Is greater focus useful for an Ascendant cipher?

[Visenya]

With a "generic" cipher like in the first PoE it was quite useful, but with an ascendant it is? it increases base focus, but also max one, so it takes longer to fill it and, at the same time, you want to save focus until ascended in most occasion, so castings spells immediately seems not really useful in most cases.

Any thought about this?

[thundercleese]

Only time it would be good break even is if you can end combat within your first Ascended phase. It increases your base (starting) focus, but also your max focus by the same amount. Since to become Ascended you need to reach max focus, and when Ascended wears off you are set back to zero focus, it is actually a harmful talent to pick. Any other Cipher it is a viable choice, but you don't want it on an Ascendant.

[gkathellar]

Only time it would be good break even is if you can end combat within your first Ascended phase. It increases your base (starting) focus, but also your max focus by the same amount. Since to become Ascended you need to reach max focus, and when Ascended wears off you are set back to zero focus, it is actually a harmful talent to pick. Any other Cipher it is a viable choice, but you don't want it on an Ascendant.

 

Pretty good on a soul blade, even.

 

But for an ascendant, it's just making your life harder.

[Boeroer]

All you need is Draining Whip as an Ascendant. Don't touch the other focus related stuff.

[Visenya]

Thanks for all the answers