Frozen Orb Sorc Endgame Build for Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred (Season 6)
Last update: 10/23/2024
General Notes
General Notes for the Frozen Orb Sorc Endgame Build in Vessel of Hatred
Note: This endgame build has been optimized for Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred (Season 6).
The build centers around the unique amulet Fractured Winterglass, which automatically summons random Cojuration Skills and more Frozen Orbs. Frozen Orb is very effective against both larger groups of enemies and bosses.
The build is also very strong defensively, as normal enemies are frozen and bosses get staggered, so the build has no weak points and is one of the strongest builds in the game.
How well does this build perform in the Pit / Infernal Horde?
High Pits are not a problem at all, as the build does an enormous amount of damage, freezes all enemies and is also very mobile.
How well does this build perform against bosses?
Bosses will be staggered within seconds, allowing you to kill them with ease. If they don't die during the first stagger phase, you can use Flame Shield and repeat the process.
When is the build playable and which items do I need?
This endgame build is only playable if you have found the unique amulet Fractured Winterglass and no longer have Resource issues due to items with Resource Generation or Resource Cost Reduction. The mythical Ring of Starless Skies helps a lot with this.
Playstyle
Playstyle for the Frozen Orb Sorc Endgame Build
Playstyle and skill rotation against monsters
As with any Sorcerer build, it is important to have a Barrier at all times. You should rotate skills on cooldown to keep Protection active and a barrier up. This not only provides defensive benefits, but also increases your damage output while Storm Swell Aspect is in effect.
Against weak groups of enemies, it is enough to use Frozen Orb immediately after teleporting until everyone is dead. In higher Pits, you should incorporate Ice Armor, Familiar and Lightning Spear into the rotation and save Flame Shield for emergencies.
In the endgame, you make enemies vulnerable with Lightning Spear and Ice Blades, but mainly with the unique amulet Fractured Winterglass.
Playstyle and skill rotation against bosses
Against bosses, you should start with the Lightning Spear and Familiar. Also use Ice Armor and Flame Shield very early on until the boss starts to stagger. After that, you don't need to use anything except Frozen Orb until the boss stops staggering, and then start again.
How to fix Resource problems
Mana problemsare solved by Destructive Frozen Orb. You also need a lot of Resource Cost Reduction on your items so that Frozen Orb doesn't cost you as much mana.
Skills
Skills for the Frozen Orb Sorc Endgame Build
Skill tree notes:
- Fire Bolt is not used as an active skill, but you have to invest at least 2 points in basic skills.
- The skill enhancements of Lightning Spear and Ice Blades are also active when Lightnig Spear is created by the unique amulet Shattered Winterglass.
- If you still have mana problems, you can distribute three skill points from Teleport into Frigid Breeze.
Specialization
Specialization for the Frozen Orb Sorc Endgame Build
Frozen Orb Enchantment
Whenever you cast a Non-Basic Skill, you have a X% chance to launch a Frozen Orb at a Nearby enemy.
Fire Bolt Enchantment
Direct damage from Skills applies up to an additional X% Burning damage over X seconds.
Aspects
Aspects for the Frozen Orb Sorc Endgame Build
Aspect of Concentration
Casting a Conjuration Skill grants you X% Damage Reduction for X seconds.
Snowveiled Aspect
Casting Ice Armor makes you Unstoppable and grants X% Damage Reduction for X seconds.
Storm Swell Aspect
You deal X% increased damage while Ice Armor is active. This amount is increased by another X% against Frozen enemies.
Accelerating Aspect
Critical Strikes with Core Skills increase your Attack Speed by X% for X seconds.
Aspect of Shredding Blades
Ice Blades' chance to apply Vulnerable is increased by X% and the Vulnerable duration is increased by X seconds. You gain X% Vulnerable Damage.
Aspect of Frozen Orbit
Frozen Orb deals X% increased damage and explodes an additional time.
