Signatureless Wizard Build (Ray of Frost's Cold Blood rune)

[Simca]

Sooo... Ray of Frost's Cold Blood rune reduces the Arcane Power cost to 12 (from 20). This means you can spam it for well over 30 seconds, and it is ridiculously superior to the signature spells.

Honestly, with this rune being the way it is I find it hard to find a use for them. My build is basically

Ray of Frost (Cold Blood)
Arcane Orb (Obliteration)
Magic Weapon (Force Weapon)
Frost Nova (Shatter)
Diamond Skin (Prism) (This skill is amazing)
Teleport (Safe Passage or Wormhole)

Glass Cannon
Astral Presence (required to balance AP cost of Ray of Frost)
Cold Blooded (for AoE with Frost Nova)


Thoughts on that build and on signature spells in general?

[Glorious Leader]

I hate the wizards signatures spell in general with the possible exception of electrocute. It's the only serviceable one imo. I think the signature spell system in general is a bit ridiculous for Wizards. It's just mana neutral, it doesn't pro actively build a resource it just costs nothing so your rewarded for using it. If your not using sig spells while lvling your punished for it. It's lame.

I've gone with a similar build Arcane Orb/Ray of Frost while lvling (or attempting to at any rate) but I don't have the cost reduction rune yet. Ray of Frost is awesome and I can't wait to spam the hell out of it.

[Dakia]

I like the build. Personally, I would like a bit more aoe capability though. Maybe toss in Blizzard instead of teleport and use Grasping Chill since the build already requires level 35.

http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculato...YlS!YXW!baZaaZ

I do agree that the Wizard signature abilities are underwhelming. They really aren't that great in comparison to other class' abilities.

[Deleted]

Will defo try this out first chance I get, for levelling I've usually just been going for as many defensive spells as I can, but I always feel tied to need at least one sig spell there for when arcane is low and one aoe move [arcane orb, it's pretty]. This is also the first gameplay related thread I've even seen on these forums today, yipee^^

[Jeffyjimbob]

IMO signature skills lose their value the instant you can't play human turret anymore.

Prodigy is the only reason I might use them, but even then, as soon as you hit act two stuff starts hitting considerably harder, and you're spending a lot more time moving than you were in act one. It really just turns into 1. use AP skills until you're empty/in danger, 2. run until safe/use free CDs/wait, 3. start back at one.

Either way, very nice build, I'll have to try it out when I gain a few more levels. I think I'd side with Dakia though, and drop tele for blizzard.

Edit: Does weapon speed affect Ray of Frost? Or any "channeled" spells for that matter?

If so, a strong slow weapon would be amazing wouldn't it? Slower casts but bigger hits = same DPS but less casts per minute (and in turn, less AP spent). Not that you'd really need it... but if you had someone in your group "tanking" for you, it could be really nice. That + prism = never ending RoF.

[Eiffel]

I LOVED ray of frost until I got the 2nd rune for Disintegrate and I haven't been able to bring myself to switch it. I just use Time Zone (With Dmg Increase Glyph), Familiar (With Dmg Increase Glyph) and then just sit back and murder the hell outta stuff with Disintegrate. If things even bother to get close (which they usually don't), then I just use Archon and Disintegrate Wave them away....its pretty OP at the moment. Granted, this may change, as I just started out on Nightmare.

[Katrex]

I found charged bolt to be my go to spell, combine that with rune that makes enemies explode on death and with correct use of frost nova with the rune that makes dying enemies cast frost nova on death. Freeze ten enemies spam the lightning They all explode and spread the freeze, they all explode and spread the freeze. (does enough damage, though you can always take conflagurateion and switch to fire bolts, Though you lose all the exploding goodness.)

[keRmis]

Shock Pulse with Piercing orb is pretty good AoE signature. I used to use spectral blades but now I am doing hell a bit undergeared and can't really get in the melee range. It's not massive damage but it gets the job done (so far). Nice build btw, defo trying it out.

[Deleted]

Continuing leveling my wizard today, asap will be trying cold blood. My highest level char is a monk, and right now on my wizard I'm feeling totally fragile but without the damage oomph to back it up, hoping it is a teething problem that fixes itself when you unlock more abilities^^
I tried a few specs running Diamond skin, Slow time, Frost Nova, Frost armour and Teleport but relying on one of the signatures, as people have commented already, was hellish xD