A Cold Crit Witch Guide 2.0 (RE-DONE!) Check it out!

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Lachis wrote:

It should never be in your path as a cold crit witch.

As a cold CI witch, if you want to take the second Nullification node, you have 2 path for a coldcrit witch.

A) Spending 5 nodes (3 intel, 2 dex) starting from Unnatural Calm.
B) Spending 5 nodes + 1 Frenzy charge (with 4 dex nodes) starting from the other nullification circle.

I choose the option B, because :
- Gives me more dex. (I hate rely on my gear to be able to maxlvl gem. And green gem does really matter for a cold witch. I prefer to be able to switch gear at will without thinking about the requirements of the gems).
- Gives me access to a +30str node for only 1 point (same idea, for lvling gem without relying on my gear. But this is less important).
- For 1 extrapoints regarding the other parth, I'll win 5% castspeed. There is only one node that gives more than 5% castspeed in the tree, it's Nimblness (Or prestidigitation, but that's on the templar side).

But if you don't play CI, yes you wouldn't go soo deep in the shadow tree, and use the templar side (where, obviously, there is no Frenzy charge available!)

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Regarding your other thread : Agreed on almost all your points. But not about Faster Casting. (erh, that's why I love Blood rage, too!)
In my vision of the witch, the %castspeed is the best stat for a witch, especially for a frost one.
It allows you to cast more spells (=> more chance to freeze mobs, for you and your totem if you use one), and being more reactive to use "utility spells" that can save your life (lightning warp, frostwall, etc).
But that's a feeling point of view, so... :)



One other thing I don't understand : you tell that the gain from increased crit damage is not linear ?

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he reason is that if you want to use the Increased Critical Damage gem then you don't want to have a lot of crit multi already so it will be much more effective to use.

For me, 1% crit damage (as well as 1% castspeed) gives you the same total bonus when you have 0% or 100% bonus. In either case, you will gain 1% raw critdamage|castspeed.

Basically :
DPS = Damage_per_attack * attack_per_seconds * ( 1 + ( crit_chance * crit_damage_multiplier) ).

If we use the following :
Damage_per_attack = 1000
attack_per_seconds = 2
crit_chance = 30%
crit_damage_multiplier = 50%

DPS = 2300.
With +1% Crit damage : DPS = 2306

Now, with a crit_damage multiplier of 150%
DPS = 2900
With +1% Crit damage : DPS = 2906

For a fixed value of damage/aps/critchance, 1% crit damage gives the same amount of DPS. And this is true for castspeed and critchance as well.



But I think you are right to tell that Bloodthirst > Throatseeker :

For 5 points, you gain 70% crit damage multiplier (Throatseeker)
For 5 points, you gain 45+45+15+15 = 120% crit chance (2 Bloodthirst) AND 10% crit damage

To know which will gives you more dps will depend of your current stats.

With the following :

Damage_per_attack : 1000
Attacks_Per_Seconds : 2
(This previous 2 values won't change the result)
Base_spell_crit_chance : 6% (freezing pulse)
Base_crit_multiplier : 50%
Crit_chance : 150%.
Crit_multiplier : 150%.

So DPS = 1000*2* ( 1+ ( 0,06*(1+1,5) * (0,5+1,5) ) ) = 2600

Let's try with 70% more critmultiplier :
DPS = 1000*2* ( 1+ ( 0,06*(1+1,5) * (0,5+2,2) ) ) = 2810

And with 120% critchance =& 10%crit damage :
DPS = 1000*2* ( 1+ ( 0,06*(1+2,7) * (0,5+1,6) ) ) = 2932

As a result, we can tell that for these values,
1 point used for Throatseeker gives you ~40dps
1 point used for Bloodthirst gives you ~66dps

Remarks : IN THIS CASE, if you have to spend something like 3 node points just to get to the 2nd bloodthirst, the gain/point will be ~40dps. So if you have to spend more than 3 node points, the pure damage advantage will be for throatseeker.
However, more crit chance = more frozen targets, so... :)


(hope I've done no mistake, don't hesitate to correct me if I'm wrong !)

