Path of Exile

[Bolty]

Okay, I get it, you need a PoE forum.

MonTy, you've also semi-volunteered to write news updates on the site regarding PoE. Let me know if you're interested.

I kept thinking that PoE was a fad that would go away (who plays Torchlight II anymore) but you guys have given it some lasting power around here.

[MonTy]

Okay, I get it, you need a PoE forum.

MonTy, you've also semi-volunteered to write news updates on the site regarding PoE. Let me know if you're interested.

I kept thinking that PoE was a fad that would go away (who plays Torchlight II anymore) but you guys have given it some lasting power around here.

Phew, I don't have to sift through those crazy political or religious posts any longer!

But I'd be happy to post news for PoE. I'm not the most technologically savvy, but I'm sure I could figure it out.

[Bolty]

There's really nothing to figure out. I have given you access to post new threads in the News and Announcements board. Any thread you create there automatically creates a news bit on the front page with a linkback to the thread you made for comment/discussion.

In short, you've shown some motivation to track news about PoE and summarize things, which is what being a news poster is all about, so go nuts with it.

[vor_lord]

MonTy,

Can we get this original post stickied? I'm starting out (I played a bit a couple of years ago but didn't go far) and this is valuable, thanks.

My early impressions of the game are the same as they were two years ago -- melee is extremely frustrating. Enemies run away out of range and are hard to chase down, and at least at early levels you have no abilities to deal with it. Desync is common, and particularly annoying when you are trying to hit something with a stick.

With ranged, the game feels completely different. You kill more quickly and far more safely.

Does this impression last as you play longer? It's a real putoff when I can't even play through the first couple of levels trying to melee without giving up and grabbing a bow. Then once I find out that my normal attack with a bow is far more effective than my several melee skill gems I'm trying, I start to think why would I bother with this Marauder in the first place?

[shoju]

The latest patch addressed Desync some more, it's still not great, but it's better than it has been.

Melee is getting better. The latest patch also did a lot to damage, and health values. I haven't played a melee very far in the new patch. But I can tell you that I deleted a 50+ Marauder and Templar pre-patch in frustration.

If you are looking to play something "fun", and have the time to get it leveled, a summoner is just an incredibly fun time, and once you get it going, you don't have to worry too much. I've not died of something "out of my control" on my Summoner in ~15 levels (73 now). I've pulled entire rooms and died since, but that's just me being silly, and trying to find out just how far I can push things.

[Frag]

Maybe I should try something other than melee. It's mostly just habit, but one of my main loves of melee in a ARPG doesn't exist in POE (right click ability that lets you run and only activates when placed over an enemy, basically "Blizzard right-click".) so starting a caster now so I don't need to worry about trading for a good bow.

Desync hasn't seemed to be too bad lately, better than previous for certain.

[shoju]

If you start something, come join the anarchy league. Would love to have more Lurkers to group up with.

I know Monty is a little ahead of me, Junior is / was close to my level (40). I seem to level slow (or at least slow compared to some people), so you could probably catch up to me. And if you wanted to play a bow character, I have a couple of bows that I have "outgrown" that I would be more than happy to pass along to you, as well as some possible drops that might work well for you.

[Frag]

I'm in Onslaught, I'm not really interested in softcore. Did notice one bad side, seems that I change chat every time I zone. Very annoying and disrupts the feeling of the community.

[LochnarITB]

melee is extremely frustrating. Enemies run away out of range and are hard to chase down, and at least at early levels you have no abilities to deal with it.

I've been having a blast with a Marauder. I would assume it's rather cookie-cutter'ish because it seems fairly easy but then I've just moved into cruel too. He uses sweep for close up AOE and bounces around the screen with leap slam for runners and ranged. He runs the aura that restores life and he steals it too. He's also built to have mana cost coming from life with an empty mana bulb. He just goes and goes. The bad guys just fall over dead when they see him coming with his big 2 hander mace.

[Frag]

melee is extremely frustrating. Enemies run away out of range and are hard to chase down, and at least at early levels you have no abilities to deal with it.

I've been having a blast with a Marauder. I would assume it's rather cookie-cutter'ish because it seems fairly easy but then I've just moved into cruel too. He uses sweep for close up AOE and bounces around the screen with leap slam for runners and ranged. He runs the aura that restores life and he steals it too. He's also built to have mana cost coming from life with an empty mana bulb. He just goes and goes. The bad guys just fall over dead when they see him coming with his big 2 hander mace.

That build works fine until A2 Merci or Maps. If you're not planning on doing endgame the archtypal 2h Maul Blood Magic Mara is a great ride.

[MonTy]

Typing on the run so sorry if this post is not put together so well.

I've gotten over six melee characters to mapping content in Hardcore, so it's certainly do able. Is it as easy or efficient as rangers or some spell casters? Not even close. The problem is that you can have the same or more health and damage as ranged. So why would you play melee and risk having to get close to mobs to do damage? At the moment it's for fun and the challenge.

But there are some melee skills that have decent AoE/Range and still do considerable damage (12k+). But once again it's not like you'd have more health or better defenses than ranged. A lot of people say you need Enduring Cry to progress in later stages of the game, this is not true. I had one of the most dangerous builds (leap slammer) last until I suicided him at 82. But I have used Enduring Cry with 7 charges and it is very nice. I'm making an Infernal blow/melee splash/Molten Armor/Immortal Call Onslaught character at the moment.

