Control Wizard Mod 15 PvE Guide
Below, available in pdf, is my Mod 15 PvE Control Wizard guide. I decided to make a separate guide for mod 15 rather than updating my Guide to Wizardry (I’ll update it eventually, maybe) for two reasons. First, due to the amount of changes a lot of things requires rewriting which will take extra time, and second, I wanted to make it a bit shorter and more user friendly and easier to read focusing on the most important things limiting a bit all the theorycrafting and math parts.
This is in my opinion the most optimal way to build and play CW in mod 15.
Just to be clear, this is guide focusing on explaining the class, its mechanics and how everything can work together depending on the situation. If you’re looking for a copy paste build, you’ll probably be disappointed because there isn’t one here. If you’re looking to run one and the same loadout with the same powers for everything, you should probably play a different class because CW won’t work like that. I made this guide with the intention to explain everything as simple as possible for average players.
Complete guide is available in pdf here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NtLmerlR1CmkuawMplE5ZhG-y67b_gkp/view
Short link: http://bit.ly/CWmod15guide
Gear and all loadouts I personally use on my CW are shown on the video here:
Due to the changes CW class received in mod 15 which caused old builds to become outdated, and since I understand the laziness of people when it comes to reading guides and the willingness or the lack of it to even try to understand the class and its mechanics which results in confusion “what loadout and powers do I use?”, I’m including the following 3 basic loadouts with rotations to use as some sort of foolproof “CW for dummies” guide. While using these without actually understanding the class and its mechanics won’t help you get better at playing CW, especially in terms of DPS, they will at least make sure that you won’t completely suck in group content and can be a bit useful to the group regardless of the point of progression in game you’re at. If you want more – then you’ll need to put some effort in reading and learning the class mechanics so you can make your own choices what to use and run depending on the situation once you know how everything works. Copy pasting builds won’t get you far.
#1 SS Renegade (Rene/Thaum) – AoE DPS
This is the primary trash clearing loadout for dummies if you have high crit chance. Can also be used for soloing.
When and where to use:
- when having high crit chance (at least about 70-80%) – if you have low crit use MoF
- soloing
- trash clearing in dungeons
Powers
Passives:
Evocation – increases AoE damage
Storm Spell (needs high crit chance) – extra burst in AoE
Dailies:
Oppressive Force – for mobs
Ice Knife – for single enemy
At wills:
Chilling Cloud – primary at will when other powers are on cooldown
Storm Pillar – fully charge for extra 5% damage for 20 seconds
Spell Mastery (Tab/R1/RB):
Conduit of Ice – for control and procs
Encounters:
Icy Terrain – for control, freezing mobs and procs
Disintegrate – for finishing single enemies, hardest hitting CW single target power
Steal Time – main source of damage in AoE, hardest hitting CW AoE power
Rotation
If you have time before engaging enemies – fully charge Storm Pillar, then Conduit of Ice from far away, get close to mobs and drop Icy Terrain, immediately after if you have daily ready use Oppressive Force and Steal Time. Finish with Disintegrate and if mobs are still alive, use whatever is off of cooldown. When powers are on cooldown use Chilling Cloud.
#2 MoF Renegade (Rene/Thaum) – single target hybrid DPS, AoE and single target support
This is the primary single target and support loadout for dummies. Hybrid buff/debuff/DPS loadout for bosses, can also be used for support or when not having high crit chance to run SS in AoE.
When and where to use:
- soloing and AoE when having low crit chance
- bosses for DPS and support
- AoE for support
Powers to use on bosses
Passives:
Chilling Presence (for more DPS) – increases damage of all powers OR 
Combustive Action (for more support – needs daily every 5 seconds) – 24% debuff to enemies hit by daily
Swath of Destruction – 20% debuff on bosses
Dailies:
Oppressive Force – if there are adds on bosses
Ice Knife – for single target damage
At wills:
Ray of Frost – primary at will when other powers are on cooldown
Scorching Burst – to apply Smolder on boss and to proc Swath of Destruction 20% debuff
Spell Mastery (Tab/R1/RB):
Ray of Enfeeblement – 40% debuff on boss
Encounters:
Icy Terrain – for chill stacks
Disintegrate – main source of damage on bosses, hardest hitting CW single target power
Fanning the Flame – secondary source of damage OR 
Icy Rays – for damage and more AP gain
Rotation
Use Scorching Burst (just tap it once, no need to charge it) to apply Smolder on boss and proc 20% debuff, Ray of Enfeeblement for 40% debuff, drop Icy Terrain under boss for chill stacks and use Disintegrate, Fanning the Flame and Ice Knife for damage. Hold Ray of Frost when other powers are on cooldown. If boss spawns adds – use Oppressive Force.
Powers to use in AoE
Passives:
Evocation (for more DPS) – increases AoE damage OR Swath of Destruction (for more support) – 20% debuff to all enemies affected by Smolder
Combustive Action – 24% debuff to all enemies hit by daily power and extra AP gain when mobs die
Dailies:
Oppressive Force – for mobs
Ice Knife – for single enemy
At wills:
Chilling Cloud – primary at will when other powers are on cooldown
Scorching Burst – to manually apply Smolder (mostly not needed)
Spell Mastery (Tab/R1/RB):
Fanning the Flame – for applying Smolder to enemies
Encounters:
Icy Terrain – for control, freezing mobs and procs
Disintegrate – for finishing single enemies, hardest hitting CW single target power
Steal Time – main source of damage in AoE, hardest hitting CW AoE power
Rotation
Start with Fanning the Flame on biggest enemy from far away to apply Smolder, get close to mobs and drop Icy Terrain, immediately after if you have daily ready use Oppressive Force (to apply Smolder and debuff) and Steal Time. Finish with Disintegrate and if mobs are still alive, use whatever is off of cooldown. When powers are on cooldown use Chilling Cloud.
#3 MoF Oppressor (Opp/Thaum) – support
This is the support loadout for dummies offering more reliable Controlled Momentum 10% damage buff than random Fury 20% buff and it’s best used in synergy when having in group another better DPS CW running Renegade. It’s more forgiving than Rene to keep up Combustive Action debuff because it requires daily every 8 seconds instead of 5. Thanks to extra control it can provide with easy freezing mobs, it can also be helpful when soloing to not get overwhelmed by mobs at lower level.
DO NOT TAKE THE FINAL OPPRESSOR FEAT – SHATTER STRIKE!
When and where to use:
- when running with another better DPS Rene CW
- support in trials (like CoDG) even as the only CW, especially when there are other much stronger DPS and you’re in support group
- for more survivability when you need extra control to freeze mobs at lower level