Cold Sorceress: Magic Find

[Freak]

Now, this guide is probably different from the cold sorceress guides you are used to seeing, and that's the reason I am posting it. I find that making a Blizzard sorceress just does not work, because in the end it's too hard to cast Blizzard and expect it to hit all the time. With Blizzard and frozen orb it's easier.

Statistics
Strength: 97 (Assuming You Use Skullder's)
Dexterity: 25 (Do Not Add Any Points)
Vitality: Remainder of skill points.
Energy: 200-230 (230 is what I reccomend)

Skills
Frozen Armor: 1

Do not bother with Shiver Armor seeing as you will most likely need the extra skill point and shiver armor is not that much better than it's predecessor (Frozen Armor).

Ice Bolt: 20 - The important thing to realize here is that Ice Bolt is a synergy for both Blizzard and Frozen Orb. Do not put points into Ice Bolt until after maxing all the other skills.
Ice Blast: 20
Glacial Spike: 1

Frost Nova: 1
Blizzard: 20
Frozen Orb: 20
Cold Mastery: 20

Warmth: 1 (Not necessary)
Telekenisis: 1
Teleport: 1

These are skills divided out assuming you level all the way to Level 99. Which you should do eventually.

Equipment
Of course, of course. How could we POSSIBLY leave out equipment. The majority of these items are not that rare and you should be able to get.

Helm: Perfect Shako (Socketed With Perfect Topaz)
Armor: Skulder's Ire (Socketed With Perfect Topaz or Ist Rune)
Weapon 1: Occulus (Socketed With Ist Rune)
Shield 1: Lidless Wall
Weapon 2: Either 6-Socket Sword (Ist Runes), 2-Socket Ali Baba (2 Ist Runes), or a Gull Dagger (Socket 1 Ist Rune - Gull Dagger Adds 100 MF)
Shield 2: Rhyme or Splendor Shield
Gloves: Perfect Chanceguards
Boots: War Travellers
Belt: Goldwrap
Rings: 2 Perfect Nagels
Amulet: Tal's Amulet or a basic MF amulet with 25+ MF

Charms: Lots and lots of Small Charms that add 7% to Magic Find.

How It All Works

This is how I make this set-up work. When killing bosses I lower there health using my occulus and lidless then I quickly switch weapons to add Magic Find and finish off the bosses. It's simple. There are other aspects that you may want to take into consideration. If you can't get a hold of the Belt & the Armor you can always use Tal's Belt and Tal's Armor, which, along with the Amulet gives you another Magic Find Bonus.

Enjoy MFing.

[ggkthx]

You didn't list Static Field in your skills list =/
and a merc ><;

I use this build too but i don't get Frozen Orb because i want my Blizzard to do as much and i don't use that much str

But good job seems like you can pK with it too ^^

[Freak]

Why would you need static field? I don't have it and I do fine

[Irrelevant]

Static is a must.

This isn't a very complicated build, its the same one pretty much every orb sorc goes with.

It is cheap, though.

[Bloodangel26]

static field is always useful...in baal runs for example

why would you use lidless when you can go spirit or even stormshield?

if you are going to switch to mf gear for kill, why bother isting your occy? and go fathom or something instead of occy

Energy: 200-230 (230 is what I reccomend)

NO! only complete newbs put any points at all in energy

frozen armor actually adds a good 10-20%(cant remember how much exactly) than shiver

merc? fine i will do it for you....holy freeze merc with an insight and andys helm or gaze and levi or shaft

strategy? do you moat with this build? or do you attack with orb and cast blizzard between shots?

why no torch and anni?

a 4 isted monarch has much better mf than ryhme or splendor

i'm sorry, but this "guide" isnt very good...

[Freak]

Listen, Bloodangel, did you not read the first message I sent. This is exactly what I use and it works for me. I didn't list torch and annhilus because some people have neither the skill nor motivation to go after such elusive artifacts. As for strategy, it doesn't take an idiot to figure out you can use Blizzard on groups of monsters (IE. Baal's Minions) and orb on single or small groups of monsters. And, furthermore, this is not a guide that requires a mercenary because frankly, most people do not want to spend the money on gear for it. I didn't provide the most expensive gear because it's supposed to be an affordable guide for people who are just looking for an effective sorceress build. I've put points in Energy and I lke it. And lastly, I don't give a flying you know what if you think this guide isn't good, nobody asked for your opinion, and I think it works perfectly well.

[ArcaneSupremacy]

NO! only complete newbs put any points at all in energy

I'm not sure which build you're referring to, but if it's based on energy shield, then having high energy is a must. It's essentially a substitute for life.

frozen armor actually adds a good 10-20%(cant remember how much exactly) than shiver

FA starts at 30% and increases by 5% per level.
SA starts at 45% and increases by 6% per level.
CA starts at 45% and increases by 5% per level.
So...shiver armor does give the highest defense bonus, not that a slight defense boost matters though. I stopped putting a point in any of those when I realized how little they help. Sorcs are not meant to make use of defense.

strategy? do you moat with this build?

I personally like to stand there to tank and trade hits...because I can.

Why would you need static field? I don't have it and I do fine

I agree. Considering that monsters in Hell have high resistances, SF's damage is cut dramatically (unless you have an Infinity merc). I find that my main attack skill (whether it be blizz or FO) deals damage quicker than SF, thanks to cold mastery.