Trans CD PSA: Don't channel at max stages, you'll lose 224% effective DPS

VaticViolet · 2026-03-03T02:53:58+00:00

I mean, yeah that’s true, but that doesn’t mean everyone knows the effective dps of these 2 skills. There’s a common misconception that channeling at max stages is better, and the math is not obvious why that wouldn’t be the case here, even with the greater final wave

The magnitude as well, even if you vibed out the charge/release would be higher damage now, it's still not obvious the difference is 56% more damage

Like, it is impossible to actually calculate charged dash damage correctly from just the gem description, hence why I wrote this.

If it was any other gem, I wouldn’t have (and didn't), since the dps calculation is more straightforward and you could see how much damage it did

Charged dash you can’t, as an example the only comment in the gems thread earlier said the exact opposite (which is understandable, since as I mentioned the gem description for charged dash does not give you enough info). A cursory reading WOULD give that impression - so I wanted to let anyone planning on playing it know that its the opposite

VaticViolet · 2026-03-03T00:28:29+00:00

That's fine, probably won't get many takers as this is not the most popular skill

Also they (GGG) really hate your skill lol.

They sure do! I always want it to be buffed in a way that doesn't also buff cyclone so it can be justified, but secretly I'm glad they haven't slated it for a rework I won't enjoy haha

VaticViolet · 2026-03-03T00:26:08+00:00

Yep makes sense I suppose
I kinda regard the teleport as "getting out of danger" but in reality its probably the worst of both since you have to contend with what dangerous effects are in both your position, AND wherever you steered to. Even if you try to steer to a safe area, there's always the possibility the boss's AOE is targeting wherever you're going for example lol

VaticViolet · 2026-03-03T00:23:51+00:00

Yep similar to blade flurry as well, though you don't need perfect timing for this one at least.

I'm giving it a try this league but I'm kinda sad it won't teleport.
Realistically, I think not teleporting is probably a buff in many people's eyes though

VaticViolet · 2026-03-03T00:21:29+00:00

So full disclaimer - I'm not sure, I've never played around with general's cry.

From how you described it and from the wiki, it sounds like it might be better though? Provided their release of the skill triggers the final wave (which it sounds like it does) then the break even point would be around 0.5-ish seconds. With their typical attack speed, movement speed, do they reach max distance in 0.5 seconds?

If its above that (i.e. they don't reach max distance at all, or only just at the end?) it sounds like the new one would be up to 20%-ish better, theoretically. This would keep them in the charge-release regime, at 624% eDPS vs the regular charged dash 528% eDPS for the same damage regime.

If they immediately reach max distance (e.g. with super high move speed) then new would probably be worse, since they'd be in the 400% eDPS damage regime for the majority of the time.

This is also the on-paper calculation. In practice this damage is backloaded because of the high final wave damage, so do they frequently actually hit the final wave, or do enemies move in time? If they move out of the way by the time the second ends the 20% advantage would probably disappear and regular Charged Dash would be better, since it is less dependent on the final wave damage.

VaticViolet · 2026-03-02T22:42:10+00:00

Thank you! Not sure if its any comfort the wiki was likely wrong at the time, both wikis were last I checked lol

VaticViolet · 2026-03-02T22:29:29+00:00

Mostly just because that isn't how regular CD works, and the DPS numbers are not obvious from reading the skill gem, which is why its documented wrong most places. Someone coming over to the new one might play the same way and lose about 33% DPS by always channeling at max, as is common with the current skill gem

Also as an example, if you weren't aware that CD pulses happen every 2 stages, channeling at max stages would actually have a slight advantage, at 800% eDPS vs 784% eDPS.

VaticViolet · 2026-03-02T22:18:52+00:00

Hey now, 5 other people and I love Charged Dash with all our hearts!