Items & Affixes
Items & Affixes for the Frozen Orb Sorc Endgame Build
General tips about your Gear
- Armor: You need a maximum of 1,000 armor. Anything above that is useless and has no effect. If you haven't reached your armor cap yet, adjust your equipment, gems and paragon talents accordingly.
- Resistances: You need at least 70% to all resistances. If you have not yet reached these values, adjust your equipment, gems and paragon talents accordingly.
- Affixes: Each item type has different properties (affixes) that are useful for this build. Some of these are mandatory, others are optional. Please pay attention to the following symbols:
Helmet
- Cooldown Reduction
- Life
- Armor
- Intelligence
- Lucky Hit Chance
- Mana per Second
- Aspect of Concentration
Worldly Endurance
- Maximum Life
- Total Armor
- Dodge Chance
Worldly Fortune
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Slow
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Immobilize
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Stun
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Freeze
to stagger bosses
Chest Armor
- Life
- Intelligence
- Armor
- Mana per Second
- Snowveiled Aspect
Worldly Endurance
- Maximum Life
- Total Armor
- Dodge Chance
Worldly Fortune
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Slow
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Immobilize
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Stun
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Freeze
to stagger bosses
Note: Due to the high area of effect damage of this build, you no longer need to pull enemies in with the unique chest armor Raiment of the Infinite and can use a legendary chest armor or Tyrael's Might.
Gloves
- Ranks to Frozen Orb / Core Skills
- Critical Strike Chance
- Attack Speed
- Intelligence
- Life
- Storm Swell Aspect
Worldly Finesse
- Critical Strike Damage
- Vulnerable Damage
- Overpower Damage
Worldly Fortune
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Slow
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Immobilize
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Stun
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Freeze
Damit bringst du Bosse schneller zum Taumeln.
Tibault's Will
All Stats
Maximum Life
Maximum Resource
Damage Reduction while Unstoppable
You deal X% increased damage while Unstoppable and for X seconds after. When you become Unstoppable, gain X of your Primary Resource.
Duriel, Andariel
All Classes
Note: If you are already wearing Mythic Uniques, you should upgrade to legendary pants.
Esu's Heirloom
Evade Grants Movement Speed for X Seconds
Movement Speed
Movement Speed for X Seconds After Killing an Elite
Critical Strike Damage
Resistance to All Elements
Your Critical Strike Chance is increased by X% of your Movement Speed bonus.
Varshan
Sorcerer
Fractured Winterglass
Conjuration Cooldowns are Reduced by X Seconds when a Frozen Orb Explodes
Non-Physical Damage
Chance for Frozen Orb Projectiles to Cast Twice
Resistance to All Elements
Ranks to Conjuration Mastery
Casting Frozen Orb has a X% chance to spawn a random Conjuration when it explodes. Lucky Hit: Your Conjurations have up to a X% chance to launch a Frozen Orb at Nearby enemies.
Lord Zir
Sorcerer
Tal Rasha's Iridescent Loop
Resistance to All Elements
Lucky Hit Chance
Non-Physical Damage
Cooldown Reduction
Ranks to Potent Warding
Casting a Pyromancy, Shock, or Frost Skill increases your damage by X% for X seconds, stacking once per element. Casting again refreshes all bonuses if the previous skill was a different Element.
Varshan
Sorcerer
Ring
- Critical Strike Chance
- Resource Cost Reduction
- Attack Speed
- Life
- Intelligence
- Accelerating Aspect
Worldly Stability
- Resource Generation
- Resource Cost Reduction
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Restore X% Primary Resource
Worldly Finesse
- Critical Strike Damage
- Vulnerable Damage
- Overpower Damage
Wand
- Intelligence
- Life
- Critical Strike Damage
- Vulnerable Damage
- Aspect of Shredding Blades
Frost Augments
- Chance for Frost Bolt Projectiles to Cast Twice
- Chance for Frozen Orb Projectiles to Cast Twice
- Chance for Ice Shards Projectiles to Cast Twice
Worldly Finesse
- Critical Strike Damage
- Vulnerable Damage
- Overpower Damage
Note: You should play with one-handed weapons in this build because you have no mana problems and can thus benefit from the useful affixes of a Focus. Wands are preferable because they give you damage against Vulnerable enemies.
Focus
- Cooldown Reduction
- Critical Hit Chance
- Resource Cost Reduction
- Intelligence
- Life
- Aspect of Frozen Orbit
Frost Augments
- Chance for Frost Bolt Projectiles to Cast Twice
- Chance for Frozen Orb Projectiles to Cast Twice
- Chance for Ice Shards Projectiles to Cast Twice
Worldly Finesse
- Critical Strike Damage
- Vulnerable Damage
- Overpower Damage
Note: If you don't yet have a Harlequin Crest, you can also wear a Godslayer Crown when fighting bosses.
Godslayer Crown
All Stats
Maximum Life
Damage to Elites
Cooldown Reduction
When you Stun, Freeze, or Immobilize an Elite, you Pull In all Nearby enemies and deal X% increased damage to them for X seconds. Can only occur once every X seconds. Against Bosses, this effect triggers when dealing damage instead.
Duriel, Andariel
All Classes
Harlequin Crest
+800 Maximum Life
+18 Maximum Resource
+350 Armor
+20% Cooldown Reduction
Gain 20% Damage Reduction. In addition, gain +4 Ranks to all Skills.
Duriel, Andariel, Tormented Bosses
All Classes
Ring of Starless Skies
+12.5% Resistance to All Elements
+12.5% Resistance to All Elements
+17.5% Attack Speed
+12.5% Critical Strike Chance
+12.5% Lucky Hit Chance
+2 Ranks to Core Skills
Spending your Primary Resource reduces the Resource cost of your Skills and increases your damage by 10%(x) for 3 seconds, up to 50%(x).
Duriel, Andariel, Tormented Bosses
All Classes
Tyrael's Might
Ignore Durability Loss
+16.5% Movement Speed
+7.5% Maximum Resistance to All Elements
+60% Resistance to All Elements
+20% Damage Reduction
While at full Life, your Skills unleash a divine barrage dealing 195 damage.
Duriel, Andariel, Tormented Bosses
All Classes
Note: With Tyrael's Might, you should switch to legendary pants with the same affixes as your old chest armor.
Runewords
Runewords for the Frozen Orb Sorc Endgame Build
Note: If you are missing the required Runes, you can use Gemstones in the meantime.
1st Runeword (Chest Armor)
Yul
Gain: 50 Offering
Cast a Skill with a Cooldown.
Gar
Required: 25 Offering
Cooldown: 1 Second
Gain X% Critical Strike Chance for X seconds, up to X%. (Overflow: Gain Multiple Stacks)
2nd Runeword (Pants)
Tam
Gain: 25 Offering
Cast a non-Channeled Core Skill.
Ohm
Required: 600 Offering
Cooldown: 2 Seconds
Evoke the Barbarian's War Cry, increasing your damage dealt. (Overflow: Increased Duration)
Note: If you are not robust enough yet, you can use a Mot Rune instead of the Ohm Rune.
Gemstones
Gemstones for the Frozen Orb Sorc Endgame Build
WeaponEmerald
Weapons: Critical Strike Damage
Armor: Dexterity
Jewelry: Poison Resistance
ArmorTopaz
Weapons: Basic Damage
Armor: Intelligence
Jewelry: Lightning Resistance
JewelrySkull
Weapons: Life On Kill
Armor: Healing Received
Jewelry: Armor
Paragon Board
Paragon Board for the Frozen Orb Sorc Endgame Build
Important notice:
- Glyph Radius: To increase the radius of your Glyphs, you have to level them in the Pit. The starting radius is 3 boxes. At level 15, it increases to 4 boxes. At level 45, the radius is 5 boxes.
- Skill Order: Start with the ESSENTIAL LAYOUT and rebuild it COMPLETELY to quickly access all the important Nodes and Glyphs. Only then switch to the FINAL LAYOUT and add the missing Nodes.
