Need a little advice please...

[Wmeredith]

Need a little advice please...

OK, I'l preface this by saying that I haven't built a sorc since 1.08, and that I've built about 15 Zons and about 10 Pally's. I've been playing this game for about 3 years...

I'm building a sorc. PvM only. Aiming for level 89. I'd like to be able to solo hell and do a little amateur MFing.

Gear I've already got that I think may be useful for a sorc:

Shako
Um-ed SS
Frosties
COH
Tal's Arm/Helm
Normal MF gear (Chancies, Gwrap, etc.)
Naj's Staff

I've got a pretty wicked Act 2 merc setup going:
Andy's
Reaper's Toll
Courpsemourn/Duress

My original plan was to go FB/CL with a HF merc.
She's level 9 now with 7 pts in Firebolt, 1 Warmth, 1 Frozen Armor.
Most of my stat points have been 1Str, 1Dex, 3Vit per lvl so far.

I realize that in 1.10 with synergies it's a whole new game when building chars. All the strat guides I've read say that the Fire Tree and the Lightning tree can't be used together. I would really like to go FB/CL with an HF merc, though, so I can get some tri-elemental hurt going on.

Is this viable? Or should I scrap this char before I get too far with her and go with Cold/Lightning? (I would most likely go Blizz/CL or FO/CL.)

In case you can't tell, I really want to have CL in my build. It was always my favorite Sorc spell and since they fixed the IAS/FCR bug in 1.10 that's why I'm making a sorc. BTW I'm not interested in ES at all, really.

Any advice from the sorc gurus would be much apprecaited. Thanks. :thumbsup:

 

[Sartok]

If you mean that FCR bug that it is slower, it is not fixed haha.. though it isnt that bad... I think that your build is very viable, though may not be as effective as FO since FO has less synergies... it will still work, and that you should use it if you prefer it.

 

[Wmeredith]

I meant that it is affected by FCR now, in 1.10, instead of IAS, like in version 1.09 and earlier.

 

[Sartok]

Yes yes... that I do remember, although it was kinda easier in some ways... I still hear people calling the Lightning/CL BP's a bug though... silly people these days. :bonk:

 

[yuqing]

well, i guess there could be an alternative similar to the meteorb cept this one is with chain and fireball, well, you can try this, not guaurentted to work, people help me out here

20 fireball
20 chain
10 in each mastery
20 meteor
20 lightning or charged bolt

-yuqing

 

[Sartok]

That is what I'm suggesting, the only thing is that lightning is much more skill dependant than cold, and will result in a large loss of dmg... and a large gain in FUN!!! Hahaha, really, both are viable, one will probly work better, its up to the makers preference.

 

[yuqing]

since this build is for pvm the dmg should still be viable, especialy for 1p mf, bombard mephy with meteors and fb away, hehe

 

[Sartok]

Like yuqing said, this will work well in 1 player games, or games with 2 or so... but not many more, the dmg will be lacking to compete solo in an 8 player game.

 

[cotton]

You could probably be viable with the resources you seem to have, but I'm not sure you'll be flying through the game like .08 sorcs you remember. A couple of thoughts:

1) Most people use the cold tree because FO is a very good skill with no synergies and 1 in mastery. Those skill points get precious when you start working on synergies. I'm not sure you can say that about any other skill. That being said, I'm all for people finding different ways to do things, so good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

2) I think there are better armors than shaft for your sorc. It has a high str requirement for a sorc, and since your job is to stay back and toss magic, dr isn't that important. Compare Skin of the Viper or Ormus, with or without your um, and see which one is better for a cowardly witch. As for Tals or CoH, you don't need them. Take my Skin and give them to me : )

3)Naj's Staff (and the rest of the set, really) is puzzling to me. High physical damage? The +lightning would be nice, but remember what you are giving up with an orb PLUS a shield. I would reccomend looking at splendor, lidless, or rhyme, and going with one of the tried and true sorc weapons--occy, eschuta's, fathom, wizspike, or suicide branch. While I am in favor of experimentation, there is a reason everybody uses this stuff.

OK, that is probably more input than you wanted, but it is my wisdom, such that it is. You have some expensive items there that can get you just about anything you need. And hey, if she doesn't work out, rush her to the forge and make her a mule. You can always use another mule.

 

[Wmeredith]

Thanks for all the input, guys. I really appreciate it.

I'll go ahead and continue with my FB/CL dreams.

I'm not planning on using a Shaftstop, I have COHarchon and a Tal's arm at my disposal, so I'll probably go with one of those. I'm going to skip the Naj staff and go shield/orb. Frosties are looking really good considering how much mana I'm eating through with two untimered spells. We'll see. She's level 19 now and destroying everything with her FB.

If anyone thinks of anything else let me know...

BTW, wouldn't Eschuta's be the way to go, since I'm using Fire and Lightning?

Also, I think I remember reading somewhere that one of the Bi-Elemental-Immunity combinations was really rare, isn't it Fire and Lightning?

 

[Sartok]

Yes, fire and lightning is more rare to roll, and yes Eschutas would be good... you make this to easy....

:xfrosty:

 

[Wmeredith]

Yes, fire and lightning is more rare to roll, and yes Eschutas would be good... you make this to easy....

:xfrosty:

Right, srry 'bout 'at guvna'... :uhhuh:



I've gotten some more gear together.

Right now it looks like this.

Shako
WizSpike
Lidless/Spikethorn (Perf DR=20%, With P Diamond)
Nightsmoke
30 ViperMagi/Tal Plate (If I can find Orb and Belt)
RavenFrost
Nature's Peace
Aldur Boot/Travs

Still Looking for:
Tal Orb/Belt
Eschuta's/Occy
Wisp/SOJ :cheesy:
Rising Sun

How's that lookin'?

Final Question: I have a Cham and an Um, I'm going to put one of them in my Viper or Tal. Is it worth the Cham to free up the ring slot? Or should I just go with the UM and keep the Raven Frost on?

 

[melianor]

This could actually work together with Eschutas or even simply using complete Tal set. Either way you will have to boost your damage eitehr via -xx% resistances or massive +skills with +xx% damage.

100 skillpts = lvl 88

20 Fireball
20 Meteor
6 FM

20 Charged Bolt/Lightning
20 Chain Lightning/Lightning
6 LM

For CB best damage with +12 skills:
20 CB
15 L
11 LM

For L best damage with +12 skills:
15 CB
20 L
11 LM

Eschutas will add some more on top of that. Calculate it by simply adding it to Lightning Mastery.

With LM i am not sure. I would select oen of the spells which i would use more and put less points into the synergy to boost the actually killing spell damage.

Hmm another build to try out Tasty, tasty.