WindDemon21

It makes a HUGE difference, precisely for one of the main issues of the power in that for most combos, slotting for accuracy is the ONLY way most can make it hit against higher level enemies. 1.15% is still not enough tbh except for very few combos, and mostly only def/corrs can do it. They did mention your attacks dont have to hit, for the procs to fire off, but that is usually less of the issue than storm cells proccing itself, damage, how many it hits, the DUMB lockout etc. The power is still piss poor. For cell itself, you basically have to slot it like a normal attack, higher on accuracy than most, and procs that effect the enemies such as damage procs are basically non-existent. The only procs of value, really are the FF proc, and maybe the pshifter proc which only happen upon casting, to help reclaim some end/rech when casting it. (another issue of cell, is that it SHOULD have a super low end cost, like 2 end, cause it doesn't really do much of anything until you actually use your own attacks, but instead they didn't even fix that before pushing this set to live, and still is fairly hefty 15end cost having to use BEFORE even starting every fight... *sigh*

Like the more I test/play with it, the more i'm getting to a 2nd alt of storm blast that is about to be shelved, its just really bad. Which really sucks for how excited I was for the set and how nice it looks ughhh. Guess I'll HAVE to make a sentinel and try to enjoy that cause there is about no other way to enjoy the sets performance otherwise. Put into perspective, on a big mob, it's literally damage-wise about as effective as voltaic sentinel choosing random targets, but against a small mob or single target, it's actually way worse due to the lockouts and chances to hit. On top of that, due to how jet stream works, you can't even just "save it for a big mob" because without it, jet stream doesn't work due to the repel, and chain lightning is so piss poor for damage. This power which is the crux of the set, REALLLLLY needs fixed ugh, cause the set is just crap right now.

Against 2 minnions just now, storm cell hit them once, for 8 damage at level 23 where jet stream did about 22 for the same damage slotting. Like I said, the lockout really should just be removed altogether, but even that with the 100% proc rate would about put it in line with rain powers since it also only hits 5 targets. Even on a big mob testing now I was getting about 2 strikes per attack used, which is really bad, figure out its a little more than a rain per target, but that logic ONLY works if it has more value when the mobs are smaller like a couple of bosses left, but due to the lockouts it's not even really better then. The power is really just screwed 5 ways to sunday in any scenario.

I mean i'm gauging that, but even looking at the numbers it's doing plus the actual lighting strikes it seems pretty clear, especially on smaller mobs where the lockout is hitting worse. Like on a small 5 enemy mob especially (where normally this type of power should shine more than a rain or other aoe) it's actually worse and i'm getting maybe 2 lightning strikes off direct strike/cloud/jet/chain, often less, and the damage is only doing about half of what jet stream does itself. This is really bad even again at a 100% proc rate.

I wanted to laugh react to this but wanted the more oomph of the thumbs up lol. But yeah, it has to be one of the main things people wanted, and it's visually stunning, but it is just lacking in literally every aspect compared to any other blast set except kinda control. Which i'm fine offsetting SOME damage for that, but the nuke, storm cell and the lockouts, end cost, base damage, CHAIN LIGHTNING, etc, it just has too many drawbacks to do nothing but blast. Again easily the proc rate on all attacks should be 100% to proc cell/c5 and then it'd start to be in line, and the lockouts would then be fine because the lighting only hits 5 targets at a time so can hit other targets with your next attack. Again, even if every proc hit every target in the mob, it's still not really even doing more than any standard rain power. Then, the lockouts could actually mean more too then because that WOULD be guaranteed time you know a proc won't happen, letting you USE your non-storm powers in the meantime without losing proc damage of using your storm powers. Again on intensify too, needing to be long duration to last through the cell and C5.

TBH especially with the lockouts, the proc rate when you use attacks should already be 100% chance for all for storm cell to actually start making it's damage worth it, and intensify changed to a long duration to hit/damage buff like rage. That's about the only way I'm seeing the set to be worth its setup time, end cost, and low damage and help the acc issues on cell/c5 as well which still other sets don't have to deal with in the same fashion.

