06-15-2012, 05:39 AM
(This post was last modified: 06-15-2012, 05:46 AM by MongoJerry.)
I loved Ray of Frost, as my comments in other threads here will attest, and I was sad to let it go for other skills. I think people really underestimate how many single target dps situations there are in this game, and even in champion/elite packs, it can be so crucial to be able to focus fire burn a mob down to reduce how many mobs in a pack are coming after you. As the health of mobs go up, the more I liked Ray of Frost. If you're going with the cold sorc theme, I think you need to keep it. Obviously, Arcane Orb and Disintegrate are better in AOE situations, but if that's not what's bothering you then, feel free to keep Ray of Frost. (Note: I swap in Ray of Frost for many fixed boss and miniboss situations for its high single target dps).
It's your defensive skills that I think need adjustment. I just think it's impossible to combat a lot of champ/elite packs without at least two defensive skills at your disposal. Since you are not going to use Elective Mode, that means you absolutely have to swap out Archon for Mirror Images. I know, Archon is so much fun, but it's a skill that is better used when your gear is overpowered for the level you are playing at when you can power it up and keep it going for an extended time. When the difficulty ramps up, it just won't be up long enough for it to be viable -- well until you have a lot of +critical hit and +life to hit gear to support it. Regarding the Defensive skills, I just don't know what I'd do without Teleport-Fracture. Frost Nova and Diamond Skin are both great, but I just can't see not having Teleport-Fracture whenever a champ pack has Vortex, Jailer, or even Frozen (get out before the crystals pop).
Regarding the armors, if you were playing hardcore, I'd say you have to get Energy Armor - Prismatic or Force Armor end of story. However, since you're playing softcore, I say have fun, keep using the ice armors, and let us know how well they work. Frag and I were just talking today about how people still really haven't figured out everything about this game, yet. He was noticing how people are valuing Barbarian gear completely wrongly on the softcore auction house, for example, and how people really underestimate some of the tanking and surviveability skills of the Witch Doctor. You might just find that we've all been underestimating the Ice Armors all this time.
It's your defensive skills that I think need adjustment. I just think it's impossible to combat a lot of champ/elite packs without at least two defensive skills at your disposal. Since you are not going to use Elective Mode, that means you absolutely have to swap out Archon for Mirror Images. I know, Archon is so much fun, but it's a skill that is better used when your gear is overpowered for the level you are playing at when you can power it up and keep it going for an extended time. When the difficulty ramps up, it just won't be up long enough for it to be viable -- well until you have a lot of +critical hit and +life to hit gear to support it. Regarding the Defensive skills, I just don't know what I'd do without Teleport-Fracture. Frost Nova and Diamond Skin are both great, but I just can't see not having Teleport-Fracture whenever a champ pack has Vortex, Jailer, or even Frozen (get out before the crystals pop).
Regarding the armors, if you were playing hardcore, I'd say you have to get Energy Armor - Prismatic or Force Armor end of story. However, since you're playing softcore, I say have fun, keep using the ice armors, and let us know how well they work. Frag and I were just talking today about how people still really haven't figured out everything about this game, yet. He was noticing how people are valuing Barbarian gear completely wrongly on the softcore auction house, for example, and how people really underestimate some of the tanking and surviveability skills of the Witch Doctor. You might just find that we've all been underestimating the Ice Armors all this time.