View Full Version : PvM Charged Boltress in HCL - please critique
I am considering the following:
Eschuta's Temper
Stormshield "ber"
Ormus with +3 charged bolt
Griffon's
Arachnid
Silkweaves
Frostburn
SOJ x2
Mara's
enough fhr charms for 10 frame (30%)
The set up gives me:
105% fcr
43% damage reduction
+100% maximum mana
not much resists, but I can add shimmering charms
Questions:
1. I have read all the boltress guides i could find, and none of them seem to mention stormshield in their set-up. I realize it has high str req, but being that this build is intended for hardcore, isn't stormshield a safe option?
2. How critical is fhr for a strictly pvm build? Is 6 frame good enough? or not even worth it?
Please feel free to point out any improvements that can be made, even if it's very marginal.
Might as well add rest of the info:
Skills:
20 charged bolt
20 lightning
20 lightning mastery
20 telekinesis
20 energy shield (last skill to be maxed)
1 shiver armor
1 warmth
prereqs
Stats:
Str - enough for stormshield
Dex - base
Ene - about 100
Vit - the rest
Act 2 Holy Freeze Merc gear:
Ethereal Mancatcher "Insight"
Ethereal Archon Plate "Treachery"
Ethereal Gaze "cham"
Indemaijinj
17-03-2006, 00:15
Well, Boltresses need to be close to the action and can't hang back in the same degree that other more common sorcs do, so I suggest you don some defensive equipment.
You already mention Stormshield, which is good, I suggest you go maxblock with it as well, but I would probably wear something a bit more defensive than an Ormus' on the armor slot. A Chains of Honor would be ideal, but a Stone could do as well.
Also remember to watch the hit recovery breakpoints, fill up with hit recovery small charms as needed.
mancatcher is a spear not a polearm, so i don't think making an insight in it is possible
mancatcher is a spear not a polearm, so i don't think making an insight in it is possible
oo good catch there. You're absolutely right. I'll use giant thresher if i can ever find one. Thanks.
How much dext is required for a full block with ss? Also, I've heard of ppl socketing shael into their ss. Can someone explain the usefulness of that.
How much dext is required for a full block with ss? Also, I've heard of ppl socketing shael into their ss. Can someone explain the usefulness of that.
Umm...i just did the calculation myself and it appears i need 185 dext for max block at just level 76, and as i level up i need to keep investing points in it to keep it that way.
That's a LOT of points.
I could have 300+ additional life, or like 700+ additional mana (after item bonuses) instead. I don't think that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make when I already have near max damage reduction with maxed energy shield/telekinesis. Blocking doesn't help you against non-physical attacks, and to invest so heavily in it doesnt make sense to me.
sorceressgod
17-03-2006, 08:04
yup, the stormshield is good. i recommend max block too.
since it's HC and ur a lite sorc, try using wizspike/SS. not advisable to use purely charged bolts even though it can be effective in killing monsters, make use of lightning and CL too.
yup, the stormshield is good. i recommend max block too.
You would sacrifice 300+ life or 700+ mana in order to achieve max block?
sorceressgod
17-03-2006, 09:16
You would sacrifice 300+ life or 700+ mana in order to achieve max block?
that's right. mana can be regained easily from wizspike, and regarding life....
max block > 300 life.
Is a ber in the ss really necessary? Eld would probably allow you an extra 25 vita by 80s, a res/-req jewel an extra 15 and some res.
After reading your responses, this is the final set up:
ethereal eschuta's / double axe "call to arms"
ss (um) / monarch "spirit"
griffons
archon plate "treachery"
arachnid
mara's
2x soj
magefists
ethereal sandstorm trek
various charms in inventory (fhr/life/lit skill/anni/torch)
20 charged bolt
20 lightning
20 lit mastery
20 telekinesis
20 energy shield (last to max)
Merc gear:
ethereal thresher "infinity" (normal/nm) / ethereal thresher "insight" (hell)
ethereal archon plate "fortitude"
gaze
This set up gives me max dr and max res for all except fire (around 55%) with maxed es/tk. I have around 50% blocking which aint bad. The big change here is that I went from all negative res in previous set up to basically maxed res. I do not want to risk being killed by mana burn/high elem dmg attackers, even with an insight around.
Shaft+Whitstans for HC please.
btw where did you get all that gear on hc?
sorceressgod
19-03-2006, 14:52
no, don't use whistans lol - SS is a very good tanking shield, even at the cost of more dexterity point spent on it.
u don't really need the treachery armour, a coh is good enough, or depending on which act/place ur playing, shaftop.
and u shouldn't be putting even one point into ES. use a +9 ES memory staff instead.
well if all this godly gear are ebayed, i suggest u go make a sorc in SC-L/NL to learn about it first.
Indeed, treachery is a sucky armor to use on a sorceress. I don't really see where you are getting any advantage with that armor. There are better options for both PDR and resistances. A CoH, I can see the use of if you have it.
However, I get the feeling that you a) have NO hardcore experience at all and b) have a lot of gear, either from Ebay or a friend. In that case, I STRONGLY advise you play through hardcore once first, untwinked, because if you don't, you'll be dead before you know it, with all that gear on you. Your suggestion that you might not use max res at all, as well as only 50% blocking suggests you're not quite ready. In hardcore you don't do "50% block" , its either max block or no block. And not maxed out fire res=dead at FE.
To clarify: I never said I have every piece of equip that i have listed. I do have majority of it, but purpose of this thread is to figure out what set up i am aiming for in the end, not to show off. My post count is low but I am certainly not new! Post count was deleted when the forum was moved to a new server in Jun 2003 (baranor remembers). I started playing d2 I believe way back in 2002, so I probably have more experience than most of you, and that includes hardcore. HOWEVER, I haven't experienced post-1.09 yet (which explains all the noob synergy questions. The game was easier back in 1.09 -_-;;), so yes I am making a softcore char just to get a feeling for the changes.
thanks for the advice on fire res and blocking. I'll make sure I make it a priority.
Forgot to add: As far as treachery goes, the hidden DR bonus along with the +60 res and the curse length reduction is what attracts me! I like it, although I also do own chains of honor archon.
1.10+ is icky... i want 1.09 back...
1.10+ is icky... i want 1.09 back...
True true, but I have to say 1.10 added so many new elements to the game. The synergies, not to mention all the new runewords and uniques opened the door to soooooo many interesting new builds. There are so many i want to try or revisit. I've always been pondering a return to d2 since I quit, but when a friend of mine recently quit himself and offered me his items, I said why not. Anyone have an arachnid for trade?
sorceressgod
20-03-2006, 04:22
right now i think 1.11 > 1.09.
regarding treachery, i'm not sure if it actually gives 15% DR, since i'm also not sure that getting the hidden DR bonus from fade require hard skill points being placed into it instead of +skill items.
SS + COH = 43% DR anyways, and with max block and a GFG holy freezer infinity merc, it's hard not to die.
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