Unique beneficial enchantments - toggleable option

[Dam23]

Hello everyone,


The new patch is great, I'm loving NG+ .

However, the notes [1] state :
"

• Characters may only have 1 beneficial enchantment spell of each of the following types: Focused Intent, Material Force, and Guarded Form. Casting a second of the same type will replace the first."

Now see, I really dislike this change.
As in, it's actually a deal breaker for me.

It completely fucks up specialized support mages who used to focus on buffing up allies, in opposition to direct damage spells.


If I want to spend 5 minutes buffing up, then 5 more minutes after a caster strips me of my buffs, then finally be able to deal 600 damage in one hit, surely the game should allow me to.


I would suggest that stackable buffs be reinstated as an in-game (Gameplay) option for those who wish to make use of the feature.
After seeing so much heated discussion on the PoE forums with regards to implementing an (obviously opt-in !) respec feature, I'd like to stress that the key word here is "option", as in you can elect not to toggle it, and keep unique buffs vs stacking.



[1]
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/tyranny-patch-notes-1-1-0-0023.1028830/

 

[JunBerry]

Agreed on the part that this change stifles supportive style play.

However, the change is almost definitely motivated by concerns of late game scaling unrelated to NewGame+

• Criticisms were a plenty regarding the difficulty of encounters in Act 2 and 3.
  
• In my experience, being able to stack things like Spectral Blur, Titan's Might, etc. made fights past about level10 really dull. Not long into Act 2, I had all my characters loaded to the aforementioned 2 spells and was always having them cast upon each other before every foreseeable encounter because the benefits were so obvious and lacking in risks or limitations.
• I think we can all agree the game is kind of a breeze once you've got a fully party, are past level10 and are regularly pausing and commanding rather than letting the AI roam free.

Tyranny's design also does not allow for truly pure supports. The game encourages being well-rounded and that's a preference of design players simply must accept.

• You can't start as a support mage out the gate. You have to find and unlock cores and sigils first.
  
• You always still have your default attack and have no means to change the nature of that into a supportive move.
  
• With Lantry, there's only so much you can focus on healing before it's more productive to spec into Quill or Sage and improve your auto-attacks and expand your options.
• With Sirin, if I recall correctly, there's no song combination that doesn't at least deal some damage.

In favor of removing the limit, there is an argument to be made for solo players who needed the lack of limit to let them buff themselves to godhood but I think it's also agreeably reasonable that Tyranny is supposed to be played with a full party of companions and the difference shouldn't just be made moot.

• I can't relate to those who would try to solo in their FIRST non-NewGame+ playthrough and abstain from enjoying the companion interfactions, but I can only imagine such people are seeking a somewhat masochistic or punishing experience anyway and that should not be denied to them.

----

With all that in mind, I would propose changing the hard-cap to a scaling limit instead of a toggle, tying the "beneficial enchantment spell" limit to levels and/or unlocks.

• For example, if every 7, at level7, you can stick on 2 buffs of each enchantment (for a max of 6 in total), then 3 at level14, 4 at level21, etc..
  
• Another possibility with be having NewGame+ add +1 to the limit for each additional NG+, like it does with the carryover of Artifacts and Reputation abilities.

This would keep to the game's intended pacing, the progression/combat design, and enhance the NewGame+ experience which is currently just capped in this regard.

A solo player would also eventually be able to do the "buff self to divinity" style, but not before facing the intended harshness of the game and/or at least trying out playing with companions.