Berserk Rage

[Karjus]

Vraes' Berserk Rage has the dubious pleasure of being the only ability (currently released) that has a penalty along with a bonus.

I'm curious, if the willing to share, why that is. Is it due to a design thought (Berserkers generally not being the most defensive of combatants) or balance (Forcing the player to decide whether they want a more defensive Outlander, or more aggressive damage dealer but not both).

Secondly, to players whether they intend to use it for Vraes. If so, why you don't mind the penalty and if not, why you do mind it.

[Cory Trese]

Currently released -- key point here.

All Talents data is passed through a series of algorithms to score them based on a set of balancing curves.

Those scores yield a set of vectors for each Talent which will yield a neutral sum, both for a skill and a character.

So, if you consider that every point in every Talent and every character Talent set is a neutral sum balance, then you start to see why Vraes has this advantage of a penalizing Talent.

Berserk Rage has Talent Bonuses that simply cannot be afforded without penalties. 30% Critical on a non-stealth critical buff may be the single most expensive Talent vector in the game.

With Berserk + Burning Blades + Savage Sweep I can do well over 1200 points of damage a round.

Same level Vraes built with Ferocity + Burning Blades + Natural Mastery does about 900 points, has 40 higher Armor and burns through SP like a beast.

I'm sure Andrew has something awesome to say here too =)

[algesan]

Sweep + Burning Blades + Mastery?

[Cory Trese]

Sweep + Burning Blades + Mastery is giving me solid mid 600s.

Sweet is great, but it is so cheap on SP. SS + BB + NM is the slow and steady.

Sweep gives you a nice +34 damage for 16SP ... but Ferocity gives you +200 damage.

Mastery never delivers crits -- and 1200 damage comes from a near 50% critical rate =)

Without a critical, it drops back down to 1000-ish.

Everything changes when you get the late game gear. Has some solutions for SP costs


PS: I should point out that those are damage numbers for my characters -- way above Level 30. =)

[algesan]

I figured that. I'll also guess that some of these issues will disappear sometime post 30 or 40 after stats, skills & talents start maxing out.

[tenbsmith]

Ever since Vraes got the sword after killing the ratkin shaman, he's become a good damage dealer, even though he is using 1-handed sword.

I haven't studied berserk closely because that's several levels away. My current unstudied plan is to use Phalanx Shield + Natural Mastery + Warder's Shield + Burning Blades + Berserk. Note, Vraes will be wielding 1-handed sword and shield. I figure the shield and defensive buffs should make up for the berserk penalties.

[algesan]

Heh, Lukan's sword beats anything I've seen for Vraes that dropped or was sold for hammers or spears. Which is why my latest Vraes is into Blades, even if he gets better, Vincent will probably get some use out of it.

[Cory Trese]

Feb 2, 2014 22:40:40 GMT -5 algesan said:

Heh, Lukan's sword beats anything I've seen for Vraes that dropped or was sold for hammers or spears. Which is why my latest Vraes is into Blades, even if he gets better, Vincent will probably get some use out of it.

It's good but it's not the best weapon that drops in Red Hill.

[algesan]

Nightmare so less drops. I just haven't got any games extant with better. I did have a nasty looking spear & hammer on deleted parties (with Vraes specializing in something else), but didn't compare them to Lukan's.

My standard party in NM that just completed Red Hill had Vraes going all the way to Riven Field with his original storebought Oskahold spears, from before the improved weapons appeared. He will be starting the next content release trying to find better spears from the next town.