I’ve been thinking about this for a while but the end game meta seems to lean towards % damage absorption or % reduced target’s damage.
Don’t get me wrong the damage output on Stormcaller’s Pact is substantial but is it worth the lack of survivability? With FG coming out the content will only get tougher and this exclusive skill will start to fade in my opinion.
A few suggestions (perhaps one of the following)
Increase armor by 10%
10% chance to avoid attacks (melee/projectiles)
Increase all resistances by 5%
Also if changing the skill itself is too much how about an MI that has a modifier for Stormcaller’s Pact with some defensive options…
I think the main problem of this exclusive skills is that it’s too niche in its use. Your suggestions would make it really overpowered. One thing I am missing on it is %lightning damage buff. It has %cold damage buff, but converts physical into lightning, gives %electrocute and flat electrocute and is called “stormcaller”. Why the heck does it give %cold but not %lightning or both?
That thing always annoyed me about this skill, other than that I think it’s fine.
EDIT: It’s one of these design decisions Crate made with probably build diversity and particulary Tricksters in mind, but in reality this %cold damage buff slightly helps tricksters (which is like 10% of Stormcaller’s Pact builds at most) but annoys every other lightning build user that has to choose Pact as its exclusive skill.
I suggest changing that into a permanent bonus (downscaled, of course) and change the flat electrocute to flat lightning. Won’t make Ultos OP, imo cause they’re still glass cannons but it would help other shaman builds that might want to pick the skill.
I made a long message about this but my browser chose to fuck up and closed the tab, therefore I’ll just say for short that any other elemental damage exclusive skill is way, way, way (100 more “way”) better than this one. Unless you’re elementalist, you won’t pick it no matter what, only if you manage to do something like me and have AoC 12/12 and SP 22/12. That’s an old build I haven’t even made yet, should fix it a bit and play it tbh.
Also, I hate my life, everything is going to shit when I use the internet. I should become a farmer.
I doubt they’d do this as it goes against the characteristic they set for Lightning. Lightning often has a wider range on it’s damage than other damage types leading to periods where DPS is below average and periods where it spikes high which the % chance for damage (and Crit damage on SP for that matter) embody very well.
Again I’m not asking for major buffs, just some form of defence (even if it’s item granted). The alternative is to take your route and go lifesteal + wendigo + healing procs and just accept the exclusive as a damage boost and that is all.
Elementalists are pure glass, I don’t think you should really go melee/ranged route with them. Gotta try your luck as a caster although with no heals except Wendigo Totem that won’t help in Crucible it’s gonna be hard af too.
I should become a farmer.