Elementalist Skills

[Ξиƙi̽-Ξ∴ i̽ร∴∴𝖈]

Which is the more recommended path for elementalist?

[Psojed]

The path of destruction. Pick if you want to smash them with huge lightning, burn them in a firewall, plow through them with a ray or just good old fashioned pew pew with bolts of energy. Either works.

[Geotarrr]

It's curious if the Bolts of Energy (the tier 3 skill, I mean) are viable as a main skill for the high-levels?

[Psojed]

The Tier 3 would be Stream of Bolts. It is quite viable, but I find the manacost somewhat limiting, so unless you're specced into Arcane Flux aura, you might run out of mana. I found myself using Energy Bolts (tier 1) simply because it has no mana cost, practically no cooldown and reduced rage cost.

[Geotarrr]

Thanks for the detailed as always answer, Psojed!

[DrunkenPirate]

Ray of destruction was awesome in previous games, am working towards that skill now in my current playthrough.

[Psojed]

I will most likely keep using Frost Barrier, Frost Pillar and some filler skill I'm not decided on yet.

[Geotarrr]

RoD is awesome here as well, but what I don't like in it (here and in the trilogy-games) is that a playstyle with it depends exclusively on the powerup of RoD that deals AOE-damage, based on the killed monster's health. And I don't use powerups, so RoD isn't an option for me, because without this powerup RoD is just a single target skill.

[DrunkenPirate]

RoD pierces

[Geotarrr]

Haven't used Frost Barrier / Frost Pillar yet, might be interesting.

[Geotarrr]

Originally posted by DrunkenPirate:

RoD pierces

You mean it damages all targets on it's path? Hmm, that sounds very interesting. But another thing also bothers me with RoD - part of it's damage is Arcane, and the question is whether this part is influenced by the items' enchant All Damage Increase?

[Psojed]

RoD doesn't need the deathburst powerup, I tested it because I also play mostly without powerups :) It keeps pwning things without it up to Inhuman 1, after that it needs some cowbell. RoD is good on its own due to the fact that you can boost it by anything.

If you want to go extreme, you could spec all your auras into Fire Sage, Ice Sage and Thunder Sage, perks into Salamandra, Iceblood and Stormblood, and all of these boost your RoD damage. IIRC correctly, it's actual damage is divided like this:
20% fire / 20% ice / 20% lightning / 20% poison / 20% arcane damage.

PS: and yeah, all damage increases all of them damages

[DrunkenPirate]

Yes it's affected by elemental bonuses since it's combined damage and yes it damages all targets that it passes through in the same manner that 'disintegrate' works on the Wizard in diablo 3. RoD against large groups is disgusting when specced out, against single targets though it's good, but there are better options that cost less mana.

[Geotarrr]

Oh, yeah!

Thanks, Psojed and DrunkenPirate! I was pretty sure that you, Psojed, going min / max, use powerups like hell.

I personally try to make a tight build that allows consistent and smooth playstyle, viable in different situations, for boss-fights and for mobs. A build in which every investment improves the effect from every other investment.

And with that said, I've always looked into RoD, exactly for it's "spectral" damage. But these two things, the pretty powerful Deathburst powerup and this Arcane-part from it's damage, have always bothered me. And sadly I've had no time to personally experiment with RoD, it was only what I've read and watched about it.

[Psojed]

Powerups? Hell no!
+35% all damage while on max Rage? Yes Sir!

[Fhaerron]

Lightning Bolt!