Amazon v1.10 Phys => Lightning (Bolt)--

[Crystalion]

Before posting I ran a search over at theamazonbasin to see if anyone there has posted details/testing and I see, as of now, that they've been aware of the change to Lightning Bolt and are (mostly) happy about it but haven't reported much in the way of test results.

To me, it seems like a very important 2 point wonder (1 prereq, 1 point in skill) to add an extra element for Bowazons if they run into something immune to their normal phys/bow-skill-fire/cold. While it is true that they could pump Magic Arrow now, I believe, especially with uber Valks, that most zons would prefer to conserve points and solve the occasional troublesome boss with 2PW.

The patch readme and the skill hover now claim that 100% of physical is translated to lightning. So here are some preliminary results and open questions...

0) I didn't find a Lightning Immune during my limited time for testing, so I can't confirm the 100% conv directly

1) neither Lightning Bolt or Lightning Fury (similar "bolt" animations) show AR, but LB always hits and LF doesn't.

2) Monster Flee is carried by both (as was the proc from Laying of Hands)
2a) the usual questions remain: what about CB, Knockback, Slow, Open Wounds, etc.?

3) despite adders bumping the displayed damage for LB, no cold/blue poison/green effects were ever observed from LB (whereas this transmission yes/no is how I could readily tell if LF hit)
3a) this begs the question of whether the display is just wrong or whether the elemental ADDERS were converted as well as the physical?
3b) another key question, since historically Freezing Arrow and Exploding Arrow have added adders of their element, is whether +lightning adders pass along (as opposed to, say, just phys adders, which are then converted)?
3c) how do crits/deadly strike factor in? +phys damage auras? (at a stretch: what about holy shock {modders})

4) LF leaches, LB doesn't


So, all in all, if the 100% is confirmed, Lightning vs. PI for two points is a pretty good deal, and #2 (above) effects with always hitting seems a big bonus. On the down side, as a primary skill, not leeching makes it terribly expensive.

[Crystalion]

preliminary results and open questions...

0) I didn't find a Lightning Immune during my limited time for testing, so I can't confirm the 100% conv directly

1) neither Lightning Bolt or Lightning Fury (similar "bolt" animations) show AR, but LB always hits and LF doesn't.

2) Monster Flee is carried by both (as was the proc from Laying of Hands)
2a) the usual questions remain: what about CB, Knockback, Slow, Open Wounds, etc.?

3) despite adders bumping the displayed damage for LB, no cold/blue poison/green effects were ever observed from LB (whereas this transmission yes/no is how I could readily tell if LF hit)
3a) this begs the question of whether the display is just wrong or whether the elemental ADDERS were converted as well as the physical?
3b) another key question, since historically Freezing Arrow and Exploding Arrow have added adders of their element, is whether +lightning adders pass along (as opposed to, say, just phys adders, which are then converted)?
3c) how do crits/deadly strike factor in? +phys damage auras? (at a stretch: what about holy shock {modders})

4) LF leaches, LB doesn't

additional info from some more testing...

0a) pvp test: no blocking of LB seen
0b) pvp test: increased physical damage did increase the LB damage done, and it was small enough to be consistant with both pvp reduction and lightning resist reduction (73% in the test)

2b) knockback and Nova cast upon striking both carried to target by LB

3d) LB: perhaps I didn't have enough adders, but a fair amount of fire didn't seem to show up (i.e. display probably wrong)
3e) I managed to get a *lot* of lightning adders, and they most certainly added in to LB damage dealt

The above are numbered according to the original post, to aid in future consolidation (if a summary of facts/tests proves to be in order)

[Gonaad the Barbarian]

How about a no-point wonder? Don't have the Beta so can't test but:

Passion (4 Socket Weapons) Dol + Ort + Eld + Lem
gives +1 To Berserk

Can Berserk be used with ranged weapons? Does this in fact work? Would be an excellent weapon switch if it does since magic immune is much rarer than lightning immune...

Edited sentence structure

[adeyke]

None of the barbarian attack skills work with bows.

EDIT: Except Leap. I'm sure someone would have corrected me if I didn't do so myself :P.

