Diablo 4 is on the cusp of a new season, and seasoned players know that staying ahead of the curve is essential. In Season 2, a significant shift in the meta is expected. The spotlight is firmly on Damage Over Time (DoT) builds, and in this guide, we'll delve into why they're set to become the dominant force. The key lies in the changes to damage calculations, and we're here to help you understand why DoT builds will shine.
Understanding Damage Calculations
Before we jump into the world of DoT builds, let's grasp the changes in damage calculations that Season 2 will introduce. In a typical damage calculation for non-DoT builds, we have two categories: Multiplicative and Additive.
Multiplicative: This includes factors like base damage, vulnerable damage, crit damage, and overpower damage. They all contribute multiplicatively to your damage output.
Additive: These are additive bonuses, such as various types of damage like elemental, skill type, and percent damage. These typically add together to form your total damage.
The DoT Advantage
What makes DoT builds so appealing in Season 2 is their unique interaction with these damage calculations. While non-DoT builds have a cap on certain multiplicative bonuses like vulnerable and crit damage, DoT builds bypass these limitations.
Let's illustrate this with some numbers:
Non-DoT Build: Pre-season changes, you deal 3750 damage. Post-changes, your damage drops by 63%, leaving you with 1387.5 damage.
DoT Build: Pre-season changes, you deal 4500 damage. Post-changes, even without optimizing, you maintain 3000 damage—a mere 8% decrease.
Optimizing DoT Builds
Now, here's where it gets interesting. As a DoT build player, you have a myriad of options to further enhance your damage output. You're not confined by the caps imposed on multiplicative bonuses, and this is where the real magic happens.
Consider these optimization strategies:
Embrace Multiplicative Bonuses: Prioritize skills like Core Skill, Skill Type Damage (e.g., Cutthroat and Marksman), and others that offer multiplicative damage boosts.
Reallocate Vulnerable Damage: Since vulnerable damage can't be stacked endlessly, redistribute these points into the multiplicative bonuses mentioned earlier. This effectively magnifies your DoT damage.
Exploring New Paragon Boards: Season 2 introduces changes to the Paragon boards. Experiment with these modifications to fine-tune your build and further boost your DoT capabilities.
The Bottom Line
In Season 2 of Diablo 4, DoT builds are poised for greatness. Their unique interaction with damage calculations allows them to bypass the caps imposed on non-DoT builds. With careful optimization and adaptation to the changing landscape, DoT builds will not only retain their power but potentially even surpass their previous performance.
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