Sorry but,how can i use frostbite without dexterity?sorry but i'm new to this game

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Salzir wrote:

Sorry but,how can i use frostbite without dexterity?sorry but i'm new to this game

You can't use a gem if you don't fit the requirements (level and stats).

You have 2 choices :
- Find dexterity on your gear
- Put a passive skill points into a dexterity node. (try to get a +30!)

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Felkor wrote:

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raz0r_boy wrote:

It should never be in your path as a cold crit witch.

As a cold CI witch, if you want to take the second Nullification node, you have 2 path for a coldcrit witch.

A) Spending 5 nodes (3 intel, 2 dex) starting from Unnatural Calm.
B) Spending 5 nodes + 1 Frenzy charge (with 4 dex nodes) starting from the other nullification circle.

I choose the option B, because :
- Gives me more dex. (I hate rely on my gear to be able to maxlvl gem. And green gem does really matter for a cold witch. I prefer to be able to switch gear at will without thinking about the requirements of the gems).
- Gives me access to a +30str node for only 1 point (same idea, for lvling gem without relying on my gear. But this is less important).
- For 1 extrapoints regarding the other parth, I'll win 5% castspeed. There is only one node that gives more than 5% castspeed in the tree, it's Nimblness.


@Lachis Agreed on almost all your points. But not about Faster Casting. (erh, that's why I love Blood rage, too!)
In my vision of the witch, the %castspeed is the best stat for a witch, especially for a frost one.
It allows you to cast more spells (=> more chance to freeze mobs, for you and your totem if you use one), and being more reactive to use "utility spells" that can save your life (lightning warp, frostwall, etc).
But that's a feeling point of view, so... :)



One other thing I don't understand : you tell that the gain from increased crit damage is not linear ?

"

he reason is that if you want to use the Increased Critical Damage gem then you don't want to have a lot of crit multi already so it will be much more effective to use.

For me, 1% crit damage (as well as 1% castspeed) gives you the same total bonus when you have 0% or 100% bonus. In either case, you will gain 1% raw critdamage|castspeed.

Basically :
DPS = Damage_per_attack * attack_per_seconds * ( 1 + ( crit_chance * crit_damage_multiplier) ).

If we use the following :
Damage_per_attack = 1000
attack_per_seconds = 2
crit_chance = 30%
crit_damage_multiplier = 50%

DPS = 2300.
With +1% Crit damage : DPS = 2306

Now, with a crit_damage multiplier of 150%
DPS = 2900
With +1% Crit damage : DPS = 2906

For a fixed value of damage/aps/critchance, 1% crit damage gives the same amount of DPS. And this is true for castspeed and critchance as well.



But I think you are right to tell that Bloodthirst > Throatseeker :

For 5 points, you gain 70% crit damage multiplier (Throatseeker)
For 5 points, you gain 45+45+15+15 = 120% crit chance (2 Bloodthirst) AND 10% crit damage

To know which will gives you more dps will depend of your current stats.

With the following :

Damage_per_attack : 1000
Attacks_Per_Seconds : 2
(This previous 2 values won't change the result)
Base_spell_crit_chance : 6% (freezing pulse)
Base_crit_multiplier : 50%
Crit_chance : 150%.
Crit_multiplier : 150%.

So DPS = 1000*2* ( 1+ ( 0,06*(1+1,5) * (0,5+1,5) ) ) = 2600

Let's try with 70% more critmultiplier :
DPS = 1000*2* ( 1+ ( 0,06*(1+1,5) * (0,5+2,2) ) ) = 2810

And with 120% critchance =& 10%crit damage :
DPS = 1000*2* ( 1+ ( 0,06*(1+2,7) * (0,5+1,6) ) ) = 2932

As a result, we can tell that for these values,
1 point used for Throatseeker gives you ~40dps
1 point used for Bloodthirst gives you ~66dps

Remarks : IN THIS CASE, if you have to spend something like 3 node points just to get to the 2nd bloodthirst, the gain/point will be ~40dps. So if you have to spend more than 3 node points, the pure damage advantage will be for throatseeker.
However, more crit chance = more frozen targets, so... :)


(hope I've done no mistake, don't hesitate to correct me if I'm wrong !)

i think you misquoted since i agree with all you wrote and i completely belie you SHOULD take that path (frenzy)..it was Alros who wrote "my" quote =)

Could someone please kindly critique my build?