[Crystalion]

can add...

2c) open wounds, hit blinds target, slows target all work via LB

The no-point-wonder of Berserk (edit: as suggested: via Passion weapon runeword on switch) is a good idea indeed, except that it isn't ranged, so its drawback of trashing your DR for a while comes into play in a bad way (edit: although a zon with 75% blocking and high % dodge and high life might work well as a BerZonk ™ :) ).

Since LB does not carry poison it is nice to know it does carry open wounds. I still have not tested prevent monster heal or crushing blow with it, but it sure is looking likely PMH will xfer. CB would be quite a win, as then you could be dealing 3 kinds of damage (phys+lightning=>lightning, open wounds, crushing blow) without needing AR (again, I know I know, not having leech means this is potentially very mana spendy--my topic is 2pt wonder, not: primary skill).

edit...
2d) crushing blow works via LB

I took a level 83 zon into hell and pulled a lightning immune dark lancer into the inner cloister (after clearing) from the tamoe so I could toy, er, test with it across the planters (ranged attacks go over just fine but the lancer stands still since it can't figure out how to get to me). Although the LB converts physical to lightning and the lancer is immune, both open wounds and crushing blow work just fine. Over approximately 8 seconds the lancer would bleed away roughly half its life so OW was doing on the order of 1000 to 2000 points of damage total while also preventing regen.

I was surprised at the 8 second duration in hell. Given that poison is typically much shorter duration these days I'd have to say OW is looking like a much better Prevent Monster Heal than poison. As a test I have given a Malice Polearm to my Holy Freeze merc, along with Rattlecage and Howltusk (pity that the Flee is probably overstacking here due to v1.10 beta bug, but I don't think the concept is relying on the bug). Other than the merc's sometimes unfortunate tendancy to chase after fleeing monsters (that weren't slowed by HF/chill) this works rediculously well. That is, knocked back slow monsters, never healing, fleeing, bleeding to death (and occasionally crushed and jabbed by the merc, of course).

At the same time I ran this test (level 48 blade fury bootsin in nightmare) I finally dumped points into Shadow Master on the theory that, since Valks get all sorts of (hidden) benefits from points like equipment (including, apparently, a hidden +2% resist all/pt. synergy from decoy, according to an mpq reading poster at the amazon basin), possibly Shadow Master would be studly, er, sorry, wrong gender, "bitchin" when maxed out. It certainly visually looks like the Shadow is now rolling higher type armor. And she and the merc totally kicked butt.

In one test, with my merc away (killed for testing), my Shadow simultaneously took on two Rocky Waste act 2 boss packs, died right after killing the first boss, and upon recasting (with no time to buff herself) cleaned up the second pack without any trouble.

I also noticed the v1.10 patch readme "Boosted the effect of Health potions upon hirelings" seems very true (shift 1,2,3,4 is a handy way to give the hireling a health potion to drink--and yes, the antidote and thawing potions do perform their new special effect on hirelings, not just players).

[LucianDK]

With lightning bolt becomming fully a spell, autohits, not leeching and doing total lightning damage. Since there is not physical parts i assume its certain that critical strike has no effect, and likewhise penetrate as it doesnt need AR. But what about pierce? Does it work with a total spell?

[Crystalion]

With lightning bolt becomming fully a spell, autohits, not leeching and doing total lightning damage.  Since there is not physical parts i assume its certain that critical strike has no effect, and likewhise penetrate as it doesnt need AR. But what about pierce?  Does it work with a total spell?

Pierce works. Rather nicely, in fact, as there is quite a generousity of spirit in hitting side by side monsters (in case you thought "piercing" only meant going straight through and onward).

I've never seen a "crit" animation with LB, but I haven't done any testing specifically on that topic. I'm assuming the -monster lightning resist v1.10 stuff on items works with LB also, but I haven't the runes or items to test it (actually I'm dying to know if that also works with Assassin lightning traps).

[LucianDK]

I know pierce works for lightning fury to massively pierce a horde and let out large amounts of lightning bolts. But lightning bolt? The smaller lvl 12 version of it that converts all damage to lightning damage and autohits.