The more I play it on teams the more I agree. I'm not even talking about fast moving teams either. But the way that you have to cast storm cell just to START the fight every time is already getting tiresome just to HAVE to do so with the way that jet stream works to change the repel down to KD. And even then, I'm hardly seeing anywhere near enough of the strikes from storm cell for it to be worth even and extra single target damage let alone an aoe. And that's not even getting to the end cost of having to cast it every time, and the loss of cast time mob to mob gets really old for hardly having any effect happen from it through the course of the fight. On test I was only really able solo so testing just one instance of a mob at a time, stopping to check findings etc. In real play this set is so horrible versus other blast sets it's laughable. Really a let-down for how awesome the set should be. Sure it's visual, but just UGH. It really only works when you're literally going straight into blasting and not bothering with your whole other pri/sec set. Ie, pretty much only on sentinels with toggle/auto's on. And even when you CAN focus on primarily just using the storm blast only powers, the set is still very sub-par on damage. It was clearly built around JUST the focus on the set itself, without any concept that players have another pri/sec set to play as well.

Laser focused, no, tbh i never do a procced out build focusing on them but they SHOULD still work for a power at a reasonable rate. The bigger point though, was that is just another thing that is terrible about the power, in addition to missing a full aoe as is (why most chains have better end/damage/rech values than a standard aoe, but this one has the OPPOSITE), it also has less damage than a standard aoe, a longer recharge than a standard aoe, and a higher end cost than a standard aoe. The power is literally the worst in every single regard than if they'd just make it a regular aoe. Hence if they're keeping the chain, it really should have a shorter recharge/higher damage/less end cost than similar aoe powers.

Right, but like half of the blaster sets offer that too and also do more damage. Now not knocking storm wholly as it does offer some CC and debuff, but chain lightning is specifically a power in the set where most of the issues on storm come from based on its stats and proc chances. Literally everything about the power is lower than any other regular aoe out there. Damage, recharge, end cost, proc chances both self and enemy affecting, secondary effect too even is weaker by far than anything else. Besides looking cool, the *barely* only other thing this power has over others is *sometimes* it's chaining can reach a tiny bit further, but that also often means its chains around and misses targets too. But otherwise yeah, literally every stat about this power is behind from any other standard aoe. Would much rather it just work like a regular ranged aoe than this dumb chain. Edit: Oh also forgot to mention that as a chain (which it should get chain stats, not taoe stats) if you miss the initial target, it also misses the whole mob too. This power is horrid outside of just "looking cool"

The odd thing too, is how it even procs crappy on the enemies. The chaining makes it proc extra bad for self procs, but it *should* really do the opposite on the enemies and proc enemy procs even better, but somehow they seemed to have purposely messed up the power to add the total area for EACH individual proc to make it chances craptastic. It really does get screwed out of procs on both ends. It should really just be a regular ranged aoe that "spread" just in it's animation, kind of like the sentinel refractor beam does. It looks like it chains, but it still simply works as a regular ranged aoe. At least then procs on both enemy and self would proc properly, and the damage would be evened out among all hit, not just more on the single target. Also per regular aoes, which also have even shorter recharges too and the same target caps, they do about 75 damage at 50 on a corr to ALL enemies hit. Chain, does 85 to the first target, so barely more, but then 80% of that to nearby, and only 60% of that to the next in line, so outside of that it's also only doing about 90% or less damage to 15 our of the 16 targets, with that longer recharge too. I know the set works around storm cell and cat5 too, but those powers also, could just be a simple aoe that you could get far more aoe out of as well, and even as it's secondary effect too, is weaker and less valuable thank pretty much any other aoe as well. So even if cell for example was just a regular rain, with lets says some knockdown, and if chain had some, but worked like a normal aoe, the set would be much better off even. If cell wants to work how it does i'm fine with that, but chain should really be looked at to it's damage since it also can't proc in pretty much any useful fashion, and the secondary effect (i'm even going elec aff on my one) the drain is so low to all but the single target it does practically nothing also. The set would be much better off if it was just a plain normal ranged aoe, not the weird chain. I was literally about to post this as you just posted that lol. But what I was getting at, is ESPECIALLY since it can't even proc well, the power itself is WAY understatted, as the damage outside from the initial hit (and barely is over most) is WEAKER than most normal aoes of other sets, has a near useless secondary effect because the values are too low, and even has a longer recharge than others to boot. If the power is going to remain to work exactly as it does, it needs a damage boost (or that damage evened to be the same damage to all that are hit), and it should have a shorter recharge than most similar aoes too, definitely not longer, and should have less end cost than most as well since it does less damage itself too.

Except those procs all lockout too so getting more recharge and spamming is also not really helping that much.

Between that, storm cell, and the nuke it's literally like the set was designed to be terrible with procs on purpose... Was hoping chain would work at least but no the set is just screwed. Edit: I'd much rather have this be a standard aoe even with a wider radius so the damage would be consistent and proc chances would at least be useful. Ugh!

