Marauder Start Area Feedback

Maradeur's life path would be ok, if it offered an option to exit strting area without necessity to take either +10 str or resistances. Same applies to melee damage path. One should take too many not-so-useful +10 str nodes to exit.

Shadow, for example, takes no useless nodes on the melee DPS path to exit

I've been thinking about the whole "no one takes the lower route" issue. Here's what I propose:

One-hand starting route: No life nodes, just one-handed melee damage. Flat bonus to life with first node. At one point it splits, offering either more one-handed melee bonuses (no accuracy) or stun threshold reduction. It ends with the Raw Power notable, which now has a smaller bonus to one-handed damage but a large bonus to stun threshold reduction (as well as 20 Strength).
Two-hand starting route: No life nodes, just two-handed melee damage. Flat bonus to life with first node. At one point it splits, offering either more two-handed melee bonuses (no accuracy) or stun duration increases. It ends with the Butchery notable, which now has a smaller bonus to two-handed damage but a large bonus to stun duration (as well as 20 Strength).
Connecting the two starting routes: three-node Versatility cluster, not much different from how it is now, except Versatility would be the final node. This is where you get your accuracy from if you want it.
One-hand exit 1: Three-node Armour cluster, culminating in Armour Mastery.
One-hand exit 2: Three-node Shield cluster, culminating in Aegis. Aegis now also gives +10 to Strength in addition to its previous effect.
Middle exit (connected to Versatility cluster): Diamond Skin cluster.
Two-hand exit 1: Three-node Life regeneration cluster, culminating in Troll's Blood. No life nodes.
Two-hand exit 2: Three-node Life cluster, culminating in Heart of the Gladiator. (Note: this exit shouldn't let players out too close to Lava Lash, so they don't grab the two 12% life nodes too easily; it should either let out as close to Hard Knocks as possible, or two-handed path should be moved to the top of the start area with one-handed getting the bottom.)

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Qarl написал:

In one of the upcoming updates we will be reworking the Marauder start area. We will also change nearby areas if needed.

As one of those nearby areas which might need change, is there a reason why Blade of Renown's cluster (between Templar and Marauder, just north of EA) is generally weaker than both Baptism by Light's and Fell the Weak's clusters ?

Blade of Renown notable give 16% IPD and 20% increased accuracy with swords with 10% increased armor, while Fell the Weak notable is exactly the same for axes but with a 20% IPD, and Baptism by Light notable get a 20% IPD too for maces and trades 10% of accuracy for 10% increased light radius (which might not be better for a non-RT build but still...).

The two sword damage and armor passives inside Blade of Renown's cluster give 10% IPD with swords and 8% armor while in both the others clusters axe/mace damage and armor passives give 10% IPD and 10% armor. Only the two mace damage and accuracy passives are weaker by 2% IPD than both the axe/sword damage and accuracy passives in thoses clusters, but they're not that interesting in the first place...

Please GGG, for all players and future players, make buffs, NOT NERF with new mara nodes!

- "Buff Duration" very low and not wanted nodes, make them as Inner Force or rework to work with charges and other skills that doesnt affect or make them +50%

- "Totems Life" node need incease, a lot more than now. And still Decoy need HUGE buff as per % Quality and per lvl.

- "Elemental Adaptation" need buff or same 2-3 node with same or more max res. As was said before, we still wait.

- "Enemy crit Strike Multi Reduction" very nice and great node! We need more like them, like 4-6 more.

- "Block chance with Staves" very low and even with all nodes its still poor and dont worth to take them, its broke (in bad mot) and beg for buffs long ago. Buff every and all Staves node! Special block chance with Staves. There so low fine (not perfect, bcs non for staves, even good node for staves only 1) node for staves that must be much more.

- "Flask Life" need buffs, like x3-x4 time more life.

- "Resolute Technique" can be better. 1 crit = 5-6 hits, thats why there TONS build with crits and mara MUST take RT bcs of lack crit + accur + dex, so RT can do like 2-3 more DMG then normal, but thats disscuion.

- "Armour" near mara very low fine amour BIG and fine nodes, can have +life +%life with amr. And more.

- "Master of Arena" must be not 1 in duelist, but 2-3 buffed near mara node. Its must have for mara!

- "Auras and Reduced Mana Resisrvation" they are too long away from mara, and very low. Can be more of there nodes and little closer to mara.

- "Aegis" more like this node for shields (more block or armour). Need more big and cool defensive shields node. Much more. Better if +life and arm with block.

- Chaos resist need to be added near mara, even MUST be.

Maybe 1-2 BIG LL/Mana Leech node? Would be geat!

More "Inc area dmg/radius aoe", why not? ground slam must be mara more main + for splash gem.

Buff low %life node! And inc buff them make some Life node combo with MS. Armour + MS + %life :)

And ofc new node with Life Regeneration big aka 1,5% or even 2,5%! Must be.
More Life + %Life.
More Life + more survs = new mara, bcs after scion come shes better almost in all possible way and builds.

PS: No ONE (ex trolls and hurrkorrus) wants nerfing! Please buff and NOT NERF! Please.

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TreeOfDead написал:

- "Elemental Adaptation" need buff or same 2-3 node with same or more max res. As was said before, we still wait.

