Rating
+1

ElementCrash Wizard (2.6.1 Tal Rasha's Elements Build)

Seasonal
Hybrid
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Skills

  • Ray of Frost Cold Blood
  • Black Hole Supermassive
  • Energy Twister Raging Storm
  • Hydra Mammoth Hydra
  • Energy Armor Energy Tap
  • Familiar Arcanot
  • Astral Presence
  • Unstable Anomaly
  • Dominance
  • Elemental Exposure

Items

More Details

Kanai's Cube

  • The Grand Vizier
  • Nilfur's Boast
  • Unity

Full 6 piece set for Tal Rasha's Elements, though recommended to get all 7 pieces to allow for alternatives for the Amulet and Belt, with a Diamond in the Helm, all Topaz in the Torso and either all Topaz or all Diamonds in the Legs. Cooldown bonuses help to cast Black Hole more often within Convention of Elements rotations and resource reduction costs help magnificently of course.


Tal Rasha's Allegiance is the main choice for Amulets for the build, though if swapping out the Belt or Source, Traveler's Pledge is an excellent choice for defensive/offensive boost and Ess of Johan helps group up enemies and apply Slow. For Rings, you'll want as high a percentage roll on Convection of Elements as possible, so it may be Cubed for a time until one suitable is found, in which case wearing a Unity ring directly would be a good choice. For the second Ring, Pandemonium Loop is viable for increasing DPS even further and Compass Rose obviously if using Traveler's Pledge.

The build relies very heavily on Legendary Gems for survival to reinforce defense and grant a main source of healing through Molten Wildebeest's Gizzard, and Esoteric Alteration helps boost resistances even further and syncs with the 4 piece Tal Rasha's set bonus. Bane of the Stricken is an all around boost to damage, though since the build works variably in range it could be replaced with a Bane of the Trapped or Zei's Stone of Vengeance respectively depending on if working up close or longer range.

Tal Rasha's Brace fits for the Belt, though again if swapping it out and using the Amulet and Source, Hergbrash's Binding works to help cut the cost of Ray of Frost and would allow for a rune other than Cold Blood to be used with it for better offensive use. Fazula's Improbable Chain is only an option if using the Shoulders and Boots from the Vyr's Amazing Arcana set and swapping out Familiar for Archon.

For Bracers there is some leeway, Nemesis Bracers obviously for speedrunning Rifts/Greater Rifts, though Ranslor's Folly boosts damage for Energy Twister and allows improved enemy grouping for better DPS, and then Ashnagarr's Blood Bracers for improved shields from Molten Wildebeest's Gizzard, Dominance and Unstable Anomaly.


For the Cubed items, Grand Vizier is mainly for the damage boost to the free Meteors used by the Tal Rasha's 2 piece bonus, but moreso with Nilfur's Boast so it is possible to swap Grand Vizier for any of the other main hand weapons depending on player preference, even Primordial Soul to ensure the maximum damage buff against enemies with Elemental Exposure if using Tal Rasha's Unwavering Glare as a Source for the 6 piece set bonus. The Grand Vizier itself isn't viable as a weapon due to not being able to use a Source with it, and the reduced cost for Meteor isn't applicable since all Meteors are free with the Tal Rasha's 2 piece set bonus. Unity is of course the Cubed ring, unless the Convection of Elements is Cubed for the maximum damage boost. If wearing Nilfur's Boast directly, Mantle of Channeling or Hergbrash's Binding are good alternatives.

Paragon Priorities

Core

Primary Stat
Vitality
Maximum Resource
Movement Speed

Offense

Attack Speed
Critical Hit Chance
Critical Hit Damage
Cooldown Reduction

Defense

Life Regeneration
Resist All
Armor
Life

Utility

Life on Hit
Resource Cost Reduction
Area Damage
Gold Find

Paragon levels of 1000 and over are required for pushing past T11/GR60 ranges with priorities on Intelligence and Vitality for damage, resistance and health, and Maximum Arcane Power for a larger resource pool, Movement Speed being last in the priorities, it helps of course but isn't required.


For offensive Paragon, Attack Speed is key for dealing out as many attacks as possible to keep the elemental buffs/debuffs going with the Tal Rasha's 6 piece bonus and with Bane of the Stricken, bonuses to Critical Hit Chance and Damage being most important afterwards and Cooldown Reduction for better use of Black Hole.


Defense Paragon prioritizes Life Regeneration for use with Molten Wildebeest's Gizzard, and Resist All and Armor for Toughness, Life rounding it all out after the others have been filled.


