Played some kinda meme retaliation build based on Mythical Agony legendary mace 30% RATA to Cadence, the build is optimised (kinda) for maximum defence and is using Fevered Rage, devotions are mixed physical and acid devotions (some points in Murmur for acid RR, Maul, Targo the builder, Obelisk, Shieldmaiden), build has 100% block recovery with overguard active.
What I do not like about this build is that it feels like Cadence is a bad AA choice for retaliation build as Cadence modifiers only affect the third hit, so no sustain and no damage for the first 2 hits (distribution of damage is worse than for normal non-rata cadence, like 4000-4000-80000, first 2 hits without rata modifiers cannot oneshot a normal mob), and Mythical Agony cadence modifier is a bait and the item is better used not by Witchblades but by Sentinels (although RR proc on the item is better for Witchblades to compensate Soldierâs lack of -%RR).
In its current state Retaliation Cadence Witchblade requires items with RATA added to Soldiers wps (medal and helmet, I do not use helmet in this build to have higher uptime on WarCry damage reduction) and a lot of points invested in WPS for proc chance, and it still feels bad as rata wps pool is at best 50-60%.
Some ideas on what I think could be changed about Mythical Agony (as it is a build-enabling item):
Agony RR proc could be changed to be a RATA-wps (if is is possible) with at least 25% chance to proc;
replace some mods on the item with RATA to Zolhan wps;
add more chance for Markovian wps to proc (like in FoA items, if it is possible);
increase physical damage converted to acid on the item, now full conversion to acid damage is only for the actual cadence hit and the build is forced to go hybrid physical-acid retaliation.
Or just replace the Cadence RATA modifier with some other modifier, although this is probably worse for build diversity.
I played RtA Cadence at some point, to be at least somewhat competitive it needs like thrice the current numbers since itâs applied to only every 3rd hit.
30% RtA every 3 hits? RF deals over 20% RtA every hit.
RtA Warlord (Smite core)
27% chance Smite with 150% RtA
27% chance Shattering Smash with 31% AoE RtA (62% single target RtA)
46% chance no WPS with 15% RtA
On average, 56% RtA every hit.
Hellborne RtA Paladin
21% chance Storm Spread with 192% RtA
20% chance Chilling Rounds with 72% AoE RtA
20% chance Bursting Round with 54% AoE RtA
27% chance Smite with 49% AoE RtA
12% chance Lucky Shot 144% RtA
On average, 96% RtA every hit.
Dawnbreaker RtA Warder
Savagery deals 20% RtA each hit, really bad number
Conter Strike, 0.2 seconds cooldown, can be triggered several times per second and deal AoE RtA damage.
Vines 22% AoE RtA per second and can stack 3-4 times.
numbers thought occurred to me, which might be related to 2 questions
how is non blademaster Acid Cadence currently doing/âin generalâ? (in peoplesâs minds)
and how important is +target to acid cadence?
Looking at it just dmg modifier wise, Agony gives more bonus dmg via the rata on a modest ânonâ retal witchblade/warlord than the 125 acid dmg on MQ claw
125x36(assuming we even get that high % on acid Cadence ) = 4500 bonus dmg
30% of 40k retal = 12000 bonus dmg, (but the +target is lost too ofc)
Suppose that begs the quest, is it âreallyâ meant to be be used in a regular/pure retal build? or just a decent dmg modifier audition to some light bonus âretalâ acid cadence WB/Warlord âhybridâ extra dmg
So like, âintendedâ non blademaster acid cadence play is to dual wield agony and a mq claw on âregularâ acid cadence warlord/witchblade ? - too far out thought?
Either you focus on retal or you donât. So either the 30% rata is âallâ that you have and it must not just equal the 125 bonus damage, but also all the other flat damage youâd otherwise have.
Or if you donât focus on retal, that 30% probably wonât be much anyway?
@mi023
Iâm not sure I understand your calculations. How do you get to 150RtA for example on smite?
I count 60% on smite itself and another 15% on RF, so thatâd be 75%? How did you end up with twice as much? Does the weapon damage include RtA???
Seems a bit weird to me if thatâs the case. What about RF itself? The first node has weapon damage as well, does raising that also increase the RtA?
thatâs the point, even on normal acid wb/warlord you can or âdoâ get some small retal on acid devo path, blood of dreeg/PoT, relic etc couple items
so youâre not really building an actual retal build, but an acid build, and then the modifier is just capitalizing on that semi natural smaller retal you might get, but still adding up to dmg mod
Which might then make slightly more sense, than actual full retal in terms of how that interacts with cadence mechanics.
So on full retal it needs complete overhaul, because it just âdoesnât workâ, but on regular acid it âdoesâ work in the sense itâs already just a small normal dmg bonus akin to 125flat/âregular cadence modsâ (- but that kinda hinges on if acid cadence is even/actually working atm).
One requires you to fully dedicate a specialized build around, and then kinda falls apart because retal path lacks acid/dmg on Soldier, and cadence has special considerations. But on the other itâs just a slight native bonus on WB/WL âspecificâ class acid cadence
) = 4500 bonus dmg
- too far out thought?