Testa as a boss killer?

[Scrappy McSlap 6]

During my last HC run as a Shadow Warrior, I used Testa on the Octopus boss an nearly killed him with that one attack alone (this was on Silver, mind you). It got me to thinking how much more damage I could be doing if I put points into Divine Devotion.

 

In my last build, I took Riding to get myself to EP... found that I didn't really need the skill much (as I was just running from point A to B without actually using any of the mount Combat Art's). For the build I'm working on now, I've decided to try and get EP early (I love awesome item drops!) and figured I'd take Divine Devotion instead... 5 hard points later, plus 2 points from relics that I found, and it's doing double the damage. This seems really good...

 

So my question is: How well does this skill (Divine Devotion) scale? The wiki provides regen times but not increase in damage. As strictly a boss killer, having a 5+ minute regen time shouldn't really matter if it drops the boss on the spot (especially so at lower difficulties). Has anybody really tried this yet? Thoughts?

[Schot 407]

Very interesting! As means to get even more damage out this is a great idea for bosses Scrappy. The thing about skills in general as that they will always be much more effective at low levels than say 100+. So at very low levels, say under level 20, it wouldn't surprise me if a god spell could kill a boss but that won't happen in Niob. Still, the more damage the better.

[essjayehm 58]

During my last HC run as a Shadow Warrior, I used Testa on the Octopus boss an nearly killed him with that one attack alone (this was on Silver, mind you). It got me to thinking how much more damage I could be doing if I put points into Divine Devotion.

 

In my last build, I took Riding to get myself to EP... found that I didn't really need the skill much (as I was just running from point A to B without actually using any of the mount Combat Art's). For the build I'm working on now, I've decided to try and get EP early (I love awesome item drops!) and figured I'd take Divine Devotion instead... 5 hard points later, plus 2 points from relics that I found, and it's doing double the damage. This seems really good...

 

So my question is: How well does this skill (Divine Devotion) scale? The wiki provides regen times but not increase in damage. As strictly a boss killer, having a 5+ minute regen time shouldn't really matter if it drops the boss on the spot (especially so at lower difficulties). Has anybody really tried this yet? Thoughts?

My friend playing on my PS3 has been tracking Testa damage, but without the DD skill. From the wiki, I believe that DD only reduces regen times, but you may be right about some kind of damage bonus.

 

From our observations, the main factors in the damage from Testa's divine gift are character level and magic damage +%. I've read some random notes on Testa in the many builds here in the forums, a quick search (maybe not so quick, lol) should uncover some more concrete info.

 

I've taken Testa on my latest toon as well, but avoiding using it at all to see if that has any effects (versus using it as much as possible and praying at statues A LOT). Won't have any numbers until I get into Niobium.

[sam6555 1]

On console, I took Testa on ever char that could take it as it is excellent for killing bosses and tougher mobs (like big groups of undead) in the begining of the game when your armor levels are terrible and your skills may be even worse. It's like a little panic button. Myself I don't really see DD being of much use, a 20 minute (1200second) recharge is fine with me as I hardly use it anyways.

[Scrappy McSlap 6]

Speaking of high regen times, does anybody know if Conentration Elixirs effect the regen time of Divine Gifts?

 

Supposing it did, how long do these potions last by default? If a person were to take Alchemy up to high levels and use that to extend the duration of these elixirs, we could conceivably cut the regen time of our divine gift by a third... in conjunction with Divine Devotion at high level, this could make the regen time very doable (compared to 12 minutes anyways!)

 

I'm currently doing 5 minute boss runs through Kobold territory on my way to the Griffon, and being able to use Testa every time would be awesome. Just something to think about...

 

Really it all boils down to how well the damage scales when putting points into DD. Having gear with +%Magic Damage does definitely help as well. Having several thousand extra damage to throw out there at the push of a button seems like it would be a good thing. The healing on the side is just a fringe benefit.

[Crosis 0]

Speaking of high regen times, does anybody know if Conentration Elixirs effect the regen time of Divine Gifts?

no Conentration Elixirs dont, only DD will effect regen time

Supposing it did, how long do these potions last by default? If a person were to take Alchemy up to high levels and use that to extend the duration of these elixirs, we could conceivably cut the regen time of our divine gift by a third... in conjunction with Divine Devotion at high level, this could make the regen time very doable (compared to 12 minutes anyways!)

 

I'm currently doing 5 minute boss runs through Kobold territory on my way to the Griffon, and being able to use Testa every time would be awesome. Just something to think about...

