| Author |
Topic:
Negative Maelstrom - Did Some Tests For Those Wondering
|
Nyog-Tha
collection | wishlist
Posts:
8,544
Registered:
Oct '02
|
Date Posted:
3/18/05 4:59pm
Subject:
Negative Maelstrom - Did Some Tests For Those Wondering
- Date Edited:
3/19/05 4:55am (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Nyog-Tha
|
I realize that with the New Frontiers RA list that Mentalists aren't out in the frontiers killing mass numbers of players just so that they can rush back to TNN to purchase Negative Maelstrom. But I did some testing today because I was both curious to see how effective it is and if the points or worth the effort. This is what I found using NM3:
Test #1 - 1501 points of damage over the life of the spell
Test #2 - 1483 points of damage over the life of the spell
Test #3 - 1492 points of damage over the life of the spell
Both tests were done against level 54 mobs (Centaur in GG and Wounder in Emain). The Cent I went up against was Cold immune and the Wounder was Cold succeptable. Regardless, the spell takes 3 seconds to activate and ticks every 4.5 seconds for 6 pulses. The damage does in fact ramp up each pulse and I averaged the following per pulse:
pulse 1 - 70
pulse 2 - 150
pulse 3 - 225
pulse 4 - 285
pulse 5 - 370
pulse 6 - 370
I also tested out NM1 and I averaged about 500 damage against various lvl 50 mobs over the course of the spell. Granted, all of these tests were done against mobs with probably 5% resists so take them with a grain of salt. Overall, I definitely do not think that this is a viable RA to purchase, especially now that towers can be razed.
PS> Also did some testing on the Strike Prediction RA, as you might imagine, it isn't exactly that great of an RA considering what you get. Against a lvl 47 Grogan (charmed him before I tested to make sure of the level), using SP2, I evaded all of one time with my base DEX of 192 and QUI of 100. Not exactly a highly scientific test but only having 872hps limits what I can do against PvE mobs.
Finally, also played around with Adrenaline Rush. While it is something that NOBODY is gonna buy, using AR2 and hitting yellow con mobs for 150ish was semi-amusing 
-----signature-----
PURPOSE: It is purpose that created us, purpose that connects us,
purpose that pulls us, that guides us, that drives us. It is
purpose that defines us, purpose that binds us.
|
Locked Topic |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
Fanglo
collection | wishlist
Title: WarVault Staff
The Orange Tree Animist
Posts:
8,650
Registered:
Jan '04
|
Date Posted:
3/18/05 7:38pm
Subject:
RE: Negative Maelstrom - Did Some Tests For Those Wondering
|
|
wow nice tests, keep up the good work.
-----signature-----
|
Locked Topic |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
asypt_percival
collection | wishlist
Posts:
1,625
Registered:
Feb '04
|
Date Posted:
3/18/05 9:35pm
Subject:
RE: Negative Maelstrom - Did Some Tests For Those Wondering
|
|
enemy weaponskill affects evade, not your own, only your dex and your quickness affect evade.
-----signature-----
Asypt <Suffer> Tiarna Nightshade  Mashtuur rr4 Vampiir ToA was a good expansion, it had kinks, but it was good. NF, now that's a crappy expansion. _ http://www.rpgfilms.net/nuke/modules.php?name=Downloads&op=getit&lid=985
|
Locked Topic |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
Loedem
collection | wishlist
Posts:
211
Registered:
Jul '03
|
Date Posted:
3/21/05 10:48am
Subject:
RE: Negative Maelstrom - Did Some Tests For Those Wondering
- Date Edited:
3/21/05 10:49am (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Loedem
|
When I was testing this RA out I pretty much came to the same conclusion...it's too situational and difficult to pull off to get full use out of it. If NM seems like an interesting RA, I'd recommend only going NM1 and use it as a scout popper while defending (void elds do this much more efficiently, but are rare to find)
Edit: Excellent tests btw! 
-----signature-----
Loedem Gravitas 50th Season Mentalist, Percival Wolves of Valinor http://wov.redwidow.se
|
Locked Topic |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
Nyog-Tha
collection | wishlist
Posts:
8,544
Registered:
Oct '02
|
Date Posted:
3/21/05 12:28pm
Subject:
RE: Negative Maelstrom - Did Some Tests For Those Wondering
- Date Edited:
3/21/05 12:30pm (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Nyog-Tha
|
The biggest drawbacks I see to Negative Maelstrom are:
1) Unlike Thornweed Field, there is no other component to this RA that keeps people in the area of effect. Essentially, if someone so chooses, they can easily escape the AE and take no more damage.
