Rebuilding light sorc with max block

[N V]

So it's time to remake my light sorc from fairly early this ladder. She was made before torch and anni so her stat points is kinda screwed up, and since I made here she have recieved a fair amount of equip upgrades. So now I'm just looking for some opinions on how you would make such a sorc. But first I'm going to tell you what my idea of such a sorc is going to be. Please note my resources are limited :rolleyes:

Btw it will no matter how much you try to persuade me otherwise be a max block sorc, and she will reach 117 fcr.

Equipment:

Helm: Griffons - It's selffound and actually the +%dmg/-%res is perf :eek:

Amu: 20 fcr, 15 str, life and res (I think) amu. Don't remember all the mods, but most important was getting one with as much fcr as possible.

Wep: HoTo - made with selffound runes.

Shield: Stormshield - Only choice for a max block sorc imho, but I'm open to suggestions.

Gloves - magefist.

Rings: Soj and natures peace.

Belt: Arach

Boots: Waterwalks or treks.

I havn't looked at the amount of fhr I get from the equipment yet, but I am aiming at 86 fhr. Other than that I will probably shael the stormshield for 5 frame block.

Now you may notice I left out armor in the equipment above. That's because I'm not entirely sure what to use. Atm CoH seems like a very good option since most/all of the other things I need is covered. I have reached 117 fcr, I have a shield for max block, fhr can be made up with charms and only thin really lacking is resist. CoH got loads of it :D (and 8DR on top of it ;)).

So any suggestions? I will be making a cta and keep it on switch with spirit so no use in using a lower req jewel in the SS since I will be needing enough str for a monarch anyway.

Oh and if you wonder my merc is using infinity tresher, vamps gaze and shaftstop. Going to change for andys face and forti in ebuged sacred armor.

[September 28, 1987]

Shield: Stormshield - Only choice for a max block sorc imho, but I'm open to suggestions.

Since Stormshield looks to be your heaviest item strength wise, you could go with Whistans (better block technically) but it lacks a few mods that Stormshield has. (notably resists, DR). But Whistans has a nothing requirement and is affordable.

Now you may notice I left out armor in the equipment above. That's because I'm not entirely sure what to use. Atm CoH seems like a very good option since most/all of the other things I need is covered. I have reached 117 fcr, I have a shield for max block, fhr can be made up with charms and only thin really lacking is resist. CoH got loads of it :D (and 8DR on top of it ;)).

Vipermagi/Ormus are probably the other options but I would probably go with Vipermagi myself. Even though Coh has more skills, resists, DR, a Viper could allow you something better in terms of an Amulet. Maybe a Maras or another craft.

So any suggestions? I will be making a cta and keep it on switch with spirit so no use in using a lower req jewel in the SS since I will be needing enough str for a monarch anyway.


Lidless/Sigons Shield work decent if you decide on a Whistans.

[N V]

Thanks for the suggestion Tom. I'm going to use a stormshield since I found one early in the ladder, just never got around to using it, which means I'm using a spirit shield for prebuff.

As for the armor, I was really looking into using viper/ormus but neither could match what I needed really. Viper doesn't get me to another breakpoint, and adds less res than CoH, while I don't have ormus so that would require trading, and it doesn't offer anything special either. Though both ormus and viper allows for a socket I don't see what to use that on that could make up for a CoH. If only jewels could spawn with fcr, I would make a 200 fcr max block light sorc without even considering any other options^^

Anyway as far as resources go I can (depending on what I make of runewords this/next week) have about 2-3 hrs to spend. I guess I'm more or less set on what to use and want to know if anyone knows how well it works. Perhaps getting some more skillers, since atm my light damage is 22k =/

[safetypro]

Hiya N_V,
I've just built a Lightning Sorc myself though I opted to go the non-block route. Since I am using Spirit, I've found that a Shako actually does more for me than my Griffon's as I don't need 145% FCR.

I agree with your assessment on CoH for the skills and resists. For boots, you would probably be better off with Treks for the FHR. It looks as though you will have a tougher time getting 86% FHR than you will for FCR and Resists.

