Content Update 3.16.0 -- Path of Exile: Scourge

While there's a lot of exciting stuff in the patch notes I can't seem to find much (or any at all?) on existing gem changes, which imo are one of the most important things to a new league.

Builds revolve around what gems we decide to use, so tweaks to gems are a huge part of the fun in deciding what skill to use when making a new build in a new league.

I see a lot of stuff that seems fun to try out when making builds, but what skill do I want to use?
It all comes down to that in the end, and using the same old skills with none or minimal changes for the last few leagues (or just straight up nerfed), can be a bit unexciting.

Some leagues change gems, others ascendancies, others the atlas etc.
While Scourge has covered quite a lot, it does seem to have completely skipped any gem balance aside from a few new gems.

I feel some of those are kind of essential to update every league to keep it interesting, especially build-wise.

While they can't make huge changes and reworks to everything every league, some things like gem balance, ascendancy balance and maybe also skill tree changes along with possibly something else are kind of key to keeping new leagues fresh imo, and should be at the core of league changes.

Atlas reworks like this league and next league (as i understand it) are huge extras and can probably not be expected every league.
Same with all the flask, defenses etc stuff, it's huge extras but not core things that will change every league.

But I do think gems and stuff should be, and I would rather have those gem balances every league and huge reworks spread out more rather than all dumped into one league and no other core changes to speak of, like gems.

Last league as well didn't have much else to gems than dmg nerf, no other gem balance, which wasn't very exciting either.



Well still gonna play and hope it's a good league, seems good otherwise.

I wonder if elemental builds aside from dot are nerfed now though?
Some elemental skills had their dmg toned down to balance around higher dot dmg if I recall correctly.
Where does that leave elemental builds that don't use dot dmg?

"

Added a new notable, which replaces Versatile Combatant, that has +10% to maximum Block Chance, +10 to Armour and Evasion Rating per 1% Block Chance.

Does this mean Gladiators can achieve an 85% block chance or does do we still cap at 75%? If the cap is still 75% this seems like a pretty weak notable for spending 4 ascendancy points to get there.

Great Patch Notes really looking forward to the league! Please fix emberwake tho QQ

"

Valkaneer wrote:

"

Added a new notable, which replaces Versatile Combatant, that has +10% to maximum Block Chance, +10 to Armour and Evasion Rating per 1% Block Chance.

Does this mean Gladiators can achieve an 85% block chance or does do we still cap at 75%? If the cap is still 75% this seems like a pretty weak notable for spending 4 ascendancy points to get there.

Yes you can achieve 85% block chance, although more likely 60% if you are going for spell block with the new spell block keystone.

"

Valkaneer wrote:

"

Galtrovan wrote:

"

TBNyel wrote:

"It is no longer possible to create PvP-Only characters in Path of Exile."

RIP spectre bank?

Ouch. Now you have to level a bank character yourself.

This is the way it was for PC players already. This league I took one of my alts and threw a spectre gem on him, logged my Necro, killed my spectre's in my hide out, then logged my alt and raised my operative. It doesn't take that long to hit lvl 38, only a few hours.

Um, no. I play on PC. Even the latest 3.15.3c patch still allows the creation of PvP only characters.

So you're conveniently not going to mention Ultimatum or when it's supposed to go core? How were you able to balance something like Expedition in time but didn't have enough time to bring Ultimatum in when it's a simpler and more fun of a mechanic...? It's been 3 leagues now already. We want to use Hateforge again (the good version), not one that gets ruined like the rest of anything else which has a sought after interaction. Make it even more rare if that's what it takes, but don't ruin it like you did with Harvest and other mechanics.

Also, did you ever think while making the passive mastery mechanic that the passives that we had allocated in the past were fine without you removing/altering them so that some of the ones we were reliant for in the past can't be obtained anymore? How is this giving "player agency" if you're essentially changing which passives we have access to on which sides of the tree if some of them are not there anymore or we have to pick between them via the mastery instead of having them in one concentrated area? That seems like not only nerfs to defense but also disguised nerfs to the skill tree that you're trying to masquerade as more choices. At least let us choose whether we want to use passive masteries or just stick with the previous original tree. This is just even more forced content on players that we have no say in. Even more of a reason why a private server of 3.13 would be nice to be able to play at this point, at least in the distant future.

"

Chieftain
Tasalio, Cleansing Water: Now grants "20% of Physical Damage from Hits taken as Fire Damage" (previously 15%), and "20% increased Life Recovery Rate if you've taken Fire Damage from an Enemy Hit Recently" (previously 50%)

So is the "+100% to Fire Resist" gone because it's not mentioned. If so that's a massive nerf. If not still a pretty hard nerf to an ascendency with less than 1% representation on PoE Ninja.

"

Galtrovan wrote:

"

Valkaneer wrote:

This is the way it was for PC players already. This league I took one of my alts and threw a spectre gem on him, logged my Necro, killed my spectre's in my hide out, then logged my alt and raised my operative. It doesn't take that long to hit lvl 38, only a few hours.

Um, no. I play on PC. Even the latest 3.15.3c patch still allows the creation of PvP only characters.

Where? Because I don't see it on the creation screen. The only options I see are Standard, Expedition, and Hardcore Expedition and each of those 3 have an SSF option. Standard also has a Hardcore option. Other than those I see no other options.

QAWO

Wait , no seismic trap nerf ?)