Introduction
Hi, I'm from the European realm and I've been
posting on the diabloii.net pvp forum
since the beginning of 2001. And on the d2r forum since about July 2001. Most
of you on Europe know me by the name Noz. I'm writing this guide mainly for
those people who do not know how to build a sorceress in the diablo2 expansion
and maybe there will be some new ideas for the regulars on these boards. This
Sorceress will be a Frozen Orb/Thunderstorm Sorceress. Many of you will by now
think: "oh great, another cookie-cutter sorc". Maybe it is a cookie
cutter yes. But a lot of people do not know how to do the build right and they
forget about the basics of a good pvp sorceress. This guide is created for the
more advanced player who has access to most mid lvl unique/set items and also
one of the elite uniques. You can get these items easy by doing mephisto magic
find runs and some trading. General knowledge about PvP and the game itself is
also needed.
History
During 1.06 the sorceress was often proclaimed as
being the best dueling class. With enough skills from the dueler who controls
the sorceress she didn't have much resistance except from bowazons. When the
expansion came out this all changed. A lot of skills were nerfed and others
were upgraded. Many people said that the cheap-ass dueler now would be a sorc
with max thunderstorm and lightning mastery. This did insane dmg to any class
without the proper items. However, during 1.09 most people got the equipment to
nullify thunderstorm and the other most popular sorceress pvp skill: frozen
orb. These items are: Thundergods Vigor (unique war belt), Guardian Angel
(unique Templar Coat), Blackhorns Face (unique deathmask), Raven Frost (unique
ring), Snowclash (unique battle belt), Blackoak Shield (unique Luna). Right now
these items are here and a Sorc cannot inflict any damage to another character.
Fire spells are not very viable pvp spells and can also be very easy negated
with several items. However, if you find a good dueler, he/she will most likely
reduce the amount of absorb items he uses. Like, they will use only 1 raven
frost. Some people however do not care about it and will use any item to just
win. These people are not worth dueling and just don't duel them. Don't blame them
however for totally resisting thunderstorm. This skill is so easy to use and
does huge damage without enough resist. Thunderstorm is more something to force
people to use those items that resist it. They could use a lot better gear if
you didn't have TS. Opponents with 75% lightning resist still take some nice
damage from it. It's not much, but everything helps. In FFA games most people
will use physical reduce items and therefore they will not have a lot of absorb
items. This way you always pretty much own the open dueling games if you got
enough skill.
Equipment
There will most likely be some unexpected items in
this list. Here they are:
Equipment vs physical dmg classes
- Harlequins crest, both v 1.08 and v 1.09 are very
good. Since 1.08 costs a million SOJ's, get the 1.09 version which is also very
good.
- 2 Stones of Jordan
- Crafted fast cast belt with at least 3% fast cast or 1 less soj and replace
it with a 10% faster cast ring or fast cast amu.
- Frostburn
- Rare boots with low strength req., good things to look for: fastest hit
recovery, mana, life, strength, dexterity.
- Whitstans guard set shield, now this is most likely unexpected. This shield
gives 80% block on a sorceress. This is A LOT! All the other classes suffer a
lot from the blocking nerf that makes blocking 1/3 while running. The sorceress
however never has to run because she only uses teleport to move around. With
this shield you will however need dexterity to max your blocking. I'll discuss
this later.
- Tal rasha's amulet, if you have a good amulet with +2 sorceress skills and
10% faster cast rate you can use this and ditch the fast cast belt.
- Vipermagi armor v 1.09
- Oculus v 1.09
- 2 charms with +1 lightning skills
- various charms with life/mana
The reasons why I chose this setup:
The current way cast rate works on a sorc is like
this: 11 fps fast cast rate with 35%+ fast cast rate, 10 fps with 63%+ fast
cast rate and 9 fps fast cast rate with 105%+ fast cast rate. I think that with
10 fps fast cast rate and the 800x600 resolution you will have enough fast cast
rate to maneuver without getting hit. This setup gives you at least 63% fast
cast up to 75% (with 1.08 crafted belt). Getting to 105% faster cast rate is an
option, but then you will have to ditch the oculus and the frostburn for a
suicide branch/wizardspike + magefist. This way you will loose a lot of skill
points and mana. You will also need a 1.08 fast cast belt with at least 15%
fast cast or use fast cast jewelry. This will nerf your skill points/mana even
more for only 1 fps faster cast rate. So I don't advice this.
This setup also offers you: +10 to all skills, 75%
block with 40% faster block rate, nice resist vs elemental charms and A LOT of
mana. A lot of sorces think that a lot of mana is not needed anymore since the
sorceress frozen orb is on a timer now and that it costs a lot less mana.
WRONG! Teleport's mana cost has gone up a lot and with a good lvl energy shield
your mana drops down VERY fast if you get hit!
