View Full Version : Blizzballer (Your Build?)
I've read over the only Blizzballer guide I could find, but it seems a bit outdated, and I wasn't sure if I should follow it. I've also noticed a lot of people here are using the build, so I thought I would ask, what's your specific build and equipment?
I'm looking for what would be ideal build, and what equipment would be best to use. It would also help me if you include things such are what mercenary you use, what breakpoints you hit, your magic find, and how you rate the build.
Post as soon as possible, I'm eager to start leveling! :smiley:
You would have to choose if you want to go more fire or more cold.
You are using blizzard and fireball, that would mean at least 20 fireball, 20 blizzard at least 1 in each synergy and rest in synergies/mastery.
I'd prefer something like this:
20 blizzard
20 glacial spike or ice blast
~17 cold mastery after +skills
20 fireball
20 firebolt (it gives same synergy to fireball as meteor, some people still go meteor since it's a rather useful spell by itself, but I wouldn't bother because of it's two synergies.
1 hard point in fire mastery (first level is 30 % extra damage, any further point only adds 7% each, where the synergies add alot more)
1 in the usual teleport, telekenesis, warmth and a cold armor and static, the last 2 ones are optional but highly recommended.
If you have any left over points after that, decide if you want more blizzard or fireball damage, and put points in its other synergies.
Ofc you can go all out on one side and just use the other side as a backup, but then it wouldn't really be a true blizzballer, the one I described id pretty balanced imo. Ofc there is room for personal changes, but that is a pretty solif core I think.
Edit: fixed a typo, forgot it was called firebolt, not fireblast :tongue:
I would probably end up using Fireball more, but could you tell me where I can find a character skill point calculator?
Also, which armor is the best? Frozen, Chilling, ?
Darkoooo
16-05-2007, 18:02
http://diablo2.ingame.de//tips/calcs/
The first one is the skill calculator one. There are others if you ever need em...
I agree with zarf about the skill choice...
edit: If you choose Skill calculator, then you have a choice of putting it all in english in the right corner.
Not doing so well with the German, is there any others? I remember using one a long time ago, but I don't remember the website.
PhatTrumpet
16-05-2007, 19:17
Like he already said, once you choose the Skill Calculator it will give you the option of switching to English.
People tend to go with Shiver Armor because the defense bonus is good and it chills on (enemy) attack rather than on (enemy) striking.
The common Blizzball build seems to be:
20 Meteor
20 Fire Ball
1 Fire Mastery
20 Blizzard
20 Ice Blast
slvl 17 Cold Mastery after +skills
1 Static
1 Teleport
1 Warmth
rest in Blizzard synergies
I, however, did as zarfen described and went with Fire Bolt instead of Meteor because I wanted my Fire Ball to be merely a backup to my Blizzard. I mildly regret it and would probably go the Meteor route if I were ever to rebuild.
If you prefer the fire side to the cold side you'll definitely want to max Meteor and, instead of dumping your remaining points in Blizzard synergies, put them in Fire Bolt and Fire Mastery.
Oh, I didn't see him edit his post, sorry.
Though what would you suggest for Magic Finding equipment?
I know people have different budgets, but I was wondering what would be the ideal equipment.
Darkoooo
16-05-2007, 19:30
This is what I would use for my sorc, I'm playing SP, so I don't have access to high end RWs:
Helm: Ptopaz Shako
Ammy: Magic ammy(30+) with an useful mod
Weapon: Occy - Isted if possible
Armor: Ptopaz Skullders
Shield: Spirit
Gloves: Chancies
Belt: Goldwrap
Boots: Travs
Ring1: Ravenfrost(I like the cannot be frozen...)
Ring2: Rare ring with good mods - life,mana,FCR(if you don't have at least 33 Spirit), resists etc.
+Gheeds
+5*7 MF charms
+res charms
edit: This would give you ~500MF with 63FCR, Shako gives mana and life so that's also cool.
