Tips for someone new to the class

[Frostflower]

Hello, I've played this game on and off for ages, but it's been so long since I've thought about putting major thoughts into following a viable build. The class in general I want to main in is Wizard, but I can't quite figure out what playstyle to adopt specifically. Are wizards better off focusing on magic-based DPS, crowd control, something else entirely, or is a jack-of-all-trades able to be done? Which of the class enhancement trees are good for what? Is investing in any of the universal trees worth it? Which stats should I also focus on improving when looking at gear?

[Seph1roth5]

My favorite type of wizard is CC enchantment focused pale master. PM is just awesome for survivability, being able to heal yourself with death aura, undead immunities, and the forms are really nice too.

Even with tier5 pale master there's still plenty of pts leftover for archmage which bumps dcs a bit and gives a couple SLAs. And while not a super nuker, the PM slas hit **** hard, and there's tons of nullification gear around.

I go enchantment over necro (though my necro dcs are high too) because I just like hold/dance personally. I'm not doing high reapers or anything, just having fun.

And in heroics your enchantment/necro dcs will be fairly close, but once you get into epic destinies one of them is going to get a big boost from magister.

[unbongwah]

Okay someone who is more familiar with the meta than me can comment on what the best endgame wizards do (presuming there are any). But the class is pretty flexible these days IMO; how you play it depends on how you want to play it.

Gnome Illusionist who focuses on single-target instakills via Phantasmal Killer? Done. Warforged Eldritch Knight swinging a giant sword? You bet! The classic Necromancer? Got that too.

[Careall]

There are many approaches, some of which depend on if you solo or group. If in a group, you can trade-off being a bit squishier and focus on DC and Spell Pen. I prefer the tanky PM/EK combination with a barbarian lot of hit points. Even this build can do well with CC or DPS spells, but probably not in high-end reaper or end game content. This lets me have the best of both worlds of soloing and grouping. Basically, the build can fill almost any role except a trapper (and even that to some extent). Another good mix is a ranged wizard using bows or crossbows. You can use Spell Sword to add elemental damage and conserve spell points for occasional Maxed (DPS) or Heightened (CC) spells.

[Peter_Principle]

>I can't quite figure out what playstyle to adopt specifically.

I personally like playing wizards as DPS/DC caster hybrid. I think you can do a pretty good job at both at end game with your main. At present, I get about 950 on negative spell power, 90ish on spell crit and resting necro DCs 120ish.

>Which of the class enhancement trees are good for what?

For a caster, Pale Master is probably where you want to go. I go T5 and capstone. Lich stance. 10 negative spell power, incorp, and then +2 Necro DCs for the cores. Max out the SLAs, spell crit and healing amp. Get the undead vulnerabilizer, necro DCs and stance enhancer.

Archmage is probably OK, like you wouldn't be entirely gimped if you went whole hog in there, but needs a rework to be equal to PM. In early levels 1 point to get the magic missile SLA is an enhancement point well spent.

Whatever points I don't put in PM or universal trees (see next) goes into Eldritch Knight for defense, int and extra spell power.

>Is investing in any of the universal trees worth it?

8 points in falconry for sprint burst. 12 points if you want the 5% quality HP boost. Maybe 1 point in Feydark Illusionist for +5 universal spell power.


>Which stats should I also focus on improving when looking at gear?

For the way I play, I strive to max out Int, Con, Null Spell power, Null spell crit, necro DCs, then other DCs, then various defenses. I wear all kinds of stuff through heroics, but in general it's slavers at 8, RL at 10, Esoteric Initiate at 15 then Dreadkeeper at 17, along with Stygian Wrath. Borderlands null scepter 20-28. That, with other swaps at various levels, gets me through to 29, when I put on Legendary Dread/Stygian, Feywild DC scepter, and the rest of my endgame gear.

>Tips for someone new to the class

One thing on feats, I'd like to recommend taking Insightful Reflexes. A high reflex save is rather useful.

[Anoregon]

Okay someone who is more familiar with the meta than me can comment on what the best endgame wizards do (presuming there are any). But the class is pretty flexible these days IMO; how you play it depends on how you want to play it.

Gnome Illusionist who focuses on single-target instakills via Phantasmal Killer? Done. Warforged Eldritch Knight swinging a giant sword? You bet! The classic Necromancer? Got that too.

Curious about one thing in Warforged EK build you linked - why precision over power attack? I've never played an EK, but I would assume it's due to a lot of EK damage being from spells/enhancements that don't benefit from the power attack bonus?

[Marshal_Lannes]

Curious about one thing in Warforged EK build you linked - why precision over power attack? I've never played an EK, but I would assume it's due to a lot of EK damage being from spells/enhancements that don't benefit from the power attack bonus?

Precision is needed to break the fortification of reapers, red names and champions in epic reaper. If you're only playing heroics, power attack is a better choice.

[Anoregon]

Precision is needed to break the fortification of reapers, red names and champions in epic reaper. If you're only playing heroics, power attack is a better choice.

Ah that makes sense, thanks.