[Zath]

Lightning Bolt's conversion of physical damage to lightning damage seems to be done in a similar manner as Fire Arrow and Cold Arrow in "missiles.txt", so this would suggest that Critical Strike will in fact work with Lightning Bolt. Crushing blow, open wounds, and other cast on hit effects should activate normally as well. Some other properties Lightning Bolt also possesses are CanSlow=1 (so slow effects should work), Pierce=1 (Pierce should work), ToHit=0 (does not check for AR, always hits), AlwaysExplode=0 (I think this means effect cannot be blocked, but that effect might just be the additional lightning damage).

Edit: Guided Arrow has AlwaysExplode=1 instead.

[LucianDK]

A question, how many of the ranged javelin skills is autohit?

The poison jav skills doesnt have an AR bonus either, do they autohit too?

[Crystalion]

At the same time I ran this test (level 48 blade fury bootsin in nightmare) I finally dumped points into Shadow Master on the theory that, since Valks get all sorts of (hidden) benefits from points like equipment (including, apparently, a hidden +2% resist all/pt. synergy from decoy, according to an mpq reading poster at the amazon basin), possibly Shadow Master would be studly, er, sorry, wrong gender, "bitchin" when maxed out. It certainly visually looks like the Shadow is now rolling higher type armor.

Amazon Basin post on Shadow equip ala Valks

Not as impressive as the items for a 20-something Valk, but nice.

[Dagni]

Speaking of hidden bonuses, did Fade give 1% Damage Resist per level in 1.09? Because, based on skills.txt, it does now! (...not to mention the cool ethereal look B) )

- Dagni

[lemekim]

Speaking of hidden bonuses, did Fade give 1% Damage Resist per level in 1.09? Because, based on skills.txt, it does now! (...not to mention the cool ethereal look  B) )

- Dagni

Physical damage resist? :blink: We shall find out!

Edit: Well, the physical resist, as I suspected, did not exist in 1.09. I did confirm that 1.10 fade actually does give physical resists, as indicated by the data, using PvP testing.

[Crystalion]

Speaking of hidden bonuses, did Fade give 1% Damage Resist per level in 1.09? Because, based on skills.txt, it does now! (...not to mention the cool ethereal look  B) )

- Dagni

Physical damage resist? :blink: We shall find out!

Edit: Well, the physical resist, as I suspected, did not exist in 1.09. I did confirm that 1.10 fade actually does give physical resists, as indicated by the data, using PvP testing.

Geez, no wonder my level 24 Shadow Master (Assassin level 53) is so sturdy--she loves to fade. I've mentioned my empirical evidence for shadows getting their skill synergy levels from the skill of the casting player (another thread) in v1.10 beta... has anyone determined the level at which Shadows cast their skills (such as fade) in v1.10?

I also read speculation that, like Iron Golems of old, various summons can now potentially be immune if their resists are high enough (Valk and Shadows get potential extra resists from their rolled equipment). Any word on a cap and what it might be? For testing I should mention that PvP can be (used to, at least) asymetric for convenience. Have one player declare PvP and then undeclare it and the other player can beat on them and their minions without retaliation (useful to have a Sorc beat on your Shadow with the 3 elements to test if enough recastings ever generate one that is immune to some element).

Edit: can't test more--have to go to bed--but indeed, PvP, in normal, v1.10 beta, I observed a Shadow Master (level 24, stated "resist all 70%) achieving immunity vs. my poor (-act 5 level 33 naked) test sorc. When the SM had the BoS "aura" up my level 15ish firewalls + some fire mastery were steadily toasting her. When she put up Fade the damage stopped and regen took over. I hit her with Ice Blasts and she didn't turn blue either.

Both the Firewalls and the Ice Blasts had effect on the "enemy" hireling and player. This definitely looks like Shadow Master immunity (sorry, no time to test for difficulty level penalty). I suspect this is why my SM tanked Mephisto so well in Nightmare (no resist cap clipping Fade's wings).

[Occhidiangela]

However, that was a few weeks ago. LF was at level 2 and I was knocking out high HP monster groups rather handily.

Will have to look at that again with a bit more care.