[3.6] The Blizz Sorc - Icestorm/Winter Orb CI Occultist - Viable For Everything

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Graiaule wrote:

Not sure how to use that (link doesn't do anything useful.) Include a pastebin link instead?

Should be the same thing, or https://pastebin.com/8yX72Vuc:


Is it worth going Wicked Ward + Essence Surge still?

Hmmmm... from Lil's posts it feels like the nerfs are relatively small? Like this might still be plenty doable. And of course Lil losing 2k ES is like the rest of us losing 1200 ES... :)

I wonder about clearing speed though, if WO is firing half as often, it's gonna be... perhaps a lot slower?? Thoughts anyone?

Still considering this for Legion, but also looking into something faster, so we'll see. Really don't want to mess with melee though! Also if everyone else is, maybe some things will be cheaper...

Edit: Also wondering if we go with Forbidden Power instead of Profane Bloom, since we're probably not trading unstunnable from Vile Bastion just to get Malediction. Maybe even grab a couple Power Charge nodes... Thoughts?

It's good we have several possibilities and ideas now, isn't it? 8-)

Build is far from dead...the new cluster Utmost Intellect is just pure craziness :)

1. For level 97 Ascendant with Occultist/Inquisitor combo (character LanaDvelveRay) with the gear from my lv 100 Occultist from Betrayal league (so no Synthetis OP implicit items) values are looking good:

Intelligence: 2766 (can you go higher?)
Energy Shield: 17.590 (a bit of nerf here down from 19.270 (lv 100 char))
Shaper Average Hit (no Frenzy charges, lower multiplier for Energy Leech gem): 51.181 - just insane value
-immune to Stun
-2 curses (Enfeeble + Frostbite or Enfeeble + Temporal Chains)
-immune to Freeze and Chill when on Consecrated Ground (from Inquisitor Ascendancy Consecrated Ground procs constantly (almost 100% uptime) when fighting bosses, tested it myself in several Shaper runs)
-we can still use Soul of the Brine King to be even more safer to Chill and Freeze or we can use Soul of Solaris + some remove chill/freeze flasks

Pastebin link for this combo for PoB: https://pastebin.com/AbrnJUs1


2. For level 97 Ascendant with Elementalist/Inquisitor combo with same gear:
ES: 17.590
Intelligence: 2766
Shaper Average Hit (no Frenzy charges, lower multiplier for Energy leech gem): 55.740
-2 golems (Chaos and Flame)
-immune to elemental reflect
-immune to Freeze and Chill when on Consecrated Ground (from Inquisitor Ascendancy Consecrated Ground procs constantly (almost 100% uptime) when fighting bosses, tested it myself in several Shaper runs)
-not immune to Stun so we need Soul of the Brine King full updated Pantheon which means we cannot switch to Soul of Solaris pantheon(a very good damage mitigation option)

Pastebin link for this combo for PoB: https://pastebin.com/GnKQLUZp

From these 2 setups, Inquisitor/Occultist seems better due to allowing 2 curses, 100% Stun immunity, a bit of ES regen, use of Soul of Solaris pantheon VS. 100% elemental reflect immunity + 2 golems and a bit higher DPS (10%) in Inquisitor/Elementalist combo.


3. Finally pure Occultist setup with same gear (but level 98):
ES: 17.290
Intelligence: 2540
Shaper Average Hit(no Frenzy charges, lower multiplier for Energy leech gem): 45.393
-Frigid Wake (immune to chill and freeze) + Vile Bastion (immune to stun) + Profane Bloom (higher DPS when clearing stuff due to explosions)
-Soul of Solaris pantheon (good defensive option)
-lv 98 because i needed 1 more skill point for Zealot's Oath to convert life regen near Scion to ES regen.
-10% max ES regen on kill from Vile Bastion + 0.7% from converted life regen
-Vortex + Chaos Golem in lv 20 CWDT setup

Pastebin link for this option for PoB:https://pastebin.com/GXiMfT3W


If i remember correctly with this gear on my level 100 Occultist from Betrayal league (OccWItrayed) i had the following values:
Energy Shield : 19.270
Intelligence : 2609
Average Shaper DPS was way lower, around 37K and no dual curse setup

Winter Orb nerf is bad but remember that back in the days we used Scorching Ray as support gem to trigger Ice Storm, Scorching Ray was almost useless for clearing so clearing will still be OK from my point of view due to Spell Cascade!

Keep in mind these values are with very high end gear(no Synthesis shit though) but i think that the build is still playable with no issues for entire content (Including Uber Elder) in any of those 3 variants in the new league with worse gear!

Hi Ilian

thanks a lot for the work and the links.

what about pathing to utmost might and converting to int?

