DiabloFans

Everybody is arguing because there is no concensus what inferno is for. Should Inferno be the hardest content catered for less than 1% of the hardcore gamers, with plenty of time to spare? Or should Inferno also promote build diversity that is the overall goal of Diablo 3?

I am sorry to say I don't think build diversity and really hard content can go hand in hand. Unless we can all agree to the purpose of Inferno, we will keep argueing wheather Inferno is too hard or too easy. At the end of the day, really hard content means only optimal build will work, which promotes cookie cutter build or you want build diversity which probably means for any optimal build, the content is too easy.

I wanted to write this up because of all the posts I see talking/crying about how this game is too hard for a wiz or just generally asking for advice on how to proceed into Act III Inferno. While in game I'm constantly asked how to get your DPS up as a wizard, what skills should I run, WHY CAN"T I FARM ACT III and the great age old question, Why do I die? Sorry that I can't message you all back while I'm trying to burn down champion packs of ponies, so here is my experience laid out bare for you to read and follow if you want.

The thing I find awesome about playing as a Wizard is just the visual amazingness of melting mobs with cool looking spells, but I will admit, it is a hard class to play after the IAS nerf. But give me a minute, don't jump on that bandwagon yet ok.


Long story short, my wiz build before 1.0.3 was a high attack speed AP regen, orb spammer, I was farming Act III easily.


Build here pre 1.0.3

60k dps / 62k hp / 2.4 APS - One hander
http://us.battle.net...QROS!YdU!YYYaYZ


After 1.0.3 hit I simply couldn't farm act III anymore, INV minions, shielding, fast, were all starting to destroy me, when before it had been a faceroll all the way to Azmo if you weren't falling asleep at your desk. I really didn't enjoy Act III after 1.0.3 and the day after the patch was the first time I rage quit in DIII, i threw off my headphones, yelled at the enraged INV minions standing over my body and went and got a beer. I just couldn't fathom enrage timers on Invulnerables, I wanted to write forum posts about it and tell Blizzard I hate them for ruining my character.

Post 1.0.3 with these stats == getting pwned
42k dps / 62k hp / 1.7 APS - One hander


But at this point something in my head clicked, my rage subsided and I thought hey, if I was rolling act III with 60k dps, theoretically all I have to do is get back to that stat and things will be fine. Funnily enough that proved true.



Build here post 1.0.3 (No changes except gear)

60k dps / 50k hp / 1.4 APS - One hander
http://us.battle.net...QROS!YdU!YYYaYZ


I dropped down, farmed act II for about 4 hrs, got lucky with an ilvl 63 axe 950 dps, 200 intel, socket. After that I ditched a lot of VIT gear and swapped to high Intel, cheap crap off AH. Once I hit 60k dps again, went back to act III face rolled it, Azmo = cakewalk. Cydea was a wipe, spiderlings are retarded, just skip it from now until fixed.

With my 60k dps wiz, found depth diggers and a nice IAS + crit damage ring, adding some serious hitting power to her crit dmg. So a 60k dps wiz, will hit hard enough to farm these acts and have fun in a group or solo.


My wizard advice if you are in act III

- 60k dps (honestly it isn't worth farming with anything less)
- Use force armour aim for (50k hp) again magic
- Stack intel, screw resists, vit
- Stack intel <-- this is important
- Don't want to die as much, use teleport/illusionist/fracture combo


Nothing in here is new, or revolutionary advice, it is simply just one nerfed wiz to another saying stick with it, the game is fun but it requires some dedication to farming to get there. I still die, especially to fat fast shielding mortar ponies, but the game is fun again.



TL;DR

Stop trying to 'farm' Act III with anything less then 60k dps, for me that is the magic number, act III and IV are pretty simple with that sort of dps, if you have it, that is where you should be, if you don't, stay in act I, II until you do. Save yourself the headache, but keep playing because.


It gets better


.....

It depends on your class.

Before the patch Inferno was broken for melee. To properly completely Inferno, melee depending on Ilevel63 gear. However, to farm that gear, they would need to farm Act III, or somehow come up with tens of millions of gold.

This became a massive problem for all the people who didn't rush. If you rushed, you were able to progress normally, for less money. The auction was flooded with gear from the two brokens classes (at the time, Demon Hunters and Wizards). However, since nobody knew what was good or bad, you could find amazing deals. This allowed the melee who rushed, to obtain there gear from the AH for fairly resonable prices. Melee was able to obtain there gear, because those who rushed sold Act I and Act II loot for huge prices, since virtually every player was not in Inferno yet. I was one of those lucky few who rushed, and was able to gear up my Barb a lot cheaper then many. While selling Act I and II gear to sub level 60's for huge money. Remember when 1000 DPS 2h went for 2 million? I do.

However those melee that DID NOT rush, were fucked. If you hit Inferno a week or two ago. There was virtually no way you could properly progress as melee. Loot you needed for Act III was NOT obtainable by normal means. Shitty shields are 5 million, blue rings are 500k a piece, weapons another 5+ milion. The AH became inflated to a huge degree.

So, Blizzard made the progression ramp a lot easier. I have no issue with this. I want everyone to be able to complete the game. It means a lot more people will be trading items and overall the experience will be more fun for more people.

Another thing Blizzard did, was just make it easier for melee, since the game was harder for melee then it was for ranged (except WD, WD are broken, garbage and need love from Blizz). The way you feel right now, is how many Demon Hunters and Wizards in HALF your gear felt before the patch. I know my Wizard easily steamrolled the game pre 1.0.3 in relatively crappy gear.

You also seem to not be accounting for the fact you have good gear. The game is meant to be easy for those who have good gear. The game was easy before 1.0.3 for those who had decent gear. Thats Diablo.

As barb, I went from 20k DPS to 15k. Thankfully I stacked a bit of crit in addition to IAS.

I facerolled an Asmodan run. I didn't die one, nor get close to dying after killing 5 elites, then Cydaea and Asmodan. After hunting and killing 6 additional rare packs in Keep Depths 1-3, I still didn't get close to dying. I fight 2 champ packs at the same time at one point.

I can tank and stand in plague and molten patches, and fire chains as long as I am attacking and getting LoH. I didn't even worry about being dinged by arcane beams, only if the source balls spawned directly beneath me.

I'll kind of miss the challenge, but at the same time, I can now begin to experiment with different builds and gear stat configurations now that I can afford to be more offensive. I've already swapped out 2 of my vit gems for strength.

Fighting additional packs after Azmodan runs makes things a bit more interesting, and a bit more rewarding as well. It also makes things more adjustible in terms of how long I want to play for a session.

IAS truly was overpowered; now it is on a par with crit stacking and feels right. After browing the AH and getting a modest upgrade for my previous IAS weapon, weapons seem a whole lot more balanced, and with more variety. In particular, weapons with more interesting affixes like damage bonus to elites and chance to immobilize are mixed in with others among the top items in various price tiers.

Here's a link to the weapon I picked up: http://i.imgur.com/qvWBV.jpg Has a whole lot of character to it in my opinion. The increased elite damage makes it behave like a 950 DPS weapon against such enemies, while the immobilize chance gives an interesting ability. Can't beat the name "Silver Standard" either