Meteorb Guide (3rd ed)

[sasja]

Question: You advocate dumping several points into Dex. Personally, I don't really like this as it locks you into the orb/shield builds. I am currently building this sorc and simply investing in life, which seems beneficial. I usually keep the shield for their bonuses rather than for the actual dex. Also, there are several staff's that are actually very good if not better than some orb/shield builds.

Basically, you don't really adress the issue of staffs or two-handed weapons and all and was wondering what your opinion on these was.

Well, my opinion is that for the end game max block is the way to go, and you can't get that without a shield. That's why I don't mention any staves (except Razorswitch for development). While Mang Song's Lesson does have a yummy +5 skills along with -enemy resistance, it won't give you the block, resistance, mana and life which you can get from an orb/shield setup, making your sorceress much more fragile. Which is not worth it imo to make your offense a little more impressive.

This is my first post on these forums. I recently made my first ever sorceress and I used this guide. She just finished nightmare and is moving up to hell. I'm not very rich so I can't afford many, if any, of the top items in your equipment section. I do have Bone Hew, that was given to me. I really have to say great job and thank you for your advice and build.

I'd just like to say that this build is very viable in hardcore. I followed it exactly and used it on a full tal's sorc...and she is basically the most powerful/durable sorc I've ever made. Along with the items this build will work great in hardcore, as long as you have the vitas to back her up. My sorc has 1.9k life/1k mana (cta on switch), full block, ~11k meteor/5k fireball/480 orb. I find that for her purpose (solo baal'ing) I use fireball more than meteor, so I did take the advice to put some in firebolt instead of FM. Anyway, I'd just like to say thanks for the great build, it's gotten me lots of level and items from baal and his friends!

Thank you both :-)
It's always great to hear that the guide has helped people and that you guys like the build! She really works very well in a lot of different settings, just like you demonstrate: untwinked sc and twinked hc both.

edit: re-read it, realized i was reading your explanation incorrectly. ignore this post

Ok - but if you think something could have been explained more clearly, feel free to point it out.

[darzog]

Sasja,

I just wanted to say this is a great guide. I've used it in 2 Meteorb sorcs so far (first one I strayed and after I got to high level i regretted it so I made another one). Not only for Meteorb builds, but it has great information for several other sorc builds and I point people to your guide on a regular basis for answers about Vit vs. Block, What level of CM to use for dual-builds, etc.

Every time I start to answer a question from a sorc, I almost always end up parroting the advice you give in your guide.

____________________
Darzog

[sasja]

Sasja,

I just wanted to say this is a great guide. I've used it in 2 Meteorb sorcs so far (first one I strayed and after I got to high level i regretted it so I made another one). Not only for Meteorb builds, but it has great information for several other sorc builds and I point people to your guide on a regular basis for answers about Vit vs. Block, What level of CM to use for dual-builds, etc.

Every time I start to answer a question from a sorc, I almost always end up parroting the advice you give in your guide.

____________________
Darzog

Thanks a lot for your nice comments - that put a smile on my face

[spunkymonkey]

A few Suggestions:

For me the most dificult time playing a sorceress was the pre-level 24 period. Leveling advice would be nice for people who do not like to be rushed through normal.

Why not invest in Fireball until you qualify for Meteor? You can keep your mana up by quaffing lots of poitions and actually be able to kill some things before they get into melee range.

Its pretty much common knowledge but you might as well point out how effective twinking a Low level sorc (earliest possible is level 12) with the Full Sigons Set and Angelic Ammy/Ringx2/Sword.

[melianor]

A few Suggestions:

For me the most dificult time playing a sorceress was the pre-level 24 period. Leveling advice would be nice for people who do not like to be rushed through normal.

Why not invest in Fireball until you qualify for Meteor? You can keep your mana up by quaffing lots of poitions and actually be able to kill some things before they get into melee range.

Its pretty much common knowledge but you might as well point out how effective twinking a Low level sorc (earliest possible is level 12) with the Full Sigons Set and Angelic Ammy/Ringx2/Sword.

Fireball: Frozen Orb is simply a skill that will obliterate anything until you get to Hell difficulty. That is alone the main reason to max it first and those few points into mastery.

As you said yourself, without the appropiate gear yet you will have to quaff alot of potions if you want to sustain the Fireball.

Also like you said its pretty common knowledge that you can go melee with maxblock until you get lvl24 and there is really no need for spells then, except some utitility spell like Frost Nova to slow monsters down. But thats about it.

My favorite lvlup gear, made completly out of various sets:

Cathan's Mask
Cathan's Ring
Angelic Amulet
Angelic Armor
Angelic Ring
Death's Sword
Death's Gloves
Death's Belt
Hsarus Shield
Hsarus Boots

Death's set just deals some crazy crazy damage. ~80-180 damage, and that at lvl12 already. With the combination of Cathan's, Hsarus and Angelic you will have enough Str and Dex to equip Death's sword at lvl 12, with all the other stuff, by distributing the points to str and dex accordingly at each lvlup.

