gear-based lightning-damage bonuses?

[Jedouard]

gear-based lightning-damage bonuses?

Hi,
Sorry if this has been dealt with elsewhere, but I went through search and did not find it. So I was wondering when exactly equipment-based lighting bonuses apply to lightning damage. I am referring to "+__% to lightning skill damage", not "-__% to enemy lightning resistance", as I know that that applies lastly and according to the monster.

As far as I know, lightning damage is calculated as follows:
(base skill*(1+synergies))*(1+lightning mastery)=skill-based lightning damage

So, does "+__% to lightning skill damage" apply to the skill-based lightning damage, or is it added with lightning mastery. Everyone says you should look for "-__% to enemy lightning resistance" jewels instead of the "+__% to lightning damage" jewels. If the latter were applied to skill-based lightning damage, it should not really matter--something that leads me to believe that it is not.

I only ask because I am deciding to trade for a +2 to skills runeword armor or to go for an ormus robes socketed with a +5/-5 lightning jewel. If it applies to the skill-based lightning, then ormus is better. if not, then +2 to skills is better. Other than that, my gear is good: +9 to all skills, +12 to lightning skills, +20% to lightning damage, -165% to enemy lightning resistance. I am just deciding whether to make that, respectively, 9/12/40/170 with ormus or 11/12/20/165 with +2 to skills. And, that depends on when +_% to lightning skill damage is applied.

If you can answer this question, please let me know how you found out. I have been searching everywhere.

Thank you

 

[Darkoooo]

Re: gear-based lightning-damage bonuses?

It just adds to the Mastery. Answer can be found here (last paragraph):

http://www.mannm.org/d2library/faqtoids/eledam_eng.html#eledamequip

 

[oordeel]

Re: gear-based lightning-damage bonuses?

Hi,
Sorry if this has been dealt with elsewhere, but I went through search and did not find it. So I was wondering when exactly equipment-based lighting bonuses apply to lightning damage. I am referring to "+__% to lightning skill damage", not "-__% to enemy lightning resistance", as I know that that applies lastly and according to the monster.

As far as I know, lightning damage is calculated as follows:
(base skill*(1+synergies))*(1+lightning mastery)=skill-based lightning damage

So, does "+__% to lightning skill damage" apply to the skill-based lightning damage, or is it added with lightning mastery. Everyone says you should look for "-__% to enemy lightning resistance" jewels instead of the "+__% to lightning damage" jewels. If the latter were applied to skill-based lightning damage, it should not really matter--something that leads me to believe that it is not.

I only ask because I am deciding to trade for a +2 to skills runeword armor or to go for an ormus robes socketed with a +5/-5 lightning jewel. If it applies to the skill-based lightning, then ormus is better. if not, then +2 to skills is better. Other than that, my gear is good: +9 to all skills, +12 to lightning skills, +20% to lightning damage, -165% to enemy lightning resistance. I am just deciding whether to make that, respectively, 9/12/40/170 with ormus or 11/12/20/165 with +2 to skills. And, that depends on when +_% to lightning skill damage is applied.

If you can answer this question, please let me know how you found out. I have been searching everywhere.

Thank you

could you list the gear that you're using ? just being curious.
Thanks

 

[Jedouard]

Re: gear-based lightning-damage bonuses?

helm: griffon eye socketed +5/-5 perfect lightning jewel
amy: +3 sorc lightning skills
armor: I plan on the arkaine's valor socketed +5/-5 perfect lightning jewel
ring: SOJ
ring: SOJ
belt: arachnid esh
boots: sandstorm
weapon: infinity (-85% conviction, -55% enemy lightning resistance)
weapon switch: call to arms

my skill plan is as follows: 20 charged bolt, 20 nova, 20 lightning, 20 chain lightning, 20 mastery, 1 frost armor, 1 telekenisis, 1 teleport, 1 warmth

I am still debating on 1 energy shield, 1 thunderstorm and the additional 4 points (if I ever make it past lvl 95)

 

[lumpor]

Re: gear-based lightning-damage bonuses?

I'd recommend no es, although with maxed light mastery thunderstorm is a good one-point wonder.

Jedouard you won't get alot of fcr from that. Casting alot faster>doing a little more damage.

You'll have to get a crafted 15% fcr amulet, griffons, vipermagi, arachs, magefist/trangs and a fcr rings to reach the 117% breakpoint. I'd recommend wearing crescent moon instead. With infinity, all non-immunes will have negative resistance anyway. Wearing infinity yourself will kinda only increase your damage against immunes.