I can sew this too which is why I more-so suggest a wider radius cloak of fear instead but it would have to be mag 3 or would be kinda pointless since blasters should be decimating minions easily anyway. But I'll go to the most obvious choice is just having cloak of darkness stealth toggle with sustain like the /dev sustain.

I'd like to point out something that I didn't see discussed in beta and didn't notice/wasn't paying attention to when testing: So far for testing that chain lightning does not seem to be proccing properly most likely due to it's dumb chain nature. Even with that enemy procs should work but hardly ever seem to, but especially the heal/end procs from the end mod sets are not properly getting the more chances to proc on bigger mobs that any other normal power would. Was hoping to use that to at least steadily proc the pshifter to help the end on the set, but sadly its only getting the chance to go off on the first target, but also seems to get less proc chances based on the "radius" etc formula, even though it's not getting the extra chances per target hit. So it's getting doubly screwed in the proc department for that since most procs enemy or self inflicting, do not seem to work in the power effectively. For instance with only the recharge from the winter Immob proc (basic), 3 mobs of those 10ish minnions, and it only immobilized 3 of them. So a 1/20 proc rate on a 18ish second recharging "aoe"? I was on level 20 so the rech value was even really low. Tried with Ball lightning for the heal proc, 16s rech base, with 60% rech slotted, hitting mobs of 10 in PP, it went off 8/10 times. In Chain lightning, which has even a 20s base recharge, and I don't even have any recharge in it, it only hit 7/10. Now that seems close, but you have to also figure that it's got a large recharge time, and is currently unenhanced too. So with same slotting that 7/10 would likely be down closer to the 4/10 only about half as much as it would in ball lightning. Because it's a chain as well, it has to rely on the first target hitting which other normal aoes don't have to worry about, yet it still takes ranged aoe sets so can't even benefit from slotting the ranged damage sets and procs too. It also has most of the damage to the first target, and does less on the additional ones, so beside the main target, it's only about half as much damage as a similar-aoe power which is why also it feels so extra anemic when storm cell isn't up/in place which that was noted in testing, but this is likely the main reason why that felt like that. It also doesn't get the benefit of the smaller end cost that other chain powers generally seem to have. This could also account for the damage-to end issues that come up when stating on the larger end cost of the set, besides casting storm cell, this is likely the other main reason why end seems a bit worse on storm. If anyone has any further testing please let me/us know, but this power is terrible to proc with and damage is seeming lackluster as well. When I tested on beta I was mostly testing on small one person mobs so didn't notice these issues, (and wasn't looking at the chain damage assuming it would be the same as a regular aoe but it's not). At this rate I'd rather it just be a standard ranged aoe that could keep the same chaining animation, but would eminate from the center target only, not chain so the damage and proccing would be in line with other aoe powers (ie not worse at both)

I wanted to point out so far for testing that chain lightning does not seem to be proccing properly most likely due to it's dumb chain nature. even with that enemy procs should work but hardly ever seem to, but especially the heal/end procs from the end mod sets are not properly getting the more chances to proc on bigger mobs that any other normal power would. Was hoping to use that to at least steadily proc the pshifter to help the end on the set, but sadly its only getting the chance to go off on the first target, but also seems to get less proc chances based on the "radius" etc formula, even though it's not getting the extra chances per target hit. So it's getting doubly screwed in the proc department for that. For instance with only the recharge from the winter Immob proc (basic), 3 mobs of those 10ish minnions, and it only immobilized 3 of them. So a 1/20 proc rate on a 18ish second recharging "aoe"? I was on level 20 so the rech value was even really low. Tried with Ball lightning for the heal proc, 16s rech base, with 60% rech slotted, hitting mobs of 10 in PP, it went off 8/10 times. In Chain lightning, which has even a 20s base recharge, and I don't even have any recharge in it, it only hit 7/10. Now that seems close, but you have to also figure that it's got a large recharge time, and is currently unenhanced too. So with same slotting that 7/10 would likely be down closer to the 4/10 only about half as much as it would in ball lightning. Because it's a chain as well, it has to rely on the first target hitting which other normal aoes don't have to worry about, yet it still takes ranged aoe sets so can't even benefit from slotting the ranged damage sets and procs too. It also has most of the damage to the first target, and does less on the additional ones, so beside the main target, it's only about half as much damage as a similar-aoe power. I wish this power would just be a normal ranged aoe attack :/. If anyone has any further testing please let me/us know, but this power is terrible to proc with and damage is seeming lackluster as well. When I tested on beta I was mostly testing on small one person mobs so didn't notice these issues, (and wasn't looking at the chain damage assuming it would be the same as a regular aoe but it's not).

