Where The Wizard Is Going In 1.0.4

**NBarnes** · 16-08-2012, 04:16

After reading the preview of 1.0.4 Wizard changes, I am very discouraged. It seems that Blizzard sees Hydra as the core of the Wizard class. And Hydra is... a brain-dead boring ability. More than anything else, it's Hydra that promotes and sustains the Wizard's run-around-in-circles primary playstyle. When I imagine being a powerful magic user, my imagination does not conjure up the idea of a long-distance marathon runner with the ability to summon fire hydrants of doom that do the work for me. Hydra doesn't do anything or require anything and may well be, in practical terms, the least interesting ability in all of D3.

This is not, let me be clear, me saying that the Wizard needs a nerf; IMHO, it clearly does not. But, frankly, if Hydra were nerfed into the ground and the power loss was made up by buffing a variety of the Wizard's other abilities, I strongly feel that it would only be to the benefit of the people playing the class. I, for one, would rather see a Wizard class that has abilities such as Disintegrate, Energy Twister, Arcane Torrent, and Explosive Blast that all have the kind of game impact that their impressive presentation would suggest. All of these abilities, and all the others that I didn't mention, are more dynamic and contribute more to exciting action gameplay than Hydra possibly could.

Instead of moving in that direction, it seems like Blizzard's vision for the Wizard is basically a class that has the bulk of its power in one ability and then the rest of the abilities are there in a purely support capacity. This is not a vision that makes me want to move back to the Wizard I put on the shelf a month and a half ago.

**xduncanx** · 16-08-2012, 05:01

I like how you worked the Olympics into your rant.

**zaanus** · 16-08-2012, 05:11

I think you read to much into it, they were just using it as an example skill. Personally, I miss the old fireball/frost orb style of sorceress from D2. Piercing arcane orb is the closest D3 has, but that is a death sentence in act 3/4 without insane gearing.

**Dogbert** · 18-08-2012, 14:51

me too zaanus

**Raistlinorb** · 18-08-2012, 22:55

This wizard is going Barbarian in 1.04.

Btw i also enjoyed your athlete comment. I reckon wizards should have a special Wizards only Boots with massive amounts of run speed to cement our status as athlete runners, masters of the 400m circle running lap.

**psyadam** · 19-08-2012, 03:54

I agree. Hydra is not fun.

**magicrectangle** · 19-08-2012, 04:24

Originally Posted by Raistlinorb

This wizard is going Barbarian in 1.04.

I already have a whirly barb. After I saw they (absurdly) decided to nerf cm wizards while leaving the (IMHO even more powerful) whirly barbs alone, I started gearing my barb better so he could be my primary farming char. I'll still play my wizard, and hopefully find a fun new spec for her, but if they're going to nerf the second most powerful spec in the game, while leaving the most powerful untouched, well it should be pretty obvious where the powergamers (IE those who want to farm efficiently) will go.

**deya** · 20-08-2012, 05:33

Wizard is going to get benched in 1.0.4 as EVERYONE who is not playing Barb, will roll Barb. That's what Blizzard wants us to do.

**Such Violent Storms** · 20-08-2012, 05:39

Lawl. You guise are funny. Keep your Wizards and get creative. Barbs weren't nerfed, but a lot of doors opened for Wizards/WDs/DH in the form of new legendaries. We have some of the most incredible items now. Instead of rerolling barb, find a new legendary wand or source or cape or ceremonial dagger. The tables are titling slightly towards items, less-so skill set, as Legendaries carve new paths. Looking at skills with high proc coefficients, interesting passive/rune choices, there's lots of fun and success to be had with the new patch.

I want to see how fast people discover the power of Tank WDs next patch, or throw barbarians.

Just be glad you're not a monk. Monks still use Crit Cyclone. D:

**deya** · 20-08-2012, 08:39

My post was sarcasm. Maybe a seed of truth inside.

I will keep playing Wizard, actually, I will keep playing all of the classes and gear them as well as I can. I try to find new builds and be creative.

I just still don't see how Blizzard can justify Wicked Wind nerf and let Run Like the Wind stay the way it is right now.

It's no secret that new Legendaries will go for insane prices after the release of 1.0.4 and if you don't have a good farming class (Barb), you'll be finding a lot less of those gold mines. And that's why almost everyone who wants to abuse this, is rolling a Barb right now.