Yeah, I was really interested in Death Blossom for a close-range wiz, too, but I'd have to see it in action before I trust it.
Not sure you need both Power of the Storm and Astral Presence in that build with only one AP spender, but I do love the synergy with PotS and fast ticking AP spenders like Dis. You can probably swap Astral presence for Evocation since you have a lot of CDs and still be manageable with decent AP regen items and PotS.
There is no real difference between a channeled spell and any other spell other than the graphic.
You have to stand still and shoot any spell.
The difference is when you use a spell that has a duration, like Meteor Shower or Blizzard. You only have to stop moving to start the spell, then you can move around while it works, even cast other spells to compound damage and effects. With a channeled spell you have to stay still for the whole time and cannot cast other spells or it ends. Could make quite a difference in Inferno.
You can cast a channeled spell for a split instant, and then cast another spell.
There is absolutely no difference at all.
This is the biggest misconception in the game and I have no idea where it comes from.
It comes from the fact that after you stop channeling, the main effect of a channeling spell typically ends immediately and won't hit new targets. Conversely, a spell with a duration keeps hitting foes, including additional foes that enter the area, while you can do other things, like move to safety, heal, or cast overlapping spells. There's no misconception, it's just how the spells are used, and how they can be combined with overlapping effects.
What's better? Hit foes with a channeling spell, then stop the spell to hit them with another channeling spell or heal/etc.? Or cast a AOE duration spell and then also hit them with a channeling spell at the same time, heal, whatever while they still suffer from your AOE?
There is no real difference between a channeled spell and any other spell other than the graphic.
You have to stand still and shoot any spell.
The difference is when you use a spell that has a duration, like Meteor Shower or Blizzard. You only have to stop moving to start the spell, then you can move around while it works, even cast other spells to compound damage and effects. With a channeled spell you have to stay still for the whole time and cannot cast other spells or it ends. Could make quite a difference in Inferno.
SB does almost comparable damage as disintegrate, what situation would it be bad for ? Ranged ? use Slow time, or enduring skin, more than one melee enemy use slow time, enduring skin, and simulacrum. It is a lot of defense but with those 3 defenses and cold armor you could survive almost as long as it takes to kill something with SB.If slow time is enough I think I would prefer Scramble (electric armor) that lets you run fast when hit, and does more damage than chilling aura mentioned above, also never underestimate the usefulness of running fast )
Yeah, I decided to make a build that used the original posts title in mind...
Disintegrate blows SB damage away after Volatility starts hitting, plus SB is useless at range. Your build is definitely better in melee for sure (and I'll probably try that one too ;)), but I'm just not comfortable dedicating myself to always being that close to mobs as a wiz, especially when they are specialized for it and I'm not. I need a good ranged damage dealer for this to work the way I intend. I'm still struggling with what to do for my primary damage dealer (dis/MS/other), but SB looks like just a backup for putting up some damage numbers when AP is low and for life steal/slow with Temp Flux when my weapon has +arcane damage - unless I intend to tank. I don't.
Thanks for the suggestions guys. Some of them look really good, but of course since I know next to nothing about end game mob stats, or much beyond level 13 ;), I'll certainly have to play with the runes to optimize the skills, and even some of the skills.
I also think I stepped into a fog of confusion when saying this was a "melee illusionist." It's not really intended to be so dedicated to melee range. My focus was to use high mobility and decoys to jump around the field in and out of melee to choose the best position possible on the battlefield at any time. So I can evade and operate at range when my enemies are big slow melee brutes (Disintegrate/Temp Flux combo + TP), and jump into melee when my foes are optimized for ranged (SB + MS and defense spells). Hence my Wormhole selection, plus a personal preference for travel and evading combat. Yes, I am sacrificing a little overall skill synergy and hitting harder to take advantage of always being able to hit where it hurts most. But, maybe I am placing too much importance on tactical positioning for this game (I have been following GW2 a lot so it may have rubbed off here).
