LoD Frozen Orb Wizard Nephalem Rift Speed Farming Variation

Last updated on Jul 10, 2024 at 09:00 by Deadset 17 comments
1.

Nephalem Rift Speed Farming

The LoD Frozen Orb Wizard can deal reasonably well with Nephalem Rift Speed Farming, mostly thanks to overwhelming damage potential offered by Frozen Orb Frozen Orb that allows you to include Aether Walker Aether Walker in the build, and the freedom from set pieces that allows you to spread various utility legendaries for mobility. We have solo speed GR rankings and solo speed T16 rankings if you want to know more about which builds are best for speed farming.

Within the limited scope of regular difficulties, the necessary damage and toughness to triumph over the enemy is significantly smaller. Thus, your best course of action is to improve utility and speed.

Active Skills
Left Mouse Button Electrocute Icon Electrocute Surge of Power Surge of Power Right Mouse Button Arcane Orb Icon Arcane Orb Frozen Orb Frozen Orb 1 Teleport Icon Teleport Wormhole Wormhole 2 Familiar Icon Familiar Arcanot Arcanot 3 Magic Weapon Icon Magic Weapon Deflection Deflection 4 Storm Armor Icon Storm Armor Scramble Scramble
Passive Skills
2.

Adapting Rotation

When you are speed farming regular rifts, parts of your playstyle will adapt to the lowered challenge and focus more on speed and utility.

The T16 key farming build will mimic the GR speed farming rotation, but sped up one step further: with extremely aggressive Teleport Teleports into fights and decimating them with Frozen Orb Frozen Orbs — ideally still using the optimal 40 yard range for the peak detonation damage, but not nearly as important as in GRs. Of course, you should not forget to stack up Triumvirate Triumvirate with Electrocute Electrocute Surge of Power Surge of Power, but this will come naturally through gameplay as you restore Arcane Power and draw monster aggro prior to the Frozen Orb Frozen Orb barrage. Storm Armor Storm Armor Scramble Scramble and Magic Weapon Magic Weapon Deflection Deflection will keep you safe as you recklessly port around the rift in search of the next big fight, and Familiar Familiar Arcanot Arcanot will keep your Arcane Power reserves flowing; just do not let their 10 minute duration distract you from refreshing them in between runs.

3.

Adapting Skills

Parts of the skill and passive selection will overlap with the base Greater Rift progression build, but others will have to change according to the task at hand. Ability to cross over great distances faster and more efficiently take precedence.

  • Your main damage dealer remains Arcane Orb Arcane Orb, taken with the highest damage potential of the Frozen Orb Frozen Orb rune.
  • To manage the gluttonous Arcane Power spending of your damage dealer in this The Shame of Delsere The Shame of Delsere-less variant, as well as to keep your Triumvirate Triumvirate stacked, you will need to adopt an Arcane Power-generating Signature Spell. Our base recommendation is Electrocute Electrocute Surge of Power Surge of Power, but you have other options — Shock Pulse Shock Pulse Power Affinity Power Affinity and Spectral Blade Spectral Blade Siphoning Blade Siphoning Blade.
  • With the kill speed of this build in T16 farm, a grouping tool can be too much of a hassle; feel free to exchange Black Hole Black Hole from the GR variations for the passive Arcane Power restoration of Familiar Familiar Arcanot Arcanot.
  • Mobility on the other hand is just as valuable, and Teleport Teleport remains a staple inclusion for T16 farm, along with the multiple charges of the Wormhole Wormhole rune.
  • The combo of 10-minute protective buffs — Magic Weapon Magic Weapon Deflection Deflection and Storm Armor Storm Armor (with Halo of Karini Halo of Karini cubed or equipped) are still mandatory in T16 speed farming. Consider altering the Storm Armor Storm Armor rune to Scramble Scramble for the additional movement speed proc.
  • The vast majority of the passive selection from GR progression retains its value in T16 farming for keys. Power Hungry Power Hungry (distance-based multiplicative damage increase) is still a great addition as you try to burst down enemies with haste. Galvanizing Ward Galvanizing Ward will safeguard your Squirt's Necklace Squirt's Necklace damage buff with a massive shield. Illusionist Illusionist brings tons of additional mobility. Depending on how you feel about your Arcane Power maintenance, you can either stick with the staple Elemental Exposure Elemental Exposure for a little extra damage on top, or supplement your AP regeneration with Astral Presence Astral Presence.
4.

