How important is FCR to Meteorb Sorc?

[safetypro]

I'm making a Tal-Rasha's, Max Block Meteorb. The Tal's set gives 30% FCR and the Magefists give another 20% FCR. A FCR rare ring adds 10% for a total 60% FCR. The question is, should I drop my high dex ravenfrost for another 10%FCR ring in order to hit the 63% FCR break point or, since my main skills are delay, should I use the dex from the ravenfrost so I can sink more points into vitality? I'd appreciate all input.
*safetypro

[Jackson]

Hey, what shield are you using right now? Maybe a spirit shield could help you get more FCR.

[safetypro]

Hey, what shield are you using right now? Maybe a spirit shield could help you get more FCR.
Spirit is good for FCR, but terrible for block. I am trying to achieve max block so my shield(s) will be stormshield (primary) and Gerke's Sanctuary on switch.

[Flyte]

I think the 63% FCR breakpoint is the bare minimum for any Sorc, especially one made for MFing (which is what I assume your Meteorb Sorc is build for). I can't imagine heavy Teleporting without having reached the 105% FCR breakpoint, let alone the 63% one.

I would just ditch the Raven Frost, and use a good rare 10% FCR ring. The CBF isn't worth it (I don't think CBF affects casting speed, but I could be wrong), and the dex can just be allocated using future stat points. You're going max block anyway (good idea), so the block is going to save you more than 40-50 life (taking into account the dex lost from Raven Frost and future levels requiring more dex for max block) will.

[FrostBurn]

Full Tal Rasha's set gives you 50% FCR, not 30%. Add in a Magefist for 70% FCR.

Power Meteorbs use SoJs; MF Meteorbs use Nagelrings.

I do not bother with Ravenfrost on my sorcs. They are sorcs; they can teleport. Being frozen has no effect on casting rate. 20 dex from Ravenfrost equates to just 40 life. It is not a huge amount.

Max block with Stormshield is the best if you plan to keep within melee range.

[AnimeCraze]

Being frozen means you HAVE to tele, which is bad if you want to just let your merc tank. Anyways, FCR is very important for fireball spamming, although Tal's does give 50 FCR, so you have enough with magefist already. In otherwords, ditch the FCR ring and get some useful ring in there.

[FrostBurn]

Frozen or not, sorcs should tele often as part of their tactics. If you're going to rely on your merc tanking a lot, then he needs the CBF more than you do.

I often tele my merc into the position I want him to be, i.e. I use him as a weapon. If you're frozen, it doesn't matter. Once you tele with your merc, you step behind him, let him tank, and spam away with none of the detrimental effects being frozen has on your casting rate.

If being frozen bugs you, then use Ravenfrost. If not, ditch it for a SoJ / Nagelring / or a good rare ring depending on your needs.

[AnimeCraze]

I put CBF of every merc or char that I have. Being frozen means that I have to tele to dodge, which means moving the merc. I personally use both tele and moving, so I need CBF.

[Soepgroente]

Get a spirit 35% shield to get your fcr to 105 with tals + magefist + spirit. 63 is doable but 105 is more comfortable and not hard to reach. Currently my spirit is 34% so i'm wearing a 10fcr ring with other mods, no biggy either.

[Dawnmaster]

Get a spirit 35% shield to get your fcr to 105 with tals + magefist + spirit. 63 is doable but 105 is more comfortable and not hard to reach. Currently my spirit is 34% so i'm wearing a 10fcr ring with other mods, no biggy either.

Yeah, but he'll lose max block, and since he's spent somany points in dext already...


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[FrostBurn]

Another minor point of note.

Meteorbs are meant to use Fireball and Meteor as their mains skills, and FO as their back-up skill. That is the concept. Even though there are many players out there who prefer to mainly spam FO and use Fireball and Meteor as back-up.

The case is that the only main non-timered spell here is Fireball. Both FO and Meteor have timers on them. Given which, 105% FCR will not benefit a Meteorb's FO and Meteor, although it will help her spam four Fireballs during Meteor's timer cooling off period, instead of three Fireballs when at 63% FCR.

If that appeals, then go ahead and use Spirit for the 35% FCR, as well as the other good mods on it. Max vita sorcs with 35% FCR Spirits will not be tanking, and will rely on a strong merc as a meatshield.

Tanking sorcs benefit more with Stormshield, and the max block sorc is better suited to an offensive playstyle. She loses 1 frame when casting, but more than makes up for it with better blocking and negating 35% of physical damage taken.

[Horpeti]

Another minor point of note.

Meteorbs are meant to use Fireball and Meteor as their mains skills, and FO as their back-up skill. That is the concept. Even though there are many players out there who prefer to mainly spam FO and use Fireball and Meteor as back-up.

The case is that the only main non-timered spell here is Fireball. Both FO and Meteor have timers on them. Given which, 105% FCR will not benefit a Meteorb's FO and Meteor, although it will help her spam four Fireballs during Meteor's timer cooling off period, instead of three Fireballs when at 63% FCR.

If that appeals, then go ahead and use Spirit for the 35% FCR, as well as the other good mods on it. Max vita sorcs with 35% FCR Spirits will not be tanking, and will rely on a strong merc as a meatshield.

Tanking sorcs benefit more with Stormshield, and the max block sorc is better suited to an offensive playstyle. She loses 1 frame when casting, but more than makes up for it with better blocking and negating 35% of physical damage taken.



i think not the block/shield defines the playstyle.

I am a very offensive meteball sorc but not melee sorc :P

I use 105 FCR with Spirit (+55 FHR + mana + 2 skill + res wow) and im very please with that.

I very rarely get hit from melee attacks.

I have no block.
I just keep the distance from the monsters...

And if a get a hit i will tele/move away with my high Hit recovery...

With max block + stormshield it is a very good idea but you feel yours more to be a sorc when you use higher FCR and skills than u go to "melee war"...
:)

But this is your decision.

My friend likes the max. block + stormshield too..

It is more safe than use spirit and no block... and need more skill...

But i think a melee attack 4 a sorc is not problem is she uses her skills.... :)

And there are a lot of situation when more life is better than more block... (but DAMRED from Stormshield is very very useful! - with Shako:D)

So nice. :)

I might use Stormshield for its DR but i never waste attr.points to block... :)

[safetypro]

Thanks everyone for the input. I forgot to include the 20% FCR in Tal's Orb when doing my calc's and am pleased to see that I can still achieve the first break point of 63%FCR and keep the ravenfrost for it's high dex. I've tried the Spirit route and although I can cast faster, the negation of block makes the sorc a glass cannon. I do prefer the offensive play style and with stormshield I can easily achieve max block and get 35% damage reduction as well.
I also really like Gerke's Sanctuary for it's incredible CTB however it's missing Faster Block Rate. How important is Faster Block Rate?

[FrostBurn]

How important is Faster Block Rate?

It isn't your first priority when deciding what gear to use. SS has 35% FBR, which gets you a 6 frame block. That is more than sufficient.

In comparison, Gerke's Sanctuary, with no FBR, will get you a 9 frame block (base).

Your block rate will be just fine with SS. With Gerke's, you should still manage ok as long as you don't have a horde of monsters swarming you.