Diablo 3, coming May 15th. I'm torn, Kaz, will you rescue me?

[Danoff]

But crits don't happen that often, and you can't stack critical hit chance by that much... maybe 50% more common. So if you have a critical hit once out of every 100 hits, you have it now once out of every 66 hits. So you do triple your normal critical damage once every 66 times you hit an enemy? Seems insignificant. Clearly I'm missing something important, because DPS should reflect this.

 

[Bigbazz]

But crits don't happen that often, and you can't stack critical hit chance by that much... maybe 50% more common. So if you have a critical hit once out of every 100 hits, you have it now once out of every 66 hits. So you do triple your normal critical damage once every 66 times you hit an enemy? Seems insignificant. Clearly I'm missing something important, because DPS should reflect this.

Its very easy to get 30% crit, thats almost 1 in 3 hits, and its very easy to get 200-300% damage. Its not too bad to get 50% crit, thats 1 in every 2 hits. If you have 50% crit chance and 300% crit damage, you're doing 3x as much damage half the time.

When you do this, the "damage" value in your char screen soon starts to skyrocket, and often enough you dont really need to sacrifice other stats much.

Edit: I just logged in to check for you, this is what I was wearing, my tank set after the first nerf went in, adjusted for more damage. But don't forget, this isnt a damage based build with the gearset, with proper gear my crit % could be higher and my crit damage % could be a lot higher.

Then I went to the bank and threw on some more random crit gear just for the example. A weapon and bracers.

As can be seen there is nothing special about this weapon, which is what I used in the above pic, it just has a decent ammount of + crit damage %. The weapon I used in the previous pic had well over 800dps, 252dex, 240 stam, 41% crit damage but results in slightly lower damage than this weapon simply because of the more crit damage. If this weapon had good dps + some strength on it then it would increase my damage by a massive ammount.

 

[Azuremen]

My wizzie.

I have so much health and DPS that I don't really need Force Armor or resistances and I don't die very often since I can move very effectively, save for extremely tough (For Wizards) mobs, like Fast affix mobs of mobs that are already fast to begin with, Phaseless beasts and elite mobs that spawn too close too a doorway (so there is no space to kite).

I'm just too in love with face tanking mobs when I want to be lazy. Also makes more scary champ backs far less intimidating in general, though I did get a brutal group of Fast Molten Extra Health Phasebeasts the other day

If you are curious about my exact gear and current setup, which isn't as tanky but certainly a lot of fun, you can see here.

 

[Danoff]

Ok I get it. I thought that adding 5% crit was increasing your critical hit frequency by 5%. Turns out it's increasing your critical hit frequency by 100%!!

I get it now... and now I have to figure out how to take advantage without throwing away all of my gear.

 

[Bigbazz]

Ok I get it. I thought that adding 5% crit was increasing your critical hit frequency by 5%. Turns out it's increasing your critical hit frequency by 100%!!

I get it now... and now I have to figure out how to take advantage without throwing away all of my gear.

Just for an example - the gear used in the first picture (the tanking set)

http://eu.battle.net/d3/en/profile/Bigbazz-2623/hero/65304

 

[Coxis]

I'm just too in love with face tanking mobs when I want to be lazy. Also makes more scary champ backs far less intimidating in general, though I did get a brutal group of Fast Molten Extra Health Phasebeasts the other day

If you are curious about my exact gear and current setup, which isn't as tanky but certainly a lot of fun, you can see here.

It feels rather awesome to be able to tank mobs as a wizard, but then again I really miss the extra DPS I get from pinpoint barrier, sparkflint and force weapon when I try...

Still, it's all in your playstyle. I have seen great wizards kite around and tank momentarily if the moment arises, not to mention that very popular CM/WW build. Decent enough gear by the way, with that much health and diamond skin you must be hard to take down.

 

[Azuremen]

Decent enough gear by the way, with that much health and diamond skin you must be hard to take down.

Yeah, my gear is at that awkward spot where it could be better, but getting all around upgrades in any slot is going to cost me quite a bit for a small increase. Unless I want to drop all-resistance, but I just love it too much.

Got unlazy and finished Inferno - much easier to clear A4 than before the patch, and Diablo I killed with 5 stacks on my first try. Got a Sky Splitter with 1105 damage and 195 dex. Listed on the RMAH for $40, and if it doesn't sell there, will probably end up on my Monk eventually.

 

[Danoff]

I came across a ring in the AH today that is going for the equivalent of $900. At first when I saw the ring I thought "Why would anyone sell that? Do they have better rings or something? That doesn't seem possible!". Then I realized it was selling for $900 and thought, oh, that's why. I'd sell that too if I found it.

