FO/ES build(or whatever you'll call it)

[Notropon]

I've been reading this forum for quite some time now, and finally i made an account.

I was thinking about making a FO/ES build(with a lot of inspiration from Jell-O, Zarhrezz and soepgroente, thanks guys!)

20 tk
20 es
20 FO
20 warmth
1 teleport
1 SF
1 shiver armor
8 pre
17 in LM(with items!!)
rest in icebolts

Stats:
more less, only str and dex to armor reg.
vit base
and energy everything else

Is this the correct build?
Wouldn't it have a hard time, before the energy shield works?
I see myself in lvl 17 act 2, with 10 life and 1000 useless mana.
What should i max out first? FO? or should i concentrait on getting the ES working?

This is not a thread about, wether I should use ES or not.

[[FLS]prozerran]

I've been reading this forum for quite some time now, and finally i made an account.

I was thinking about making a FO/ES build(with a lot of inspiration from Jell-O, Zarhrezz and soepgroente, thanks guys!)

20 tk
20 es
20 FO
20 warmth
1 teleport
1 SF
1 shiver armor
8 pre
17 in LM(with items!!)
rest in icebolts

Stats:
more less, only str and dex to armor reg.
vit base
and energy everything else

Is this the correct build?
Wouldn't it have a hard time, before the energy shield works?
I see myself in lvl 17 act 2, with 10 life and 1000 useless mana.
What should i max out first? FO? or should i concentrait on getting the ES working?

This is not a thread about, wether I should use ES or not.

I hope you mean CM
Also with that build you cannot afford to put any more points into icebolt because it already requires >100 sp

[Notropon]

I hope you mean CM
Also with that build you cannot afford to put any more points into icebolt because it already requires >100 sp

yeah, I mean CM

[Zarhrezz]

This guide I wrote might help you get started...it's still a draft, I need to get to writing up the final version sometime I guess, but I have exams atm.
The first 20-30 levels is pretty much just pre's and TK.
I have 2 ES sorcs, one using CL alongside FO, the other exclusive FO (Meph runner...who happens to be quite capable of running Baal).
The CL/FO version has 20 TK/ES/FO/CL, 1 in all cold and lightning skills, 1 Warmth (level 86).
The FO/CM version has 20 TK/ES/FO, 17 CM, 10 Warmth, 1 pre's/FA/FM (level 87). The point in FM is to boost the Meteor damage from +3 Meteor Leaf switch staff a bit (that switch is only used during Baal runs, to help clear the CI skeletons).
What I did for low levels is first get strength up to 65, then all energy, then stength 111 at level 85 for gladiator's Bane (bit lower for the FO/CM version, that's a mf setup needing only 97 strength). The relatively high strength at low levels gives a good armor selection to choose from, get some life that way and pick up the biggest 2-handed axe you can find. Once you hit level 24 and get ES tanking will become easier, then at level 30 FO kicks in and killing is easy untill end of nightmare. By the end of nightmare, you should have max TK, max ES and max FO and be underway to round out the build.

Note that 20 Warmth isn't too useful. Gear will give a great deal of faster regen, and due to how regen per second is calculated, there is a form of diminishing return in faster mana regen, and thus in warmth. Warmth is the skill to sink spare points into. Ice Bolt isn't worth it as synergy to me, I wouldn't spend my points there, but that's my personal opinion...I feel the points can be spend better elsewhere.

[Notropon]

Note that 20 Warmth isn't too useful. Gear will give a great deal of faster regen, and due to how regen per second is calculated, there is a form of diminishing return in faster mana regen, and thus in warmth. Warmth is the skill to sink spare points into. Ice Bolt isn't worth it as synergy to me, I wouldn't spend my points there, but that's my personal opinion...I feel the points can be spend better elsewhere.

so if i shouldn't spend them in warmth or ice bolt. then where should they go?

[[FLS]prozerran]

so if i shouldn't spend them in warmth or ice bolt. then where should they go?

max CM since it's your only form of attack anyways.

Other then that static/teleport is a good choice too, especially if your gear has fast cast.

[chubbypuppy]

Hmm, how about this set up, total pts 101.

Cold - 65 pts
prereqs
1 Cold armor
20 ice bolt
20 orb
20 CM

Lightning - 35
prereqs
1 static
20 telekinesis
10 ES

Fire - 1 pt
1 Warmth

The reason I suggest this set up is that assuming you have +10 skills (pretty easy with twinked guys), ES is already level 20 and absorbs 75%. Each point after that just adds 1% of absorbion. The 20 pts in ice bolt adds 40% to your orb damage, which is quite a bit actually (it goes from 415-435 to 569-597).

BTW I've been trying to abvocate the use of TK against immunes. It seems to work really well against most monsters, knocking them back and letting the merc kick their butt. I've watched my merc dance with an ice immune forever, then when I start TKing the thing just dies. I don't know why. It also doesn't seem to work on all monsters though. Does anyone know?

Just something to think about

[Notropon]

Note that 20 Warmth isn't too useful. Gear will give a great deal of faster regen, and due to how regen per second is calculated, there is a form of diminishing return in faster mana regen, and thus in warmth.

there is a form of diminishing return in faster mana regen?
can anybody explain this to me, with some digits?
thx

[wind]

I see myself in lvl 17 act 2, with 10 life and 1000 useless mana.
What should i max out first? FO? or should i concentrait on getting the ES working?

This is not a thread about, wether I should use ES or not.

I would believe just about any type of sorc build will suffer through lower levels as a lame horse. You'll just have to struggle through them.

I would max out FO and some in CM mainly because it will make it much easier through NM and to a certain degree Hell.

You didn't mention about using a merc however. The number one focus should be on strengthening your merc because he'll take away monster attention from yourself. Basically your merc should be telling you when you're in trouble by his health bar, long before you see problems with yours.

[Stasis-]

anyone think i can get by with a fo/es build like that with a little less energy? i play hardcore and wanna run hell bosses (andy/meph/pindle) and i wanna be sure i stay alive