Or you can change Skullders to Vipermagi, so you can have extra res and 105 fcr(then that rare ring has to have 10 FCR, and Spirit must be 35)
DrakeSaint
16-05-2007, 19:31
If my memory serves me well, this is what I used:
2 Manald Heal
1 Harlequin Crest (1 Socket, P-Topaz)
1 Rhyme (Shael+Eth) shield
1 Gull (Gull and Rhyme shield are your MF switch)
1 Wall of the Lidless
1 Wizardspike/Tal Rasha's Crest/Oculus (This is your main switch)
1 Chance Guards (Not sure if I used it...)
1 Tal Rasha's Amulet (50% MF if combo'ed with another Tal set item. Switch it for any other MF amulet you can find)
I don't quite remember the belt/boots, but I did remember my MF was 400-450% with such set. Enough for good drops, and still enough firepower to solo Hell Meph easily. I had a FO/FW sorceress.
PhatTrumpet
16-05-2007, 20:59
Or you could just go the easy route with Full Tal's, Magefist, 'Spirit' Monarch and whatever for boots/rings.
Would blocking be worth it, and if so what shield would be best? Stormshield has high requirements, but the 35 DR + 10 DR from Shako, assuming I use Shako, would be useful.
In 1.09 I used the following:
Shako (Ist)
Occulus (Ist)
Stormshield(Ist)
Tal Rasha's Armor(Ist)
Tal Rasha's Amulet
Tal Rasha's Belt
Stone of Jordan's
Wartravellers
Magefist
Gull/Rhyme switch
Though I used only timed spells then, so I guess I need to shoot for the 105 FCR breakpoint?
DrakeSaint
16-05-2007, 21:25
Some people disagree, but I think FCR when your main spells are delayed is a waste.
Unless you have at least one spell without delaying, FCR at ~65% is good enough.
PhatTrumpet
16-05-2007, 23:44
I'd have to agree to an extent, but that hardly applies to the build in question.
On the cold side you've got Blizzard as a main timered spell, but in larger games and against bosses you should be spamming Ice Blasts between casts.
On the fire side your main spell is Fire Ball; no explanation needed.
I'm still confused on what I should use for equipment.
I don't like to bump thread, but I couldn't edit my post, and no one has replied.
But could anyone tell me which synergy of Blizzard I should max? Glacial Spike?
Noite Escura
17-05-2007, 18:35
Mine is level 84 and so far it has:
20 Blizzard
20 Ice Blast
7 Cold Mastery
20 Fire Ball
20 Fire Bolt
1 Fire Mastery
1 Teleport, Telekinesis, Static Field, Warmth
With the equipment I have she has lvl 17 CM, so I intend to put any future skill points in Ice Bolt.
I'm adept of Sasja's theory about making one attack stronger than the other, as at least 50% of the monsters won't be immune to either of your attacks. The only time I really wished I had Meteor was in the Throne's second wave of minions, because the mummies revive skellies almost as fast as you can kill them.
I went for max Ice Blast simply because most people seem to do it. It's really a question of preference really. I thought I would miss the multiple freezing ability of Glacial Spike, but truly, with some + skills equipment the freezing length is enough to be used as crowd control should you need it.
My equipment is as follows:
Occulus
ViperMagi
Maras
Spirit Monarch
Magefist
Tarnhelm
Snowclash belt
rare rings with mana and resists
rare boots with resists
Annihilus charm
Most self found.
Around 900 life and 600 mana, 110 FCR, no block(althought I'm a fan of block sorcs, specially in early levels, I admit I don't miss it much with this char).
As for cold armors, IMO Frozen Armor is best if you do MF runs and teleport like crazy, and Chilling Armor is best for soloing all the way to the end. Remeber, if you use Snowclash belt(as the guide here recommends) you get Chilling Armor for free...
Good luck
What main weapon do you think would be best?
Heart of the Oak
+3 To All Skills
+40% Faster Cast Rate
+75% Damage To Demons
+100 To Attack Rating Against Demons
Adds 3-14 Cold Damage, 3 sec. Duration (Normal)
7% Mana Stolen Per Hit
+10 To Dexterity
Replenish Life +20
Increase Maximum Mana 15%
All Resistances +30-40 (varies)
Level 4 Oak Sage (25 Charges)
Level 14 Raven (60 Charges)
Better base resistances and cast rate than The Oculus.
