Compulsive skill stacker looking for information

Even when it is a bit distracting, i enjoy stacking skills and i tend to stack them automatically unless it's an offensive skill that i can't afford to miss. I know that stacking skills decreases its focus cost and makes its effect more powerful ... but in what way and amount?

I think it can't hurt to include in the Glyphs UI a description of how the effects of each skill increase as you increase the amount of skills stacked. Also updated tooltips for stacked skills could be great! Currently the only way to get that information is looking at the buff/debuff tooltip some skills generate, and that's quite a bother.

 

I personally have never noticed any skills getting stronger (duration or damage) by stacking, but am also not very high-leveled, and have not been able to stack more than 2 or 3 glyphs at once due to irl dexterity That being said, I am also curious how useful stacking really is, if at all?

 

Stacking can make a big difference especially in terms of durations.

I actually made a thread about the tooltips in the last week or so but it never garnered that much interest: https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/forum/index.php?threads/dynamic-tooltips.41846/

 

@Noric i'm sorry i missed your post, but i'm glad we think alike! I also think that giving information about how an skill increase its power by stacking could give people a reason to do it.

@Fister Magee before posting this i've been doing some test stacking buffs, to check the differences between stacked and simple skills... I don't have access to the game atm but off the top of my head i can tell you 2 stacked Airs embrace increase the buff duration by 20 seconds, and 2 stacked Dodge increases the dodge modifier by .4 (in my case it goes from 7.8 to 8.2). I don't know the exact numbers but i'd dare to say that every stack on disabling shot slows your enemy an additional 10% (going from 50% to 60% with two stacks). it also benefits from increased duration. All those skills went town from 8 focus cost to 6 focus cost with 2 stacks, and to 5 focus cost with 3 stacks (looks like a 20% focus cost reduction per stack)

What i can say for sure is that stacking is indeed an advantage, at least regarding utility skills. I can't assure the same regarding damage but it is my impression that average damage is increased as well.

 

I dont notice increase gains nor do I notice increase in efficiency from the skill, IE: Searing Ray does not do more damage based on it being stacked.

 

As i said before, damage increase is just an impression and i can't confirm it. What i can confirm is that buff and debuff stacking is highly appealing, and the improvements are noticeable by looking at the tooltip that appears under the appropiate health&focus bar.

 

So a 2 Focus reduced cost for stacking Healing Touch 2x is worth it to you? Rather than get 2x the amount of health back by casting them both separately?

 

You're right, healing skills are also off the table, and even more than damage. Try a buff or a debuff skill and you'll notice how the duration or/and the effect is increased. I'll try to post some numbers here if i have time to log in.

Having information about how stacking works for each skill may be useful to judge if it's worth the effort. I'd dare to say that what's not perceived it's not worth it, so i'd say how damage and healing skills improve by stacking should be looked at

 

In my opinion its not worth the waste of the Spell to stack them.

 

I haven't had much luck with glyph stacking. If I stack 4 enlightenment glyphs I go from 16int to 18int. I think sometimes I'll do more damage with spells but I haven't tested it extensively. I know I've tried stacking obsidian arrow 3 and 4 stacks a few times and sometimes it will do like 30 damage. Doesn't seem worth it when I could just cast 2 or 3 of them in a row and get more damage out of it.

I'm only adventurer level 55 though.. I'll try it a bit more.

 

I think something with a duration is easier to track than random numbers, but I really never noticed any increase to the duration of the fire DoTs I was using (though I honestly gave up on stacking a few releases ago due to not noticing any benefits beyond less focus).

 

I can test that out this weekend. I know for a fact that I've seen crowd control and buff duration increase but I use neither fire or blades, so I can't say whether DoT duration increases.

 

Cool. I look forward to your research results. I know fire is quasi broken atm, so that might also affect your results.

 

Flame fist did not appear to gain any duration with a 3x stack. Not sure if this is related to fire being borked or is intended.

 

@Chris has stated that there will be adjustments to fire in r25!

 

Since we are in r25 now, any updates on the topic?

 

None that i know of. Haven't checked them in game though (no time to play this holidays i'm afraid)

 

I have found stacking to be more useful. Damage spells are notably increased. I like the changes.

 

Fire is definitely MUCH improved. Multiple DoTs definitely stack (both show up in same icon so hover mouse over it if you think it isn't working) and the DoTs increase in damage over time (every few seconds it increase by 1 min & 1 max damage). Getting 3+ fire arrows (or whatever the ranged fire spell name is) can be pinging upwards of 15+ every 2 seconds. The only one I haven't noticed this affect is the death + fire ray combo (1-5 damage, doesn't appear to increase). It still stacks but I think more damage is done total by keeping them separate currently.

 

It would be nice if stacks also increased hit chance.

Not so much as a benefit of stacking (though it would be), but missing a 5-stack skill is such a massive waste. (literally 5 misses in a row in one skill)