i think AP regen, control bonus and recharge is better than just 5% crit
How do you achieve that ability combination? The most close I get being Tiefling is a 24 / 20 / 18 (not firecamp buff ofc). If you pull a base 18 roll on int to get a final 26 then the other stats are 18 / 18, I just ask in case I am missing something, Im running towards the same setup but with a 24 int.
You want to stack Charisma as a stat for the crit, but also for the bonus Combat Advantage damage in the Renegade feats if that is your build. You want to stack power and armor pen more than crit on gear because of eye of the storm procs. Vorpal seems like it would be a great enchantment on a wizard because of all the auto critting you get. Once you get >50 you'll see what I'm talking about.
A lot of your best damage spells have a CC or debuff component depending on how you spec. This doesn't make it difficult to fill your roll and do good dps. People that say you can't do both probably need to try a new build. You can CC and Debuff AOE as a wizard and boost your whole team's damage. The game needs more good wizards. A lot of the wizards powers are bugged so they can't crit, and may do less damage than they should. The wizard needs some fixing so that the spells work the way you would expect. Read the bug thread posted above.
Wizards are for players who think. I agree with the OP, you don't need a cookie cutter build. Read the abilities and feats to create a good character that fits your style.
If you do add a screen shot of your build (powers), you could burry it in a link so only people that read the whole thing could find it. Would at least address one of your concerns .
Thanks for the guide and even more importantly your thoughts on why you like what. Knowing someones thought process after having experienced content helps me form my own thoughts on how to build a character before I've done that same content. Kudos on taking the initiative with the master list of builds. Now if people would post more leveling builds like yours for other classes (I have a confirmed case of alt-itess) I'd be a happy man .
Version 2.0 of my Renegade Control Wizard build has been released!
Writing guides for a new game that is still in beta presents the challenge of new knowledge being discovered continuously, bugs surfacing and fixes being introduced, which makes adaptions and updates inevitable. Guides receive a lot of attention and considering that respeccing is not free in Neverwinter, authors of guides have a certain responsibility when making recommendations and proposing builds so I have been cautious with making changes. However, several weeks have passed since the introduction of this guide, and with new information available and new discoveries having been made, I decided to update the build to reflect the current state of the game and the class.
With several of our feats not working as advertised, and Learned Spellcaster being fixed, an update of the build has become necessary. The old version is still perfectly fine and works in all areas of the game (perhaps even better for leveling), but version 2.0 is optimized for the current state of the game and the content. Do not feel required to respec, though. You don't take back your old car as soon as a slightly revised model is released. But if you have 600 Zen or the AD (about 200k), consider shuffling around some of your Feat points as outlined in the Feats section. I also included and updated various other information, especially for Tieflings who may temporarily wish to get Snap Freeze instead of Tempest Magic.
What I changed is explained in the Feats section, below the screenshot of my Feats screen, as well as in the discussion of each feat.
There is no need to fully respc as the recommendations for the Powers have not changed.
Doesn't AoE feats work on tabbed chill strike, steal time and shield? which seems to be more than half your AoE arsenal? Those doing more damage would also mean faster AP generation right? Still feel they aren't worth it?
Prestidigitation seems rather lack luster though, at 3000 of any stat you would be getting an extra 90, with the current harsh DRs we have that is not even close to give a 1% increase on anything, or am i looking at this wrong?
Prestidigitation is one of those talents that make everyone and everything a little better, without being outstanding by themselves. The sum of benefits from all five players combined outdo the benefits the three points would give (only to the wizard) if they were spent elsewhere, I feel.
The AoE feats are not terrible, which is why I mentioned that the previous build that had them is still a solid choice, and I would actually prefer it for leveling over the second revision. I feel, though, that more AP, more "everything" damage (Learned Spellcaster) are better places for end game PvE (PvP too). An alternative for Humans might be to move the points from Prestidigitation to Focused Wizardry. I should add a note about this so that players can take this option into account (I think my biggest issue with writing a guide is that many people expect a "do this!" kind of approach, whereas I prefer a "here are the choices and some pros and cons, pick what you think is best for you" strategy).
I agree. I enjoy reading guides where the author explains the logic behind every choice instead of the usual DO THIS!. Overall I really enjoy your composing style and humor behind all your imputs. Good work and thank you very much.
