RIP HA builds?

Gendizer

(It is about "Tri Focus" nerf). Have you just nerfed HA builds and are doing it again? You made the Arcanist with a HUGE AoE and single-target damage, but you're depriving us of the only advantage that gave us a chance to overcome difficult content. Where is the logic? Why are you ruining the game again?

jaws343

I don't think so actually. This may be a buff. For single target at least.

Definitely an AOE nerf. But the actual heavy attack damage to single target should go up.

+12% damage to the attack from the Ancient Knowledge change. This will certainly hurt any AOE skills damage on the build but buff the heavy attack channel itself.

Losing the splash damage from Tri Focus during the channel is definitely a hit to aoe damage though. May be a hit to healing as well for Sorcs using crit surge. But, I think the single target lightning heavy attack damage is going to be better than it was pre-Necrom since Ancient Knowledge never applied to the actual heavy attack channel as far as I know.

KS_Amt38

Enjoy Sorcs while you can, afterwards its only Arcanist.

Dragonredux

As long as Empower stays like it is. HA builds will be viable.

Gendizer

And about "Ancient Knowledge" nerf - NO COMMENTS.

Shepoffire

This needed to happen. There is literally no down side to HA sorc

Zezin

It's a buff

HackTheMinotaur

jaws343 wrote: »

I don't think so actually. This may be a buff. For single target at least.

Definitely an AOE nerf. But the actual heavy attack damage to single target should go up.

+12% damage to the attack from the Ancient Knowledge change. This will certainly hurt any AOE skills damage on the build but buff the heavy attack channel itself.

Losing the splash damage from Tri Focus during the channel is definitely a hit to aoe damage though. May be a hit to healing as well for Sorcs using crit surge. But, I think the single target lightning heavy attack damage is going to be better than it was pre-Necrom since Ancient Knowledge never applied to the actual heavy attack channel as far as I know.

The problem is that, last I checked, the final tick of a lightning staff heavy does not count as channeled damage, it counts as AOE. They should really fix it so the entire channel is channeled damage. This would also make sets like Deadly Strike more useful on lightning heavy builds.

Gendizer

I did a parse on my HA warden on PTS. 92k DPS == my DPS on live server.

Gendizer

AoE damage nerf is a huge loss for a HA build.

Tyrant_Tim

Part of the reason end-game groups were so accepting of Heavy Attack builds were that they were a consistent source of damage, which got nerfed when they hit Storm Master…

and that the damage was 100% AoE.

With this change, you’re going to see a lot more exclusion from content.

Lumenn

This started with a small nerf to empower, and oh btw one of the few HA sets storm master at the same time, but don't worry! Now aoe gets canned too? Let's just all change to nb since it seems that's the future....

Gendizer

Now we won't be taken for serious trial content at all.

dosco

i have seen more raid leaders specifically asking people to bring HA sorcs than i've seen anyone in game saying to please don't bring that. Yet the forum is full of this weird fear of exclusion

ESO_player123

Gendizer wrote: »

AoE damage nerf is a huge loss for a HA build.

I was relying on that splashing to clear the trash packs on my HA sorc. Should I now target each mob in the pack individually? I'm not a build specialist, but do we have any other reliable sources of AoE besides Wall of elements for sorcs?

Gendizer

dosco wrote: »

i have seen more raid leaders specifically asking people to bring HA sorcs than i've seen anyone in game saying to please don't bring that. Yet the forum is full of this weird fear of exclusion

Yes, but difficult achievements like a trifecta can never be completed with HA builds because they deal too little damage.

Soarora

Gendizer wrote: »

dosco wrote: »

i have seen more raid leaders specifically asking people to bring HA sorcs than i've seen anyone in game saying to please don't bring that. Yet the forum is full of this weird fear of exclusion

Yes, but difficult achievements like a trifecta can never be completed with HA builds because they deal too little damage.

Now or before? Because I've seen plenty of HA-only trifectas.

Gendizer

ESO_player123 wrote: »

Gendizer wrote: »

AoE damage nerf is a huge loss for a HA build.

I was relying on that splashing to clear the trash packs on my HA sorc. Should I now target each mob in the pack individually? I'm not a build specialist, but do we have any other reliable sources of AoE besides Wall of elements for sorcs?

U can use Pulsar from destruction staff. But the damage is still much lower than it was with heavy attack before the nerf.

Gendizer

Soarora wrote: »

Gendizer wrote: »

dosco wrote: »

i have seen more raid leaders specifically asking people to bring HA sorcs than i've seen anyone in game saying to please don't bring that. Yet the forum is full of this weird fear of exclusion

Yes, but difficult achievements like a trifecta can never be completed with HA builds because they deal too little damage.

Now or before? Because I've seen plenty of HA-only trifectas.

Always. I mean trifectas in DLS trials, such as vSE, vRG, and vDSR.

ESO_player123

Gendizer wrote: »

ESO_player123 wrote: »

Gendizer wrote: »

AoE damage nerf is a huge loss for a HA build.

I was relying on that splashing to clear the trash packs on my HA sorc. Should I now target each mob in the pack individually? I'm not a build specialist, but do we have any other reliable sources of AoE besides Wall of elements for sorcs?

U can use Pulsar from destruction staff. But the damage is still much lower than it was with heavy attack before the nerf.

I could try that, thanks. The main problem is I'm running out of slots since I use the flappy for healing and that takes 2 slots out of 10.

Gendizer

ESO_player123 wrote: »

Gendizer wrote: »

ESO_player123 wrote: »

Gendizer wrote: »

AoE damage nerf is a huge loss for a HA build.

I was relying on that splashing to clear the trash packs on my HA sorc. Should I now target each mob in the pack individually? I'm not a build specialist, but do we have any other reliable sources of AoE besides Wall of elements for sorcs?

U can use Pulsar from destruction staff. But the damage is still much lower than it was with heavy attack before the nerf.

I could try that, thanks. The main problem is I'm running out of slots since I use the flappy for healing and that takes 2 slots out of 10.

You can change skills on trash packs and boss fights. Or try playing as a HA-Warden, he is much better than a sorcerer.

ESO_player123

Gendizer wrote: »

ESO_player123 wrote: »

Gendizer wrote: »

ESO_player123 wrote: »

Gendizer wrote: »

AoE damage nerf is a huge loss for a HA build.

I was relying on that splashing to clear the trash packs on my HA sorc. Should I now target each mob in the pack individually? I'm not a build specialist, but do we have any other reliable sources of AoE besides Wall of elements for sorcs?

U can use Pulsar from destruction staff. But the damage is still much lower than it was with heavy attack before the nerf.

I could try that, thanks. The main problem is I'm running out of slots since I use the flappy for healing and that takes 2 slots out of 10.

You can change skills on trash packs and boss fights. Or try playing as a HA-Warden, he is much better than a sorcerer.

Yes, it seems that changing skills between fights is the only option at this point. Thought that will not be helpful with boss fights that have a lot of adds. It's good that I did soloing of Bastion Nymic while splashing was available.

And my goal is to stick with HA sorc as it's my main and the only HA build I have. My warden is the frost one.

Lumenn

Could this be a reaction to the pvp splash dmg "bug" that's been on the forums?

ESO_player123

Lumenn wrote: »

Could this be a reaction to the pvp splash dmg "bug" that's been on the forums?

If it is, then it should have been fixed for PvP ONLY and not at the expense of PvE side.

Redguards_Revenge

TBH I never used heavy attack in PVP even though I had a 2h. I was just about to start trying it out. DK I actually did it all the time. Templar, I never HA.

But now since I am becoming NB, HA will be a focus to get that grim focus up and wipe out competition fast.

These new NB changes are going to propel NB up to S tier.

FrancisCrawford

A spreasheet might say that the splash damage from lightning heavy attacks is approximately being cut in half.

But that's far from being true. If the targeted mob dies before the attack is completed, there's no splash at all.

Not a good decision. ZoS should make all ticks of the channelled heavy attack be formally equivalent, and if necessary nerf from there. That probably would make life easier on the devs as well.

xiphactinus

Why don't they just adjust in battle spirit. The mind boggles sometimes.

EramTheLiar

Not sure why this will hurt HA builds. I was under the impression they used lightning staff anyway, and I thought the whole point of HA was to use fully charged attacks. Plus you're getting a 12% damage boost.

My first thought was "I think I want to use lightning staff with Deadly Strikes now."

James-Wayne

HA builds got buffed. This is not a nerf.

Suna_Ye_Sunnabe

James-Wayne wrote: »

HA builds got buffed. This is not a nerf.

I'd like to see data on that. Lightning staves have channeled damage, single target damage, and aoe splash damage. If I can see parses and reports of people playing content not experiencing a nerf... that's what I want to see. Regardless though, I am absolutely not a fan of changing out aoe damage for channeled damage. Only two classes in the game truly benefit from that.

ESO_player123

James-Wayne wrote: »

HA builds got buffed. This is not a nerf.

From what people are saying it's a nerf to AoE, which is bad when you are a sorc and fighting a trash pack like in Bastion Nymic or a boss with a lot of adds.