INT and DEX builds need some D?

I never played PoE 1. I have 3 kids and no time to dive in. I’m loving PoE 2 and can’t stop playing (don’t tell Last Epoch).

It’s pretty common across games in general but STR builds use a single attribute for DPS and doubles down on survivability.

The main attribute for all classes is a prerequisite for stronger skills, this makes complete sense.

For PoE 2 specifically:

Str -> health and better equipment / more armor to get more physical res(survival, survival).

Int -> mana and better equipment / more energy shield (resource management, survival)

Dex -> accuracy and better equipment/ more evasion (DPS, survival)

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All attributes have at least 1 source of survivability inherent to them and to be fair, health needs to be managed by all builds.

Phys res needs no further thought in combat.

Energy shield is really just more health. Mana allows usage more skills (indirect DPS) but needs constant management in combat (until solved).

Evasion is great until you get hit. Accuracy makes sense, but is another chance based mechanic (indirect “DPS).

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For all builds, running out of mana isn’t a big deal b/c you have flasks and your zero cost basic attack

The downside for STR is slow attacks (that you can tank through),

INT downsides are that even with energy shield, your defenses are like tissue paper and energy shields adds layers of tissue paper.

DEX downsides are that the builds are all chance - will I or won’t I get hit and/or deal damage - it’s almost a requirement to solve this in your build. Accuracy doesn’t really give you MORE DPS, it just allows you to do the damage in the first place - likely reduced depending on distance.

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There’s a reason why paladin was the class favorite in PoE 1. Health, E. Shield, phys res, resource management.

STR builds are just more efficient, INT builds are a little less so and DEX builds feel like a trap

A DEX build doesn’t I bring a lot of consistency in survivability or DPS. Not all games structure DEX builds like this, but when they do it’s the primary reason why I steer clear.

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INT builds should have more benefit from energy shield like small gains to non-physical damage when you have your energy shield up. Aren’t they masters of magic after all?

DEX builds should get some sort of glancing blows mechanic that scales with evasion -> further chance that ANY damage received is reduced. So if your evasion fails and you get hit, there is an additional chance that the damage is reduced by X%.

Call me insane ( I can take it), but what are your thoughts?

I'm not really sure if I get what u're saying.

What do u mean by "need some D"? Str doesn't scale ur DPS in PoE2 unless u use an item that gives u more damage with amount of strength, but that's true for Int and Dex aswell.

What do u mean by "Paladin"? If u mean Templar, well it isn't the most popular class in PoE1 at all... so dunno what u're talking about there aswell.

Right now afaik the best performing classes defense wise are Dex and Int classes. Why do u think they need even more power?

If anything, Energy shield is badly overtuned right now. Evasion seems pretty good and balanced, haven't tried armour in PoE2 yet but I guess Str builds need some more maximum ele res to survive in high end content.

Dunno, maybe I misunderstood u. Feel free to explain to me :)