I got a little bored of my Conflagrate/Archon wizard (with and without using Wand of Woh) so I decided to switch it up a bit and see how an arcane WoW-based build would work. I intentionally took out Archon just for a change of scenery.
So far the build seems promising. My current gear isn't nearly optimized for the spec, but it does have potential.
Spec #1Spec #2
Arcane Torrent - Disruption is used as supplementary damage, yet it's being channeled the whole time. I know, weird. Explosive Blast - Time Bomb is the primary source of damage and is buffed by AT. Further buffs include Black Hole + Strongarm and also Bone Chill if Teleport isn't selected. Harrington caps it off. I've seen EB crits of 90-100M per hit when all the engines are running.
Problem is that the spec is pretty difficult to set up. Obviously you need Wand of Woh, which is a nightmare to find. AT eats up resources like crazy so you have to run some kind of combination of RCR and APoC. CDR is also required on some level to get EB casts going. Unlike other Chainpocalypse-like builds, there's no need to nonstop spam EB because Time Bomb doesn't detonate at your location; it detonates where it was originally cast.
The build's a little clunky, I guess that would be the biggest downside. However, there's a ton of frontload damage, especially if Harrington is active (say 15M or so per AT hit in addition to 90M+ hits from each EB hit, plus crowd control options in FN and Black Hole?!).
If you somehow have the gear, give it a shot. See if you can make your own tweaks and get the build running more squeaky clean.
Edit: Added a sample T6 Rift using Unleashed for more consistent damage.
I got an absolutely perfect arcane soj last night, coupled previously with a perfect moonlight ward so I've been really tempted to try a build like this out. The game just really wants me to have some arcane spells it seems.
Looks nice. I'm wondering if focusing more on EB would be better though: give up on all the resource cost reduction, APoC, AT skill damage and all this and go full 100% EB. That's what I want to do when I get my WoW. Might not be as efficient but... I don't care. Really don't like the fact that I need to make some compromise here and there to cater the EB build to a secondary spell although EB clearly is the main damage source.
Looks nice. I'm wondering if focusing more on EB would be better though: give up on all the resource cost reduction, APoC, AT skill damage and all this and go full 100% EB. That's what I want to do when I get my WoW. Might not be as efficient but... I don't care. Really don't like the fact that I need to make some compromise here and there to cater the EB build to a secondary spell although EB clearly is the main damage source.
I am wondering about the role of AT in this build. It does its job, but like you said, it makes you wonder whether or not the RCR, etc. trade-offs are worth it. I'd like more opinions on this, if possible.
Damage effectively went down the drain. It did free up item slots because there's no need for complete sets and gear with RCR/APoC. But all the frontloaded damage vanished.
This is truly a different take on a wizard that a lot of people aren't doing. I always am trying to take build and do something slightly different. But you are on an entirely different level.
Heads up, in groups I run Unleashed over Time Bomb, especially in groups that move very fast.
This build actually works very well in groups. Unleashed can frontload about 80-90M damage per EB (hard to miss, since they don't wait 2.5 seconds to detonate behind you like Time Bomb), so the eDPS is much higher with debuffs and buffs all around, in addition to AT spam all at the same time. Because elites in a decent group go down in 10-15 seconds (much quicker in organized play), resources are generally not that difficult to maintain. Trouble shows up against the Rift Guardian, but in those situations, you'll likely have one or two teammates who excel in single target DPS, such as Marauder DHs and pet doctors.
So far the build seems promising. My current gear isn't nearly optimized for the spec, but it does have potential.
Spec #1 Spec #2
Arcane Torrent - Disruption is used as supplementary damage, yet it's being channeled the whole time. I know, weird. Explosive Blast - Time Bomb is the primary source of damage and is buffed by AT. Further buffs include Black Hole + Strongarm and also Bone Chill if Teleport isn't selected. Harrington caps it off. I've seen EB crits of 90-100M per hit when all the engines are running.
Problem is that the spec is pretty difficult to set up. Obviously you need Wand of Woh, which is a nightmare to find. AT eats up resources like crazy so you have to run some kind of combination of RCR and APoC. CDR is also required on some level to get EB casts going. Unlike other Chainpocalypse-like builds, there's no need to nonstop spam EB because Time Bomb doesn't detonate at your location; it detonates where it was originally cast.
The build's a little clunky, I guess that would be the biggest downside. However, there's a ton of frontload damage, especially if Harrington is active (say 15M or so per AT hit in addition to 90M+ hits from each EB hit, plus crowd control options in FN and Black Hole?!).
If you somehow have the gear, give it a shot. See if you can make your own tweaks and get the build running more squeaky clean.
Edit: Added a sample T6 Rift using Unleashed for more consistent damage.
Armory | YouTube | Twitter | Clan Site
Armory | YouTube | Twitter | Clan Site
Damage effectively went down the drain. It did free up item slots because there's no need for complete sets and gear with RCR/APoC. But all the frontloaded damage vanished.
Armory | YouTube | Twitter | Clan Site
This build actually works very well in groups. Unleashed can frontload about 80-90M damage per EB (hard to miss, since they don't wait 2.5 seconds to detonate behind you like Time Bomb), so the eDPS is much higher with debuffs and buffs all around, in addition to AT spam all at the same time. Because elites in a decent group go down in 10-15 seconds (much quicker in organized play), resources are generally not that difficult to maintain. Trouble shows up against the Rift Guardian, but in those situations, you'll likely have one or two teammates who excel in single target DPS, such as Marauder DHs and pet doctors.
Armory | YouTube | Twitter | Clan Site
Armory | YouTube | Twitter | Clan Site