Yeah, I realized Meteor and Disintegrate may be overkill, but I'm not sure how necessary having different damage types will be end game. Certainly not needed before then. I also thought SB was arcane, too. What it is it? Physical? Alts I made for this build took out Dis and just used that when in Archon form in exchange for an armor spell, but that left me feeling a bit too defensive and melee focused with not enough ranged firepower. I think Meteor and similar spells are way too AP hungry to maintain at range, but with AP regen items Dis looks manageable, while MS really packs a punch and I can move around in melee as it falls. And no other primary looks as viable for melee as SB with its extra D/healing. We'll see.
I chose Duplicates because I have no idea how long Sims would actually last end game (if they only last a hit or 2 anyway, then 5 hits is better than 3-4, or if they last longer than 7s then I waste some of their health), and I assumed (hoped) that the 5 clones would not spawn right on top of each other, but be spread out a bit to protect from AOE and help drag more mobs off me in melee. I also looked at Mocking Demise if Dupes or Sims are underwhelming. Without knowing how they will actually operate, I just went with my preferred flavor for now.
I really like your concept. My first reaction to the build is that its hard to imagine a Mele build without one of the Armor skills - but perhaps - as you say - if your main goal is to dart around and avoid being hit all togheter, it may work? Beyond that - I would be tempted to take Evocation (since alot of your skills have CDs) over Temporal Flux, as it doesn't do too much good to slow movement speed by 30% for 2 seconds when your hitting somthing with a mele attack (the enemy is already to you).
My first build was similar and indeed it did have an armor spell and Evocation, but the only 2 spells on the build besides Archon with CDs get instantly recharged when needed with Illusionist. I didn't even have Mirror Images on this build before I noticed that. Putting Evocation wouldn't be as fast as Illusionist, so it would just be better for Archon and worse for my mainstays. Illusionist and Evocation seems like overkill, and Temporal Flux increases my relative mobility/evasion on command.
Here's a build I came up with trying to plan a duelist flavored wizard that uses mobility and illusions to evade attacks while darting in and out of melee to confound both melee and ranged enemies.
This idea was inspired from the Illusionist passive. The idea is that my major defensive/evasion skills will recharge when I come under pressure and start taking damage. Wormhole is so that I can choose the place on the battlefield that will give me the most advantage and move fast. Blur, Temporal Flux, and Healing Blades give additional survival boons/cc I'll probably need in melee, while Meteor Shower and Disintegrate will be my main ranged damage dealers of different damage types. A weapon that does at least some Arcane damage is a must, too for Temporal Flux.
I may switch out Meteor Shower for Liquefy as that may create a more dangerous zone for enemies while I'm in melee than the shower, but I don't want anything to compel me to restrict my mobility. It does also have good synergy with my move debuffs, though. I also thought of switching Disintegrate for Armor of Ice with Ice Reflect, but that leaves only the AP hungry Meteor and long CD Archon for ranged attacks.
I may also swap Meteor for Wave of Force to repel enemies when things get tight or if Meteor is too AP hungry, but I have TP to get out of dodge. Maybe Explosive Blast if Meteor's costs are too high, but survival is good and my weapon does arcane as opposed to physical. I could also switch Blur for Power Hungry, Prodigy, or Astral Presence in situation, too.
Archon w/ Slow Time, for when I need to change things up, and its awesome in general.
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Not sure you need both Power of the Storm and Astral Presence in that build with only one AP spender, but I do love the synergy with PotS and fast ticking AP spenders like Dis. You can probably swap Astral presence for Evocation since you have a lot of CDs and still be manageable with decent AP regen items and PotS.
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It comes from the fact that after you stop channeling, the main effect of a channeling spell typically ends immediately and won't hit new targets. Conversely, a spell with a duration keeps hitting foes, including additional foes that enter the area, while you can do other things, like move to safety, heal, or cast overlapping spells. There's no misconception, it's just how the spells are used, and how they can be combined with overlapping effects.
What's better? Hit foes with a channeling spell, then stop the spell to hit them with another channeling spell or heal/etc.? Or cast a AOE duration spell and then also hit them with a channeling spell at the same time, heal, whatever while they still suffer from your AOE?
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The difference is when you use a spell that has a duration, like Meteor Shower or Blizzard. You only have to stop moving to start the spell, then you can move around while it works, even cast other spells to compound damage and effects. With a channeled spell you have to stay still for the whole time and cannot cast other spells or it ends. Could make quite a difference in Inferno.