PS: Are you going to make an enchantment section and your thoughts on them any time soon?
PS2: Do you know is Focused Wizardry is a flat damage increase to "AoE" or it still works like the old UI tooltip "AoEs do more damage on single targets"?
I see all these posts about putting Chill Strike in the tab slot, what about Sudden Storm? Is the Damage from Chill Strike that much better than that from Sudden Storm? Once you get the hang of the direction for Sudden Storm, it's not terrible spell.
I see all these posts about putting Chill Strike in the tab slot, what about Sudden Storm? Is the Damage from Chill Strike that much better than that from Sudden Storm? Once you get the hang of the direction for Sudden Storm, it's not terrible spell.
It does less damage by default and I believe (unless they fixed it) cannot crit to boot.
Can I ask you to elaborate on where you're getting that the AoE feats don't work with "many" of our powers, and also to which powers are you referring to when saying "many" and "half" of our powers? Which powers do they work or do not work with exactly?
I find the ambiguity regarding this a bit concerning, since I cannot see how you would conclude that the feats don't affect some powers without knowing which powers you are talking about, and likewise once knowing which powers, I can't see why you would keep indirectly referring to them as "many or our powers" and "half of our powers" without mentioning which powers they are by name.
Clearly a lot of us already put our feat points into those feats and are not going to respec, so having some information (or a pointer to where we might find this information) would be useful in order to know which powers we can use to their full feat potential.
Can I ask you to elaborate on where you're getting that the AoE feats don't work with "many" of our powers, and also to which powers are you referring to when saying "many" and "half" of our powers? Which powers do they work or do not work with exactly?
I find the ambiguity regarding this a bit concerning, since I cannot see how you would conclude that the feats don't affect some powers without knowing which powers you are talking about, and likewise once knowing which powers, I can't see why you would keep indirectly referring to them as "many or our powers" and "half of our powers" without mentioning which powers they are by name.
Clearly a lot of us already put our feat points into those feats and are not going to respec, so having some information (or a pointer to where we might find this information) would be useful in order to know which powers we can use to their full feat potential.
Can I ask you to elaborate on where you're getting that the AoE feats don't work with "many" of our powers, and also to which powers are you referring to when saying "many" and "half" of our powers? Which powers do they work or do not work with exactly?
Good point, I need to list the powers. The ones that are not affected by the AoE feats are Arcane Singularity, Conduit of Ice, Icy Terrain, and Sudden Storm. They also do not benefit from Evocation. CoI and AS are two of the AoE spells that I recommend for this build. Steal Time and Chill Strike are affected.
How to test it (and how I tested it): Go to the training dummies, switch to the combat log and cast spells with and without the feats/Evocation. (Just testing it with and without Evocation will save you the respec costs, since I think the issue is that the listed spells are not recognized as AoE spells, so if they don't work with Evocation, they also don't work with the feats, though I did test this independently because I wanted to be sure.)
I'll add this information to the guide, A possible alternative I can see, at least for humans, is to move the three points from Prestidigitation to Focused Wizardry, especially if personal damage is more desirable than group performance. This way players can go with the option that fits their playstyle best.
As mentioned, there is nothing wrong with the original build. I have used it extensively and if you are satisfied with it, please do not feel that you have to respec! I made the changes because of fixes (Learned Spellcaster) and because of the lack of fixes (the other feats), not because I changed my view on the efficiency of the build.
PS2: Do you know is Focused Wizardry is a flat damage increase to "AoE" or it still works like the old UI tooltip "AoEs do more damage on single targets"?
In case of Chill Strike, the feats and Evocation increase the damage for both the main target (that gets stunned) as well as the targets that receive the splash damage.
I included the list of spells that are not affected by the AoE feats (even though they should be) and added some commentary on Prestidigitation vs. Focused Wizardry. I made the guide look even more like a Christmas tree by adding some orange for those two feats, and included a "read the comments, don't just copy!" warning below the feats screenshot (at least if people just copy it without making own decisions, then it will benefit those they group with!).
Please let me know if these exceptions and individual considerations make it too confusing. I hesitate to propose a cookie cutter build, though, and want people to make decisions based on their preferences and playstyle.
