MF Sorc Build Review

[khronik]

PURE LIGHTNING MF SORC
Max Skills - Current Damage
Lightning Mastery
Chain Lightning - 6k
Lightning - 12k
Charged Bolt - 300 x24bolts
Nova Max Last - 900

Single Points
Teleport
Static
Thunder Storm - 900/burst
Warmth
Frozen Armor

Gear Set-up
Assume ALL items are PERFECT.
ALWAYS STRAPPED
War Traveler's
Spirit Shield [and on swap]
BK + Nagel, Or Nagel x2
Gheeds & smfc's.
Don't have torch or Anni yet, building pally at the moment

ACT 2 Mercenary
Infinity Colossus Voulge
Andy's Helm
Eth Fortitude Archon Plate
- Planned Gear, I do not have these for him yet.

Build 1 - Current
Full Tal Rasha's
Magefist's

Build 2
Oculus
Shako
Skullder's
Chance Guard's
Goldwrap
Mara's

Build 3
Tal Rasha's
- Belt
- Amulet
Skullder's
Shako
Oculus
Chance Guard's or Magefist's

Build 4
Any Tal Rasha partial bonus (2-4)
Any suggested items (solid MF)

Any input on what/where to socket Ist's, Um's Light Facet's, etc?

------------------------------ UPDATED LIST ------------------------------

Build 1 - Current
Full Tal Rasha's
Magefist's

Build 2
Crescent Moon
Vipermagi
Arach
Magefist's
Griffon's
Mara's

Build 3
Tal's
- Belt
- Amulet
- Armor
Crescent Moon or Oculus
Magefist's
Griffon's


Which build would be the best for purely MFing, MF + kill time??

[Scudstorm]

I actually asked a very similar question (http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=712666) not so long ago. Turned out that you better stick with tal's on your MF sorc if you don't have Griffon's.

Getting a Torch and an Infinity are your highest priorities. As for socketing, I recommend facets everywhere. Above 250ish MF is enough imo (I've seen too many magical Berserker Axes to want to go for any more than 350 MF).

Of course, if you think a Griffon's is in your price range, don't put facets into tal's yet. A few PTopaz would be enough while you wait on Griff's.

Welcome to the forums :)

[khronik]

Thank you.

I've heard a lot about people using Griffon's, why is this?

Let's say I get Griffon's, what build would benefit me the most?

[Scudstorm]

From the Arreat Summit:

Griffon's Eye
Diadem

Defense: 150-260 (varies)(Base Defense: 50-60)
Required Level: 76
Durability: 20
+100-200 Defense (varies)
+1 To All Skills
+25% Faster Cast Rate
-15-20% To Enemy Lightning Resistance (varies)
+10-15% To Lightning Skill Damage (varies)
(Ladder Only)
(Only Spawns In Patch 1.10 or later)

- Enemy light resistance (-ELR) is a very valuable mod for a light sorc. After Conviction effect from Infinity, the previously immune monsters now have 83% - 99% light resistance, cutting your damage to a small fraction. With a decent amount of -ELR, this small fraction can become a bigger fraction. Similarly, the monsters who were not immune in the first place often have positive lightning resistance (25-33% are the most common values), and Conviction lowers that to -60% - -52%. As the lowest resistance anyone can get is -100%, -ELR is still helping for its stated percentage of your listed damage.

+1 skills doesn't need to be commented on.

25% fcr is the most one can get from a helm slot, and only achievable with Griffon's. The only other option would be a 20% fcr circlet, which is hard to come by and very expensive when it has other good mods (+skills, sockets, stats, resists, FRW, FHR). Having so much fcr in the helm spot means more freedom in gear selection, and allows some otherwise hardly doable things, such as 200 fcr or very high -ELR (Griffon's + Crescent Moon).

A light sorc would be most suited while using Griffon's, I think you've gathered that much by now :)

[khronik]

Hmm, yes I guess Griffon's would be my best option.
What other gear would I want to go with it?

Also, after getting Griffon's would I still want to facet everything?

[Scudstorm]

2 popular setups with Griffon's:

Hoto
CoH
Spirit
Mara's (or tal's ammy or anny craft/rare/magical)
Arach
Magefist
2x Soj

In this setup, you have 35 more fcr than the 105 breakpoint, so you can play around and drop some for MF gear. If you have some fcr on your ammy, you can drop both Magies and Arach for Chancies and Goldwrap.

Crescent Moon
Skin of the Vipermagi
Spirit
Mara's (ditto, other possibilities)
Arach
Magefist
2x Soj

In this one, you have 25 more fcr than the 105 bp.

I wouldn't facet anything when going with Griffon's + Crescent Moon.

Both setups are excellent at killing stuff, but they both lack MF. Assuming 50 MF from War travelers and 40% from Gheed's, and adding 40% from Chancie's, it's still only 130% MF. On a part-time MF char it would be enough, but I'd go for at least around 240% on a full-time MF char.

If your sorc is for MFing (only or mostly), I highly suggest full tal's. You wouldn't need to rely on charms to get MF, it comes with a built-in 15% -ELR (yup, same as a low Griffon's), and comes with good enough resist so that you wouldn't need resist charms either. Its damage is good enough to solo MF in 8 player games. And it's so cheap!

[khronik]

This character I am only using for MF, at the moment I can only do Andy, Meph, Pindle because my mercenary is only able to stay alive during the time im using static.

Keep full Tals, and slap additional MF into the gear?
What about something like Tals minus the helm and add Griffons?

[Scudstorm]

This character I am only using for MF, at the moment I can only do Andy, Meph, Pindle because my mercenary is only able to stay alive during the time im using static.

Keep full Tals, and slap additional MF into the gear?
What about something like Tals minus the helm and add Griffons?

