Patch 2.1.2 PTR notes

[tiffy33]

So since no post about the new PTR notes I figure I would post them.

http://us.battle.net/d3/en/blog/1680...tes-11-18-2014

I am completely and utterly disappointed and Im really glad PoE will start their PvP season up December 15th. Basically heres a TLDR version.

Changed a bunch of skill elemental damage around (ie fire to cold or cold to poison)
Reduced resource costs
Reduced cool downs
Damage Nerfs
No mention of fixing Jailer

Im ignoring all bug fixes becuase they should NEVER be fixed in a major patch. Bugs should be fixed as soon as they are found, which should be done weekly.

I have played every class to t6+ except for Barbs and I see absolutely NOTHING that will help with build diversity. I seriously think their idea of getting people to try other builds is by nerfing popular builds. Also how is it that an Indie game is pushing out PvP in less than 4 weeks yet Blizzard cant figure out how to do it?

[Coldkil]

Could you care to explain better your points?

As for "nerfs": Mara6 with new bonuses is an hell of a buff since on PTR all DHs myself included can run way higher Grifts than before in less time; sunwuko Monks are doing exactly the same.

Spell elemnt changes are based on the removal of poison elemnt from DHs (which i don't know why it wasn't done before) and giving haunt a poison rune for a dot poison build.

Build diversity is promoted woth new sets and new legendaries, which have been presented bpoth on Blizzcon and with patch notes, and i don't expect them to deliver 10 sets each patch.

So, i cannot understand the reason why you're complaining about the first patch notes Blizzard sent out and are subject to change on everything more or less.

[zito]

Biggest middle finger is the night stalker change.

"Hey guys we know your hatred regen sucks so here is a passive for ya instead of fixing it oh and fuck discipline"

Also helltrapper is going to be garbage now. Don't really understand the nerf to some monster affixes that weren't really out of control when jailer is still remaining unchanged. Like wtf.

Also season 2 is another achievement race? How freaken boring and lazy - again. PoE seasons have been much more interesting.

[Gallahadd]

The Extra Health and Vampiric monster affixes have been removed from the game

Can we talk about that change please :P! They've removed two of the most annoying affixes, this is a good good thing.

[Deleted]

As for "nerfs": Mara6 with new bonuses is an hell of a buff since on PTR all DHs myself included can run way higher Grifts than before in less time; sunwuko Monks are doing exactly the same.

Can you be certain of this?

See:

Life on Hit and Life Regeneration have been increased by 25% at all levels
Monster density has been increased in several Greater and Nephalem Rifts
Monster damage in Greater Rifts level 26 and higher has been reduced
The Extra Health and Vampiric monster affixes have been removed from the game
Unholy Shield has been removed
Reduced this monsters XP, damage and survivability to bring it in line with other zombies

Are these not likely to have a greater contribution to the success at higher level rifts than the change in set bonuses?

[Fencers]

Ancient items seems like a neat way of introducing a tier of items that are already embedded in the game mechanically.

[Deleted]

One man's neat, is another man's lazy.

[Deleted]

No changes to the garbage crusader set. gg blizz

[zito]

One man's neat, is another man's lazy.

I have to agree that blizzards design decisions going forward have been completely basic that it just seems lazy. Now with season 2 confirmed, seasons are going to be nothing but glorified achievement races. I much prefer PoE seasons where they actually implement something mechanically different. And ancient items are no different. A rare chance to get a better item of already existing items.... like that's just boring.

They also keep nerfing affixes that don't need to be nerfed. Yea sure extra health and vampiric was annoying combined with something else but they remove those all together and keep the one shot bull shit jailer? Ugh.

[Kronik85]

I have to agree that blizzards design decisions going forward have been completely basic that it just seems lazy. Now with season 2 confirmed, seasons are going to be nothing but glorified achievement races. I much prefer PoE seasons where they actually implement something mechanically different. And ancient items are no different. A rare chance to get a better item of already existing items.... like that's just boring.

They also keep nerfing affixes that don't need to be nerfed. Yea sure extra health and vampiric was annoying combined with something else but they remove those all together and keep the one shot bull shit jailer? Ugh.

I think the only reason they are changing them is because they potentially effect clear time in Grifts. Difficulty has nothing to do with it.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

I like the changes so far, especially for DHs. The alteration to Sentry Turret is going to be very helpfl, and plus that new legendary ow will work well with a slow setup.

[Coldkil]

Can you be certain of this?

See:


Are these not likely to have a greater contribution to the success at higher level rifts than the change in set bonuses?

Having CA critting from 70mil to up to 200mil now can make a change, yes. It's a more active gameplay, and with new bonus you can still stay hidden behind corners and placing correctly sentries you can shoot at the air while they kill monsters. The only difference is that now you're casting something instead of running like an headless chicken because there was nothing else to do other than place sentries.

Anyway Mara6 is going to be chnaged again - the reaction has been pretty much this, everyone was crying for nerf, then they logged into PTR and see how could they blast away monsters.

