Diablo III: What even are numbers

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Ice Fist: Jun 20, 2012; ^^ Please send feedback to beefstache911@hotmail.com, this is not a joke that 'stache is the real deal. Serious assessments only. ^^

AlternateAccount posted:

OK let me see if I can distill the responses into some decent guidance.

1> Add sockets to jewelry using Gifts and put big fat gems in them.
2> How do I get extra critical from gloves and rings?
3> Don't reroll secondaries, roll for sockets instead.

Is that about it? More sockets more gems more critical?

Edit: goddamn, beaten on most of this

So I might be wrong about some of these and I'm sure someone will point it out, but I'll take a swing here (I am assuming you're ultimately shooting for the Lightning archon build [which owns, it's what I'm working on right now and I'm having a blast]):

You can't use gifts on jewelry. They can only be used on weapons. So you'll need to reroll all of your jewelry for sockets:
1. Reroll either the resistAll or the Armor on the Wyrdward
~~2. Reroll the LPH on the RORG~~ - You can't do this because you rerolled a secondary on the RoRG too. Get another RoRG.
3. Reroll either the CDR or the CHD on the Tal's Amulet. Not sure how I'd go on this one because the main Tal's/Vyr's build relies on shitloads of CDR but it might be better for you to roll off it since you're so early and that won't become a factor until much later.

Yeah, pretty much never reroll secondaries on anything. Once you've done some rerolling do what Bottom Liner said and start dumping legendary gems into those jewelry sockets. It'll take a little bit to collect and level them, but you're going to want to shoot for Zei's, Gogock, and Bane of the Stricken.

As for getting more Crit, you just need better rings and armor with better rolls. You can still do some easy stuff like put CHC on your gloves. And once you get a better Helm you can put CHC on that too. Keep in mind that eventually you're going to probably want to start pumping +lightning damage and CDR for the lightning archon build.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:11

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# ? May 18, 2024 05:27

AlternateAccount: Apr 25, 2005; FYGM

Cool, cool, cool. Thanks, folks. I feel less clueless. There's way too much to know about this game.

If it makes it any better, I THINK I got that wand from Kadala while mass buying looking for an upgrade. Maybe not, tho.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:13

Suburban Dad: Jan 10, 2007; Well what's attached to a leash that it made itself?
The punchline is the way that you've been fuckin' yourself

AlternateAccount posted:

Cool, cool, cool. Thanks, folks. I feel less clueless. There's way too much to know about this game.

If it makes it any better, I THINK I got that wand from Kadala while mass buying looking for an upgrade. Maybe not, tho.

Next tip, don't bother spending shards on weapons. They're expensive, the pool of them is huge, and you'll rarely get what you want since it only has 1h and 2h but not specific types. Upgrade rare weapon drops that are the correct type (wand, 1h sword, etc) and upgrade them to legendaries using the cube. If you don't know what the cube is or have it yet, look here. http://diablo.wikia.com/wiki/Kanai%27s_Cube

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:16

big nipples big life: May 12, 2014

also take that manald heal off your follower and wear it, it's a massive power boost if you equip the paralysis passive and some lighting skills to proc it. Just shy of 14000% damage to paralyzed enemies.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:17

AlternateAccount: Apr 25, 2005; FYGM

Larrymer posted:

Next tip, don't bother spending shards on weapons. They're expensive, the pool of them is huge, and you'll rarely get what you want since it only has 1h and 2h but not specific types. Upgrade rare weapon drops that are the correct type (wand, 1h sword, etc) and upgrade them to legendaries using the cube. If you don't know what the cube is or have it yet, look here. http://diablo.wikia.com/wiki/Kanai%27s_Cube

Thanks, I probably bought several full inventory's worth. -_-

If an item already HAS sockets, do I swap out for more? Otherwise what is the priority?

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:19

Tuxedo Catfish: Mar 17, 2007; You've got guts! Come to my village, I'll buy you lunch.