If you think that Adaptation needs a buff you're throwing your entire opinion into question. at best it might go up to 3%. 2% is essentially 8% reduced damage taken, no other node can claim that with reliability.

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Hecate67 написал:

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Qarl написал:

In one of the upcoming updates we will be reworking the Marauder start area. We will also change nearby areas if needed.

As one of those nearby areas which might need change, is there a reason why Blade of Renown's cluster (between Templar and Marauder, just north of EA) is generally weaker than both Baptism by Light's and Fell the Weak's clusters ?

Blade of Renown notable give 16% IPD and 20% increased accuracy with swords with 10% increased armor, while Fell the Weak notable is exactly the same for axes but with a 20% IPD, and Baptism by Light notable get a 20% IPD too for maces and trades 10% of accuracy for 10% increased light radius (which might not be better for a non-RT build but still...).

The two sword damage and armor passives inside Blade of Renown's cluster give 10% IPD with swords and 8% armor while in both the others clusters axe/mace damage and armor passives give 10% IPD and 10% armor. Only the two mace damage and accuracy passives are weaker by 2% IPD than both the axe/sword damage and accuracy passives in thoses clusters, but they're not that interesting in the first place...

because swords are accurate and axe passives are awesome

While you're in the Str area can you change the Lifewheel into Armour? You can seed the life into other nearby areas.

I'm not a fan of the wheel, and the fact that the other two stats got tehir secondary defenses (ES is secondary without investments guys) and then Strength got the unversal defense sends me into all kinds of nerdrage.

Also some HP/Ar nodes in the Marauder start would be nice.

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ScrotieMcB написал:

One-hand starting route: No life nodes, just one-handed melee damage. Flat bonus to life with first node. At one point it splits, offering either more one-handed melee bonuses (no accuracy) or stun threshold reduction. It ends with the Raw Power notable, which now has a smaller bonus to one-handed damage but a large bonus to stun threshold reduction (as well as 20 Strength).
Two-hand starting route: No life nodes, just two-handed melee damage. Flat bonus to life with first node. At one point it splits, offering either more two-handed melee bonuses (no accuracy) or stun duration increases. It ends with the Butchery notable, which now has a smaller bonus to two-handed damage but a large bonus to stun duration (as well as 20 Strength).

Unfortunately the tree wouldn't be friendly to new players for a couple of reasons.

The starting paths have to force life nodes. Since new players don't understand all the mechanics of POE they often think things like "I can just gets lots of DPS and Leech and my offense will be my defense". It just doesn't work that way in POE. Defense is King and Life is it's Golden Crown. No other stat matters more to a melee non-CI character. Since new players won't realize this for a while, it needs to be forced on them.

Having the only Paths be 1 handed or 2 handed is also unfriendly to new players because they won't know which they want to use yet. Thats why all starting paths have either Melee Physical or Physical Nodes.

I've noticed you can make a variety of ranged and/or melee builds in Shadow, Ranger, and Duelist and be able to move through any of those areas relatively quickly without wasting points.

It's far more difficult to pull this off with Marauder or Templar; both starting areas lock you into a particular path for more than a few levels before you can jump back out, on top of having some incredibly weak or overspecialized nodes crammed into them.

Some specific thoughts:

Merge the enemy crit strike reduction nodes into the Armor Master node; right now the 2% move speed is a bad joke.

Flask life nodes should also probably be merged into some other medium node; they are horribad when it comes to opportunity cost by themselves.

There needs to be a path to allow one to cut right through the middle of Marauder starting circle instead of winding all the way around to avoid taking something not relevant to a build.

The connections between Marauder and Templar could use some rework to facilitate both transitions and access to Resolute Technique; while allowing a choice of dex/crit if desired. Skill of the Ancestors would make a wonderful Dex gate; and something Strength/Life/general mitigation based would be nice as another gate option between the two areas.

Easier access to mana management to help with feeling forced into Blood Magic would be nice.

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nodestar написал:

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ScrotieMcB написал:

One-hand starting route: No life nodes, just one-handed melee damage. Flat bonus to life with first node. At one point it splits, offering either more one-handed melee bonuses (no accuracy) or stun threshold reduction. It ends with the Raw Power notable, which now has a smaller bonus to one-handed damage but a large bonus to stun threshold reduction (as well as 20 Strength).
Two-hand starting route: No life nodes, just two-handed melee damage. Flat bonus to life with first node. At one point it splits, offering either more two-handed melee bonuses (no accuracy) or stun duration increases. It ends with the Butchery notable, which now has a smaller bonus to two-handed damage but a large bonus to stun duration (as well as 20 Strength).

Unfortunately the tree wouldn't be friendly to new players for a couple of reasons.

The starting paths have to force life nodes. Since new players don't understand all the mechanics of POE they often think things like "I can just gets lots of DPS and Leech and my offense will be my defense". It just doesn't work that way in POE. Defense is King and Life is it's Golden Crown. No other stat matters more to a melee non-CI character. Since new players won't realize this for a while, it needs to be forced on them.

Having the only Paths be 1 handed or 2 handed is also unfriendly to new players because they won't know which they want to use yet. Thats why all starting paths have either Melee Physical or Physical Nodes.

The only class which has life nodes handed to them on a single platter heading out is Duelist (and the current Marauder). It's just bullshit pretending noobs need it shoved down their throats.

I guess your second point isn't a bad one, however.