Lite Sorc? Nova sorc? (Pvm)

[UberB]

I don't think I would offend many people if I stated that lightning sorcs and hammerdins are the two best pvm builds, with speed and the ability to kill nearly every enemy in the game in mind (LI/PI's don't count). I haven't made gosu builds of either char (my Hammerdin just lacks an Enigma) but at this moment I'm leaning towards the lightning sorc because I find Hammerdins boring. I prefer long-range casting and spell switching over spamming the same short range spell (which also has blind spots). Plus conviction looks cool and static is just awesome.

I wonder which build would be better: light sorcs or nova sorcs. The build must be able to solo both Chaos and the rest of the game without any gear switches (While I'll definitely eventually get the money for one Infinity, two is quite ridiculous IMO). Either the merc carries a high damage one, or a low damage one, or I carry it myself. Nova just looks very cool especially combined with ES. However even with the best gear I imagined (no skillers, this is pvm) I'd only get about 1k nova damage, plug in conviction and that's 2k. Doesn't sound very impressive to me. Light sorcs look a lot better to me, but then the Infinity question pops up. I like fast cast a lot so I'd prefer to leave the Infinity to the merc. (If I can make up the FCR and resists then I'll take the Infinity. However making the merc carry Infinity makes him easy prey to IM. So what, in your opinion, would be the best solution for a pure pvm, chaos ready build?

[Naab]

Pure lightning beats nova by far that's for sure.About your inf question i think 1 infinity on merc is enough,preferably low damage one(though he loses a lot of survivebility without leech,so be ready to tele alot to save his bottom)

[Spectrus]

I'm pretty sure Nova got the short end of the stick in the synergy update... it's not going to do much (but my lit sorc has almost maxed it as a synergy, and it does around 2k I think...)

If you're insistent on not ever switching weapons with your merc, then give him a low damage Infinity, and run some standard HoTO/Spirit yourself. If anyone has a sure way of not getting your merc IM'd, then maybe that can change. Otherwise though, I highly recommend just wearing an Infinity when you do Chaos. You don't really need that much FCR/resist doing it, as you can range pretty much everything with Lightning.

[Dirkw]

Nova is okay, it does fine damage with a high minimum, but it's very mana intensive and it needs to be spammed. If you build a typical light sorc, you'll get a chance to max the skill anyways and see how you like it (20 Mastery, 20 L, 20 CL, 20 Nova, 20 (rest) CB).

I prefer infinity on my merc. I have found he doesn't die much when you run ahead of him and take the first cast of IM. You kill the OK's (pretty easy, even without conviction) and then your merc can come in. It seems perfectly safe too, I don't get into any real danger walking towards OK's and through their minions.

[razen]

well, in norm nm rush, nova is MUCH faster than lightening because its more control and faster cast.

but in hell, i find myself resorting to lightening a lot more, since it does
1) more dmg
2) well... more dmg

also, the mana issue is a correct statement... i can cast lightening (1k pool) for about a 30 sec duration

with nova, i run dry in about 3 seconds top (also because im 200 fcr sorc, but thats another realm of discussion)

[UberB]

Nova is okay, it does fine damage with a high minimum, but it's very mana intensive and it needs to be spammed. If you build a typical light sorc, you'll get a chance to max the skill anyways and see how you like it (20 Mastery, 20 L, 20 CL, 20 Nova, 20 (rest) CB).

I prefer infinity on my merc. I have found he doesn't die much when you run ahead of him and take the first cast of IM. You kill the OK's (pretty easy, even without conviction) and then your merc can come in. It seems perfectly safe too, I don't get into any real danger walking towards OK's and through their minions.

You use Infinity in a high damage polearm then? I was skeptical of this in Chaos but then I saw a light sorc doing Chaos runs and he said his merc rarely died. I asked what base his Infinity was and it was eth Thresher. And true to his word, this guy got me through a Chaos run without any merc revives.:thumbsup:

What would be your ideal light sorc gear? I tried 200 FCR but I didn't like it. Damage too low and mana runs out even with Insight. So I will go with 117 FCR this time. What would be YOUR ideal gear? This is what I have in mind right now.

Griffon's w/ facet
Crescent Moon (gotta love that -35 res)
CoH
Spirit
Magefists
Arach's
Treks
100 FCR so far,
1 SOJ, 10FCR ring with other mods
+2Sorc ammy with resists, 7% FCR

Total fcr = 117
Resistances are high too.

It would be nice if you posted your opinion of "ideal gear".

[CubsAce38]

It might be me, but I just like using full tals. You get the -15 lite to crack the immunes that way by wearing the full gear and the the +2 to light mastery makes up for the + light dmg you would get from griff. This way its only possible to hit 117fcr instead of 200, but you said you didn't like 200fcr anyway. It also gives you high resists and +13 to all skills (full tals, spirit, 1soj, anni, torch). It will kill quick and be rather safe. I'd go eth infinity thresher, eth fort, and andys on the merc. Seems to work good

[Gabrielle]

Try also checking out a javazon. Hammerdins and light sorcs can't compete in term of damage output that a javazon can do with LF (=best group/pack killer) and CS (=best boss killer). He gets to baal fast enough imo with an enigma and griffon. It doesn't teleport as fast like a 200 fcr light sorc, but once he gets in the room, it clears everything faster than a light sorc and hammerdin, not to mention baal with a couple of pokes :smiley: