Cold Werewolf Druid

OrphineM wrote:Marco's stated there's actually a wolf buff that just barely missed these patch notes to account for the lost frame/sustain.

Wereform IAS mechanic will not be missed however.

As in, it's live with the patch but just not documented? That's great if so

Cold wolf is IMO dead. It was powerful but not OP, and the nerf is huge (30% dmg loss approx). The weapon variety brings nothing to cold build save for more socket options since you will be using a crystal sword anyways. Top dmg option would probably be 6 fal runes and that 30% dex ain't gonna offset the loss from those two frames.

Phys wolf on the other hand could see some benefits from opening up weapon options... Although not that much since bis weapon is still probably

Carsomyr

Carsomyr
Flamberge (Sacred)
One-Hand Damage: (244 - 263) to (330 - 350)
Two-Hand Damage: (320 - 350) to (400 - 431)
Required Level: 100
Required Strength: 600
Item Level: 120
Strength Damage Bonus: (0.16 per Strength)%
5% Chance to cast level 13 Shower of Rocks on Kill
50% Attack Speed
Adds 125-200 Damage
100% Bonus to Attack Rating
+(160 to 200)% Enhanced Damage
+(40 to 50) to Strength
+(40 to 50) to Vitality
Physical Resist 10%
+250 Life after each Kill
1% Reanimate as: Random Monster
Socketed (6)

Looks like the Werewolf buffs to compensate for the 5FA are posted:

I think this is still a pretty big damage nerf, because we will spawn so many less tornados. But it's possible that the 33% reduction in cooldown for Howl could make a big difference. Overall probably still nerfed, but maybe not that bad? Not sure.

Wanted to add,

Celestia's Charge

Celestia's Charge
Light Plated Boots (Sacred)
Defense: (1881 - 2116) to (2083 - 2343)
Required Level: 90
Required Strength: 625
Item Level: 1
2% Chance to cast level 6 Celerity on Kill
(20 to 50)% Movement Speed
20% Hit Recovery
+(140 to 170)% Enhanced Defense
+(31 to 50) to Strength
(11 to 15)% to Dexterity
(11 to 15)% Bonus to Defense
Socketed (4)

Celestia's Myth
(Amazon Spear Set)

has all useful stats, 48 MS as well as Celerity proccing a lot.

Might be worth replacing with nerfed Steppe Sleeper in the guide

there is also a nerf to dex wolf build due to werewolf form giving flat AR instead of %AR which combined with the new strength requirements makes you have arround 9k AR at lvl 110 so we also need to invest on that

Solid guide.
For leveling:
I recommend skipping Meele Devotion and maxing harvesters + bloom for the move speed.
Clear speed of Harbinger is amazing at low - mid levels, but you will be too squishy, the harvesters are great as tanks and bloom will make you run super fast.
Pick up an honorific armor peice or two and MO Life regen on it.
I'm running with a t4 crystal sword honorific with life on attack and IAS, clearing a5 nm easily, and can teleport with harbinger safely since respec too.

Since IAS need on weapon is gone, I believe this setup on

Cold Blood

Cold Blood
Crystal Sword (Sacred)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 1020
Item Level: 120
Innate Cold Damage: (35.0% of Dexterity)
Regens 20% Life Over 5 Seconds Upon Taking Weapon Damage
4% Chance to cast level 50 Shatter the Flesh on Kill
1% Chance to cast level 50 Blizzard on Striking
25% Attack Speed
Adds (450 to 550)-(700 to 800) Cold Damage
-10% to Enemy Cold Resistance
+20 to Banish
Maximum Mana -50%
Requirements +100%
Socketed (6)

is the best mix for offense and defense:

MO IED + Life on MA + 2x

Sigil of Absolution

Sigil of Absolution
Occult Effigy

Cube Reagent
Cube with Any Weapon/Armor to Add Bonus
-5 Required Level
Requirements +25%
(Max 2 Uses per Item)

+

Vizjun's Ball Bearing

Vizjun's Ball Bearing
Mystic Orb

Right-Click to Apply
2% Deadly Strike
+25 to Dexterity
+10 Required Level

Any other suggestions?

