Iceplosion 2.0 Sorcerer BUILD for Diablo IV [RDY-4-Launch]

(Chill then Freeze your foes only to Shatter them & their hopes into an Icy Explosion)

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Diablo IV launches on June 6th, 2023 for PC (Battle.Net), XBOX, & PlayStation with a 4 days Early Access (no wipe) for pre-orders (so kind of really launching June 2nd).

Diablo IV‘s Launch is getting closer and it’s time to make some Ready-For-Launch full Builds/Theorycrafts that should be good for both ‘fresh-into-endgame’ characters as well as late endgame. I also plan to evolve them further when the game is released & keep them updated when we get rebalance updates. This is one such build for the Sorcerer Class called Iceplosion 2.0.

I’ve also made spreadsheets for those builds (see the links below) that have shortlisted the active and passive skills + legendary aspect + unique item + gems & sockets + suggested stat rolls + paragon boards that work well with the build which you can use to tinker. Alternatively, I’ve added build calculator links (mostly needed for the paragons)

This build will be updated post-launch to a new & expanded version when I have more in-game information as reference.

Video Version:

Skill Trees

Below you’ll see ONLY the Active & Passive skills that were selected for this build. For additional skills that can be taken + alternative skill options, you can check my RDY-4-Launch Builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (Iceplosion 2.0) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.

Minor Destruction / Basic Skill (Resource Generator/Builder) (Required Points: 0 )

Major Destruction / Core Skill(s) (Resource Spender) (Required Points: 2 ) Use Frozen Orb ONLY until you get Blizzard

Defensive Skills (Required Points: 6 )

Conjuration Skills (Required Points: 11 ) Not Taking any Active summons

Mastery Skills (Required Points: 16 ) Not taking an Active Mastery skill

Ultimate Skills (Required Points: 23 )

Specializations (Required Points: 33 )

Enchantment (Class Mechanic):

I’d recommend mix-and matching two of the following Enchantments (you’ll need at least 1 point invested or from gear in the skills):

• Obvious Synergies
  • Blizzard – Every 15 seconds, a Blizzard forms over you and follows you for 6 seconds. (my 1st pick)
  • Fireball – When you kill an enemy, they explode in a Fireball for 50% of its damage. (my ideal 2nd pick) NOTE that you’ll need to either remove a point from a passive or get +X Ranks to Fireball from an item.
  • Frozen Orb – Whenever you cast a non-basic skill, you have a 20% chance to launch a Frozen Orb at a nearby enemy. (my alternative 2nd pick) NOTE that you’ll need to either remove a point from a passive or get +X Ranks to Fireball from an item.
  • Ice Shards – Ice Shards automatically conjure and fly toward Frozen enemies.
  • Ice Blades – For every 20 seconds in cooldowns you spend, you spawn an Ice Blades on a Random enemy.
  • Frost Bolt – Direct Damage from Skills applies up to an additional 15% Chill.
• Still good to try
  • Flame Shield – Flame Shield automatically activates when you take fatal damage, Can only happen once every 120 Seconds.

Unique Item

In Diablo IV apparently (I have multiple sources that confirmed this) we can equip more than one unique item at the same time (not so ‘unique’ if we can get decked out in full uniques I guess). It seems that the one unique per build idea that Unique inherited from the Mythical gear they supposedly replaced was scrapped even before the closed beta tests. My top pick will be the following one but check the notes under the Aspects list for some additional picks:

Iceheart Brais (Pants)

While Injured, Your Potion Also Restores [30%] Resource Enemies that die while Frozen have a [11 – 20]% chance to unleash a Frost Nova.

[28 – 42] Intelligence
+[7 – 14]% Damage to Frozen Enemies
+[21 – 35]% Damage to Injured Enemies
+[7 – 14]% Freeze Duration

The mad artisan saw his fingers turn black from frostbite as he worked the cloth, but refused to stay the needle and thread for even a moment.

Sockets & Gems

There are various possible good/viable choices for the gem slots. I’ve shortlisted what works by slot. I’d recommend picking one of those:

Weps: Diamond, Saphire, Skull, or Emerald.
Armor: Ruby, Diamond, or Skull.
Jewelry: Diamond unless you need specific resistance more than all.

Legendary Aspects / Powers

I will only list the Legendary Aspects that have been selected for the build and the slots in which I advise putting those. For in-depth information you can check my RDY-4-Launch Builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (Iceplosion 2.0) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.

