Why is your druid gameplay so frustrating?

In the new season, I played the Druid Wolf playstyle that you designed. At first, I was very happy and excited. Before that, I had never played close combat because I had always heard that close combat classes were very weak. But because I was really interested in the Wolf playstyle, I chose it. After playing it, I had a question. What is the purpose of the existence of close combat classes? They don't have to withstand more damage than ranged classes. Instead, because they have to get close to the boss, they are more likely to die. And ranged classes can clear monsters far away just by pressing a button. While close combat classes even when there is only one monster left, I have to walk over and kill it. I didn't get higher damage than ranged classes, no, it was lower damage. In the story chapter, fighting the boss was already very tormenting. The damage was so low that it was terrifying. I used several skills to interact with each other and execute the so-called mechanism. As a result, the boss lost very little health. And others playing the Grenade class only needed to press two buttons and throw two grenades to kill the boss instantly. I endured the sense of disparity and kept playing until the other world. I obtained a Moonlight skill to enhance my skills. This skill was very cool, but its duration was only 7 seconds. I used resources to extend its duration to only 10 or more seconds. In this game, it takes 10 seconds to clear a group of monsters from one group to another. And the coverage of the entire map is extremely poor. Of course, it's still the same in one map. I fight bosses as well. One set of skills can reduce the boss's health very little. It upgrades all the loot I get to my weapons because the damage is too low. But even so, I still couldn't defeat the boss. I saw my friend playing the Phantom Archer Grenade, who could output 10 million plus damage in 5 seconds. Honestly, I don't know what I'm playing. Before the 0.2 season, I gave up after reaching the first level because I play games for fun, not to get a sense of frustration. From now on, I won't play the close combat class of this game anymore. Let it disappear?

Why do you always want to make players feel more frustrated? Why do you cancel everything that players want? I just want to make my build more interesting. But you keep depriving me of this possibility.

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1578463105#5750 wrote:

In the new season, I played the Druid Wolf playstyle that you designed. .... Why do you always want to make players feel more frustrated? Why do you cancel everything that players want? I just want to make my build more interesting. But you keep depriving me of this possibility.

I went with the same way as you and prolly I have a bit more knowledge already cause I normally also play melee which is not that bad, but compared to range in poe, it is a pain. NGL

The "Shred" ability of the wolf has a "close in" mechanic which lets you jump to enemies, if they are further away. Also we have pounce.

The thing for me was but, that "Shred" always targetted the enemies which are not frozen first and therefore jumps to enemies were we cannot actually build up damage. Pounce with its mark would be nice if the mark on it wouldn't be so useless in the showcased skill variant.

We have at no point enough wolves to profit from the benefits of the mark and if we use freezing mark, the mark vanishes the moment we freeze an enemy and make so any interaction with marks and skill tree benefits literally useless.

Melee in terms of warrior is the most fun I had so far in the game, even if it not performs maybe as well as ranged in many or most cases. But wolf by itself is a noob trap and the showcased playstyle is just not enjoyable, cause they seem to already had nerfed it immensely.

Like 2 to 3 hits to freeze a boss is literally unrealistic. More like 20 - 30 hits are required even with uniques, skill tree and good weapons which benefit the idea. Which makes not only the wolf shit but also the idea of playing with Ice itself, cause you could at the same time just deal more damage. Go fire/lightning, mostly better mechanics and better damage.

But also trying to get a build running will not work out here in poe 2, cause there is to many dependant things all around as that it could work out for someone who has literally no clue about melee or what matters.

I am with wolf in act 4 now and even with 20 - 30% leech as life and 4% leech as mana with mana leech on mark it feels rubbish. I am at the point were I think about rather starting new and with a x-bow merc or just quitting the league.

A friend of mine played wolf with pounce, craters, and extra slams and cross slash and he literally just jumps into enemies one shotting anything, while my full ice pounce does nothing.
For me PoE 2 is besides being a RNG casino game in terms of progress a riddle. Cause nothing makes sense from how I understand the classes and their abilities.
Seems I am just not fit for it.

I am playing werewolf Druid and even with 5k hours in poe one this is my favourite thing GGG have ever come up with. I freeze everything, I kill super quick, I move super fast, I can animation cancel every wolf attack with any other wolf attack. I absolutely love it and feel super OP. Bosses die in one freeze and get frozen in less than a second.

My playstyle is Pounce (with freezing mark), lunar assault until primed for freezing, arctic howl to freeze and get buff then shred (icecle support, can't remember name) for 2 seconds and right before freeze ends use cross slash (with consume freeze support) for giga icecle aoe explosion.
Put ice bite on arctic howl and lunar assault.
You can use lunar blessing also if you have the rage for probably double the damnage output.
It sounds like a lot of buttons but it doesn't fell like it at all and this is just for one shotting bosses, rares you just Lunar assaut > shred > cross slash if necessary.
Running around with lunar blessing up and just using shred also clears very fast.
9/10 build archetype imo.
You could clear the entire game with no ascendancy and only decent gear with werewolf.

