**OFFICIAL** Diablo 3 Thread

[flexy]

whats the proper way to CM ?
i usually cast diamond skin, explosive blast, teleport to the mob, freeze them and start casting twisters

is that correct? recasting diamond skin and frost everytime available, teleporting out if i need

my gear sucks as i've been using all my $ building up my barb.

like every other build i'm guessing i need CC and CD up as high as possible

It's on you really, if you play a classic "melee wiz" with a LoH wep etc. you would have another playstyle than someone (like me) who uses CM/WW but in conjunction with archon.

I use WW to clear up trash and killing everything except Elites, and to make sure my archon CD is always up. If i see a pack i throw a bunch of WWs beforehand to reset my archon (in case CD is down) and keep crits going.

You will laugh, for easy Act 1 farming i have my "diamond skin" button stuck down with a piece of paper, acting as a semi automated shield It works actually quite well. I throw WWs and my DS is reset as soon as its available.

CDamage is not as important as CC, but i notice a big difference eg. from 30% to 35%....personally think whatever CM spec starts to really shine once you hit 40%, below is always a little problematic.

And then of course you also want decent AP on Crit (10 minimum)..and depending on playstyle 600+ LoH as well.

 

[Brainonska511]

Is there a list available for different wizard builds? Its hard following all the abbreviations. I've been using star rune meteor with arcane orb and acid hydra and seem to be doing alright. Though, i havent ventured to far in inferno...

edit:
I'm using this build on my wizard: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/wizard#acXkRO!acX!ZY.Zbb

 

[akahoovy]

Flexy, I basically use the same idea with Archon. Use Wicked Winds to reset cool downs as fast as possible. I use Archon because I've set my gear up to have 170% starting gold find and I kill all trash mobs along the way. As I advance in dps, I'll slowly move over to magic find gear. I'll post some links to builds and reasoning behind them Brain.

Pretty standard melee wizard setup. Critical Mass lowers cool downs via Energy Twister with Wicked Winds (twisters are stationary). Explosive Blast is cast without an animation, so it can be used simultaneously with other skills. Passives are your preference but you'll want Critical Mass. Slow Time could easily be switched to Teleport with Safe Passage or Fracture runes.
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/wizard#VhgXYO!Xfg!YcZaZZ

My build I use when I go as melee wizard. Meteor gives me the flexibility to kite and target across barriers.
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/wizard#VkgXYO!Xfg!YZcacZ

If you've got high critical chance (I'd say 45% or better), some people have been saying they've seen drastically boosted damage with Storm Armor with Shocking Aspect rune, along with Cold Blooded actually improving damage to ALL skills while chilled or frozen, not just cold damage skills. You're just a softer target with this setup.
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/wizard#VhQXYT!bWg!Ycaacc

My typical Archon setup. Arcane Dynamo with 5 stacks will increase the damage of the first non-signature spell you use. That actually includes the first spell you use when you go to Archon. So, get 5 stacks, pop Archon, and use Disintegration Wave to burn down an elite pack (Arcane Dynamo lasts until you stop channeling D. Wave).
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/wizard#aVmOSj!Tfg!cYcZZa

The reason Wicked Winds is used so much is because it works better than any other Wizard skills with CM, period. Meteor comes close but its slow. Spectral Blades requires you to be close. Doesn't really work with Blizzard and definitely doesn't work with Hydra.

edit: The reason for using these builds Brain is that beyond Act 1, you really can't take many hits from anything, and CM and Frost Nova give you the ability to perform way above what your gear would limit you to with kiting with Hydra and Blizzard. You can stun lock monsters and have much greater control with a melee skill setup.

 

[rstrohkirch]

I have troubles following why Archon is supposed "slow" - by the way i am using an archon build which makes use of WW/CM.. i cant think of ANY THING faster than blowing up #### with archon? The WW/CM serves the purpose to keep CDs of archon at a minimum.

If i were depend solely on my WW as "main attack" (not using Archon), to be honest it would take me A LOT longer to down Elite packs..so i am puzzled by your claim archon is slow.

I think my second sentence explained what I was talking about? I was referring to using wormhole to move as fast as possible to each pack. Usually, people will try to stay in archon too long and that wastes time if you're hunting only champ or elite packs. If you do full clears then this doesn't matter.

