Split Arrow

Really interested if they have any plans to make changes to this skill since they said they would be looking into underused/bad skills and buffing them

Projectiles are made much weaker by how they can not shotgun, unlike spells. If not all projectiles, this skill specifically could be drastically improved simply by letting shotgunning occur.

Anyone understand how this skill is good? Not trying to complain, but learn. Is there any reason to use it over another skill like lightning arrow?

It's very easy to compare this to lighting arrow, with the right combo of support gems.

LA + GMP vs Split Arrow + Chain

Both fire 5 projectiles that chain twice. Damage effectiveness is better on split arrow 40% (.8 * .5 for chain) vs LA which is 35%. Looking good, until you note that SA needs to be level 17 to have 5 arrows, which means 19 mana vs LA's 15 mana. Then there's the gem bonus to damage: SA is bonus physical damage, while LA is bonus projectile, which is way better since it adds damage to any items, auras, and even it's own converted lightning damage a second time.

Please say there's something I am missing. It's not unique or cool in any way. Shotgun effect would be too powerful, but at least give it something cool like a snare, knockback, or homing. At the very least, reduce the mana cost to be inline with LA and increase the number of arrows by one so they can't be so easily compared. Then people can decide if they want more elemental damage or more arrows.

thats not really a fair comparison as the area of effect of LA is much smaller than Chain

So LA's chain is smaller than the chain gem? How is that even possible since you can add a chain gem to LA. I hadn't noticed a difference.

I really believe that it's bonus should be PROJECTILE damage instead of physical. It would at least make the skills closer in damage. Make a split arrow build and swap in LA. You will notice a damage increase even if your build is designed for split arrow physical damage.

Isn't the point of different skills so that you make a choice? If one skill is ALWAYS better than another, there isn't a choice anymore.

I must say that it actually goes up to 6 arrows. I was wrong before. It just needs a little boost to make it viable now. Not much. I had suggested the lower mana cost and additional arrow before, so if the mana is lowered it would work. Or make it projectile damage. Please oh please make it added projectile damage.

Yea, to be honest I don't even know why it has reduced damage in the first place; it's not like you can shotgun with this skill and its damage is really, really low compared to the mana cost. It definetely needs some kind of buff 'cause right now it is totally lackluster skill - I'm using it only because LA is still a bit too much of a lagfest for me...

Going to keep posting here because split arrow really needs a little help.

Less mana cost to be inline with lightning arrow or the bonus as it levels up should be increased projectile damage instead of physical.

Just needs to be a projectile damage bonus. Is that really so much to ask for?

I feel obligated to bring attention to this post. Don't know if it helps, but I would like to believe this skill will get some help.

Hi.
Is Dps on Split Arrow based on 1 projectile?
-Some guy told me if u hit 6 projectiles and u have 3k dps on split arrow it's actually:
6*3 = 18k dps. And with chain its multiplied x times

Is this true? Anyone can confirm this? Because for me 3k or even 5k dps on split arrow or la is pretty low, so it could make sense if its based on 1 projectile hit