Brute Question

[dgray62]

I am playing a Berserker/Tactician wielding LDV, and was wondering whether it would be best to pick Disciplined Strikes or Tactical Barrage. Specifically, does the 25% hit to critical hit conversion from Intuitive stack with the Berserker frenzy's 30% hit to critical hit conversion? If so, Disciplined Strikes is the way to go. If not, I'll select Tactical Barrage instead for a somewhat more reliable intellect inspiration.

[Haplok]

It will stack, but not additively. Instead, each will be checked separately (in practice once you have Berserker Frenzy 30%, Disciplined Strikes will add 17,5% critical chance to land at total 47,5%). Each new effect will add less practical crit chance, for example Power of Money ring with lots of gold would normally provide 15% crit conversion, but once you have this 47,5%, it will only give you additional 7,88% (55,38% total).

Edited June 30, 2020 by Haplok

[Boeroer]

Haplok is right.

+17,5% is still good imo.

If you use stuff like Bloody Slaughter: it stacks the same way.

What you can do to calculate it yourself easily: multiply the probabilities NOT to convert:
Disciplined Strikes: 0.25 conversion --> 0.75 no conversion
Berserker Frenzy: 0.3 conversion  --> 0.7 not conversion
0.75 * 0.7 = 0.525 no conversion --> 0.475 conversion (or 47.5%)
With another 15% conversion (-->0.85 no conversion): 0.75 * 0.7 * 0.85 = 0.4462 no conversion --> 0.5538 conversion (or 55.38%)

One advantage of Tactical Barrage would be that you can use it to counter Berserker's confusion (could free up the armor slot from Devil of Caroc's Breastplate and take something that makes you immune to flanked - like Giphon Prudensco) - or to enlarge your Carnage/Static Thunder's AoE size. +1 Power Levels also means +5% multiplicative dmg for all your abilities (including Static Thunder), a bit more ACC and PEN as well. Carnage scales especially well with additional PLs. 

Keep in mind that Carnage itself can never crit. It only misses/grazes/hits.

Edited June 30, 2020 by Boeroer

[dgray62]

Thanks to both of you, Haplok and Boeroer, for your helpful answers. I see that I have a decision to make. I was planning on going with Disciplined Strikes and using the DoC breastplate to mitigate confusion; the fighter ability fearless to deal with shaken. I like the idea of using Giphon Prudenso to gain flanked immunity and then using Tactical Barrage to deal with confusion. But wouldn't frenzy's confusion downgrade acute to smart? You'd thus effectively lose that +1 PL as soon as you activate frenzy, right?

[Boeroer]

The confusion would actually remove any INT inspiration completely (not downgrade it by one tier). Inspiration vs. Affliction always goes *pouf* - nothing left, no matter the tiers.

So yes, your PL bonus would be cone, also +5 INT. You could simply cast Tactical Barrage again though (has no recovery and no casting time). The second time there wouldn't be a confusion to counter it and that would only cost one additional Discipline (which is easy enough to regain as a Tactician imo).

But as I said: +17.5% crit conversion is also good. And Devil of Caroc has four good reasons to be worn besides the resistance to INT afflictions:

a) it looks fantastic with the Helm of the Falcon

and

b) it gives +2 Discipline/+2 Rage

and

c) with a pet like Abraham and Armored Grace it's even faster than being naked iirc (or nearly as fast - don't remember the actual numbers) due to its own action speed bonus.

and

d) it can give +2 AR when bloodied - or healing on dealing crits which both is great for a Berserker.

It's a tough decision...

[dgray62]

Thanks for enlightening me regarding confusion's effect on intellect inspirations. I'll try both armors and see which seems to work best.

[Kaylon]

Go with DoC breastplate and pick the health regen bonus because with your crit chance you can keep it up all the time while the AR bonus can be triggered only twice. Also don't forget to buy Voidward ASAP.

[Boeroer]

I forgot that the +1 PL from Tactical Barrage also will raise the self damage from Berserker's Frenzy - oopsy.