[outdated] Caustic Arrow Solo Map MFer (20/300+)

@"chimurestaurat"
I haven't seen anything really good done with Blight.

I've seen an insane BIS build (6-link, +1 gems Wrappings, Level 4 Empower, all gems corrupted for +1 or quality, etc. - literally, a BiS build) kill Shaper with about the same speed and efficiency as 4-link HoWA. This insane gear build would suffer a big penalty against HoWA for clear speed.

The stack limit (20) makes scaling Blight DPS very hard after a certain point - that's why the BiS Shaper kill was so slow.

I've seen Blight used as a channeling crutch to trigger other spells - any other channeled spell could be used in place of Blight.

I've seen a clever build by Phox with OK DPS using Abyssal Cry to bail out AOE/Single Target weaknesses.
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In the absence of clear-speed meta, Blight is problematic to play but workable.

Trouble is, AOE is terrible and single target is merely OK.

So you'd likely use Blight for single target and go with something that synergizes with the damage nodes you're taking to fix clear speed. Phox's approach seems best.

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Re Blight in PVP - Doesn't CI completely counter Blight? And can't other builds equip some chaos resist gear?
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Anyhow, Blight for me remains a build with really fun mechanics. It needs a bit more DPS and I'd like to see another chaos skill emerge with good AOE to address clear speed. If Contagion spread Blight stacks in some fashion, and stack limit were increased to 30, that would be enough to get me to play Blight next league.

As-is, the gem will see little use.

lol Who cares about 2.6? The new Torment is coming out at about the same time, and not even all the PC nonsense we've seen so far can ruin it.

As for 3.0, finally, GGG says that the problems are specifically ES and Vaal Pact. For some ungodly reason many people are instead complaining about CI and Vinktar (and not Berserker; a temporary 20% is too much but full time 100% is fine, I guess). Granted, CI is actually OP, but not in the sense that 15% more ES is too strong, it's just retarded that it gives chaos immunity in PvP.

How much faster than Pohx' build can skilled players on meta builds realistically clear while guaranteeing never dying to trash? Apparently even 15k ES is no guarantee when intentionally eating volatiles to gain clear speed.

My EA PF has great potential for movement speed and damage, but I just refuse to move much faster than Pohx' Blight anymore because a volatile can mean death if I fire a single volley before I'm 100% sure there is no orange glow on screen, especially if it's a fast moving mob or a devourer. Hell, volatile devourers killed me when I hit and ignited them off screen without even knowing they're around. The orange glow is also hard to spot on cinders, some skeles and any mobs in deep water which rise out of the ground or are short like dogs and crabs.

Now, I am a shitty player (just ask Chrono!) so this should still improve over time, but I've played a LOT this league and focused on clear speed and I just couldn't make it work with those types of volatiles. I wouldn't dare touch HC again moving any faster than a good Blight build already does.

Volatiles have been my only deaths for a long time now, and Blight's non-instant damage combined with slowing mobs is the perfect cure. You have to get close. By the time you do, you're sure to already be aware of what you're getting close to. Spray and run and the debuffed volatile can't follow you. Seems like the best exping skill in the game to me.

In PvP, Blight/SR/BF haven't been tuned at all yet. CI aside, legit capped chaos res does not save you from a skill that has no damage penalty whatsoever. I don't think their current state is unfair in any way, though. It's hard to get close to ranged builds. They should actually make old close range skills this strong.

As for the slow Shaper kill, if someone tries to do hard content like that with Blight alone, or Caustic arrow alone, I think that shit is on them. Those 2 are just begging to be combined with ED for single target, or with each other.

Perhaps we're getting so off topic that we should move this to a mail discussion :-)

Anyhow, it sounds as if you enjoy the Blight mechanics as much as I do.

For Blight to be viable, you ought to be able to play the Blight skill as much as possible.

Like it or not clear speed *and* single target DPS - both - are going to be important going forward.

Contagion spreading Blight DOT's might make Blight really viable - either implement this mechanic or a similar substitute... or why play Blight?

Abyssal Cry is not quite as good IMO, but is OK - why - because Abyssal Cry does not necessarily buff Blight - it relies on the presence of other mobs - not necessarily present in boss encounters - and, doesn't really promote the Blight play-style - in other words, just pick some other random skill an then augment that skill with Abyssal Cry - would'd you be any worse off.. maybe often times (somewhat) but maybe not in the best case(s).

Legacy League looks interesting... especially if they are already considering keeping it going forward for at-will personalized league modding... I wonder how it will work in parties tho?... Party leader has priority because they activate map device... and whoever enters a zone first in storyline?

Anyone have any thoughts on which mods are best once you have access?... I assume Perandus and maybe Essence and something else for leveling through the story... then something like Perandus again, Breach, Beyond for mapping/xp grinding... maybe something other than Perandus for XP