You'd lose more than you gain if you do that.

Full tal's + 35 Spirit + Magefist = 105 fcr. From there, customize as you see fit. I'd go for 2x Sojs for better kill speed as tal's + wartrav + gheed is enough for me. But as I said, if you want to go with Nagels you can :P

[khronik]

With all that being said, I have come up with this, please input.

Full Tal Rasha's
Magefists
Spirit
BK x2? (im non ES, full vit build)
*** Ist everything, for a bonus to MF?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have no PvP interest for this sorc, its purely MF.
So lets say I get my mercenary Eth Andys+ Eth Infinity+Eth AP Fort

Would the other stats such as -res%, fcr, vs MF really matter that much?
Im guessing the more MF you have, the better your chance is of getting the more rare/valuable items??

At the moment with my current build:
I can kill meph and andy after my merc dies, utilizing teleport correctly, and takes hardly any time at all.

I havent had anymore than shako, gheeds, and lower/equiv items drop so far.

Basically my question is, does my damage output, enemy -res%, really matter if all I am doing is MFing?

Or, is this just for bragging rights about how much damage "my" light sorc does?

[Scudstorm]

I advise soj x2 or bk + soj, if only to stop chugging mana pots like crazy. With 1 soj and BO from cta, I don't use mana pots at all unless there are mana burn monsters around.

The reason why I stress so much kill speed over MF% is because MF isn't just about Andy and Meph. Sure, they're great to start mfing with and have great chances of dropping uniques, but eventually you would want to move on to a wider range of targets. My typical MF run is: Countess, The Pit, Andy, Ancient Tunnels, Summoner, Duriel, Travincal, Meph, Chaos, Eldritch, Shenk, Nihlathak, WSK2, WSK3, and Baal. Some of these areas require better damage output for the run to go smoothly, especially if you want to MF in 8 player games.

FCR is essential. Reaching a tele fcr breakpoint makes your runs that much faster. And resists keep you alive, can't mf well if you die every other game.

Also, the reason why over 400-500 MF becomes bad is some white/plain items are more valuable than a magical one, or even an unique one. And some rare items can be much more valuable than their unique counterparts.

[khronik]

I don't know if that message sent so ill post it here.

Which setup do you prefer?

I was thinking about it earlier, and realized andy and meph drops only go so far, and my current build is unable to do anything other than andy/meph/pindle.
I need Griffons :punk:

Build 1 - Current
Full Tal Rasha's
Magefist's

Build 2
Crescent Moon
Vipermagi
Arach
Magefist's
Griffon's
Mara's

Build 3
Tal's
- Belt
- Amulet
- Armor
Crescent Moon or Oculus
Magefist's
Griffon's


Also, I have all the runes for Fort, but ive been waiting to try and get a 4os Eth AP with 1k+ defense.
Would it greatly benefit me to grab anytype/any defense 4os eth right now since, my mercenary is wearing random gear? and upgrade later?

[Scudstorm]

As I said, my preference go to tal's :)

As long as the str req isn't a problem, any high def 4o's eth armor would be great for a merc Fort. I tend to ebug those myself since the base armor usually sells for quite a bit.

A fort would help a merc's damage a lot. But if yours doesn't have a big stick right now, that should be your priority. Any elite Insight polearm would suffice for now. Also, be sure to get some life leech on him.

[khronik]

Ahh ic, so what did you end up doing?
I went back through your post and couldn't tell if you stated it or not.
Facets, Ists, Ums?

My damage is alright at the moment, its just my merc.
I usually have enough time to bring them down with static and start using lightning by the time he is killed, so I am still able to kill them.

update: im stickin with tals, i just got my first ever SOJ thanks to andy

[Scudstorm]

Congrats ^^

PTopaz in armor and helm, facet in orb are what I have, but I'll eventually replace the gems by more facets. It is really up to your preference, though: if you only MF alone in game, PTopaz would be fine. After torch/anni you shouldn't need more resists and 1 fire + 1 poison res sc shall bring you to max.

An Infinity will make a big difference. I only use static on Baal, the Ancients and the Minions of Destruction since my Lightning/Chain outdamages Static on every other monster.

[khronik]

TY, ahh alright ill prob see how it works without facets and adjust as need be.

Btw do you have any good eth CV or eth AP i could bum?
i have the runes for both fort and infinity now, and trying to get tal thul so i can ebug this eth CV i got

[Scudstorm]

Ebugging doesn't work with weapons (if by CV you meant Colossus Voulge) that is. The recipe for weapons is Ral Amn PAmethyst, although you may want to use a socket quest on an eth CV for assured 4o's.

I play mostly N-L now, so nope, sry :P

[khronik]

Ahh ok thats why it wouldnt do anything lol

Can you socket only if it doesnt have sockets? or can i ebug and then socket if it has 3?

[Scudstorm]

No, all socketing can only be done once. None will add to/overwrite another.

This info is available on the Arreat Summit, you shall do some research...

[khronik]

Alright, thats what I thought

Didnt know if they changed it or something in 1.12, like I said im from v1.09


I now have an eth CV 4os. 25-247 dmg
Do I make Infinity, or ebug it?
What happens if I ebug it, or can you not ebug a socketed one.

[Scudstorm]

As I said,

Ebugging doesn't work with weapons

[SeCKSEgai]

Alright, thats what I thought

Didnt know if they changed it or something in 1.12, like I said im from v1.09


I now have an eth CV 4os. 25-247 dmg
Do I make Infinity, or ebug it?
What happens if I ebug it, or can you not ebug a socketed one.

To be even more clear - you can't ebug anything with sockets period. Ebugging basically takes an eth-unsocketed item (armor) and reapplies an armor bonus (50% i think) when sockets are added through cube.

Once an item has sockets, you cannot add more sockets.