Wizardspike
+ (2 Per Character Level) 2-198 To Mana (Based On Character Level)
50% Faster Cast Rate
Regenerate Mana 15%
Increase Maximum Mana 15%
All Resistances +75
Indestructible
The best cast rate, resistance and mana modifiers, but lacks added skills.
The Oculus
+3 To Sorceress Skill Levels
+5 To Mana After Each Kill
All Resistances +20
25% Chance To Cast Level 1 Teleport When Struck
+30% Faster Cast Rate
+20 To Vitality
+20 To Energy
+20% Enhanced Defense
50% Better Chance Of Getting Magic Items
Best statistics modifiers, but has the worst cast rate, base resistances, and mana modifiers.
Wizardspike and The Oculus can be socketed, which could even some of the modifiers. The Oculus may be on par with Heart of the Oak if it's socketed with a 15 Resist All, modifier, jewl. Though what would you socket the Wizardspike with?
I know there's many things to consider, as far as equipment, but if you were to pick, which one would you go with? And are there any others to consider for this build?
cyruseli
18-05-2007, 05:50
what kind of stat point distrubution do you recommend?
i just started the character today and im thinking
-Str - Requirements. So probably around 85ish
-Dex - Base. I see no reason for blocking.
-Vit - Pretty high to avoid one hit kills
-Enr - Very high.
So pretty much a slightly uneven split in Enr's favor between Vit and Enr. Bumped Str as needed for items, leave Dex alone...
Sound about right?
(I'm pretty new, so this is pretty much made up as I go along :))
what kind of stat point distrubution do you recommend?
i just started the character today and im thinking
-Str - Requirements. So probably around 85ish
-Dex - Base. I see no reason for blocking.
-Vit - Pretty high to avoid one hit kills
-Enr - Very high.
So pretty much a slightly uneven split in Enr's favor between Vit and Enr. Bumped Str as needed for items, leave Dex alone...
Sound about right?
(I'm pretty new, so this is pretty much made up as I go along :))
It's actually recommended that you don't put any points into energy.
At higher levels, with decent equipment, you'll be fine, especially if you're using timed spells.
Noite Escura
18-05-2007, 16:47
Wizardspike and The Oculus can be socketed, which could even some of the modifiers. The Oculus may be on par with Heart of the Oak if it's socketed with a 15 Resist All, modifier, jewl. Though what would you socket the Wizardspike with?
I know there's many things to consider, as far as equipment, but if you were to pick, which one would you go with? And are there any others to consider for this build?
IMO, Wizardspike is great for a pure Blizzard, which can kill fast even with crappy equipment, but for a dual element build, +skills is a must have. As for the other 2, that depends on what you'll be doing most. If you like to play and kill monster by monster, HoTo is best, as the 25% Mf from Occculus can put you in trouble. If your're going to MF big, and teleing like Hell, then go Occulus...
rolling stoned
18-05-2007, 17:23
eth cs spirit > occy
the spirit is cheaper has +2 skills, 55 fhr, up to 35fcr, 22 vita, up to 112 mana, and most importantly it doesn't have a chance to randomly tele you into a pack of monsters :thumbsup:
cyruseli
18-05-2007, 21:34
It's actually recommended that you don't put any points into energy.
At higher levels, with decent equipment, you'll be fine, especially if you're using timed spells.
Ah, then I've already messed up :P lol. Oh well. I like to be able to spam Ice Blast...a lot. So, then should all my points go into Vitality instead? I'm not really interested with blocking with this character, and I don't see the need for much more than 85 Str, so, Vitality it is. Unless I change up the build a bit, add mana and really get into the spammable spells between each timed one.
For a shield I REALLY like Phoenix runeword. The aura keeps the lifebulb full in almost all circumstances. If you have alot of + skills from other sources its worth it. Not to mention the negative fire resists help too...
I'm almost leveled enough to start using some of my equipment, so my question is with three part Tal Rasha's set I'll get an added 20%+ FCR correct?
Though what boots and rings should I use?
Items I've acquired:
Shako
Tal Rasha's Armor
Tal Rasha's Belt
Tal Rasha's Amulet
Oculus and a Wizardspike
Stormshield (May decide to go vitality instead)
Magefist
And would you advise socketing the armor and helmet with Ist's or would Um's or Jah's benefit me more?
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