05-04-2004, 09:45 AM
I know there have been many version of the sorceress, and maybe mine has been told.. but I will post it here anyway. I notice most posts where asking which type is the best sorce don't come to resolution, very annoying.
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This strategy is derived from a thought I had on melee sorceress', and it can be basicly converted, just using nova. All to be accomplished by level 85 if you have all +skill quests done.
Skills (97):
1 on every cold skill (all to lv. 23)
20 on frozen orb (to lv. 42 = 600 dam. with synergy being lv. 23)
10 on cold mastery (to lv. 32 = 175% res. pierce)
The reason I put one on all of cold, is simply that its necessary to get orb and armor.
---
1 on every lightning skill prerequisite (all to lv. 13)
15 on static (to lv. 32 = 25 yards)
20 on energy shield (to lv. 32 = 87% obsorb)
The reason I put one on all lightning, is because for the +14 skills.. 1 point can give you an extra element for immunes.
---
20 on warmth (to lv. 32 = 402% regen)
---
Okay, the reason I don't put any more into Ice Bolt (Frozen Orb's synergy) is because its purely a waste of skills. If you only put 10 into Cold Mastery it'd be 175% - res with +skills, which if the person only has 75% res, it goes down to -100%, giving you much buffer zone for those people pumping ++cold res.
Stats:
Distribution:
Total Stat points: 435 (with +stats quests)
On Strength: 116
On Dexterity: 118
On Vitality: 40 (to get vit to 50 initially)
All the rest on Energy: 161
Final:
Strength: 156 (+15 from Sandstorm Trek, +20 from Chains of Honor, +5 from Mara's)
Dexterity: 168 (+20 from Nightwing's Veil, +5 from Mara's)
Vitality: 70 (+15 from Sandstorm Trek, +5 from Mara's)
Energy: 201 (+5 from Mara's)
Get vitality to 50 first, after that get dex so you're always at 75% block, while trying to manage strength up for your recent items. No need to worry about energy right now, but if you need it substatute dexterity for it.
The reason we have so much strength is for Stormshield, the dex is for a 75% block rate against Baal in Hell. You can accomplish the strength/dexterity with charms and put more on energy if you're smart.
Items:
Rich:
Armor: Chains of Honor (preferably in Archon Plate)
Helm: Nightwing's Veil (perfect 15/20/9)
Shield: Stormshield (socketed with a Diamond, or an 'Um' rune)
Weapon: Death's Fathom (preferably perfect +30% cold dam.)
Gloves: Frostburns (upgraded x2 to elite)
Boots: Sandstorm Trek (preferably 15/15)
Belt: Arachnid Mesh
Amulet: Mara's Kaleidoscope (preferably +30% all res.)
Ring: 2 Stone of Jordans (called SOJs)
Poor (though I must comment this strategy and poverty don't go well):
Armor: Skin of the Vipermagi (as high percent all res you can get, to +35%)
Helm: Peasant Crown
Shield: Lidless or Whinsten's Guard (set)
Weapon: Estchuta's Templer (as high as you can get tp perfect, 3/20/20)
Gloves: Frostburns (upgraded to exceptional)
Boots: Silkweave
Belt: Snowclash
Amulet: Rare +1 Sorc
Ring: Raven Frost, +Mana, or +Faster Cast
Tip:
Check out the highest defense on these items, and make sure you get somewhere near middle to perfect.
---
Inventory:
10 * +Cold skills GC's
9 * +20 life, +16 mana, +5 all resists, or a combo SC's
1 * Annihilus charm (preferably 20/20/10).
You need 175% resistance. You can get +65, +30, +15, and +19 from these items, then +30% from quests = 159%, 59% all resistances, so if you get 3 +5 all res sc's you're all maxed out (75%) on res. in Hell.
You also get +95% mana increase with these items, and 402 would be your base mana with this strategy, giving you 784 mana, roughly. It doesn't seem like it should be that low, but thats what I calculate... one person had almost the same strategy claiming 5000 mana (he must have been stacking, 400+25% then another 25% on that, doesn't work that way - all % on base mana).
As well as you have 15% and 30% extra cold damage to your orb, giving you about 900 orb damage, but it stacks :] You could lose some socketed 'Um' runes and put cold facets in for +5% dam, and then just balance it with +5% all res sc's.
You should update you're items that aren't elite, don't worry about strength, of course. Update your Frostburns, etc.. to get them up to around 150 def each. You would have 1800 def or so all together, with the +def of Chilling Armor you are looking at near 4600 def.
Strategy:
The entire point of this is basicly a 0 vit sorc (potionless strat,) but I put some on vit in the begining to be a little secure until you get the vial in Act 3 for 20 hp.
The idea is that you have mana obsorbing most of the damage you take, and warmth regenerating so fast that if you were pecked rapidly you would not notice it. Your shield should block 75% of attacks, your energy shield will take 83% of the damage into your mana, and the damage that gets to you will be damage reduced by 43%, as well as of course the 414% mana regen that keeps you healed. Meaning that you basicly have an passive auto healing thing going on. I know this works as I could sit and tank shenk/his minions/etc in Act 5 Nightmare (not impressive, but it was int he begining stages of the guide and I had not half these items).
