I am currently playing on the Default server, since I'm still fairly new to the game. My main character, Humokt the Templar, is at Act 3 (Cruel).
The skill system is highly impressive, both the passive skill tree and the highly customisable skill gem system. Designing viable character concepts is interesting, but testing them is less so. The gameplay is a little on the tedious and simple side of things. It feels especially dumb since the previous game I was playing actively was Temple of Elemental Evil. The solo is tolerable, but the large groups are far too chaotic. You often cannot see anything in the heat of battle because of the abundant special effects. What happens is that such group runs are extremely easy and don't involve any skill whatsoever, but sometimes you die from an unexpected spike coming from a source you couldn't possibly notice in all the fireworks. I should imagine the Hardcore mode should be a good remedy to this approach, with people being more careful. At present though, the process is so enormously stupid I took to listening to podcasts while playing because I feel my brain degenerating from this. I recall SWTOR battles being less silly. On the overall, I hope that other games learn from PoE's success, take this brilliant skill system and find a more palatable application for it, involving slower and more tactical battles.
I intend to switch to Hardcore mode once I am familiar enough with the game and have first-hand experience of what awaits me on Merciless. I sure hope the groups aren't as inane as on Default. I should also think that the market isn't so saturated with superior goods, albeit I can see people farming gems and items for their other characters.
My current character, as I said, is a Templar. The intended build is as follows: [
link], delineating the possible branches I will expand to from this core
build, depending on whether I find my damage or survivability lacking. Each battle is roughly as follows:
- uphold Endurance Charges through Enduring Cry (if the area is difficult)
- curse distant monsters with Temporal Chains
- curse distant monsters with Enfeeble (I have that ring which adds +1 curse)
- cast Molten Shell for armour
- attack, place a Totem with Ice Nova in it to slow down enemies even further
I have that mana regeneration aura and the fire damage aura. One good thing about my build is that it's fairly flexible in terms of weapons. Until recently I was using Dual Strike (with that elemental damage gem and a few other bonuses) and Whirling Blades for mobility. Dual Strike deals quite an onslaught of damage with all the elemental bonuses, especially if you have gear that gives additional damage. However, I couldn't find or buy any good sword/dagger/claw; I only had a good axe. I am now using Infernal Blow as my main attack, which is incidentally a tolerable AoE, together with Shield Charge for mobility. This is a temporary solution, but I am content with my resistances and armour.
I am very pleased by the permanent Temporal Chains. They slow down the game to a somewhat reasonable pace. I will also consider purchasing another curse ring, since curses don't take up much mana, are fast to cast, and give large benefits. However, I fear that without a ring slot my resistances will not be up to date.