Path of Exile 3.16 Balance - Part 2 - Core Character Defences and Recovery

I don't know, man. I have been playing since delve and racked up more than 8k hours by now. The only two leagues before 3.15 I felt bored/unexcited were blight and heist. That was before all of the unnecessary changes. I can't get excited about the new league for the third league in a row (yes, since Ultimatum). Not because of the league's content or burn-out, but because with the release of each league, I feel like something is taken away from me. Constantly. I am already sacrificing my time to play this game (opportunity-cost). Why do I have to be punished even more for playing the game? Why can't I just play and enjoy it?

Do you know how GGG usually designs their passives/items in the game?
-By providing an effect with some serious downside to it as well.

I feel that they are taking the same approach towards the new league releases ever since Ultimatum. Can't they just do as they used to before and release new content without players having to feel bad?

Wow Nice!!

I like the ideea of having custom defense and building your character around that... not sold on it yet but i'll give it a try.

The changes to Flash and Stone are kinda bad... will you be able to equip 2 defensive auras with the same mana reservation that Flash and Stone previously had? - cause I think not, and that's not very good.

Also.. the Gladiator Versatile Combat... why??? - making the chance to block lucky will not offset the changes to Versatile Combat.

Is it just me... but, with all this changes and new mods on items and custom defenses and ailment mitigation that we will probably need to use otherwise we will be instantly killed (cause I am sure monsters will be twicked ninja style to take into account new defense caps) we will have lower damage case we will need to use item mod slots for defenses and ailment mitigations?

Problem: Bullshit 1 shot mechanics that only 6 figure streamers who have the most powerful computers and perfect internet connection can avoid.

Solution: Remove bullshit one shot mechanics.

Now, instead of investing time and currency into getting a +qual veiled mod on ES gear, I'm going to be investing time and currency into getting that unmodifiable +20% top tier base to craft on. That did not lower investment, only upped the power ceiling (by freeing an affix).

Moreover, the "Defences" modifier pool (Dense fossils) is now diluted with the new ES recharge affixes, making it harder to get good and high-end ES items, further increasing time and currency investment required.

So, where is that "reduction in required investment" you're promising. Am I misunderstanding something?

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Versatile Combatant is now a Keystone Passive on the Passive Skill Tree: Grants +2% Chance to Block Spell Damage for each 1% Overcapped Chance to Block Attack Damage. Also grants -25% to maximum Chance to Block Attack Damage, and -25% to maximum Chance to Block Spell Damage. This means that if you have a 75% chance to Block Attack Damage, allocating this Keystone Passive grants you a 50% chance to Block Attack Damage, as well as a 50% chance to Block Spell Damage.

So, I equip a shield. Go out my way to get every reachable %shield block-attack-damage node on the tree. Acquire 67% maybe 70% chance to block attach damage. Then I take Versatile Combat.

My 70% attack block becomes 50%. My spell block becomes 40%.

What this means to me in end game is, any map that rolls 40% reduced block means I have 10% attack block and 0% spell block.

This is a huge nerf to Versatile Combat. This same scenario in 3.15 is 30% attack block and 30% spell block. 10%/0% is pathetic.

Evening saying your shield rolled both the new 15%'ish attack/spell block suffixes doesn't improve things much. You are sitting at 85%/15% raw block. Taking Versatile, attack block still drops to 50%, because that's the cap. While spell block does rise from 40% to 50% in this scenario, there are two problem. One, the 15% spell block suffix you rolled on the shield is completely worthless. Two, at 50%/50% block, run this map you are at 10%/10% block, which is completely useless.

Why would anyone ever take Versatile Combat in 3.16?

Wow even more nerfs can't wait for the nerf patch and the 3rd league in a row with less players hahah.

A lot to take in. Hopefully we'll be able to feel the difference in the armour and evasion changes, and overall be able to invest more smartly into different types of defences.

One question: what happens to the armour/evasion/ES bases in Standard? I think instead of making the new rolls unchangeable, it would be good to have a currency that affects them. This is easily balanced by making it a rare currency, so that it is in general more worth to find a good base off the ground rather than using the currency to change it, but for existing items there is a way to bring them back up to spec.

(also rip energy from naught)

I'm very excited to see how the changes go

Why on earth make tempest shield reserve mana.... another defensive skill that cant be used unless un invest heavily on mana reservation.... since now everyone and their mother need to run clarity thx to that support skill mana multy crap you made. Even with all your "hotfixes" it still feels terrible.