Contaminated... what?

[Red_Knight]

So, I've been looking everywhere I can. Patch notes, DDO Wiki, even here. I've seen a few people talking like they know what the frell Contaminated does. But I can't find any information on what this status's effect is. So... Venom Vial and Greater Venom Vial both say they cause Contaminated status. But what does this actually do? As near as I can tell, it does nothing. Well, maybe nothing. Greater Venom Vial is an aoe. And it appears that Contaminated is causing it to spawn a new aoe on every enemy caught within a previous one, even if just barely. This naturally causes the aoe to go from "kind of small" to "ridiculous" right fast.

One person talked as if it is suppose to strip poison immunity from the enemy. Yet that clearly doesn't happen. While it's true that zombies are taking damage from poison when they should be immune (like all undead), they are taking damage regardless of the source of the poison. Traps, venomous weapon, drow poison damage toggle, it doesn't matter. Nor does it matter if the source applies "contaminated". Side note, no other undead takes poison damage. Not even after being hit by Venom Vial or Greater Venom Vial. Oozes also don't take poison damage after being hit with these two spells. So I'm doubting it's a case of immunity removal.

But that brings the question back around. Just what does Contaminated do?

[Yamani]

So, I've been looking everywhere I can. Patch notes, DDO Wiki, even here. I've seen a few people talking like they know what the frell Contaminated does. But I can't find any information on what this status's effect is. So... Venom Vial and Greater Venom Vial both say they cause Contaminated status. But what does this actually do? As near as I can tell, it does nothing. Well, maybe nothing. Greater Venom Vial is an aoe. And it appears that Contaminated is causing it to spawn a new aoe on every enemy caught within a previous one, even if just barely. This naturally causes the aoe to go from "kind of small" to "ridiculous" right fast.

One person talked as if it is suppose to strip poison immunity from the enemy. Yet that clearly doesn't happen. While it's true that zombies are taking damage from poison when they should be immune (like all undead), they are taking damage regardless of the source of the poison. Traps, venomous weapon, drow poison damage toggle, it doesn't matter. Nor does it matter if the source applies "contaminated". Side note, no other undead takes poison damage. Not even after being hit by Venom Vial or Greater Venom Vial. Oozes also don't take poison damage after being hit with these two spells. So I'm doubting it's a case of immunity removal.

But that brings the question back around. Just what does Contaminated do?

Contaminated without the enhancements doesnt really do much. There is 2 other enhancements in the vile chemist tree. 1 gives the mobs you attack that are contaminated up to -4 fort saves. The other is in tier 5 and idr what exactly it does, has something like silence or so.

[Red_Knight]

Contaminated without the enhancements doesnt really do much. There is 2 other enhancements in the vile chemist tree. 1 gives the mobs you attack that are contaminated up to -4 fort saves. The other is in tier 5 and idr what exactly it does, has something like silence or so.

So basically, for a Bombardier it does absolutely nothing?

[Yamani]

So basically, for a Bombardier it does absolutely nothing?

Pretty much, although wave of poison, greater wave of poison, and poison strike tier 3 do make mobs able to take poison damage just not on that attack.

[Sormiron]

So, I've been looking everywhere I can. Patch notes, DDO Wiki, even here. I've seen a few people talking like they know what the frell Contaminated does. But I can't find any information on what this status's effect is. So... Venom Vial and Greater Venom Vial both say they cause Contaminated status. But what does this actually do? As near as I can tell, it does nothing. Well, maybe nothing. Greater Venom Vial is an aoe. And it appears that Contaminated is causing it to spawn a new aoe on every enemy caught within a previous one, even if just barely. This naturally causes the aoe to go from "kind of small" to "ridiculous" right fast.

One person talked as if it is suppose to strip poison immunity from the enemy. Yet that clearly doesn't happen. While it's true that zombies are taking damage from poison when they should be immune (like all undead), they are taking damage regardless of the source of the poison. Traps, venomous weapon, drow poison damage toggle, it doesn't matter. Nor does it matter if the source applies "contaminated". Side note, no other undead takes poison damage. Not even after being hit by Venom Vial or Greater Venom Vial. Oozes also don't take poison damage after being hit with these two spells. So I'm doubting it's a case of immunity removal.

But that brings the question back around. Just what does Contaminated do?

for 2 points in t5 you get +1 vulnerabilty on each hit against contaminated targets. stacks 20 times.

[Red_Knight]

After encountering a few more types of undead (and checking my in-game monster manual entries when possible), it looks like they flat out removed poison immunity from zombies, shadows, and ghosts. Skeletons, ghouls, ghasts, wights, and wraiths are still immune to poison. Can't say for vampires, yet. I haven't faced one yet using my alchemist and haven't unlocked the detailed description in the in-game monster manual yet. I think mummies are immune, but I've only faced one so far and didn't pay much attention.

Still, contaminated seems like it has wasted potential if only a few enhancements do anything with it at all.

EDIT:

Update.... Vampires do take poison damage too. What. The. Fork?!

[Methin]

I was so wondering this myself. Been searching as soon as i read about the new class. gotta say i am not impressed with this one. probably would have been nicer if they introduced psionics and Kalashtar finally, been waiting for 11 years to see the ACTUAL eberron races to be rounded out.

[unbongwah]

IIUC it's not that the Contaminated condition causes poison vulnerability. It's that the Vile Chemist abilities which apply Contaminated can also apply poison vulnerability.

"Poisoned Shot: Ranged Attack: +[1/2/3][W]: On successful damage, your opponent is Contaminated. Using this attack acts as if you cast a Crimsonite spell. Rank 3: When you hit a target that is immune to Poisons or Poison Damage with this attack, they become vulnerable to Poisons and Poison Damage for 20 seconds."

They are Contaminated and they are vulnerable to poison. They aren't vulnerable to poison because they're Contaminated. The same thing happens with the Wave of Poison SLAs. So if you're making a Bombadier / Vile Chemist hybrid, you'll most likely want at least the tier-3 Wave of Poison SLA for the poison vulnerability proc (not to be confused with Vulnerable).

AFAICT the Contaminated condition only interacts with two other VC abilities:

• Toxic Augmentation: Your strikes against Contaminated enemies reduce their Fortitude saves by -1 for 6 seconds. This effect stacks up to 4 times
• Contaminated Strikes: When you strike a Contaminated enemy, they gain one stack of Vulnerable. Contaminate enemies by using Poison Alchemical Spells. Vulnerable: You take 1% more damage for 3 seconds. This effect stacks up to 20 times, and loses one stack on expiration.