Fire wall + ???

[Kotooshu]

I have maxed firewall and fire mastery... and now I'm looking for another skill.

I don't want to go with a direct damage cold skill, and I've already tried Thunder Storm + Max Ltng Mastery, that was only good through NM.

Any suggestions?

Static Field, perhaps?

BTW, the reason I went with a firewall build is because I found a +3 firewall Ormus Robe.

[rata]

i guess the question is, what will u be using this sorc for. i don't wish to seem harsh, but perhaps you would like to use a more conventional skill other than firewall?

[Kotooshu]

I am HC, I have only 1 other high lvl character who may not make it through hell, so this sorc will be my top horse...

[yuqing]

most common way people go is orb + firewall, mainly for mf. Static is a 1 point wonder so leave it as it is. You said you didnt want a cold skill, so how about nova?

[Kotooshu]

Nova will probably not work for me, as I have invested no points in energy. I have some decent mana equipment which has "naturally" boosted my mana to 350 at lvl 60, so with the odd mana potion I have no problems casting firewall at will. But this will obviously not do for nova.

Yuqing, about static, 1 point will give me a total of about 5 or 6 with equipment... the reason I thought of boosting it a little, maybe to about 10 including bonuses, was to go Static-Static-Static / Firewall while not having to get too close. Then I thought of going with a high lvl Frozen Armor.

Yes, fire immunes will be a problem, but if I static them down then my merc can take them on, he is well equiped (Unique Ogre Axe waiting).

Any more thoughts?

BTW, if I may expand on my previous attempt with T-storm, I was surprised to find how useless it was in hell. I had maxed t-s + maxed ltng-mastery, + bonuses, and it was still taking 4-5 hits on normal monsters in 1 player act 1 hell!

[EnerSense]

... the reason I thought of boosting it a little, maybe to about 10 including bonuses, was to go Static-Static-Static / Firewall while not having to get too close.

You actually don't have to get that close. You can always teleport around or in place to reposition your merc. He will usually stand in front of you and move forward to attack. This will keep the monsters away from you so you are free to recast fire wall. One point in Static really is enough.

[Kotooshu]

OK, I'm convinced, 1 point in static.

I am now at lvl 66 (HC), I have 21 unspent points... roxor maxed Frozen Armour?

[Darkflight]

OK, I'm convinced, 1 point in static.

I am now at lvl 66 (HC), I have 21 unspent points... roxor maxed Frozen Armour?

The most powerful option will be Frozen Orb. I can't think of any other backup skill that will be really good.

[EnerSense]

OK, I'm convinced, 1 point in static.

I am now at lvl 66 (HC), I have 21 unspent points... roxor maxed Frozen Armour?

I have a few questions for you then.

1) If you put the points into Frozen Armor are you trying to make a melee sorc? That goes against what you said earlier about not getting too close.

2) Do you want to play in up to an eight player game or up to a four player game? If it's up to eight then Frozen Orb is the only way to go. You would then put the extra points into cold mastery. If it's up to four then you can use Blizzard/Glacial Spike, Lightning/Chainlightning, or Charged Bolt/Lightning. The reason I paired these spells up is because they synergize each other.

3) Do you want to be able to help your merc destroy monsters or would you rather skip over monsters you can't kill? If it's the first then pick a cold spell. If you run into an dual fire/cold immune, you can still use static to help your merc kill the monster. If it's the second which would be picking the lightning tree, you can just teleport past a dual fire/lightning monster or re-roll/reset it.

[Kotooshu]

OK, I've decided to go with orb and a few in Cold Mastery.

Thanks for everyone's help and support on this rather banale inquiry. :smiley: