This has probably been answered already but wanted to check the community view.
I am running a Warlock (currently pushing through elite) focusing on AAR converted to Chaos, using Dev for mob clears, aether tendril for single target and the Occultist debuffs.
Regarding the conversion on AAR is it true that the %aether and %chaos damage that I am holding on gear will BOTH contribute to the power of AAR? That is are the aether Ray bonuses from %aether buffing the skill then it goes through conversion where the %chaos then cumulates?
Thanks for anyone who takes the time just need to know if I’m wasting time with the convert rather than just running AAR and focusing on debuffs to get it through those pesky resistances.
(First post so have to say this is such a good game and is the true successor ARPG I - and it seems many others - were waiting for.)
Except for the aether damage bonus from the linked disintegrate skill, right? I’m fairly sure I’ve heard that +% damage from linked skills DOES apply before conversion, but I may have just imagined that.
The order of events for Conversion is as follows: Base Skill > Skill Modifiers > Conversion on the Skill or Transmuter > Conversion on Equipment and Buffs > Equipment, Auras and Passives
So if you take tainted power transmuter, the aether damage on the base skill will get buffed by the +% aether damage on the disintegration modifier and then it will get converted into chaos damage which will then be buffed by +% chaos damage on your gear and buffs.
The problem I have with that excerpt from the game guide is that I’m not really clear on what counts as a “skill modifier”, and thus applies before conversion.
Where does something like Lethal Assault fall in that sequence? Comparing it directly to the Aether Ray situation it seems like it would be a “skill modifier” for Blade Burst in the same way that Disintegration is for Aether Ray. The difference though is that Lethal Assault says it effects all attacks while active. Does that make it a passive instead, or is it still a “skill modifier” but for everything? Is it a skill modifier for Blade Burst and a passive for everything else? There’s also skills with charges, which seem similarly ambiguous to me.
I agree, there’s probably a bit too many what if scenarios to consider in documenting the game guide.
In the case of lethal assault, if you’ve played around with the skill, after you cast AAB, you get a short buff that’s visible on top of the skill bar. So lethal assault should affect AAB as long as the buff is active. The question is whether lethal assault affects the first AAB cast or only the ones that follow. If it affects the first AAB, then it would be a skill modifier for AAB, otherwise it’s just an after cast general buff. This part will need testing.
For disintegration it’s a bit different since it’s modifiers are only affecting AAR, so it should fall into the 2nd top priority in the conversion order of events, meaning that it’s +% aether damage should affect damage of AAR before the aether damage is converted into chaos via the tainted power transmuter.