Storm Nimbus or Ice Shard?

[R41Ryan]

I'm making a caster build that uses Storm and Earth, starting with the former. I'm conflicted on whether to use Storm Nimbus or Ice Shard as a primary/semi-primary form of attack in the long term.

If I go with Storm Nimbus, that would mean all my attacks will have additional frost and lightning damage, as well as increased elemental damage for my basic staff attack. However, it seems the skill might be focused on melee/close-ranged, as evidenced by the modifiers.

If I go with Ice Shard, I've been told that it is an effective damage dealer at higher levels. So I could use basic staff attacks, which are boosted from the INT that I invest in, on weaker enemies. Then I can use the Ice Shards as a form of single-target damage on stronger enemies.

What are your thoughts?

[Somebody]

Storm Nimbus (with Heart of Frost) is an aura that increases all cold damage (including Ice Shard). So it is not a question of "or". Ice Shard becomes your main attack.

Ice Shard is effective against single opponents (bosses), as well as huge groups, as it is an AoE spell with no cooldown.

I'm playing a Druid (Storm+Nature) with Ice Shard on legendary act 4 right now, and it's still killing any mobs in less than a second.

If you want to make an Ice Shard build, get your casting speed up and lower your energy costs with equiment. Those are important for spamming them. Your goal should be to be able to spam infinite Ice Shards with 300% casting speed without running out of mana. The next step is to increase elemental/cold damage and INT for more damage.

Keep in mind that enemies have resistances, and those can be pretty high on legendary difficulty. You need something to reduce them. Ice Shard casters usually use Squall, because "Reduced Resistances" of your equipment does not apply to Ice Shards.

[R41Ryan]

Originally posted by Somebody:

If you want to make an Ice Shard build, get your casting speed up and lower your energy costs with equiment. Those are important for spamming them. Your goal should be to be able to spam infinite Ice Shards with 300% casting speed without running out of mana.

Is there a way for me to get that kind of equipment, or is it just mainly luck from loot?

[Somebody]

Originally posted by R41Ryan:

Originally posted by Somebody:

If you want to make an Ice Shard build, get your casting speed up and lower your energy costs with equiment. Those are important for spamming them. Your goal should be to be able to spam infinite Ice Shards with 300% casting speed without running out of mana.

Is there a way for me to get that kind of equipment, or is it just mainly luck from loot?

Casting speed is quite common on rings and amulets. Always check the merchants for those, when you pass by. Other than that, you have to rely on RNG to give you some nice legendaries like Staff of the Cosmos.

[AH-1 Cobra]

Originally posted by Somebody:

I'm playing a Druid (Storm+Nature) with Ice Shard on legendary act 4 right now, and it's still killing any mobs in less than a second.

Any videos that show this?

[R41Ryan]

Originally posted by Somebody:

Originally posted by R41Ryan:

Is there a way for me to get that kind of equipment, or is it just mainly luck from loot?

Casting speed is quite common on rings and amulets. Always check the merchants for those, when you pass by. Other than that, you have to rely on RNG to give you some nice legendaries like Staff of the Cosmos.

RNG?

[Apocal_Failed]

Originally posted by R41Ryan:

Originally posted by Somebody:

Casting speed is quite common on rings and amulets. Always check the merchants for those, when you pass by. Other than that, you have to rely on RNG to give you some nice legendaries like Staff of the Cosmos.

RNG?

RNG, Random Number Generator, is pretty much what determines the stuff that will drop.

[Somebody]

Originally posted by crimsonedge11:

Originally posted by Somebody:

I'm playing a Druid (Storm+Nature) with Ice Shard on legendary act 4 right now, and it's still killing any mobs in less than a second.

Any videos that show this?

It's gotten a bit harder now in the Tower of Judgment, but still pretty easy compared to some of my other playthroughs. Note that I did not farm for any gear, except Stonebinder's Cuffs. The gear is far from optimal right now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taaAF-J7Fjk

[Izanagi]

Originally posted by Somebody:

Originally posted by crimsonedge11:

Any videos that show this?

It's gotten a bit harder now in the Tower of Judgment, but still pretty easy compared to some of my other playthroughs. Note that I did not farm for any gear, except Stonebinder's Cuffs. The gear is far from optimal right now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taaAF-J7Fjk

The same could be done with Earth instead of Storm, right? Flame Jet (I think) instead of Ice Shards? No Squall though.

[Apocal_Failed]

Originally posted by Izanagi:

Originally posted by Somebody:

It's gotten a bit harder now in the Tower of Judgment, but still pretty easy compared to some of my other playthroughs. Note that I did not farm for any gear, except Stonebinder's Cuffs. The gear is far from optimal right now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taaAF-J7Fjk

The same could be done with Earth instead of Storm, right? Flame Jet (I think) instead of Ice Shards? No Squall though.

Flame Surge, and perhaps some CC, but yes.