I use Zhentarim Warlock as active. My problem with Lightfoot thief/Yeti or Air Archon that they are melee and they die often in Bosses/Dragons aoes. They are might be good in instances but instances are no problem for a long time...
The dying is a positive, not a negative. When they die, the cool down on the bonding stones resets meaning you can get more then 3 stacks fairly easily.
I would recommend running the lightfoot thief for bonding procs. I am currently in the process of testing active bonusses and whilst I will not say which ones currently seem the best until I have finished testing, I will say the crit severity companions and CA companions have already been toppled in terms of boosting your dps.
Lightfoot thief/mercenary for active to get bonding procs, followed by blink dog for active, with fire and air archon and finally the siege master.
Hmm, interesting. What are your thoughts on the Earth archon? I feel as if my HP is full more often than not. Hard to test but in a good group, and especially with an OP, my HP is 100% probably 80+% of a dungeon or fight.
Also, do you know what the difference is between the intellect devourer and blink dog? I have the ID and haven't switched to BD yet because I figured they did the same thing even though the wording of the active was slightly different. +2% Combat Advantage vs. +2% Combat Advantage Damage.
I am currently running Air Archon summoned(hate to have a wasted active), fire archon, earth archon, Intellect Devourer, and Erinyes.
With 100% crit chance shouldn't the Erinyes at Epic raise our DPS by 10% or is my math/thinking incorrect?
Edit: Sorry for all the questions.
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ironzerg79Member, Neverwinter Moderator, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 4,942Arc User
Both the Blink Dog and Intellect Devourer stack to boost your damage while attacking a target with combat advantage.
And I don't think that's correct on the Erinyes. A 10% boost to your critical hit damage wouldn't translate into a 10% damage boost at 100% crit. Your default damage on a critical hit is 175%. With an Erinyes, that's 185%. So 185/175-1 = 5.7% damage increase. If you have more critical severity bonuses, the contribution is less...if you had a P.Vorpal at 50%, then it would be 235/225-1 = 4.4%.
Multiply that by your actual critical strike percentage to get your damage increase. For example, I generally parse at or around a functional 90% crit rate on my key abilities. So that's 90% x 4.4% or a 3.96% damage increase (just taking into account a P.Vorpal and the Erinyes..
Of course, someone can correct my math, but I believe that's how it works.
I try to look at things as easily and uncomplicated as possible and it just seems to make sense that with 100% crit chance that means every thing you do crits, no? 10 encounters cast = 10 crit encounters. And if Erinyes increases your crit damage by 10% that would mean every strike you do then does 10% more damage. What am I missing?
Also, with your math it looks like the Erinyes would still be one of the better companions with 3.96% damage increase over the 2% you get from a blink dog or Intellect Devourer unless I am oversimplifying the damage from Combat advantage too.
I try to look at things as easily and uncomplicated as possible and it just seems to make sense that with 100% crit chance that means every thing you do crits, no? 10 encounters cast = 10 crit encounters. And if Erinyes increases your crit damage by 10% that would mean every strike you do then does 10% more damage. What am I missing?
Also, with your math it looks like the Erinyes would still be one of the better companions with 3.96% damage increase over the 2% you get from a blink dog or Intellect Devourer unless I am oversimplifying the damage from Combat advantage too.
It isn't adding 10% damage on crits, its adding 10% critical severity. When you are calculating how much your dps is increased by, you need to compare your "new" critical severity to your "old" critical severity. This is why it is not a 10% dps increase and instead it works exactly as ironzerg has posted.
Both the Blink Dog and Intellect Devourer stack to boost your damage while attacking a target with combat advantage.
And I don't think that's correct on the Erinyes. A 10% boost to your critical hit damage wouldn't translate into a 10% damage boost at 100% crit. Your default damage on a critical hit is 175%. With an Erinyes, that's 185%. So 185/175-1 = 5.7% damage increase. If you have more critical severity bonuses, the contribution is less...if you had a P.Vorpal at 50%, then it would be 235/225-1 = 4.4%.
Multiply that by your actual critical strike percentage to get your damage increase. For example, I generally parse at or around a functional 90% crit rate on my key abilities. So that's 90% x 4.4% or a 3.96% damage increase (just taking into account a P.Vorpal and the Erinyes..
Of course, someone can correct my math, but I believe that's how it works.
It's even less than that due to how CA bonus works on crits
I am having Zen Warlock (active), air + fire archon, Erinyes, and blink dog. I am having 92% crit severity + pure vorpal, 60% unbuffed crit% (buffed ~ 70-100%). Should i switch out the Erinyes for Intellect Devourer? *I am a renegade.
intellect devourer and blink dog are the best non active pets there is (at epic), so yes. edit: fire archon is likely the worst of the lot, I,d suggest to remove that one.