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Disintegrate blows SB damage away after Volatility starts hitting, plus SB is useless at range. Your build is definitely better in melee for sure (and I'll probably try that one too ;)), but I'm just not comfortable dedicating myself to always being that close to mobs as a wiz, especially when they are specialized for it and I'm not. I need a good ranged damage dealer for this to work the way I intend. I'm still struggling with what to do for my primary damage dealer (dis/MS/other), but SB looks like just a backup for putting up some damage numbers when AP is low and for life steal/slow with Temp Flux when my weapon has +arcane damage - unless I intend to tank. I don't.
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I also think I stepped into a fog of confusion when saying this was a "melee illusionist." It's not really intended to be so dedicated to melee range. My focus was to use high mobility and decoys to jump around the field in and out of melee to choose the best position possible on the battlefield at any time. So I can evade and operate at range when my enemies are big slow melee brutes (Disintegrate/Temp Flux combo + TP), and jump into melee when my foes are optimized for ranged (SB + MS and defense spells). Hence my Wormhole selection, plus a personal preference for travel and evading combat. Yes, I am sacrificing a little overall skill synergy and hitting harder to take advantage of always being able to hit where it hurts most. But, maybe I am placing too much importance on tactical positioning for this game (I have been following GW2 a lot so it may have rubbed off here).
Yeah, I realized Meteor and Disintegrate may be overkill, but I'm not sure how necessary having different damage types will be end game. Certainly not needed before then. I also thought SB was arcane, too. What it is it? Physical? Alts I made for this build took out Dis and just used that when in Archon form in exchange for an armor spell, but that left me feeling a bit too defensive and melee focused with not enough ranged firepower. I think Meteor and similar spells are way too AP hungry to maintain at range, but with AP regen items Dis looks manageable, while MS really packs a punch and I can move around in melee as it falls. And no other primary looks as viable for melee as SB with its extra D/healing. We'll see.
I chose Duplicates because I have no idea how long Sims would actually last end game (if they only last a hit or 2 anyway, then 5 hits is better than 3-4, or if they last longer than 7s then I waste some of their health), and I assumed (hoped) that the 5 clones would not spawn right on top of each other, but be spread out a bit to protect from AOE and help drag more mobs off me in melee. I also looked at Mocking Demise if Dupes or Sims are underwhelming. Without knowing how they will actually operate, I just went with my preferred flavor for now.
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My first build was similar and indeed it did have an armor spell and Evocation, but the only 2 spells on the build besides Archon with CDs get instantly recharged when needed with Illusionist. I didn't even have Mirror Images on this build before I noticed that. Putting Evocation wouldn't be as fast as Illusionist, so it would just be better for Archon and worse for my mainstays. Illusionist and Evocation seems like overkill, and Temporal Flux increases my relative mobility/evasion on command.
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http://us.battle.net...kQPm!aUd!YbbZZY
This idea was inspired from the Illusionist passive. The idea is that my major defensive/evasion skills will recharge when I come under pressure and start taking damage. Wormhole is so that I can choose the place on the battlefield that will give me the most advantage and move fast. Blur, Temporal Flux, and Healing Blades give additional survival boons/cc I'll probably need in melee, while Meteor Shower and Disintegrate will be my main ranged damage dealers of different damage types. A weapon that does at least some Arcane damage is a must, too for Temporal Flux.
I may switch out Meteor Shower for Liquefy as that may create a more dangerous zone for enemies while I'm in melee than the shower, but I don't want anything to compel me to restrict my mobility. It does also have good synergy with my move debuffs, though. I also thought of switching Disintegrate for Armor of Ice with Ice Reflect, but that leaves only the AP hungry Meteor and long CD Archon for ranged attacks.
I may also swap Meteor for Wave of Force to repel enemies when things get tight or if Meteor is too AP hungry, but I have TP to get out of dodge. Maybe Explosive Blast if Meteor's costs are too high, but survival is good and my weapon does arcane as opposed to physical. I could also switch Blur for Power Hungry, Prodigy, or Astral Presence in situation, too.
Archon w/ Slow Time, for when I need to change things up, and its awesome in general.