A couple of clarifications and questions

[vaudeville]

1) Is there still some kind of cap on the maximum level you can have on any aura (last I heard this was about 55 or so) and if so how much will it be after the reset?

2) What is the round figure might level aura that the Act 2 mercenary gives (other than obviously at least level 1)?

[Mephisto]

1: No, no more cap ( this was one of the reasons, characters had to be wiped, same for stats like mf. Previous it was 155% cap, now its unlimited )

2: Level 20 if he's lvl 98, here a guide: http://www.diabloii.net/forums/threads/ultimate-merc-guide-v3-0.306061/

[vaudeville]

Any word yet if the no limit cap for aura's is going to stay in place for the next ladder?

[Game]

Any word yet if the no limit cap for aura's is going to stay in place for the next ladder?

There will not be a change, as that would require yet another character wipe. The aura level should cap at 99 as of now.

[vaudeville]

Alright thanks.

[Lampogriz]

so increased max character lvl wont affect old ones and have to create new?

[Game]

so increased max character lvl wont affect old ones and have to create new?

Huh? We're talking about maximum aura you can get from items, such as stacking holy shock items for example. It used to cap at 55, it is 99 now. We aren't talking about character level, the new cap should work just fine for old non ladder characters.

[vaudeville]

Next question is based on the 4.2 Patch Notes. Just to say, I will try to check this out personally, but I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to ask if anyone else is curious. Here is the note in question.

• Rare item mods have been buffed again! Jewelry can now roll -piercing and extra % damage mods, and just about every item type has new mod potential now. While every item can be useful, the jewels and jewelry will likely have the most impact to standard builds

Will this include the following kinds of modifiers (excluding those included here http://classic.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/magic/jewels.shtml) for jewels (not concerned here if such applies to other rares which I've already heard and seen some examples of):

% life steal
% Increased maximum life
% damage reduction
% enemy physical resistance
% increased attributes

[Game]

Next question is based on the 4.2 Patch Notes. Just to say, I will try to check this out personally, but I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to ask if anyone else is curious. Here is the note in question.

• Rare item mods have been buffed again! Jewelry can now roll -piercing and extra % damage mods, and just about every item type has new mod potential now. While every item can be useful, the jewels and jewelry will likely have the most impact to standard builds

Will this include the following kinds of modifiers (excluding those included here http://classic.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/magic/jewels.shtml) for jewels (not concerned here if such applies to other rares which I've already heard and seen some examples of):

% life steal
% Increased maximum life
% damage reduction
% enemy physical resistance
% increased attributes

Jewels do not have any of those mods if I can remember correctly. If they were to have any of those it'd be the % increased attributes, but I am fairly cerain I just left it to + to all stats.

[vaudeville]

Next question is what's the deal with conviction especially with regard to Heaven's Fury. So with Heaven's Fury conviction will also lower the enemy's magic resistance, but not otherwise? If so, then what is a Searing Light Paladin supposed to do (aside from throwing his hands in the air)?

[Game]

Next question is what's the deal with conviction especially with regard to Heaven's Fury. So with Heaven's Fury conviction will also lower the enemy's magic resistance, but not otherwise? If so, then what is a Searing Light Paladin supposed to do (aside from throwing his hands in the air)?

Searing Light is not designed to be used as a main damage skill. It is a utility skill, designed to further lower resists among other stats. Not every skill has to be viable as a main source of damage. I am not looking to homogenize every class either, just because one class can do something that gives it an edge in certain categories doesn't mean other classes should get the same thing too. I keep seeing those type of suggestions, and honestly I am not a fan. WoW was ruined when blizzard homogenized everything.

[vaudeville]

That's what I thought at first, but I found it awkward if not absurd to use searing light with hammers, but I suppose now since you changed Vengeance to have magic damage, then we should be considering using searing light first and than Vengeance.

I still don't follow the lowering magic resistance thing for Heaven's Fury if the previous intent was to make such the weapon for a FOH or even lightning Zeal Paladin unless again with the change, the player ought to consider using Vengeance with this build. I'll try to give that a shot and hope for interesting results.

[Game]

That's what I thought at first, but I found it awkward if not absurd to use searing light with hammers, but I suppose now since you changed Vengeance to have magic damage, then we should be considering using searing light first and than Vengeance.

I still don't follow the lowering magic resistance thing for Heaven's Fury if the previous intent was to make such the weapon for a FOH or even lightning Zeal Paladin unless again with the change, the player ought to consider using Vengeance with this build. I'll try to give that a shot and hope for interesting results.

The item was designed for Vengeance, not for anything else you mentioned :) I do believe I mention that in the patch notes. Lightning builds will almost always opt for Thunderfury.

[vaudeville]

Ok. Thanks for the clarification.

[Game]

You're very welcome!

[vaudeville]

Next question

What is the round figure drop rate for the mark of sin based on each iteration of diablo (regular, time rift, clone, or omega)?

