[Feedback] 2nd Playthrough - Warrior

1. Warrior was trash at Early access release. Warrior is still trash after the major update. The first time I avoided playing Warrior, this time I regret picking warrior and having a bad time.

2. Overall form of the top-down update is great. The adjustments of economy, mechanics, balance, and end-game content is great. Really noticed a positive switch for my skill level.

3. My core issue with PoE2: While playing Warrior, I tried to roll with the punches, and awaken my inner Dark Souls veteran. But the experience dying between the games is completely different. Both are rage inducing, but Dark Souls does give the opportunity to prevail. PoE2 has a hard block, where stats determine if you can progress or not. It forces the player to grow with the 'power graph' constantly.
I've tried to analyze for myself what I was missing in the PoE2 experience. What was causing me to rage quit and not care about the game anymore.
I believe the reason lies within the limited defensive options. In a Souls like game, timing of offensive and defensive skills is key for success. That is why a highly skilled player can run through the entire game with a club, without increasing stats.
PoE2 has a limited set of defensive options to increase the chance of success. The mechanics are there, but the skills are not effective enough for me to use them actively. Here are a few examples:

1. Shield-block: Steamrolling hordes of enemies with a leap slam up to end-game is way more fun, and effective for progression. As soon as I have to time a block and a skill while risking death, it causes too much frustration.

2. Knockback: A yelp and a push, effective against slow moving skeletons or zombies. But rushing monsters quickly close the gap. Ranged units just keep blasting.

3. Stun: Even stuns power scale. Monsters shake it off like its nothing. If you're not scaling, there is no use for it later on.

The vision for gameplay seems to aim for a gameplay loop of alternating skills, build up combo's, while looking for gaps to escape to. I notice myself and pro players mainly utilizing the alternation of skills and building up combos. But the defensive part is missing. I should be able to outsmart monsters, but after Tier 3, it feels as if I am hard capped and simply have to level up, or get better gear.

I wish for the game to expand its defensive side, so that any player (even a scrub like me) can compete in the end-game, so that the frustrations of a hard-cap can be avoided.

You probably don't want to be asked this, but have you tried taking inspiration from other warrior builds?

PoE into the endgame is pretty hard to conquer with just your own theory, usually people who make great builds have a lot of help from the community and inspiration from others.

Usually I just take other people's shells and make them my own once I understand their mechanics. I think most players do.

Yes, I have referenced a basic existing build.
Act 1, 2, 3 were hard. I needed help beating bosses.
Act 4, 5 6, were fine once the build came together.
Waystones 1, 2 were a perfect fit for me. I was having fun having to peel off weak monsters so I could get to the rare ones, and have a challenging fight.
From tier 3 to 6 it got weirdly difficult. One shotted a lot. At tier 6 I threw in the towel.

Picking builds other people have made should not be the way to play the game though.

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BrkaBrka#3508 เขียน:

Picking builds other people have made should not be the way to play the game though.

I agree, and I understand where you are coming from. Some of the shells and skills are just not up to scratch to compete with others (or even to reasonably clear all content). Hopefully this is improved upon with updates.

Knockback is only viable for very fast sequenced hits. Something like Crossbow shots, rapid assault, multiple minions attacks, bonestorm, ember fusillade, eye of winter, spearfield and other hazards, ice crystals, spectral volley...