• Helm: Encased Aspect / Harlequin Crest (see notes below)
• Amulet: Exploiter’s Aspect
• Chest: Frostblitz Aspect
• Pants: Snowguard’s Aspect Until the Iceheart Brais Unique goes here (see notes below)
• Gloves: Aspect of Biting Cold / Frostburn (see notes below)
• Boots: Aspect of Fortune
• Ring 1: Aspect of Control
• Ring 2: Prodigy’s Aspect / Ring of Starless Skies (see notes below)
• 1H Weapon: Glacial Aspect
• Off-hand: Aspect of the Frozen Tundra
• 2-H Weapon (if you decide to use one): Glacial Aspect

NOTE 1: Snowguard's Aspect stays in the Pants slot ONLY until you get the Iceheart Brais Unique Pants. For after that see notes below:
There are three other alternative picks for Uniques you could use if you get those first: Frostburn (Gloves), Harlequin Crest (Helm), & Ring of Starless Skies (Ring)
See the other other notes below:

NOTE 2: How to re-arrange if using any of the alternative Uniques:
- For Frostburn (Gloves): Aspect of Biting Cold gets removed from the Gloves slot to make room for the Unique Gloves
- For Harlequin Crest (Helm): Encased Aspect gets removed from the Helm slot to make room for the Unique Helm.
- For Ring of Starless Skies (Ring): Prodigy's Aspect gets removed from the Ring 2 slot to make room for the Unique Ring. (This one's only truly going to shine if you don't use Blizzard but rather pick Frozen Orb or Ice Shards which will make a lot of other things needing reworks and might cost you a lot of coins in terms of respecs and re-rolls)

Paragon Boards:

Use the links below to check the paragon boards selected and the nodes I’ve taken. One link is for what the boards will look like at lvl 84 without any paragon points from renown (so more paragon points will be obtained on the way to 100 as well as from renown). The other link will be what the boards will look like when fully maxed out on paragon points.

• LVL 84 & no Points from renown: Click THIS LINK
• MAXed out points: Click THIS LINK

Suggested Gear Rolls to look out for (NOT in order of priority):

I’ve shortlisted 42 different affixes that work well with the build of almost 300 total. I’ll highlight in Orange the ones I think should get higher priority

Bonus to All Damage

Critical Strike Chance / Critical Damage Bonus

Critical Chance / Critical Damage with Frost/Cold Skills

Critical Chance / Critical Damage with Mastery/Ultimate/Basic/Defensive Skills

Damage with Mastery/Ultimate/Basic/Defensive Skills

Lucky Hit Chance

+ Ranks to Mastery/Ultimate/Basic/Defensive Skills

+ Ranks to Blizzard/Frost Nova/Frost Bolt/Flame Shield/Teleport Skills

Lucky Hit Chance with Frost/Cold Damage

Frost/Cold Damage Bonus

+ % Critical Chance / Critical Damage with Frost/Cold Damage

Resistance to All Elements

+ % Chill Application

+ % Frost/Cold Damage to Elites

+ % Critical Strike Chance with Frost/Cold Damage Against Elites

+ % Damage for X Seconds After Killing an Elite

Damage Reduction for X Seconds After Killing an Elite

Damage Reduction from Elites

Damage to Close Enemies

Critical Chance / Damage Against Close Enemies

Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies

Critical Chance / Damage Against Crowd Controlled Enemies

Damage to Vulnerable Enemies

Critical Chance / Damage Against Vulnerable Enemies

Vulnerable Damage

Damage while Healthy

Barrier Generation

Chance When Struck to Gain N Life as Barrier for X Seconds

Lucky Hit Chance while You Have a Barrier

Damage Reduction while You Have a Barrier

Life as Barrier On Kill

Critical Strike Chance Against Chilled/Frozen Enemies

Damage to Chilled/Frozen Enemies

+ All Stats

Damage vs Injured Enemies

Damage vs Healthy Enemies

Weapon Damage (not sure if there are any bonuses to that as rolls)

Mana Generation / Regeneration/ On Kill

Movement Speed

Attack Speed

Intelligence

Resource Cost Reduction

Useful Links (Spreadsheets & more):

For all of my Diablo IV RDY-4-Launch Theorycrafts/Builds: This Spreadsheet

For my Diablo IV Pre-Launch Class Skill Trees (can be used as mini-calculator): This Spreadsheet

For all of my Diablo IV Pre-Launch Theorycrafts/Builds: This Spreadsheet

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This concludes the Iceplosion 2.0 Sorcerer Build for Diablo IV. If you’re interested in the game below are links to the various platforms where one can buy it (you can just click the links to open a new tab):

PC (Battle.Net)

XBOX

PlayStation

Official Website