A lot of the pistols in the game seem to be caster weapons and quite a few of the rifles are too. The reason you will never see a Mythical Exonerator on a purely ranged build is that it’s a Stun Jacks build caster pistol and damn fine it works on one too. Allows you to keep range, proc things while you sow the real destruction around like seeds.
Vitality pistols also seem to be caster weapons. Morguul’s Mortality does wonderful on vitality bloody pox builds and you can make one of those with both Cabalist and Witch Hunter. Acid bloody pox is easier with Witch Hunter though.
A lot of the rifles seem like caster weapons too unless they’re firestrike because ranged builds usually tend to have a problem if mobs get too close. FS has the AoE and passthrough weapons that make everything else look lackluster. Ranged cadence until level 50 where you can get DW Havocs for a tactician is bloody painful, for example.
Yeah, my bad. I’ve used it to great effect on an SJ build and it is a good ranged SJ mainhand. Most other SJ mainhands are melee weapons, such as Mythical Spark of Ultos. I don’t like ranged cadence builds that much, which is probably why my memory played tricks on me.
Maybe @Nery is willing to retest that, as based on the 1.1.5.2 results it’s below bar. And another example of the passthrough vs arc/cluster AoE needs. Storm Spread alone, even maxed with the small % damage mods available, isn’t enough to cover the need.
I really need to get around to updating that build one of these days
I’m not sure where sparkthrowers stand in terms of the primal strike meta these days - I feel like movement runes from FG plus Ulzuin’s Wrath now giving DR as of 1.1.8.0 make a much stronger case for melee PS ele - but back in AoM they were absolutely top tier weapons.
As for the topic at hand,
I agree. It’d be nice if more firearms had a clearer identity as to whether they were “pure caster” versus “pure shooty boi” vs “some sort of hybrid”. Gargabol pistols, for instance, were effectively useless for a long time due to this exact issue.
I don’t mind caster ranged weapons, but not only you’re losing about 170% damage (by max rolls) compared to using daggers / scepters but you’d also have to bump cunning for extra 100-150 points depending on the class. With this in mind skill mods just have to make up for it real good. Same applies to blue caster pistols, except it’s even more difficult because they don’t have skill mods, so they have to make up in procs, primary skill bonuses and stats of high importance.
I haven’t played GD recently, eventually will. If I still have the folder will retest exact same configuration and will notify you in this topic. Build should definitely be faster.
About other stuff, pistols.:
Oathbearer was way weaker in last patch. @thejabrixone made tests and feedback about it.
Barrelsmith duo. They are better for caster variant, you don’t have skill points for hybrid. I’ve tried pure range some time ago and wasn’t sub-6 in my hands. Barrelsmith lacks skill bonuses for ranged play style.
Ludrigan. Pure ranged will be weaker than caster or hybrid version. But set is ok for Savagery/Totems Vindicator or Druid. Panetti side actually requires buffing.
Darkblaze Pyro is complete glass cannon. I’ve tried it few patches ago, sub-6.
And 2H:
Venomlancer. I’ve tried it as Dervish. Itemization is flexible, solid with SR set but lacks some damage. Also ABB have tons of ranged options. I would actually like to see being suited for Sentinel.
RakaJax. I’ve tried it. It was decent prior to Storm Box nerfs, now it’s simply not worth it over Stormreaver. It needs better electrocute damage and CDR to reach top levels. Cause you can’t make it auto attacker without attack speed. And for caster you miss CS(neither class provides it) and CDR, ouch.
Quillthrower. I’ve posted it as bonus build. Witch Hunter Biting Blades/ABB hybrid. Really fun and tanky, single target damage was lacking.
Elgoloth. Malawiglenn posted Vindicator, I tried it in Crucible. Guide was deleted but build was decent enough, nothing spectacular though.
I think the gun is good, for FS at least. I tested only on cruci and I average around 5:30. Build is too squishy without mirror/BS mostly due to fumbles and low HP pool but that’s more of a build issue than a gun issue. I tried one jaxxon ring with similar results. If this was defiler it would be a lot better imo.
Thanks! Decent results considering the minimal support for FS. Did you try new ulzuin’s wrath for DR on the squish problem?
Won’t get to MIs in the OP or testing until tomorrow now, but I’m hopefully RF results can be similar. Both excited to have another option and a bit disappointing that they look to be on the slower end of “good”.
I’d have ill omen but yeah that’s a way to revise the sorc build. Remove TD (cause too many buttons), get bwc for demon fire and bind bat to it cause the setup I tested has no way to proc bat or fiend.
Thanks, will see how this plays as well. I knew Retal RF applied via jaxxon (some variations with passthru as well) was ridiculous at one point, but no clue how it fairs now.
Going to test havoc and deathdealer combos this weekend, hopefully an RF focused Rutnick pally/oppressor setup, and a dreadscorcher setup that was pinged to me. Former two have had major changes/buffs in the patch, while the latter I’d like to confirm as underperforming despite firestrike focus.
edit: and request for anyone/everyone obviously to include an GT + gameplay thoughts you have in 1.1.8 as everyone settles in with the patch. I think the general problem has been summarized well, now down to brass tacks of individual guns/procs/howtosavenotFSorPSranged details
Lifesteal is low, none beyond pistol, so that could be tweaked for a bit more survivability. The big thing I see making a difference here and putting it on the edge of enjoyable is Blind Fury procced by Storm Box. Giant blades spinning away on cooldown do wonders for clearing fodder next to you. However, primary damage still feels a bit lackluster. While decree is procced it feels like it’s up to par with above bar gunners, but while on cooldown damage feels lacking on nemesis.
Putting havoc surprisingly on the edge for now considering the no base class %RR but could still use a small damage bump (barring anyone optimizing considerably)
Have you tried the build without Storm Spread and Chilling Rounds? I’ve found that they seem to slow down progress in practice, given the way multiple projectiles interact with armor.
I’ve put together a brainless 3pc Warborn version of the build with scales for some extra leech, but it’s still pretty slow compared to other physical builds with no stacking RR.
Survivability is definitely fixable and wouldn’t take major tradeoffs.
Re: multiple projects, no, purposefully wanted to take them to see how direbear changes are working as well. After maybe EoR dual wield range seems like the poster child for seeing if 30% armor reduction is enough or still underperforming with all the small hits.
edit: tried a few different versions, include toad + hydra and 3 piece warborn. Just not quite there yet, 75 can still be death heavy despite ~15% leech and 40% phys + 3k armor. Will have some of the ace runners give it a shot in crucible, but could still use more gun damage or armor reduction. Would still argue it feels damage “right” only when decree is procced
Havoc good weapon. My build can pass crucible around 7 min, stably farm SR 75-76 with low deaths (or no deaths). I hope what Z will give +2 to Aura of Conviction. Link to my build
totally forgot about that. Will do that the next time I get to it.