Spell Intensity vs. Resistances

[Suppressor 0]

Currently I am working on a ice/arcane high elf, which of course is not as popular to fire...

 

Crystal Skin has two mods and I do not know which is better.

 

Feel Cold - Reduces the opponent's resistance against ice damage. (20% + 0.5% per CA level reduction)

Focalize - Increases the spell intensity of the aspect Mystic Stormite combat arts. (30% + 1% per CA level increase)

 

My gut feelings says no to the resistances when glacial thorns does mostly ice damage and raging nimbus does around 1/3 ice damage. However, if the mod lowered physical and ice resistances, and it was capable to go beyond 0, then this is what I would want to choose.

 

On the other hand, we have spell intensity. Which I have no clue how it affects "the full effect of my spells".

 

Looks like a coin flip, and either one I really wouldn't know how it actually worked!

[Zinsho 0]

I suspect resistances can end up negative based on my attempt at an Area of Effect TG where Fiery Ember/Icy Evanescence dealt more damage than listed against mobs with 0 resistance to the relevant elements.

 

I do wonder to a degree if it's really a Sensitivity effect (to oppose the mitigation of opposite element) that was mistranslated (in the case of the TG CAs... and thus potentially on Crystal Skin as well). Sensitivity being +X% damage after armor values are accounted for.

[Suppressor 0]

I do wonder to a degree if it's really a Sensitivity effect (to oppose the mitigation of opposite element) that was mistranslated (in the case of the TG CAs... and thus potentially on Crystal Skin as well). Sensitivity being +X% damage after armor values are accounted for.

 

On a sidenote I don't understand how a temple guardian can make a ridiculously large radius burst into flames (and lower fire resistance concurrently). It doesn't seem to fit with what it should be able to do. What do I know? >_> In my response to that, if I were to make a temple guardian it would probably take fiery ember to massive combat art levels as well as always socketing a chunk into my weapon for some pretty destructive effects. We'll see when I get there.

 

Hmm, I didn't even take that idea into consideration. That sounds less of an overpowered style of mechanics than what I was thinking... I was thinking straight %. If they have 0%, and I had -20%. They would in take 6/5 damage. However, this can get very powered very fast. If I was fighting something with 90% ice/physical resistance. Then I would be effectively TRIPLING my damage against that enemy.

 

Your mechanic sounds a bit more feasible, especially because in Sacred 2 there doesn't seem to be straight % resistances that we are used to in Diablo 2 and Titan Quest.

 

But what gets me is, then why would anyone choose spell intensity!? The only thing I can think of is that there are hardly any modifers for it anywhere mods/equipment/skill wise. In my eyes it seems that lowering resistances is ALWAYS useful, and Spell intensity is sometimes useful. If I already have a high spell intensity then my damage increase would be smaller than if I took the resistance mod.

 

Generally there is a playstyle choice with mods, not a definite better or worse:)

[Von Bek 0]

First off, spell intensity is much like an attack rating. It opposes your enemies spell resistance. You're not always gonna deal full damage, but the higher your intensity, the more often you deal FULL damage (after resistances and such).

 

Now, for the Feel Cold mod. . . it has a MAXIMUM range. That's right. It has a very "short" (enemies will reach you when they're finally in range for you to start casting spells at them with the lowered resistances) radius. It does increase damage nicely, but I feel the range is a bit of a hinderance. You're an HE and you've got little to no hp. . . duh. . .

 

I did quite a bit of testing with this buff. One thing I still don't know, though: does the radius increase with higher CA lvls into the buff?

 

Unfortunately, the MS tree of the HE isn't all about dealing huge amounts of damage to large numbers of enemies (that's the AP build). This one is exceedingly well suited to staying alive and kicking single (or a couple at a time) hard enemies' faces in And I DO love to see huge towers of numbers flying off of enemies heads.

[Spyrus 0]

Spell intensity can be enhanced by attribute Intelligence,rings,amulets.

Lower enemy resistance? By weaken? I am not sure, but either way seems you have a little ways to do what Feel Cold does.

[stubbie 21]

Your not going to get any number crunching outa me, just general ideas.

 

Lower enemy resistance to ice? I suppose that's good so long as the enemy actually has some resistance to ice....a lot don't.

 

Increase spell intensity? Well that's what a HE is all about......having powerful spells and dealing as much dmg as often as possible.

 

Intelligence attribute does help intensity but that means you will have to give up putting points also into either stamina or vitality, depending on your build.

I prefer to have points going into two attributes, not just one.

Some rings and ammies do have a increase to spell intensity mod.....but I prefer to have my rings and ammies with either +all skills or +experience mods.

 

I'd go with spell intensity......in fact I am with my icey HE.

[Von Bek 0]

Oi, forgot to say that Feel Cold DOES in fact add a sensitivity to enemies with no visible cold resistance in their armor bar.