Akimbo

They're still overpowered.

Don't really understand Ciphers. They're really OP and Obsidian decided to buff their health? The focus nerf wasn't significant past the first few levels.

Yeah, I probably am. Sue me for being .... over 40 ... and liking this sort of game. I should say that I recognize a few other people here whose handles I recognize from back then. Gromniir. Wanderon. And some others a bit more vaguely. There are plenty of people who liked the DnD IE games from back then. And heck, it wouldn't surprise me if some of those are old enough to have played the even older SSI gold and silver box DnD computer games as well. Wow, Wanderon is on these forums? Obi-Wanderon, now that is a name I haven't heard in a very long time...

I don't mind min/max, but when people get insulting to others who don't subscribe to the same gameplay style it's a little sad. Back on topic, I think the "correct" answer would actually be "both". You use the Arbalest vs high DR opponents or for the initial alpha-strike. You'd use the warbow vs. lower DR enemies, or with some levels under your belt, it'd be possible to replace the Arbalest with a Warbow altogether assuming you can set up sneak attacks constantly, use DR debuffs and know where to find the good bows early on.

It's not about confusing the two. It's about believing that some of the design choices (relative to attributes) seemingly made for the sake of differentiating PoE from DnD were and are wrong. I don't disagree entirely. I was thinking more about the stereotypes that seem to be thought of here on the forums. Such as people disputing that Barbarians shouldn't have high Intellect, because they're Barbarians. Also, people refer to might purely as a Physical trait, whereas might can refer to intellect just as readily as physical might. Not sure what the actual description for might is in-game, but a lot of opinions seem to be based on the old DnD style tropes. PoE may not have got attributes entirely right, and they're clearly based on DnD foundations, but I appreciate them more than I do DnD's system.

Wizard and Cipher's base endurance has been raised from 30 to 36, and per level from 10 to 12. - Cipher is already OP. Doesn't need this buff. Sanguine Plate's Retaliate mod has been replaced with Spell Holding: Frenzy. - Now worthless. Please reconsider this change, you've already nerfed Retaliation! Otherwise it seems pretty cool.

Seems to be a lot of people who confuse PoE with DnD still.

Since they're basic firearms that load via the muzzle, you need two hands to reload one efficiently. This is why in real life people would wear a brace of pistols, so you could load several and unload them (relatively) quickly in turn. This is effectively what quick-switching weapon sets allows you to replicate in game. The idea of dual wielding pistols is cool, but not really viable if you think about the mechanics and would also be somewhat overpowered as far as balance goes, which is likely the reason they were changed.

If it affects any spells I have a feeling it will only be the ones which are treated like missile attacks, e.g. Necrotic Lance. IIRC, there was a thread which had a list of spells which worked with Penetrating Attack, so I assume it's possible some will work with this too.

I've definitely seen the opposite statement on these boards. Retaliation is seperate from melee attacks entirely (i.e. it doesn't use your weapon stats), thusly it doesn't proc anything from your weapons and it doesn't proc draining. Though it DOES count as a melee attack so something like Carnage WILL proc from it. Riposte on the other hand does count as a full melee attack and so WILL proc draining.

I'd pick the Arbalest, that way you can take Gunner and don't need penetrating shots. Not only that, but the bonus talents on the warbow just aren't that good. If you wanted to use a bow, there are better choices out there. If you want damage, the Arbalest is superior in this case.

This tends to happen with only one opponent, they ignore engagement with my Chanter who is beating their heads in with Tidefall and they just wander off to attack my back lines. Since my ranged Chanter (I have two) is running the frost traps phrase I back off the target, the enemy is slowed/chilled and they get cut down by my melee Chanter...but they don't turn around to engage. p.s. I don't use engagement talents/weapons. I micro my melee fighters to keep engagement. This doesn't happen a lot, but it's been very noticable from some of the undead enemies. (Usually the vampires, however their name is spelt.) your melee characters will get atacked by the mobs no matter what , it just how the game works i think and it makes sense : Why would enemy bash a tank when squishy rogue is hiting them in the back , meanwhile going for backline wouldnt make much sense as they would need to get trough tanks and all the cc , just turning and attacking that annoying melee guy is realistic and sensible . And thats why no matter how much you micro : Hold The Line + Guarding Weapons are non negotiable for tanks They're totally negotiable. My point is they ignore engagement, even when they are being directly attacked by my melee character. They then walk into my back lines, trying to hit a ranged character, while my melee character follows them, hitting them in the back until they die.

This tends to happen with only one opponent, they ignore engagement with my Chanter who is beating their heads in with Tidefall and they just wander off to attack my back lines. Since my ranged Chanter (I have two) is running the frost traps phrase I back off the target, the enemy is slowed/chilled and they get cut down by my melee Chanter...but they don't turn around to engage. p.s. I don't use engagement talents/weapons. I micro my melee fighters to keep engagement. This doesn't happen a lot, but it's been very noticable from some of the undead enemies. (Usually the vampires, however their name is spelt.)

Voted Chanter - Because I wanted to melee, but have something more to do than just swing a weapon.

Just wondering if anyone else is having this problem since the latest patch? I've not had problems with engagement before, but now I have enemies just running off, my Chanter chasing and hitting them from behind as they run, while they ignore him and go after my Wizard or Priest...