I can agree on multiple points and with people not being satisfied by the patch notes (which is not my case), but before calling it a day at least trying the changes would be helpful.

Also, to cut it short: do not turn the thread into a D3 VS PoE discussion. PoE is an awesome game and has a lot of fun things, this doesn't mean all people should be playing it instead of D3.

People will just play whatever they want in any case

EDIT: now i would like to see a strafe/chakram/fok themed set for DH these skills need some more love.

[Deleted]

I was playing my SWK monk on the PTR and found the playstyle of the new sets potentially good, but with it's own drawbacks. I Wanted to try a build where you use Sweeping wind - cyclone (the little lightning tornadoes) and Cyclone Strike - Eye of the Storm, but I found an annoying problem, if you went through a phase of dumping your Spirit into repeated cyclone strikes (remember the first cyclone strike does not benefit from the bonus damage, only successive ones) to maximise the set bonus damage, then your Gogok of Swiftness stacks drop off, since Cyclone Strike doesn't proc it. This makes the rotation clunky, since you have to watch your stacks constantly, to stop cyclone striking to throw a few generator attacks in to proc it.

Survivability takes a significant drop too, since you could keep Agility Mantra up 100% of the time, now you can't.

They wanted to add build diversity, what will instead happen is that, again, there will only be one viable build for 34+ and you will have to use it, and it will be one like the ranged wave of light stun build.

One thing I would like to try is a Seven Sided Strike build using the Madstone (SSS applies Exploding Palm) and the revised Gungdo Gear (EP Explosion applies EP) Wielding a Flow of Eternity and a lot of CDR so as to almost always be SSS'ing.

[tiffy33]

I can agree on multiple points and with people not being satisfied by the patch notes (which is not my case), but before calling it a day at least trying the changes would be helpful.

My biggest gripe is the fact that they are still ignoring most of the skills in the game. All they seem to do is address the popular builds like m6 for example. But they do absolutely nothing to make the other skills worth using. Even if another skill gets buffed usually something gets bugged and said skill becomes OP. Then everyone just switches to it making another fotm build. I honestly dont even know what the d3 devs do at work for 7 days a week. We only get a patch like twice a year, which gives me an idea for a poll so brb.

[Coldkil]

Agree - there are a lot of skills that are way underused because they're simply not effective enough. Still, the way they're taking imho is better than just buff everything to be on par, but to create playstyles based on sets and their bonuses.

Ideally, we will be able to use all classes skills because there will be a set that will make them good. Anyway, with this timelines, it will be veeery long (maybe too much).

[kail]

IDK, seems like Blizz is trying to make D3 even easier still. Little changes to builds and sets that are now practically worthless. Ancient legendary items is now another lottery drop to hunt for (RNG on top of current drop RNG).

I was hoping Blizz would go towards the route where we have some direct control over our gear advancements, specifically directed towards crafting. Current crafting and re-rolling still feels lazily designed.

Forgive me for mentioning POE, but Blizz could learn a thing or two on progression. I will still be playing D3 due to the better gameplay and combat visuals it has compared to other ARPGs.

- - - Updated - - -

Also, has blizz mentioned anything about account-wide companion gear? Tired of swapping the gear around in order to get the best performance out of my Kormac.

[tiffy33]

also where is our PvP?



fast forward to 53:30

[tylenol]

Still trying to figure out why Blizzard won't budge with pylons in GRs, they are obviously causing problems with some people considering the mood sort of went from "remove pylons from GRs" then Blizzard said they intend to keep them in GRs and the mood switched to a combination of "remove pylons" and "nerf barbs...nerf raekor...nerf vile ward"

The same thing is going to happen when the patch hits, people who care are going to obtain better gear, ancient items, start GRs and barbs will be right at the top because of conduit pylons and it'll be even easier to pylon hunt because they will be more common, Blizzard has to know know that barbs cannot kill rift bosses within the time limit starting at maybe GR 43 or something (I'm not sure where barbs would be without conduit?) beyond that its conduit pylon or fail the rift, single target is a joke so pylon hunting is a thing

Making bosses immune to pylons would fix it, Blizzard doesn't seem like they want to remove them from GRs so this way they are still there and they function on regular mobs/elites but they wouldn't work on the boss, barbs would then be back to the low 40's because of their shit single target and maybe the high 40's, mid 50's in 2.1.2 with ancient gear

[Deleted]

How long did the last PTR last? think itll be the same amount of time or will S2 get pushed quicker?

[Deleted]

I finally got into the PTR yesterday, and played a bit of S2 with a Barbarian. I find the class really clunky, the levelling experience is not smooth at all. The other classes i levelled had much better abilities starting out and the fit together better as you levelled up, particularly the wizard and DH.

Also, I'm really not liking my Monk with the Sunwoko changes. All the builds I've tried have really suffered in a survivability vein. I tried a fun build using Tempest rush - Flurry, and the Diabo that gives tailwind, and it was good for T6, but not great in higher grifts and against a single target.

I also tried SSS with Madstone and again, it fails heavily against rift guardians. It's very hard to find a good build that have a good amount of survivability, single and area damage.