Build idea - Defensive 8 person baal teleporter for exp runs
Hello all,
I've gotten discouraged with the lack of good hell baal leveling games after the ladder reset. I don't have sufficiently good gear to get my light sorc to survive in 8 person baal games and do it myself (trying to blind teleport to the throne)—she’s geared for magic finding anyway. So I'm wondering if it's possible to build a one-purpose wonder utility sorc that is nigh unkillable in hell, that can rush my characters and my friends easily through normal and nightmare, and then serve as a fast teleporter to all the relevant areas in Hell and solo tele Baal exp runs. I’ve never messed around much with Energy Shield or this type of build, so I could use some feedback!
This idea was inspired by Socialism’s hardcore mf sorc – thanks! And I know I’m just tweaking it a bit to suit my needs. Also, this idea is used on a setup with two or more sets of cd-keys (XP fast-switching, no hacks) so you can have two characters in a single game.
Here's my goals and assumptions...
1) Has to be a super cheap build as I'm just starting out. I want to rush a handful of my characters through the acts and then level them in hell myself. The foremost goal in this build is a fast teleporter that can blind teleport through Worldstone Keep in 8 person Baal Runs. I’ll then throw up a teleport and escape, and pop back in with my other characters or my friends to kill everything and reap the exp.
2) I want to be nearly impervious – just looking for speed and reliability for teleporting.
3) I’d like to be as merc independent as possible. One bad run-in with an Oblivion Knight and I know how fast he can bite it. I want to be able to make it to the throne room without him. Of course, he’ll be a Holy Freeze with a exceptional-insight, but need to function without him.
4) Capable in other hell areas as well: Maggots’ Lair, etc…
5) Don’t want to kill a thing in Hell! Damage is completely irrelevant. I’ll kill with other characters.
Skill idea
1 Ice Bolt, 1 Frozen Armor, 1 Ice Blast
1 Shiver Armor + remainder here (14 at level 90)
20 Warmth
1 Charged Bolt, 1 Chain Lightning, 1 Lightning Mastery (will this benefit me at all?)
1 Static (just to whack down and let my merc finish off normal/nm bosses for my rushees)
20 Telekinesis
20 Teleport
20 Energy Shield
Stats - With the bonuses on my gear, I’m thinking:
STR = 43 hard points here (+12 with Saracens taking it to 65 for silkweaves)
DEX = 130 hard points here (roughly 160 needed at high 80s level with whitstan’s – 30 from ravenfrost and saracen’s)
ENE & VIT = a big question for me – what’s a good ratio?
Gear – Here’s what I was thinking. Again, has to be cheap.
Weapon - Wizardspike
Armor - Vipermagi
Helm – Rockstopper for DR and resists (Vampire Gaze?)
Whitstan’s or Stormshield (Whitsans definitely easier to acquire but I’m not sure how much damage reduction is necessary)
Boots – Silkweave
Gloves – Magefists
Belt – Gloom’s trap
Rings – Raven Frost & 10 FCR ring (nice mods a bonus)
Amulet – Saracen’s
The gear would leave me with the following mods:
FCR = 110 (105 for the 8fr breakpoint)
Regenerate Mana = 55%
Increased Max Mana = 40%
Faster Hit Recovey = 30% (can use 6 FHR scharms to hit 60%/8fr breakpoint)
Damage Reduction = 10%
Faster Block Rate = 40%
Increased chance block = 55%
Fresist = approx. 162 (assuming mid-point in variable rolls)
Cresist = 158
Lresist = 158
Presist = 128
Questions?
1) Without saying--you’re not going to be able to kill anything--what do you think of this idea? Will she do what I want her to do? Survive long enough to find the throneroom in 8 person Hell baal runs?
2) What would you use for the four sockets (Helm, weap, shield, Armor). I’m thinking Pdiamond in the shield unless putting a shael in there and going from the 27 (6 fr point) to the 48 (5 fr point) would be more useful. But the Pdiamond in Whitstan’s would take all my resists to max except poison. I’m thinking about a 10 all res jewel (something findable or tradable) for the weapon, or maybe a Fal rune or another stat increaser? For What would you use for armor and helm? Shael for Faster hit recovey? Or would an Eth for Regen mana be better? Can always put in gems for stat boosters?
3) What’s a good ratio of energy to vitality considering my build?
4) I’ve got plenty of room for charms as she’ll only carry a tp tome – suggestions?
5) How important is Warmth (about 265% increase with 20 hard points and skill bonuses). Would maxing shiver armor be better? At lvl 21 I’m guessing it’s about 160% def bonus, which would take my 850ish defence up to 2200ish? Which would you max first? Or could I do without maxing teleport and max both shiver and warmth?
6) Would you go with Whitstans or Stormshield (though that’s a little pricey for me at the moment). With the extra dex and str needed for the big guy, I figure I’ll save 130 stat points by going with Witstans (53 req str versus 156 req str and 40 extra dex or so for max block). How important is the damage reduction?
7) Any gear changes you'd make? What about Guardian Angel for the extra resists?