Victor wrote:Since IAS need on weapon is gone, I believe this setup on
Cold Blood
Cold Blood
Crystal Sword (Sacred)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 1020
Item Level: 120
Innate Cold Damage: (35.0% of Dexterity)
Regens 20% Life Over 5 Seconds Upon Taking Weapon Damage
4% Chance to cast level 50 Shatter the Flesh on Kill
1% Chance to cast level 50 Blizzard on Striking
25% Attack Speed
Adds (450 to 550)-(700 to 800) Cold Damage
-10% to Enemy Cold Resistance
+20 to Banish
Maximum Mana -50%
Requirements +100%
Socketed (6)
is the best mix for offense and defense:

MO IED + Life on MA + 2x
Sigil of Absolution
Sigil of Absolution
Occult Effigy

Cube Reagent
Cube with Any Weapon/Armor to Add Bonus
-5 Required Level
Requirements +25%
(Max 2 Uses per Item)
+
Vizjun's Ball Bearing
Vizjun's Ball Bearing
Mystic Orb

Right-Click to Apply
2% Deadly Strike
+25 to Dexterity
+10 Required Level

Any other suggestions?

Crafts really open up now and it's a lot easier to find one that I'd consider using over Cold Blood.

Abandoned/trinity crafted+blessed crystal sword with 20/23% Chance to cast level 8/9 Life Spark on Melee Attack

Other relevant stats you can get:

Prefixes

+(201 to 300) Life
40% Attack Speed
Cannot Be Frozen
10% to All Attributes or 15% to Dexterity
(41 to 50)% Magic Find

Suffixes

-(11 to 15)% to Enemy Cold Resistance
+(150 to 200) Life on Melee Attack
+(41 to 60) Mana on Melee Attack
CtC Stormblast on Melee Attack

Should also give you another 20 ish levels for MOs.

Siosilvar wrote:
Victor wrote:Since IAS need on weapon is gone, I believe this setup on
Cold Blood
Cold Blood
Crystal Sword (Sacred)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 1020
Item Level: 120
Innate Cold Damage: (35.0% of Dexterity)
Regens 20% Life Over 5 Seconds Upon Taking Weapon Damage
4% Chance to cast level 50 Shatter the Flesh on Kill
1% Chance to cast level 50 Blizzard on Striking
25% Attack Speed
Adds (450 to 550)-(700 to 800) Cold Damage
-10% to Enemy Cold Resistance
+20 to Banish
Maximum Mana -50%
Requirements +100%
Socketed (6)
is the best mix for offense and defense:

MO IED + Life on MA + 2x
Sigil of Absolution
Sigil of Absolution
Occult Effigy

Cube Reagent
Cube with Any Weapon/Armor to Add Bonus
-5 Required Level
Requirements +25%
(Max 2 Uses per Item)
+
Vizjun's Ball Bearing
Vizjun's Ball Bearing
Mystic Orb

Right-Click to Apply
2% Deadly Strike
+25 to Dexterity
+10 Required Level

Any other suggestions?

Crafts really open up now and it's a lot easier to find one that I'd consider using over Cold Blood.

Abandoned/trinity crafted+blessed crystal sword with 20/23% Chance to cast level 8/9 Life Spark on Melee Attack

Other relevant stats you can get:

Prefixes
+(201 to 300) Life
40% Attack Speed
Cannot Be Frozen
10% to All Attributes or 15% to Dexterity
(41 to 50)% Magic Find

Suffixes
-(11 to 15)% to Enemy Cold Resistance
+(150 to 200) Life on Melee Attack
+(41 to 60) Mana on Melee Attack
CtC Stormblast on Melee Attack

Should also give you another 20 ish levels for MOs.

Thanks for the tips. Best I could get via crafts after spending like 60 shrines was this:
40% IAS
44% MF
Banish proc
Ember Spirit proc
(Abandoned)

Nice 3 affixes but still Cold Blood seemed like an upgrade after finally getting it.

craft cant beat

Dawn

Dawn
Weapons
'Zol'
Runeword Level: 100
10% Chance to cast level 32 Celerity on Kill
45% Hit Recovery
(301 to 500)% Bonus to Attack Rating
+(172 to 200)% Enhanced Damage
75% to Strength
75% to Dexterity
35% to Vitality
75% to Energy
+80 to Mana
60% Gold Find
+(2 to 4) to Light Radius

Elemental Dominion

Elemental Dominion
Occult Effigy

Cube Reagent
Cube with a Zero Socket Weapon to Add Bonus
Adds 75-125 Fire Damage
Adds 75-125 Lightning Damage
Adds 75-125 Cold Damage
+10 Required Level

x4