because she is dead, but the forest is blocked because bandits have taken it over, bandits who are now united because you killed their warring leaders in act 2.

[Fencers]

Yeah, it's a reasonable guess. Cannot wait for more details.

Actually Ziggy D just put up an interview with Rory on the Pantheon system.

- 4 major gods, 12 minor.
- Players will acquire the 4 major gods from acts 6 to 10. So, not endgame exclusive.
- Upgrading the base 4 defenses is done by finding the upgraded, more powerful version of the 4 major gods in maps.
- The game will be balanced around players being able to take advantage of their modular defenses; but not balanced around the expectation of a player having all the pantheon powers maxed out.
- Pantheon system will be expanded over time; new gods, new powers, buffs/nerfs, etc.
- To claim the power of the gods players will need a RNG dropped item.

[unfilteredJW]

That's it.

I'm going to finally get into this game.

[Gallahadd]

Actually Ziggy D just put up an interview with Rory on the Pantheon system.

I got more and more excited with each line that I read... Right up until that last one.

My luck on these kinds of games ssuucckkss. I can see myself not sitting there without a single damned god in my Pantheon, because none of the fekkers feel like dropping the item today .

Unless of course, dropping the power is 100% and it's only the upgrades that are RNG?

[Fencers]

I got more and more excited with each line that I read... Right up until that last one.

My luck on these kinds of games ssuucckkss. I can see myself not sitting there without a single damned god in my Pantheon, because none of the fekkers feel like dropping the item today .

It's not hinted to be super rare. Rory intimates it's something players get by course, as one still acquires the power from defeating the gods. Thhe item let's one claim that power, so to speak; like a silver coin perhaps.

Everything in the game aside from your skill tree is based on a consumed currency though. So it's consistent design and logical an item is used to bind(?) the pantheistic powers gained.

This is a hardcore ARPG- grinding and RNG are partly why players have signed up for- may be not even partly, but entirely.

Unless of course, dropping the power is 100% and it's only the upgrades that are RNG?

Doesn't seem that's a thing. You just upgrade as you beat the additional bosses it seems.

That's what I got out of the interview but we will see what happens.

[Gallahadd]

It's not hinted to be super rare

Eh, that's fine then. As long as it's not like 2% chance or some nonsense. I don't mind farming maps a bit, but spending all day grinding and not getting a single upgrade? Eww...

[Fencers]

Eh, that's fine then. As long as it's not like 2% chance or some nonsense. I don't mind farming maps a bit, but spending all day grinding and not getting a single upgrade? Eww...

Watch the interview if you'd like. However, since the 4 major gods are simply acquired as a matter of playing through the game normally it is unlikely the game would be designed to hand the player a set of abilities as a matter of course. Only to disallow the player from using that set of abilities. Nothing like that ever happens in the game.

Rory said the 4 major gods will be their initial focus. With the bulk of the defining defense being tied to those 4 (which you get through playing the game normally). Minor gods seem to be nice perks, should you pursue them.

Rory said GGG does not have the expectation the player will have maxed out pantheon in terms of game balance.

[Gallahadd]

Rory said the 4 major gods will be their initial focus. With the bulk of the defining defense being tied to those 4 (which you get through playing the game normally). Minor gods seem to be nice perks, should you pursue them.

Aahhhh, okay. So you get the four majors from playing through, but it's the minors that are RNG, I'm totally fine with that then. Might check out the interview tomorrow anyway, this feature is probably the one I'm most excited for in the expansion, so I want to absorb as much info on it as I can!

[Coldkil]

Actually Ziggy D just put up an interview with Rory on the Pantheon system.

- 4 major gods, 12 minor.
- Players will acquire the 4 major gods from acts 6 to 10. So, not endgame exclusive.
- Upgrading the base 4 defenses is done by finding the upgraded, more powerful version of the 4 major gods in maps.
- The game will be balanced around players being able to take advantage of their modular defenses; but not balanced around the expectation of a player having all the pantheon powers maxed out.
- Pantheon system will be expanded over time; new gods, new powers, buffs/nerfs, etc.
- To claim the power of the gods players will need a RNG dropped item.

Can you link videos? I'll check them later on.

Anyway seems a reasonable setup. I'll probably set myself on standard SSF league since i'm not playing hardcore enough to do Legaues challenges, plus playing SSF will negate the issues current standard league has (namely a nearly broken economy governed by a few whales and an hell to new players). Also most core mechanics will make their way to Standard leagues so it's a win-win for me.