I'm interested on how your max block lite sorc turns out. I may try that route myself as I am not a big fan of glass cannons. My play style often gets me in trouble situations and I have to retreat and drink purple potions far too often.

Please keep us updated on your new sorc's progress.

[theOG22093]

First, I don't think you should go for a max block build, but if you're that determined:

Sheild:
I like the idea of going with stormsheild monarch, so I recommend going with Eld rune in it, to increase your chance of blocking.

Armor: I'm going to have to go with Tom on this, Vipermagi. This leaves your amulet option wide open for something much better, like maras, or maybe a good sorceress
amulet with 2/resis/strength/dex/life/mana or any usefull mods.

Weapon: HOTO is definetly the item you want to go with here for this build, 3 skills, resis, and the much needed FCR is great.

Boots: Waterwalks over treks simply becuase you need the dexterity.

Rings: Why not a raven in there for the extra dex/cbf?

Well, there you go, hope it helped.

[mephiztophelez]

Rings: Why not a raven in there for the extra dex/cbf?
because CBF is surplus to requirements on a sorc? casting doesn't slow down when you're frozen.

an fcr/dex ring or some +skills rings (if you don't need fcr here) would be a better option.

[N V]

Hiya N_V,
I've just built a Lightning Sorc myself though I opted to go the non-block route. Since I am using Spirit, I've found that a Shako actually does more for me than my Griffon's as I don't need 145% FCR.

For me the fcr is much Needed on Griffon since I decided to go with CoH over Vipermagi for the Single purpose of getting resist. My fire res is still down in +53 or something in hell, though everything else is maxed. No room Unless I get another griffon and socket something in it for some +max res (Lo?), and Only way to stack res is to get rid of skillers and get resist charms instead. But for PvM she is doing great (more details at the end of the post).


I agree with your assessment on CoH for the skills and resists. For boots, you would probably be better off with Treks for the FHR. It looks as though you will have a tougher time getting 86% FHR than you will for FCR and Resists.

I went with treks, but Since I forgot about dex for one lvl I'm now at 74% chance to block with 15 stat points saved, though those stat points are for when I craft a better amu than the one I have which grants 15 str. Relying on getting a craft with 17%+ fcr, 15 str, skills, dex, life and some res is a bit too much to hope for. By saving those 15 stat points I have a lot lower requirements for the next amu I get.


I'm interested on how your max block lite sorc turns out. I may try that route myself as I am not a big fan of glass cannons. My play style often gets me in trouble situations and I have to retreat and drink purple potions far too often.

To give an example of how effective it turned out. I can stand in a non minon pack of cows, and I do mean a pack of like 25+ cows for several seconds before having to worry about poping a big red or tele out. It saves me vs almost any melee chars except the most nastiest mods, but so far I havn't been up against it, and I'm confident that with 105 fcr I can tele away from that too before it gets dangerous.


Please keep us updated on your new sorc's progress.

Update to follow ;)

First, I don't think you should go for a max block build, but if you're that determined:

Yup I am =]


Sheild:
I like the idea of going with stormsheild monarch, so I recommend going with Eld rune in it, to increase your chance of blocking.

I went with Shael for the 1 frame faster blocking, but I'm not sure how effective it is. I'm considering using a 7 fhr, +dex jewel with perhaps some other mods since I'm hard pressed for fhr and I need dex because of the minor mistake I made (explained above).


Armor: I'm going to have to go with Tom on this, Vipermagi. This leaves your amulet option wide open for something much better, like maras, or maybe a good sorceress
amulet with 2/resis/strength/dex/life/mana or any usefull mods.

But it will also leave me with ~50 all res in hell except for fire which would drop down to close too 0, And since I can reach 117 fcr, max block and use CoH which grants 1 more skill, more res and 8 DR It is far superiour for my setup imho.


Weapon: HOTO is definetly the item you want to go with here for this build, 3 skills, resis, and the much needed FCR is great.

