Video summary

Why These Buffed Spells Might be Insane in 3.29 - Path of Exile 1

Main summary

Key takeaways

Gaming

Storyline

  • No narrative storyline is discussed. The video focuses entirely on gameplay/build meta for Path of Exile 1 (patch 3.29).

Gameplay highlights & key points (3.29 softcore trade meta)

Winter Orb (major buff; likely top-tier endgame + strong clear)

What changed

  • More projectiles
    • Fires 3 projectiles at gem level 20 (previously 1 at all gem levels, effectively 1–3).
  • Freeze chance
    • Less important than before (mentioned, but not the main focus).
  • Higher base crit and base damage
    • +1.5% base crit, described as roughly ~25% more critical strike chance
    • ~20% more base damage

Damage impact

  • Estimated roughly ~60–70% more damage after the buffs.
  • Main reason: you can drop GMP because Winter Orb’s base projectile output is stronger.
    • Previously, GMP increased projectile count but caused 26% less projectile damage.
    • Now, with base 3 projectiles, you can replace GMP with another damage support.
      • Expected ~30% more damage from a typical added damage support.
  • Net estimate: ~70% more damage post-patch (near “almost double” vs. 3.4 mentioned).

Early/midgame feel

  • Expected to feel better earlier due to improved base crit (easier crit scaling).
  • Midgame impact is less certain, but the build emphasis is clearly endgame.

Why players like it

  • Great clear from auto-targeting:
    • You basically channel it above your head, and it auto-targets nearby enemies—even ones you may not intend to target.
  • Campaign-viable option:
    • Can be used once you unlock it, around level 28.

Void Knight interaction (new passive/ability showcased)

  • New mechanics described as:
    • Activate once, then receive effects depending on how many times you cast.
  • Example effects shown:
    • 35% more damage
    • 6 additional projectiles
    • Projectiles shoot in a circle around you
  • Potential implications for Winter Orb (speculative):
    • Could significantly improve single-target, possibly stacking multiplicatively with Winter Orb.
    • Circle shots may improve projectile overlap with Winter Orb.
    • Uncertainty about whether it snapshots, especially with a channeling skill like Winter Orb.

Gear mention (early wand)

  • Mystic Refractor (tier ~3 unique wand)
    • +2 projectiles
    • Used early as a cheap option (speaker suggests ~2 divines max if Winter Orb is popular)
    • With Winter Orb’s new base, brings projectiles to about 6
    • Can be swapped later for better gear

Evidence/source cited

  • Mentions JungRone doing a Winter Orb run before buffs, arguing the next patch’s damage increase makes it close to double damage for the same play style.

Ethereal Knives (buffed; very strong endgame mapper)

Overall role

  • Expected to be high meta for map farming.
  • Speaker doesn’t expect it to be the absolute best league starter, but expects strong late mapping performance.

Two versions

  • Base Ethereal Knives
  • Ethereal Knives of Massacre

Base Ethereal Knives changes (key buffs)

  • Crit buff
    • 10% base crit (up from 6%) → described as ~60% more crit
  • Damage buff
    • ~250% effective damage from 220% more base physical damage
  • Projectile speed buff
    • 20% more projectile speed
    • Note: becomes 30% more next patch due to 10% quality gained from socket colors.
  • Why projectile speed matters:
    • Travel distance scales with projectile speed, so +30% projectile speed ≈ projectiles go ~30% farther, improving clear consistency.

Massacre variant

  • Also gains more crit.
  • Speaker emphasizes base EK after buffs, while still acknowledging Massacre remains good.

Damage expectation (baseline comparisons)

  • Estimated ~35% more base damage and ~4% more base crit.

Potential build directions

  • Mentions possible return of “EK Knight” (not fully detailed).
  • Notes synergy with a “pack/fighter” style setup referenced earlier:
    • That setup provides 35% more damage and a Nova projectile with 6 more projectiles
    • Could enable using base EK with traits reminiscent of “EK of Massacre,” but with higher base damage

Why it should remain strong (endgame mapping)

  • Ethereal Knives already described as excellent at scaling map clear.
  • Herald of Ice + Elementalist remains “insanely strong” and is not touched.
  • Shavronne’s setup referenced as already popular and expected to stay strong.

Build/variant caution

  • A BV (Blade Vortex) variant is mentioned as very strong previously, but:
    • The Minion Pack gets nuked, so the BV variant is implied to weaken.
  • Speaker emphasizes the EK variant is “pretty much the same build” and should improve primarily because EK itself is buffed.
  • Example related setups:
    • Mentions Zebu played this build last league.
    • Speaker played a BV variant earlier, but expects to shift back to EK.

Personal intent

  • Speaker says they may start Winter Orb.
  • They definitely plan to play EK in the next league cycle (within 2–3 weeks) due to strength/fun of the Shavronne’s setup.

Strategies / key tips explicitly stated

Winter Orb

  • After patch 3.29, consider dropping GMP due to Winter Orb’s increased base projectile count.
  • Use Mystic Refractor early (if affordable) for extra projectiles; later replace with better gear.
  • If using Void Knight mechanics, test how the circular projectile/buff interacts with Winter Orb (uncertainty about snapshotting).

Ethereal Knives

  • For maximum clear, projectile behavior matters:
    • Projectile speed buffs increase effective travel distance, improving map coverage.
  • Plan around expected strength in late-game mapping, not necessarily as the absolute best campaign/early starter.

Gamers / sources featured (mentioned at end)

  • JungRone
  • Zebu

Original video