I figured I should probably log on here and answer everyone's questions, now that I'm in the beta and there isn't an NDA. So, ask away, and I'll answer what I can now, and figure the rest out when I get home after work.
Wands - are they just backup weapons, or do you find yourself actually using them purposefully?
Yeah, too much time playing WoW there. Anyway, it depends on your build. With Magic Missile, you can spam the spell for quite awhile before running out, so wands are pretty pointless. With Arcane Orb, though, it's mana intensive enough that I'll often hit them with the wand to finish them off rather than spending 1/3 of my energy on another Orb. Mostly though, it's a backup.
Have you tried using Magic Missle all the way thru and as your main spell vs the Skeleton King? Is it really viable as Blizzard said? I'm guessing at level 8 you can spam the spell and not run out of AP but was it punishing yourself if you didn't use other spells like Electrocute or Arcane Orb?
Have you tried using Magic Missle all the way thru and as your main spell vs the Skeleton King? Is it really viable as Blizzard said? I'm guessing at level 8 you can spam the spell and not run out of AP but was it punishing yourself if you didn't use other spells like Electrocute or Arcane Orb?
I used Arcane Orb for trash clearing once I got it up until the Lich King, but then switched back to Magic Missile for the fight against him since it's much better against a single target than Arcane Orb. It's definitely viable at 9, though I'm not sure how it'll stack up once you get later single target spells.
Wait, so wands are like they are in WoW, or like D2?
If wands are some lame throwing weapon like in WoW, that will be laaaame. Wands were my favorite type of weapon in D2.
Actually I don't see a real reason to use it. If you've been watching the beta videos, Magic Missle at higher levels (L5 onwards) does not seem to drain AP at all, and its spammable.
Wands are weapons, but their default attack option is to cast a little bolt, at no arcane power cost. Not sure how much damage it does, but it's most likely there just to use at low levels. As some have already said, it does less damage than cheap spammable spells later on. It's basically a caster equivalent to default attack for melee weapons, or the "shoot" attack skill for bows/crossbows.
Wait, so wands are like they are in WoW, or like D2?
If wands are some lame throwing weapon like in WoW, that will be laaaame. Wands were my favorite type of weapon in D2.
Actually I don't see a real reason to use it. If you've been watching the beta videos, Magic Missle at higher levels (L5 onwards) does not seem to drain AP at all, and its spammable.
The reason to use wands is that you're limited on the number of skills you can equip, and so if you go for more of an high damage/ae build, then you wouldn't want to waste massive AE spells that take 1/3 of your mana on a single guy who has 10% of his life left, and instead just throw a wand shot at him for the kill. If your build includes something like Magic Missile, great. But if it's more of a arcane orb/blizzard/meteor build or something, the wand may end up being useful. Once you're level 30+ and have plenty of skills available, it shouldn't be such an issue, but at 8 and 9 I found myself finishing off mobs with wand occasionally, because my skills equipped were arcane orb/frost nova/wave of force.
Spectral Blade works just like any other melee based skill like Bash or something on the Barbarian, so yes.
It's a melee attack? As in you have to be right up on top of a mob to use it? That doesn't sound safe for a Wizard.
It's not safe. And it's not quite melee but it's VERY short range. But between some of the armor spells and that, there MIGHT be some way to construct a spell armored melee wizard. A crazy, suicidal spell armored melee wizard.
In the streams I've never seen a wizard go below 90% health? That seems a little boring to me. Are wizards just overpowered or are the mobs just too easy at the moment?
Since you have a hireling and from what I have seen it doesnt even have time to do anything due to the wiz basically one-shotting the mob, it seems like they are too easy? ;p
Is this something that is really viable or is it just the very low difficulty setting of beta and being a high level (13) that allows you to do something like this?
In the streams I've never seen a wizard go below 90% health? That seems a little boring to me. Are wizards just overpowered or are the mobs just too easy at the moment?
Since you have a hireling and from what I have seen it doesnt even have time to do anything due to the wiz basically one-shotting the mob, it seems like they are too easy? ;p
It's rare that I let mobs get close enough to damage me, but I definitely screwed up twice and got surrounded and went splat, and also had a few close calls. Wizards definitely have some extremely powerful offense, but they're extremely fragile. Most trash packs are pretty easy to deal with, but as an example, when there are magic hydras spitting out energy balls, a wizard's low health makes for a bad situation.
In the streams I've never seen a wizard go below 90% health? That seems a little boring to me. Are wizards just overpowered or are the mobs just too easy at the moment?
Edit: Changed topic title because I feel stupid
Wands - are they just backup weapons, or do you find yourself actually using them purposefully?
Yeah, too much time playing WoW there. Anyway, it depends on your build. With Magic Missile, you can spam the spell for quite awhile before running out, so wands are pretty pointless. With Arcane Orb, though, it's mana intensive enough that I'll often hit them with the wand to finish them off rather than spending 1/3 of my energy on another Orb. Mostly though, it's a backup.
I used Arcane Orb for trash clearing once I got it up until the Lich King, but then switched back to Magic Missile for the fight against him since it's much better against a single target than Arcane Orb. It's definitely viable at 9, though I'm not sure how it'll stack up once you get later single target spells.
If wands are some lame throwing weapon like in WoW, that will be laaaame. Wands were my favorite type of weapon in D2.
Wands are weapons, but their default attack option is to cast a little bolt, at no arcane power cost. Not sure how much damage it does, but it's most likely there just to use at low levels. As some have already said, it does less damage than cheap spammable spells later on. It's basically a caster equivalent to default attack for melee weapons, or the "shoot" attack skill for bows/crossbows.
The reason to use wands is that you're limited on the number of skills you can equip, and so if you go for more of an high damage/ae build, then you wouldn't want to waste massive AE spells that take 1/3 of your mana on a single guy who has 10% of his life left, and instead just throw a wand shot at him for the kill. If your build includes something like Magic Missile, great. But if it's more of a arcane orb/blizzard/meteor build or something, the wand may end up being useful. Once you're level 30+ and have plenty of skills available, it shouldn't be such an issue, but at 8 and 9 I found myself finishing off mobs with wand occasionally, because my skills equipped were arcane orb/frost nova/wave of force.
I'm not sure if there are runes in the beta, but does Frost Nova with Alabaster increase the chance of crits for all attacks or just cold spells?
I haven't used Spectra Blade yet, I'll try to check this out in an hour or two.
There are no runes in the beta. Those only start in Act 2, and we can only play the first part of Act 1.
Spectral Blade works just like any other melee based skill like Bash or something on the Barbarian, so yes.
It's a melee attack? As in you have to be right up on top of a mob to use it? That doesn't sound safe for a Wizard.
It's not safe. And it's not quite melee but it's VERY short range. But between some of the armor spells and that, there MIGHT be some way to construct a spell armored melee wizard. A crazy, suicidal spell armored melee wizard.
Since you have a hireling and from what I have seen it doesnt even have time to do anything due to the wiz basically one-shotting the mob, it seems like they are too easy? ;p
It's rare that I let mobs get close enough to damage me, but I definitely screwed up twice and got surrounded and went splat, and also had a few close calls. Wizards definitely have some extremely powerful offense, but they're extremely fragile. Most trash packs are pretty easy to deal with, but as an example, when there are magic hydras spitting out energy balls, a wizard's low health makes for a bad situation.
Here ya go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPqGwT66Trw