 

[rstrohkirch]

Pretty standard melee wizard setup. Critical Mass lowers cool downs via Energy Twister with Wicked Winds (twisters are stationary). Explosive Blast is cast without an animation, so it can be used simultaneously with other skills. Passives are your preference but you'll want Critical Mass. Slow Time could easily be switched to Teleport with Safe Passage or Fracture runes.
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/wizard#VhgXYO!Xfg!YcZaZZ

I run this in act1

http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/wizard#VYXhQO!WYg!YcabZZ

This in act 3

http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/wizard#VYXhQO!Wag!YcacZc

 

[stag3]

It's on you really, if you play a classic "melee wiz" with a LoH wep etc. you would have another playstyle than someone (like me) who uses CM/WW but in conjunction with archon.

I use WW to clear up trash and killing everything except Elites, and to make sure my archon CD is always up. If i see a pack i throw a bunch of WWs beforehand to reset my archon (in case CD is down) and keep crits going.

You will laugh, for easy Act 1 farming i have my "diamond skin" button stuck down with a piece of paper, acting as a semi automated shield It works actually quite well. I throw WWs and my DS is reset as soon as its available.

CDamage is not as important as CC, but i notice a big difference eg. from 30% to 35%....personally think whatever CM spec starts to really shine once you hit 40%, below is always a little problematic.

And then of course you also want decent AP on Crit (10 minimum)..and depending on playstyle 600+ LoH as well.

cool thanks for the tip, so for archon, what spell is replaced from the standard CM build?

 

[Papagayo]

Sorry of this was posted earlier..

Is there a way to create a socket into a bow?

 

[masterxfob]

Sorry of this was posted earlier..

Is there a way to create a socket into a bow?

nope. no 40/15's or shaels either

 

[fustercluck]

How long has gold commodity been available? I just noticed it. Also noticed how crappy the prices are. I thought the real money AH and gold commodity trading would help to limit gold buying sites but 20 million gold in the RMAH is like $56 whereas if you bought 20m gold at a gold buying site it would be around $34. Huge difference. So that plan didn't work out so well.

Speaking of lots of gold, selling this amulet for 15mill, anandtech discount

 

[akahoovy]

Man, I've about had it with this game. I have hit the wall where any upgrade I make now will be 20-50 million. I haven't found anything that would even sell for a million in a long time. I spent about 8 million getting a gold find set of gear along with upgrading some equipment that was lagging, and even with that I only make about 200, 300k an hour, and holy shit that would take a long time to grind out 20 million or more gold.

Haven't even seen a legendary or set item drop yet. This is a Diablo game?

 

[rstrohkirch]

You gear swap or run a mf set?

 

[fustercluck]

Man, I've about had it with this game. I have hit the wall where any upgrade I make now will be 20-50 million. I haven't found anything that would even sell for a million in a long time. I spent about 8 million getting a gold find set of gear along with upgrading some equipment that was lagging, and even with that I only make about 200, 300k an hour, and holy shit that would take a long time to grind out 20 million or more gold.

Haven't even seen a legendary or set item drop yet. This is a Diablo game?

Game is mighty depressing once you hit that wall. Hopefully the 1.4 patch will change a lot of things for the better, I'm gonna go ahead and be optimistic

 

[waterjug]

Man, I've about had it with this game. I have hit the wall where any upgrade I make now will be 20-50 million. I haven't found anything that would even sell for a million in a long time. I spent about 8 million getting a gold find set of gear along with upgrading some equipment that was lagging, and even with that I only make about 200, 300k an hour, and holy shit that would take a long time to grind out 20 million or more gold.

Haven't even seen a legendary or set item drop yet. This is a Diablo game?

Same here. I had about 7 million saved...went looking....not a damn thing under 20M that would help me. The early days of budget gear, or 1M total on gear for barbs to run inferno are long gone. I'm noticing an interesting dynamic currently: My friends who played D2 are already bailing on this game. My friends who LOVED and still love WoW are also bored and quitting the game. I have about 50 friends on my list and all but 3 of them haven't been on in over a week.

Blizzard better hurry up and get 1.4 out or this game is done before 2013.

