Beginner Sorc.....Need Help

[usasoccer]

I know most of you hate writing to the most discussed question, but I am not sure what kind of sorc to make for mf and where to put my stats points. I started out on non ladder because I didn't know that you couldn't wear good stuff like on ladder. I just got my new char to lvl 75 on ladder and i was a meteorb. It isn't bad so far but I am getting crushed right off the bat in hell act 1. Laugh all you want because I am laughing too. It is time to get this right.

Like I said, I am a meteorb sorc with FO maxed, Meteor maxed, Firedball maxed. I have like 8 in CM and I am starting to put into FM. I followed that one detailed Meteorb outline on the stickies. Now I am being told that dex shouldn't really matter. So I put 97 in strength to get to skullders, I have 65 in energy tops, and 140 in dex and the rest so far in strength.

I am so confused on what I should do. I know I need to start over but I just was hoping someone could cut me some slack. I am sorry if this is repetitive because I know it is but very crucial.

I want to mf on hell meph or pindle because they are quickest to get to.

Thanks guys for any help that you could send!!!!!!!!

[jmsplat]

Could you list your gear? In hell most sorcs have trouble with res so elemental attacks fry them. Since you already have a ton of dex, I suggest getting a whistans or viscuratuant for blocking.

[FrostBurn]

Your Meteorb is by no means a lost cause. The skill point allocation is correct. Aim for slvl 17 CM after +skills. For optimum Fireball damage, you need to play with a skills calculator (http://www.d2items.com/skills.php?class=bar), as there is a ratio between Firebolt and Fire Mastery that gives you optimum Fireball damage.

You could pump dex for max block if you so desire, but that route is really suitable for twinked out sorcs. Untwinked sorcs will have a tougher time fighting at melee range. It would be best to leave dex for the moment, and pump vitality. Should you choose to go max block in the future, Stormshield with 67% shield blocking needs ~220 dex at clvl 90 for 75% chance to block. You can reserve stat points if you think you want to max block later. In the interim, wear a Visceratuant or Whitstan's Guard as suggested, or a Moser's Blessed Circle socketed with two perfect Diamonds for resists.

I reckon it is your resists which are giving you trouble. Resist can be gained from boots, gloves, rings, amulets, shields, and helms. Try to get your resistances up, as elemental damage is the main threat to untwinked sorcs. Certainly a Moser's Blessed Circle with two pDiamonds can be traded for just a few pgems, and will go a long way in raising your resists.

Aim for 63% FCR. That is the minimum for efficient teleporting. 37% FCR is achievable untwinked and goes a long way in saving you from dieing.

Hire an Act 2 NM Defensive Holy Freeze merc. Outfit him with gear that give life leech, physical damage reduction, resistances and FHR. He will still die quite a bit until you manage to deck him out real good, but remember that a merc is an integral part of your arsenal.

And post us your gear, stat points, mana and life numbers.

[jmsplat]

Also if you're on West, we are very generous and could help level you/give you some starter gear. Just drop by the West trading forum and find the stickied giveaway thread.

[AnimeCraze]

Also, are you using your fireballs a lot? That's what a meteorb really is: fireball + orb.

[usasoccer]

Thanks so far guys. Here is my gear and such. I use a wizspike and switch with a crappy rare orb. I use griswold's armor, I have rockstopper sallet for helm, a 2+ fire skill ammy, lidless shield, silkweave boots, two rare ammys that have decent resist on them. I can't remember the belt name but it is unique that has a lot of plue cold skills on it (chilling armor, glacial spike and something else) and my gloves are rare but they stink, weakest point on my body.

My life is only at around 450 and my mana is at 502. I have a couple +14 life sc but that is it. I just traded my 7%smfc with 6& fire resist on it for an occy last night in hopes to start over and now I have an occy to use.

I am on West like some people mentioned. I traded with a guy last night for that occy and he put an infinity on the ground b/c he couldn't fit everything. He asked me not to take it, and I didn't. I could have taken it and gotten something for it but first that would be mean and second I didn't know if it was bugged and that is why he dropped it on the ground hoping for me to pick it up and then my game fry.