 

Really it all boils down to how well the damage scales when putting points into DD. Having gear with +%Magic Damage does definitely help as well. Having several thousand extra damage to throw out there at the push of a button seems like it would be a good thing. The healing on the side is just a fringe benefit.

this is a waste of time and a skill thats just my thought.I feel you would be better off picking bargining and shopping for rings and ammys

[Scrappy McSlap 6]

@Crosis: Yeah, I figured someone was bound to say that! I kinda figured if I've got a shopper going or something like that, I probably won't need Bargaining on all of my guys. In the case of the Shadow Warrior, if I want to use EP, he's pretty limited on his skill choice options to get there...

 

Just a thought though. I'll probably test it out for fun... and if it sucks or seems like too much work, at least I'll know for sure right?

[Barristan 14]

Heya,

 

well... interesting I never use godpowers much... they tend to get useless at higher levels.

 

It would be nice to hear that I am wrong tho

 

Keep us posted on this.

 

Greetz

[Scrappy McSlap 6]

Just a quick update... I'm working on a Dryad right now, still very much early game (level 8)... took Divine Devotion as my first skill for the heck of it. Been keeping it at level. Picked up a half a dozen relics to pump it as well. Thinking I'll probably try and pump my %magic damage as well, just to see how high I can drive the damage of it.

 

I've got the regen time down to about 10 minutes so far... ouch! I haven't yet taken Alchemy to test it, as I still don't know if Concentration Elixirs effect the Divine Gift. Kinda hard to test that on console... and I'd rather not waste the skill slot, seeming as I've already potentially wasted one (on top of setting myself back .... could had Armor Lore at level one etc.).

 

Having said all that: Testa absolutely demolishes mobs (especially undead). Like crazy! I hit that button and feel like I'm playing a High Elf or high level Temple Guardian for about 10 seconds... the whole screen just goes up in smoke, bodies everywhere, tons of XP flying by on the screen. Pretty awesome!

[essjayehm 58]

Just a quick update... I'm working on a Dryad right now, still very much early game (level 8)... took Divine Devotion as my first skill for the heck of it. Been keeping it at level. Picked up a half a dozen relics to pump it as well. Thinking I'll probably try and pump my %magic damage as well, just to see how high I can drive the damage of it.

 

I've got the regen time down to about 10 minutes so far... ouch! I haven't yet taken Alchemy to test it, as I still don't know if Concentration Elixirs effect the Divine Gift. Kinda hard to test that on console... and I'd rather not waste the skill slot, seeming as I've already potentially wasted one (on top of setting myself back .... could had Armor Lore at level one etc.).

 

Having said all that: Testa absolutely demolishes mobs (especially undead). Like crazy! I hit that button and feel like I'm playing a High Elf or high level Temple Guardian for about 10 seconds... the whole screen just goes up in smoke, bodies everywhere, tons of XP flying by on the screen. Pretty awesome!

 

I am pretty sure concentration potions do not affect regen time on the god power. I tried using it a couple of times lately, just for kicks, really. Since I am popping conc. potions constantly with this character, I was hoping to see if the god power regenerated faster. It would be quite noticeable, since I am using "concentration potions" - they reduce regen times by 50% while active, and I noticed no change in the rate of the god power recharge.

 

I also believe that Alchemy is NEVER a wasted slot, even on console. It just takes some effort to ensure that you can use the trophies relatively easy. Managing the Miscellaneous page of your inventory so that the trophies are accessible (eating/scrapping runes "for your toon" being the bulk of the work). Even if you don't use too many trophies, the potion duration extension from taking Alchemy is wonderful.

 

My $.02

 

Heya,

 

well... interesting I never use godpowers much... they tend to get useless at higher levels.

 

It would be nice to hear that I am wrong tho

 

Keep us posted on this.

 

Greetz

 

Such was the test my friend and I are currently running. He uses Testa as much as possible, whereas I try to never use him (although I wondered about the conc. potions, so I tested it a couple of times...). Also tested good / evil chars using Testa.

 

We'll see at level 100 if there is any differences. He was a good char, and I was evil being the only differences that we already eliminated in the early levels. The only diff. between good and evil Testa powers was the animations - good Testa has lightning bolts (like Cobalt Strike) and evil Testa has balls of light. We started noticing differences in damage fairly early, then we realized that we had different damage +%. Without ANY damage bonuses, the damages were the same thru level 12. Him - about 5 uses (and 15-20 praying @ statue for regen) and me none.

[Schot 407]

Such juicy info guys. I'm really enjoying your findings. Find more!

[Scrappy McSlap 6]

Damage seems to be doing okay as I go up in levels... although I need to pay more attention to exactly how much extra damage is tacked on with each level I put into Divine Devotion.

 

There doesn't appear to be any rhyme or reason behind the amount of damage that's added to your God power with each level of Divine Devotion (although I'm sure there is some math behind this somewhere!) I just checked and with one point added from a relic, it went up by 15 damage (that's not very much!). Added a +2 and it went up 34 points (a bit better). Added another +2 relic and it went up by an additional 33 points... this all seems odd though.

