Frost Wizard

[MongoJerry]

I thought a bit about how to create a frost wizard and came up with this one:

http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/wi...WbX!bYZYYY

This has the same caveats as my Arcane Wizard -- this is for PvM hardcore mode and is only based on the skill descriptions.

In this case, I runed Ray of Frost with Cold Blood to make its Arcane Power cost equal 0. This makes it effectively a signature spell.

However, the key to this build is the Blizzard - Frost Nova - Meteor (Comet) combination. I figure you put down a Blizzard on a path where the mobs are coming to you, Frost Nova them in place, and then Comet them while they're stuck there, which also slows the mobs further and keeps them inside the Blizzard. Continue to Comet or Ray of Frost as needed.

However, it worries me that this build lacks Teleport. Perhaps Teleport could replace Ice Armor.

[Concillian]

I wouldn't use the FN cooldown reduction if you're using the run the procs a FN on ice armor. I'd use one of the runes that will give some synergy to those two (Shatter, Deep Freeze or Bone Chill).

I think that Shatter or Deep Freeze would go well with your plan for a Blizzard + FN + Meteor combo.

I also feel like Ray of Frost, even runed 0 AP is not a good fit other than being the only frost skill you can use that doesn't cost AP. I'd actually think healing blades would work well with your proposed burst combo and with your chosen ice armor rune.

[vor_lord]

In this case, I runed Ray of Frost with Cold Blood to make its Arcane Power cost equal 0. This makes it effectively a signature spell.

Why does my Cold Blood rune only reduce the cost to 12 rather than 0? Is this a change not yet reflected in the Game Guide?

aside:
One of my favorite things about DIII so far is how much your build/tactics change depending on the situation. Hardcore? Single Player? Difficulty? Level?

I've had an absolute blast in late Normal/early Nightmare with a similar build, only no comet available yet as this was put together at 30. Keep in mind this is solo only, softcore. I did die once to Iskatu -- not knowing what was coming, and having no instant damage AoE.

http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/wi...WYX!baZ.aa

Glass Cannon + Magic Weapon + Familiar/Sparkflint + Cold Blooded made for incredible damage. I would laugh out loud as purple mobs died before they finished speaking their introduction. No signature spell needed--I just don't like any of them. For a time I swapped out blizzard for Arcane Orb/Oblit but for nastier packs Blizzard was safer, and you don't need strong AoE with a Ray of Frost this devastating.

Will this last? No -- I've already swapped out Sparkflint to use Hydra getting later into Act I -- it's so tactically strong no matter what variant you have available. But I do so love trying out combinations no matter how fleeting they may be powerful. I won't even begin to speculate on what a final build for me might look like.

Given how quickly things die in SP, I should try Frost Nova/Shatter and maybe some synergies on it...

[Elric of Grans]

It has always been 12; I think the Game Guide was always wrong. Well, unless it was 0 in the beta, as I could not know that.

[ViralSpiral]

Doing a write-up of this toon? I'd love to see one.

[MongoJerry]

Doing a write-up of this toon? I'd love to see one.

Maybe after I beat hardcore Inferno, which might take a few months.

My initial post in this thread should be taken with a grain of salt. As stated, it was based purely on the game guide skill descriptions and not on what actually made it into the game and how the skills actually played out. Yes, a runed Ray of Frost only gets the cost to 12 AP. I would definitely use Snow Blast for the extra damage, if I were to go back to using Ray of Frost again.