I am planning to go pure CI but not sure if i'm missing out on any essentials

I'm currently level 45.. where should I branch into now?

FP is my main skill

@raz0r_boy : Oops, my bad :P

@Nevzat : Seems ok for me (even if I wouldn't choose to take Throatseeker before lvl70++, you need these points for something else for the moment).

Go for Freeze, SpellPower & Assassination in the shadow tree. This will allow you to access for the first Nullification node.

You will need more %ES node before switching to CI ! I like the 2nd Nullification node for this (but it will cost you some nodes points, see my last post regarding this), or you can spend 1 intelligence node to access to the 5*8% ES in the middle.

It should never be in your path because you don't have any way to generate frenzy charges. You are gonna use a blood rage gem? That's less dps than literally EVERYTHING ELSE you could use AND you cant sustain the charges. You would have to stop casting freezing pulse in order to generate charges or sacrifice a good support gem.

You also actually have to spend 11 point to get nullification since have to go all the way around the circle. 11 points for ANOTHER nullification node is IMO a waste. Dive into the middle of the tree and get cast speed and more int or ES, or get nimbleness and inner force for the same amount of points. You can also get chaos resist, or ghost reaver. There are at least 10 different options that won't waste any points whereas if you get the 2nd nullification you are wasting every single point. Why? Well 10 of any stat that you aren't using heavily is a waste of 1 skill point. 10 dex over 8% es? waste 10 dex over 30 dex or str? waste 10 dex over chaos resist? waste. Assuming that you are running grace aura and you need the dex...it's more efficient to get 30 dex nodes and make up the dex on your gear rather than waste 4 points on 40 dex. That ridiculously inefficient. "But we get a frenzy charge on the way!" See the above points. "But we get ES/10 all res/and evasion!!" Ok I might accept this. But I still believe you would get more bang for your points else where in the tree as a cold witch. Bow witch? No doubt get it. Dagger witch? No doubt get it. Freezing pulse and ice spear? Good luck.

bloodrage refreses itself, after you kill something, it last ~10seconds.
so you are telling me i cant kill a monster every 10 seconds?
well i can :)

iam even thinking about the arrow dodging node, but i dont think its worth it.
going CI with es/evade equip and reaver, its pretty hard without equip yea, but hell.
crystal skin is intregesting aswell, i guess i miss the whole point of frost witch
(you deal mass dps so you freeze them so you stay alive), but i was just thinking about staying alive other ways.

Well it doen't make sense to use it in a COLD WITCH build. If you are hybrid you for sure aren't going to give yourself a chaos DoT, and If you are CI all you get is life steal of physical attacks. So yeah you can keep it up all you want for nothing. "But I'll use frenzy to get charges" Why exactly? The only times you should stop casting freezing pulse is to curse or to run and maybe bear trap. Why would you cast frenzy to build charges then pulse then cast frenzy then pulse. The amount of pulses you lose aren't made up for your cast speed increase on the limited pulses you cast. I'm sorry but if you are telling me that you concentrate on frenzy charges as a cold witch then I don't really know what else to tell you.
Thats like going to the grocery store that's 1 hour away. Instead of driving you choose to walk and take 6 hours to get there. Why would you do that other than A: personal preference or B: stupidity. Option C: "I don't have a car" doesn't apply because the car in this metaphor is skill points which hello, yes you do have.

we talk about

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Blood Rage
...Adds a buff that deals Chaos Damage over time, while increasing Attack Speed and Life Leech. Killing an enemy while this buff is active refreshes the buff duration, and grants a Frenzy Charge.

noone is going to cast

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Frenzy
...Performs an attack that gives the character a frenzy charge if it hits. Frenzy charges increase your attack speed.

Frenzy (the skill) grants frenzy charges, but the skill also gets large bonuses from the frenzy charges that it builds. Frenzy is not the only skill that grants frenzy charges, but it is an excellent way to build them quickly.

A Frenzy attack may be performed with any weapon type, or with no weapon equipped.