Credits: Renegade Control Wizard: Crit Happens Guide by Smitty
I figured I should make one of these considering we don’t have any CW guides. The ones that are on the NW forums are either outdated or craptastic. Anyway, I am running Renegade spec on Smitty. After weeks of playing Thaumaturge, it started getting boring for me so I decided to make a change, and it was definitely worth it.
This build was a result from various testings and research on the forum as well. I do dabble quite a bit on the test shard so I test things out before I make the switch in live server. I will not provide an in-depth explanation on how to play a CW. It can be very tedious to explain the intricacies and nuances of playing a CW. I found it easier to learn through actually playing the class. Instead, this is more of a guide on how to build an effective Renegade CW. Hope you guys like it.
Pros
- High damage output, possibly the highest out of the 3 paragon trees
- Huge critical hits (I get constant SotEA crits anywhere between 50-90k )
- Offers just as much control as any CW spec
Cons
- Needs massive funding Highly gear dependent.
- Greater or Perfect Vorpal A MUST and 30+ crit to be fully efficient.
- Unpredictable damage
- Ridiculous aggro machine
Race/Ability Scores
Tiefling is the best race for a Renegade based CW. It gives everything you need. However, I’m starting to get bored of how they look. Every point of ability score should ALWAYS go to INT and CHA.
Stat Priority
~35% Crit > 22-24% Armor Penetration > ~3000 recovery > Power > HP > Defense
Recovery and Armor Pen still take precedence over Crit. However, due the nature of the stats on typical CW gears, getting soft caps on ArP and Recovery are easy enough that you could focus most of your enchantments on pumping Crit. Take note that I’m basing this off a CW that is nearly decked-out gear-wise. If you find yourself having troubles reaching these stats, then you are better off switching to Thaumaturge if you intend to maximize your effectiveness in party play.
Gear and Enchantments
High Vizier set and Ancient or Fomorian Orb/Talisman combo is only set that you will need.
Offense:
- Azure (Crit)
- Dark (ArP)
Defense:
- Azure (Defense)
- Radiant (HP)
Utility:
- Dark (movement)
Weapon Enchant: Greater/Perfect Vorpal
Armor Enchant: Soulforged
Build
 |
| click image to enlarge |
There will be 3 points left to be spent for your powers. Feel free to spend them based on your personal preference.
Skill Setup
For Trash:
Eye of the Storm
Storm Spell
Arcane
Singularity
Opressive Force
Entangling Force
Shield*
Shard of Endless
Avalanche
Steal Time
Magic Missle
Storm Pillar
*Once you become better in dodging incoming attacks, you can switch out Shield for a more dps/cc oriented skill like Sudden Storm or Icy Terrain.
For Single Target/Debuff Stacking:
Eye of the Storm
Storm Spell
Ice Knife
Opressive Force
Ray of Enfeeblement
Chill Strike
*
Shard of Endless Avalanche*
Icy rays*
Magic Missle
Storm Pillar
*For single target/debuffing, these powers can be switched out for other HV stacking skills based on personal preference. Other encounters that give HV debuff include Shield, Steal Time, Entangling Force, and Repel
Major difference between Thaumaturge vs Renegade?
Both paths have a somewhat different role in party play. They both give excellent mob control for the group. However, a Thaumaturge CW provides more debuffs that affect the whole party whereas a Renegade CW provides more DPS. Based on personal experience, Thaum is a more stable, constant dps whereas Rene is a spiky, high-potential dps build.
If you have any further questions, comments, or criticism, feel free to post or message me in game. Smitty out.