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thefabricantMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 5,248Arc User
intellect devourer and blink dog are the best non active pets there is (at epic), so yes. edit: fire archon is likely the worst of the lot, I,d suggest to remove that one.
They are not, fire and air are definitely better because of the way they work. Rather then adding, their bonuses multiply meaning when both conditions are met, its a 12.8% damage increase.
Ok, so I think we seem to know the best active companions and the best bonding pricing companions. Now the question is does having the Lightfoot Thief/Warlock summoned outweigh the Air Archon enough to warrant giving up an active slot?
To clarify...is it better to have a companion that procs bonding faster or just to settle with the air archon and have another active companion such as Intellect Devourer for 2% CA?
intellect devourer and blink dog are the best non active pets there is (at epic), so yes. edit: fire archon is likely the worst of the lot, I,d suggest to remove that one.
They are not, fire and air are definitely better because of the way they work. Rather then adding, their bonuses multiply meaning when both conditions are met, its a 12.8% damage increase.
So do the intellect devourer and the blink dog. And unlike the fire archon, the bonus isn't there only half the time.
I know there may not be much difference, but given the choice, what do you fellow wizards think is the best active companion?
Warlock
Lightfoot
Shadow?
Happen to have Zhentarim and Shadow. My Shadow is only purple. My stats(critical chance is very noticable on ACT) is somewhat higher on Zhentarim. Ergo it stacks bonding more. The shadows active bonus is low. Maybe I should boost deflection more which I don't really want on this character. Shadow damages 3 times more yes which can be good on low gear or on solo but its minor on high gear and doesn't cover up for the loss of bonding stacks I think.
Shadow is rogue type has stealth and higher deflection so it doesn't die often nor Zhentarim which is ranged. Shadow teleports to target which is faster as an Air Archon slowly reaches target.
I had high hopes for Shadow but I think I switch back to Zhentarim. Maybe I should check it on yellow but its pricey.
I have no information on Lightfoot. They say its good but it was said about Shadow too...
stock and stone I can master, but there's a Wizard to manage here!
Still curious to know if the zhen warlock is worth giving up an active slot when you could just use air archon. Zhen may proc bonding faster but the active bonus is fairly worthless while there are many companions that have actives that may outweigh the zhens bonding proc speed.
After extensive testing I have to agree with Fab on the Lightfoot recommendation for summoned pet. As to actives, I am still wondering about which is better, two archons and one CA companion or one archon (air) and two CA companions.
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tamsirlidianMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 27Arc User
Still pondering on what's best as companion, as active i'm using a legendary shadow demon and don't want to upgrade another to legendary for the moment, so i'm good. I was pondering which of the three couples I should take:
- Air Archon + Fire Archon, makes an average +~9% damage as explained page 2. - Blink Dog + Intellect Devourer, my math is kinda sketchy but it'd be +25% CA Damage. Translating into (15 + 12 (22 char) + 8 (1000 CA Bonus) +10 (Underdark Boon) * 0,25 = 11,25% more - Siege Master + Young Yeti, meaning +5% everytime and a 10% on proc (not sure about that)
Still pondering on what's best as companion, as active i'm using a legendary shadow demon and don't want to upgrade another to legendary for the moment, so i'm good. I was pondering which of the three couples I should take:
- Air Archon + Fire Archon, makes an average +~9% damage as explained page 2. - Blink Dog + Intellect Devourer, my math is kinda sketchy but it'd be +25% CA Damage. Translating into (15 + 12 (22 char) + 8 (1000 CA Bonus) +10 (Underdark Boon) * 0,25 = 11,25% more
I think blink dog+devourer is 1,05*1,05=1,1025 or 10,25% more dmg if you are in combat advantage.
stock and stone I can master, but there's a Wizard to manage here!
I currently do not have any legendary companions. Does the legendary bonus help whether or not the companion is summoned?
Basically I want to know if I am better off making my summoned companion legendary or a companion I never plan on making inactive(Air Archon)?
The active companion is always the best choice because going to legendary (or to be more exact, going from lvl 35 to 40) increases the stats of the companion too, which is then transferred to you via bonding runestones.
I currently do not have any legendary companions. Does the legendary bonus help whether or not the companion is summoned?
Basically I want to know if I am better off making my summoned companion legendary or a companion I never plan on making inactive(Air Archon)?
The active companion is always the best choice because going to legendary (or to be more exact, going from lvl 35 to 40) increases the stats of the companion too, which is then transferred to you via bonding runestones.
Thanks! But your currently summoned companion still gets the legendary bonus even if a different active companion is the one you made legendary?
I currently do not have any legendary companions. Does the legendary bonus help whether or not the companion is summoned?
Basically I want to know if I am better off making my summoned companion legendary or a companion I never plan on making inactive(Air Archon)?
The active companion is always the best choice because going to legendary (or to be more exact, going from lvl 35 to 40) increases the stats of the companion too, which is then transferred to you via bonding runestones.