 

[Danoff]

Ok, you guys helped me understand something before, help me understand something new. Why is life on hit so much better than life steal?

I do about 40k dps or so (while buffed). Crippling wave should give me an extra 10%. So from my primary attack, I'm dealing somewhere around 44k dps.

Now, I also have sweeping wind blade storm, which deals 60% of weapon damage with 3 stacks (which is common due to my crit chance being decent now). So that's another 24k dps.

Total dps is about 68k dps.

Also I use Mantra of conviction overawe for another 24% on all damage when I haven't casted it for a while. So instead of dealing 68k dps, enemies are taking a grand total of 84k dps.

Life steal says it's a percentage of damage dealt. I'm dealing 84k dps, and I have life steal at 5%. So that should net me 4.2k life per second. I'm fighting in inferno, so that gets nerfed by 80%, leaving me with only 840 life per second.

Hmm... maybe I answered my own question. If you get two weapons with 400 life on hit, and you hit maybe 2x per second, you're at 1600 life per second.

 

[Bigbazz]

If your damage goes high enough the life steal will be better eventually, it's just easier to stack life on hit.

 

[Sprite]

Ok noob alert!

I finally got a computer that can play some games (its a RMBP) and since my partner is into games like this I thought what better way to spend some time. So I've just purchased Diablo 3 and installed it.

So what should I be looking out for on my first play? any tips ect. would be welcome.

 

[Kent]

First, please change the name to something respectable like "Diablo III" so the thread is recognizable, the whole Kaz excuse me thing is lame. :yawn:

Second, Sprite,
tell us your class.

Last,
I've stepped up.
Still not bad(___). However, solo clearing farming runs of act 1 on MP5 is no problem, solo on act 3 or 4 (mp5) is hard, and MP3 seems to be my go-to MP.

Where are you guys?
I'm "kent 1451" in game, hit me up.

 

[Pako]

Any tips for a level 50 mage that just started Hell mode? In need of serious equipment, best place to farm, what to look for etc...

 

[Pako]

So no one's playing this any more? I was hoping to get some mileage out of this title, but maybe all the posts of "It's too easy, Blizzard screwed it up...." are true making it too easy where boredom is setting in too quickly.

Well, if anyone has any tips or extra loot you just don't know what to do with, hook a brotha up! Level 60 Mage, BTW.

 

[Bigbazz]

They put in the option to increase the monster difficulty now and along with it reduced the default difficulty when entering a game, the new system should probably allow you to make it even more difficult than it was at launch, if you want it too.

I put a lot of time into Diablo and it is a great game, but there comes a time when you move on and try other games for a while, occasionally I pop on and have a blast but I don't play it often, I'm waiting to see what they do with PvP in the game.

 

[Pako]

Good to know. Been farming like crazy trying to get my stats up. I am effectively a wet paper sack at 2100 armor but sit at 14,500 attack. I have a few things I have been saving that are level 60 gear, which I can equip probably later tonight. Anyways, been having fun for sure!

 

[HighSeasHoMastr]

I could probably give you all the gear off my Wiz since I don't play much and when I do its always on my barb now... I dunno though, I like to have the option... I'll see what I've got and let you know.

I think im at about 55K damage with my current gear, but a better weapon would jump that 10K I bet.

 

[Pako]

55k I would be in your debt but by no means should you do anything you might regret later.

 

[HighSeasHoMastr]

Honestly it's all pretty crap/average gear. I have a fair bit of crit chance and int but barely any crit damage. I do have 19 AP on crit so it works well with orb+tts if that's your thing though.

But honestly, ~15mil in the auction house would probably net you better gear. Ill give you what I've got if you want it I guess, but now that I've looked at it it really isn't all that great

 

[Pako]

Well, you know what they say, one mans trash is another mans treasure. In that case, I wouldn't feel so bad putting on your junk.

Pako#1528

If you are so incline.

 

[HighSeasHoMastr]

:shrug: well, like I said if you want it it's yours. I'll have to hit you up tomorrow though, I'm spoken for tonight.

 

[Pako]

That's cool man. I'm online now and will be online tomorrow I'm sure. Looking forward to it man,

 

[HighSeasHoMastr]

Alright, I just sent you a friend request. So, wherever you're ready...

Also, I just spent 17M in the auction house and replaced every piece of gear on my wiz with an upgrade over what I had so you can definitely have the stuff I was wearing. You will have to gem it yourself though, cause I took all the gems out to transfer them to my new gear.

