finally some good f****** patch.
Summary
- Expansion Overview: The Return of the Ancients expansion introduces a new league, a complete overhaul of the endgame, six new storylines, and two new Ascendancy classes.
- Meta Shifts: Significant nerfs were applied to popular builds (e.g., Pathfinder, Shield Wall, Lightning Arrow), while other archetypes remained untouched.
- Key Mechanic Changes: Mana leech received a substantial nerf, forcing players to account for more suffix pressure. Totems received a significant buff by removing their resource costs.
- Quality of Life: The Atlas map now supports search functionality, and the Atlas screen zoom has been improved.
- Top Meta Picks: The predicted top-tier builds include Rampage Bear, Crossbows, and Whirling Assault.
Endgame & Content Updates
The Return of the Ancients expansion features a massive update to the endgame, including six new storylines. One notable storyline, Ritual, involves a character named Alfie trapped by the King and Queen of the Mists. There are concerns regarding potential loot density reductions following these structural changes. Additionally, the chance to encounter Abyssal Depths no longer scales negatively with the number of chests in an area.
Player & Balance Changes
- Leech Mechanics: Mana leech has been overhauled and is now significantly harder to sustain, requiring more careful gear planning and suffix management.
- Totems: The Ancestral Bond keystone was buffed; placing totems no longer requires resources or charges.
- Vaal Pact: The keystone was updated to grant 50% more life leeched and 67% leech speed. However, it prevents other forms of life recovery, making it a restrictive choice.
- Banners: Defiance, Dread, and War Banners no longer impose movement speed penalties while in use, and their radius has been increased to six. War Banner remains a high-value skill for attack builds.
Ascendancy & Passive Tree
- New Class: The Martial Artist (Monk) has been introduced, focusing on illusions, rune empowerment, and unarmed combat.
- Pathfinder: Received nerfs, notably to the Running Assault notable, which now grants 30% less movement speed penalty (previously 50%).
- Witch/Sorceress: Starting area spell damage nodes were increased to 10% (previously 8%), though small nodes for energy shield recharge were nerfed from 15% to 6%.
Skill & Item Adjustments
- Nerfs:
- Shield Wall: Shockwaves from a single cast can no longer hit the same enemy multiple times. Damage scaling was reduced.
- Lightning Arrow: Removed bonus attack distance and adjusted area of effect.
- Rolling Slam: Added one second to total attack time and reduced Burst Slam damage.
- Unique Items:
- Adorned Splendor: Maximum energy shield range reduced.
- Doedre’s Undoing: Cursed ground now spawns exploding toads instead of the previous effect.
- Sign of Aqua: Armor/Evasion/Energy Shield scaling increased, but the “enemies take increased damage” modifier was replaced with “increased damage against immobilized enemies.”
Top Meta Predictions
Based on the current patch notes, the following builds are expected to define the meta:
- Rampage Bear
- Crossbows
- Whirling Assault
Note: The speaker expresses strong dissatisfaction with “Ice Shot” due to its high mana costs and reliance on specific positioning, and warns that certain builds like the “Stag build” may require significant investment and Uber Lab completion before they become viable.