checked the d2/d3 class mods, looked at the projectile templates and so far it doesn’t seem possible to actually recreate the frozen orb from d2. we can only have splinters on hit, not periodically. orbiting projectiles also only orbit around an owner which cannot be configured which is the caster (or maybe even the target?). one could maybe try an ugly hack like a pet with no turn-speed and no cast animation that casts periodically but honestly as far as hacks go that seems a bit too far out there.
anything i’ve missed or any other suggestions, workarounds? can we even ask for a variable to control an optional period in the projectile config of skill_projectilebase.tpl?
Nah there’s not really any good workarounds that aren’t complicated and janky.
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i would say “maybe” xD
okami did create a skill like this a “while” ago and it really comes close i think → Grim Dawn 2023 05 15 15 48 - YouTube
furthermore i “think” this could be combined with the frostbomb effect from the Frozen Archetype in my mod (which was created by okami initially aswell i think xD) which could have a new controller, short uptime and casting projectiles in a nova as special skill…? not sure, not tested, but yes will do xD
Op is already familiar with the splintering on hit version here. That’s not what they are asking for.
what if makes the orb a short duration (pseudo) pet with a short cooldown skill that shoots the projectiles like how blade spirit does 
elemental seeker (devotion) pet is already an “orb” pet, could maybe try mess with that,
give it a AI/controller? that just walks in a straight line from when summoned and ignores path to attacking if possible?
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;D i know, that’s why i added the “maybe” to a combination of it with the Frostbomb, yes i also know it’s a pet/monster, i am just curious as usual xD
yes into that direction, it’s worth a try at least.
EDIT1: this is indeed a funny challenge to do xD → just tried it very fast as i have no time right now, but look, i chose the template attackProjectileSpawnPet, and this already gave some cool change to it, so i really think this can be done, at least as near as possible → Grim Dawn 2023 05 15 18 51 - YouTube
will test more later, its fun to see already xD → yes, i have not changed the controller to be NON stationary xDD
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that is the ugly hack. 
stop it with the enthusiasm it might be contagious. 
alright, guess as gi mentioned elemental seeker seems to be a good starting point.
that’s good for all of us xD
oh yes, absolutly not an easy task, but it’s getting closer to it i think ;D damn my eyes hurt and i need a rest but “so far”… i guess tomorrow when i am fresh there can be done some more stuff to make it look better, maybe xD → Grim Dawn 2023 05 15 23 54 - YouTube
EDIT1: woops, even forgot to set the dying skill xD
EDIT2: soo, finally got an hour for further testings, and it’s getting a bit closer i think, damn SOOOO many possible values that can be tested with each other for this “mechanic”, alot this time, really xD but well, gave my best as my brain hardly working after this long shitty workday xD
well, take a look, i already managed to make the orb move, yay ;D it also casts the spikes, unfortunatly not in a twirl,… the orb is casted as an attackprojectile that spawns the rotating orb (yes the rotation looks bad, maybe my fault while integrating, but that shall not be the problem here), which then casts the spikes as a nova. the orb can also charge against enemies and will also explode when reached his lifetimeend… i think overall this can be done, but its ALOT of trial and error as usual. not so much time today 
BUT further testings WILL come tomorrow.
maybe some other modder (as there are plenty talented ones here i know this!) might take a look at it aswell, if he likes it xD and with combined ARPGlove-power we can make this work nearly as good as in Diablo, hopefully (and with a big hit of ENTHUSIASM :D) → 2023 05 17 00 47 - YouTube
→ overall i would say its even more complicated then setting up the spirithostmechanic! xD
→ i think the main problem on this is that the rotating orb should attack more frequently (even while not having a target if possible, maybe a controller setup thing…); → if i get this wrong, feel free to tell me this please! 
good night ;D
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tried to make it work with blade spirit (as gnome suggested) but for me movement is the issue, frequency is minswingpause/maxswingpause in controller settings (along with skill timeout/delay, maybe attack/cast speed in pet settings).
currently the idea is to try and have an arced projectile thatd spawn another one in the same direction when it hits the ground. add splinters after that and wed be pretty close.
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yes that is the mainissue i think so too.
which frequency it does alter, the rotation frequency? pretty unsure about certain controller values tbh, its a big trial and error ;D also various combinations will produce different outcome, but yes, i think setting that controller up is essential for it.
i did make the movement halfway working with a charge as described above, will do more testing later this day, just came home i guess there is hope that it can be done, that is great!
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attack frequency. the idea of a recursive arced projectile fell flat since i cannot control the angle.
but the charge can do funny stuff, i didnt quite get that part earlier. just changed the fire trail for vires might (actually a projectile) to eye of reckoning orbiting projectile. kinda out of ideas rn though.
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lower the cooldown of it’s skill?
blade spirit blade nova has like a 2sec cooldown, i’m pretty sure that can be set manually to whatever interval would use ?
the issue persists as it tries to verify a target, which might be corrected via its controller. tested more and will upload another result in a few absolutly NOT finished and yes tried ALOT things and still not what i was aiming for, but well another step xD → Grim Dawn 2023 05 17 17 38 - YouTube
more testings done, so many possible combinations tried, none of them served it really well, mainreason as seen above yes it is the movement from the orb itself toward a direct target, maybe only achievable with a custom animation, which i am not able to produce at this point, unfortunatly ;D anyways, i will try some more for sure, but for now i take this as a GFN (goodfornow xD), don’t want to burn out on this now ;D the gfn-version looks like this → Grim Dawn 2023 05 17 21 35 - YouTube will be finetuned and added to the next update of my modcompilation then, feel free to check and optimize/revamp it, if “you” not already got something else working the skill comes from a gem now that we can put on belts, levelreq is 20 and the nova skills from the summoned pet are scaling to playerchar, so this addonskill can be used also on lowlevel if someone likes to try 2X or even 3X Frozen Orb builds when beeing Wizard
Cheers.
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also have one more new idea to try. wondering if we can have several skillsecondary_ effects per skill. dunno when ill come around to doing that but cheers for the interest.
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me too loved this skill back on the original D2 so absolutly a fine and fun thing to do but can be draining on courage for sure aswell xD and yes i think you can have several secondary skills but for which reason?
asking because the skillsecondary_attackprojectileareaeffect with an orbiting projectile on a charge is kinda working so far. but im too stupid to get a pet to use a charge ability. so yeah, pretty frustrating how limited and finicky stuff is but i knew that…
look at nemesis/deathstalker pet’s skills/controller (shadow strike type), and swap it for a charge?
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