Exactly why I chose it over eschuttas. Survivability over damage.


Boots: Waterwalks over treks simply becuase you need the dexterity.

I use Treks atm, and are far from reaching the 86 fhr bp, because as of now that's my only source of fhr alongside 1 Fhr skiller, and I can definately feel that. Besides I don't need that dex so badly. Atm even with 84% block I have 1,3k life without a singel life skiller.


Rings: Why not a raven in there for the extra dex/cbf?

The extra def would be nice, but the cbf is useless on a sorc, or at least my sorc. I don't walk, I tele :rolleyes:


Well, there you go, hope it helped.

The input sure made me think about other possibilities if I sometime decide on a remake, and since I got more wealth to spend on the build from the start on, it can be improved even more, though she is allready very strong.

because CBF is surplus to requirements on a sorc? casting doesn't slow down when you're frozen.

an fcr/dex ring or some +skills rings (if you don't need fcr here) would be a better option.

A nice fcr/dex ring would indeed be a good option, but the extra dex and fcr is not really needed for this build with the setup I use, and as of such an extra SoJ or Bk would be far better since at my lvl it adds roughly 2k more damage.


Full stats on equip going from my memory here:

Helm: Griffons with 5/5 facet lvl (+20/-25 (Yea... it's selffound too))
Amulet: Crafted caster amu with 20 fcr, 15 str, some regen mana (4% I think), 14 mana and 34% cold res.
Weapon: Selfmade legit Hoto (35@)
Armor: CoH
Shield: Stormshield with Shael
Gloves: Magefist though considering Trangs for the added cold res.
Boots: Treks
Ring 1: SoJ
Ring 2 (PvM): Natures for running nilha
Ring 2 (PvP): SoJ

Inven: 8 Light skillers (1 with fhr), Torch (don't remember stats), Anni (again don't remember stats), Some scs with useless mods.

Stats:

Str:184 I think (154 for SS and and +30 from SS)
Vit: Every spare point I have. 77x life before bo, 1,3k after
Dex: Enough for max block, though atm it's "only" 74%
Energy: Base... Duh. Got 6xx mana after bo

Max block, 43% DR, 1,3k life, 6xx mana, atm 20 fhr, but will hit 86% exactly when done and somewhere around 5-6k def.

Now some damage numbers =P

Lightning: 35k with Natures, 37k with SoJ, with the last skiller it's 39/40k (not sure yet), and if I switch for spirit against casters (never done it before but is possible in pvp ofc) I am sitting at around 41/42k dmg.

Nova: Don't remember exactly, but I'm guessing in the 2,4-3k range.

Charged bolt: 600-700 per bolt releasing 24 bolts (excelent for bosses).

Thunderstorm: Don't remember exactly this either, but it's in the 1,2-1,6k range I think.


In duels agains't melee chars she does excelent. Most sorces get's killed within seconds by charging palas or teleporting barbs, but I can sometimes tank up to 5-8 wws before getting hit at all or even get below half life. Charging palas usually hit 10+ times before landing a hit, and when they do it doesn't hurt as much as they want to (unless it's someone with extremely good equip). I have also taken down an max res absing smiter who charged me with grief. The char was designed for doing ubers.

Yesterday I just reached 94 with here, and going for 95 before I'm done. All synergies and main skills is maxed if I'm not misstaken so at 95 I get a cold armor which will help my defense even more.

I think I can safely say the character is a huge success, and as long as my infinity merc is with my, rarely anything is alive more than a few seconds. I have sucessfully run a 8 player chaos game where I was the only one killing, and baal runs are usually very fast with this sorc. I once tried running chaos with a friend of mine also sporting a light sorc. We did chaos faster then I have ever seen a hammer do with exception of one spawned ghost that was light immune and phys immune with no other char in the game to take it down. =)

Edit: I would also want to thank a very good friend of mine Jono (co-owner and webmaster of VoE) that made an incredibly good and detailed guide on how to make a light sorc, and that inspired me to make one. Thanks and keek up the good work =)