I'd wear crescent moon. With spirit, griffons, 17% fcr amulet arachs and magefist/trangs. Frees up your armor and ring slot for more damage.

 

[redground]

Re: gear-based lightning-damage bonuses?

if you are using lighning or chain lighning you will need 117 fcr, if you are using nova you will need 105 fcr.

FCR is one of the things that will make you more efective.

 

[Jedouard]

Re: gear-based lightning-damage bonuses?

So, I might switch to magefists. With the rest of the gear above, that puts me at 75% faster cast rate. (My +3 amulet already has +10% cast rate.) This does not hit the 117 or 104, but, I did the math and, damage output over the same amount of time makes it better for my to stick with the +3 amulet and socketed Arkaine's. I wish I could get it up to 78%, because that bumps me from 14 frames to 13 frames on on the lightning and chain lightning, but, even without this, it is still more worthwhile to keep the +2 to skills, +5/-5 Arkaine's and the Infinity. We are speaking about a 2 frame difference (or 1 if I find a way to get that 3%), so it would take 6 casts to make a difference. As far as switching out the infinity goes, losing its bonuses over 6 casts makes it not worthwhile as damage output over a the same period of time is actually reduced.

The arkaine's may be another story. I did the math with regards to this one and Vipermagi would be better for damage output... if i didn't have to relocate skill points to telekinesis and energy shield to make up for the loss in defense. As I mentioned, I need 3% to hit the 78% break point. If I were to switch to the skin of the vipermagi damage output is better, I only lose This would bump my fcr to the 105% needed for nova to hit go from 9 frames to 8 frames and lightning and chain lightning from 14 frames to 13 frames. Given that this requires 8 casts and 13 casts respectively for me to gain one extra cast, the total damage is actually higher with the vipermagi. The problem is this: losing the defense from the Arkaine's makes using Vipermagi not worth it. I cannot use energy shield, because I do not have the skills points to devote to telekinesis or energy shield itself. I would need to take skill points away from my damage producing lightning skills to make up for this, but that means I would actually be losing damage in spite of the faster cast rate. In contrast, the combination of Arkaine's and and frost armor should be enough to keep me alive, and, even in spite of dedicating the extra 90 points to strength instead of energy, I should be better off with mana.

The other thing to keep in mind is that it does take 8/13 casts to make it worthwhile. In the end, while my build is a bit of "- lightning resistance" overkill for regular Hell play, my damage in one shot is so high either case that 8/13 casts makes no real difference--I should be killing in one shot in any case as almost all non-immune enemies will be at -100%. (And, my one-shot kill is far more likely with the Arkaine's as it adds a bonus of 1000 in lightning just in the skill bonus, not including the auras, +% lightning damage and -% resistance, which would make it a 2076 bonus at -100% resistance.) In short, I could get higher damage output against non-immunes over the same time by switching out the Infinity and the Arkaine's for a faster cast rate, but if they all die in one shot anyway, then it isn't really an advantage to do so. (Facing waves of the Act 3 pigmies or monsters of their likes might be the exception, where even with one-shot/one-kill casting, I am required to cast 8/13 times to kill them all.)

As far as immunes, ubers and immune ubers (meph and baal I think) I need the 55% bonus from the infinity and, as mentioned above, I cannot afford to lose the defense from the Arkaine's or devote the skills to telekinesis and energy shield for not having the defense.

But, if any of you have an idea where to get an extra 3% fcr without having to sacrifice my + to skills or - to enemy lightning resistance--basically meaning my boots or small charms--please let me know. This is what determines if I go to magefists. Wearing magefists only gets me to the break point for Nova and does nothing for lightning or chain-lightning without the extra 3%. So it all becomes a question of whether 10 casts on nova and a 37% increase in mana regeneration (after warmth bonus) is better than 9 casts of nova in the same period of time and 40% more mana, which is better than 37% increase in mana regeneration. If I had the extra 3%, there would be no question, but without it, I think the mana and mana regeneration is more worth it than the slightly extra amount of damage.

Lastly, I realise that looking at fcr this way is a bit wrong, as the effects a felt immediately by frame, not at the end of all frames, but again, I will be almost killing everything in one shot, so we are talking about 1 or 2 frames. The only time it matters if I do 6 or more shots is with massive swarms of enemies, immunes and ubers, the last two of which require that I have the Infinity and the last of which--if not all of which--requires I have high defense.

Again, let me know on the 3%. Otherwise, I will let you know about the magefists.