Welcome to our Control Wizard Guide, updated for Ravenloft, Mod 14. In this guide, we will give you tips and info on how to play the Control Wizard class.

The Control Wizard is a CC (Crowd Control) and damage dealing class. They harness arcane energy which they unleash on their victims.

The purpose of our class guides is not just to show you a build that you can copy and use on your character, but to show you a base build and teach you the mechanics and stats of the game, so you can understand and play your class to its fullest capabilities. Try different gear, feats and powers and learn to tailor your own build for your playstyle. See our guide to making your own build for more info.

 

Control Wizard Guide Index

1. Basic Control Wizard Info
2. Control Wizard Paragon Paths & Powers
3. Control Wizard Boons
4. Control Wizard Weapons & Gear
   
5. Control Wizard Enchantments
6. Control Wizard Consumables & Buffs
7. Control Wizard Companions
8. Control Wizard Mounts

 

Basic Control Wizard Info

Best Races as a Control Wizard

1. Tiefling: +2 Int, +2 Cha. Bloodhunt (+5% damage to mobs below 50%). Infernal Wrath (- 5% power debuff).
2. Human: +2 to any stats. Versatile Defense (3% extra defense). Heroic Effort (3 extra heroic feats).

Control Wizard Attribute / Ability Score Priority

• Intelligence > Charisma > Wisdom

Control Wizard Rating / Stat Priority

For stats in Neverwinter, aim to hit the hard/soft cap of your primary stat, then secondary and so forth. Try not to waste stats by going over the caps, and instead start gearing towards another stat.

• Armor Penetration (Cap Resistance Ignored at 100%) > Crit (Caps at 100%) > Power

 

Control Wizard Paragon Paths & Powers

 

Spellstorm Mage is the current recommended paragon path for Control Wizard.

Spellstorm Mage

Spellstorm Mage Combat Powers

At-Wills: Magic Missile – Chilling Cloud

Class Features: Chilling Presence – Storm Spell

Daily Powers: Oppressive Force – Ice Knife

Encounter Powers: Icy Terrain – Sudden Storm – Steal Time / Conduit of Ice

Spellstorm Mage Feats:

 

Master of Flame

Master of Flame Combat Powers

At-Wills: Chilling Cloud – Magic Missile

Class Features: Chilling Presence – Swath of Destruction

Daily Powers: Oppressive Force – Furious Immolation

Encounter Powers: Icy Terrain – Fanning the Flame – Conduit of Ice – Steal Time

Master of Flame Feats:

 

Control Wizard Boons

 

If you still haven’t gotten all your boons, check out our Campaign Completion Guide, with info on how to complete all of the campaigns as fast as possible for all the boons.

Guild:

Power – Defense – Mount Speed

Elemental Evil:

Wave of Force – Heart of Stone, Searing Aggression – Gale of Retribution

Sharandar:

Dark Fey Hunter – Fey Precision – Elven Haste – Elven Ferocity – Elvish Fury

Dread Ring:

Reliquary Keeper’s Strenght – Evoker’s Thirst – Forbidden Piercing – Shadowtouch – Rampaging Madness

Icewind Dale:

Encroaching Tactics – Refreshing Chill – Sleet Skills – Cool Resolve, Avalanche

Underdark:

Primordial Might – Primordial Focus – Drow Ambush Tactics – Dwarven Footing – Abyssal Strikes

Tyranny of Dragons:

Dragon’s Claws – Dragon’s Gaze – Draconic Armorbreaker – Dragon’s Greed – Dragon’s Fury x2 – Dragon’s Thirst x1

The Maze Engine:

Abyssal Siphoning –  Demonic Resilience – Demonic Swiftness – Baphomet’s Might

Storm King’s Thunder:

Cold Hearted – Survival Instincts – Icy Wrath – Vengeful Heat – Chill of Winter

The Cloaked Ascendancy:

Aura of Hope – Fiery Frency – Fey Brias – Aberrant Power

Jungles of Chult :

Tyrant’s Terror x3 – Shamanic Grance x1 – Beasts Burden x1 – Overgrown x1 – Lingering Curse x2

(The reason behind having one of each is to max HP gain)

Ravenloft:

Undying Death x3 – Blood Lust

 

Control Wizard Weapons & Gear

 

If you are new to Neverwinter and need to know how to get better gear and increase your item level, check out our Gearing Up Guide.

The best way to gear up in Neverwinter is by making a lot of Astral Diamonds, check out our newly updated Astral Diamond Guide for mod 14 to learn all the secrets of AD farming.

If you want to plan out your character and see what items are available the Neverwinter Character Simulator is a great tool.

