U58 ranged set

[Oliphant]

The self-funded scientist adventurer in me could not help wasting some kits trying out a different set for comparison

My intitial take is my nascent attempt at a Sniper Sight + IoD Curse + Dread Stalker seems quite a bit weaker in R10s compared to matured Tinker + Suulo set. It's not really apples-to-apples yet, as the Tinkers + Suulo set I posted has been hammered out in different ways while the new set is still getting figured out. However, I suspect that losing 30% fortification bypass from Tinkers is the biggest issue I will need to solve if I'm going to get this Sniper Sight + IoD Curse + Dread Stalker thing up to par. Also, the Tinkers + Suulo set I posted above ends up with 181 PRR and 100 MRR standing in public but the Sniper Sight + IoD Curse + Dread Stalker thing I made has 137 PRR and 37 PRR or something like that. In general I'm confirming my prior opinion that the Tinkers + Suulo set I posted earlier is pretty sturdy as well as prepared for R10s.

I took a look at the augment set for Fort Bypass and its 3 augments and only provides 15% not 30% like Tinkers; would help at least. In lower skulls where fort bypass makes less difference, it may be the case this new Sniper Sight + IoD Curse + Dread Stalker set has more dps but not sure about that even. Had to lose my Acid ring to make this work, which seems to make more difference than magma. One thing I notice about the Acid damage, which would be similar with Magma damage, is it helps smooth out the damage when enemies aggro you and your sneak attack is failing. I'm going with Dino Bone light armor instead of Tanaroa Suit so I can get 2d6 profane sneak dice (need to farm a few more mats) and 150% fortification; had to buy a Dread Stalker set dino augment. Could have gone with bone cloak or helm instead of the named items for more dino slots but that seems unrealistic use of resources for my current plans. Decided to get a Relentless Fury Accessory Horn to swap out Black Dragon Tasset belt. Might eventually get 5% dodge bypass dino augment to get rid of Rune Lodestone. Really appreciate Rune Lodestone freeing up feat for Cold Iron and providing Sight Beyond Sight (5% dodge bypass).

Where I'm skeptical here is anything that takes away from fortification bypass or dodge bypass for high reapers. I'm not sure if I'm ever seeing dodges at this point so hard to say if I'm overkilling that, but I was underwhelmed today with the rate of crits and skeptical of this loss of fort bypass. Certainly would not advise people to go down this tetris dominoes catastrophe just because the Sniper Sights give +2% to double shot, must be better reasons.

[Fisto_Mk_I]

Is there an explicit formula for magma? How many dice, how fast or likely are the procs? I'm just not seeing huge numbers or relatively many numbers associated with fire when I use it. If your main damage and your sneak attacks are less effective magma will feel better. To me its noise.

Dripping with Magma procs (10d20, 50d20 full builded)

1s ICD, 100% proc chance.

You may think anything you want, call it "noice", but currently it's best non-caster universal DoT (Earth Attunement is second, 50d10). Use it or leave it.

[Mindos]

1s ICD, 100% proc chance.

You may think anything you want, call it "noice", but currently it's best non-caster universal DoT (Earth Attunement is second, 50d10). Use it or leave it.

Scaling with anything? Spellpower?

[Oliphant]

1s ICD, 100% proc chance.

You may think anything you want, call it "noice", but currently it's best non-caster universal DoT (Earth Attunement is second, 50d10). Use it or leave it.

My experience is the dot goes relatively slow, maybe once per second at best. Then it's on the order of 10k but then I'm seeing order 100k damage from Manyshot shots and HE + Sniper shots just flying by along with 10k order normal damage flying by. Not surprising that magma is better than acid ring but the main issue for me is Shadow Dragon Armor or Dino Bone armor profane Sneak Dice versus Magma. I still think Magma is "noise". If someone made the argument that magma has specific situational advantages like smoothing out damage when mobs are aggro'ed on you or giving you chance to hit enemies and hide in solo mode while dots are doing damage or something I could see that being persuasive.

[Fisto_Mk_I]

Scaling with anything? Spellpower?

Don't think they scaled, at least not for physical proc. Just flat DoT.

...main issue for me is Shadow Dragon Armor or Dino Bone armor profane Sneak Dice versus Magma. I still think Magma is "noise". If someone made the argument that magma has specific situational advantages like smoothing out damage when mobs are aggro'ed on you or giving you chance to hit enemies and hide in solo mode while dots are doing damage or something I could see that being persuasive.

Oh, it's simple math. 2d6 SA = 7 average damage per hit, scaled with RP+DS. Magma is 105/525 average damage per tick. How much RP and DS you have? What's your crit profile?

Do not allow yourself to be blinded by gigantic numbers of full physical damage, take into account only the damage that you will receive from the use of this or that armor, in your case - from 2d6 SA vs. 10d20/50d20 from DwM.

[Oliphant]

Don't think they scaled, at least not for physical proc. Just flat DoT.



Oh, it's simple math. 2d6 SA = 7 average damage per hit, scaled with RP+DS. Magma is 105/525 average damage per tick. How much RP and DS you have? What's your crit profile?

Do not allow yourself to be blinded by gigantic numbers of full physical damage, take into account only the damage that you will receive from the use of this or that armor, in your case - from 2d6 SA vs. 10d20/50d20 from DwM.

Two wrinkles to add. Hunts End and the fact that the sneak dice work every attack while magma is a dot at some unknown (to me) rate. Main observation about the dot is it never impressed me as fast. I care about dealing with trash as well as steady state dps and there is not much time to build up a stacking dot.

I was told Sneak Dice are affected by HE. So it's getting scaled +225% when I really want it to work and eliminate the mob. Its not so much an average dps thing but rather controlling the dps. Some people consider their dps toons to specialize on bosses only and select targets but I run a lot of PUGs and want to be able to quickly handle mobs without getting into too much trouble. I'm often the trash collector.

My perception is Shadow Dragon Armor is weaker than Red Dragonscale overall, mostly just based on near consensus preference, but its scaled by HE and gives me a tad more situational control at my most critical moment. One thing about magma that occurs to me I like is it probably helps after mobs notice you and trying to chase you, which is situationally very nice given loss of sneak attacks. On the other hand, its damage that is not affected by threat reduction so it can get you in trouble in the first place. Also wonder if magma is affecting playstyle at all. Like, do people intentionally rotate targets to get more procs going?

When I say subjectively, I feel most connected to ranged dps over any other playstyle. Generally, my best tool for determining how its working is the instant and continuous feedback about how its working on mobs compared to expectations. I perceive zero evidence that Shadowdragon Armor is gimped compared to Red Dragonscale when dealing with trash. Perhaps the steady state dps against bosses is where magma shines and that is where there is much less feedback to approach it subjectively.