Compendium of wizard builds for patch 2.6.6

Wizard
1

Since 2.6.1 we’ve had many builds for either speed farming or endgame, even though some are much stronger than others such as Vyr Chantodo following 2.6.5. Many build guides are out there by creators such as Cratic, Looloo, svr, Lexyu and others - all credits go to them. However, build guides tend to not be updated following significant changes in sets, legendaries, gems (LoD) and seasonal buffs. In this thread I try to comprehensively and systematically update some common builds, divided according to skill used. For more in-depth reading please refer to the excellent mechanics and new builds posts by Cratic at the start of every season. Also, note the complete absence of Firebird builds: clunky mechanics and thoroughly outclassed by all other sets and LoD.

A) Explosive blast builds d3planner(.)com/239233264

1. In-geom instantly resets EB, teleport and diamond skin/prism, permitting elite chain-killing. Previously just making it to T13 speed farming, Tal boost in 2.6.4 and now Aughild with a seperate multiplier and bonus to elite damage and dr takes it to T16 with sage. I also post the classic high movability build and a stronger variation with crimson which provides cdr, rcr (both highly useful in EB builds), added dr and another damage multiplier. At P1700 I speedfarm up to gr85 with the latter build.
2. Channeling builds are much stronger. A semi-speed build with Tal and black hole for gathers is further boosted by crimson. DMO with flash rune (approximately 10% stronger than chain reaction according to testing by Cratic) becomes also stronger with crimson. Finally, LoD chain reaction will probably be the strongest one, thanks to all the fire elemental bonuses - and also very tanky thanks to the interaction of stone gauntlets/ice climbers for an extra 60%+ dr.

B) Meteor builds d3planner(.)com/414875084

1. Channeling builds with meteor shower remain a good option for mid-high gr. Really tanky and relatively easy to play, they benefit from many multipliers, gear a lot of dr options and don’t need rolls such as ad (only your meteors benefit from it), cdr or as. Note the paragon as needed to synchronize with etched sigil.
2. Speed builds are based on the thunder crash rune and can even fit sage although it’s not the strongest T16 build out there. Really resource intensive but immensely fun.
3. Star pact builds, either LoD archon or non-archon, can push the highest. The proposals here are copied from the top spots in European leaderboards. Note the absence of astral presence in the archon build. I don’t play star pact, not much I have to say here.

C) Frozen orb builds d3planner(.)com/925148948

1. Speed builds are possibly the most popular ones with FO. Great versatility, albeit a bit annoying to keep triumvirate stacks. Versions with sage or for bounties with both Tal or LoD are provided. My personal go-to builds for bounties and 50% of sage farming (the other 50% is EB in-geom).
2. Push builds can also be built around FO, either with DMO/EW (a few variations of that build exist) or, the strongest of them all, with Vyr reverse archon. Check out in youtube the masterpieces played by Looloo with the latter.

D) Energy twister builds d3planner(.)com/700255865

Energy twister lives and can be played in two variations, channeling with DMO or a fun speed build with LoD and gale force, another great idea by Cratic in 2.6.1 with Firebird but now updated to reflect current items. I haven’t tested it yet but I’ll surely post my results.

E) Manald heal builds d3planner(.)com/945008632

1. Speed builds are still valid options through the use of MH - just not the best options anymore. Electrocute is great fun but with few supporting legendaries the Tal version didn’t really feel great in T16. I’ve briefly tested LoD/echoing fury (as it benefits your mh immensely) and it felt somewhat stronger. As for the archon builds, MSR/cosmic strand has become my built of choice for low gr: no need for chantodo stacks, MSR provides instant reset and your beam kills everything. Your weapon doesn’t really matter and can be in-geom, starfire or pig sticker. Sub-2 min clears up until gr 75. There is no real reason to play Chantodo lightning (cold benefits from absolute zero, doesn’t need mh/paralysis) or other builds formerly used for pushing (tal/vyr which once reigned supreme, pig sticker/ooid etc)
2. Channeling builds with Tal or Vyr reverse archon are builds that I’ve not really enjoyed and here I provide versions by Cratic. I feel that EF can be a major upgrade since you reach 5 frames with AT:SD in the Tal build, greatly increasing mh procs.

