The reason they're nerfing ias is actually quite obvious--they've said it themselves multiple times. People are focusing too much on the DPS increase provided by adding simple ias items and forgetting about everything else. In D2, reaching a certain breakpoint for your class/build was optimal, but it didn't actually alter how much damage you can deal per second--and if it did, only by a little bit . . . mostly for convince sake. In D3, people focus so much on the "big numbers" that they forget there are other things out there. Other ways to play.

I switched from the vanilla hydra/blizz kite build to the nuke-them-all arcane orb build that I'm very much enjoying. IAS, for my wizard, is mostly a "nice" thing to have, and nothing more. Hydra rarely comes into play. People need to realize that speed isn't the only way to increase DPS and that DPS isn't actually how much damage you do per second while in a fight--it would be, in normal. Inferno is a whole other matter.

Despite all of this, I still agree that this is a bad decision on Blizzard's part. In 1.03, instead of aiming for quick 1-handers, people are going to go for the hard-hitting 2-handers. They're going to be less effected by IAS, since they depend on average damage and little more. Blizzard is just forcing us to focus on something else now. It will make no difference in the long-run.

My prediction is that people will get really pissed of to the point where Blizzard will need to alter their changes once again--unless Inferno will be made just so, so much easier than it is now.

I've always said, if they nerf attack speed, they need to at least raise the base damage of some of the faster weapons. The faster weapons already have lower total potential than slower ones now, and that gap will just get even worse now. Otherwise, on-weapon ias should just be left alone.

EDIT: On the topic of 2H weapons, even with present attack speeds, 2H should be dominating the very high end tbh. The raw DPS potential is considerably higher, and people seem to all be running arcane orb as they gear up more. This nerf will actually hurt that 2H switch, as it will be very hard to hit 2.0aps with a 2H weapon.

And, as I've said, I think monks and barbs with their LoH are getting hit harder than we are

This post was edited by qgan0914 on Jun 17 2012 03:20pm

I agree that tweaking on-weapon ias is a bad decision. The moment 1.03 goes live, most of the higher dps weapons in the AH will drop down to the relative bottom and their worth decrease into nothingness. I honestly don't know what Blizzard is thinking. Diminishing returns would placate everyone, but Blizzard is very much against more hidden game mechanics--which we really don't have any of right now, anyway.

Speaking of Wizards, hitting 2.0 with a 2-hander is unnecessary. If you can afford to nuke champions with orb, you can afford to kite much less than otherwise. I wouldn't have switched to a 2-hander if I had to kite just as much as I did with a 1-hander. I doubt this ias nerf will affect arcane orb builds in any significant matter--unless they're using Hydra, of course. (The fact that Hydra depends on dps is ridiculous--but that's a topic for another time.)

I can't even imagine what melee classes will have to do to survive--unless, of course, Inferno will be nerfed to the point where they won't need all that loh/leech.

Perverse, any comments on how reliable your build right now? I got 38k dps wizz, 500@, 33k life and I am getting my ass kicked on act 3. Should I swap to arcane orb/hydra build? What farming spots should I start with?

If I had 15 million to spend. How would you recommend going about gearing up a Wizard now?

Why would I "qq" about ias+inferno, my dps will drop from 65 to around 57ish k dps, still enough to do pretty much any area... So no sorry, I dont plan on whining. Or else I wouldnt say "im looking forward to 1.03" :-).

Perverse, what skills are you using atm? Ive been trying orb but for some reason cant grow to like it ;(. Guess I need more exercise with it..

This post was edited by Neuuubeh on Jun 17 2012 11:27pm

Hydra depends on dps. Spirit heal, loh and life leech on other classes will depend on at least 2 aps (mentioning them just for argument's sake).

People need to realize that speed isn't the only way to increase DPS and that DPS isn't actually how much damage you do per second while in a fight --> Its a pretty good rough estimate though over the course of a few hits, and hydra totally depends on that number.

But if ppl are focusing on ias instead of their damage stats thats stupid, I agree. It wont help blizzard or your signature spells or orb or disintegrate.

In D2, reaching a certain breakpoint for your class/build was optimal, but it didn't actually alter how much damage you can deal per second--and if it did, only by a little bit ---> Dont agree with you here. Hammerdin, zeal, smite, frenzy, trappers ... the old high dps from high killing speed >>>> raw damage lower speed debate was never any more true than in D2.



Good for you, but if you cant see how nerfing ias amounts on items can have a bad impact, its not my fault either.



This post was edited by markilbaldacchino on Jun 18 2012 04:06am

So Perverse instead of Hydra do you now just use Arcane Orb? Are you still using piercing orb and blizzard?

E/ And are you going with 2h next patch? I could just buy a good one of them as they are cheaper now

This post was edited by Wolf420 on Jun 18 2012 09:09am

When I still play (which isn't all that frequent anymore--as I've almost completely lost interest in this game) I'm using Arcane Orb as both my primary and secondary, Hydra for the longer fights, and Archon for the tough ones. Kiting is boring, so I decided to limit its necessity to a minimum. I'm using a 2-hander right now, actually. The damage output of a 2-hander, combined with something like Arcane Orb, allow you to achieve a DPS much, much higher than the standard Blizz/Hydra build if you have enough defense to take a few hits and enough DPS to kill them before they reach you--at least some of the time. I also sometimes just switch teleport/mirror to a signature spell and use Arcane Dynamo for unmatched DPS.

This post was edited by Perverse on Jun 18 2012 09:52am

Define bad impact. If changing something (paired with adjusting difficulty, even if only by a bit) leads to people actually having different builds.and equipment choices... I think its a good impact. Might be just me. I do think that everyone trying to get andariels visage, boj anglers, lacuni and tal rashas chest armor or whatever is frigging dull and doesnt really help anyone..

But whatever, you have your opinion, I have mine ;).
What skill build are you using anyhow?