Arc
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I think the most important thing with Arc is it will NEVER hit more than 3 or 5 targets, and those targets may be inanimate. This alone makes it a less than choice option when compared to AoE spells that can clear entire groups in a few blasts.
https://linktr.ee/wjameschan -- everything I've ever done worth talking about, and even that is debatable.
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Arc needs to be treated as a projectile, I think only then it will be up to par with other skills
Still it's fun to use! Just needs to be looked at |
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Arc is indeed a very problematic skill but I doubt its as bad as people say.
The reason why it seems to be so bad is because people misuse it with CHAIN. If you do the math Chain does reduce your overall damage! Using Arc with Chain is an absolute no go with the current mechanics, still people do it and then complain about ARC beeing so weak. Currently I am playing a Dual Spork witch and using the skillcombinations of Spark, Fork, Faster Casting, Spelltotem is pretty good in my opinion. I changed out Spark to Arc which is unfortunatly ~10 (character)level behind and its ofc a lot weaker, but I cannot say for sure if its that bad. I think the best way to optimze the DPS of Arc is to use this combination: ARC-FASTER CASTING-LIGHTING PENETRATION-SPELLTOTEM(to bypass manaproblems) And instead of focusing on crit I would go Shock chance and more importantly: INCREASED SHOCK DURATION(so a 20% conductivity might be important) If you have a high shoch duration + high base damage even high HP monsters will get shockstacked pretty fast. ( I assume) If you pass a certain treshhold, the damage of arc COULD skyrocket because shockstacks are then applied more frequently. Another big point of Arc is, that it will ALWAYS HIT(do maximal potential damage) which is a big difference to Spark with Fork. I will keep an Eye on the spell and as soon as my Arc and Spark are similar level I will compare them more closly: Arc-Lighting Penetration-Faster Casting-Spelltotem VS Spark-Fork-Faster Casting-Spelltotem You shall not underestimate the advantage of Penetration. In my opinion this supportgem is pretty underrated. Maybe it does not boost your overall DPS like a LMP but it has a very nice mechanic: It makes hard monsters "more easy" then easy monster. Meaning the effect on enemies with high resistance is pretty strong. Lets assume you face a mob with Curse Immunity and elemental resisatnace, you are pretty much screwed with Spark but your Arc supported with Lighting Penetration will tear through this mob and maybe even shockstack it because of the increased duration. I remainwith this view: People underestimate Arc because they misuse it with Chain. You just cant do that. Arc without Chain does 3x100% = 300% damage Arc with Chain does 5x50% = 250% damage Using Arc with Chain costs you 16% DPS, consumes a socket slot, makes Shockchance less likly and increases manacosts. Only minor advantage: Better damage distribution WHY THE **** WOULD PEOPLE EVER CONSIDER USING ARC WITH CHAIN??? I dont understand this. Arc scales with: Faster Casting Lighting Penetration added Lighting Damage (Pretty bad, as it gives only a total of +~5% more damage on lv 20 gems but at least you could get another 10% Chance to shock) And thats it. There are only 2 Support Gems which actually are useful in conjunction with Arc. Pretty sure the key aspect to make Arc work is to utalize >>>Chance to Shock<<< and eqally Important >>>Increased Shock Duration<<<. Btw, you can get a 64% Chance to shock with Arc. Arc 20% Added Lighting Damage 10% Conductivity 14% Static Blows 20% (shadow area another 5%, so its actually 69%) But Crit and Chain are definitly the wrong way. Then maybe a Low Life build with RF + Dual Totems and I think most Rares will melt >>>INSTANT<<<. |
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Yeah, some twenty pages later and arc got even worse, due to the chain nerf.
Fool me made (again) a lightning Witch because of arc, because i liked the style in CB. Now then, when do i use it? When 2 rares cuddle in open air, last boys standing, far of, sun shining and just because i can. Screencancer sparks would still do better. I played around with it in a 6L, but there is little enough you can try out as still only a few gems can support it. At least you can add a Manaleech without loosing anything and counter the skyrocketing manacosts. Ill just restate some ideas in the thread that i like: - more bounces with gemlevel or quality 5-6 - if theres no bouncing-partner, let it rebounce from the caster for no or minor damage - we need more ways to support this gem, so we can optimize it for bosses or packs in the way we support it (thats why fp is so boring, one way for everything - and the sound) - maybe the base damage has to be adjusted even then, but its not the main flaw of arc. Even if you tripple it now, without the other points it would still suck. Give it some love, really! | |
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Yeah, I was also planning to make a lightning witch with arc, but after reading a lot of comments, looks like lightning is more inclined in the "support" category. So unless you play some kind of dual totem or need to spread shock to your party, arc is very limited.
