Every build seems to use it. But here’s what I see when I read the modifier:
-50% weapon damage
x5 = -250% weapon damage overall
total damage modified by -75%
aka, it takes 4 casts just to reach the non-modified damage, not even counting the -% weapon damage
That makes the transmuter look like it sucks major ____, can someone clarify for me?
It has no cooldown so you can spam it as fast as your character is able.
Firstly Weapon damage only modifies the weapon damage component. ie, instead of being 65% weapon damage, it becomes 15%.
Secondly, you aren’t taking into account cast speed increase due to the cooldown being lifted. I don’t know the exact casts per second, however, I know that casts per second increase as character cast speed increases.
Total damage modified does exactly what you say, except it is on a PER CAST basis.
Example maths with dodgy made up numbers:
Cast speed 100% = 1.5 casts per second.
Cooldown = 3 seconds (or NIl if transmuter picked)
Base damage = 100 flat + 100 weapon damage (unmutated)
Untransmuted:
Damage per second = 200 / 3 = 66.66
Transmuted:
Damage per second = (100 + 100*(1-.5))*(1-.75)*1.5 = 56.25
at 100% cast speed being 1.5 casts per second
Transmuted at 200% cast speed:
not untransmuted increased cast s[peed has NIL effect on DPS
= (100 +100(1-.5))(1-.75)(1.5*2)= 112.5
which is almost double the DPS of the untransmuted skill.
I haven’t measured the animation speed of Frenetic Throw, but generally for most animations, 100% speed = 2 attacks/second. We will get more accurate data once 1.0.0.8 is released.
Note that there are additional complicating factors affecting the comparison, namely CDR and being able to perform other actions while PB is on cooldown.
An interesting factoid is that while Frenetic Throw is based on cast speed, regular cooldown PB’s animation is based on attack speed.
200% speed is 2.5 for attacks per second. Spells however have a lot more variance, so their APS is not displayed.
An interesting factoid is that while Frenetic Throw is based on cast speed, regular cooldown PB’s animation is based on attack speed.
That is false. It uses casting speed regardless of using the transmuter.
Did you measure that yourself using a stopwatch and tally counter?
That is false. It uses casting speed regardless of using the transmuter.
I’m sure you’re aware of the attack-cast speed alternation mechanic. If cooldown PB were based on cast speed, then doing an attack speed based attack then doing cooldown PB would have an animation canceling effect. It doesn’t. Doing a cast speed based attack then doing cooldown PB does.
It’s the listed value.
I’m sure you’re aware of the attack-cast speed alternation mechanic. If cooldown PB were based on cast speed, then doing an attack speed based attack then doing cooldown PB would have an animation canceling effect. It doesn’t. Doing a cast speed based attack then doing cooldown PB does.
I’ve tested it and also understand the mechanics behind how a skill is assigned attack speed vs casting speed. It uses casting speed. The animation speed would not increase when I raise my casting speed otherwise.
Animation canceling is not dependent on using 1 skill with attack speed and 1 with casting speed, it only requires two different skills to be used.
I wouldn’t place so much trust in that. You should do real-world testing like I have. Maybe then you’ll realise a truth the Crate devs have so far refused to acknowledge. And for good reason, because it will mean everyone’s DPS will go up if the issue were fixed. I will definitely file a bug report once 1.0.0.8 comes out though.
I’ve tested it and also understand the mechanics behind how a skill is assigned attack speed vs casting speed. It uses casting speed. The animation speed would not increase when I raise my casting speed otherwise.
Animation canceling is not dependent on using 1 skill with attack speed and 1 with casting speed, it only requires two different skills to be used.
Based on your reasoning, if I used an attack speed based skill prior to using cooldown PB, the former’s animation ought to be canceled to make way for the latter. But that doesn’t happen in-game. Animation canceling in my experience only occurs by alternating attack speed and cast speed based skills.
In any case, the only reason why attack vs. cast speed would be important for cooldown PB is precisely for attack-cast speed alternation. And practically speaking, it’s based on attack speed.
2.5 is specifically for basic attacks.
Based on your reasoning, if I used an attack speed based skill prior to using cooldown PB, the former’s animation ought to be canceled to make way for the latter. But that doesn’t happen in-game. Animation canceling in my experience only occurs by alternating attack speed and cast speed based skills.
It obviously depends on a skill-by-skill basis, as is the nature of bugs.
