(TLDR skip to part 1 and part 2 conclusions)
Part 1: Stagger Testing
All sources of additional chill were turned off for the test except icefall chill application which I forgot about. Vulnerable was turned off for good measure.
Note 1: There is a stagger reduction cooldown on bosses which lasts about 4 seconds. So the first hit will take full stagger value while the second hit in same 4 second window will have less stagger value. All values listed are the highest value as I waited for the ~4 second window to clear.
Note 2: someone tested chill values a month ago and showed that ice shards had reduced chill. This is still the case and even though the stagger value is the same, it takes 2 more ice shards to freeze something than frost bolt. 9%CC duration did effect stagger, but did not reduce the amount of casts needed to freeze something.
Frost Bolt 2 + 9%CC duration
Frost Bolt - 8.33
Frozen Orb - 8.33
Ice Shard - 8.33
Frost Nova - 24.99 (at least)
Frost Bolt 2
Frost Bolt - 7.65
Frozen Orb - 7.65
Ice Shard - 7.65
Frost Bolt 5
Frost Bolt - 7.65
Frozen Orb - 7.65
Ice Shard - 7.65
Frost Bolt 2 + No enchant
Frost Bolt - 7.65
Frozen Orb - 7.65
Ice Shard - Zero
Conclusions.
- CC duration Affix increases stagger.
- Ice Shards is just as good at staggering as anything else hit outside the ~4s window
- Chill value from frost bolt, and chill value listed on skills does not impact listed stagger value.
Part 2. Chill testing.
All sources of Chill are turned off except Paragon Chill, and enchant. Tests were done on endless Parasite, diablo 4’s only test dummy. Took 5 different worlds because he was farmed so hard. Chill % isn’t as important as the amount of casts needed to chill. So we can call the amount of casts needed to a “Break Point” for chill %.
Note: Neither CC duration, nor Freeze duration reduced the amount of casts needed to chill.
Note2: All ice shard tests include the frost bolt enchant
Frost Bolt: Enchant vs No enchant
Frost Bolt 5 No enchant = 7 hits to freeze
Frost Bolt 2 No enchant = 7 hits to freezeFrost Bolt 5 + Enchant = 4 hits to freeze
Frost Bolt 2 + Enchant = 5 hits to freeze
Frost Bolt + Enchant + 12% chill from paragon board
Frost Bolt 5 = 4 hits to freeze
Frost Bolt 2 = 4 hits to freeze
Ice Shards: Frost Bolt 2 vs Frost Bolt 5
Ice Shards + 5 Frost Bolt = 5 hits to freeze
Ice Shards + 2 Frost Bolt = 7 hits to freeze
Ice Shards: +12% Chill from paragon board: Frost Bolt 2 vs Frost Bolt 5
Ice Shards + 5 Frost Bolt + 12% chill = 5 hits to freeze
Ice Shards + 2 Frost Bolt + 12% chill = 6 hits to freeze
Ice Shards: and Cold Front passive 24% chill with barrier: Frost Bolt 2 vs Frost Bolt 5
Ice Shards + 5 Frost Bolt + 12% chill = 4 hits to freeze
Ice Shards + 2 Frost Bolt + 12% chill = 5 hits to freeze
Ice Shards: +12% Chill from paragon board and Cold Front passive 24% chill with barrier: Frost Bolt 2 vs Frost Bolt 5
Ice Shards + 5 Frost Bolt + 12% chill = 4 hits to freeze
Ice Shards + 2 Frost Bolt + 12% chill = 5 hits to freeze
Conclusions
- By adding 3 more points to Frost bolt you can reduce the number of ice shards needed to freeze an enemy by 2 whole hits
- By adding 3 points to the paragon board for 12% chill application you can reduce the number of ice shards needed to freeze an enemy by 1 whole hit only when you have 5 Frost Bolt.
- In a strictly ice shard build, the chill application from the paragon board is only worth it if you have 2 in Frost Bolt. Adding it while at 5 Frost bolt reaches a break point and will not reduce the number of casts needed to freeze (please see final note below on frozen orb)
- Ice Shards reaches a break point with Cold Front such that adding Chill application from the paragon will not result in less hits before frozen. (please see final note below on frozen orb)
Final Note: I did not test frozen orb because it’s hard to do. From my experience it usually freezes something in 1-2 hits. So I would expect similar numbers to frost bolt except that it’s hitting multiple times. Personally I use 1pt in frozen orb as an opener to freeze things and kill them off screen with ice shards rather than going in melee with frost nova (need shared misery aspect). These values really do help with that. So to sum that up, even if you think the 3 extra Frost Bolt points is too much, chill application from the paragon board could still have value in Frozen Orb.
Summarized break points.
- Ice Shards at 5 Frost Bolt (enchant only) will not Freeze any quicker with Paragon Chill, but 2 Frost Bolt will.
- Ice Shards with 24% Cold Front Passive, at 2 or 5 Frost Bolt will not Freeze any quicker by adding paragon Chill.
This only shows break points for Ice Shards, if you use other chill sources maximizing chill could still be valuable.