Thanks a bunch for the lookie and advice, guys!!
Hello all,
I've gotten discouraged with the lack of good hell baal leveling games after the ladder reset. I don't have sufficiently good gear to get my light sorc to survive in 8 person baal games and do it myself (trying to blind teleport to the throne)—she’s geared for magic finding anyway. So I'm wondering if it's possible to build a one-purpose wonder utility sorc that is nigh unkillable in hell, that can rush my characters and my friends easily through normal and nightmare, and then serve as a fast teleporter to all the relevant areas in Hell and solo tele Baal exp runs. I’ve never messed around much with Energy Shield or this type of build, so I could use some feedback!
This idea was inspired by Socialism’s hardcore mf sorc – thanks! And I know I’m just tweaking it a bit to suit my needs. Also, this idea is used on a setup with two or more sets of cd-keys (XP fast-switching, no hacks) so you can have two characters in a single game.
Here's my goals and assumptions...
1) Has to be a super cheap build as I'm just starting out. I want to rush a handful of my characters through the acts and then level them in hell myself. The foremost goal in this build is a fast teleporter that can blind teleport through Worldstone Keep in 8 person Baal Runs. I’ll then throw up a teleport and escape, and pop back in with my other characters or my friends to kill everything and reap the exp.
2) I want to be nearly impervious – just looking for speed and reliability for teleporting.
3) I’d like to be as merc independent as possible. One bad run-in with an Oblivion Knight and I know how fast he can bite it. I want to be able to make it to the throne room without him. Of course, he’ll be a Holy Freeze with a exceptional-insight, but need to function without him.
4) Capable in other hell areas as well: Maggots’ Lair, etc…
5) Don’t want to kill a thing in Hell! Damage is completely irrelevant. I’ll kill with other characters.
Skill idea
1 Ice Bolt, 1 Frozen Armor, 1 Ice Blast
1 Shiver Armor + remainder here (14 at level 90)
20 Warmth
1 Charged Bolt, 1 Chain Lightning, 1 Lightning Mastery (will this benefit me at all?)
1 Static (just to whack down and let my merc finish off normal/nm bosses for my rushees)
20 Telekinesis
20 Teleport
20 Energy Shield
Stats - With the bonuses on my gear, I’m thinking:
STR = 43 hard points here (+12 with Saracens taking it to 65 for silkweaves)
DEX = 130 hard points here (roughly 160 needed at high 80s level with whitstan’s – 30 from ravenfrost and saracen’s)
ENE & VIT = a big question for me – what’s a good ratio?
Gear – Here’s what I was thinking. Again, has to be cheap.
Weapon - Wizardspike
Armor - Vipermagi
Helm – Rockstopper for DR and resists (Vampire Gaze?)
Whitstan’s or Stormshield (Whitsans definitely easier to acquire but I’m not sure how much damage reduction is necessary)
Boots – Silkweave
Gloves – Magefists
Belt – Gloom’s trap
Rings – Raven Frost & 10 FCR ring (nice mods a bonus)
Amulet – Saracen’s
The gear would leave me with the following mods:
FCR = 110 (105 for the 8fr breakpoint)
Regenerate Mana = 55%
Increased Max Mana = 40%
Faster Hit Recovey = 30% (can use 6 FHR scharms to hit 60%/8fr breakpoint)
Damage Reduction = 10%
Faster Block Rate = 40%
Increased chance block = 55%
Fresist = approx. 162 (assuming mid-point in variable rolls)
Cresist = 158
Lresist = 158
Presist = 128
Questions?
1) Without saying--you’re not going to be able to kill anything--what do you think of this idea? Will she do what I want her to do? Survive long enough to find the throneroom in 8 person Hell baal runs?
2) What would you use for the four sockets (Helm, weap, shield, Armor). I’m thinking Pdiamond in the shield unless putting a shael in there and going from the 27 (6 fr point) to the 48 (5 fr point) would be more useful. But the Pdiamond in Whitstan’s would take all my resists to max except poison. I’m thinking about a 10 all res jewel (something findable or tradable) for the weapon, or maybe a Fal rune or another stat increaser? For What would you use for armor and helm? Shael for Faster hit recovey? Or would an Eth for Regen mana be better? Can always put in gems for stat boosters?
3) What’s a good ratio of energy to vitality considering my build?
4) I’ve got plenty of room for charms as she’ll only carry a tp tome – suggestions?
5) How important is Warmth (about 265% increase with 20 hard points and skill bonuses). Would maxing shiver armor be better? At lvl 21 I’m guessing it’s about 160% def bonus, which would take my 850ish defence up to 2200ish? Which would you max first? Or could I do without maxing teleport and max both shiver and warmth?
6) Would you go with Whitstans or Stormshield (though that’s a little pricey for me at the moment). With the extra dex and str needed for the big guy, I figure I’ll save 130 stat points by going with Witstans (53 req str versus 156 req str and 40 extra dex or so for max block). How important is the damage reduction?
7) Any gear changes you'd make? What about Guardian Angel for the extra resists?
Thanks a bunch for the lookie and advice, guys!!