Shock Nova

A few comment on using this skill:

- If the effect of monsters being hit be nova could be toned up slightly, we will be able to tell better how much the dead-zone is.

- I put this on a totem with faster cast, and no increased area. Best decision ever made on the relatively weak nova, but it now lags.

On the balance:

- The blackhole in the middle? Makes the skill only feasible in party situations or with many minions. I find it okay, but inefficient to cast while kiting, made more difficult by server/client desync.

- Part of the underlying problem is lightning's connection with the shocked status. The bunch of rapid hits can really ruin anyone's day... so, it might be okay for the crit to stay low. On that note, it benefits the most from the two "+10% to shock on hit" passives.

- It seems that the goat-casters at the Prisoner's Gate have no minimum range on their nova. Is this just my imagination or is it intended? If it is intended, do totems have that?

Spark is a decent skill. Lightning Warp is good for maneuvering over edges and such, but shock nova could use a little work at least. With projectile pierce and multiple projectiles, I think lightning witches should just stick with Spark and spam to their heart's content.

I tried using this skill at some point, but there is an annoying dead zone near your character where the monsters take no damage. It gets absolutely painful to maintain the correct position and trying to kite at the same time.

In my opinion nova spells have always been used when you're stuck in hordes of monsters to quickly make room for your character. I switched this to freezing pulse, which is much more reliable option for situations like this.

I remember being dissatisfied when I started using this skill for the first time, but I have since revised my opinion considerably.

I agree that as a main damaging skill, it is very unreliable. However, as a supporting skill it is absolutely lovely. It should be used in combination with totems, summons or even molten shell.

This is one of those skills that can make a build complete.

Mark or anyone, I n oticed shock nova got a face lift in 0.9.12. Will pre patch gems be upgraded automatically to the "new" shock nova, or do you have to find post patch gems to benefit from the face lift?

Also, any other changes to the gem - eg dead zone size?

Thanks as always.

Petrov.

I've been using this spell with concentrated effect since the update. It seems to have sufficient damage for its dead-zone now. I think it could be buffed slightly more, but perhaps it doesn't need it.

Monsters that use it are also much deadlier now, which is nice.

<Glances at firestorm>

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anubite wrote:

I've been using this spell with concentrated effect since the update. It seems to have sufficient damage for its dead-zone now. I think it could be buffed slightly more, but perhaps it doesn't need it.

Monsters that use it are also much deadlier now, which is nice.

<Glances at firestorm>

I don't think it needs any further buffs. It kills very good. I have a shock nova templar killing pretty well with shock nova (1 with increased AoE, 1 with concentraded). You can get more information in the build of the week thread, where I submitted this build.

http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/49705/page/6

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zharmad wrote:

It seems that the goat-casters at the Prisoner's Gate have no minimum range on their nova. Is this just my imagination or is it intended? If it is intended, do totems have that?

Hi there, I'd like to know the answer to these too, please.

Thanks Mark.

So I guess it might appear that way because the AI has near-perfect timing so that the Goatmen and totems always seem to hit?