The reason I use Chilling Shield is because, well, it looks cool, it does much damage, and it can be very useful in this new patch against souls.. slows them down so they aren't attacking too fast and you can get away if necessary, or of course wipe them out. Since you have everything synergized you can switch to Frozen Shield if you're around baals minions, etc.
Mercenary:
I would go for an Act 5 Barbarian simply because you have 2 elements going, and a pure melee damager/tanker can be of great use as he attacks very quickly - saving you from maybe something in the unknown you don't know of when teleporting, or just for bosses.
Just give him an ethereal colossus blade, sword, or unique.. it does not really matter, as long as you get him some high defense armor. Rare, or Corpsemoon, or Griswalds Set armor. Anything of high defense.
Because this build is so very risky, and you'll die often if you aren't careful, you should keep your mercenary level up high, especially before going onto the next difficulty. You also will need your mercanary to finish off cold immunes after you've staticed them.
---
Jewel Note:
If you're rich always look for a second attribute: 10% mana to health, +15% all resistance, +vit/or energy, or +mana/health in jewels. 15% all resistances + another good attribute = godly nice.
Lightning Note:
I would have picked Anderial's Visage because its cheaper than Shako, barely different, has more defense, and has 20% IAS. This IAS is useful for Chain/Lightning, and you aren't missing much from the Shako accept some health/mana, and dr. If you are very rich of course I would go for Shako instead If you're pure lightning, Anderial's Visage is VERY good.
Why I am saying to Anderials Visage? because Chain/Lightning works off IAS, and you can get major speedy CL with IAS, of course you can add jewels IAS into other items, making lightning very good.
Also, while we are on jewels and lightning up here, 15% all resistances + 15% increased attack speed = BEST LIGHTNING SKILL JEWEL.
If any of these items aren't known to you, you can check for them at http://www.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/n...ress.shtml or http://www.diabloii.net/items/runes/rune...rmor.shtml
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Well thats is for my guide, it may not have been of any use, but just figured I'd get my version down. The skills you use (blizzard, orb, lightning, fireball) are not the point of this guide, but the strategy of 0 vit, the no potion strategy.
If I had to choose, I'd say blizzard/static for PvM, which you can do with this guide by substituting orb for blizzard; and fireball/orb for PvP.
If I made any incorrect statements, let me know.. I'm fine with criticism, just not skill/strategy bashing that does work. I have quit, and am coming back, so I am a little bit rusty.. but I am a vet, nevertheless.
Any comments, suggestions, or simple expressions.![[Image: cool.gif]](http://d2sector.net/forums/images/smilies/cool.gif)
-------------------
This strategy is derived from a thought I had on melee sorceress', and it can be basicly converted, just using nova. All to be accomplished by level 85 if you have all +skill quests done.
Skills (97):
1 on every cold skill (all to lv. 23)
20 on frozen orb (to lv. 42 = 600 dam. with synergy being lv. 23)
10 on cold mastery (to lv. 32 = 175% res. pierce)
The reason I put one on all of cold, is simply that its necessary to get orb and armor.
---
1 on every lightning skill prerequisite (all to lv. 13)
15 on static (to lv. 32 = 25 yards)
20 on energy shield (to lv. 32 = 87% obsorb)
The reason I put one on all lightning, is because for the +14 skills.. 1 point can give you an extra element for immunes.
---
20 on warmth (to lv. 32 = 402% regen)
---
Okay, the reason I don't put any more into Ice Bolt (Frozen Orb's synergy) is because its purely a waste of skills. If you only put 10 into Cold Mastery it'd be 175% - res with +skills, which if the person only has 75% res, it goes down to -100%, giving you much buffer zone for those people pumping ++cold res.
Stats:
Distribution:
Total Stat points: 435 (with +stats quests)
On Strength: 116
On Dexterity: 118
On Vitality: 40 (to get vit to 50 initially)
All the rest on Energy: 161
Final:
Strength: 156 (+15 from Sandstorm Trek, +20 from Chains of Honor, +5 from Mara's)
Dexterity: 168 (+20 from Nightwing's Veil, +5 from Mara's)
Vitality: 70 (+15 from Sandstorm Trek, +5 from Mara's)
Energy: 201 (+5 from Mara's)
Get vitality to 50 first, after that get dex so you're always at 75% block, while trying to manage strength up for your recent items. No need to worry about energy right now, but if you need it substatute dexterity for it.
The reason we have so much strength is for Stormshield, the dex is for a 75% block rate against Baal in Hell. You can accomplish the strength/dexterity with charms and put more on energy if you're smart.
Items:
Rich:
Armor: Chains of Honor (preferably in Archon Plate)
Helm: Nightwing's Veil (perfect 15/20/9)
Shield: Stormshield (socketed with a Diamond, or an 'Um' rune)
Weapon: Death's Fathom (preferably perfect +30% cold dam.)
Gloves: Frostburns (upgraded x2 to elite)
Boots: Sandstorm Trek (preferably 15/15)
Belt: Arachnid Mesh
Amulet: Mara's Kaleidoscope (preferably +30% all res.)
