Charged boltress problems need help

[Czyber]

Heey you guys

I'm currently stuck at beating the game with this fantastic build.

My first one died in Act 3 nightmare because of bad resistance and a bit to offensive play.

My next one just died yesterday at level 61 (with vipermagic and lidless wall). She died at pindleskin NM, didn't put my energy shield or shiver armor on. My merc died and I remember my last thought "I'll take them out" and BANG 4-5 of them charges me, and I seriously couldn't react at all, and they took my 600-700 life :-( (My res was maxed out)

My path is with CB and FO as secondary. I usually find a staff, orb with + to energyshield and shiver/chilling armor - Just forgets to use it sometimes.

I play untwinked singleplayer, so yeah I am making it quite hard for myself.

When my last sorc died, I had a defiance merc on, because I tried a holy freeze one, but I used FO trough NM so thought it didn't really matter.

I'm not going for block.

Now lets get to the special point were I seriously need your help!

What can I do better, to make sure she's not dying ??

My own thoughts on this is -

Block - No way, cost to much point and its not worth sacrifycing the nice mods on a lidless wall.

Energy Shield/shiverarmor - Use my level 1 energy shield all the time after going NM.

Merc - Change to Holy Freeze merc as soon as possible.

Armor: Skin of the vipermagic is nice, but I'm considering that Shaftstop would be nice, if I find it - But it lacks res and FCR.

That's my thoughts at the moment, please comment and give me some advise, and tell me if I am on the right track!

[AgentMarth]

Block Block Block Block Block Block Block Block Block Block Block Block

Lidless = not worth it vs safety.

Pump TK for ES boost, level 1 ES is more harm then help. Make sure ES is up before even leaving town

Insight (If RWM) Prayer Merc, if not, Holy Freeze

Armor - Viper, Shafts DR% doesn't work nice with ES. And i'd sooner change lidless then Viper.

I would go into more detail, but I am stuck at work atm, and semi busy.

[MoUsE_WiZ]

Block Block Block Block Block Block Block Block Block Block Block Block
Yeah, that. But what do I know, I haven't lost a sorc to PvM while in control of the character since early S2. Or to PvM in general since early S3 if you want to count mass lag. Hell, throw in a blizzer at the very start of S1 and you have my massive 3 PvM sorc deaths since 1.10's release. And I play a lot of sorcies.

But if you say block's not worth it, clearly you're right ;)

Pump TK for ES boost, level 1 ES is more harm then help. Make sure ES is up before even leaving town
Also that. If you want ES at all, pump telekinisis, or it'll just leave you constantly out of mana. Orb/CB isn't going to have spare points for telekinisis though, so I'd skip it altogether.

I might consider wearing a shaft with the build over viper, but it'd depend entirely on the rest of the gear. SP though it shouldn't matter... be happy if you have *either* of them before hell.

[Raith]

how viable is CB i mean, can it even kill anything?

[5zigen]

how viable is CB i mean, can it even kill anything?

CB is incredibly viable. It will kill baal faster than orb.

As for the OP, you need more than 600-800 hps in nm, and if you arent using block you NEED to run ES. not just on an orb, you need to have at least a sunk point into it.

You also need to keep your merc alive better. Defiance mercs can be good, but only if you keep them alive.

You shouldnt be using CB unless your merc is alive, because rapid casting means you have to be stationary while you attack. if your merc is dying too much try and update his gear. It's particularly important with CB.

Use a spirit weapon. Getting the runes should be trivial with nm countess on a sorc. Get the runes for a Insight polearm also. it will help a lot with your ES.

I don't think going for max block is all that viable untwinked single player, and I'm still of the opinion that max block is for suckers.

Seriously, don't go without ES if you aren't going for block.

dont skimp on the FHR either. A lot of time sorc's simply ignore FHR because they aren't melee but putting you in hit recovery is detremental to your being able to cast teleport to get away.

[Czyber]

But its kinda destroying the build a little right ?

CB 20, Lit 20, LM 20, TP 1.

FO 20, CM 1+

Pre reqs 3 in lightning tree and 5 in cold tree.

Thats 90 Skill points. Lets say we hit hell about level 83, well have 90 skill points there.

ES is making dimminishing returns when it hits level 8. So calculate my skills different and maybe I can have a level 5 ES and with + skills it'll be about level 7-8.

That will mean a 50-55 % damage reduction.

I can't level TK high enough for it to work good, Its simply not possible going with this build. And yes doing this my mana will instant drain everytime I get hit - But the point of the build is to do the opposite and not get hit at all.