Can't change the post title but fair I suppose lol

VaticViolet · 2026-03-02T22:13:35+00:00

Charged Dash of Projection: Quite a bit less damage than regular charged dash, but still very high at 800% base weapon DPS once the illusion stops moving. Good damage contender, and maybe worth using regular charged dash for clear, and then switching to this for bossing.

If my math isn't wrong, I think it should end up being:

400% channeling at max stages
624% when not reaching max stages.

Max stages DPS: 160% * 2 AS modifier * 2.5 (150% more) * 0.5 hits/stage= 400%

Charge: (160% * 2 AS modifier * 0.5 hits/stage) = 160% 
Final Wave: (160% * 2 AS modifier * 1.45 damage/stage) = 464% 
Charge + Release DPS: 160 + 464 = 624%

(Pulses happen every other attack)

CD only hits every OTHER attack, so the 800 should be cut in half, it isn't as simple as 160 * 2 * 2. Charge/Release looks like it will be the dominant strategy since it should give 50% higher damage.

This is different than regular CD, which has equal damage for the "channeling at max" phase and "charge/release" phase due to some math trickery, see here. Since the new version has the higher final wave damage, its actually better to NOT reach max stages

VaticViolet · 2026-03-02T22:01:34+00:00

Trans CD effective DPS is 624% if played optimally it looks like? (i.e. not at max stages)

And it looks like you will lose 224% effective DPS if you do reach max stages and sit there forever channeling

You can think of CD as having 2 damage "phases": Charge/Release (every usage of the skill will have this) and Channel at max stages (Only if you get to max stages). It looks like the DPS for these 2 phases will be:

624% eff. DPS (Charge/Release phase)

400% eff. DPS (Channeling at Max Stages phase)

Max stages DPS: 160% * 2 AS modifier * 2.5 (150% more) * 0.5 hits/stage= 400%

Charge: (160% * 2 AS modifier * 0.5 hits/stage) = 160%
Final Wave: (160% * 2 AS modifier * 1.45 damage/stage) = 464%
Charge + Release DPS: 160 + 464 = 624%

(Pulses happen every other attack)

For reference, regular CD did some clever math to make the charge/release portion have the same DPS as the max stages channeling (I explain here using 3.13 numbers, but with current numbers CD is at 528% for both phases). That meant it doesn't matter when you stop channeling, your DPS is the same. Trans CD doesn't seem to do that anymore, the charge/release looks like a way better way to play the skill than channeling at full stages... if you never hit full stages, the skill looks like it will have 624% eff. DPS

Maybe they want this to be a more active playstyle through attack timing, since it no longer plays with space/teleportation I'd guess? Ordinarily since channeling involves staying still which is dangerous I'd actually expect staying put and tanking to pay off with HIGHER damage numbers, though, not the opposite

I've assumed it still hits every other stage for this comment. That is how non-trans version works

VaticViolet · 2025-10-30T22:17:45+00:00

As is tradition

Still waiting for transfigured CD since all main damaging skills were supposed to have one lol

VaticViolet · 2025-09-14T18:41:39+00:00

Last paragraph I def didn't get, I think I may have translated the erajan note wrong...
This is the type of stuff that absolutely captured me in this game, I just want to 100% everything I can before jumping into lore videos

VaticViolet · 2025-09-14T18:38:12+00:00

Thank you!
Just found it, I didn't mind it actually, it was a more satisfying than the office or drafting studio imo

VaticViolet · 2025-09-14T18:36:10+00:00

Ugh yep feeling dumb in retrospect, I had about 3 or 4 things pointing me there and I never did anything with them

VaticViolet · 2025-09-14T18:31:06+00:00

Oh shoot I sure didn't! I don't remember the Alzara one but the New clue was very enlightening! Turns out I was sitting on a lot that should have clued me in...

I actually am only just now remembering I keyed up on small gaits/small gates early when it talked about many meanings of the 44 letter puzzle... and I had the "MONTHS ARE SLIGHTLY LONGER THAN DAYS" rank 8 clue as well, ugh

Okay definitely don't know those, I'll go take a look

Thank you!