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Ondrugs#1147 wrote:

...

Something is wrong with your build. I'm also on Act IV and I certainly don't need 20-30 hit to Freeze a Boss especially if you play with the Freeze Mark. I didn't even invest on Freeze build up in the skill tree (except a +12%) and use the regular Mark on Pounce (so no Freeze Mark) but I still Freeze boss in 5 to 6 hits. You just lack damage. You either find a better Talisman (I mean, mine is still the one I used at the beginning of Act III so normally it shouldn't be your issue) or you didn't scale properly your damage in the skill tree.

Like why are you using Shred outside of Boss & Beefy Rare (where your issue with targeting shouldn't be a problem) ? For trash, Pounce and 1-2 Lunar Assaults is all I need for example. Again, you lack damage somewhere I think.

And about the Mark on pounce, it's clearly for a build that focus more on minion. With Wolf Pack, a Skeleton Scepter (need the Keystone on skill tree for that) & Pounce's Wolves you can easily reach 15+ minions (I'm at 17 personally). But even with Freeze Mark I don't really see the issue as you can just Pounce again when it proc on Boss (and shouldn't matter for clearing).

"

justgivemeafuckingaccou#1081 wrote:

I am playing werewolf Druid and even with 5k hours in poe one this is my favourite thing GGG have ever come up with. I freeze everything, I kill super quick, I move super fast, I can animation cancel every wolf attack with any other wolf attack. I absolutely love it and feel super OP. Bosses die in one freeze and get frozen in less than a second.

My playstyle is Pounce (with freezing mark), lunar assault until primed for freezing, arctic howl to freeze and get buff then shred (icecle support, can't remember name) for 2 seconds and right before freeze ends use cross slash (with consume freeze support) for giga icecle aoe explosion.
Put ice bite on arctic howl and lunar assault.
You can use lunar blessing also if you have the rage for probably double the damnage output.
It sounds like a lot of buttons but it doesn't fell like it at all and this is just for one shotting bosses, rares you just Lunar assaut > shred > cross slash if necessary.
Running around with lunar blessing up and just using shred also clears very fast.
9/10 build archetype imo.
You could clear the entire game with no ascendancy and only decent gear with werewolf.

How?! This combo does not one shot bosses... What kind of gear do you have? I got in act 4 a 150 dps talisman with +2 levels and first of all it takes ages to freeze bosses and I merely do like 1/6 of the bosses life with that combo if I even do damage..

Show me what you call "decent" gear, cause the skills alone do not hold up to your describtion of how it is supposed to work at all.

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Djirane#4170 wrote:

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Ondrugs#1147 wrote:

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Something is wrong with your build. I'm also on Act IV and I certainly don't need 20-30 hit to Freeze a Boss especially if you play with the Freeze Mark. I didn't even invest on Freeze build up in the skill tree (except a +12%) and use the Mark on Pounce (so no Freeze Mark) but I still Freeze boss in 5 to 6 hits. You just lack damage. You either find a better Talisman (I mean, mine is still the one I used at the beginning of Act III so normally it shouldn't be your issue) or you didn't scale properly your damage in the skill tree.

Like why are you using Shred outside of Boss & Beefy Rare (where your issue with targeting shouldn't be a problem) ? For trash, Pounce and 1-2 Lunar Assaults is all I need for example. Again, you lack damage somewhere I think.

And about the Mark on pounce, it's clearly for a build that focus more on minion. With Wolf Pack, a Skeleton Scepter (need the Keystone on skill tree for that) & Pounce's Wolves you can easily reach 15+ minions (I'm at 17 personally). But even with Freeze Mark I don't really see the issue as you can just Pounce again when it proc on Boss (and shouldn't matter for clearing).

"Like why are you using Shred outside of Boss & Beefy Rare"

Cause wolf has literally zdps on all its abilities except the icicle shards which we shred out of enemies when they are frozen... Yea and again, I check the shops, I check trade and there is no alternative, what kind of mirror tier weapon I require to make the damage count or being good. I have no clue.

"need the Keystone on skill tree for that"

Which keystone are you referring to? Where on the skill tree is it supposed to be?

"just Pounce"

I am mostly oom before I can pounce again cause I use lunar assault to be able freeze enemies. Especially on bosses my mana is gone long before I could pounce again and I rather have to use shred to get mana back or spam mana flask, which is so fast depleted in boss fights that I literally have to shred bosses for minutes to replenish mana.

Also I need shred to not insta die from 2 projectiles of enemies since lunar assault cannot cover the whole screen, while there are mostly so many enemies that I cannot hit any of them to freeze them.

This is my current weapon and you also can see that I use grip of winter to get the 50% more freeze buildup since I otherwise wouldn't freeze at all or even worse.

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Ondrugs#1147 wrote:

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justgivemeafuckingaccou#1081 wrote:

I am playing werewolf Druid and even with 5k hours in poe one this is my favourite thing GGG have ever come up with. I freeze everything, I kill super quick, I move super fast, I can animation cancel every wolf attack with any other wolf attack. I absolutely love it and feel super OP. Bosses die in one freeze and get frozen in less than a second.

