Game Guide - Skill Calculator and Items

[Frag]

The Dancing Wizardess. http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/wi...aVe!ZccabZ

Yeah, that one is pretty poopy...

In my defense that build was built using a couple of assumptions that have been exploded, as well as before the weapon damage change. The pbaoe portion of arcane orbit is more lighting-shield-like then fan-of-knives-like and Spectral Blade is the melee attack for the Wizard.

Melee wiz
this would seem to favor teleport more as an escape mechanism, which would amost certainly favor the alabaster rune. Slow time can be runed to offer similar protection as diamond skin and I think these become an either / or, which frees a slot for what seems like the best melee sorc synergy, golden runed hydra... tank in the firewall.
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/wi...aVe!bcaacZ

Meleeing Wizards only have one option for an attack and need to take it. Also, I'm not sure I agree with teleport having to have infinite use in order to melee, at least for the way I play. You engage groups very cautiously in Hardcore and a single Teleport should be sufficient to escape from the play I've watched, thus the utility of Safe Passage or Fracture appeals to me. For speed/MF running, you'd definitely want Wormhole though. Playstyle difference, I'd wager.

What I'm finding I'm not sure how to deal with is the dumping of Arcane Power. You're pretty tight on spots once you take the 'requirements', as I see them. Magic Weapon, Energy Armor, Slow Time and Spectral Blade. I agree that Teleport deserves a spot, which means we a single spot open.

http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/wi...Vfg!Y.YbaZ

There are a few options, maybe many, for the arcane power dump: Hydra (safe in situations where you can't enter into melee, powerful), Meteor (can use yourself as the anchor for massive damage), Blizzard (similar to Meteor, though more dispersed and thus less damage), Energy Twister (stationary, similar to Meteor, instant, but less damage), Arcane Orbit (previously discussed) or Explosive Blast (curious, seems built for the build, Crimson makes it instant). The rest of our options are channeled, have cooldowns, or there's no reason to recast it.