Belzzzz, thanks for the kind words. I agree on Allagast gameplay: Storm Box + TSS is a match made in caster heaven, especially with Rolderathis’ tome in hand. I enjoy it greatly, and that’s why I started this thread.
Apropos, I updated my feedback for version 1.1.2.2, which saw a buff to TSS damage, and also took the liberty of developing a small mod to test potential changes to Allagast.
Allagast test mod
My recommended changes can now be tested through the Allagast’s Crayons mod. The mod introduces a revised version of Allagast’s Masterpiece, called Allagast’s Doodled-Over Masterpiece. In the current release, the difference between base Allagast and the doodled-over Allagast are:
- 3-piece bonus:
- Removed 28% chaos resistance
- Added 10% physical resistance
- Added +80% aether damage
- 4-piece bonus:
- Removed 15-80 lightning damage to TSS
- Added 16 RR for 3 seconds to TSS
- Removed Deadly Aim modifiers
- Added Maiven’s modifiers: 10% CDR, +150% aether damage, +150% electrocute with 50% longer duration
- TSS modifier from the scepter:
- Increased aether damage to 160, from 120
- Added 300 electrocute over 3 seconds
- Skill bonuses:
- Removed +7 Arcane Will, removed +2 to Deadly Aim
- Added +4 to Maiven’s Sphere: 2 on chest, 2 on shoulders
- Added +2 to Frozen Core: 2 on shoulder
- Increased Trozan’s Sky Shard to +3, from 2: 3 for set completion
- Global conversion:
- Removed 45% cold to aether
- Added 65% cold to lightning (45% from the scepter, 20% from the shoulders)
- (Optional, separate mod) Added a summon with a leeching tether, 20% on attack, maximum of 2, 6 seconds duration:
- 60 aether damage
- 40 lightning damage
- 60 electrocute damage over 2 seconds
- 8% ADCtH
These changes are substantial, and testers are very welcome to try them out.
Installation and usage
Main Campaign:Allagast’s Crayons v2.4.zip (24.4 KB) or Allagast’s Crayons v2.4 (with healing source) (24.4 KB)
Crucible: Crayons Crucible v2.4 (280.8 KB) or Crayons Crucible v2.4 (with healing source) (281.4 KB)
In a modded game, all blacksmiths can craft Allagast’s Doodled-Over Masterpiece, the modified version of Allagast’s Masterpiece, for 1 scrap and 1 iron a piece.
To test the set in campaign, extract AllagastCrayons.zip to the mods folder in the Grim Dawn installation directory; the mod will then be available as a custom game. To use an existing character in custom games, copy its folder from save/main to save/user and mark it as “In Mod” with GD stash.
To test the set in Crucible, go to the Grim Dawn installation directory and backup the survivalmode2 folder. Extract CrayonsCrucible.zip in the folder, replacing database/survivalmode2.arz and resources/text_en.arzwith the modded versions. Existing characters can play the modded Crucible normally; note, however, that they can’t bring the modded items back into the main, unmodded campaign. I recommend cloning a character and using it in Crucible only. (Addendum: this archive also includes a revised Iskandra set I’ve been working on, to spare me the effort of maintaining two separate Crucible mods. Feel free to ignore it.)
Changelog
v2.4: Moved optional healing source to a separate version. Minor parameter tweaks.
v2.3: on TSS, decreased RR duration from 4 to 3 seconds.
v2.2: on TSS, decreased flat electrocute bonus from 420 to 300.
v2.0: included a source of sustained healing: leeching summons with tethers.
Preliminary test results
Maiven’s and physical resistance
Predictably, offering points in Maiven’s and introducing some physical resistance makes Allagast less prone to squashing, although it remains far from sturdy – and that’s fine. The lack of Arcane Will bonuses is unnoticeable in practice. Some form of sustained healing would still be welcome, otherwise players will be forced into defensive devotions routes from the get-go.
Sustained healing from summoned wisps (optional extra)
The experimental wisps spawn on attack, cast a single leeching tether while trying to maintain their distance, and expire after about 7 seconds. Their yield is reasonable, albeit situational.
Starting at around 8% lifesteal from 100 aether/lightning damage, the wisps can effectively replace Bat in campaign content and in Crucible to a lesser extent, with some tradeoffs: the double tether is more effective against powerful individual targets and works much better at a distance, while Bat remains unmatched at close range and for large bursts against mobs. (My impression is that Bat still heals rather more overall, although not necessarily when you need it to.)
Combined with flat RR from TSS, persistent healing does a decent job at opening up alternative devotion routes, both offensive and defensive: it’s easier to consider things like Imp + Amatok + Spear + Ultos for procs galore, or Crown + Ultos for maximum RR, or Giant’s Blood + Hourglass + Tree of Life + extra physical resistance for resilience, and so on. There isn’t as much flexibility as I’d hoped due to Spear and Hourglass (and possibly Bat itself) remaining too good to ignore, but I’m still pretty happy with the result.
TSS
Including DoTs, the revised Allagast has 15-20% higher TSS damage, bringing the spell into nuke territory. Although the modifier values may look high, remember that we are working with an underperforming set without external item support, and that even with an additional source of healing we remain pretty fragile.The electrocute modifier for TSS can be adjusted according to the global conversion from cold to lightning; at 65%, 300 additional electrocute works well.
Although TSS now feels very good to use, I am not all that satisfied by the damage profile: the addition of effective electrocute, while warranted, makes the set even more biased towards lightning. I suspect that adding +x% aether bonuses in supporting items remains warranted, even if we decreased electrocute and further increased flat aether.
Tested content
- Crucible: 7:00 with 3/4b+1vb, down from 7:50 with unrevised Allagast. Increased TSS damage and flat RR make a difference. The build is sturdier and the wisps work well enough in the brawl-in-a-bowl that is Crucible; you can still be bursted down, but gameplay isn’t nearly as punishing.
- Lokarr: 35-40 seconds, down from a wobbly 50-55. The improved defenses feel very noticeable against Lokarr, although you still can’t facetank him (not that we’d want that).
- Mad Queen: 13 seconds, down from 15-17 or so. (Not a very meaningful variance, since damage spread alone can make up for it.)
The times suggest that the revised Allagast Mage Hunter is now competitive with Apostate, Purifier and Vindicator.
I regrettably can’t play SR yet. If anyone feels like taking the revised Allagast for a spin, I’d welcome their contribution.