Larrymer posted:

Next tip, don't bother spending shards on weapons. They're expensive, the pool of them is huge, and you'll rarely get what you want since it only has 1h and 2h but not specific types. Upgrade rare weapon drops that are the correct type (wand, 1h sword, etc) and upgrade them to legendaries using the cube. If you don't know what the cube is or have it yet, look here. http://diablo.wikia.com/wiki/Kanai%27s_Cube

While the expensive part is definitely true, is the pool really as bad as you're making it out to be? Gambling for 2H weapons as a Demon Hunter at least only seems to produce bows and crossbows, which is worse than if it were bows and crossbows separately but not that bad.

I'd still gamble for the 25-shard slots first because being 1/3 the cost is reason enough, but eventually you'll have those slots filled.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:20

Suburban Dad: Jan 10, 2007; Well what's attached to a leash that it made itself?
The punchline is the way that you've been fuckin' yourself

Tuxedo Catfish posted:

While the expensive part is definitely true, is the pool really as bad as you're making it out to be? Gambling for 2H weapons as a Demon Hunter at least only seems to produce bows and crossbows, which is worse than if it were bows and crossbows separately but not that bad.

I'd still gamble for the 25-shard slots first because being 1/3 the cost is reason enough, but eventually you'll have those slots filled.

DH is an edge case, but you can still waste 75 shards and get a 2h crossbow instead of a bow if you're looking for something specific for your build. A caster class in particular is very bad since you can get swords, axes, etc if you roll a 1h when you're trying to get a wand.

It's still better to just upgrade rares for weapons. An example is for the DH Impale build you need a 1H legendary dagger. DH can only roll 2 different legendary daggers, so upgrading rares you'll get it much quicker than trying to get it through 1H weapons at Kadala. The same is true for amulets (and rings to a lesser extent) since they're also expensive and you can upgrade rares just the same. I only use Kadala for armor and off hands.

Suburban Dad fucked around with this message at 20:25 on Jul 27, 2017

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:22

nerox: May 20, 2001

Re: Gambling vs. upgrading rares

I hope you like spreadsheets.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cM-s4e66ql2zsrkfkfKXmvVJ4zmngzxdzVLk9gvLvT8/

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:27

AlternateAccount: Apr 25, 2005; FYGM

Does Wreath of Lightning proc Paralysis procing Manald Heal?

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:30

big nipples big life: May 12, 2014

AlternateAccount posted:

Does Wreath of Lightning proc Paralysis procing Manald Heal?

I don't think it does, a friend of mine was testing it and he never got it to. Last weeks challenge rift build was basically just running around with electrocute on mouse 1 and holding it down while letting that ring do all the work. Manald heal is ridiculously strong right now.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:34

AlternateAccount: Apr 25, 2005; FYGM

big nipples big life posted:

I don't think it does, a friend of mine was testing it and he never got it to. Last weeks challenge rift build was basically just running around with electrocute on mouse 1 and holding it down while letting that ring do all the work. Manald heal is ridiculously strong right now.

So if I am going to have to use Electrocute, the gem that adds like 26% to primaries would be preferable. Bummer.

Adding a green gem to my weapon add >100k to my damage. FFS.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:37

big nipples big life: May 12, 2014

don't get hung up on legendary gems until you have your 6 piece, you won't be able to easily level them until your build is stronger. like leveling simplicity's strength to use with electrocute now is a waste of time because once you get your six piece you won't be using a generator/primary skill at all anymore so that gem will be useless.

one thing you can do is just run whatever grift level you can do in around 5-8 minutes until you have all the gems or at least all the ones you'd be using with a straight tal build or the tal/vyr archon build.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:41

Furism: Feb 21, 2006; Live long and headbang

What's an Ancient Item? A legendary that you upgrade?

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:42

GoGoGadgetChris: Mar 18, 2010; i powder a
granite monument
in a soundless flash

showering the grass
with molten drops of
its gold inlay

sending smoking
chips of stone
skipping into the fog

Furism posted:

What's an Ancient Item? A legendary that you upgrade?

