I did a bit of testing with the buffed Brimstone and wanted to share thoughts. Here’s what it looks like in game now:
The Rain of Fire proc went to 12% (from 9%) and the %Fire Retal is now at 400% (up from 260%). However, several T2 Devotions took a retaliation & crit nerf and these are the ones we need since going into Shieldmaiden/Obelisk is pointless. Still a net buff but not a dramatic one.
Here’s my Grenado Commando now. Originally I had taken Viper but I dropped that and put the 4 points into Boar.
SR 30-31 run (4:37) : This was the quickest run I was able to manage so far. It’s punchier than before, overall.
So the buff is nice but I think the main issue with the weapon is that because it has no RtA skill mod of its own, it is outclassed by the Hellborne in most combos where you want a fire retaliation build. Pyromancer, Shieldbreaker, Elementalist, etc. It’s only a better fit for Commando because of Menhir’s Bulwark.
Suggestion:
RtA Blade Arc
RtA Fire Strike
RtA Eye of Reckoning
Any of these would separate it from the Hellborne and fulfill the melee role instead of bomber. I’m not sure if there would be a problem with implementing the first two since they’ve never existed in the game. RtA EoR does but only in one-hand form. As a test I stashed a hybrid EoR Shieldbreaker:
Just a first draft so there’s room for improvement like working in life steal but the point is this could be something really interesting with something like:
%RtA to EoR
%Attack Damage to health to EoR
Full phys > fire would be nice too
Anyways, that’s what I have so far. Please jump in if anyone has other thoughts.
This is indeed the problem, I wholeheartedly agree. Hellborne works because it has strong rata mods, Brimstone and also Dreegalnore don’t (judgment really doesn’t count here, sorry).
Another perhaps minor point but a point nontheless, Hellborne gets Hydra from devotion a universally useful constellation, Brimstone gets Rhowans Sceptre which is well, not universally useful with the tons of DA you get and it’s pure focus on physical damage. Nadaan for swords is even worse. But I don’t know how you can change this easily.
If a build’s quickest run is 4:37, then generally it may be over 5:00, which is not reasonable, at a time when there are tens of or maybe even 100 builds doing average 4:30.
The true and deeper idea is not how good or how bad it is, but it functions in the same way as Hellborne. So create some new RtA skill mod will bring the game more builds to play and make it more interesting. This is what we players always want and you devs always do. We’ll really appreciate it.
@Zantai , Shieldbreaker is a better class to show the difference since it can be a direct weapon swap (and changing devotions to account for hydra). I’ll post some video later tomorrow to illustrate.
But it’s basically what @KingRed_424 said. It’s not that the Hellborne is overpowered vs Brimstone. Rather, it would be more interesting to have Brimstone fulfill another melee retaliation role since Fire Grenado + Righteous Fervor is already covered perfectly by Hellborne.
problem is that all of those skills would benefit more from a one-hander so you can double it and double the rta or take some useful off-hand/shield, unlike with direct damage where BA and EoR are better with 2 handers (FS still prefers one handers most of the time I think).
I think skill mode to something like Stun Jacks (but also +8 to Full Spread ) would’ve been more approriate. Or something creative like some spam Canister mod (with damage adjusted accordingly).
It’s on the slower side but main problem is as KingRed and Uncle_Mac already said - no identity and no interesting skill mods.
Good tests. I agree with your takeaway and suggestions looks nice. Both rta BA and rta EoR would look interesting on it. Not sure about FS, maybe just smth a little more interesting to VF than what it has now.
) would’ve been more approriate. Or something creative like some spam Canister mod (with damage adjusted accordingly).
