Questions about Gathering Storm skill node: Tempest Weapon

General
1

Checked and it seems at least one of these questions has been asked before, but with no response.

The Tempest Weapon skill node states:
“Gathering Storm deals additional spell damage per 3 melee damage on your equipped axe or mace.”

Two questions:

  1. Does “melee damage” include ALL melee damage types – melee damage, melee lightning damage, melee cold damage, etc.?
  2. Since it says “axe or mace”, does it include both weapons if you’re dual wielding a mace and an axe/two axes? Just one? If one, which?
2

Hey.

  1. Yeah it counts all melee flat, regardless of type.
  2. Yeah it includes both if you are dual wielding.

A few things to keep in mind though: The added damage has 0 effect on stormbolts you create with gathering storm. So the node is useless unless you plan to actually use gathering storm as your main attack. If you are running a friends of the tempest build, and only use gathering storm to keep 1 stack, the node is complete bait.

3

Wait, what?

This contradicts the last sentence. I’m just asking. This node doesn’t work with Storm Bolts procced by other skills?

4

It’s not a global buff. I think that’s what he wat to tell. Don’t know for sure.

“Seismic Crash” is somehow not working with this sadly. Taking the node with 60 str didn’t change anything in my dmg numbers while 40 more spell dmg should do a lot more dmg. It’s like wearing 1 1/2 2 handed weapons where I was.

I think something isn’t just working right with this interaction.

5

I was under the impression that there were several nodes in the Gathering Storm skill tree that, while they don’t specifically mention Storm Bolts, do affect Storm Bolt damage even if cast indirectly from other sources…

6

I can see how my reply was confusing.
The node effects the damage of the gathering storm strike/attack part, but not the storm bolts summoned by GS.

You can go check it easily, press alt while hovering over a shaman passive that has to do with storm bolts so you can see storm bolts tooltip and dps.
Now spec into the node, and check again.
Unless it was changed (or fixed I guess) it has no bearing on storm bolts damage.

There are many nodes that do indeed work on the bolts such as mana consumption one, but others that don’t.

Gathering storms skill tree could use a redo. Way to many nodes that has to do with how you gain/spend stacks. Way to few that actually changes storm bolts behavior / damage.

7

Thanks, that’s useful info. Since we’re here, I have another question. I saw many people maxing Thunderous Strikes (40% lightning penetration) on cold Gathering Storm. Nowhere does it read that this is converted to cold penetration. Is it?

8

Yup, it does, on the node itself. It’s just greyed out a bit. But it becomes phys or cold pen, depending on conversion

9

This can’t be correct/ it must be bugged. Tempest Weapon grants additional spell damage. Gathering Storm is a melee attack, it doesn’t benefit at all from spell damage. The only spell component of the ability is Storm Bolt. If this additional spell damage does not benefit storm bolt, then it does literally nothing.

10

Posting here my result of testing the Tempest Weapon node.

Specifically I’m testing Storm Totem’s Unmatched Storms node where Gathering Storm’s Storm Bolts replace Storm Totem’s base attack.

With no weapons equipped, hitting a dummy ~ 110k - 130k
With Taste of Blood equipped (no minion damage) ~150 - 180k

This was consistent and clearly shows that flat melee dmg on the axe clearly affects the Storm Bolt.

Making a correction here, it does not benefit from dual wielding in terms of casting twice as many bolts. Best way to boost damage is to get a Coral Aegis with T7 Shock to attackers affix, aiming for 600% chance, as this gives a huge flat spell dmg boost via Fulgurite Core.

Happy hunting,