Any legendary has a 1/10 chance of being Ancient, which means it has bigger, better stats!

Example - you picked up ten String of Ears belts. One was "Ancient String of Ears" and it had 25% higher Dexterity, Vitality, and Resist All numbers on it.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:44

exquisite tea: Apr 21, 2007; Carly shook her glass, willing the ice to melt. "You still haven't told me what the mission is."

She leaned forward. "We are going to assassinate the bad men of Hollywood."

Furism posted:

What's an Ancient Item? A legendary that you upgrade?

Ancients are rarer versions of legendaries with 30% higher max rolls on most stats.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:44

Bottom Liner: Feb 15, 2006; a specific vein of lasagna

And primals have a 1/100 chance of rolling from an ancient, with even higher stats and perfect rolls. :v:

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:44

Tuxedo Catfish: Mar 17, 2007; You've got guts! Come to my village, I'll buy you lunch.

Speaking of ancient items, is there any simple rule of thumb for picking between a regular item the has all the right affixes and an ancient one that doesn't? Or is it too complicated and build-specific to boil it down?

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:49

Suspicious: Apr 30, 2005; You know he's the villain, because he's got shifty eyes.

Larrymer posted:

It's still better to just upgrade rares for weapons. An example is for the DH Impale build you need a 1H legendary dagger. DH can only roll 2 different legendary daggers, so upgrading rares you'll get it much quicker than trying to get it through 1H weapons at Kadala. The same is true for amulets (and rings to a lesser extent) since they're also expensive and you can upgrade rares just the same. I only use Kadala for armor and off hands.

That's because DHs only get hand crossbows when gambling 1 handed weapons. The chance of getting a karlei's point is literally 0%.

There's nothing wrong with upgrading rares *and* gambling at the same time when you're looking for that weapon or ring that makes or breaks your build and you already have everything else. Souls aren't a bottleneck anymore unless you reforge constantly, and the amount of yellow mats you get from salvaging what you gamble is negligible.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:50

big nipples big life: May 12, 2014

if it makes you make bigger numbers put it on, otherwise don't

i got a pretty sick travelers pledge early this season and i've trashed a bunch of ancient ones that weren't nearly as good

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:51

exquisite tea: Apr 21, 2007; Carly shook her glass, willing the ice to melt. "You still haven't told me what the mission is."

She leaned forward. "We are going to assassinate the bad men of Hollywood."

Tuxedo Catfish posted:

Speaking of ancient items, is there any simple rule of thumb for picking between a regular item the has all the right affixes and an ancient one that doesn't? Or is it too complicated and build-specific to boil it down?

Jewelry relies almost entirely on its %-based stats and legendary affixes, never worry about ancient vs. non-ancient there.

If you're playing a very cooldown-sensitive build and there's no way you can get a good CDR roll on the ancient, it might make me think twice about upgrading. Same with helm/boots and a good secondary % roll if your build uses them, or an armor piece with a high variable in its legendary text (a non-ancient Fazula with minimum stats and a 50 roll is still preferable to an ancient Fazula with 40).

Otherwise just wear the thing that adds the most green numbers to your little man.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:54

Tuxedo Catfish: Mar 17, 2007; You've got guts! Come to my village, I'll buy you lunch.

exquisite tea posted:

Jewelry relies almost entirely on its %-based stats and legendary affixes, never worry about ancient vs. non-ancient there.

If you're playing a very cooldown-sensitive build and there's no way you can get a good CDR roll on the ancient, it might make me think twice about upgrading. Same with helm/boots and a good secondary % roll if your build uses them, or an armor piece with a high variable in its legendary text (a non-ancient Fazula with minimum stats and a 50 roll is still preferable to an ancient Fazula with 40).

Otherwise just wear the thing that adds the most green numbers to your little man.