Winter
Rare Glyph "Winter"
Grants X% bonus to all Rare nodes within range.
Additional Bonus: Whenever you Chill or Freeze an enemy, you deal X% increased Cold damage for X seconds, up to X%.
Legendary Bonus: Increase damage to Crowd Controlled targets by X%.
Legendary Node "Frigid Fate"
You deal bonus damage to Vulnerable enemies equal to X% of the total amount of your Bonus Damage with Cold, up to a maximum of X%.
Rare Glyph "Elementalist"
Paragon nodes within range gain X% bonus to their Non-physical damage and damage reduction modifiers.
Additional Bonus: Dealing Fire, Cold, or Lightning damage to an enemy increases all damage you deal to them by X% for X seconds, stacking once per element.
Legendary Bonus: Increase Non-Physical damage by X%.
Legendary Node "Icefall"
Your Frost Skills deal X% increased damage to Vulnerable enemies. This bonus is doubled if the enemy is also Frozen.
Rare Glyph "Tactician"
Grants X% bonus to all Rare nodes within range.
Additional Bonus: You deal X% increased damage for X seconds after casting a Defensive Skill. This duration is increased by X seconds for each Defensive Skill not on your Action Bar.
Legendary Bonus: You deal X% increased damage to Close enemies.
Legendary Node "Fundamental Release"
Each time you apply Vulnerable, Burning, or Critically Strike an enemy, they take X% increased damage from you, up to X%.
Rare Glyph "Control"
For every 5 Dexterity purchased within range, you deal X% increased damage to Crowd Controlled targets.
Additional Bonus: You deal X% increased damage to Slowed or Chilled enemies or, instead, X% increased damage to Stunned or Frozen enemies.
Legendary Bonus: Increase damage to Crowd Controlled targets by X%.
Legendary Node "Enchantment Master"
Your Enchantments are X% stronger.
Rare Glyph "Destruction"
For every 5 Dexterity purchased within range, you deal X% increased Critical Strike Damage.
Additional Bonus: Critical Strikes increase all damage the enemy takes from you by X% for X seconds, up to X%.
Legendary Bonus: Increase Critical Strike Damage by X%.
Rare Glyph "Winter"
Grants X% bonus to all Rare nodes within range.
Additional Bonus: Whenever you Chill or Freeze an enemy, you deal X% increased Cold damage for X seconds, up to X%.
Legendary Bonus: Increase damage to Crowd Controlled targets by X%.
Legendary Node "Frigid Fate"
You deal bonus damage to Vulnerable enemies equal to X% of the total amount of your Bonus Damage with Cold, up to a maximum of X%.
Rare Glyph "Elementalist"
Paragon nodes within range gain X% bonus to their Non-physical damage and damage reduction modifiers.
Additional Bonus: Dealing Fire, Cold, or Lightning damage to an enemy increases all damage you deal to them by X% for X seconds, stacking once per element.
Legendary Bonus: Increase Non-Physical damage by X%.
Legendary Node "Icefall"
Your Frost Skills deal X% increased damage to Vulnerable enemies. This bonus is doubled if the enemy is also Frozen.
Rare Glyph "Tactician"
Grants X% bonus to all Rare nodes within range.
Additional Bonus: You deal X% increased damage for X seconds after casting a Defensive Skill. This duration is increased by X seconds for each Defensive Skill not on your Action Bar.
Legendary Bonus: You deal X% increased damage to Close enemies.
Legendary Node "Fundamental Release"
Each time you apply Vulnerable, Burning, or Critically Strike an enemy, they take X% increased damage from you, up to X%.
Rare Glyph "Control"
For every 5 Dexterity purchased within range, you deal X% increased damage to Crowd Controlled targets.
Additional Bonus: You deal X% increased damage to Slowed or Chilled enemies or, instead, X% increased damage to Stunned or Frozen enemies.
