Diablo® III

I too am/was/probably-still confused as to how Mythic Rhythm behaves, and a few of my past tests ended up being a bit misleading with respect to MR because a lot of times my test started with an active EP, which was because I assumed (incorrectly) that Madstone/Gungdo/U2 would always apply a "fresh" EP that would overwrite any previous EP active. They actually do NOT overwrite exisiting EPs. So the most critical part of the mechanics is how EPs are applied, refreshed, and overwritten.

Manually Applying EP is the only way to overwrite an existing EP.
- Madstone's EP application does not overwrite an existing EP.
- Gungdo's EP detonation does not overwrite any existing EPs on targets caught in explosion.
- Gungdo's EP detonations refreshes the duration of any existing EPs caught in explosion
- Gungdo's EP detonations only applies its EP to the original target it detonated from and any targets without EP caught in explosion
- U2's EP application does not overwrite any exisiting EPs on targets hit.
- U2's EP application refreshes the duration of any existing EPs on targets hit.
- U2's EP application applies a "fresh" EP to all targets hit that do not have an EP active.

So how does this affect Mythic Rhythm? MR is a passive that increases the damage of your next "damaging spirit spender by 40%" What I thought it meant was 'spirit spending spender that does damage' when infact it has no spirit spending requirement, only that it be classified as damaging. So U2 -DOES- consume the Mythic Rhythm buff... but only if there is a valid target to apply a "fresh" EP to. Confusing right?

Uliana 2pc with MR:
Applies a "fresh EP" to all targets without EP. ONE of those targets without a previous EP will have a MR-buffed-EP applied to them. MR is consumed in this case.
If all targets already have an existing EP on them, MR is -NOT- consumed, and no MR-buffed-EPs are applied. All existing EP durations refreshed.

Gungdo with MR:
Will spread MR-buffed-EPs only to targets caught in explosion that did NOT already have an EP active.

Madstone with MR: (no Gungdo)
Target without EP: Madstone applies a fresh non-MR EP and detonates it.
Target with EP: Madstone does NOT apply a new EP (refreshes the duration) and instantly detonates that original EP. All subsequent SSS strikes apply a non-MR-EP and detonates immediately as expected. If the original EP was MR-buffed, only that single EP detonation would occur and the rest would be "plain" EPs.

Madstone with MR: (with Gungdo)
Target without EP: Madstone applies a fresh non-MR EP and detonates it. That first EP is then "refreshed" by Gungdo, then "refreshed" by Madstone on the next strike, and then detonated again for the rest of the SSS.
Target with MR-buffed-EP: Madstone does NOT apply a new EP (refreshes the duration) and instantly detonates that original EP. Gungdo then refreshes the MR-buffed-EP on the original target and Madstone keeps refreshing the EP Gungdo just re-applied. So all explosions are MR-buffed, and Madstone is really doing nothing useful in this case.

Since most monks pushing GRs are using Gungdo-only, there are really only two good methods to snapshot MR:

Single Target
U2 will apply MR-buffed EP after the 3rd generator strike.
(If you apply EP manually after the very first 3 hit combo, you will actually be overwriting a MR-EP with a non-MR-EP.)
So if you wanted to make sure you applied a MR-EP to the RG (and don't trust U2), then gain the MR buff and apply EP manually to the RG that has EP already.
When an RG does spawn adds, SSS before U2 so you can spread the active MR-buffed-EP on the RG to the adds instead of non-MR-EPs from U2.

Multi Target
Gain MR buff and run away with it. That means usually doing 2x 3 strikes and then dashing away. Find a new pack.
Apply MR-buffed-EP manually to a single target
SSS immediately to spread it from that single target to everything else.
Keep in mind, as new adds get dragged into combat, you will need to use SSS to spread your MR-EPs to them instead of using U2 if you want to ensure they all get the MR-EP.

