Patch 2.0.5. Live

[Loyrl]

Crashed twice today when I hit print screen.

Just crashed a second time when I went to take this screenshot, good bye ring and plans =(

[Cairhiin]

If I'm reading that correctly it means the main hit gets a very small buff, but the bounces (3 without Jekanbord, 4-6 with) get nerfed to the ground. So I'm guessing there goes that spec.

But on the other side of the coin:

Fervor
Has been redesigned:
While wielding a one-handed weapon, your attack speed is increased by 15% and all cooldowns are reduced by 15%

Holy Cause
Damage bonus now applies to all weapons, not just Holy weapons

Towering Shield
Has been redesigned:
Increases the damage of Blessed Shield, Punish, and Shield Bash by 20%
Reduces the cooldown of Shield Glare by 30%

Akarat’s Champion
Has been redesigned:
This skill now:
Increases your damage by 35%

And the Rally nerf is no issue for Blessed Shield as the spec is not that dependent on cooldowns. The new Akarat's is actually better. All in all gotta wait and see, at least our single target damage took a big buff.

(I realize that Judgement: Resolved also took a hefty hit, but that was in the long run to be expected - on the flip side Laws of Valor got a buff)

[Deleted]

You can get the 1hand flail that removes the cost of Blessed Shield, now Crusaders have a passive for 1h weapons (15% as and other stuff). AND a passive that gives you 6 Wrath every block.

The +15% attack speed for 1H simply offsets the 2H damage, but yeah, of course it helps. It just can't be taken as an offset to the Shattering Throw nerf. Also, Blessed Shield specs don't exactly block. They're ranged, especially with Gyrfalcon, since you don't need to generate wrath and thus go in to swing your generator - which for me would be Justice anyway.

EDIT: also you forgot the "250% block to damage" part. Keep in mind that all legendary shields now have increased chance to block thus increased damage for the skill.

Nope, I didn't forget it. It's always been there. It applies to all runes, not just Shattering Throw, and as such this shield change (which was coming for a long time now), doesn't offset the Shattering Throw nerf either.

The difference between Shattering Throw and any other rune has been huge, and something one would have to see to understand. The numbers in the skill don't convey it's effectiveness. With a 6 bounce Jekanbord you've got three shields bouncing around the map for quite a few bounces and with a boss and 1-2 minions the boss is taking an incredible amount of damage. That damage basically just got gutted.

But on the other side of the coin:

Again, none of those changes really offset the Shattering Throw nerf, as those changes all apply on every other rune as well. It might very well be that Shattering Throw isn't the #1 rune to use with Blessed Shield anymore. Perhaps that was their aim to begin with.

I mean, I understand if their view was that Shattering Throw was outperforming all the other runes so much so that it had to be nerfed this much, but quite honestly the truth is more like that the other runes were pretty bad to begin with, and the real problem with crusader was really the single target damage, and not the ability to take down packs.

Well, have to wait and see once I get home, how the specs have changed. I've been thinking of ditching the pinball shield for a while now anyways, and this might've been the final nail.

[Cairhiin]

You are right but I just don't think it's that much doom and gloom, but have to wait and see till patch goes live.

[Unproven]

Hey!

i was just wondering if anyone have had the time to play with the new 2.0.5?
are you able to notice the increased legendary in bounty runs?
reasom im asking is, is it worth to take a small marathon to grind it out while leg % is high / higher?
or is it the same as always?

[Pendulous]

Wait. Blazing Fists is now fire. Wave of Light got a (necessary) buff, and Explosive Light (the best rune for it lately) is also now fire. I'm thinking a fire build might work out.