Adapting Gear

The vast majority of gear choices will remain intact from the GR progression setup. This is still a Legacy of Dreams Legacy of Dreams build, so you run legendary items instead of set pieces and obtain the necessary damage amplification and reduction associated with the traditional 6-piece sets. This will cost a legendary gem slot, but will net you all the jewelry slots for powerful jewelry options. Similarly to the GR setup, you should wear a Squirt's Necklace Squirt's Necklace for its massive damage boost; its "damage taken increased" downside is negated by your various shields. For rings, wear a Cold damage Stone of Jordan Stone of Jordan for the elemental and elite damage boost, and pair it with your better rolled ring between Halo of Karini Halo of Karini and Rechel's Ring of Larceny Rechel's Ring of Larceny. The former is a well-known defensive staple that massively reduces incoming damage from simple Storm Armor Storm Armor procs. Rechel's Ring of Larceny Rechel's Ring of Larceny is a utility inclusion that greatly boosts your movement speed after you fear an enemy, with a solid Fear on Hit chance included as a guaranteed Secondary stat roll on the ring itself.

LoD Frozen Orb armor pieces for speed farming can be roughly divided into the following categories:

  • Damage amplification items. You will still be wearing both Frostburn Frostburn (elemental damage increase and crowd control value), and Cold damage Blackthorne's Jousting Mail Blackthorne's Jousting Mail (strictly for the elemental damage increase; it should be your only set item, not forming any set bonuses).
  • Resource items. The Act III bounty cache-specific Pride's Fall Pride's Fall is still massively valuable to the build with its Resource Cost Reduction bonuses in T16 keyfarm. The Shame of Delsere The Shame of Delsere on the other hand can be dropped, as you make up its resource restoration bonuses with passive effects from your skills. In its stead, use your better roll between Goldwrap Goldwrap (practical invulnerability with the combo of Boon of the Hoarder Boon of the Hoarder in your sockets and an Avarice Band Avarice Band worn by your follower) and Krelm's Buff Belt Krelm's Buff Belt (movement speed increase), and Cube the weaker roll.
  • Protective items. The damage reduction of Aquila Cuirass Aquila Cuirass and the proc-based cheat death of Pauldrons of the Skeleton King Pauldrons of the Skeleton King are just as valuable as they are in GR progression. Ashnagarr's Blood Bracer Ashnagarr's Blood Bracer can be dropped in favor of the environment destruction-based speed boosts of Warzechian Armguards Warzechian Armguards.
  • Utility items. You will be dropping the excessive protection of the Stone Gauntlets Stone Gauntlets from the GR progression setup, so wearing Ice Climbers Ice Climbers to counter their immobilization negative effect will not be necessary. In their stead, wear Illusory Boots Illusory Boots; these Act II bounty cache-specific legendary boots will allow you to move unhindered through enemies, enhancing your ability to position for optimal Frozen Orb Frozen Orbs.

Similarly to the Greater Rift solo progression setup, your weapon and offhand need to stay on the Arcane Orb Arcane Orb-dedicated legendaries Unstable Scepter Unstable Scepter and Triumvirate Triumvirate.

4.1.

Season 32 Theme — Ethereal Weapons

With this season's addition of Ethereal weapons as a theme, your ideal weapon during any form of speed farming will be Wizardspike, whose unique damage stacking mechanic and unrivaled skill and pure stat bonuses will outperform any other alternatives. It needs to be rolled with the weapon power of Unstable Scepter Unstable Scepter, and will ideally have the Astral Presence Astral Presence passive. Learn more about Ethereal weapons in our Ethereal mechanics guide, and read up on how to farm them in the Ethereal farming guide.

