[Feedback] Oathkeeper's Conduit affixes need an overhaul after latest hotfix

So Conduit of Divine Whispers had it best mod basically removed from the game in 1.1.4.2. In my opinion, it wasn’t overpowered, it was just as good as Conduit’s mod can get. So whatever.

However, we now have four (!!!) Aether mods of Oathkeeper’s Conduit, mastery that has worst synergy with Aether in the game probably. The only set that “supports” Aether Oathkeepers is Bonemonger (and Oathkeeper’s part of Bonemonger is basically worthless) and it has amulet slot occupied.

Realistically, if you want to play Aether Oathkeeper “-15% Aether rr to Guardians” is the only mod you should be looking for. Mods that convert Fire damage into Aether on EoR and Physical into Aether on Vire’s Might are utterly useless and new mod is somehow even more useless (how do we utilize that flat Aether damage? Thru Murmur belt on Dervishes?).

My suggestion: leave one Aether mod (RR obviously), change other into something that can be utilized, like:

  • +100 DA/10% Armor to Ascension
  • %Weapon Damage/+2 targets to Smite
  • 200 hp regen/+50% hp regen to Resilience
  • Phys/Fire converted to Vitality/flat Vitality to Righteous Fervor
    etc. etc.

Right now there are no decent Conduit options for Oathkeeper, imo outside of super gimmicky ones.

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Agree with the statements. Conduits offer rare build support, but all of OK conduits are now niche. Just not universal like Vindictive flame conduit or worthy building blocks. Especially RF conduit sounds necessary, cause outside of retal or hybrid is rare and on top of that vitality got the bad side of the deal with the transmuter.

Well, Ascension is 1000% guaranteed on any Oathkeeper build, so even though I had some concepts with that conduit, I can not lament the loss of something attached to this mandatory skill.

Are not conduits directly aimed at gimmicky stuff, anyways?

I highly disagree, conduit give some of the best defensive stat on top of enhancer, just look at the AAR mod, much better than what we have for oathkeeper.

Didn’t you agree on the fact that it should be nerfed yourself (->link)? :stuck_out_tongue:

But yeah, the points you make here are nonetheless very valid. Almost half of the current prefixes being dedicated to aether stuff seems both redundant and unfair to builds with other dmg types.

That’s actually the biggest reason I don’t like the new prefix: simple +flat/+%aether dmg bonuses that basically boil down to a global bonus just aren’t truly unique. I mean, those prefixes are goddamn legendary, after all…

So I think they should change a skill in a more meaningful way than a basic “deals more damage”. But this is probably just me whining about flavour stuff right now :sweat_smile:

There is gimmicky stuff and there is “gimmicky” stuff. I would personally rate Conduit affixes like this:

  1. Great Conduit options that makes Conduit a really competitive option compared to a relevant legendary/epic amulet, like for example: Wind Devils and Storm Totem affixes on Shaman Conduit, Mortar spawn bonus or Flashbang flat rr (it’s actually very good) on Demolitionist Conduit, AAR weapon damage on Arcanist Conduit, extra Blade Spirit on Nightblade Conduit, etc.
  2. Some solid options that are not game changing but can be very synergetic to your build, like HP regen on Demo Conduit, or physical resist to Arcane Wil on Arcanist Conduit, or flat Fire bonus to Forcewave on Soldier conduit, etc.
  3. Build enabling gimmicky options. Can’t make a real top-tier build around them, but can make something unique that will work okay in endgame: Cold Primal Strike for Shaman, Aether Shadow Strike for Nightblade, -Aether/Chaos RR for Oathkeeper, etc. etc.
  4. Hot garbage stuff that can’t be really utilized and built around: Aether options for Oathkeeper conduit (except RR one), Fire Ring of Steel for Nightblade, Acid TSS for Arcanist, etc. etc.

Yeah, I agree and if Crate deems that Conduit too good, so be it. But I think they shouldn’t leave Oathkeeper with basically no good options while every other mastery seems to have 1-2 really great ones.

You’re right, should go back and update any others that are overused by standard builds instead of boosting weird choices.

Perfect.

Got your idea with the conduits. Still there’s lot of them with no support to corresponding damage other than the conduit itself. But there’s many great ones like WInd Devils, Storm Totems, ABB, even some of RR like Siphon souls or Bloody pox. So is it bad to ask for relevant support for otherwise under supported ideas like vitality conversion to RF?

You pretty much listed off the ones I shouldn’t have made in the first place, but since they became entrenched in builds, there would have been riots if they got remade at this point.

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OK see your point. As designer, there’s many great legendary and green items created, you want conduits to be just completely different and weird. OK got it. Can’t argue, even if my opinion isn’t the same :+1:

I like how mid-tier builds get brought up as arguments for endgame changes, but when these mid-tier build items continue to be mid-tier, that’s an affront to the game! :smiley:

Most people are perfectly content to try weird things and play through the campaign.

I don’t mind gimmicky nature of Conduits, but the problem is bigger here: Conduits are often used as defensive crutches for weaker class combos too.

If you don’t want any strong Oathkeeper Conduits, I am fine with that, but at least add some diversity into “gimmickness”: 4 Aether mods is too much especially when one (RR one) covers them all, @Zantai

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Well crafting Conduits isn’t easy. But I was surprised when I crafted my first Nightblade one. I didn’t know what to expect(didn’t use GT) and end result was Blade trap one. So my second was Bone Harvest which I used it. I like their design very much, their prefix/affix combos too. But my point of view is different, since I play either end game “super builds” or leveling completely self found. So I rarley used conduits, outside of already listed. But maybe my point of view is different from the original intent, so I should shut my mouth before you decide to remove Storm totems mod :sweat_smile:

I support making it Vitality instead.

There’s some Vitality support in Oathkeeper. Not much, but it’s there.

My preference would be Vire’s Might instead of Righteous Fervor, possibly focused more on converting burn to Vit decay than adding flat Vit.

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4 conduits with aether bonuses for mastery without aether support :crazy_face:

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Good thing this is a dual mastery game. :slightly_smiling_face:

Welp, my “gimmicky” aether EoR Oppressor is now a #deadbuild :sob:
Time for the next #drama thread :smirk:

Forum crate entertainment, your daily dose of drama! :popcorn:

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