heldred

I don’t feel like there are casters in POE 2, I feel like every spell is an ability with slightly different graphics. The worst change for me was moving spells to an ability-like progression system. Add in the muddled grilmoire system and you have a train wreck. It is too late to go back, but the devs should have read the boards better for feedback. I don’t recall “Change the Grimoire System” as a hot topic, but I could be mistaken. Waste of resources to only split the community in half... they should have channeled those dev hours into a better story (enough with the wheel/gods), open world, and unique/balanced classes.

Option 1: Make all classes fun and effective to play = 5x work Option 2: Nerf the fun classes = 1x work Unfortunately, most dev teams go for Option #2. The only nerfs should be for classes and abilities that have the ability to one-shot bosses (e.g. Monks).

1-10 rankings of POE 2: Story: 5 (seemed like POE rehash that never created an emotional connection other than, “Remember Cad Nua” and “Wheel-Schmeel”) Battles: 6 (some interesting fights, but dev team needs to think more creatively than archers/casters on elevated ground or retread of some boss monsters) Classes: 7 (unfortunate homogeneity of classes and abilities) Quality (Bugs): 9 (nothing game breaking, excluding class balance) Balance: 6 (multi class creates a balancing nightmare- best option is to buff weaker classes and enemies) Pacing: 7 (mini map bugs me- if you want open world, make it open world - I would say I spent 20% of time waiting for overlandmap or ship) I appreciate the hours requires to develop a game like POE, but it is nostalgia that keeps a genuinely “average game” (in current state) from being panned by critics. I hope some honesty will help the devs address key issues in subsequent releases/dlc. Game needs: +more of an open world setting explorable in real time (less mini map) +class balance +more interesting battles, monsters, dungeons (not to be confused with more difficult - difficulty slider should take care of challenge factor) +fresher story, we’ve beaten to death the wheel/god/man paradox

I played a version of this (went lighter armor, with a shield/sword in weapon slot #2 for emergency situations) and it was among the nastiest melee builds I’ve run. There is always something new with the next patch

Depends on play style, I’ve done both and Monk has broken combos, combined with Chanter synergy. Monk-Chanter was far deadlier for me and out-DPSed my PaliChanter. To be fair, neither suffered a knockout on POTD, but the DPS insanity of Monk was the final decision for me.

I think Dunehunter summed it up when he pointed out the numerous ways to buff Fire and Lightning. The Devs seem to prefer leaving certain spells, abilities, etc. as inferior, rather than work on making all builds equally effective (with some work collecting the requisite items (if efficiency/power is your cup of tea).

Yeah, Street Fighter is becoming the new Shattered Pillar, but Monk has so many buffs it keeps evading the nerf-stick.

Yes, combine with Monk and you get... Must... stop... the madness.

Can the devs just create a “Monk + Class” forum? It would really streamline my reading...

Fair point with certain builds with Barbs, but I think a Monk offers superior synergy with Chanter. Less builds are Barb + class and almost everything optimal (borderline broken) is Monk + class. Yes, I would prefer buffs to all classes and increase difficulty on POTD. If too much work, simply adjust the outliers.

I agree, but a “Monk+anything” would wreck a “Chanter+anything_but_Monk” Wreck = greater DPS, faster movement/actions, better buffs, etc.

Yeah, until DLC comes, there are few quality fights for a high level party. Don’t get me started on the last fight available in the game... it was like a warm-up band, for an 80s rock group (really lame).

I agree the Wael/Skaen Priests are more effective (than other Priest options), but put them against a Wiz and it is no contest.

Monk is great as a solo class, but combined with multi-anything it becomes borderline broken. Priest is the biggest disappointment because other classes provide equal or superior: healing, cc, debuffs, summons, damage, etc. It is a substandard misfit of a class that is outshined in many categories and provides inferior synergy in multi-class. These are my two biggest outliers (Monk/Priest), everything in between needs less work. If the devs are reading, I believe your triage should focus on Monk (detuning) and Priest (buffing). Unless the devs want 1,000+ of hours of work improving/balancing all classes to monk tier (which will also reibforce the need to raise difficulty on POTD), they should just go after the losers and the winners.

You can’t go wrong. Monk + Anything = outlier_dps

Question: What is the best accessory for a Melee/Caster DPS? Answer: Monk Pointing this out to the devs should require this much effort. They really should read their own boards...

I agree... Don’t get me started on the futility of 2-handed weapons (short of bugged / exploitable items). Just buff all the other classes or simply bring monk in line with other classes.

Again... Monk + any build = epic_win The devs should just release a monk-themed game and get this out of their system. Maybe then we can have other, equally effective builds that don’t begin with, “Go Monk and...”

Another Monk + “insert build here” I see a pattern here, do the devs?

Monk is also worth 2-3 PLs... /sarcasm_off

Insert “Monk” and build is optimized. I don’t understand why it is taking the dev team so long to adjust this outlier. Monk needs some balancing or simply make other classes equally effective.... with POTD difficulty still limp, best solution is to deflate Monk.

Even though fists are better, I’m fairly confident you can build a better DPS, one-handed build with Monk. However, Monk continues to be the reigning DPS outlier.

If there are 2 enemies in 99% of fight there is no need for resonant touch, casue both of them will be death after 1 or 2 WoW attack. Only excetion are bosses, but only huge one - dragon and kraken and nemnok (i made some test just now - since lava dragon always summon some magma slime, after 2 uses of WotW he was hit 4times with full attack, his health bar was 90% full, and after that RT take him down in 1 hit :D - so even if enemy have high DR and we gigle him for 1-2dmg, after blunderbuss combo one RT will make him KO) arkemyr or lich will die after 2 attack :/ Also one more thing - if we use Avenging storm from scroll or uniqe helmet it will proc WotW nice and we can ko whole screen in 1 attack :D Why does every exploit or obscene damage combo begin with: “Insert MONK Ability here...” Between POE1 and POE2 did the devs spend time in a monastery in the Himalayas?

Agreed, the +1 Pen loosely addresses the problem, but I don't believe it offsets: 1) the loss of buffs/attributes/powers (compared to wielding a second weapon or shield) 2) longer recovery 3) lower total damage from full attacks 4) benefits from passive abilities I think 2-HWs still need a nudge on baseline damage. If this game had PvP it would settle this debate pretty quickly (for or against my position).

Is it me or do the color selections: 1) appear to have little impact on your appearance? (specifically, unique armor sets have minimal or no color options and some regular armor pieces have similar issues) 2) appear to be missing some key colors (e.g., incapable of producing a gold color)? I have a fairly new monitor/vcard, with recent color calibration, but I feel like POE1 had better color control or something is missing. Could be sleep deprivation, but I was wondering if I'm alone in my disappointment with coloring armor and the complete inability to color weapons. For the record, I still think you should be able to dye any weapon (including effects: flame, ice, poison, etc.) or armor (not just the shirt arms and legs)... after all, it is our game I'd take this upgrade over a bunch of scalawags... just saying.