[Coldkil]

Afaik, monk fire builds were really good even before 2.0.5 - now you have more choices anyway

I don't have to try anything on my DH, because they have hardly changed anything (probably switching to the new passive if i get 4 marauder). My crusader build got buffed well

[Dartungar]

If I'm reading that correctly it means the main hit gets a very small buff

from 340% to 430% is about 1/3. stop dramatizing

[soulkeeperx]

People datamined some of the community buffs we might get on D3's anniversary, some of them are
Twice as many caches
Twice as many blood shards
Kadala will be cheaper
Increased legendary drops for first hour of play
Increased gold/xp
Treasure goblins come in sets of 2

[Deleted]

from 340% to 430% is about 1/3. stop dramatizing

It's about a 26.5% increase (340% -> 430%) in the main hit, offset by around a 49% decrease (333% -> 170%) in the up to 18 additional hits (3 fragments, up to 6 bounces with Jekanbord.)

Assuming an original main hit damage of 340% and a potential 18 x 333% = 5994% damage from the fragments, the potential total damage for one shield throw was 6334%, of which the main hit was only 5.37%, and the fragments did the rest, 94.63%. That obviously assumes sufficient targets for the bounces. However, you can see how buffing that 5.37% by 26.5% while simultaneously nerfing that 94.63% by around 49% might be a huge nerf for this ability. No drama here. You can do the math yourself.

Unless, of course, I'm completely mistaken as to how this ability works. Feel free to correct me, by all means. It could, of course, be that the 3 fragments are supposed to deal that 170% (was 333%) damage in those default 3 bounces, and with Jekanbord, it simply gets multiplied by with how many bounces you actually get.

Regardless of how it actually works, the fragments were always the ones doing the damage. Not the main hit. Ask anyone who used the skill, when finally facing a rift boss alone, trying to whittle it down one shield at a time.

[Anzaman]

- - - Updated - - -
crusaders now have 30% damage reduction.

Woot woot!

Where, where? I can't see it.

[Rixis]

Increased legendary drops for first hour of play

From what I gather it's a legendary boost for the duration, but you're guaranteed to get one in the first hour.

[Cairhiin]

Regardless of how it actually works, the fragments were always the ones doing the damage. Not the main hit. Ask anyone who used the skill, when finally facing a rift boss alone, trying to whittle it down one shield at a time.

Just tested it, it's quite a bit of a nerf but due to the increased single target damage, I switched out Phalanx, and replaced it with Heaven's Fury. Either way our AoE is less, no doubt about it, but single target is quite a lot better.

[Deleted]

I will say one thing, despite the annoyance of Blizzard taking their whack hammer to the meta, again, and making us figure all this stuff all over again, I am absolutely loving the fact that I can now toss out all my white items and clear an entire tab in my stash for extra space. If nothing else, this was a great change.

Heck, I actually get to use 4000+ reusable parts now

[Pendulous]

I will say one thing, despite the annoyance of Blizzard taking their whack hammer to the meta, again, and making us figure all this stuff all over again, I am absolutely loving the fact that I can now toss out all my white items and clear an entire tab in my stash for extra space. If nothing else, this was a great change.

Heck, I actually get to use 4000+ reusable parts now

I just want more stash space period.

I've been using my parts to craft rares. Getting separate gear sets for different builds makes for running out of room.

[Coldkil]

Just tested it, it's quite a bit of a nerf but due to the increased single target damage, I switched out Phalanx, and replaced it with Heaven's Fury. Either way our AoE is less, no doubt about it, but single target is quite a lot better.

I tried the crusader, i switched a couple of passives (wrath on block and the STR from sockets, but still on testing) and ended switching Condemn to Akarat - new Heaven's Fury pleases me a lot, and i already got the Shield that cuts CD in half. Hope to get the weapon that makes 3x rays of death from the sky

EDIT: got new set boots from kadala, unfortunately they are the ones of the crap set -.-

[deepr]

Cool. Now I'm definitely gonna try my perma-seismic-slam-spam build with my Fury of the Vanished Peak. Need to get Cindercoat too.

[anon5123]

Haven't played D3 in over a month, but these changes look enticing!

[Deleted]

Yesterday was a good day to be a crusader. At least 3 major wishes just came through for me, it's almost as if Blizzard read my mind.

[Deleted]

I just want more stash space period.

I think we all would tbh, but I don't think we will be, in which case, at least we don't have to use valuable stash space on white items that we may or may not need.