Thanks! But your currently summoned companion still gets the legendary bonus even if a different active companion is the one you made legendary?
No - this isn't correct. Only make Legendary the companion which is summoned - it will then have higher stats and 15% will be transferred to you (before Bondings, etc). If you have a companion in one of the active slots (but not summoned), then there is no need for it to be Legendary.
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zekethesinnerMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 805Arc User
No - this isn't correct. Only make Legendary the companion which is summoned - it will then have higher stats and 15% will be transferred to you (before Bondings, etc). If you have a companion in one of the active slots (but not summoned), then there is no need for it to be Legendary.
U r mistaken. First of all, even if that legend companion is not summoned, as long as its in active slot (first spot preferably to avoid bugging) legend boonus still works on summoned companion. Now there is that option, u may want ur summoned companion to die rly often, so u keep him on blue or even green quality, and when one of ur active companions is legend, u still get legend bonus.
Win-Win.
Tho i prefer my merc to be legend, since im not rly into abusing bonding mechanics.
Comments
The Warlock will put out about 3-5k extra DPS, but her primary job is to get Companion's Gift stacks.
Also, do you know what the difference is between the intellect devourer and blink dog? I have the ID and haven't switched to BD yet because I figured they did the same thing even though the wording of the active was slightly different. +2% Combat Advantage vs. +2% Combat Advantage Damage.
I am currently running Air Archon summoned(hate to have a wasted active), fire archon, earth archon, Intellect Devourer, and Erinyes.
With 100% crit chance shouldn't the Erinyes at Epic raise our DPS by 10% or is my math/thinking incorrect?
Edit: Sorry for all the questions.
And I don't think that's correct on the Erinyes. A 10% boost to your critical hit damage wouldn't translate into a 10% damage boost at 100% crit. Your default damage on a critical hit is 175%. With an Erinyes, that's 185%. So 185/175-1 = 5.7% damage increase. If you have more critical severity bonuses, the contribution is less...if you had a P.Vorpal at 50%, then it would be 235/225-1 = 4.4%.
Multiply that by your actual critical strike percentage to get your damage increase. For example, I generally parse at or around a functional 90% crit rate on my key abilities. So that's 90% x 4.4% or a 3.96% damage increase (just taking into account a P.Vorpal and the Erinyes..
Of course, someone can correct my math, but I believe that's how it works.
I try to look at things as easily and uncomplicated as possible and it just seems to make sense that with 100% crit chance that means every thing you do crits, no? 10 encounters cast = 10 crit encounters. And if Erinyes increases your crit damage by 10% that would mean every strike you do then does 10% more damage. What am I missing?
Also, with your math it looks like the Erinyes would still be one of the better companions with 3.96% damage increase over the 2% you get from a blink dog or Intellect Devourer unless I am oversimplifying the damage from Combat advantage too.
I have available for passives:
Air and fire Archons, Siege Master, blink dog, intellect devourer, yeti, erinyes, wild hunt.
90% average crit, and maxed out CA.
What would you guys recommend?
Currently running shadow, air, fire, siege, and yeti.
Thanks
When you are calculating how much your dps is increased by, you need to compare your "new" critical severity to your "old" critical severity. This is why it is not a 10% dps increase and instead it works exactly as ironzerg has posted.
Warlock
Lightfoot
Shadow?
To clarify...is it better to have a companion that procs bonding faster or just to settle with the air archon and have another active companion such as Intellect Devourer for 2% CA?
My stats(critical chance is very noticable on ACT) is somewhat higher on Zhentarim. Ergo it stacks bonding more.
The shadows active bonus is low. Maybe I should boost deflection more which I don't really want on this character.
Shadow damages 3 times more yes which can be good on low gear or on solo but its minor on high gear and doesn't cover up for the loss of bonding stacks I think.
Shadow is rogue type has stealth and higher deflection so it doesn't die often nor Zhentarim which is ranged.
Shadow teleports to target which is faster as an Air Archon slowly reaches target.
I had high hopes for Shadow but I think I switch back to Zhentarim. Maybe I should check it on yellow but its pricey.
I have no information on Lightfoot. They say its good but it was said about Shadow too...
- Air Archon + Fire Archon, makes an average +~9% damage as explained page 2.
- Blink Dog + Intellect Devourer, my math is kinda sketchy but it'd be +25% CA Damage. Translating into (15 + 12 (22 char) + 8 (1000 CA Bonus) +10 (Underdark Boon) * 0,25 = 11,25% more
- Siege Master + Young Yeti, meaning +5% everytime and a 10% on proc (not sure about that)
Wild hunt rider is better than young yeti
Basically I want to know if I am better off making my summoned companion legendary or a companion I never plan on making inactive(Air Archon)?
Win-Win.
Tho i prefer my merc to be legend, since im not rly into abusing bonding mechanics.
(Sin)cerely
Kain