Going for max block, so I will only get hit 25-30% by Physical attacks, and with maxed resistance. That will require a ES so I won't get 1 hit killed.

The only problem as I see it will be elemental damage, as its goes to ES before it goes to res with could get really anoying. But solution must be, try to not get hit and keep the merc alive!

So maybe this could work out as a solution. Comments! ?

[LuckyDwarf]

He plays single player, I don't know if you can make spirit and insight there without a mod. Ditch the lidless. It's a great pre-cast shield or whatever, but it pales in comparison to 75% block. Get a Whitstan's, Visc, or Moser's. Pdiamond or Eld if your resists are maxed. BLOCK. I'd suggest a 1 point eshield anyway with 75% block. You're going to be running with less life, but you'll find that you'll be taking much less damage. Vita sorcs look pretty with their high life, but in reality, they're pretty mediocre.

Lucky

[MoUsE_WiZ]

But solution must be, try to not get hit and keep the merc alive!
The thing is, you will get hit, and that's all there is to it.

The idea is to minimize the effects and frequencies of the hits.

If you run into, say, a pack of amp archers without block, and something happens that you don't dodge the arrows, your extra 200 hp is going to do absolutely nothing to keep you alive. Blocking, on the other hand, may or may not save you. You could get unlucky and still have all the arrows land, but you'll probably end up blocking a decent chunk of them and survive.

As for not blocking elemental damage... the thing is, once you're at max resist, elemental damage doesn't hurt. The only time you should ever die to elemental damage are in the cases of an FE/XX (in which case you were too close and it's a play error) or conviction gloams. In both cases, an extra 200 hp is again going to do absolutely nothing for you... the damage dealt is obscenely high unless you've got the right gear to negate it (absorb and/or +max resist, stacked resist when conviction's involved) which you aren't going to have untwinked in sp.

This is going to be my last post on the topic of block.
If you want to keep believing it's a bad idea, have fun dying.

[5zigen]

The thing is, you will get hit, and that's all there is to it.

I think you're underestimating the amount of extra life you can get by running close to base dex and str. It's not just 200 like you're making it out to be, thats only 100 stat points.

it's a lot closer to 600, as it takes over 200 dex and towards 100 str to use a good blocking shield over a non block shield like lidless.

Non-block builds do take more attention, but you're really minimizing the benefits of going for a non block sorceress.

Aside from that in your archer pack example, you can only block 1 arrow per volley in general because of the block delay. Over time blocking will certainly mitigate more damage than you gain from having more life, but having more life will allow you to soak more damage total.

[AgentMarth]

Still on the block side. And I have a feeling Mouse may come back and post again despite what he posted.

Whistan's takes what, 53 str? That's not hard to reach, and chances are you will have a bit more then that for something else, unless you go bare min for like Viper. The dex takes a bit more, but then that's where the ~100 comes in.

600 life though? That's 300 stat points, which is nowhere near what you need to get a good max block Sorc. Hell, you can Eld the Whistan's for even better block. You are also forgetting that alot of stuff boosts stats, Charm's, WW's, Tgod's, Rings/Amulets, etc, etc. So you wont be putting that may hard points into str/dex.

The only time block doesn't seem to matter that much, is if you have really high FCR, and FHR, and ev....

Oh hell just go read Socialism write up on Block vs No Block in the HC Orb/Tk Sorc thread. It clearly shows why block > no block. I'd take stopping a hit over being able to take 200-400 more damage anyday. Blocking Dolls death explosions? Yes please! That's a potential 1k hit stopped, hell maybe even 2k with Amp. So like said, that little bit extra life, wont do anything against that. Block though, can save you from the deeds screen.

[LuckyDwarf]

If sorcs got more than two hit points per vitality point, then it might be worth it to go vitality; if you had alternate means of dealing with damage. Although, the alternate means will probably be harder to achieve or less cost effective for the same protection.

Lucky

[5zigen]

I suppose it might even be worth it to note that making a dual element sorc untwinked is just plain difficult no matter what angle you look at it from.

Making that dual element sorc reliant on high fcr compounds the problem, because in general, a sorc cant have the right setup without a something close to a grail.

That is, 105% fcr, 155% res all, Max block, +skills and enough life to survive any single hit from any single enemy.

It would be much more prudent, for example, to make a single element sorc w/ TK, and skip by everything that is immune to your element (presumably, lightning if you stick with CB).

Otherwise if you've died twice as non block sorc, perhaps it is time to try the other side of the fence.

[Ankeli]

Blockblockblockblock is what I'd say as well if you don't want to sacrifice the offensive capabilities of the build. It's really the only viable option, as losing a synergy might make CB too weak for Hell.. Careful playing goes a long way.

