PoE Sanity

Reworked Chronomancer Ascendancy looks REALLY Interesting!

By ZizaranWatch videoDuration: PT24M38S

Summary

  • Introduction of new unique items: The Auspex (minion/utility) and Facebreaker (unarmed strength stacking).
  • Overhaul of the Expedition mechanic into a seafaring exploration system with new island environments and bosses.
  • Major balance changes to the Gemling Legionnaire and Chronomancer Ascendancy classes.
  • Rework of the Breach mechanic featuring improved UI, stabilized phases, and jewelry crafting via the Genesis Tree.
  • Significant gameplay philosophy shifts, moving some specialized power (like Recoup speed) from Ascendancies to the core passive tree.

New Unique Items: The Auspex and Facebreaker

Two significant unique items are being introduced in the Return of the Ancient update:

The Auspex

  • Mist Raven Minion: Summons a singular minion that ravages foes and applies the “Unsettled” debuff.
  • Command Skill: Causes the raven to dive at a target, creating an explosion of “madness.”
  • Utility: Grants Frenzy Charges upon enemy kills by the Mist Raven.
  • Defensive Layers: Makes your Deflect Chance “lucky” while on low life.
  • Unsettled Debuff: A slowing effect that increases the potency of other slows.

Facebreaker

  • Unarmed Combat: Allows the use of all Mace skills with fists while hands are empty.
  • Scaling:
    • Grants added physical damage per Boss’s Face Broken (tracked on the map).
    • Provides one additional unarmed damage per five points of strength.
    • Grants +1 Armor per point of strength.
  • Range: Increases melee strike range by +3 while unarmed.
  • Utility: Allows attacking as though the character is wielding a one-handed weapon.

Expedition Update: Runes of Alder

The Expedition mechanic is shifting toward a seafaring exploration model located southeast of the Atlas.

  1. Logbooks: Using a logbook on the ocean reveals a portion of the map and clears the fog to discover new islands.
  2. Island Encounters: Each island features unique environments and Expedition encounters, such as the Bleak Shoals or Craggy Peninsula.
  3. New Interactive Elements:
    • Siren Eggs: Destroying eggs spawns enemies and eventually summons a Siren boss.
    • Caged Beasts and Exiles: Blowing up camps can free NPCs or beasts to fight.
    • Massive Remnants: Large-scale rune stones that allow for complex crafting recipes when activated in sequence.
  4. Progression: Large flagpoles at dig sites indicate where to find more logbooks to explore deeper into the ocean, leading to ancient vaults and new bosses.

Ascendancy Changes

Significant balance passes have been applied to the Gemling Legionnaire and Chronomancer classes.

Gemling Legionnaire

  • Advanced Thaumaturgy: Grants an additional quality option for every socketable skill gem.
    • Example (Fireball): Can fire up to ten projectiles in a circle instead of the standard two.
    • Example (Explosive Shot): Can add two rounds to the magazine for burst fire instead of reloading after every shot.
  • Virtuous Barrier: A defensive shield empowered by socketed skill gems. Its strength scales based on the required attributes of the gems.

Chronomancer

  • Phased Form (New): Causes a portion of incoming hit damage to be taken after a delay.
  • Temporal Rift Synergy: Using Temporal Rift after taking a hit now entirely eradicates the delayed damage from Phased Form.
  • Inevitable Agony: Now displays stored damage on enemy life bars. If stored damage reaches a lethal level, the effect triggers immediately to execute the target.
  • Now and Again: Spellcasts have independent chances to both “Echo” and “Repeat” for burst damage.
  • Passive Tree Shifts: The “Rapid River” node (Recoup speed) has been removed from the Ascendancy and moved to the core passive tree to increase accessibility for other builds.
  • Point Allocation: “Time Snap” and “Time Freeze” can now both be allocated without requiring all eight Ascendancy points.

Breach Rework Recap

The Breach mechanic has been updated for better clarity and deeper engagement.

  • NPC Aleth: A new contact representing the “Keepers of the Flame.”
  • UI Improvements: The Breach timer is now clearly visible, showing exactly how much time remains and how kills extend the duration.
  • Stabilization: Keeping a Breach open long enough causes it to “stabilize,” entering a phase where tough “Hiveborn” miscreations spawn. The Breach remains open until these enemies are defeated.
  • The Genesis Tree:
    • Located within the monastery, this tree is used to craft jewelry and currency.
    • Worm Gifts: Placing a “Worm Gift” (e.g., Amulet Gift) into the tree and fertilizing it with Hive blood produces a random rare item of that type.

Key References