[Game]

Next question

What is the round figure drop rate for the mark of sin based on each iteration of diablo (regular, time rift, clone, or omega)?

No such thing as a round figure here, it is many variables, sorry!

[Drlukifer]

That's what I thought at first, but I found it awkward if not absurd to use searing light with hammers, but I suppose now since you changed Vengeance to have magic damage, then we should be considering using searing light first and than Vengeance.

I still don't follow the lowering magic resistance thing for Heaven's Fury if the previous intent was to make such the weapon for a FOH or even lightning Zeal Paladin unless again with the change, the player ought to consider using Vengeance with this build. I'll try to give that a shot and hope for interesting results.

Heaven's champion will cause a CTC on kill to cast searing light for your lower magic resist.

[vaudeville]

Heaven's champion will cause a CTC on kill to cast searing light for your lower magic resist.

For a second I thought you meant Heaven's Fury, but you're correct. That's something I'll try to keep in mind, though I'd prefer controlling which enemy gets hit by searing light unless I'm fighting a boss.

[vaudeville]

No such thing as a round figure here, it is many variables, sorry!

I tried. I only asked because I heard it was easier to find on certain versions. I was wondering how true that is.

[Drlukifer]

For a second I thought you meant Heaven's Fury, but you're correct. That's something I'll try to keep in mind, though I'd prefer controlling which enemy gets hit by searing light unless I'm fighting a boss.

It has a decent range that if the enemies group on you most of them should get cursed with it. Then just cast it on a boss before you go

[Game]

I tried. I only asked because I heard it was easier to find on certain versions. I was wondering how true that is.

If you go read patch notes I specify which Diablos have a higher chance :)

[vaudeville]

If you go read patch notes I specify which Diablos have a higher chance :)

Ah nuts you're right. I missed that while going through the Patch Notes. Thanks.

[vaudeville]

Next question

I've been toying with Vengeance finally, and I got to say so far I really like it, but I have one question. What does Vengeance count as because I'm attacking bosses and am not getting HP back from life steal but I am getting life back when I hit enemies which I take it is coming from the Abyss Sphere. Put simply does life steal work or not with Vengeance?

[vaudeville]

Is there a lower resist cap on conviction right now because I have well over 20 skill points on it, and it says that it only gives -150%?

[Savior]

Is there a lower resist cap on conviction right now because I have well over 20 skill points on it, and it says that it only gives -150%?

Pretty sure Conviction has always stopped at -150%.
Once you get to level 25 Conviction the only thing that raises after putting more skills into it is the radius of the aura.

[vaudeville]

Yeah, just found out the hard way that's the case. Oh well. Better to realize that now.

[Mephisto]

Is there a lower resist cap on conviction right now because I have well over 20 skill points on it, and it says that it only gives -150%?

And: Enemy Defense -%

But yeah prolly not worth it it to waste more skillpoints in it, once u have reached -150% Resistance

[vaudeville]

Next question

Sort of similar question/concern I asked before, but is Skeletal Burst like Murder of Crows in that it benefits from physical resistance modifiers but not any other physical/melee modifiers like life steal?

[Game]

Next question

Sort of similar question/concern I asked before, but is Skeletal Burst like Murder of Crows in that it benefits from physical resistance modifiers but not any other physical/melee modifiers like life steal?

I feel like i've answered this 100 times but I will do it again :) ANYTHING that gains damage based on your weapons damage will apply any on-hit effects, such as crushing blow, life steal, chance to cast abilities, etc. Skeletal Burst is STRICTLY based on weapon damage, so yes it will apply life steal.

[vaudeville]

The only reason I asked was that life steal via Hysteria with Skeletal Burst wasn't working for me yesterday.

I had the same problem with my Vengeance Paladin as well when I switched to using smite mid battle against a boss (I want to emphasize that again that I switched to using Smite and also tried Zeal as well) with 4 amn runes on the Griswold weapon, and I was barely healing myself (I'm guessing my Abyss Sphere did the most work here), so maybe you can understand my concern here. So maybe you can tell me what I'm doing wrong.

[vaudeville]

Scratch that last part. It is working when I switch to Zeal but not Smite sometimes. Is it that there needs to be some arbitrary minimum amount of damage I need to do (obviously above 0) to activate such?

[Mephisto]

The minor effects are a few: Smite can apply Crushing Blow and Open Wounds, but not Deadly Strike or elemental damage like fire etc. It doesn't receive any extra damage from the Sanctuary Aura.

Three aspects are however very important to remembed when using Smite

-Smite is not affected by Attack Rating, so it never misses its target, regardless of defense and level of the target monster.
-Smite does not work with Life/Mana steal. This is a major drawback in alter difficulties, as many melee classes rely heavily on life steal to stay alive.
-Smite can however steal life through Life Tap / Life on Hit.