Legendary Bonus: Increase damage to Crowd Controlled targets by X%.
Legendary Node "Enchantment Master"
Your Enchantments are X% stronger.
Rare Glyph "Destruction"
For every 5 Dexterity purchased within range, you deal X% increased Critical Strike Damage.
Additional Bonus: Critical Strikes increase all damage the enemy takes from you by X% for X seconds, up to X%.
Legendary Bonus: Increase Critical Strike Damage by X%.
Mercenaries
Mercenaries for the Frozen Orb Sorc Endgame Build
Varyana
Massacre
You and Varyana stack Massacre together on kills. Certain stack thresholds grant Movement Speed. Massacre resets after X seconds of not killing an enemy.
Cleave
Varyana swings two axes in an arc in front of her, dealing X% Physical damage and X% Bleeding damage over X seconds.
Selecting a Mercenary Core Skill alters their wielded Weapon and Basic Attack.
Weapon: Dual Axes
Basic Attack: Double Strike
Varyana slashes enemies with dual axes, dealing X% Physical damage. She has a X% chance to also deal X% Bleeding damage over X seconds.
Hysteria
You gain X% Attack Speed for X seconds whenever Varyana damages an enemy, up to X%.
Recklessness
Varyana's Cleave inflicts Vulnerable on enemies for X seconds.
Shockwave
Varyana slams the ground for a brutal shockwave in front of her, dealing X% Physical damage and Knocking Down enemies for X seconds.
Selecting a Mercenary Core Skill alters their wielded Weapon and Basic Attack.
Weapon: Two-Handed Mace
Basic Attack: Heavy Strike
Varyana batters enemies with a mace, dealing X% Physical damage with X% increased Critical Strike Chance.
Crushing Force
When Varyana deals damage to an enemy, she has a X% chance to Knock them Down for X seconds.
Reprisal
If you become Crowd Controlled, Varyana leaps towards the enemy that inflicted it, dealing X% Physical damage and Knocking Down surrounding enemies for X seconds on impact. This can only occur once every X seconds.
Bloodthirst
Varyana enters Bloodthirst, gaining X% Attack Speed, X% Movement Speed, and Unstoppable for X seconds. Varyana's Bloodthirst grants X% Attack Speed to you for the same duration.
Intimidated
While Varyana has Bloodthirst, enemies around her deal X% reduced damage.
Bloodlust
Varyana's Bloodthirst further increases your Attack Speed by X%.
Whirlwind
Varyana spins violently in a line, repeatedly dealing X% Physical damage and X% Bleeding damage over X seconds.
No Escape
Varyana's Whirlwind Pulls In enemies every X seconds and gains X% Size.
Taste of Flesh
When you or Varyana deal direct damage to an enemy inflicted with any of her Bleeding effects, you Heal for X% of your Maximum Life.
Earth Breaker
Varyana crushes the ground with her mace, leaving a tremor that deals X% Physical damage over X seconds and Knocks enemies Down repeatedly.
Rampage
You deal X% increased damage to enemies afflicted by any of Varyana's Crowd Control effects.
Dismembering
Enemies damaged by Varyana's Earth Breaker are left exposed, causing your next hit against them within X seconds to be a guaranteed Overpower. This may only occur on the same target once every X seconds.
Ancient Harpoons
Varyana launches three harpoons ahead of her, piercing enemies for X% Physical damage. She then rips them back, Pulling In and Stunning enemies for X seconds.
Annihilator
Varyana's Ancient Harpoons additionally Slow enemies by X% for X seconds. During this time, you gain X% Lucky Hit Chance against those targets.
Iron Grip
Varyana's Ancient Harpoons travel X% farther and reduce enemies' Impairment Resistance by X% for X seconds.
Raheir
Reinforcement
Crater
Trigger
Frozen Orb
Note: If you are still lacking armor, you can take Raheir as your main mercenary and Varyana with Bloodthirst as reinforcement.
Changelog
- 10/08/24 – Updated for Vessel of Hatred (Season 6)