If instead of that, what they could do, is merge both dark regeneration from melee dark armor, and dark sustenance I think it's called from sentinels. Then be similar between dark regen and drain psyche. Where you cast it as an aoe, you'll get some heal/end off targets, but also have a lasting sustain buff. So like, drain psyche with an upfront heal/endurance pop, and then a weaker regen/recovery over the duration (shorter recharge like 1 minute versus 2)

That you HAVE to use where most others are toggles and just always on. Those that aren't toggles, by and large also don't need an enemy to fire it off at least.

It wouldn't be advisable either. Maybe the one with the fire proc in time bomb is fine but you definitely need/want the kd-kd and the ff proc in trip mine. Edit: thinking about it too, you'd want the full winter set in time bomb if going for bonuses as well. As per being allowed to use on of the first two attacks in the primary, the tier 2 plus toxic webnade and taser make up a fairly decent enough ST chain too, would still suggest shatter since shatter is one of the best tier 2 DPA, plus using it will create shockwaves which will help you survive even better too. However thinking about the fix to gloom finally, that IS the best tier 2 dpa, so that would work well as your "only primary" attack too. But if you wanted to stay a little more on theme as well, AR fixing slug is also one of your best options having decent damage now, but also you can put a FF proc in that too to help recharge your other stuff. Shatter can allow for an achilles proc though so can help our your ST DPS more though as well. So I'd say as to which primary to choose, to go either seismic or AR. Not sure how you feel about storm blast's storm cell too, cause it's kinda not an attack on it's own. But if you would allow that into this test build, that would allow a good bit more damage and debuff to help out the /devices so that could be a consideration as well. Plus, going with hailstones which can also take a FF proc, that would extend the help on this build a good bit. I guess I would need to know the answer to these to pick which primary to go with between AR, seismic, or storm before doing the build, especially if storm cell is allowed.

Ok so we CAN slot them hmm. Thinking shatter from Seismic then since it not only has the best dpa for a Tier 2 but those Shockwaves can help a bit too. I'm assuming pool and epic attacks are allowed cause just / devices won't give you enough to do lol

With the exception of: meaning you have to take it, but won't slot/use it or can you still use it/slot it but that's the only power from the primary? Can that include tier 2s instead as well since you can pick from either?

Or they just wanted it out there but will be a patch next week to fix issues? I'm fine with that as long as it's not "that's it, it's out, we're done with it"

Right, that was my thought as well. I just hate lockouts in general. The only point where it "feels" ok to do this is if the damage is up enough with the lockouts so that it's more "oh they're locked out may as well use my secondary till the lockout is over" but you're right currently it feels like a lose lose damage wise to do anything but. I'd almost more like to see storm cell as a self toggle that would just proc the effects when you use your attacks, and maybe have an "initial burst" like how targeting drone does more damage out of combat first, and then like a fury kind of bar where the procs happen more and more as you use your powers kind of like an actual storm intensifying (this could even be how intensify changes to instead be a toggle?) I think this would work a lot better than the patch anywho but I'm sure far too far in development to change this.

Or remove the lockouts..

I never said it was the only way, I said it was part of something that helps. As does tactics (which end game stuff lots of teammates will have tactics as well to help YOU hit, but they will not help these pseudopets hit). As does even just aim and build up which won't help for more than 6-8 seconds on it. Other powers and combos CAN do so because there are other abilities that help you. None of which as mentioned will really carry over to these pseudopets. Going back to the main statement, having a higher base acc on these powers is NOT going to change anything to OP them, but just help them compete in line with other blast sets, but not increasing the base accuracy is most definitely going to hurt most storm combos. And I really don't want to feel straddled to having to pair storm with those few combos that offer enough help on that front to make a difference to hit what every other blast set can do.

I mean beyond what you can slot, obviously SLOTTING accuracy into the power will help it hit, but it's not enough since for most combos that is the only source of helping the power you can do. Players with 1.0 base hit all the time, BECAUSE they have bonuses, tactics, kismet unique, aim, build up, and other stuff. NONE of which will be able to help these two powers because they are long duration pseudopets and most sets don't have access to anything that can help those out in the long run for each. You are VERY much missing that point that set bonuses, kismet, tactics and such, won't carry over to these two powers, so they for most combos ONLY have their base acc+slotting.