Vaal Double Strike

I like that they lowered the amount of souls needed. I actually feel as though I can use it for every other rare monster. But, I would still like to see the souls reduced by about 20% all around and that its AI is tuned up a bit more.

If the AI wasn't completely braindead, this would be fantastic. As is, not even worth the slot. I thought I could hook up melee splash and have a quick pack-clearing tool, but he's too stupid to attack for most of the 4 seconds. It's a shame; I had high hopes.

Awesome skill! Questions on this. GGG please clarify:

1) Creates copy of character - if I buff my character with flasks likes granite/jade etc. right before I use Vaal Double Strike - does my character's copy also get the buffs (and are these buffs timed to the remaining duration of my own buffs?)
2) Does the character copy use your regular Double Strike or does it use the Vaal Double Strike and the support gems that are linked to Vaal Double Strike? Reason I ask is because linking Faster Attacks
to Vaal Double Strike did not increase the tooltip DPS of Vaal Double Strike, wherease linking Culling Strike and Increased Crit Chance to Vaal Double Strike did increase its tooltip DPS.
3) Is the character copy vulnerable to damage or invulnerable?
4) Is there anyway to direct/control the character copy - like using a curse to indicate what area it should go and attack?

Thanks!

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Caiada wrote:

If the AI wasn't completely braindead, this would be fantastic. As is, not even worth the slot. I thought I could hook up melee splash and have a quick pack-clearing tool, but he's too stupid to attack for most of the 4 seconds. It's a shame; I had high hopes.

he targets what you target, you can't just fire and do something else.

They did not lower the souls required for all difficulties; they halved it, then made it require 50% more for cruel and 100% more for merciless (back to where it was).

For Vaal Double Strike:
32 normal
48 cruel
64 merciless

Overall this gem does not seem to be worth it, it does work for a while but even using it linked with increase duration, melee physical damage and added fire damage, the damage was really low and the duration short.

I can't spare a 5L or 6L for a vaal gem, since it's something I'll only use on bosses, but it should be more useful.

Hopefully almost all vaal gems get a damage buff on the next patch

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MRLoki wrote:

Overall this gem does not seem to be worth it, it does work for a while but even using it linked with increase duration, melee physical damage and added fire damage, the damage was really low and the duration short.

I can't spare a 5L or 6L for a vaal gem, since it's something I'll only use on bosses, but it should be more useful.

Hopefully almost all vaal gems get a damage buff on the next patch

It seems like something which benefits 2H weapons; they have an extra 6L available.

I haven't tried taking a Vaal gem out of somewhere in my gear and then putting it back in somewhere else (without changing area), but I assume I would lose any charges it had gathered. If not, then I guess you could temporarily switch the Vaal gem the main skill in your chest's 6L when you wanted to use it (and then switch back in your main skill, assuming that does not despawn the double). You would probably need a macro to do this quickly, though.

I love the gem. I do not understand what people are complaining when saying the AI is bad or the damage is bad...

The Copy-Buddy attacks whatever you attack and does so at the same speed and damage as your main character as far as I can tell. I linked it to increased duration, I summon him when I go up against a boss like piety. When I focus down piety with double strike he will come to aid and for approx. half her HP my DPS is literaly doubled by my buddy...

I think it doesnt work so well with stuff like cleave or Reave, where you attack the area in front of you and your buddy doesnt know what he should attack. He is also pretty clueless when youre running around attacking nothing.

But for most scenarios you can focus on attacking for the amaount of time the buddy is with you and he will follow you quite nicely.

I love idea of making clones in game,great job on that GGG but really skill last too short.As those people said above either increase duration or lower amount of souls we need to cast it.

needs soul cos reduction. not drastic but still.

and it having some extra perk like splash or leeches life to player would be a plus (without cost reduction then).

real nice gem for bosses but high soul cost makes me hoard it and not use when ready.