Lately i came back to my DH and i noticed that still certain passive skills like Grenadier, Custom Engineering and Ballistics are just horribly pointless and even feel very restrictive.
For example i like picking Sentry with it's Rocket launching rune, but then i feel completely 'tarded if i do not also pick the Ballistic and the Custom Engineering skills - they both decently enhance Sentry Gun but still they are not all that good to be used in a standard "inferno killing" DH spec, so i pretty much "feel" bad regardless do i pick the passive skills for Sentry or not...
Another similar example goes for the Grenadier passive, where if i want to use Cluster Arrow (so i pick Grenadier) i also feel 'tupid if i do not also pick Grenades to use the hate generating bonus (and vice versa as well). And again grenadier (as a passive) is not really good compared to other passives (for inferno) so it makes me regret if i skip it (and use Cluster/Grenades) and it also makes me regret if i take it (and skip on better passives)...
TL;DR: Simply put passives like Grenadier, Ballistics and Custom Engineering are WAY too skill specific - they are to be used (pretty much) solely IF you use Grenades/Cluster/Sentry(or other rocket skills), and even then their benefit is BARELY enough to consider using them while still being so horrible that you regret ever picking ANYTHING related to such passives.
My suggestion would be to make both Grenadier and Ballistics effects baseline (default) and to change Custom Engineering to only affect "defensive/utility" tools (like caltrops) thus making effects for Spike Traps/Sentry baseline as well.
I disagree, if you take the time and use the passives properly, they can be pretty good.
I'll link you some builds using these passives at the best.
Only took 10 minutes to put these together but it's to prove a point, not be a perfect build. Grenades/cluster bomb build:http://eu.battle.net...gPVY!gZb!aaYcZa Rocket strafe/turret/rapid fire build: http://eu.battle.net...hSVk!hXb!abZYZ Turret/Spike bomb trap build:http://eu.battle.net...hYVk!Ucb!YaZaZa
Have fun and try new things!
Thanks for posting but 2 of those builds look like they would have trouble in Nightmare, let alone Inferno with only 1 real defensive skill.
The third one (with the cluster arrow) seems kinda pointless - you already have elemntal arrow, makes ZERO sence to take Cluster which is much more expensive while doing only slightly more damage (even with it's rune).
I don't have a problem with sticking those skills/passives into pretty much any build - the problem is actually fitting them when it is NOT a bad choice, which at the moment is pretty much impossible.
Having to pick grenadier/ballistics/custom engin as poor passive skills to boost already inferior active skills is just not a good thing.
For example i like picking Sentry with it's Rocket launching rune, but then i feel completely 'tarded if i do not also pick the Ballistic and the Custom Engineering skills - they both decently enhance Sentry Gun but still they are not all that good to be used in a standard "inferno killing" DH spec, so i pretty much "feel" bad regardless do i pick the passive skills for Sentry or not...
Another similar example goes for the Grenadier passive, where if i want to use Cluster Arrow (so i pick Grenadier) i also feel 'tupid if i do not also pick Grenades to use the hate generating bonus (and vice versa as well). And again grenadier (as a passive) is not really good compared to other passives (for inferno) so it makes me regret if i skip it (and use Cluster/Grenades) and it also makes me regret if i take it (and skip on better passives)...
TL;DR: Simply put passives like Grenadier, Ballistics and Custom Engineering are WAY too skill specific - they are to be used (pretty much) solely IF you use Grenades/Cluster/Sentry(or other rocket skills), and even then their benefit is BARELY enough to consider using them while still being so horrible that you regret ever picking ANYTHING related to such passives.
My suggestion would be to make both Grenadier and Ballistics effects baseline (default) and to change Custom Engineering to only affect "defensive/utility" tools (like caltrops) thus making effects for Spike Traps/Sentry baseline as well.
Thanks for posting but 2 of those builds look like they would have trouble in Nightmare, let alone Inferno with only 1 real defensive skill.
The third one (with the cluster arrow) seems kinda pointless - you already have elemntal arrow, makes ZERO sence to take Cluster which is much more expensive while doing only slightly more damage (even with it's rune).
I don't have a problem with sticking those skills/passives into pretty much any build - the problem is actually fitting them when it is NOT a bad choice, which at the moment is pretty much impossible.
Having to pick grenadier/ballistics/custom engin as poor passive skills to boost already inferior active skills is just not a good thing.