2) Unlike Thornweed Field and Volcanic Pillar, the area of effect on Neg Maelstrom is 350 units. I was unable to determine with that round of testing if Neg Mael has a fall-off effect, will test that later on this week. But with such a small AE and the ability requiring a ground target, it is extremely difficult to utilize.
3) The ability, as you can see from my test numbers, doesn't do a great deal of damage. It also only ticks 6 times so the amount of damage achievable is low (though you CAN crit on each tick which is a plus) and the frequency is 3.5s so while it is decently fast, it is still easy to counter via healing or simply moving.
4) The last tick in each and every case did not "ramp up" as it should as if it hit a damage cap.
The place where I can see Negative Maelstrom working effectively is in defensive positions such as lord room in keeps and towers. It falls short in effectiveness in open field fight, that much is certain (though using it in conjunction with Static Tempest might work). If you can get it positions perfectly in a tower or keep, it can and will do some damage. Its one major benefit is that it does stack so multiple storms in one area can really put a hurting on some people, but the trick is convincing people to WANT to purchase this.
If it had a 500 unit radius, was 45/60/75 delve per level, and ticked 8 times with the last two being the same as tick #6, I can see maybe more people using it. But the already slow reuse timer on it and the extremely difficult use makes it something that people will continue to avoid. Then again, that is the reason why so few people purchase Volcanic Pillar and Decimation Trap.
PS> With the 1.75 patch, "tower razing" has come into play. I'm not exactly sure how this is going to affect tower fights. It could end up being yet another downside to Negative Maelstrom.
-----signature-----
PURPOSE: It is purpose that created us, purpose that connects us,
purpose that pulls us, that guides us, that drives us. It is
purpose that defines us, purpose that binds us.
|
Locked Topic |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
SpyderMan-pell
collection | wishlist
Posts:
668
Registered:
Aug '04
|
Date Posted:
3/22/05 11:22am
Subject:
RE: Negative Maelstrom - Did Some Tests For Those Wondering
|
|
Sounds like you put alot of time into this , nice job.. good thoughts on uses also
-----signature-----
\o/
|
Locked Topic |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
Morphaus
collection | wishlist
Posts:
494
Registered:
Sep '02
|
Date Posted:
3/24/05 11:59am
Subject:
RE: Negative Maelstrom - Did Some Tests For Those Wondering
|
"(void elds do this much more efficiently, but are rare to find)"
Still don't know why all Mana Elds do not have the first GTAE... it really makes little sense to go 20 light as a default. 16/12 allows for GTAE and the variance increase isn't >that< much.
-----signature-----
Morphaus, 8Lx Eld - Nimue
Suaph, 5Lx BM - Nimue
Whym 3Lx - Nimue
|
Locked Topic |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
LatrinaX
collection | wishlist
Posts:
5,513
Registered:
Sep '03
|
Date Posted:
3/24/05 12:22pm
Subject:
RE: Negative Maelstrom - Did Some Tests For Those Wondering
|
Nearsight in light, low mez in light, dex debuffs in light..
Is why i'm going light as my secondary rather than void. All those seem more usefull to me then GTAE~
-----signature-----
owned by RL.
|
Locked Topic |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
Loedem
collection | wishlist
Posts:
211
Registered:
Jul '03
|
Date Posted:
3/24/05 1:30pm
Subject:
RE: Negative Maelstrom - Did Some Tests For Those Wondering
- Date Edited:
3/24/05 1:32pm (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Loedem
|
Ok, so with 30% more we're possibly looking at:
pulse 1 - 91
pulse 2 - 195
pulse 3 - 292
pulse 4 - 370
pulse 5 - 481
pulse 6 - 481
Total - 1910
Not bad
More fun with math..let's take 30% away from 1910:
1910 * .30 = 573
So..
1910 - 573 = 1337
OMGtehH4x!!
Heh, would like to see some new tests tho...going to check it out myself tonight a bit.
-----signature-----
Loedem Gravitas 50th Season Mentalist, Percival Wolves of Valinor http://wov.redwidow.se
|
Locked Topic |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
vn_melric
collection | wishlist
Posts:
3,257
Registered:
Dec '01
|
Date Posted:
5/9/05 3:54pm
Subject:
RE: Negative Maelstrom - Did Some Tests For Those Wondering
|
I was reading over on the Alb boards that NM is typically not resisted by the Dragon. How many NM do you think I'd have to drop on the Dragon to kill it assuming that NM wasn't resisted?
|
Locked Topic |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
RSS Feeds