I"m currently lvl 52, and am enjoying my CW a lot. I do,however, like to maximize my DPS and be the best I can be. My current abilites are as follows: Encounters=Chill Strike(It's my Tab slot), Ray of Enfeeblement, Steal Time, Entangling Force. My dailies are Arcane Singularity and Ice Knife. Currently using MM and Chilling Cloud(I like the reduced damage it does). I know it's a priority based on play style, but to all you "pros," does this seem like something I should continue to run with? THanks for the advice
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sarflinMember, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild UsersPosts: 3Arc User
edited May 2013
Can you add a section about what stats should be focused on when deciding which peiece of gear to use while leveling?
and what enchantments are good for gear?
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forumralcoreMember, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian UsersPosts: 27Arc User
edited May 2013
Imivo, thanks for the guide; it really helped me narrow down my feat choices. You mention they fixed 'Learned Spellcaster"...I tried to find that in the patch notes and failed. I've been dying to figure out how Learned Spellcaster actually works...would you mind linking that patch for me please? I'd really appreciate it!
Good point, I need to list the powers. The ones that are not affected by the AoE feats are Arcane Singularity, Conduit of Ice, Icy Terrain, and Sudden Storm. They also do not benefit from Evocation. CoI and AS are two of the AoE spells that I recommend for this build. Steal Time and Chill Strike are affected.
Thank you! That is definitely useful info and puts me a bit at ease since although I use use Singularity and CoI my bread-and-butter powers are Chill Strike and Steal Time. No need to be thinking about respeccing then since even though it could be better it's still plenty good.
And yeah I am more than happy with the original build so far Thanks again for the work you put into it.
I see all these posts about putting Chill Strike in the tab slot, what about Sudden Storm? Is the Damage from Chill Strike that much better than that from Sudden Storm? Once you get the hang of the direction for Sudden Storm, it's not terrible spell.
Is astral shield affected by evocation and the AOE feats?
Given that Astral Shield is a Divine Cleric power that affects defenses and Evocation is a Control Wizard power that affects offense, I'd say that the two have no interaction at all.
Comments
Thanks, I didn't catch that. Do I have to land the killing blow or just have tagged the monster that dies?
I think mage > weavers but not sure, what do you guys think
How do you achieve that ability combination? The most close I get being Tiefling is a 24 / 20 / 18 (not firecamp buff ofc). If you pull a base 18 roll on int to get a final 26 then the other stats are 18 / 18, I just ask in case I am missing something, Im running towards the same setup but with a 24 int.
A lot of your best damage spells have a CC or debuff component depending on how you spec. This doesn't make it difficult to fill your roll and do good dps. People that say you can't do both probably need to try a new build. You can CC and Debuff AOE as a wizard and boost your whole team's damage. The game needs more good wizards. A lot of the wizards powers are bugged so they can't crit, and may do less damage than they should. The wizard needs some fixing so that the spells work the way you would expect. Read the bug thread posted above.
Wizards are for players who think. I agree with the OP, you don't need a cookie cutter build. Read the abilities and feats to create a good character that fits your style.
Thanks for the guide and even more importantly your thoughts on why you like what. Knowing someones thought process after having experienced content helps me form my own thoughts on how to build a character before I've done that same content. Kudos on taking the initiative with the master list of builds. Now if people would post more leveling builds like yours for other classes (I have a confirmed case of alt-itess) I'd be a happy man
Writing guides for a new game that is still in beta presents the challenge of new knowledge being discovered continuously, bugs surfacing and fixes being introduced, which makes adaptions and updates inevitable. Guides receive a lot of attention and considering that respeccing is not free in Neverwinter, authors of guides have a certain responsibility when making recommendations and proposing builds so I have been cautious with making changes. However, several weeks have passed since the introduction of this guide, and with new information available and new discoveries having been made, I decided to update the build to reflect the current state of the game and the class.
With several of our feats not working as advertised, and Learned Spellcaster being fixed, an update of the build has become necessary. The old version is still perfectly fine and works in all areas of the game (perhaps even better for leveling), but version 2.0 is optimized for the current state of the game and the content. Do not feel required to respec, though. You don't take back your old car as soon as a slightly revised model is released.
What I changed is explained in the Feats section, below the screenshot of my Feats screen, as well as in the discussion of each feat.