Thank you, this is very helpful.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:56

The Wonder Weapon: Dec 16, 2006

Bottom Liner posted:

And primals have a 1/100 chance of rolling from an ancient, with even higher stats and perfect rolls.

I thought that primals have the same max roll on stats as ancients, it's just that they're always perfect. And are those odds right? 1/100 ancients are primal? That would mean that for every 1,000 legendaries, one is primal? I guess that actually doesn't sound erroneous, given how many primals I saw last season.

Tuxedo Catfish posted:

Speaking of ancient items, is there any simple rule of thumb for picking between a regular item the has all the right affixes and an ancient one that doesn't? Or is it too complicated and build-specific to boil it down?

The max roll on most stats for a normal item is less than the floor for an ancient item, so ancients should always be better, assuming the same modifiers. Of course, a mainstat/crit/crit/socket normal ring is going to be preferable to vit/cdr/loh/rcr ancient.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:56

AlternateAccount: Apr 25, 2005; FYGM

What about the Fulminator power from the cube? Stacks with paralysis/manald?

# ? Jul 27, 2017 20:59

Maker Of Shoes: Sep 4, 2006; AWWWW YISSSSSSSSSS
DIS IS MAH JAM!!!!!!

The Wonder Weapon posted:

I thought that primals have the same max roll on stats as ancients, it's just that they're always perfect. And are those odds right? 1/100 ancients are primal? That would mean that for every 1,000 legendaries, one is primal? I guess that actually doesn't sound erroneous, given how many primals I saw last season.

I can't speak to drop rate since I've only seen 5 total in a ton of play time last era but you're right on the ranges. Same as ancient, just always maxed.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 21:01

exquisite tea: Apr 21, 2007; Carly shook her glass, willing the ice to melt. "You still haven't told me what the mission is."

She leaned forward. "We are going to assassinate the bad men of Hollywood."

I'm 99.9% sure that the text for Paralysis specifies "lightning skills" meaning it has to come from the Wizard xirself.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 21:02

bio347: Oct 29, 2012

exquisite tea posted:

I'm 99.9% sure that the text for Paralysis specifies "lightning skills" meaning it has to come from the Wizard xirself.

As a general rule, item procs don't proc other item procs so none of the legendaries that do lightning damage things should interact with MH.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 21:16

Dameius: Apr 3, 2006

AlternateAccount posted:

Cool, cool, cool. Thanks, folks. I feel less clueless. There's way too much to know about this game.

If it makes it any better, I THINK I got that wand from Kadala while mass buying looking for an upgrade. Maybe not, tho.

Go to YouTube and look up Wolfcryer's new/returning players series and watch it.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 21:16

Pierson: Oct 31, 2004; College Slice

Did any of you guys manage to clear grift 20 using 4/6 Rathma? If so what build? The second set bonus isn't that great for killin poo poo.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 21:24

big nipples big life: May 12, 2014

do you have the jesseth set and the 2x mage ring yet?

# ? Jul 27, 2017 21:31

MikeC: Jul 19, 2004; Can't post for 16 hours!

Pierson posted:

Did any of you guys manage to clear grift 20 using 4/6 Rathma? If so what build? The second set bonus isn't that great for killin poo poo.

Jesseth set is required for Rathma. Gamble on shields, spend all DBs on upgrading 1h Scythe. That is your only priority atm

# ? Jul 27, 2017 21:31

bio347: Oct 29, 2012

I got my GR20 by having a cubed Scythe of the Cycle. No Jesseth, no Evol, nothing fancy. It won't be pretty, but basically just having one decent legendary will do it.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 21:54

Martout: Aug 8, 2007; None so deprived

a krysbins and/or a trag'oul scythe will take you through it pretty smoothly

# ? Jul 27, 2017 22:03

i poop fire: Feb 21, 2011

Pierson posted:

Did any of you guys manage to clear grift 20 using 4/6 Rathma? If so what build? The second set bonus isn't that great for killin poo poo.