 

Still, I'm doing well in excess of 700 damage with it at level 16 which is decent enough. Hopefully this thing does a few K damage at higher levels and it at least remains relevant as a mob killer if nothing else.

[Schot 407]

Are you putting points into Intelligence to raise it's damage? I noticed my Intelligence was adding damage to it the other day when I was dabbling a bit with it.

[Scrappy McSlap 6]

Noooooooo..... I haven't been putting any points into Intelligence at all....

 

(Why do I suddenly get the urge to start yet another High Elf character to see just how much I can manipulate the damage on this skill?! Gaaaaah! Another build I have to try now!)

[Schot 407]

lol Dooooooo eeeeeet! Hurry hurry so we can read about it.

 

 

...

 

 

Is it done yet?!

[Scrappy McSlap 6]

Crap... working on it now... might take a few levels though before I start seeing concrete data/results.

 

Is there a better place for leveling at low levels than the stretch of kobold territory from the coast to the Griffon? I've been using that primarily for easy kills...

 

Just when I think I've settled with a character somebody says "what about X?" and that brain-thing in my head starts up again. Gawd.

[Scrappy McSlap 6]

Well, the damage put out by Testa and the damage increase offered by Divine Gift definitely scales to level.

 

At 11 points in Divine Devotion at level character 5, I have 247 damage from Testa. I have added 5 point to Intelligence on this character that has only added 3 damage to Testa so far (although I suspect this also scales according to level as well.)

 

With my other character, I have 16 points in Divine Devotion, with no points added to Intelligence (character level 16). Thats a difference of 5 hard points into the skill at a damage bonus of approximately 15 points per skill point of Divine Devotion. Testa is currently doing 566 damage on this character.

 

Now my numbers on the amount of damage added per point put into Divine Devotion may be a little off (since there doesn't appear to be a hard number here), but the amount of damage I'm gaining for each point is significantly more on my level 16 character than on my level 5 character, despite there only being a 5 point difference in skill levels between the two characters....

 

Hopefully this post makes a lick of sense to somebody!

 

Long story short: The higher your character level, the bigger the bonus you'll get for each point put into Divine Devotion.

 

Depending on how well this scales and how much of a variable there is here, this may very well still be viable at high levels... I just need a high level character so I can test it out!

[Schot 407]

Just when I think I've settled with a character somebody says "what about X?" and that brain-thing in my head starts up again. Gawd.

 

lol, sorry bout that.

 

Toxic Elementals are my fave for pre 20 leveling. Starting from the bridge and then follow the large stone path east and when it turns follow it south aaaaall the way to the mentor statue. Kill all the mobs around the mentor statue and then port somewhere else to grind while the area respawns.

 

From here:

 

 

To here:

[Scrappy McSlap 6]

Hey, that sounds solid! I don't think I've ever really hung out on the outskirts of the city like that. Good call.

 

Actually, I've probably only explored like maybe 30% of the total map, so there's so much of this game that I haven't seen yet. I'll definitely give this a shot though. Thanks Schot!

[Barristan 14]

Heya,

 

starting to sound pretty cool

 

Would be great if DD actually added to the game Much like Lost Fusion... it seems only to frustrate.

 

Curious about scaling and mob control at higher levels indeed Would blacksmith arts add anything to the damage?

 

Keep up the good work!

 

Greetz

[chattius 2,536]

Playing only PC and not testing it after the AddON. I had the feeling that god powers had no regeneration times, just cooldown. Could it be? How is it on consoles, is regeneration per hit doing anything to it?

 

If it is just cooldown then only the DD skill will shorten the cooldown, nothing else would work: no reg per hit, no concentration potion, no half regeneration time, no x% regeneration, ....

[essjayehm 58]

Playing only PC and not testing it after the AddON. I had the feeling that god powers had no regeneration times, just cooldown. Could it be? How is it on consoles, is regeneration per hit doing anything to it?

 

If it is just cooldown then only the DD skill will shorten the cooldown, nothing else would work: no reg per hit, no concentration potion, no half regeneration time, no x% regeneration, ....

 

That is the best way to describe it. Cooldown. Only the god statues (and DD, obviously) affect the time to re-use the god powers. Stamina also does not affect the cooldown time...

[SolomonGrundy 1]

So, the question is - besides Purifying Chastisement (Inquisitor), what buffs affect damage (especially magic damage)?

 

Other questions:

Does Ancient Magic affect the Damage? Does it reduce immunity to the magic damage

Does Combat Discipline affect it?

Does a Dryad's "acute mind" buff affect it?