Game Mechanics Q&A

I feel like I have to play a certain way to make it to the end game. It feels like there are only 4-6 builds to play if you want to even think about doing okay in maps. I am not free to experiment, because if I do, there is no obvious chance I'll succeed in maps, unlike 3-5 years ago.

Will there be any changes to open up the game to more builds?

When will you buff ascendancy trees to be actually good instead of jus playing Witch, templar, and Dualist builds (including Saboture)?

When will early/mid tier Uniques be worth taking over a above average rare monster?

I want to play Assassin Tornado shot again and it feel good, even in early maps, but Assassin has been nerfed into oblivion. I want to run a self casting build, but standing for a split second means death. Rares and magic monster are a death wish to any build running auras. The game is so insanely punishing atm that I don't want to even bother experimenting anymore. I love the league, but hate Archnemisis mobs. Remove them, please.

I've noticed since siege of the atlas its not difficult to put so much content on a map that fragments sextants crafts etc are consumed but spawn nothing, how does the mechanic spawning on maps work are there a certain amount of slots on a map, does it very based on tile set?

How are decisions like damage over time (regardless of source) counting as YOUR kills made?

Was that a bug that just became a feature? Or an intentional design choice?

Why Cyclone and Charged Dashed skills cannot be used with Fishing Rod? Both of these skills do not require any specific weapon base and do not explicitly indicate a use of Melee Weapon, which would allow those skills to be used with Fishing Rod. Is channeling part of those skills somehow preventing this?

I know this is a fishing question, but understanding this provides an invaluable information how game decides which weapon types can be used with which skills (like a bug with Varunastra)

Is magic find on gear additive or multiplicative with magic find on maps?

Does the modifier, given by "Master Toxicist" and Darkscorn, "poisons created by you have a x% chance to do x% more damage" apply to poisons applied by skills used by minions, totems and mirages?

In other cases where the modifier specifies that a poison must be inflicted "by you", it doesn't work with totems or mirages, such as Plague Bearer. Although PB is different in that it uses the words "When you inflict Poison while Incubating", which may be the difference.

However, Path of Building and other sources I've read states that Master Toxicist will increase damage dealt by totems and mirages.

So is PoB and the general community incorrect in assuming that it increases damage? If so, this means most Scourge Arrow builds have incredibly overestimated damage and may be the reason why it is so difficult to scale damage dealt by the skill.

Thank you for doing another one of these Q&As!

I just spent nights researching for mechanics I still don't understand. I think it is almost impossible to know everything in this game. Poewiki, poedb, poeninja, youtube, and reddit have good answers. God, the amount of information in this game is insane.

I'm currently wanting to transition my PF P.Concoction to an endgame uber uber boss killer build - I don't know what. I don't want to level another class. I'd rather learn more ranger things this league, especially pf/deadeye, before moving on to a different class.

Things I'm learning:
- Flicker strike has millions of damage in poeninja, so I tried it with farrul's fur. This is a really fun build but I don't think it is an Uber Uber Boss Killer Build - maybe with millions of investment?
- Viper strike has good damage numbers but mechanically as a melee strike skill, it is cringe, especially with all the degens on the ground (how do we mitigate them?? - still struggling even with Lethe Shade) - there is one called "PRESENCE of Something" red Icon debuff - what exactly is that?
- Dropped an Ashes amulet (lucky?) and decided to use it, but learned that it doesn't affect "support" skill gems - after reading thru tons of alternate skills already :((
- Looking at Phantasmal spark with Ashes - can it still shock? (maybe not anymore after 100% chaos conversion) - can poison spark kill the uber uber bosses as a ranger?? don't know
- Since I got Farrul's Fur, I stumbled upon discharge with trigger on weapon and Endless Misery jewel interactions. It's cute, but I don't think I can switch to it easily from my current build
- Don't really want to go Bows again but Scourge Arrow seems a natural transition from p.concoction so it's what I'm currently looking at. Will it kill the uber uber bosses? I dont know

Will come back to this forum once I got a new question that all other sources cannot give me. Will the in-game guide be improved? Hmmmm....

Will scourge return? That mechanic and bar just flowed so nicely and felt very fun to play was like a more controlled delirium and a rampage like feel.

Lethality is a passive skill in the skill tree that gives crit bonuses to Projectile Attack Skills. Does Wild Strike always get the bonuses from it, or only when the Cold version of the skill procs?

Penetration effects don't work on damage over time (to my knowledge). I'm aware that this is intended, but is that a design choice or a quirk of coding?