Void Strike IV: Good but good enough?

[AylinIsAwesome]

Yeah, I'm also waiting for Ninja 3, if it's great void strike goes away, if it gives me another sneak attack die, Void stays.

I'm almost sure it'll give +3d6 Sneak Attack, something with Shortswords that no one will care about (maybe +1 crit range), and hopefully some dark move that does reasonable damage.

As I said, even using it all the time like I do, I'm not positive it's worth it from a min/max perspective.
It's decent damage (8-32 force) even when not erasing something from existence, but.. well it is a bit pricey.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I can't afford it on mine after I TR... Just too much spend on racial abilities to get it.

[Marmaduke]

I can fit it on my halfling rockan (modified) build but the downside would be extreme: only cunning/guile I, and no GM Earth (unless skimping on at least healing amp 1)...


IMO, there are certain build/race combos that simply can't fit it in without gimping a big part of the build.

[unbongwah]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but: (A) it sounds like you already have the necessary base stats to take VS IV; and (B) there are no feat pre-reqs for it, only enh pre-reqs. So why don't you take it and test it out for yourself? If you don't like it, just reset your enhs and pick something else. I don't see what you're losing other than some plat and the 3-day cooldown.

[Azonalanthious]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but: (A) it sounds like you already have the necessary base stats to take VS IV; and (B) there are no feat pre-reqs for it, only enh pre-reqs. So why don't you take it and test it out for yourself? If you don't like it, just reset your enhs and pick something else. I don't see what you're losing other than some plat and the 3-day cooldown.

I don't, quite. I would need to put my level 20 stat level up into Str or track down a 3+ Str tome to get it. Not the end of the world, but would put my final Str at an odd number when I'm in wind stance (normally), so no actual +1 Str modifier and would end up with a -1 to my planned dex modifier, which means other then getting master of bonefires and void IV, not much benefit to that point of str and a small downside to dex.

[Kinerd]

The problem I find is that there seem to be more epic "trash" mobs appearing that are immune to it. ... or those where (it seems) everything you fight is immune to it.

Could you elaborate on these points, please? You mentioned the end of epic Chronoscope, have you noticed any others? One of the big selling points for me for VS IV was that no trash was immune, I imagine you must have been pretty disappointed to find stuff that was.

Regarding the effective DPS of vorpaling: Vanshilar's analysis is clearly the way to go for in-depth comparisons, but for back of the envelope stuff it probably makes the most sense to simply use (max hp / 2) / 20. If we're beating a monster down from max HP to zero, we are equally likely to be at every point along the continuum, so the expectation value would be the halfway point (or perhaps ((max hp + 1) / 2) / 20 given that we can't vorpal a monster with 0 HP, but that's probably irrelevant given the max hp values we are discussing).

[Khurse]

Could you elaborate on these points, please? You mentioned the end of epic Chronoscope, have you noticed any others? One of the big selling points for me for VS IV was that no trash was immune, I imagine you must have been pretty disappointed to find stuff that was.

Honestly there's probably not alot, but the "trash" devils that spawn at the end of EChron were a surprise, there's a few others I've run into. (Think there's a bunch at the start of Epic Devil Assault).

I'm not really upset they're there-I just don't understand why.
The devils in chrono (for example) can still be stunned (although they've got an awesome fort save) and heavy picked down. So with the proper group it's not like they're an issue, it just is irritating that they seem to have simply made them immune to Void IV. (And presumably TTS)

Of course with the idea that they are reworking the epics I have no idea how this will play out in the future. Have to wait and see.

[Jamma]

Void 4 is freakin awesome. The cost to get it is freakin disgusting. I've never figured a way to get shinto 3 and void 4, so I swapped from my void 4 build to shinto 3 to try it out.

Currently I'm thinking the extra stun and ability to use epic mabar wraps on everything is better than the joy of watching the occasional epic monster go poof.

[Dilgar]

Anything with an orange or higher name is immune.

[Scarecrow9]

id love to have it but after playin around for about 20 min one day, u cannot get it if u want shintao III, the capstone and 2 or more gm stances. only 1 gm stance perhaps, but if u want more then one with those other things....it dont fit

[J1NG]

For Void Strike IV, you want to be in Wind Stance anyway for the extra proc chances from the Double Strike extra chances. So you only want Ultimate Wind Stance (Wind Grandmastery) anyway.

If you're thinking lack of damage, you won't mind missing the 16 base extra damage anyway from Earth IV. Since the Force damage goes between 8 and 32 anyway (effectively x2 of Earth IV).

You will have Earth III to compensate since it's a requirement to get Void IV. And Earth III is base +12 damage. Only a loss of 4 damage from Earth IV. Meaning, at most a +8 damage loss (2x12 vs 2x16, a loss of 8).

Extra 8 damage vs chance to kill many thousands of hp?

I know what I'd rather take.

J1NG