In any case, the only reason why attack vs. cast speed would be important for cooldown PB is precisely for attack-cast speed alternation. And practically speaking, it’s based on attack speed.
And technically speaking, it’s based on casting speed. Many casted abilities can animation cancel each other. Just because an animation canceling bug happens to make it work better when alternating attacks does not mean that pblades uses attack speed. Pblade’s animation time is reduced by casting speed, so it uses casting speed.
OK, let’s assume for a moment that attacks per second is proportional to attack speed, which is a very reasonable assumption. Then 100% attack speed would yield 2.5/2 = 1.25 attacks per second. Would it really hurt for you to time how long it takes to do 20 basic attacks @ 100% attack speed and see if it at all matches 1.25 attacks per second?
It obviously depends on a skill-by-skill basis, as is the nature of bugs.
And technically speaking, it’s based on casting speed. Many casted abilities can animation cancel each other. Just because an animation canceling bug happens to make it work better when alternating attacks does not mean that pblades uses attack speed. Pblade’s animation time is reduced by casting speed, so it uses casting speed.
This is a much more satisfactory explanation. I’ll believe you now.
Okay but here’s the thing.
Since the modifier is -75%, you have to cast at least 4 in the time span you casted 1 of the other.
But on top of that, you’re losing 2/3 of the weapon damage of the skill (if it’s maxed), meaning you need MORE than 4 casts to equal the previous damage.
Not to mention, the bleed damage becomes relatively weaker per cast since you’re casting more often.
Meanwhile, if you don’t use the modifier, you can cast or attack while it’s on cooldown. So unless the modifier somehow gives you more DPS than the original spell (not hard to do) AND whatever else you do during those 2-3 seconds you have leftover (much harder to do), it’s not worth it.
So even if you had 200% casting speed (and let’s say just for discussion that that gives you 2.5 casts/s), you would only get 7.5 casts in the span you would get 1 cast of the non-transmuted version.
Keeping in mind that ~4 transmuted casts = 1 non-transmuted, that’s like gaining a whole 7/8ths of another PB cast. And that’s with max cast speed!
All you would have to do is deal more damage than 1 cast of PB while it’s on cooldown and you’ve made the transmuter useless.
So again, am I missing something, or is this transmuter a noobtrap?
(Also I’ve only been playing for a few patches, didn’t it used to only be -50% total damage? That would make it a decent choice imo)
PB is a shotgun build. So at close range when all projectiles hit the burst damage is quite high
Against enemies who heal high amounts of hp constant flurries of small bursts are preferable over a single burst damage. Also at 200% cast speed you make most of this skill
And w/o CD it’s easier to deal with mobs. If you’re being attacked from all directions then you can dispatch off them quickly with transmuted PB with non-transmuted CD PB a lot of kiting is required vs large packs
Also, numbers don’t mean anything. Actual field experience is what matters so - no, transmuter isn’t noob trap
Well if you bring up field experience, then let’s lose the numbers for a bit.
You could either spam a bunch of PB (that feel weak, it bugs me tbh), or you could cast PB, Blade Trap, and Ring of Steel to clear out the same group of monsters.
I suppose an advantage would be if you want to spec into defensive/passive abilities. If you’re getting any other damaging active ability at all, it’s better not to get the transmuter because then you can work around cooldowns.
But burst is a lot better against regeneration, because if you can kill it quickly, it has less time to regenerate.
Burst is weak to blocks, multiple hits isn’t. Multiple hits is weak to regeneration, burst isn’t.
Of course, if the multiple hits give you more DPS and you can’t burst it down, then it’ll be better, but in this case it doesn’t give you more DPS.
Don’t assume something just because Nine or the game UI says so. Both can be wrong. Notice how we haven’t heard back from Nine regarding this issue. He doesn’t like to admit when he’s wrong.
The only reliable source of truth is what you see and hear from the action going on in the main screen. Do you have a smartphone or watch with a stopwatch? Or even a dedicated stopwatch? If so you can easily test for attacks/second yourself and remove all doubts.
Also, one additional complicating factor is devotion skills. For crit-based devotion skills, Frenetic Throw is the second-best skill possible for triggering them vs. single target (Quick Jacks is the best). For regular %-based devotion skills, cooldown PB competes a lot better but is still generally inferior. On the other hand, while PB is on cooldown, you can try to proc other devotion skills.