Path of Exile - Patch Notes Analysis for 3.9 - Conquerors of the Atlas
127So much to say here!
METAMORPH - Nothing really new here. This is the build your own boss league, if you aren't up to date, go out of your way to interact with Tane Octavia during levelling, he'll have a tutorial.
Catalysts are new loot.
CONQUERORS
Don't want to repeat all of this. Nothing new here.
MINOR CONTENT
Some new enchants.
ATLAS
Only new info is that Zana will sell Sh/Elder influenced maps at times. CHECK HER STOCK she also sells Synth unique maps.
CHARACTER BALANCE
Fortify nerfed only for players that took it to extremes. Most players won't notice this. Unshattered Will the shield is gone though.
Shock/Chill changes - does not apply to freeze, you will need to find ways to freeze (crits being easiest)
VERY sub linear scaling
2.5 times hit size = 1.4 times the shock effect
5.7 times = double
15 times = triple
32 times the hit size = 4 times the effect
Net effect: Easy to land small shocks and chills. Hard to inflict big ones. Shock effect/chill effect better stats than they used to be.
SKILL BALANCE
Can't discuss every skill.
ARC
Chain range partially restored. When it was OP, this from ability to multi-chain off several screens.
This isn't OP arc back, but it should be solid.
NOTE: Arc's chaining scales incredibly well with the number of monsters in the zone. Like Headhunter, this skill performs much better in juiced maps than in basic ones. Consider being a net consumer of sextants.
BLAST RAIN
Best stat for this gem is +proj. Shaper +arrows, vaal +arrows, Dying Sun, Awakened GMP. Don't leaguestart this lightly, Dying Sun will be expensive.
CAUSTIC ARROW
Buff to damage compensates for monster chaos resist increases
Radius is a buff
DISCHARGE
This is a buff, skill still probably sucks.
ELE HIT
18% nerf. Still probably good enough. I still intend to leaguestart tri-element EE Ele Hit mines.
ICICLE MINE
BIG nerf but still good
LANCING STEEL
Not a good skill, did not need this nerf
LIGHTNING SPIRE TRAP
Probably overnerfed here. Unlike Orb of Storms. Orb of Storms had it coming.
MOLTEN STRIKE
Doesn't compensate for Point Blank changes. Skill still dumpster tier.
RAIN OF ARROWS
Was already serviceable, now possibly quite nuts
SPECTRE
We need to know about the +1 at 31. Still should be good.
ZOMBIES
Not sure if this is a 'end of Betrayal nerf Winter Orb' moment where the skill was played more in Synth than anything ever before, or an 'End of Synthesis nerf WO' moment where the skill was killed.
SCOURGE ARROW
It's dead Dave
SMOKE MINE
Less of a nerf than I expected
VENOM GYRE
Needed the damage. But the big buff was Awakened Fork being added to the game. This skill might be a sleeper, keep an eye on it.
FEEDING FRENZY
Nerfed hard. Still good.
LMP. ALSO VOLLEY
Not good enough.
MIRAGE ARCHER
Needed the nerf. Still too good not to use.
ONSLAUGHT SUPPORT
Dead
POINT BLANK SUPPORT
Gem dead. Node still mandatory.
ASCENDANCIES
Minor slap for Necro. Huge but niche buff for some Slayer builds.
BASES
Bow and wand bases better. Wands by a LOT. Phys wands viable however they have limited ways to overcome armor on monsters.
CRAFTED MODS
This is all about removing clear best choices that eclipse all others.
There was no point rolling armor chests via any means other than Pristine + Serrated on attack builds.
Some of the lost power will go to the new influence types.
BIG CHANGES: +1 curse legacy. Veiled damage+ailment on bow gone, although bows get something which compensates. Penetration nerfed. Double damage SMASHED but still a tier 1 roll. 25% haircut to dex stacking bows (still strong, 37.5% would have hurt it).
All element conversion nerfed hard.
Flat phys or chaos to spells buffed, might be good enough now but narrow niches only.
FOSSILS
HARD nerfs to the best mods. BUT fossils remain OP.
MODS
Spell damage rolls improved. "The Road To Power" divination card got better.
Shaper/Elder scarabs got MUCH better
Price of Protection :(
UNIQUES
Hyrri's Ire nerfed, still OP AF
Snakebite build enabling now. 40-50% more poison damage on raiders. Not sure if rarer or still common
MONTERS
Bosses harder in acts. Interesting for new players. Expect them to spend longer in the campaign, gearing up. Veterans won't care, we'll adapt. Seems silly that now Innocence and Doedre are the two hardest gatekeeper bosses (Gruthkul and Vilenta hard optionals).
New skills will kill people in HC SSF race. This will be funny.
MAP CHANGES
Atlas bonus determines Zana mod access. Legion might be locked behind a very complete Atlas.
Cortex less rare
SYNTH MAPS TRADEABLE!!!!!!!! These are huge
LATE ADDITION: WED rolls on weapons buffed (dumpster to solid). Prismatic fossil version nerfed. Prismatic still good to start with.
BLEED AND POISON suffixes buffed. This is a buff.
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