Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

[jread]

Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

I know that most people max CE on builds like the fishymancer, but is it really necessary to do this? I figure that since adding skill points only increases the radius of the spell, then there has to be a point where it might be going overboard. If you think about all the +skills from your equipment (especially if you have godly gear), then your CE is going to still be pretty high even if you only put around 10-points into it.

What do you guys think?

 

[MedctnStn]

Re: Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

i usually do, because i have no other use for most of the skill points, but it can be highly debateable

 

[LozHinge the Unhinged]

Re: Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

I was never a fan of maxing CE (until I did it myself). My reasoning was that it was wasteful of skill points to cover the extra area - you can simply re-cast as required for the same effect.
The reality of it (for me) is that maxed CE is an awsome defensive tool - one cast can change a dangerous, even losing situation into an empty battlefield. Things that are hazardous to even the safest summoner - spear cats, burning souls, etc - they go away just like that. The extra area per cast is essential, as you can speedily clear the screen of dangerous enemies.

I'm sold on max CE, in case you're wondering :smiley:

 

[mephiztophelez]

Re: Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

for pvm, yes, it is definitely worth it to max Corpse Explosion.

 

[maiku]

Re: Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

I know that most people max CE on builds like the fishymancer, but is it really necessary to do this? I figure that since adding skill points only increases the radius of the spell, then there has to be a point where it might be going overboard. If you think about all the +skills from your equipment (especially if you have godly gear), then your CE is going to still be pretty high even if you only put around 10-points into it.

What do you guys think?

Certainly makes life much rosier as a Fishymancer. The increased radius means that you can get multiple overlapping explosions so that enemies get hit several times for huge damage and you get more bodies on the ground for more CE. This is how you clear the screen in seconds in solo or small to mid games. And trust me that CE chains are awesome.

 

[MYK]

Re: Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

Here's a cool shot: http://mykyoyo.googlepages.com/diablo-radius.jpg

Level 1 CE starts at 2.6 yards,
Level 5: 4 yards
Level 10: 5.6
Level 20: 9 yards

At levels 30+ You're pretty much nuking a screens worth of enemies at a time.

My next necro won't be maxing it because level 5 is pretty easy to hit, and you can fit quite a bit of bodies into a 4 yard zone. This makes it a bit more of a tactical cast, and less of a Spam The Screen To Death type thing.
But... My last necromancer did max CE and it was quite awesome.

Credits: I don't know who made that nifty picture, but thanks for it anyways.

 

[AnimeCraze]

Re: Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

On higher player counts, maxing it is essential, as there won't be enough bodies to kill all enemies if you use a small radius CE. The math is simple to work out.

 

[MYK]

Re: Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

The math is simple to work out.

I think that depends on a lot of stuff; If you can cruise at higher player count games to begin with.
Level 20 SM/20 RS gives you some sturdy tanks and okay damage at p1 ~ enough to kill, but even throwing a level 50 CE on that rig won't make it pwn at p8.

 

[NumtyDoo]

Re: Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

CE is easily a necro's most powerful skill. I retired my cow ama because CE kills cows faster, I think my CE is at 12-13 yards, can't remember, I know it's bigger than the screen. Same with hammerdin, he is retired now, CE + amp + conviction everything dies in 1 hit in less than 5 player game. I just can't find anything that kills faster. A light sorc or hammerdin might kill bosses in 8 seconds instead of 10, but I usually clear the WSK and Chaos on my way to the boss, and CE does it much faster than both the others.

8 player games slow CE down alot, it still isn't useless though, everyone kills slower in 8 player games, the monsters have more HP.

 

[Ed from Russia]

Re: Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

The higher the radius, the better. But if you want to build some kind of hybrid (so you need the points elsewhere) it's fine to leave CE quite low. I think if you reach slvl 20 with your equipment you should be ok.

 

[AnimeCraze]

Re: Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

Level 20 SM/20 RS gives you some sturdy tanks and okay damage at p1 ~ enough to kill, but even throwing a level 50 CE on that rig won't make it pwn at p8.

What I meant was, with a small radius CE, the amount of damage you dealt with a single CE will be less than that of the monster's life (remember that monster life scales up while CE does not). In that case, we have a negative feed back, and you can't really start CE chain.

 

[shijo]

Re: Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

There's nothing more satisfying than a good CE chain. Man is it great when that first mob dies, then 10 more follow it with a CE, and after a few more CE's you're just standing in a steaming pile of corpses.

 

[NumtyDoo]

Re: Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

CE is less effective in an 8 player game. But even then it still does massive damage to everything on screen. With boost from amp and conviction your still gonna take 1/5 of monsters life. So it may no longer be a one hit kill, but it will still greatly increase killing speed.

 

[MasterMynd]

Re: Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

One way of looking at it is that you get increasing returns on this skill as the level increases. (Your pie-are-squared formula from elementary school geometry.)

Being able to kill a monster at the top of the screen, by exploding a body at the bottom of the screen, is not only high on the cool scale, but has gotten me out of deeds-threatening situations at least twice. (Though that's not really an issue if you're playing SC.)

 

[ToasterStrudel]

Re: Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

The reality of it (for me) is that maxed CE is an awsome defensive tool - one cast can change a dangerous, even losing situation into an empty battlefield.

I agree totally. One great thing about a huge CE radius is that it saves you from having to rush in to a room filled with deadly monsters: You can just make your skellie mob block the doorway and wait a few minutes safely away from the action until a body drops, then clear the whole whole room with a CE chain without ever stepping foot inside it!

(Then again, I play hardcore so I probably care a little more than you might)

 

[maiku]

Re: Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

Yes, definitely. Even if a CE chain doesn't kill everything on the screen in larger games, multiple explosions can put NM/Hell monsters into hit recovery and stop a rush at your Necro. It's just an amazing skill. The bigger the monster, the more punishing the blast!

 

[timevalue]

Re: Is it worth maxing Corpse Explosion?

I definitely agree that maxing Corpse Explosion is a good investment for most Necro builds. Having +skills equipment on top of maxed CE makes it even more deliciously awesome!

You actually get more and more benefit out of each point put in the skill as you go higher in skill levels.

Check out this older post I wrote on CE:

http://forums.diabloii.net/showpost.php?p=5822580&postcount=131

Also, keep in mind that maxing CE allows you to blow up fewer corpses so you can use the other corpses to raise skelly warriors, magi, and revives if you need them.....

~timevalue