templar - distortion wave?

[nomec]

None of the templar builds I see have distortion wave being used. Is it that it takes too many points to build up or do people not like it?

[SilentHawk]

I would consider it pointless. Why? Because you'll be destroying mobs fast enough that the slow effect from DW would be kind of pointless. Not to mention you'll have a high armor rating.

[drdoom]

need you a high deflect trance

[Matseb2611]

I find distortion wave to be the most useful dream skill so far with my Harbinger.
Surely if it kills too fast you can take off a few points to make it work just to slow down, but still it's pure awesomeness if it is strong enough to kill so many enemies at once.

[Voqar]

My harbinger is only in hades/normal and I'm an noob compared to many here (don't play as much, first character in hades, and I only finished the game once pre IT). As such I'm still learning about dream mastery.

I tried distortion wave (but didn't put much in it) and dropped it since I never used it or had any use for it. It doesn't seem like it could ever compete with the melee damage my character generates and moreso don't see how it could ever compare to the utterly sick and ridiculous damage that phantom strike/dream stealer provides. I have no real need of a second AE with PS/DS being so good. Stun might be nice occasionally but mobs don't last long and healing potions are cheap.

[Matseb2611]

Yeah Dream stealer is crazy. Phantom strike would suck without it. In fact I was on a verge of getting rid of phantom strike altogether after I realised that it doesn't deal that much damage compared to how much energy it rips off, but then I decided to give it one last chance by adding a point into dream stealer. The result was dramatic.

As for distortion wave, I think it's good to add a few points into chaotic resonance (its synergy) as it adds % damage rather than flat damage and also reduces enemy armor. I have about 6 points in distortion wave and about 3 in chaotic resonance as my harbinger and one wave tends to kill all weak enemies and severely weaken all but extremelly durable ones. She is in Egypt so far, so I suppose there will be less effect from it in Orient and Hades.

[ffreakk]

I think you can max distortion wave early game to hav an easy run thru (5 sec cooldown, see creeps flying from the wave).. But as soon as i can, i ll shift to PS/DS, then to your normal Warfare/Defense skills.. If you are getting ganged bad, you can get Distort Reality, but i dont think u ll need it. Templars and Harbringers are both really strong class that can hold themselves almost too well. Anw, just make sure you get rid of the whole tree all tgt by Epic, and invest points in their appropriate places i think should be no problem.. I ll gladly post the builds here but i still dont know how.. :(

Anw, as w regard to the question, i think DW doesnt even compare to DR mid-end game.

[dyords]

if u liked phantom strike, then wait till you get the distort reality / temp rift combo.

[ffreakk]

You mean me? Haha.. No, i think PS is stronger than DR/TR.. Even legendary Cyclops fly from my PS late game :D

[dyords]

nope, u already know that DR/TR loses its killing capabilities in Late Epic onwards. :P PS is excellent for bosses. my templar was so weak that he uses PS/run/potion/PS tactic on normal typhon.

[Creslyn]

For a melee build like a Templar, DW is a great 1pt wonder, but not really necessary. A Templar doesn't need DW, but it can make it easier chasing down all those archers in act IV. As a melee build, you should never put more than 1pt in it. Different story for a caster build.

As far as DR/TR goes, same story. 1pt in DR, TR maxed, not for the damage but for the 8 second petrify. Great for melee, but once again...a Templar doesn't need it.

One other skill that is surprisingly handy is sleep, but only when its maxed. 6-10 seconds of a group doing absolutely nothing is a great way to get through (what would otherwise be) a tough fight. Perfect for dealing with groups of archers and/or mages, and your best friend if you run into a dactyl. Keep in mind though, it has no effect on bosses, or on most hero mobs, but its one of the few offensive spells dream offers that a melee build can use as effectively as a caster (int doesn't matter).

[ffreakk]

@dyord
No kidding? What mace are you using? Normal Torch?!? Haha, u just need to respec a bit i think will be fine :)

I ve never tried sleep.. Mayb i ll rescale some point from Nightmare later and max it.. Just for fun :)

[Argantes]

One other skill that is surprisingly handy is sleep, but only when its maxed. 6-10 seconds of a group doing absolutely nothing is a great way to get through (what would otherwise be) a tough fight. Perfect for dealing with groups of archers and/or mages, and your best friend if you run into a dactyl. Keep in mind though, it has no effect on bosses, or on most hero mobs, but its one of the few offensive spells dream offers that a melee build can use as effectively as a caster (int doesn't matter).


must agree + I just love that spell effect :)

[dyords]

@dyord
No kidding? What mace are you using? Normal Torch?!? Haha, u just need to respec a bit i think will be fine :)

I ve never tried sleep.. Mayb i ll rescale some point from Nightmare later and max it.. Just for fun :)

for the normal typhon? i think it was a decent ichtian whomper. anyway, i didnt know how to fight him before so i keep on kiting while waiting for PS to cooldown hehehe. but when i did him with my haruspex, melee is ok as long as you dodge the meteors.