Game Mechanics Q&A

Mirage units and totems - what affects them? which of the player's stats are transferred over and which aren't? with minion it's very clear: if it states "minion has" or anything similar, it affects minions, otherwise it doesn't. some things affect totems, but not mirage warriors and vice versa. some more clarity, maybe even in game would be greatly appreciated!

So, I understand that the following is true; firstly, that bonechill can only apply the increased damage taken effect if the skill supported by bonechill applies a chill, and (2) that only the highest magnitude chill applies to a monster at any given time. So my question is:

If two chills are applied that are of equal magnitude, and one of the applying skills is supported by bonechill and the other is not, does the target have the increased damage effect? And, does a chill of equal magnitude overwrite an older chill if it would extend the duration of the chill?

Situation I am wondering about; say you play an elementalist and have shaper of winter (15% guaranteed chill from any hit capable of applying ailments, 50% more effect of cold ailments including chill if the hit is majority cold damage, and increased chill cap of 40%). I have a main skill which deals mostly cold damage, as well as a level 1 storm brand with added cold (majority cold hit) and bonechill which has enough increased chill effect to reach the cap of 40% on any target thanks to shaper of winter. If my main skill is capable of applying a 40% chill as well, which of the following is true?

(1) The 40% chill from the storm brand is applied 'intelligently' and I always have the damage increase so long as the storm brand doesn't fall off

(2) Each chill overwrites the other as each is applied, so I'll intermittently have the damage from bonechill for exactly one hit, after which time my main skill overwrites the bonechill effect, and I will only get the bonechill damage again after my storm brand reapplies the bonechill-supported chill

(3) A chill can only be applied when the old one has fallen off, so it's a toss up based on which skill hits first (don't think this one is true)

(4) Some other fourth thing?

Mechanical Question regarding Watchstone Modifiers:

The Titanium Watchstone Mod "Chests have #% increased Quantity"

I would like to kno wif this mod affects the Quantity of the following:
Breakable objects like Urns.
Strongboxes
Any clickable random objects that can drop Items. Like boulders, cairn or trunk.

Do catalysts affect the odds of getting certain Veiled modifiers to appear on jewelry? From either Aisling Veiling or Veiled Chaos Orbs?

What’s the difference between:

“Main Hand Life Leech From Physical Attacks” vs. “Off Hand Life Leech From Physical Attack Damage”

(Obviously I don’t mean “main hand” vs. “off hand.” I mean “Physical Attacks” vs. “Physical Attack Damage”)

What is the “Life Leech Total Recovery Per Second Modifier” ?

Does this apply to “Base Maximum Recovery per Life Leech” or “Maximum Total Life Recovery per Second from Leech”? Or both? Why isn’t it folded into the stated values for those stats?

Mods like “15% increased Maximum total Life Recovery per second from Leech” (e.g., Hematophagy), actually increases the value of the “Maximum Total Life Recovery Per second from Leech” line on the character sheet, so if the “modifier” applies to that, why doesn’t it update the actual value? On the other hand, since it says “per second” it doesn’t seem like it would apply to “Base Maximum Recovery per Life Leech,” but then, there should be a way to modify that, which I don’t otherwise see.

If you’re leeching at the “Maximum Total Life Recovery per Second from Leech” rate, and you hit something again, what happens to the leech from that hit? Is it queued? Is it discarded?

(Are all leeches removed if your current life is at your maximum life? If so, then what’s the order in which incoming damage and life leech are processed?)

When a skill like Blood Rage or a mod on gear gives you life steel, is that subject to these constraints as well?

What damage do these Life Leech percentages apply to? Buffed outgoing damage? Or damage taken by the target?

That is, if you curse an enemy so they take more damage, are hits against them going to increase the damage leeched from those hits?

Or if you have something like Flesh and Stone “Enemies Maimed by this skill take 15% increased physical damage,” does that increase the life leeched from hits against those enemies?

(on a tangent: If you’re using Flesh and Stone, but an enemy is maimed by something else, do they still take that 15% increased physical damage? If they’re already maimed, does this skill maintain a chance to maim them?)

Likewise, if an enemy has “Resists physical damage,” does that decrease the life leech you get from hits against them?

Then, if you have something like “Overwhelm 10% Physical Damage Reduction” (e.g., Bladedancer), does that increase the amount of life leeched for each hit?

Similar questions apply for elemental and chaos damage, and the associated non-damaging aliments, and penetration buffs.

(Mana and Energy shield leech have parallel questions of course)

What’s the difference between the damage increases in these several types of passive nodes:

“[Axe] Attacks deal 30% increased Damage with Hits and Ailments”
(Feller of Foes)

“Attack Skills deal 25% increased Damage [while dual Wielding]”
(Blade Barrier, Dervish)

“30% increased Physical Damage [with Two Handed Melee Weapons]”
“Attacks with [Two Handed Melee Weapons] deal 30% increased Damage with Ailments”
(Martial Experience, Destroyer)

“26% increased Physical Damage”
(Born to Fight)

(I’ve [bracketed] out the parts that I’m not asking about – like specifications like “dual wield” or “two handed.” I’m asking about the differences in the ways that these nodes affect damage from hits, attacks, ailments, and anything else they affect.)

The map suffix “of smothering” says, “Players have 20% less Recovery Rate of Life and Energy Shield”

Is that regeneration only, or leech as well? If includes leech, is it 20% less per hit, maximum total, or both?

not sure if this was asked, but does aura effect affect flesh and stone, and if not why(is it a bug)?

Wonder how Greater Spell Echo interacts with Brand Skills.


In PoB, when socketing a Brand skill gem into a Pledge of Hand, it simply gives the skill an 35% more modifier. But my question is, practically how it works when you cast a Brand skill linked with Greater Spell Echo?

I image there are 4 possibilities:

(A) Create 3 Brands, 1 with no extra damage modifier, 1 with 35% more modifier, 1 with 70% more modifier

(B) Create 3 Brands. But the damage modifiers are averaged out and eventually all brands have 35% more modifier.

(C) Create 3 Brands, and with each repeat you gain oe 35% more modifier, and eventually all brands have 70% more modifier.

(D) Create 3 Brands without any extra damage modifier on them, since brand activation is not a repeat (similarly to how Ice Nova cast with Frostbolt).



Then, if the answer is (1), I get another question for this scenario:

Since there can be a limited number of brands attached to an single enemy,

If an enemy is within the attachment range of all these 3 brands,

Is there a criteria to determine which Brand will be attached to the enemy;

Will the Strongest one get the priority?

Or Is it totally random?

Some nubs questions here:
Do Generals Cry' Warriors get bonuses from Guardian class' passives ?
How mobs are able to attack us while Flicker Striking /melee mobs/ ?
Why some skills have annoying long cooldown /the game is dynamic af anyway and usually busted skills are ones you let be meta/?

Extra: How do you decide whats worthy in terms of "risk vs reward" ?!? Doing Ultimatums so far has helped me in SSF im trying this league, But often waves 4+ dont offer useful items vs higher risk from stacked buff/debuffs for mobs/players respectively?