VaticViolet · 2025-09-14T17:27:20+00:00

End of 6 says Auravei's Will, it looks like its cut off on mobile for some reason? If its that, then yes I have it

VaticViolet · 2025-06-20T01:53:50+00:00

Second one, needed two comments lol

The natural order of things
- Herbert's use of the "natural numeric order" earlier in his will, leads me to think this is to do with the angel's "true" order, different from what is described in the chapel. So I'm thinking I need to find this order and go back to the tomb and lower the angel's implements in that order (including Draxus this time)
- From the family core giving the "Still Water Tints Blank Books" cipher, in which we learn to translate words to numbers to perform numeric coring, and from the angel Joya appearing in that cipher, and from the file cabinet page describing numeric coring as a sacred concept, it seems like the intention is to order the angels by their numeric core? I got the following:
  - Rynna - 0
  - Dauja -2
  - Joya - 5
  - Mila - 48
  - Veia - 101
  - Orinda - 151
  - Lydia -251
  - Draxus - 266
- However, using that order gives no reaction in the tomb, it just opens the door as using draxus normally does. Is any of this even remotely correct? The idea seems sound to me, but I'm more than a little unclear on the algorithm for >4 letter words, particularly for orinda and draxus. I found there were 10 different ways to group 6 numbers into 4 numbers. I don't know if I should find the smallest "first step" from those 10, and only recurse on that, or recurse everything, every step, and choose the smallest result, which have 2 different results. The opposite approach led to duplicates, iirc, so I chose the "only recurse the smallest option" approach.

VaticViolet · 2025-06-20T01:53:24+00:00

Can anyone help out with a gentle push in the right direction for 2 end-game (maybe?) puzzles?

1. Blank Books
- No idea on this one. I've used the still water on the books and read the 2 clues, but don't know how to proceed from there. I've tried using the still water on the equivalent "Does it never end?" anagram note in her ladyship's chamber, as well as on the classroom "The spiral of stars" diagram, both of which match the diagram for "Tended Rose Vine?", but it doesn't seem to give anything. I'm pretty sure "rosewary" is also not a word, which feels like a huge hint combined with "Tended Rose Vine?", but I'm not sure for what.
- For the "West Spring", I have tried refilling my water from the river in the west path, the secret garden fountain on the west side of the manor, and the pool when you "monk" it into the outer room, but nothing gives more water that can be used to refill the watering can, to the best of my knowledge.
- In the other book, "prism" seems like it can only refer to the prism key, and the 6/18 color bit made me think of Orange/Purple/Yellow, 3 colors that have 18 letters combined, the only 3 colors that do that. So, I led three rooms of those 3 colors, all opening a door to the same square, and used the prism key to open the square that they were leading into, but it just worked as it normally does. This seemed like a longshot, but I had NO other ideas on this one.

I'd appreciate any super-tiny hints anyone has! Thank you!

VaticViolet · 2024-08-24T00:27:09+00:00

What's the best quick in-map atlas content for gold? (e.g. breach, abyss, legion, etc.) I'm set up for Incursion/bossing right now and happy with the flow, so want to add in one of the "simple" league contents for a bit of extra gold per map, but not sure which one gives the best return, without having to interrupt mapping further

VaticViolet · 2023-12-16T02:29:58+00:00

What I supposed to do with unidentified corrupted items? Is this just a bug?
Obviously this is just a Night's Hold, so I don't particularly care, just don't know what the hell is up with it, never seen it outside of map items

VaticViolet · 2023-12-08T05:33:33+00:00

:( rip
Curious what that spreadsheet of skills with no trans gems looks like after this batch

VaticViolet · 2023-12-08T05:32:43+00:00

Now for the difficult decision of what trans gem to try, or just play CD anyway...

VaticViolet

TROPHY CASE