This setup gets you up to lvl24-30 easily, since you will also have a lifepool of about ~180 and a mana pool of about ~100 Mana, and that at lvl12!!!!, with NO points in Vitality or Energy!
Your AR will be just fine aswell as Angelic and Death set add enough to always have 95% to hit in Normal, until you can wear your casting gear.

Use Frost Nova to slow and kill groups, later GS for freezing. There is no need yet to invest points into the fire tree!

This works for Vita and Max-block builds, though for vita you would have to invest a few point into Dex to equip Death's sword.

I will list the complete bonuses of this combination when i get home and take a look at my current lvl15 Blizzballer build.

The main point in this lvling up gear is Death's set. There is really NOTHING that beats this set at lower lvls!

[sasja]

Thanks for the suggestions, but I really think I have most of them covered. I've quoted the relevant bits of the guide in italics:

A few Suggestions:

For me the most dificult time playing a sorceress was the pre-level 24 period. Leveling advice would be nice for people who do not like to be rushed through normal.

I've given a few pointers on the playing style I recommend (melee, especially if you're not twinking):
From level 6-17 - Strategy: cast Frost Nova to slow monsters, then melee. When you get the rogue mercenary, she will help you finish the chilled packs. When you reach Act 2, get a defensive merc to tank the monsters as well as deliver damage. For Bosses, use Static.
From level 18-23 - Strategy: you can now freeze the monsters with Glacial Spike, if you have the mana for it. Remember to let your mercenary tank for you and use Teleport to position him and get him (and occasionally yourself) out of danger.

Why not invest in Fireball until you qualify for Meteor? You can keep your mana up by quaffing lots of poitions and actually be able to kill some things before they get into melee range.

When you reach level 12, feel free to put some points in Fire Ball - but without being heavily twinked, you won't have the mana pool to keep them going. In other words, if you're twinking, go ahead.

Its pretty much common knowledge but you might as well point out how effective twinking a Low level sorc (earliest possible is level 12) with the Full Sigons Set and Angelic Ammy/Ringx2/Sword.

Before listing all the great sorceress items, let me make some quick comments on twinking your sorceress in the difficult early levels. You'll be meleeing quite a lot, so get a good melee starter setup. Good items include:

• Khalim's Will (no req) - the ultimate starter weapon for any class.
• Hsarus' Defense (level 3) - resists, cannot be frozen, faster run/walk, all available at level 3.
• Isenhart's Armory (level 8) - nice melee starter set
• Sigon's set (level 6 - beware the str req) - shield and boots with one other item (gloves or helm are best) alone will give you +1 skills, 10% life leech, 50% mf. While you melee, gloves, boots and belt can be combined with Isenhart.
• Angelic set (level 12) (+1 skills, mf, mana, life) - the ring/amulet or ring/amulet/armor have nice partial boni.
• Death's set (level 6 - but the str req is steep) - cannot be frozen, ias, resists, life leech, good damage.
• Cathan's ring (level 11) - 6% life leech.
• Bloodfist gloves (level 9) - big life, ias, faster hit recovery.
• Hand of Broc gloves (level 5) - dual leech, mana.
• Hotspur boots (level 5) - big fire resists, life.

If you want to socket your twinking gear, jewels of envy (+20 poison damage, no requirements) are very popular.

[xoddoza]

What would you recomend to put Coh? What base armor?

Great guide. I'm loving my sorc. Just aquireing some good gear.

[melianor]

What would you recomend to put Coh? What base armor?

Great guide. I'm loving my sorc. Just aquireing some good gear.

Any Light Elite armor sounds good to me.
Dusk Shroud looks the best, since its almost as if wearing nothing. If you want to boost the Defense, make CoH into an Archon Plate. I would only take armors that fall into the "light" armor category, since all else slows you down, if you should be running or walking.

[sasja]

What would you recomend to put Coh? What base armor?

Great guide. I'm loving my sorc. Just aquireing some good gear.

Thank you, and congratulations on the new gear

About CoH - listen to Meli

Get a light elite armor which doesn't slow you down and doesn't require a lot of strength. A high defense is nice to have, and will be boosted with 70% from the runeword. Your choices are:

Dusk Shroud 467 (77)
Wyrmhide 470 (84)
Scarab Husk 474 (95)
Wire Fleece 481 (111)
Great Hauberk 501 (118)
Archon Plate 524 (103)

The maximum defense is next to the armor name and the strength requirement in parentheses. As you can see, there isn't the biggest variation in defense (a perfect Archon has 12% more defense than a perfect Dusk Shroud). What you should note is the strength requirement. If you're a Stormshield addict like me, that won't bother you, but still you may want to use your CoH on another char and then a high strength req can be a problem. The Archon Plate has an excellent defense for strength economy, and the Dusk Shroud has the lowest strength requirement. Those are your best choices - Archon if you like more defense, Dusk Shroud if you worry more about the strength requirement (and coolness ).

[xoddoza]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Incidently I am using Stormshield. One of the two I found, so strength really isnt an issue.

I'll probably try to get a Archon Plate 524 (103). If only for the reason it sounds cool :clap:

-Xoddoza