I would like to add another suggestion: What about adding an AOE component to this spell? Something like what happens with lightning arrow. So the spell would have an aoe centered on the enemy it hits. That way ppl could use more support gems like, increased AOE for more aoe dps ofc or concentrated effect for bosses. Then we could remove the 10% base chance to shock, to don't make shock stacking too easy. And maybe rebalancing the dmg with a better base crit (5 or 6%), so crit/crit dmg would also be an option here. Another thing: the chain gem.. I'm not sure, but I would say it should make 2 copies of the original spell like it do with everything else. The Arc is getting less bonus from this gem than the others skills, imo. Last edited by Wolvis on May 8, 2013, 4:34:03 PM
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I lold at RenoR post.
Absolutely ignoring sparks shotgun effect and fork adding 6 new projectiles for 30% dmg lose. Ye those always hits (if some crap is not between you and target) for 3 hits rly counts xD especially when spark totem always hits too only what is needed to cast it on target plus you get a shotgun in addition what arc can only dream about. But better way will be trying solo maps with his arc totems so he can feel it by yourself how useless those "pros" of arc are. :) ▄█▀█▀█
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This skill definitely needs to hit more targets.
How about this. Arc always hits at least 3 targets and has a 50% chance (amount can be changed) to chain more times. | |
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Well from using it for so long along with other spells, in it's current form it flat out needs to do more damage. But I don't think that's very interesting...
It currently not being treated like a projectile is a good thing, because I really like the suggestion that Chain should be changed so is does +% Less Projectile Damage and doesn't affect damage from Arc. This doesn't help Arc as much as you would think because it's a sub par AoE skill being that all chains not guaranteed to hit (or the intended target) and it's still a relatively expensive skill sticking a 200% multiplier on it making it a questionable addition. So either these would do it: - Damage slightly up at higher levels, at least 80% damage effectiveness (I'd get rid of it to be honest for Arc). - Decrease cast speed significantly, damage significantly up; make it a spike damage skill with it's all so well random range of damage for lightning. 50% damage effectiveness and 4% crit chance on this seems reasonable even tho' I generally hate how it applies to Arc. - Increase cast speed on par with Fireball/Freezing Pulse, damage decreased or damage range altered so it's not as wide and decreased, 5% crit chance, at least 70% damage effectiveness; lands lots of hits that may or may not deal enough damage to deal a shock effect but its cast speed makes up for it's low damage and spikes into big damage occasionally - because it's lightning. Should still look at Chain affecting projectiles only. The one idea that I would like to see that would make Arc good is another skill that compliments it. Totem skill: let's call it Amplify. What it does is that you can target it with a skill and it would make a skill that hits that totem do More Damage for the next hit and +1 Chain. This makes chains on Arc not feel redundant and not make it a sub par AoE skill. What it can't do is hit another Amplify Totem and do increasingly more damage or have infinite chains but it makes skills that don't have inherent chains have some usage with it. Anything that Pierces the totem however doesn't have an effect (unless the projectile could get the bonuses from passing thro' without having to create a new projectiles with the new damage bonuses). Just a though. |
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I've been using Arc since I started this game. It's a great spell, really balanced, too. The only flaw, the ONLY real drawback of the skill in my sincere opinion, is the high mana cost... Can't cast it too often or you'll run out of mana. Can't put many support gems or your mana will be eaten pretty fast.
It's balanced and the support gem combination is also balanced, but the skill itself is too mana intensive, if it wasn't for such high mana costs, Arc would be fine. | |
" Has anyone considered using Arc with Malachai's Simula (would increase the damage severely) so that it uses Blood Magic, and then running a high HP build? EDIT to fix stupid oversight i too fas fo youuuuuuu Last edited by Duskbane on May 20, 2013, 1:41:42 PM
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