Try the thorns passive + a big topaz in whatever garbage weapon you're using.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 22:09

SolidSnakesBandana: Jul 1, 2007; Infinite ammo

I can't imagine running Necro without the 2pc Pestilence bonus. I refuse to.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 22:10

xiansi: Jan 26, 2012; im judjing all goons cause they have bad leader, so a noral member is associated whith thoose crasy one

Personaly i would quit the goons if i was in cause of thoose crasy ppl; Clapping Larry

Am loving me some necromancy this season.

Playing the basic skele mage build while I collect all the gear, and am missing just one thing, a Compass Rose ring. I have 3 (equally bad) Traveller's amulets to choose from of course. "Convert set item" in cube is a lie for 2-piece sets, but I knew that already.

In the meantime, am I right in thinking that +elite damage and max essence from a SoJ is way better than the next best thing I have (even if re-rolled for crit dmg) in ring slot? The green text often lies:

# ? Jul 27, 2017 23:35

biscuits and crazy: Oct 10, 2012

I finally got my hands on a Golden Flense, and while it's not Ancient, its numbers seem more than high enough for the Roland's set dungeon.

I'm wondering what I should swap Vitality for though, should I just go for a socket for the time being, until I get one of those cube things?

# ? Jul 27, 2017 23:50

Pozload Escobar: Aug 21, 2016; by Reene

Lol gently caress you guys with a diseased dick for making me think I had missed being able to upgrade jewelry with a ramalama dingdong, I'd be top10 seasonal if I could socket my travelers.

# ? Jul 27, 2017 23:50

Nuebot: Feb 18, 2013; The developer of Brigador is a secret chud, don't give him money

Swilo posted:

Yes, that's the place; off to the right just before the diverging staircases is a study with the fireplace. The guides don't mention that waypoint because it didn't exist back when the pony level was at all relevant, it was only added in the last couple patches.

I got it like right before reading this post. My friend started playing the game right after me and I'm pretty sure he doesn't know whimshyshire exists, I'm going to blow his mind next time we play together.
Also I want that dumb rainbow sword.

So here's another question about necro though; what's a better bonus on armor pieces? A socket or things like "Skeleton Mage/Command Skeleton does 12% more damage". Because I like being able to kill bosses in three seconds.

# ? Jul 28, 2017 00:00

SiliconX: Sep 18, 2004; That damn Pharah again...; College Slice

xiansi posted:

Am loving me some necromancy this season.

Playing the basic skele mage build while I collect all the gear, and am missing just one thing, a Compass Rose ring. I have 3 (equally bad) Traveller's amulets to choose from of course. "Convert set item" in cube is a lie for 2-piece sets, but I knew that already.

In the meantime, am I right in thinking that +elite damage and max essence from a SoJ is way better than the next best thing I have (even if re-rolled for crit dmg) in ring slot? The green text often lies:

Nah. I'd reroll the +damage on the Rogar's to CHD. +28% to elites seems ok on paper but you're losing a shitton of DPS all the time by running that SoJ over the Rogar's. That Rogar's even without CHD is 21.2% damage increase.

Nuebot posted:

I got it like right before reading this post. My friend started playing the game right after me and I'm pretty sure he doesn't know whimshyshire exists, I'm going to blow his mind next time we play together.
Also I want that dumb rainbow sword.

So here's another question about necro though; what's a better bonus on armor pieces? A socket or things like "Skeleton Mage/Command Skeleton does 12% more damage". Because I like being able to kill bosses in three seconds.

Ideally you want both, but you'd never reroll off sockets on armor pieces (except offhand items). The 3 sockets on your chest armor are worth +840 to your main stat or 234 Resist All (or a combination of the two, depending on your gems) which is a ton of stats.

SiliconX fucked around with this message at 00:14 on Jul 28, 2017

# ? Jul 28, 2017 00:06

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# ? May 18, 2024 05:27

bij: Feb 24, 2007

Inarius bonado may not be king poo poo of the Necro hill anymore but hot drat

# ? Jul 28, 2017 02:04

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