Today, we're discussing the question of balance changes in Path of Exile (PoE), focusing on patch 3.22 and specifically, the HeatShiver item. There has been a lot of debate about whether this item, currently quite powerful, should be nerfed or made rare. However, after much consideration, I find myself surprisingly advocating for the status quo.
HeatShiver's Role in Game Balance
HeatShiver, a very potent item, is promoting build diversity instead of crushing it like some overpowered items in the past, such as Crystallized Omniscience in patches 3.17 and 3.18, which dominated build diversity. In contrast, Heat Shiver is an encouraging play of several builds that otherwise wouldn't see much use.
This item went from absolute trash to one of the best helmets in the game overnight due to a buff in patch 3.19. The reason for this change was the addition of "gain 100% cold damage as extra fire damage against frozen enemies", transforming it into one of the best items for builds that regularly critically strike while dealing cold damage to enemies.
HeatShiver in The Crucible Expansion
In the Crucible expansion, roughly 12% of high-level characters are using HeatShiver as their helmet according to PoE Ninja statistics. Interestingly, this is not the most common among the various unique items being worn. Some items like Mage Blood, Throne of Hope, and Lethal Pride are used more often than HeatShiver.
The list of skills being used by high-level characters wearing HeatShiver are diverse, including Spectral Shield Throw, Frost Blades, and Tornado Shot, among others. The item is propelling a variety of otherwise unpopular builds to a competitive level.
Balancing Power Through Rarity: A Failed Approach?
One common suggestion to mitigate the impact of strong items is to increase their rarity. However, based on the history of the game, this has proven ineffective. Crystallized Omniscience's overwhelming power wasn't checked by its increased rarity. Despite a significant drop rate reduction in patch 3.17, it became even more commonly used in patch 3.18, demonstrating the futility of trying to balance an inherently broken item by making it rarer.
The Final Verdict
Unlike Crystallized Omniscience, HeatShiver isn't fundamentally broken. Instead, it is encouraging build diversity. Therefore, I am not in favor of proposals to increase its rarity or to nerf it, unless there's a need to buff other skills and HeatShiver is preventing that.
Currently, HeatShiver is one of the few genuinely accessible unique items that is highly powerful to build around and can be reliably acquired or traded for. Therefore, unless it becomes a stumbling block for other improvements, HeatShiver should retain its current position in the game.
In conclusion, the diversity and options HeatShiver brings to PoE are invaluable, and any changes to it should be approached with caution. The current status quo serves the game well by encouraging players to explore a wide range of builds and strategies.
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