Utility Paragon rounds out both offense and defensive with Life on Hit and Resource Reduction Cost, then Area Damage. Gold Find isn't applicable.

Build Guide

This build has been tested on version 2.6.0 in original format on PS4 and PC, in 2.6.1 PTR, and in Season 12 on PC and PS4.


The set build by itself is nothing new at base, but the build layout focuses on high speed, high damage output rounded with solid defenses for the Wizard and even a bit of variability for the build dependant on the supportive/non-damaging skills. For the damage aspect of the build it focuses on dealing out the highest damage variations of the skills in question, synchronized with the rotations of the Convection of Elements ring and used with the damage buff of Elemental Exposure and the full 6 piece bonus of Tal Rasha's Elements.


Meteor is a free skill in this regard thanks to the 2 piece bonus of casting the different elemental skill runed versions when the element itself is cast from any skill or damage type attached to a weapon, meaning that as long as skills are being cast, the Meteors keep falling at no cost to the Wizard dealing the full damage and effects of each different elemental rune in question. The 4 piece bonus increases elemental resistances by 25% for 8 seconds for every cast of any elemental skill, and each cast thank to the 6 piece bonus deals 750% increased damage per element used for 8 seconds, extending duration by 2 seconds per cast at 4 stacks for a total 3000% damage buff to all outgoing damage. This applies even to other elemental damage sources on weapons or Legendary Gem attacks (Physical, Poison, Holy) and is maintained as long as skills of different elements are continued to be cast in any order, ideally in the rotation of the Convection of Elements for another 200% damage buff.


In the main instance for this build those skills utilize Energy Twister with the Raging Storm rune for Arcane, Ray of Frost with the Cold Blood rune for Cold, Hydra with the Mammoth Hydra rune for Fire, and Black Hole the Supermassive rune for Lightning. Bolstering defense comes from use of Energy Armor with the Energy Tap rune and the Familiar with the Arcanot rune for increased Maximum Arcane Power and Arcane Power Regeneration to keep up with the high costs of the skills and their rapid casting. The skills in question are the highest damage to speed of cast, the runes arranged for the highest damage variations of each skill.


The skills are also target based for casting and this allows the build to work anywhere from close to long range and remain effective, allowing for sweeping through mobs and punishing elites from any range without any loss or mitigation of damage dealing ability, and Energy Armor works as a defensive skill nor reliant on range to boost Armor against attacks. Maintaining the balance of casting different skills is vital to maintaining the damage of the 6 piece bonus and in rotation with Convection of Elements.


For weapons, there is some leeway depending on the playstyle and skill focus. Serpent Sparker allows for summoning two Hydras instead of just one, though each must be cast independently and allows for controlling the damage ranges on the battlefield more easily. The Twisted Sword is another boost to damage for Energy Twister, up to 750% when 5 or more are active at once on the field and with Ranslor's Folly makes for a huge damage boost to grouped enemies, especially when the Raging Storm rune allows the Twisters to merge and double their damage while extending their duration. Deathwish grants a sizable overall damage boost while channeling, which is always a good well rounded offensive option. Primordial Soul is the main option for Source, as it doubles the damage buff to enemies from Elemental Exposure from 20% to 40% total from all elemental damage sources, so it takes priority for use in the Cube over the Grand Vizier if using Tal Rasha's Unwavering Gaze as a Source instead.


For passives, Elemental Exposure is required for the build, as it is a main source of increased damage to enemies overall. Unstable Anomaly and Dominance are for increased defensive ability, and Astral Presence for further increased Arcane Power Maximum and Regeneration. The variability of the build allows for some leeway, swapping Dominance with Audacity or Power Hungry depending on the player's preference for closer or longer ranged combat, or with Evocation for more cooldown on Black Hole.


The build's variations come into play with the different Shoulders and Boots that can be used with the build while still maintaining the Tal Rasha's 6 piece bonus. The most viable defensive option is the 2 piece bonus from Firebird's Finery, which casts a Meteor to deal damage and revive you upon death with a 60 second cooldown, granting one free life for the Wizard. For offensive options, use of the Delsere's Magnum Opus 2 piece would allow swapping Familiar or Energy Armor for Slow Time with any viable rune, since every cast of Energy Twister would reduce the cooldown by 3 seconds. Nilfur's Boast could be worn directly, and Mantle of Channeling pairs well with it to boost Ray of Frost. Personally I make use of Firebird's Finery since it adds further utility to the build without changing any of the skills, but the options are there.


For group play it's simply a matter of swapping the Unity ring in the Cube for anything suitable to boost offensive or defensive abilities.