F) Vyr chantodo builds d3planner(.)com/841884210

1. Push builds are once again copied from the European leaderboards since Chantodo is by far the strongest build, with only star pact able to compete. In the fire/lightning build, Primus can be an option instead of Aughild. Cold has many variations in the top spots (all 140+ solo clears), with Furnace or OoID in cube, strongarms or ABB etc.
2. Speed builds don’t really matter since chantodo is so strong. Many builds out there, I list only the ones I’ve personally tested and liked. These can be changed however you like without heavily impacting your clear speed.

Let me know if you notice mistakes, have advice/proposals or even new builds so that I can update this post. Thanks for reading.

2

Why are you not using Taeguk gem? Also stone gauntlets with invigorating gem (making you immune to all CC as well as negating stone gauntlets penalties).

Pretty much all of meteor channel LoD is about channeling to get damage out and buff your DR. If you are getting CC in any shape or form you will die and also lose dmg. To me is worth it to drop Cindercoat for stonegauntlets in cube (unless you get a pair with high CH / CHD to replace magefist) and equip aquillas, you won’t be spamming meteors (mostly drop 2 or 3 at start of fire cycle), so I feel that taeguk + mantle of channeling will more than make up for the loss of bane of trapped. Stricken is a big deal for rgk, but until you get a good pair of ancient stone gauntlets to replace magefist and cube ice walkers to free the gem slot (which will happen at a point with reforge or a drop), but yeah.

I cleared 106 with my LoD Meteor this season at only 800ish paragon, still looking for upgrades (for example once I get an ancient or even non ancient Halo of Karini with 77%+ reduction, I won’t have to cube it and can free that slot for flavor of time). Ancient stone gauntlets with 10% chd / 50% chc to replace my ancient mage fists, then I can replace invigorating with Stricken, augment and shoot 120+ easily.

Toughness is insane, am 7.5B at 10 stacks of taeguk, with only 1.3m shield I don’t have to move out of triple explosions / arcane beams / plague in 106, as long as I don’t get feared / frozen / knocked up or back, I can’t die, and dmg is there, as soon as you get past 6 stacks on channel T’s fly in.

3

Using invigorating, although cc immunity is nice to have, means that you only get one dps gem. That’s huge. LoD meteor has LoD bonus, aquilla, karini, unity, mantle and flame ward + shields/abb. Even more toughness at the cost of dps will lower your ceiling. But if it works for you at lower paragon, go ahead and do that by all means

4

Well am playing season, I only found 1 unity ring so I can’t run that with follower. Without SG anything past GR100 can kill me on a single CC. Am paragon 900ish now and 106 cleared.

I need either an ancient unity to wear, or an ancient Karini and cube unity to drop stone gauntlets to get another dps gem. W/o stonegauntlets, I couldn’t go past 100 (some GR bosses can 1 shot through shield after they interrupt the channel).

But still I think Taeguk is better than trapped, as you get not only the dmg but also DR from it and they scale the same (%based). You are 95% channeling for damage anyway, if you could 1 hit normal trash with cast meteors then I could see the appeal for trapped.

5

At level 120 taeguk gives you 65% dibs. That’s 39% increased damage if you have three meteor rolls, magic weapon and unwavering will. Trapped is 52% seperate multiplier, constant without the need to ramp up (something that happens a lot during a rift). Taeguk has the added benefit of armor if you feel squishy but with so many layers of defense, you might not need it. For sure a solid option though

6

Yeah my thought is that you won’t always want (or can’t) be within 15 yards of whatever you’re nuking (bad affixes, heavy hitters etc) which removes the dmg from trapped, while you can just teleport channel without losing taeguk stacks if it makes sense?

Especially as you go higher GR.