Ring: 2 Stone of Jordans (called SOJs)
Poor (though I must comment this strategy and poverty don't go well):
Armor: Skin of the Vipermagi (as high percent all res you can get, to +35%)
Helm: Peasant Crown
Shield: Lidless or Whinsten's Guard (set)
Weapon: Estchuta's Templer (as high as you can get tp perfect, 3/20/20)
Gloves: Frostburns (upgraded to exceptional)
Boots: Silkweave
Belt: Snowclash
Amulet: Rare +1 Sorc
Ring: Raven Frost, +Mana, or +Faster Cast
Tip:
Check out the highest defense on these items, and make sure you get somewhere near middle to perfect.
---
Inventory:
10 * +Cold skills GC's
9 * +20 life, +16 mana, +5 all resists, or a combo SC's
1 * Annihilus charm (preferably 20/20/10).
You need 175% resistance. You can get +65, +30, +15, and +19 from these items, then +30% from quests = 159%, 59% all resistances, so if you get 3 +5 all res sc's you're all maxed out (75%) on res. in Hell.
You also get +95% mana increase with these items, and 402 would be your base mana with this strategy, giving you 784 mana, roughly. It doesn't seem like it should be that low, but thats what I calculate... one person had almost the same strategy claiming 5000 mana (he must have been stacking, 400+25% then another 25% on that, doesn't work that way - all % on base mana).
As well as you have 15% and 30% extra cold damage to your orb, giving you about 900 orb damage, but it stacks :] You could lose some socketed 'Um' runes and put cold facets in for +5% dam, and then just balance it with +5% all res sc's.
You should update you're items that aren't elite, don't worry about strength, of course. Update your Frostburns, etc.. to get them up to around 150 def each. You would have 1800 def or so all together, with the +def of Chilling Armor you are looking at near 4600 def.
Strategy:
The entire point of this is basicly a 0 vit sorc (potionless strat,) but I put some on vit in the begining to be a little secure until you get the vial in Act 3 for 20 hp.
The idea is that you have mana obsorbing most of the damage you take, and warmth regenerating so fast that if you were pecked rapidly you would not notice it. Your shield should block 75% of attacks, your energy shield will take 83% of the damage into your mana, and the damage that gets to you will be damage reduced by 43%, as well as of course the 414% mana regen that keeps you healed. Meaning that you basicly have an passive auto healing thing going on. I know this works as I could sit and tank shenk/his minions/etc in Act 5 Nightmare (not impressive, but it was int he begining stages of the guide and I had not half these items).
The reason I use Chilling Shield is because, well, it looks cool, it does much damage, and it can be very useful in this new patch against souls.. slows them down so they aren't attacking too fast and you can get away if necessary, or of course wipe them out. Since you have everything synergized you can switch to Frozen Shield if you're around baals minions, etc.
Mercenary:
I would go for an Act 5 Barbarian simply because you have 2 elements going, and a pure melee damager/tanker can be of great use as he attacks very quickly - saving you from maybe something in the unknown you don't know of when teleporting, or just for bosses.
Just give him an ethereal colossus blade, sword, or unique.. it does not really matter, as long as you get him some high defense armor. Rare, or Corpsemoon, or Griswalds Set armor. Anything of high defense.
Because this build is so very risky, and you'll die often if you aren't careful, you should keep your mercenary level up high, especially before going onto the next difficulty. You also will need your mercanary to finish off cold immunes after you've staticed them.
---
Jewel Note:
If you're rich always look for a second attribute: 10% mana to health, +15% all resistance, +vit/or energy, or +mana/health in jewels. 15% all resistances + another good attribute = godly nice.
Lightning Note:
I would have picked Anderial's Visage because its cheaper than Shako, barely different, has more defense, and has 20% IAS. This IAS is useful for Chain/Lightning, and you aren't missing much from the Shako accept some health/mana, and dr. If you are very rich of course I would go for Shako instead If you're pure lightning, Anderial's Visage is VERY good.
Why I am saying to Anderials Visage? because Chain/Lightning works off IAS, and you can get major speedy CL with IAS, of course you can add jewels IAS into other items, making lightning very good.
Also, while we are on jewels and lightning up here, 15% all resistances + 15% increased attack speed = BEST LIGHTNING SKILL JEWEL.
If any of these items aren't known to you, you can check for them at http://www.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/n...ress.shtml or http://www.diabloii.net/items/runes/rune...rmor.shtml
-------------------
Well thats is for my guide, it may not have been of any use, but just figured I'd get my version down. The skills you use (blizzard, orb, lightning, fireball) are not the point of this guide, but the strategy of 0 vit, the no potion strategy.
If I had to choose, I'd say blizzard/static for PvM, which you can do with this guide by substituting orb for blizzard; and fireball/orb for PvP.
If I made any incorrect statements, let me know.. I'm fine with criticism, just not skill/strategy bashing that does work. I have quit, and am coming back, so I am a little bit rusty.. but I am a vet, nevertheless.
Any comments, suggestions, or simple expressions.