What i like most of this game is the focus on long term objectives which is something i crave for. Time is not an issue - in the sense that i don't care to reach something first. I just play as much as i can and will get stuff eventually and i'm fine with that. Burning through content makes only things last less and the feeling to have something that i may never see is a drive only a few games gave me.

Question: afaik some items were League exclusives - do they make their way to standard over time? The only thing i know for sure is that some items are build enablers and would suck to not have access to them (though the options available are so many i don't think it will be a problem). I aslo see people complaining about "meta" builds - can someone explain better? (not what a meta build is, but what role they have in the game).

EDIT: also, what the hell are Rogue Exiles? Some sort of endgame bosses? They have announced additional ones for 2.6.0 but i never fought one so i don't know what they are

[falagar112]

Can you link videos? I'll check them later on.

Anyway seems a reasonable setup. I'll probably set myself on standard SSF league since i'm not playing hardcore enough to do Legaues challenges, plus playing SSF will negate the issues current standard league has (namely a nearly broken economy governed by a few whales and an hell to new players). Also most core mechanics will make their way to Standard leagues so it's a win-win for me.

What i like most of this game is the focus on long term objectives which is something i crave for. Time is not an issue - in the sense that i don't care to reach something first. I just play as much as i can and will get stuff eventually and i'm fine with that. Burning through content makes only things last less and the feeling to have something that i may never see is a drive only a few games gave me.

Question: afaik some items were League exclusives - do they make their way to standard over time? The only thing i know for sure is that some items are build enablers and would suck to not have access to them (though the options available are so many i don't think it will be a problem). I aslo see people complaining about "meta" builds - can someone explain better? (not what a meta build is, but what role they have in the game).

EDIT: also, what the hell are Rogue Exiles? Some sort of endgame bosses? They have announced additional ones for 2.6.0 but i never fought one so i don't know what they are

I have a feeling you have seen some rogue exiles but.. didn't realize that is what they are

They are fairly common, see at least a couple every day I play.
They are like us, computer controlled players (with fancy names) with each having their own build etc. They can drop better gear and there are some prophecies surrounding them (like one that makes the next rogue exile drop a full set of rare gear, which is amazing) - but they are not really "endgame", I think you can start meeting them around the end of normal/start of cruel

As for league specific items - when league ends, all the chars and their items (so also league specific ones) end up on standard. That is how these items make their way there.

On new leagues that doesn't mean you are locked out either, you can either drop them by rolling the corresponding zana mod (say, add Nemesis on map to drop Headhunter) on maps, or chance orb them inside those zana mod maps, or there are league specific card sets (The Calling gives a random Beyond item, Valkyrie a random Nemesis item etc)

Meta builds are tricky, it's just a fancy name for "flavor of the month" builds. It's builds that are so good at everything the game throws at you (and in some cases, fast, more then good) and are reasonably easy to pick up and play - like blade flurry this league. The problem with meta builds (and how you can make use of them) is that it forces most people towards a certain gearing path.

Like this league both blade flurry but also the silly hands build that stacks int was responsible for creating insane prices on all high energy shield+INT gear. So you can make use of the meta by playing a class that shares no gear with the meta build, so you can earn good currency selling off meta gear.

edit:
there are a lot of people playing this game that think that meta build being "best/fastest" at endgame means that other builds are incapable of doing the same content - but that is not the case at all of course.

[Coldkil]

edit:
there are a lot of people playing this game that think that meta build being "best/fastest" at endgame means that other builds are incapable of doing the same content - but that is not the case at all of course.

Ok, so they are those mobs with gold/orange names (not the fixed ones in zone or bosses) to which i died multiple times - i think one spawned opening a yellow lockbox in act4. Nice to know - i just kill them and be done.

About meta builds - they exist everywhere and the issues are not the builds themselves but the fact thre's someone doing a YT video guide promoting it as "BEST BUILD OMGZ UBERWHATEVER" so everyone will just stick to it because it's just way easier than thinking with their own heads.
The same happens in D3 - while it doesn't have this huge build variety, build variety exists on multiple degrees but given the endgame structure everyone feels forced to go that route and it's just what happens. D3 has an issue on content that promotes only very specific gameplay styles.

In PoE i think GGG needs to do a really good balance pass on skills and so on. A slightly better build is fine. Having a build 100x more fast or powerful is not. Having builds that cannot tackle the endgame in a reasonable time is not fine too (but i don't have experience of that so i'll refrain from commenting on things i simply don't know shit XD).

Really, i cannot wait for 3rd of March and SSF leagues. I just hope to find people of similar mindset in them, currently global channels are filled of "go strike your epeen" or "SSF will be unplayable" so not exactly a good feedback