Quick question about "Non-Vaal Strike Skills target 1 additional nearby Enemy"

Hello everyone,

I’m reaching out to you to get some advice on how to optimize my build.
I did some research beforehand, but I couldn’t find a clear answer to my question.

Does the modifier “Non-Vaal Strike Skills target 1 additional nearby Enemy” work when fighting a single enemy (typically a boss) ?
In other words, if there is only one enemy available as a target, does the game consider that the strike skill will hit the same target twice ?

Thanks in advance to everyone who takes the time to reply.

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Nueti#5100 wrote:

Hello everyone,

I’m reaching out to you to get some advice on how to optimize my build.
I did some research beforehand, but I couldn’t find a clear answer to my question.

Does the modifier “Non-Vaal Strike Skills target 1 additional nearby Enemy” work when fighting a single enemy (typically a boss) ?
In other words, if there is only one enemy available as a target, does the game consider that the strike skill will hit the same target twice ?

Thanks in advance to everyone who takes the time to reply.

Normally the same target will not be hit twice. There used to be some kind of exception/s (Lightning Strike), maybe there still are some exception/s.

Overall its more complicated, wiki does have significant information https://www.poewiki.net/wiki/Ancestral_Call_Support. Like the extra strikes having different reach. If you want better advice here you may want to specify what your build is.

As to your first question which is actually different from your second: It should "work", just not how you are implying with your second question.

You should also be easily be able to test it in practice with 'Ancestral Call' support.

Your probably going to have to use the gem to get it on int accy stacker. It probably is worth for clear speed but as far as bossing idr think it would be worth but I haven't done the math on that. Also getting additional strikes to work on bosses generally means you got to be positioned well and in front of the boss. Like he said you can just swap in the gem and test yourself to see if you like it but again you will have to stand near the bosses your attacking to hit them with it.

LS with additional strikes can multi hit but it's inconsistent and requires positioning. It's also not that good for bossing in general.

Personally, I just went with Reave of Refraction instead for a few reasons:
- Uses purely offensive gems, no GMP or other utility stuff needed.
- Uses pulverise support which lowers attack speed, making it easier to not cap out on attack speed.
- Gets full benefit from the %melee dmg per int graft implicit which doesn't apply to LS projectiles.
- Gets full phys to ele convertion, making Valdo's 100% phys reflect a non-issue.
- Gets enough free modifiers to go for 300+ rarity.

"

Nueti#5100 wrote:

Does the modifier “Non-Vaal Strike Skills target 1 additional nearby Enemy” work when fighting a single enemy (typically a boss) ?

There are currently two skills in the game (as far as I know) that can hit one target with both the melee hit and the secondary effect; Lightning Strike and Smite. If you have at least 1 additional target and positioning yourself right, you hit the target twice and deal 'almost' double damage. Lightning Strike will hit with the melee hit and the projectile, Smite will hit with the melee hit and the AoE.

You can easily see if you're hitting the target twice, as there will be a vertical "lightning beam" coming from both hits.

Thanks for your replies !
I am playing Lightning Strike of Arcing, and I noticed a loss of single-target damage against bosses after removing my graft with “Non-Vaal Strike Skills target 1 additional nearby Enemy.”
I remember hearing in a video that this modifier works with LS, but I can’t find the source anymore.

I’m fairly familiar with this skill since I’ve played it for the last two seasons, so I believe I’m positioning myself correctly to benefit from the “double hit.”

I haven’t tested it with Ancestral Call yet.

I was simply looking for feedback from more experienced players, and I find it funny that the topic is so “obscure” (heavy quotes).

PoE wording can be confusing if you don’t have enough background knowledge ^^'

Lightning Strike of Arcing will hit twice with “Non-Vaal Strike Skills target 1 additional nearby Enemy.”

With correct positioning:
1. you will hit ground and it will release a projectile which will hit target on contact.
2. an ancestral ghost will appear and hit that same target (if its alone) with the melee portion of the skill.

These two hits will result in a combined 1.5 of skill damage effectivenes to this lone target.

Personally to me it seems normal lightning strike is better option for single target as it launches multiple projectiles making it easier to aim and its base damage effectiveness is higher.

Lightning Strike of Arcing seems to be better suited for clearing. And even then if you get a source of pierce then the normal lightning strike may still be better so of Arcing seems in a strange spot. Maybe I am missing something important.

"

Bosscannon#3325 wrote:

Personally to me it seems normal lightning strike is better option for single target as it launches multiple projectiles making it easier to aim and its base damage effectiveness is higher.

Lightning Strike of Arcing seems to be better suited for clearing. And even then if you get a source of pierce then the normal lightning strike may still be better so of Arcing seems in a strange spot. Maybe I am missing something important.

Well, to be completely honest, I’ve been following a guide without even thinking about normal LS… (Palsteron’s guide). I’m a sheep :<

If I trust PoB, normal LS actually deals way more damage (I go from 117 to 142M melee damage and from 46 to 55M projectile damage).

I feel really dumb.
But to be fair, I don’t even know if normal LS will suit me better, since I’ll lose chaining (and I don’t really lack damage except for blight strats, but idm that).
Also, AFAIk, I can't get any source of piercing with this build (I could be wrong thought) and I really don't need a +4 proj since my clearing speed is already really good.

I’ll still definitely give it a try.

Thanks for the confirmation about “Non-Vaal Strike Skills target 1 additional nearby Enemy” ! :)

I would myself just swap gem to normal ls in big boss scenario. If clear feels better on chaining version then that is what should be used for clear.

After a try with normal LS (against most of Uber bosses/T17/8mods) this is a no cap from my pov.

Normal LS > LS of Arcing.

Chainning is actually not that important imho when you reach such high DPS (and I don't want to bother with gem swap).

Ty again ^^'