Slot Pieces Stat Priority
Head
  1. Intelligence
  2. Socket
  3. Critical Hit Chance
  4. Arcane Orb % Damage
  5. Crowd Control Duration Reduction (Secondary Stat)
  6. Physical or Lightning Resistance (Secondary Stat)
Shoulders
  1. Intelligence
  2. Area Damage
  3. Armor
  4. Vitality
  5. Physical or Lightning Resistance (Secondary Stat)
  6. Health Globe Healing Bonus (Secondary Stat)
Torso
  1. Intelligence
  2. 3 Sockets
  3. Vitality
  4. Armor
  5. Physical or Lightning Resistance (Secondary Stat)
  6. Melee or Missile Damage Reduction (Secondary Stat)
Wrists
  1. Intelligence
  2. Critical Hit Chance
  3. Cold % Damage
  4. Life per Hit or Vitality
  5. Reduced Damage Melee Attacks (Secondary stat)
Hands
  1. Intelligence (or Cooldown Reduction at high Paragon)
  2. Critical Hit Chance
  3. Critical Hit Damage
  4. Area Damage
  5. Physical or Lightning Resistance (Secondary Stat)
Waist
  1. Intelligence
  2. Vitality
  3. Physical or Lightning Resistance (Secondary Stat)
  4. Life per Kill (Secondary Stat)
Legs
  1. Intelligence
  2. 2 Sockets
  3. Vitality
  4. Cold % Damage (if Blackthorne's Jousting Mail Blackthorne's Jousting Mail)
  5. Pickup Radius (Secondary Stat)
  6. Physical or Lightning Resistance (Secondary Stat)
Feet
  1. Intelligence
  2. Arcane Orb % Damage
  3. Vitality
  4. Armor
  5. Pickup Radius (Secondary Stat)
  6. Health Globe Healing Bonus (Secondary Stat)
Amulet
  1. Socket
  2. Critical Hit Damage
  3. Critical Hit Chance
  4. Cold % Damage
  5. Physical or Lightning Resistance (Secondary Stat)
  6. Melee or Missile Damage Reduction (Secondary Stat)
Ring #1
  1. Socket
  2. Critical Hit Damage
  3. Critical Hit Chance
  4. Area Damage
  5. Physical or Lightning Resistance (Secondary Stat)
Ring #2
  1. Socket
  2. Critical Hit Damage
  3. Critical Hit Chance
  4. Area Damage
  5. Physical or Lightning Resistance (Secondary Stat)
Weapon
  1. High Weapon Damage
  2. Socket (preferably from Ramaladni's Gift Ramaladni's Gift)
  3. Intelligence (or % Damage at high Paragons)
  4. Area Damage
  5. Increased Attack Speed
Off-hand
  1. High Damage Range
  2. Intelligence
  3. Critical Hit Chance
  4. Arcane Orb % Damage
  5. Area Damage
  6. Arcane Power on Crit

To help you with farming the gear you need for your builds, we have two very useful guides that you can access by clicking the links below: a Salvage Guide to help you quickly check whether or not you can safely salvage a piece of gear and a Legendary Farming Guide to help you efficiently farm legendaries and set items.

4.2.

Altar of Rites

The former Season 28 theme, the Altar of Rites, has been revised and re-added to Diablo 3 as a permanent character progression mechanic. — For virtually all builds and players of all skill levels — from casual to advanced — we recommend progressing through the Altar tree using the path outlined below. The suggested path is geared towards maximum quality of life first, then amplifying damage, and then mopping up the tree with defensive and edge case utility nodes.

Note that while they require reaching them with a Seal, Legendary Potion Powers are not part of the Seal cost system; Potions unlock with a separate resource called Primordial Ashes, obtained from salvaging Legendary or Set items of Primal (red bordered) quality. Upgrade them as soon as possible, and in the order shown below (courtesy of Caleko's Altar of Rites planner).

