PvM Teletanker :)

[mztan]

Haven't been on forums long enough to know if this build has been proposed already. I've been thinking about it for a while and I'm not sure how viable it is.

The idea is a pure tanking sorc whose sole purpose is to stand in front of DClone/Ubers and chill. This build let's you tele to Meph/Throne crazy fast and tank for your friend with no problems.

Skill Allocation:
20 Static
20 Telekinesis
20 Energy Shield
20 Warmth
20 Teleport (nothing else to do with the points :) )
1 in prereq's

Stat Allocation:
STR - Just enough for shield
DEX - Max block
VIT - Little
NRG - Rest

Equipment:

CoA (Ber, Ber)
Rising Sun
Spirit Monarch
Wisp Projector
Dwarf Star (or another Wisp)
String of Ears
Wizardspike (15 ares jewel)
Guardian Angel (Lo)
Frostburns
Infernostrides

Inventory:
Anni, Sorc torch, 9xlight GCs, ares scs, Tome of Town Portal (crucial to build :wink3:), etc.

Build Features:
- ONE OFFENSIVE SPELL
- 46%DR (approx. 95%DR w/ ES)
- 30 MDR
- 95/95/90/90 fire/light/cold/poison res (with enough ares scs)
- 110 FCR (awesome?!)
- ~70 fire absorb (at level 90, from Rising Sun)
- 20% light absorb
- another 15% fire absorb (or another 20% light sorb with another Wisp)
- +17 to all skills (which amounts to ~90% ES? Something around there? Not mention a HUGE static radius :wink3:)

From some rough calculations, it appears that physical damage is reduced by ~95%, and fire/lightning damage (which is what is relevant here for DClone, etc) is reduced by 99+%. In fact, I think most fire damage will be reduced to 0 or will heal (assuming approx 250 pure fire damage).

The only weakness to this build is FHR and FBR/chance to block. I haven't summed up the FHR, but I assume it's low. A couple light GCs can be sacrificed for FHR SCs to reach the necessary breakpoint, I guess. (I suppose this build could use some replenish life too, but that's a bit of a stretch, eh?)


I haven't actually finished this build, but I was wondering if anyone has done something similar. And "similar" doesn't mean you maxed telekinesis and ES and pumped energy.

I'm curious if anyone has ideas to improve this build. Keep in mind that the point is NOT to deal damage, but to sit there and be able to absorb hits like a punching bag while other people do the hitting.

Input appreciated :),
*RoyalFreshness

[Lycanthronick]

Your build looks pretty interesting if you play with friends a lot, or join 8 player games and are the buffer.

Maxing Teleport is a waist past 1 pt. Also maxing Static with your plus skills is a waist. If you want to be purely defensive with no offense, you could put 1 pt into Frost Nova to slow all enemies and croud control. You should definatly get 1 pt in Frozen Armor. You could dump the rest in Enchant to boost the ar of your friends.

Build something like this...

Cold Tree-
1 Frost Nova (19 second freeze duration)
1 Frozen Armor (Defense and freezes)

Fire Tree-
20 Warmth
1 Firebolt
1 Fireball
17 Enchant (Pumped last, all remaining pts here)
1 Fire Mastery

Lightning Tree-
1 Charged Bolt
1 Lightning
1 Chain Lightning
15 Static Field (or enough for 25 yard radius)
1 Teleport
20 Telekinesis
20 Energy Shield

101 Total Skills @ level 90

Also, I don't think absorb works with Energy Shield so any gear with absorb may be useless.

[mztan]

Hrmm, interesting.

What is this you say about absorb not working with energy shield? If that is true, then I guess this build is hopeless. I read in another thread that final damage is calculated in the following order:

ES
DR, MDR
DR%
Res
%abs
abs

I assume that order holds for both physical and magical (elemental) damage. I didn't read anything about absorb not working with ES, although that source could very well have been incorrect.

[McCain123]

There are a few weaknesses in your sorc build.

1. Max block and max e-shield don´t go to well together. If you would take a high % block shield ( Whitstans ) you would still need >150 points in dex to archive this and you would be lacking these points in energy. With a Spirit Monarch max block doesn´t make any sense, as all your stats would be needed for str and dex.

2. Mods like %DR, %MDR, %absorb and resists are not needed much if you go for a high level e-shield as they are calculated after e-shield. Straight DR and MDR will do more for your build.

3. Mana burner will be a pain, as they are for all high level e-shield sorcs.

If you want a build, that is not supposed to do much damage and nearly impossible to kill while teleing to Baal go for a 200% fcr Singer barb. I build one last ladder, he had 7k life, teled to the throne fast as hell ( no block animation, hardly any hit recovery animation ) and could make a little save space for people taking his tp ( Howl ).

[prion]

in case someone else misses it, Guardian angel probably not very helpful on this build.

If you stay with your +17 lightning skills, then you only need 7 hard points in tele to reach 1 mana cost.
And i'm seeing 17 hard points in static will give you 25 yards if that's your magic number.

might consider wizzy/spirit sword and a good caster sheild on switch for tele and prebuff, and maybe an Insight for when you're doin your thing--gogo obscene mana regen. (you would use the insight yourself if your merc tends to die to the bosses)

fYI--level 17 enchant, with synergy 20 warmth and 1 fire mastery, boost fire skills +8 (you might have more) will do 531-666 damage, you can decide whether or not that's impressive enough for the skill points--but keep in mind it won't do anything if your boss-killer friend is a smiter.