Regarding the latest melee buff. I actually found late game much harder. I now do over 13k damage with my 83 melee but have a lot less health. I know they tweaked reflect and monster damage but reflect feels much more dangerous and less life makes it feel like I have less of a cushion.

All in all I would still recommend playing melee. Just make sure you've got your granite flasks ready, curses up, and resistances maxed.

[Frag]

Typing on the run so sorry if this post is not put together so well.

I've gotten over six melee characters to mapping content in Hardcore, so it's certainly do able. Is it as easy or efficient as rangers or some spell casters? Not even close. The problem is that you can have the same or more health and damage as ranged. So why would you play melee and risk having to get close to mobs to do damage? At the moment it's for fun and the challenge.

But there are some melee skills that have decent AoE/Range and still do considerable damage (12k+). But once again it's not like you'd have more health or better defenses than ranged. A lot of people say you need Enduring Cry to progress in later stages of the game, this is not true. I had one of the most dangerous builds (leap slammer) last until I suicided him at 82. But I have used Enduring Cry with 7 charges and it is very nice. I'm making an Infernal blow/melee splash/Molten Armor/Immortal Call Onslaught character at the moment.

Regarding the latest melee buff. I actually found late game much harder. I now do over 13k damage with my 83 melee but have a lot less health. I know they tweaked reflect and monster damage but reflect feels much more dangerous and less life makes it feel like I have less of a cushion.

All in all I would still recommend playing melee. Just make sure you've got your granite flasks ready, curses up, and resistances maxed.

Here's the thing about Onslaught though, Kole is going to be doing 50% more dps and isn't kiteable... And Brutus in Maps is going to be just as bad.

It's been terrifying playing melee in Onslaught as all the 'hard' bits now result in splats and I've only made it to Cruel where things are 40%/40%/40%, Merci is shockingly hard from what I've watched with 60%/60%/60%. Just like when you turn the HM Charm in Median to 11, anything less than cheese/uber characters aren't just suboptimal, they're dead weight. Seems about right, considering Laz made Onslaught

[MonTy]

Yea Melee in Onslaught is like getting sucker punched. It hurts and the pain comes unexpectedly, especially with desyncs. You really have to out level and grind content before facing tough bosses. I used to find boss encounters tough, but races have taught me to play much better. Kole and Brutus are not horrible with enfeebled and decoy totem, and even easier with skeleton totem, but I stopped using skeletotem, except on my summoner as it feels like cheating.

With that said I'm sure I'll die in Onslaught. The hard part will be the rares or maps that have damage and speed bonuses on top of the Onslaught attributes

[Frag]

For certain, Fast aura monsters in Cruel, even slow ones like zombies, let alone #@*$(ing Rhoas are... /jawdrop It's like racing against Usain Bolt. Also, this is week 1 on Onslaught, there's no such thing as trading for an Enfeeble gem for my melee, and leveling a caster to A3 just to get one is... well, a bit unfeasible. Decoy is useful, but Cruel Brutus was two shotting it and it was leveled.

[Brimstone]

Hey Monty, add me to the contact list. Account name is Tyrantico.

[MonTy]

Hey Monty, add me to the contact list. Account name is Tyrantico.

Great, I added you as just playing Normal. Let me know if you play any other Leagues.

Anyone else want to be added? I know at least several more Lurkers play, but I'm thinking most of us play Solo and thus don't really want their names listed. Which is fine! I play solo most of the time as well.

I tweaked the format of the root post a bit, added some minute details, and corrected a few of the many grammatical errors. I have a massive to-do list for the root post so eventually I hope it'll fill out to be more of a guide instead of just a informational thread.

I'm currently on vacation but I plan to make a news post soon.

Also Frag, keep us updated how you're doing in Onslaught. How was Piety for your melee? I'm in A3 Normal and when I get back home I'll probably level a bit and give her a go. I'm afraid of her Fire form! And you are correct about Enfeeble. Whenever there's a new lengthier league I usually make a few alts and spend at least a day just farming gems.

[shoju]

You can find me in game as

Tacitya
Agetoka
Onisu
Caerre
Ahtska

Though, the last one is probably going to be biting the big one soon (Who needs two rangers specc'd the same?)

[Brimstone]

I spend most of my time in Anarchy right now.

[shoju]

I will be there until the anarchy league ends I'm sure. Agetoka is my anarchy ranger

[MonTy]

Onslaught sure emphasizes the issue with melee; survivability. I found normal difficulty moderately hard, had to be a level or two above zones, but I was still cruising along. The Cruel came along. I was five levels above Brutus, had five endurance charges, Max Res, Enfeeble, and he still almost took off half of my life in one hit. That means if I desync or if he crits twice, I'm done. So back to Ledge farming. Got some upgrades, and tackled him again. It wasn't easy, but he went down. Things will only get worse, so essentially you'll have to grind for hours when you're already five plus levels above the zone, in order to barely scrape by. While Range has the same health, same defenses, same or better DPS, and doesn't have to actually be next to the enemy to hit them. After playing Onslaught, I'm crying for a larger melee buff. Not damage like the last melee buff, but survivability.

With that said, I'm still enjoying Onslaught. Aside from the wacky turbo/lethal races, it's the hardest mode I've played. It's a serious challenge with an empty stash. Should be interesting to see how far my melee build can go.