Altar of Rites Planner

You can read more on the Altar of Rites, Seals and Legendary Potion Powers in our dedicated Altar of Rites Mechanics guide.

5.

Adapting Gems

Most of your legendary gem selection from GR progression retains its value in T16 Nephalem Rift speed farming. Legacy of Dreams Legacy of Dreams forms the basis of damage reduction and damage multiplication in the build, while Zei's Stone of Vengeance Zei's Stone of Vengeance still brings excellent damage multiplication value to the build. While certainly not weak, you should consider dropping Bane of the Trapped Bane of the Trapped in order not to overkill on damage, and replace it with Boon of the Hoarder Boon of the Hoarder instead. Paired with a worn or cubed Goldwrap Goldwrap, and an Avarice Band Avarice Band worn by your follower in solo play (or yourself in groups), this legendary gem increases your movement speed and provides near-infinite Toughness through its interaction with the aforementioned items.

Slot Gems
Jewelry
Helm
Torso and Pants
Weapon

For more information about gems, please refer to our guide on gems.

6.

Adapting Kanai's Cube

In the limited challenges of T16 keyfarm, one legendary weapon damage multiplier should be enough; thus, we advise you to stick to an equipped Unstable Scepter Unstable Scepter and replace Wizardspike Wizardspike in the Cube with an Aether Walker Aether Walker. This legendary wand turns your Teleport Teleport from a cooldown to a spender, and allows for near limitless mobility.

When you solo T16s for keystones, no other source of damage mitigation will be quite as effective as the triumvirate of Boon of the Hoarder Boon of the Hoarder, Avarice Band Avarice Band (worn by the follower and emanated), and Goldwrap Goldwrap. Another T16 rule is that mobility is king, and Krelm's Buff Belt Krelm's Buff Belt is an excellent source of additional movement speed that is synergistic with this long-range, kiting-based build. As mentioned above, wear your stronger roll of the two belts, and extract the other in the armor Cube slot.

Your jewelry Cube slot will still be occupied by your worse rolled item between Halo of Karini Halo of Karini and Rechel's Ring of Larceny Rechel's Ring of Larceny. Stone of Jordan Stone of Jordan is a waste to cube, since you lose the elemental and elite damage bonuses of the item — they are innate rolls but are not part of the legendary power, and are thus not extracted in the Cube.

7.

Follower

The recommended follower for this build during T16 key farming is the Enchantress, due to her cooldown reduction bonus (cutting down Teleport Teleport downtime) and elemental damage increase. Note that this requires that you run Hand of the Prophet Hand of the Prophet and optimize her survivability, as per our guide.

For more information regarding followers, we advise you to read our Follower Guide, which contains detailed advice for choosing the skills and the gear of your follower.

8.

Legendary Potion

The preferred potions for this build are Bottomless Potion of Kulle-Aid Bottomless Potion of Kulle-Aid (allowing you to break down Waller affixes that impede Frozen Orb Frozen Orb DPS), Bottomless Potion of the Unfettered Bottomless Potion of the Unfettered (giving you a brief window of CC immunity to counter your lack of CC-breaking or immunity skills), or Bottomless Potion of the Tower Bottomless Potion of the Tower (whose Armor-increasing properties complement the naturally high All Resistances stat of Wizards). Pick whichever you feel helps you out the most.

9.

Changelog

  • 10 Jul. 2024: Added Season 32 advice for ethereal weapons.
  • 10 Apr. 2024: Guide reviewed for Season 31.
  • 10 Jan. 2024: Revised guide for the permanent addition of the Altar of Rites, and added Season-specific Soul Shard recommendations.
  • 13 Sep. 2023: Added Season 29 Paragon Cap and Gearing recommendations.
  • 22 Feb. 2023: Added Season 28 Altar of Rites recommendations.
  • 26 Aug. 2022: Added Season 27 Angelic Crucible recommendations.
  • 14 Apr. 2022: Guide reviewed for Season 26.
  • 06 Dec. 2021: Added Season 25 Soul Shard recommendations.
  • 30 Oct. 2021: Guide added.
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