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Xirgu wrote:

what about pathing to utmost might and converting to int?

That appears a bit too far away to be useful.

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Graiaule wrote:

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Xirgu wrote:

what about pathing to utmost might and converting to int?

That appears a bit too far away to be useful.

It's not all that far away. I tweaked my Lv 97 Occultist from last league on a 3.7 tree and included a path to Utmost Might.

Intelligence with my current gear went from 2455 to 2804. I did lose 2500 ES so I'll drop to just under 14k but that's mainly due to the Occulist nerfs and I can live with that. I still have two Ascendency points to spend as well.

Have a look:

https://pastebin.com/8DDm0u2A

Lilian what do you think about this? I had to give up a few good things but the giant increase in Int is very tempting. And I have one free jewel slot (after removing Might of the Meek) that can balance out the Str and Dex I'm missing.

For the Scion version what is the priority ascendancy skills if I may ask? And for leveling with the priority still be the same as what your guide has, in terms of nodes to go after ASAP from the Scion tree (e.g. Elemental Overload etc)? Looking to try this out as my league starter for 3.7 and going Scion this time around, since it looks like it holds out best with the changes. Here is hoping I can get to 24/40!

I think somebody else mentioned this already, but what about using Cyclone as the Channeling skill?

I used to do a lot of WI in the past with Scorching Ray and I always disliked having to stop to channel. Self cast was a preferred style for clearing but mana was an issue sometimes.

I feel like Cyclone would resolve this issue by allowing us to be mobile constantly. Also the stun immunity while cycloning + Brine King could be enough Stun Mitigation should we want to go with an ascendancy that doesn't provide it.

Also, what are people's thoughts on other Ascendancies?

Scion - Elequisitor Was a staple in the past and will continue to be.

But I'm gonna just throwing these out there for discussions' sake:

Scion mini ascendancies that look nice (this is all assuming we're using cyclone for CWC):

Champion - 100% Fortify uptime with no gimmicks, Taunting on hit with taunted enemies take 10% increased damage, and 8% Movespeed. This seems like a very strong balance between offense, defense, and QoL.

Pathfinder - Flask Sustain, 10% Movement Speed (for Cyclone), Ele Penetration, and attack speed (not super relevant but helpful for increasing any on-hit effects). Not sure if this one is really good enough, but it's also not bad.


I think for Scion using Cyclone, I would do Champ+Inquisitor. I like having access to the status ailment immunity from inquisitor (using any Sulphur flask for the effect on demand is good enough with the natural generation). Champion might not be needed, but I like being tanky more than I like DPS. Free Fortify is very appealing and this asc does come with some damage attached too.

As for other classes, now that Occultist has been nerfed, can we look at something like Trickster, Heirophant, or even Pathfinder? They all seem like decent options.

Trickster -> Swift Killer - Ghost Dance - Escape Artist - Patient Reaper (or Harness the Void)

Swift Killer:
Channeling for ice storm means Constantly having Frenzy Charges+Power Charges for all encounters. This is a great damage boost and QoL.

Ghost Dance+Escape Artist:
Even with the nerf these two ascendancies are incredibly strong defensively. Gives us excellent defensive layers via Evasion, Ghost Shrouds, and Stun Immunity. (Brine King Makes us basically immune to stuns here)

Patient Reaper
I like this one for the ES% on kill and the ES Recovery Rate. I plan on using cyclone of course, so something like Vortex which is an instant cast DoT can provide some extra DPS (Vortex+BoneChill+Hypothermia+Inc AOE perhaps?) and proc this ascendancy reliably.

Harness the Void
This is also an option instead of Patient Reaper. It's just a bit of damage.

Heirophant -> Divine Guidance - Sanctuary of Thought - Illuminated Devotion - Arcane Blessing

Divine Guidance -> Sanctuary of Thought
We stack Int, which means lots and lots of mana naturally, so the 30% of mana gained as extra max ES is, well, a lot. 10% Less mana reserve is a nice bonus.

Illuminated Devotion -> Arcane Blessing
Permanent Arcane Surge? Check. Status Ailment Immunity? Check. Some AOE, damage, and leech sprinkled on top? Sounds good to me.

Not sure I would actually commit to Heiro, but the ES does sound rather nice.

Pathfinder doesn't need any explanation really. If you want flask sustain, mobility, and elemental ailment immunity, there you go. Not likely the best choice, but if you really like this style, I think it *can* work.

Anyways, my top picks for CWC Cyclone + Ice Storm are:

Scion - Champquisitor
Scion - EleChamp
Shadow - Trickster

If you made it this far...kudos :P