My playstyle is Pounce (with freezing mark), lunar assault until primed for freezing, arctic howl to freeze and get buff then shred (icecle support, can't remember name) for 2 seconds and right before freeze ends use cross slash (with consume freeze support) for giga icecle aoe explosion.
Put ice bite on arctic howl and lunar assault.
You can use lunar blessing also if you have the rage for probably double the damnage output.
It sounds like a lot of buttons but it doesn't fell like it at all and this is just for one shotting bosses, rares you just Lunar assaut > shred > cross slash if necessary.
Running around with lunar blessing up and just using shred also clears very fast.
9/10 build archetype imo.
You could clear the entire game with no ascendancy and only decent gear with werewolf.

How?! This combo does not one shot bosses... What kind of gear do you have? I got in act 4 a 250 dps talisman with +3 levels and first of all it takes ages to freeze bosses and I merely do like 1/6 of the bosses life with that combo if I even do damage..

Show me what you call "decent" gear, cause the skills alone do not hold up to your describtion of how it is supposed to work at all.

I don't even have decent gear yet and still melt bosses like this, maybe it's your tree? I am also only early maps but the way I am scaling and with how much more I can invest I can see arbiter dying in seconds to this setup. Have you take the extra damage to imobalised enemmies cluster? That is a huge damage boost. Do you have the icecle support on Shred? Are you using lunar blessing and rage? I literally have a talisman with no +skills and it kills bossess before they thaw from the first freeze if I press everything correctly, they also freeze almost straight away, like one or 2 lunar assault swipes after the pounce. Accidentally freezing them BEFORE arctic howl is usually how they survive a freeze lol too much dps.

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justgivemeafuckingaccou#1081 wrote:

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Ondrugs#1147 wrote:

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justgivemeafuckingaccou#1081 wrote:

I am playing werewolf Druid and even with 5k hours in poe one this is my favourite thing GGG have ever come up with. I freeze everything, I kill super quick, I move super fast, I can animation cancel every wolf attack with any other wolf attack. I absolutely love it and feel super OP. Bosses die in one freeze and get frozen in less than a second.

My playstyle is Pounce (with freezing mark), lunar assault until primed for freezing, arctic howl to freeze and get buff then shred (icecle support, can't remember name) for 2 seconds and right before freeze ends use cross slash (with consume freeze support) for giga icecle aoe explosion.
Put ice bite on arctic howl and lunar assault.
You can use lunar blessing also if you have the rage for probably double the damnage output.
It sounds like a lot of buttons but it doesn't fell like it at all and this is just for one shotting bosses, rares you just Lunar assaut > shred > cross slash if necessary.
Running around with lunar blessing up and just using shred also clears very fast.
9/10 build archetype imo.
You could clear the entire game with no ascendancy and only decent gear with werewolf.

How?! This combo does not one shot bosses... What kind of gear do you have? I got in act 4 a 250 dps talisman with +3 levels and first of all it takes ages to freeze bosses and I merely do like 1/6 of the bosses life with that combo if I even do damage..

Show me what you call "decent" gear, cause the skills alone do not hold up to your describtion of how it is supposed to work at all.

I don't even have decent gear yet and still melt bosses like this, maybe it's your tree? I am also only early maps but the way I am scaling and with how much more I can invest I can see arbiter dying in seconds to this setup. Have you take the extra damage to imobalised enemmies cluster? That is a huge damage boost. Do you have the icecle support on Shred? Are you using lunar blessing and rage? I literally have a talisman with no +skills and it kills bossess before they thaw from the first freeze if I press everything correctly, they also freeze almost straight away, like one or 2 lunar assault swipes after the pounce. Accidentally freezing them BEFORE arctic howl is usually how they survive a freeze lol too much dps.

ok, again... please show your gear... which is not decent or good in your eyes, I am interested what I need that I can actually enjoy this build and do damage, cause with what you described, I don't deal any damage nor do I one shot stuff. Maybe white mobs 2 zones below me, ok, but not bosses!

SO AGAIN. Enlighten me please and share your gear or a PoB link

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Ondrugs#1147 wrote:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3623790417

Mine is better and yet it's outdated but yours is really bad for your level. Update your Talisman asap.

For the scepter, it's the Lord of the Wilds Keystone.

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Djirane#4170 wrote:

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Ondrugs#1147 wrote:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3623790417

Mine is better and yet it's outdated but yours is really bad for your level. Update your Talisman asap.

For the scepter, it's the Lord of the Wilds Keystone.

Yea seems like your weapon is not the point which makes you that much stronger, your item is barely better as mine. But I wonder if your gear is only a weapon or why you are so against sharing it...

I would love to update the talisman, but I get no possibilities to do so. Also sharing your skill tree would give me an idea how much more damage I might need, cause for now all my nodes are damage and speed.