There is no need to fully respc as the recommendations for the Powers have not changed.
Prestidigitation seems rather lack luster though, at 3000 of any stat you would be getting an extra 90, with the current harsh DRs we have that is not even close to give a 1% increase on anything, or am i looking at this wrong?
Great update though, love your style.
The AoE feats are not terrible, which is why I mentioned that the previous build that had them is still a solid choice, and I would actually prefer it for leveling over the second revision. I feel, though, that more AP, more "everything" damage (Learned Spellcaster) are better places for end game PvE (PvP too). An alternative for Humans might be to move the points from Prestidigitation to Focused Wizardry. I should add a note about this so that players can take this option into account (I think my biggest issue with writing a guide is that many people expect a "do this!" kind of approach, whereas I prefer a "here are the choices and some pros and cons, pick what you think is best for you" strategy).
PS: Are you going to make an enchantment section and your thoughts on them any time soon?
PS2: Do you know is Focused Wizardry is a flat damage increase to "AoE" or it still works like the old UI tooltip "AoEs do more damage on single targets"?
It does less damage by default and I believe (unless they fixed it) cannot crit to boot.
I find the ambiguity regarding this a bit concerning, since I cannot see how you would conclude that the feats don't affect some powers without knowing which powers you are talking about, and likewise once knowing which powers, I can't see why you would keep indirectly referring to them as "many or our powers" and "half of our powers" without mentioning which powers they are by name.
Clearly a lot of us already put our feat points into those feats and are not going to respec, so having some information (or a pointer to where we might find this information) would be useful in order to know which powers we can use to their full feat potential.
http://nw-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?243552-Control-wizard-master-Bug-reports-Please-Sticky
Good point, I need to list the powers. The ones that are not affected by the AoE feats are Arcane Singularity, Conduit of Ice, Icy Terrain, and Sudden Storm. They also do not benefit from Evocation. CoI and AS are two of the AoE spells that I recommend for this build. Steal Time and Chill Strike are affected.
How to test it (and how I tested it): Go to the training dummies, switch to the combat log and cast spells with and without the feats/Evocation. (Just testing it with and without Evocation will save you the respec costs, since I think the issue is that the listed spells are not recognized as AoE spells, so if they don't work with Evocation, they also don't work with the feats, though I did test this independently because I wanted to be sure.)
I'll add this information to the guide, A possible alternative I can see, at least for humans, is to move the three points from Prestidigitation to Focused Wizardry, especially if personal damage is more desirable than group performance. This way players can go with the option that fits their playstyle best.
As mentioned, there is nothing wrong with the original build. I have used it extensively and if you are satisfied with it, please do not feel that you have to respec! I made the changes because of fixes (Learned Spellcaster) and because of the lack of fixes (the other feats), not because I changed my view on the efficiency of the build.
In case of Chill Strike, the feats and Evocation increase the damage for both the main target (that gets stunned) as well as the targets that receive the splash damage.
I included the list of spells that are not affected by the AoE feats (even though they should be) and added some commentary on Prestidigitation vs. Focused Wizardry. I made the guide look even more like a Christmas tree by adding some orange for those two feats, and included a "read the comments, don't just copy!" warning below the feats screenshot (at least if people just copy it without making own decisions, then it will benefit those they group with!).
Please let me know if these exceptions and individual considerations make it too confusing. I hesitate to propose a cookie cutter build, though, and want people to make decisions based on their preferences and playstyle.
Do you happen to have any pictures of you gears/stats?
Power, crit, recovery and such. Thanks
and what enchantments are good for gear?
Thank you! That is definitely useful info and puts me a bit at ease since although I use use Singularity and CoI my bread-and-butter powers are Chill Strike and Steal Time. No need to be thinking about respeccing then since even though it could be better it's still plenty good.
And yeah I am more than happy with the original build so far
I updated your post at mmominds
Let me know if you want me to change anything.
You can check it here http://mmominds.com/2013/05/17/the-renegade-control-wizard-stats-feats-and-powers-by-imivo/
Sudden Storm is beastly. I agree completely.
Sudden Storm Doesn't crit, and Chill Strike does... Sudden Storm is pretty garbage in comparison.
NVM you are right.
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