Preface: I am currently in Inferno Act I and am moving along relatively easily. This build is first and foremost intended toward kiting. If you have issues playing in this fashion, play something else. For the abilities where there is no commentary, assume them and their glyph absolutely essential. http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/witch-doctor#aZRkUX!XWV!aaZZab The build (Active skills): Poison Dart (Splinters) Grasp of the Dead (Unbreakable Grasp) Hex (Jinx): I used Hedge Magic until Inferno. The life regen aspect becomes negligible. Life regen from items is cheap (in terms of itemization) so it is better to accumulate life per second from gear rather than relying on Hedge Magic. Wall of Zombies (Unrelenting Grip): This is very powerful, I only wish the cooldown was shorter. Utilizing this ability favors planning choke points (especially with elite packs, but for bosses it is significantly less effective). Whenever possible target it directly on a mob(especially the mob closest to you within a choke point). It is also minimally useful as an AOE attack against weak foes. The additional slowing with the glyphs is very helpful, but Barricade is also a reasonable alternative. There have been moments(particularly on maps where there is more open space than there are choke points) that I wish the wall was longer. I stick with the additional slow, but I often pine for a longer wall. Spirit Walk (Jaunt): I would not play any Witch Doctor build without this ability. I don't prefer having mandatory abilities for any class, but this is the one for the Witch Doctor. Healing Journey and Honored Guest are both reasonable glyphs, but Jaunt is better. The idea with a kiting build is to not get hit and (as previously stated) life per second is a relatively inexpensive itemization point with respect to gearing. The additional second to kite unhindered is critical. With respect to mana regen, this is another stat that is relatively inexpensive with itemization. The build does require some mana regen or else during long fights you WILL run out of mana which is death. However, the cooldown on this makes the mana regen unreliable. It is better to itemize (a small amout) of mana regen to sustain mana rather than wait for the cooldown on Spirit Walk (which could cause you to spirit walk at unnecessary moments which is also death). Horrify (Face of Death): Save it. Whatever you do, save Horrify for the moment you are about to die, but won't thanks to Horrify. My biggest issue with Horrify is my tendency to use it when I don't absolutely need it and then regret it ten seconds or so later when I'm staring at it's cooldown. The run speed, armor gain and increased fear time are also reasonable choices for the glyph, but I prefer the range. I prefer to be far away from a pack such that I cannot be hit rather than take one of the other benefits. However, very skilled timing may make it reasonable to chose something else. I am not that skilled. The additional range is essential to me. The Build (Passive skills): . Spirit Walk: Absolutely essential, but I feel compelled to comment anyway. I cannot count the number of times I should have died, but didn't and then lived through the rest of the fight. Being one shotted is something that happens and this skill makes being one shotted impossible (with a cooldown). The reduction on cooldown is simply icing that affects two of the active abilities, including THE most important one (Spirit Walk). Pierce the Veil: This one is simple numbers. This build is not particularly mana intensive and considering that splinters is the only offensive ability, this passive is necessary. I think of it the same way I think of Spirit Walk. I don't like being forced on a talent, but this is one for this build in particular. Blood Ritual: This one is wide open for debate. I am not even certain this is the best for the slot. In terms of mana conservation, Spiritual Attunement is better. In terms of survival, Jungle Fortitude is better. In terms of fun and the random element, Fetish Sycophants is better. I have settled on Blood Ritual because it serves for mana conservation and life regen which is unique among the alternatives. Gearing: I am not so far along, so I cannot comment on what gear is best and I have not done the math to support my build. I feel that this build is very strong. What I will say is that DPS and intelligence are very important. A SMALL amount of mana regen is essential, but don't go crazy because it will be a waste. Life regen is interesting and I have tried my best to maximize it. I say this because during kiting bouts the time when you're far enough away from the mobs that you cannot be hit should count for something. I always try not to get hit, but I do get hit. I feel the time I can keep out of range of attacks should count for something and so I try to take life regen wherever I can. Movement speed is also very important. Before patch 1.0.3 I would have said attack speed is very important, but I have been forced to rethink this and have not figured it out yet. Critical rate and damage precent are interesting, but I have not worked them out.