Also, stick with the holy freeze merc imo. It won't be a huge difference in nightmare, but it's a hoot in Hell.

[Akse]

My CB/orb looks like this now at level 83- soon 84:
CB max
Lightning max
1 in ES
Lightning mastery max
1 in static
1 in prereqs tk/teleport/chain

Max orb
1 in prereqs
1 in cold mastery

I think I have +8 lightning skills and +7 cold and I should get at least 7 more +skills when i get +2 amu and helmet with +2 and also if I happen to get sorc torch or more charms.

My gear:
TR helmet, used to have peasant crown but I needed some resists to hell.
Mahim neck.. need the strenght I get 24str 20 prisma 39cold 9%fc mana crafted neck at 85
Oculus
Spirit shield
Vipermagi
glooms trap
silkweaves
ravenfrost (just found one.. it has 40 mana old ring was just blue ring with 111 mana so I tought the absorb and dex is worth it)
another ring is 4life some 20 mana 2xfire 2x cold res rare
Magefists

I have some life charms mana charms anni and assasin torch for the stats 1 lightnign skills charm.

I have about 1100 life and 1000 mana
156 str with gear
0 points in dex but now with raven I have about 20% block with monarch
about 390 vita with gear
about 200 energy with gear

Resists are something like:
49
75
54
41
I will get better whenever I get 3x viper which I will Um(have only 25 viper now) then also +10 from the new amulet, +10 from hell anya quest. Also the helmet (probably harle with um will get it up)
Atm I'm at act3 hell just gathered the parts for khalims will... council left to do. And I'm already 84 level soon:) I kinda got stuck doing some crypt,mausoleum, pit and tunnels.

So far the killing has been okey.. in 8 player games it slows down quite much but static is your friend.. almost instantly drops 50% of the monsters hp making killing a lot faster. Problem is lightning immunes actually, Orb isn't so powerfull in 8player games, probably because my cold mastery isn't high enough yet.. I get it to 15 when I get all items I've planned and with 2 charms or maybe sojs I get it to the desired 17 so I haven't put anymore than 1 to save some points.

So I have all the skills and synergies maxed now for CB, orb maxed I was planning to put rest of the points to TK, what do you think is it ok? I probably get higher mana if I get sojs for example or if I change to frostburns when I get enough FC jewelery or the belt so I probably end up having about 1400 mana at least, which makes my energy shield quite powerfull aid with some telekinesis. With all the planned +skills my ES should be absorbing about 70% of damage.

I guess pumping orb synergy isn't much worth it, that would be the only other option at the moment.

About block.. I find it totally useless, especially if you go spirit monarch don't pump any dex. There has been no situation where monster have taken me below 50-60% hp only diablo clone was able to take me to about 30% with some nasty spells where block wouldn't have anything to do with anyways. I would be pretty pissed off about looking at my 200 points in dex if it hardly ever has any use when monsters don't in fact get to hit me.

[Ankeli]

Telekinesis sounds like the best bet there, seeing as ES is really lacking without it. It actually hurts you more than it's good for without a good investment in TK.

[MoUsE_WiZ]

*fights urge to correct like 10 posts of theory on blocking just to spite Marth*

I'll answer the unrelated question though!

I get it to 15 when I get all items I've planned and with 2 charms or maybe sojs I get it to the desired 17 so I haven't put anymore than 1 to save some points.
Cold Mastery beyond level 17 is fine. I'd suggest dumping your points into it, as each point is generally as good as the last against monsters with >0% resist to start with.

Telekinisis, on the other hand, the return keeps getting better with each point you put into it. The actual mana loss stays the same, however the % lost keeps getting better, and it's the % that is really noticable.

If you're unsure what I mean, consider going from 0% resist, to 50%, to 75%. At 50% you cut your damage taken in half. At 75% you cut it in half again, but you need to commit much less gear to do so... points in telekinisis work the same way.

That said, neither is a bad choice.
If you plan on going to 99 you've got enough points coming that Telekinisis looks much more viable, especially since you have Izual still if I'm not reading something wrong. If you're not planning on going past 90ish it's still a reasonable choice, more mana is always better, but I think the gain from CM will be *much* more noticable.

[AgentMarth]

*fights urge to correct like 10 posts of theory on blocking just to spite Marth*

You still posted none the less!

[Akse]

Yeah I have Izual left..so at 90 I would have 10 points in telekines.. I'm not sure if I go any higher than 95 tho but it would still be quite nice. thanks for the tips mouse and ankeli will make my choice later, perhaps saving some points for now.