PDA

View Full Version : Big troubles in Act V with Meteorb


-=Slaye]2=-
18-07-2004, 19:27
After reading Sasja's guide I thought of making a meteorb for 2nd ladder season to acquire myself some good items later on.

I'm now completely stuck at Act V. I barely was able to kill Thres Socket who guards the entrance to the Crystalline passage. From there on it's impossible for me to go on w/o my merc dying FAST and me following.

I don't think it's my playing style that's making me get owned this bad. I'm carefull. I don't barge in on the monsters. I examine the monster packs. Support my merc with fireballs, meteor and frozen orb. Trying very hard to keep him alive. Teleporting away. Feeding him potions. Especially the amplify damage spell really hurts :( My merc dies fast when it's cast by a superunique. Even when feeding potions. It can't be the equipment. My merc (Act II HF) has a Shaftstop mesh armor wich reduces damage by 30%. His weapon is a Blackleech Blade. My merc and I are at lvl 81. So I take every effort of keeping him same lvl as me. He's using an undead crown for extra lifeleech. I'm trying to find a better weapon for him. I was aiming for a bonehew with 2 amns. Last season I had two. Having hard time finding one.

I'm wearing Shako, Stealth armor, Lidless wall shield, Lidless eye, Frosties gloves, MF boots. Got aldur's boots but can't wear them yet. Manald heal ring and another ring with xtra mana and + to energy. Resist ammy. I followed the Meteorb build to the letter. That means max forb, 8 in CM. I've already maxed Fireball and meteor. I'm in the progress of maxing firemastery now. And ofcourse the one points wonders mentioned in the guide. I've got str at 90, dex is 195, Vitality 185. Energy is base.

Whatever I try, I can't make any progress. I've read that this build is able to solo hell untwinked. This is my first char on the 2nd ladder. I don't have elite equipment. What is wrong here. Why is my merc dying so fast. I've got him setup with decent equipment. Everyone's talking bout a tank. I don't consider him a tank but a pansy.

I didn't expected this to happen. It was a walk in the park so far. Duriel, Mephisto and big D were a piece of cake in hell. But now I get stuck in Act V facing the monsters. I've not even come close to rescuing Anya.

I must also say that the drops from Mephisto in hell are horrible. I've done countless runs. Over 50 today, wearing about +- 250% MF. And I get crap. And the joke is. I get set items over and over again. And often the same ones. Same bout uniques. Often same uniques are found running different bosses. I like to make this on my own. And so I run bosses for items and try to trade some good stuff if I found something I can't use. Sure I can let my sorc get boosted to Baal. But I want to do this on my OWN, without help. The guide says it's possible.

So why am I failing with my Meteorb at this point? Am I doing something horribly wrong here? Help is much appriciated. I'm sorry if I sound a bit aggetated, but it gets frustrating when you try over and over again and fail.

Harby
18-07-2004, 20:07
what are you resists ? seems like its the only problem to me. if your res are in the red zone it no wonder why you die. Another point is shield. You invested a hefty amount of dex, yet you use lidless which is not suited for blocking or resists. Try using a double p. diamond mosers/whitstans or if you can afford str investment p. diamonded SS.

-=Slaye]2=-
18-07-2004, 20:16
what are you resists ? seems like its the only problem to me. if your res are in the red zone it no wonder why you die. Another point is shield. You invested a hefty amount of dex, yet you use lidless which is not suited for blocking or resists. Try using a double p. diamond mosers/whitstans or if you can afford str investment p. diamonded SS.

Yes, I'm planning to invest more in str, to be able to use better items. I know that my shield isn't very good for blocking. I have a Pdiamon in my shield cuz I can't go on w/o it just yet. I desperately need the +skill and FCR it gives. I don't have the items you mentioned. And I'm trying to get better items. My resists aren't bad, but ain't good either. They're not negative. Round 0 or 10 most of 'm.

Resists aren't my problem really. I don't get hit that often. I'm relying on my merc to tank for me. But now he can't seem to handle very well. When he dies, I have a problem.

Harby
18-07-2004, 20:26
With a better CTB shield and better resistances you should be able to kill monsters in that area even if your merc dies. With the exception of Stormshield mosers and whitstans shields are pretty much cheap to aqcuire. I suggest you do some meph mf runs (using moat trick is very easy) and lvl a bit more before you try to advance alone in act5. Playing with around with 0-10 res all wont get you far in act5 even if you manage to clear the first quests.

theBlackKnight
18-07-2004, 21:55
p diamond sigons
give up that 20 fc for some block.

jonw
19-07-2004, 09:01
Yeah dump lidless wall, get visc - high block, +1 skill and, uh, no one wants them :scratch: . My lvl 93 meteorb uses upgraded visc heater for 72% base blocking and fast block rate. I think Sasja says no lidless wall past Normal.

Sorceress isn't the easiest character to solo, but you need to be able to stand in there while meteor incinerates everything. Block and decent life will do that. Also damage absorb, like on ravenfrost, and great resists -- tal armor if you can get it. I used till I got chains of honor.

My act 2 merc uses tomb reaver, 1222 corpsemourn and blackthorn helm to prevent heal. Doesn't die too often, but I wouldn't call him a tank.

JonW aka Ellesheba

cuibono
19-07-2004, 10:26
You might also try an item with charges of a Nec curse on alt tab. Even low lvl curses like Dim Vision, Weaken, and Lifetap can greatly aid your merc. I also find Defiance mercs to be far more durable than HF mercs, especially if your sorc has a cold dmg spell. (Which you do, in Orb, which has a good chill duration as well as good aoe coverage, obviating the need for the HF aura.)

Schnuks
19-07-2004, 16:28
why are you killing thresh socket and friends? teleport through that act til you get to the ancients :P

-=Slaye]2=-
19-07-2004, 19:03
why are you killing thresh socket and friends? teleport through that act til you get to the ancients :P

And then what? Getting owned by the ancients? No thx. I don't like rushing through acts.