Topic: Sorc Build idea, viable character?

[lordgoober]

Since I've kinda gotten frustrated with the lack of killing speed my Smiter,  Smite was originally planned to be primary attack but that was abandoned after I spent the 29 extra skill points maxing it,  I've decided to build a sorc. 

Here's what I was thinking about the build.

Frozen Orb and Enchanrt.

30 Frozen orb
5 in prereqs
1 cold mastery base
30 Warmth
30 Enchant
1 fire mastery base

will this be a viable build for this mod or should I think of something else/

Robert Klemic

[Tophead]

this is a half able build^^ u got muich skill points in ce so u can skill more.

with what should ya sorc attack? why enchant? wanna use a bow or BU then u have to ksill lightning masterytoo.

the "usual" build looks like this.

FO + all syns max.
1 coldmastery
CL + all syns max
lightningmastery max
energie shield 1

[webwalker]

Max'd Enchant & Fire Mastery will make you a REAL POPULAR friend with the beginners... just drop into low-level games and hand out Enchant...
and partying with other older characters... an Enchanted multi-shot-zon should ...

@TopHead: I don't understand BU; please use full English words (it takes a second more on your side or a minute more on mine).

An enchantress with CtA in a rare phase-blade should be fun! (build in a Crystal Sword or Dimensional Blade, make ethereal, then upgrade to Phase...)

36 points in cold skills (FO, pre-req'a, and 1 in CM)
92 points in fire for Enchant, Warmth, Fire Mastery, and pre-req's
91 points in Lightning skills (Chain Lightning, Lightning, and Lightning Mastery, and pre-req)
229 points.. do-able.

I'd skip Frozen Orb's synergies because they're 2% per hard point.  An ActV barb merc with Conviction should get you more.

Sounds like a fun build to me!

[Sportfreund]

BU is Lightning Fury. the amazon skill-

[Olfmo]

î don't know if it's such a good idea mixing a melee build (enchant) with a caster build (fo)

i would suggest picking either a caster sorc (fo/tk/cl build, or fo/hydra, or any other if you want) or the enchant build with enchant and bow/sword/javelin

[countdracula]

You could try a bow sorc, and use fo to kill immunes

[Olfmo]

when you are playing a bowsorc, you can just use cold arrow or soemthing that freezes the monsters to pierce immunities... you don't need fo for that in my opinion

[webwalker]

By level 96 you have 95*2 + (8*3) = 214 skill points.  Plus Farnam potions...  229 points is pushing things...

Enchantress requires 92 skill points: Warmth, Enchant, and Fire Mastery @ 30 + 2 pre-req's (fire bolt and fire ball)

What do you do with the other 122 skill points?

Perhaps Energy Sphere and Telekinesis? This takes 64 points and gets you the much needed (if frequently broken) teleport.  It also deals with physical damage rather well.

What do you do with the other 58 points?

Frozen Orb takes 36

22 points in LIghtning Mastery means that lightning damage charms have their effect multiplied when you hit with whatever weaopn you use.

@sportfreund: I thought BU from TopHead might mean Lightning Fury, but we're talking a sorc build so I wasn't sure...
@olfmo: Good point: frozen monsters frequently loose some or all immunities, so Hit Freezes Target should be very valuable to an Enchantress.  FO is still such a wonderful room-sweeper that I'd put the 36 points in it unless I had a good reason not to.  Perhaps Glacial Spike as a Non-Zon's Freezing Arrow? By 'tk' do you mean Telekinesis?  I'd never thought of it as an offensive power...  (thunder storm is t.s. to us Yankees).

[Tophead]

enchantres needs lightning mastery too, she need to paly with an dream helmet to deal not only firedam.

[Olfmo]

yes the common build is enchant, fire mastery and warmth max, lightning mastery max (doesnt matter which kind of enchantress you play, you need a second damage type ) and telekinesis max for energy shield, energy shield 95% absorb (can also be achieved only through items...)

there are some points left in the end you can max frozen orb if you want, or chain lightning so you got maximal telekinesis damage, i put my points in energy shield so it lasts longer *g*

[webwalker]

Does the Energy Shield absorb damage coming from Iron Maiden?

Does an item with Reduces Damage by %'age (e.g. Crest of Avalon 50% DR) take out damage before, after, or with the damage re-direction of Energy Shield?

Are Resists calculated before or after the damage re-direction?

Where in the sequence of calculations does Damage/MagicDamage Reduced by points (not %'age) take place?

Where in the sequence of calculations does "damage taken goes to Mana" take place?

I think that not knowing these things has delayed my building an Enchantress...

[DrowElf]

Does the Energy Shield absorb damage coming from Iron Maiden?
I think it will not absorb this damage. But afaik Iron Maiden works only for physikal damage. If you use Enchant and Holy Shock you can temper your weapon for elemental damage. Then you don´t make much physical damage and the Iron Maiden should do you not much harm

Does an item with Reduces Damage by %'age (e.g. Crest of Avalon 50% DR) take out damage before, after, or with the damage re-direction of Energy Shield?
The damage reduced work after the Energy Shield afaik

Are Resists calculated before or after the damage re-direction?
The Resists will definitly be checked after the Energy Shield

Where in the sequence of calculations does Damage/MagicDamage Reduced by points (not %'age) take place?
Damage/Magic Damage reducing stats work directly before harming the char, after the Resists

Where in the sequence of calculations does "damage taken goes to Mana" take place?
Damage taken goes to Mana is only depending on really damage you take from your life. It is the last stat that work in this sequence

I think that not knowing these things has delayed my building an Enchantress...

Answers in red.

Summary of sequence, afaik:
1. Energy Shield
2. Resistances
3. Damage reduce%
4. Damage/Magic Damage reduce
5. Damage taken goes to Mana

Points 2 and 3 eventually have to be changed, this point are only sorted by my thoughts.

[tehchowd]

Don't forget that Sorcs have the lowest hit recovery and attack speed out of all the characters, so you're enchantress will have to compensate for that a lot. Also, if you decide to use a bow, make sure to can give your sorc piercing shot and exploding arrows. There is a bizzare bug with fire mastery that causes it to double-count the damage caused by arrow explosions. If you're thinking about going melee, then I suggest picking up zeal from an item to increase your attack speed and damage slightly.

-tehchowd

[Tophead]

expolsing arrow arent possible because an bow sorc has (to do good damage) to use an bow with +multishot, the rw sting, or beeswarm, both dont include exploding arrows. imo block isnt so important for a java sorc its nice but not needed because of ES

[lordgoober]

it's not the fire mastery that is the bug.  it's the enchant.  on weapons with the "Fires Explosive Arrows/Bolts" ability,  the enchant damage is added to the splash as well as the base damage.  This is the reason that most Enchantresses in classic LoD Diablo II will have a Raven Claw at 15,  a Kuko Shaku at 33 and then a Demon Machine at 45 as their primary weapons.

Anyway I aborted this build and am trying the psychic trapper.  doing well so far,  level 13 taking it slow but am having major lag issues with my isp...

Robert Klemic

[Shinlos]

No he's talking about another Bug.
The Bug makes Fire Mastery count twice once when the Weapon is Enchanted and once when it attacks.
But i think this only works on Melee attacks. I think it's only shown in the Charscreen, when u do ranged attacks, but isn't effective.