Other things that snapshot along with Mythic Rhythm:
- the hand used (mainhand/offhand)
- Elemental (not CoE)
- Elite
- Damage Increased by Skills (Power Pylon, Assimilation*, Momentum, Blinding Flash, etc).

* - Assimilation buff is gained after U2 applies EP, so uh.. yea.

Dynamic buffs that you can't snapshot:
- Convention of Elements
- Zei's Stone of Vengeance
- Bane of the Trapped
- Sunwuko 4pc
- Broken Promises
- Focus/Restraint

Hope that clears things up a little ^_^; So if you can find a Power Pylon early in a large 1st floor GR map. #snapshot! Step 1: RNG a power pylon at the GR entrance; Step 2: Get as many stacks of Assimilation as possible Step 3: Dash to a new pack really fast, apply a MR+Assimilation+Power-buffed-EP and spread that for the rest of the map! ^_^ but I don't really play U6 in non-seasons so don't know if that works as good as it sounds heh.

So why bother to use Mythic Rhythm?
Because it is by FAR the best DPS passive for Fullset Uliana builds, as MR is it's own individual multiplier. If you can learn how to snapshot MR onto all your EPs, you can utilize MR on your SSS in most situations and thus raise your DPS ceiling ~40% higher than any other DPS passive. Uliana Monks are also one of the few classes that can snapshot a Power Pylon onto a great portion of their damage as well ^_^

Edit: Adding a small section on what I think would be "ideal" GR-pushing conditions in quotes below. I'm not playing Season 4, so it's mostly a paper-study (holding colic baby right now listening to Maroon 5...ug)

U6 with MR+Assimilation #pylonfishing
- Enter GR.
- Gently massage whatever you can to erect a Power Pylon.
- Grab Power Pylon.
- Gather as many (small hitbox) enemies as you can handle
- Gain 40+ Assimilation stacks.
- Ensure you gain MR buff by using generator on pack that already has EP on EVERYONE
- Dash twice off screen to new pack.
- EP single monster while Assimilation, Power Pylon, and MR buff is still active.
- SSS to spread that seed-MRAP-EP to everything nearby.
- Drag back to original large pack from which all EPs have dropped
- Destroy 90% of pack
- Drag last 10% of pack across the map to spread MRAP-EP to every new enemy.
- Ensure you never use U2 to apply weaksauce-EP to new enemies.
- Spawn RG. (On map 1 obviously!)
- Apply EP from U2 (this will be a MR-EP)
- If RG spawns adds, gain max assimilation stacks, generate a few times to ensure you have MR-buff, and apply MRA-EP to RG.
- When additional adds spawn, SSS to spread MRA-EP from RG to them.
- ...
- Profit.

Fascinating results! For a starting SWK player this really clears up some of my confusion about how to optimize EP damage.

For the reference, I was not satisfied with the earlier tests on EP:FiW because one is a DoT while EP:ID only does a single tick of damage- it might simply have been the case that it updates the snapshotted damage after every single tick - but my further testing (and real-world rift experience) excluded this possibility.

So I assume if I want to completely optimize my damage, I would be replacing my mantra by blinding flash and hitting it before every third generator hit for an extra free 29% damage?

Also, how does Assimilation interact with EP? Favorably, I assume - as in, I would gain the assimilation stacks and then the applied EP would instantly snapshot these stacks?

Edit: Nvm, saw it now. Shame :(

Hello, I have some questions about SSS and Lion's Claw, sorry if these have been asked before:

Skill description of SSS states that it deals 5677% weapon damage over 7 strikes. Uliana's 4-pc set bonus states that SSS deals its total damage each hit. So from these descriptions, is it correct to say that each hit is total SSS damage divided by 7? (without U4 bonus and a white 2-hander equipped)

If I equip Lion's Claw alone, does the total SSS damage get divided by 14 per hit? (LC in MH and OH is empty)

Earlier in this thread it was mentioned that SSS alternates between MH & OH. With LC equipped and without U4 bonus, how does the total SSS damage get divided among the 14 strikes when MH/OH alternates?