Head:

• Manalord’s Raid Petasos (Best in Slot) > Crown of the Undead / Ras Manca’s Spare Hat > The Seer’s Cap
  

Armor:

• Hag’s Rags (Best in Slot) > Knotted Garbs

Arms:

• Terrored Grips (Best in Slot) > Eyestalk Wrappers
  

Feet:

• Enduring Boots (Best in Slot) >  Manalord’s Raid Pigaches
  

Primary & Secondary:

• Exalted Primal Weapons

Weapon Artifact Powers

• Primary: Chilling Cloud
• Secondary: Chilling Presence

Neck & Waist:

• Company Raider Neck & Greater Owlbear Leather Belt of Intelligence – Sphene Amulet & Rubellite Sash – Fanged Beaded Amulet & Beaded Sash

Rings:

• Ring of the Shadowstalker +4/+5 (Best in Slot) > Ring of Offensive Action > Masterwork Rings

Shirt & Pants:

• Upper Primal Paints + Lower Primal Paints

Artifacts:

• Primary Artifact: Wheel of Elements / Soul Sight Artifact
• Secondary Artifacts: Thayan Book of the Dead – Lantern of Revelation – Fragmented Key of Stars

 

Control Wizard Enchantments

 

When getting enchantments, always get the ones with the stats you are lacking in with your gear, boons, etc in mind. For example, if you’ve capped Crit with your gear and boons, don’t get azure enchantments for your offense slots. If you still need to refine your enchantments, see our Refinement Guide for tips on how to farm refinement.

Armor Enchantments:

• Barkshield or Negation Enchantment

Weapon Enchantments:

• Feytouched Enchantment

Offense Enchantments:

• Brutal / Black Ice / Azure Enchantments

Defense Enchantments:

• Radiant Enchantments

Utility Enchantments:

Dragon’s Hoard x2 + QuartmasterX2 + 1 Fey Blessing or Dark Enchantments.

Overload Enchantments:

• Various Marks from Stronghold Vendor > Corrupt Black Ice / Lethal / Piercing > Black / Red Dragon Glyph

Armor Reinforcement Kits:

• Power Armor Kit – Armor Penetration Armor Kit – Critical Strike Armor Kit

Jewelry Reinforcement Kits:

• Action Point Gain Jewel

 

Control Wizard Consumables & Buffs

 

Consider to get VIP for the Power of VIP HP buff if you aren’t already. Also always stand in campfires to get the +1 ability campfire buff.

Get one from each of the rows below:

• Empowered Chain of Scales (Best in Slot) > Adorable Pocket Pet > Tymora’s Lucky Coin
• Wild Storm Elixir > Elixir of Fate
• Squash Soup > Watermelot Sorbet

 

Control Wizard Companions

 

The best companions for Control Wizard are:

• Summoned Companion: Chultan Tiger – Sellsword / Con Artist
• Active Companions: Air Archon – Fire Archon – Siege Master – Erinyes of Belial / Tamed Velociraptor (if rest of party is using one)

Companion Gear

For the companion gear from Illusionist’s Gambit, the +4 rings are actually better than the +5 as they have two offensive/defensive enchantment slots and the +5 has an overload slot.

• Bold/Heroic Gear of the Companion
• Masterwork Rings
• +4/+5 Rings

Companion Runestones: Bonding Runestones

 

Control Wizard Mounts

 

When choosing a Legendary Mount for the Mount Powers, look for a mount that has both a useful equip and combat power. The best choices for a first legendary mount as a Control Wizard is a Warpainted / Commander Tyrannosaur

What other mounts you use is not that important. What is important is to get the right insignia bonuses, and many different mounts can offer the various bonuses. To find out what mount has the bonus you want, check out our Insignia Bonus Guide.

All classes and specs should consider using Wanderer’s Fortune before you have refined all your gear and enchantments, for extra refinement every day.

The Best Control Wizard Insignia Bonuses:

• Assassin’s Covenant – Protector’s Camaraderie –  Artificer’s Persuasion – Gladiators Guile – Cavalry’s Warning

Insignia Type:

• Dominance – Prosperity – Skill

Control Wizard Mount Powers:

• Mount Equip Power: Dominant Force (4000 power) – Fierce Predator (2000 Power + 2000 Armor Pen)
• Mount Combat Power: Commander / Warpainted Tyrannosaurus Rex’em

 

If you have any questions or suggestions about our Control Wizard Guide, please leave a comment below! More info about the CW class can be found at The Neverwinter Reddit. More builds and further info can also be found at MMOMinds.