 

[neit]

late to the party, but I have a 43 DH that's at the beginning of act 3 NM. I can't join pubs since I'm too low of a level, and I'm slightly bored of running through it alone, any recommendations for getting 4 or so levels that aren't too boring of a grind? A lot of spots with lots of monsters I've seen online have been nerfed/fixed

 

[Imp]

Man, I've about had it with this game. I have hit the wall where any upgrade I make now will be 20-50 million. I haven't found anything that would even sell for a million in a long time. I spent about 8 million getting a gold find set of gear along with upgrading some equipment that was lagging, and even with that I only make about 200, 300k an hour, and holy shit that would take a long time to grind out 20 million or more gold.

Haven't even seen a legendary or set item drop yet. This is a Diablo game?

I'm there too... I'd have more money if I didn't sell a few million gold for money, but it'll take a few million now for me to move from an 850 to 950 dps weapon, which still wouldn't be enough to play Act 2 comfortably with any of my 3 characters. Farming Act 1 getting boring.

 

[StinkyPinky]

I've played about 50 hours of this game and have never seen a legendary or set item drop. I know they're supposed to be valued and rare but this is ridiculous.

The entire game seems based around their crappy auction house

 

[stag3]

i got about 400 hours in, no set item drop, but i do have a few legendary

 

[Imp]

I've played about 50 hours of this game and have never seen a legendary or set item drop. I know they're supposed to be valued and rare but this is ridiculous.

The entire game seems based around their crappy auction house

Think I've found 4 uniques in the past week. Every one but 1 atrociously sucked. The weapons are the worst since if you don't roll two additional damage modifiers, it's complete shit - my latest is a lvl 59 pike with 350 dps, weeeee!

 

[waterjug]

Think I've found 4 uniques in the past week. Every one but 1 atrociously sucked. The weapons are the worst since if you don't roll two additional damage modifiers, it's complete shit - my latest is a lvl 59 pike with 350 dps, weeeee!

hahahaha *poke.....poke.....poke*


edit: Also, are tomes PLUMMETING in value??? I was selling them for 1050 last week...down to 700 per

 

[fustercluck]

Yeah while it would be cool to find a legendary or set item, it doesn't bother me too much not finding them because 80% of them aren't worth anything. Did sell my Horadric hamburger for 250k, though!

 

[akahoovy]

I finally found a set item. In the same game I also got a legendary.

Since I've heard that this has happened to many people, I'm suspect that there's an account timer that when is up, you can now get legendary drops, and rewards you with a few at the start. I wonder if they did this to make their value seem higher. Regardless, most suck except for very few like Firewalker Boots and Skull Grasp.

 

[JumBie]

Hey guys, I got a few items I need to clear out of my stash, its getting way to full, and all my auctions are full on RMAH and GAH. So I now offer some items to ANANDTECH members ONLY!

Hopefully as a community we can trust each other and managed to form a trading community that is both safe, and secure. With that being said, here are some items that I have up for sale.

1.DEX/VIT/AR/CRITCHNCE AMMY
http://imgur.com/CoA0N,LfVvz,4weys#2

2.STR/VIT/AR SHOULDER
http://imgur.com/CoA0N,LfVvz,4weys#1

3.INT/VIT/AR/SHOULDER
http://imgur.com/CoA0N,LfVvz,4weys#0


Don't be afraid to throw me some offers

 

[Imp]

hahahaha *poke.....poke.....poke*


edit: Also, are tomes PLUMMETING in value??? I was selling them for 1050 last week...down to 700 per

Add 2 more to the list of shit... Found a Lidless Wall shield - great shit: 11% block, 22% all resists, 1 socket, 6% attack speed, 700 (?) armor.

Forget what the second was, but it was shit and I think I put it on the AH for 35k buyout.

 

[stag3]

hmm 700 per maybe i should sell my tomes, i got like 500 on my guy

 

[waterjug]

Hey guys, I got a few items I need to clear out of my stash, its getting way to full, and all my auctions are full on RMAH and GAH. So I now offer some items to ANANDTECH members ONLY!

Hopefully as a community we can trust each other and managed to form a trading community that is both safe, and secure. With that being said, here are some items that I have up for sale.

1.DEX/VIT/AR/CRITCHNCE AMMY
http://imgur.com/CoA0N,LfVvz,4weys#2

2.STR/VIT/AR SHOULDER
http://imgur.com/CoA0N,LfVvz,4weys#1

3.INT/VIT/AR/SHOULDER
http://imgur.com/CoA0N,LfVvz,4weys#0


Don't be afraid to throw me some offers

how much you want for #2 the str/vit shoulders? I only have about 1.8M in gold right now