Right now I only have 3 pieces of Uliana's set. I also don't have Binding of the Lost or Madstone. So if I don't find a RoRG or get a 4th set piece, there is no real benefit to using LC, right? (aside from the slightly longer invulnerability animation frames)

Thanks in advance! :)

09/13/2015 08:26 PMPosted by Davlok

Uliana 2pc with MR:
Applies a "fresh EP" to all targets without EP. ONE of those targets without a previous EP will have a MR-buffed-EP applied to them. MR is consumed in this case.
If all targets already have an existing EP on them, MR is -NOT- consumed, and no MR-buffed-EPs are applied. All existing EP durations refreshed.

Can I take this to mean that if you rely solely on Uliana 2pc to apply EP that all of them will become mythic rhythm buffed?

09/14/2015 07:23 AMPosted by BDF

Can I take this to mean that if you rely solely on Uliana 2pc to apply EP that all of them will become mythic rhythm buffed?

No.

If you apply EP with Uliana 2pc, only ONE of the 3rd hit targets will have a MR-buffed-EP. The others will not benefit from the 1.4 damage multiplier buff from MR. This is a problem if you apply EP with Uliana 2pc in large packs since there is a higher chance to spread the vanilla EP rather than the MR-buffed-EP.

09/13/2015 08:26 PMPosted by Davlok

Uliana 2pc with MR:
Applies a "fresh EP" to all targets without EP. ONE of those targets without a previous EP will have a MR-buffed-EP applied to them. MR is consumed in this case.
If all targets already have an existing EP on them, MR is -NOT- consumed, and no MR-buffed-EPs are applied. All existing EP durations refreshed.

This is why Davlok suggests this strategy when facing multiple target :

Step 1 : "Charge" your MR buff.
Step 2 : Apply one EP to a single target (it will consume and benefit from the MR buff). This can be done by actually using the skill Exploding Palm from your skill bar.
Step 3 : Use SSS to spread the MR-buffed-EP to other mobs in the screen (with the help of Gundgo's Gear).
Step 4 : Once the MR-buffed-EP has been spread to the whole screen, you can safely refresh it (without overriding it) with SSS and/or with the 3rd hit from your spirit generator. If new mobs join the fight, make sure to apply EP to them with SSS rather than a 3rd hit from your spirit generator.

09/13/2015 08:26 PMPosted by Davlok

Multi Target
Gain MR buff and run away with it. That means usually doing 2x 3 strikes and then dashing away. Find a new pack.
Apply MR-buffed-EP manually to a single target
SSS immediately to spread it from that single target to everything else.
Keep in mind, as new adds get dragged into combat, you will need to use SSS to spread your MR-EPs to them instead of using U2 if you want to ensure they all get the MR-EP.

Thank you for testing this complex mechanic Davlok. Finding out how to correctly benefit from another 1.4 damage multiplier on this build should really help people to push it to its limit.

No.

If you apply EP with Uliana 2pc, only ONE of the 3rd hit targets will have a MR-buffed-EP. The others will not benefit from the 1.4 damage multiplier buff from MR. This is a problem if you apply EP with Uliana 2pc in large packs since there is a higher chance to spread the vanilla EP rather than the MR-buffed-EP.

I see, thank you.

This is why Davlok suggests this strategy when facing multiple target :

I was talking about using a sunwuko monk in speed grfit groups w/furnace, so SSS stuff doesn't really help =(

and the fishing begins again :c hope for early power pylon + apply it to the boss -_-

Is the time limit of 5s still there for applying MR buff?

Thank god Davlok so much about MythicRhythm tip !!!

This MR-EP trick help me clearing GR65 no problem . Thank you again for all research !

Just want to stop in and say THANK YOU to Davlok for testing and posting about EP mechanics! This is a must read for all monks, and probably all those playing along side them as well!