Oh well, yeah so I am on west, and my resists I believe go 68, 36, 62, 42. I didn't think those were that bad. I have a nm merc HF at like lvl 71 and I am 75. He doesn't have anything great b/c I just started out and I can't get anything for him.

I have been doing nm meph runs but I only have around 100 mf so that isn't working out. I want to be able to do hell meph runs and I heard a blizzballer is the best for that. Does hell meph drop all of the items in the game or is he still limited.

Thanks guys

Hope to see some of you on channels!!!!!

[AnimeCraze]

450 life......, that is the problem.

[jmsplat]

My 60% block sorc on west has 500 life, but she uses Eshield. You could try to find a staff with +eshield and have that on switch to cast.

[kuafu]

Thanks so far guys. Here is my gear and such. I use a wizspike and switch with a crappy rare orb. I use griswold's armor, I have rockstopper sallet for helm, a 2+ fire skill ammy, lidless shield, silkweave boots, two rare ammys that have decent resist on them. I can't remember the belt name but it is unique that has a lot of plue cold skills on it (chilling armor, glacial spike and something else) and my gloves are rare but they stink, weakest point on my body.
I thought you said you put in 97str to use Skullder, or did you mean you'd like to use a Skullder when you get one? The belt you're using is Snowclash, which is better for blizz sorc. You can think about changing to some belt with resist, like Credendum (dirt-cheap). Don't worry about the gloves; there's no particular good gloves for meteorb anyway.
My life is only at around 450 and my mana is at 502. I have a couple +14 life sc but that is it. I just traded my 7%smfc with 6& fire resist on it for an occy last night in hopes to start over and now I have an occy to use.
450 life is a bit low for hell. You've spent enough points in str and energe. If you go max-block, get a higher-block shield and put the necessary dex points there, the rest in vitality. If you go max-vitality, just dump all points there.
I am on West like some people mentioned. I traded with a guy last night for that occy and he put an infinity on the ground b/c he couldn't fit everything. He asked me not to take it, and I didn't. I could have taken it and gotten something for it but first that would be mean and second I didn't know if it was bugged and that is why he dropped it on the ground hoping for me to pick it up and then my game fry.
Dropping Infinity on ground for no space? hard to find such people on battle.net. I'd rather drop the occy on ground for a drop trade if I have to, and keep the infinity in inventory.

...Does hell meph drop all of the items in the game or is he still limited.
Hell Meph cannot drop everything in the game. He can drop all uniques/set items up to TC78 (read the sticky MF guide if you don't know what that means). For example, he can drop good things like Arachnid, but he cannot drop Tal armor.

[FrostBurn]

Don't worry about the gloves; there's no particular good gloves for meteorb anyway.
Erm, just a nitpick, but I love Magefist.

[Kaufmann]

Erm, just a nitpick, but I love Magefist.

Hmm, then why is your name FrostBurn? :shocked: :laugh:
- Bad joke I know, but you asked for it.

[usasoccer]

Thanks so far. I knew my life was probably a problem. If I start a sorc over which I am thinking of doing, which type should I be. If hell meph doesn't drop all items, I would assume hell baal would. If I am going to mf on hell baal, what is the best type to mf him with. I hear a blizzballer is a good choice for meph but not so sure for baal.

Should I just remake the meteorb over and not really emphasize dex or put any in that if I use eshield. I want to find a good blizzard with maybe fire skills as well guide. I couldn't really find one in the sticky.

[jmsplat]

Thanks so far. I knew my life was probably a problem. If I start a sorc over which I am thinking of doing, which type should I be. If hell meph doesn't drop all items, I would assume hell baal would. If I am going to mf on hell baal, what is the best type to mf him with. I hear a blizzballer is a good choice for meph but not so sure for baal.

Should I just remake the meteorb over and not really emphasize dex or put any in that if I use eshield. I want to find a good blizzard with maybe fire skills as well guide. I couldn't really find one in the sticky.

Your sorc would probably get raped by baal and his minions to tell you the truth :undecided: I'd stick with meph/pindle/edlrich/shenk