critique light sorc...

[determined]

Alright, I know this is a basic setup but I would like to hear your opinions on which things I should change around and I also have a few questions which I will post at the end. Also, this char will be strictly for PvM such as chaos runs and rushing.

Skills:
Warmth=1
Lightning=20
Chain Lightning=20
Charged Bolt=20
Nova=20
Lightning Mastery=20
Telekinesis=1
Teleport=1
Energy Shield=1
Static=1
Thunderstorm=1
Frozen Armor=1

Stats:
Str=just enough for equip after torch and anni considered
Dex=i may go max block depending on what u suggest for shield
Vit=all the rest of my points
Energy=none

Gear:
Helm=Griff Eye
Armor=Chain of Honor (for resistances mainly)
Belt=Arach
Gloves=Magefist
Boots=Treks
Weapon1=Eschuta & either Spirit Monarch or SS
Weapon2=Call to Arms & Spirit
Amulet=Mara's
Ring=2 Stone of Jordans

Merc= either a Act 2 Holy Freeze or Defiance merc
Helm=Crown of Ages
Weapon=Infinity
Armor=Eth Fortitude

Now a few questions...

1)I have seen other light sorc's using Nova and they really pwned with it. I would normally max Charged Bolt before Nova. However, I was wondering if it was viable for me to max Nova first b/c I feel I will be using this skill more often than charged bolt and then after nova was maxed I would go after maxing charged bolt?

2) Which shield would be more practical for a PvM sorc, Spirit or SS? I have always liked the idea of getting max block on all my chars. I like spirit for the +2 skills but SS offers a lot of damage reduction and an easier to obtain max block. I guess my question is whether or not those extra +2 skill points on the spirit was worth it over the benefits of an ss?

3) I will put a point in frozen armor. Would this be a mistake? I think the extra defense would be a good bonus for only 1 skill point being used.

4) Which type of merc should I go after, Defiance or Holy Freeze? Both have viable attributes, defiance will jack up not only mine but his own defense but on the other hand, a holy freeze merc I think would be beneficial if I was using nova because he would slow down all the enemies before they even got to me.

5) I know Nova is a mana intense spell. Would I be screwed not putting any points into energy? or will my warmth and mana potions just have to do?

Thanks for any and all replies. Peace.

[Vespar]

I can't see anything glaringly wrong with your build other than the 1 points in telekinesis and 1 in ES.

If you are really planning on using ES at all not investing further points in both telekinesis and energy shield will find you in a rough spot, especially if you aren't investing any stat points in energy at all.

The reasons I say this is that your mana pool will be relatively small in comparison to someone that has invested in energy, your overall asborption rate with ES is going to be very low with only 1 point invested in ES, and with only one point in telekinesis you'll actually be taking more damage to your mana pool than you originally received.

For example if you took 200 points of damage and 50% of that went to your mana pool...it would still be 200 points worth of mana damage since the converstion rate from life damage to mana damage is 1:2....1 point of life damage converts to 2 points of mana damage. With telekinesis investment you can lower this raito by a certain amount per point invested until you reach the maximum which can then actually lower the total amount of damage you would have taken.

In other words ditch the energy shield if you don't plan investing further in either ES or Telekinesis.

[Coldsmoke]

Spirit is better here, because it also adds that much needed mana for nova.

[accipite]

1. Nova is a weak skill, but if u play 1pp a lot, that is good.
2. Spirit is better. if u dies a lot, then use SS without max block.
3. Yeah, good i believe.
4. HF if u go with Spirit, Def if u go with SS. The difference is hard to say actually. maybe just a feeling.
5. U need to invest a lot to ur mana. at least 1500 after BO. 1800+ is better.

btw, Energy Shield and Thunder Storm is not recommended.

[mephiztophelez]

u have only 105% fcr from my count.

the breakpoints for lit & chain-lit are a little different to the standard bp's, so you need 117% fcr.

[determined]

Thanks for the input guys. I have decided to just concentrate on the main light skills and forget about nova until I have everything else maxed. I will also forget about energy shield and max block and have decided to just pump vit to see how it treats me.