I'm up to ~90K Damage and 4200 armor with all my buffs now though still weaksauce compared to my Barbarian, but it's a lot better than I was doing


EDIT: Just PM me here when you get on D3, I'll jump on and give you the gear 👍

 

[Pako]

Holy Moly, that sounds extreme! Sounds good man, I just got in the servers are down. I have to head back to work but should be back in 4 hours or so. I'll catch ya later. 👍

[edited] Thanks for the gear man! That will definitely get me through Hell mode and be able to farm some cash to hit the auctions up for some better gear. Only 17M got you setup? I have like 170k in the bank.

What's your thoughts on gem configurations? I have always put Ruby in weapons to +damage and topaz on everything else to further boost damage and increase MF on the helm. I'm starting to think that's a little top heavy.

 

[HighSeasHoMastr]

Thanks for the gear man! That will definitely get me through Hell mode and be able to farm some cash to hit the auctions up for some better gear. Only 17M got you setup? I have like 170k in the bank.

It was no problem man 👍 the gear I gave you will easily see you through Act 1 Inferno on MP0, maybe even Act 2. You'll start to have real problems in A3 though, when the enemy density really picks up. Then again, I haven't played on MP0 in a long time, so maybe it's a little easier than I remember it being. Either way, it gives you a solid base to build from.

Well, I wouldn't say it got me set up, but it got me set up better than I was with the gear I had there's still a lot of vertical growth left with the gear I have now.
My current Wizard set gets me about 4K armor & 500 All-Resist with ~100K Damage (changed 2 pieces since my last post haha) with 47.5% Crit Chance (55.5% for Arcane Orb) and ~280% Crit Damage. Now, that isn't bad, but it's nowhere near top level for a Wiz.

What's your thoughts on gem configurations? I have always put Ruby in weapons to +damage and topaz on everything else to further boost damage and increase MF on the helm. I'm starting to think that's a little top heavy.

For a weapon, use an Emerald. You can't stack enough average damage with a Ruby to make it a real damage increase compared to the increased Crit dam you get with an Emerald unless your Crit Chance is really low. Basically, as far as offensive stats go, Crit Chance/Damage are the only way to add damage beyond primary stat, so those are what you should be stacking for damage. Especially as a Wizard, as Critical Mass (Passive Skill) is incredibly good when you use it in the right build.

For everything else, it's a little bit subjective. If you already have enough life that you aren't dying all the time, you can probably afford to gem for primary stat to pick up some damage, but I usually gem for Vit to get the extra survivability. Especially in a helm, because an Amy gets you % Life there instead of flat Vit. Helms can also be gemmed with a Ruby for power leveling, but I personally don't see the point in powering Paragon levels, so once I hit 60 that always changes to an Amy for me.

 

[Pako]

Had a blast last night with the new gear. I can see where I need to save up some coin for better stuff but for now I am dominating the levels. Finished Hell mode like it was butter. I definitely see the benefit to critical hits. WOW, huge difference. Now time to go farming I guess.

Thanks again.

 

[Pako]

Isn't there a thread about ponies around here? Anyways, I slayed me some ponies and bears last night. Feast your eyes on the carnage:

Oh yeah, I love killin' me some ponies....

 

[Bigbazz]

Makes me sad but i've never done the pony level, never got to farm the crap out of it while it was dropping ludicrous ammounts of loot, makes me sad.

 

[Pako]

Makes me sad but i've never done the pony level, never got to farm the crap out of it while it was dropping ludicrous ammounts of loot, makes me sad.

We were only in Hell mode, the drops were crap, but killing those ponies brought a healthy amount of satisfaction.

 

[Bigbazz]

I started playing this a little bit lately, have to say that the game on default inferno is ridiculously easy now, I bumped it up to Monster level 5, it seems that though the monsters at that level have a whole bunch of extra health, they still don't hit near as hard as they did back when the game launched.

Anyway, most of my old gear has been replaced really cheaply with better stuff, I bought a Stormshield that would have sold for 200-300 million gold back in the day or crazy prices on real money, and it cost me 69k gold. Still there does seem to be a few items that have retained most of their value.

I am enjoying playing though, its a blast. I do kinda wish there was a way to get back to the old balancing of the game, where it was more focussed on survival. When I tried act 3 on Monster Level 10 I was still able to survive fairly easily but the monsters had ridiculous ammounts of health, so rather than the monster levels making it much harder it seems they mostly just increase the health of the monsters, meaning it feels like just killing 1 monster is taking ridiculous ammounts of time.