Vaal Earthquake

I've noticed that sometimes when I trigger Vaal Earthquake the skill/souls is spent, but there's no effect. My character slams the ground like usual, but the afterquakes don't trigger when I'm moving/walking/running.

This has happended quite a few times during leveling, I'd say about every 20-30 use.

You're probably getting interrupted, DuchessNova.

I had this same frustration, because I have 41%/8% block (/spell block) chance on my Stormwall character, and when you block, it interrupts Vaal EQ. Even with the 80% chance to avoid stun enchant on my boots, Vaal EQ was still awkward to use because, unless you are stun immune, there's always a chance it will get interrupted. Getting Unwavering Stance because of this is just not a viable option when I can just play Cyclone and be stun immune basically 100% of the time, running Soul of Solaris instead of Brine King. Vaal EQ almost makes EQ usable, even with its current flaws, but not unless you are stun immune IMO.(Unwavering Stance / Juggernaut come to mind.)

If you build EQ to reduce the duration with the helmet enchant and a high level+quality Less Duration gem, you must have a good amount of movement speed to properly deliver all 7 aftershocks from Vaal EQ, because you have reduced the duration in which Vaal EQ is active. At this point your build is already so similar to Cyclone that you may as well switch over to Cyclone, which is what I did on my Stormwall Inquisitor.

Since EQ is a skill which is best used by stun immune characters which don't have a whole lot of attack speed, I would suggest adding a buff to movement speed of the character who activated Vaal EQ, 5-15% would be very nice.

My dream would be if Vaal EQ also gave you Phase Run while active.

So, quick suggestions for Vaal EQ.

the current iteration feels lackluster and counterproductive to the design of EQ. In order to utilize it in a way that makes it even worth using, I have to essentially stop using EQ and run in circles for a few brief seconds. dangerous at higher levels and to be honest doesn't feel right with the base EQ skill.


What I would personally like is a Vaal skill that enhances the weaknesses of EQ. Something like:

much higher initial damage hit (like 300% more then current), and then the aftershock radiates larger in 3 independent consecutively larger aftershocks.

that would be fun, have a nice single target slam, and a room clearer at the same time. and the consecutive aftershocks (Boom Boom Boom) would feel very "earthquake-like" and expand to fill the room.

Vaal EQ is entirely pointless on the new earthquake of amplification. Increased duration needed to scale EQ of amp is strictly a downgrade on vaal EQ since you trigger vaal EQs less often.