My current stats with this equip now at lvl 88: 14xx
life, 14xx mana, 58% block, this is because I thought that 11 fps cast was
enough and that I didn't need the cast speed of vipermagi (I used twitchtroe
for it's +20% block), I was wrong! Now I'll have to lvl myself up a bit more to
get 75% block and socket my vipermagi/whistans with some jewel/rune/gem that
adds dex. Don't let this happen to you!. I also got: high lvl
thunderstorm/light mastery, high lvl orb, about 55%~ energy shield.
Why block and not physical resist items?
- Whistants gives 40% faster block rate, so this
will have the same effect as faster hit recovery.
- Physical resist items are more expensive.
- With string of ears, shafstop, vampire gaze and stormshield you will not have
a lot of +skills and neither a lot of fast cast. Since physical resist is
capped at 75% it will do the same as blocking. Maybe you suggest that you can
use stormshield to block but I find that a bad choice because you will need WAY
more dex then if you would use whitstans guard. Stormshield also requires 156
strength.
- If a physical dmg class sees that you use absorb items (physical resist),
what would stop him from using elemental absorb items?
- You can keep your strength very low. Only 60 strength is needed because of
frostburn.
- These are the reasons why I would choose for block in stead of physical
resist because they both do the same thing. They both reduce physical damage by
75%.
Why block?, you could spend all those points in
vit!
- With block you get hit about 75% less. This
basically is 4 times as much life.
- Your opponent cannot leech from you when you block.
What to socket in your items? In harlequins you can
socket a perfect emerald for dex but a perfect ruby would be better. A +10 dex
bonus gives 20 life, if you compare it, 38 life from a perfect ruby would then
be better. You could also socket a rune/jewel which gives resist. In your
oculus I would put a resist jewel or rune. In whistans a shael rune for faster
block rate or a rune/jewel with dexterity because a ruby gives fire resist. I
don't know if 60% faster block rate really blocks faster than 40% faster block
rate so I don't really know what to put in this. In the vipermagi the same
story as the harlequins.
Equipment vs elemental/magic dmg classes
The same as with the physical dmg classes but switch
the whistans for a lidless wall v1.09. This shield gives a nice skill bonus and
some mana. I would not really know what to use else... Maybe you can use 1.08
Chromatic ire for a nice bonus to life (you still have 10 fps fast cast this
way) or use the orb/shield combo with magefist + fast cast jewelry to achieve 9
fps fast cast.
Use charms to max your resist. Don't use elemental
absorb items because this way your opponent will also use this and then you
cannot damage each other (in sorc vs sorc, necromancer is other story). I don't
know about elemental druids, never dueled one. Vs assa's just use the
anti-physic stuff with 75% light res. Against FoH pala's get as many lightning
resist as possible and use the block gear, he might just try a sneaky charge.
Skill points
This will be the easy part. I found that this is the
most effective:
- 20 frozen orb
- 20 thunderstorm
- 20 lighting mastery
- 20~ cold mastery with items. This way you have about 85% piercing. This will
do. No class will ever get 400+ cold resist without severely crippling their
total equipment.
- 20~ warmth with items. I see no need to put more in this with the huge mana
pool that you have.
- Energy shield until you have about 55% with items, for me lvl 1 ES base was
enough.
- All the prerequisites
This way you will be done at the early lvl 80's.
After this point I really don't know where to put my points in. I just put them
in nova now to so that I can PvM my way up easier.
Why orb?
Orb is easy to aim. Does good damage and is almost
not resistible. It's also pretty easy to hit with orb because it spreOrb is
easy to aim. Does good damage and is almost not resistible. It's also pretty
easy to hit with orb because it spreads out to fill the entire screen.
Why thunderstorm?
Thunderstorm is a passive, it's auto hitting and
strikes about 1 time every second. It does huge damage when it's not resisted
and to resist it people have to give up other gear. This way you force them to
use +max resist items. This skill really rocks vs all classes but other sorces.
I'll explain why later.
Why no static field?
Static field's range has been severely crippled. The
damage in pvp changed to 1/4 and with some magic damage reduction and some max
light res items this skill is completely nullified.
Stat Points
60 strength - for Frostburn
100 energy - I think this will be enough, more is
not needed because of the huge +mana items and +max mana items you got. I think
I could go with less energy, but 100 is nice to have.
enough dex for 75% block, this is about 160~170 at
lvl 80 I think. If you would put these points in vit you would gain an extra
250~ life. Not much compared to 75% block. Just put a point in dex when you see
it go to 74%. That way you will never waste to much points in dex.
rest in vitality - more life = you need more hits to
be killed
Where to lvl up
1-15 get an act2 merc ASAP with the help of a friend
and lvl in act1 till lvl 15.
15-20 your merc should be strong enough now to clear
the sewers and do act2.
20 get a friend to help you till act5 and kill the
ancients, you now are lvl 25.
25-30 leech some, pretend that you kill something
with blizzard or maybe you can even kill with blizzard.
30-42/43 orb owns in normal, so just orb till you're
lvl 42/43, this is really fast.
42/43 kill Baal, let a friend help you till act5 nm
ancients, kill them. Now you're lvl 47~.
47-6x do some bloody runs etc. Orb still owns all.
6x-99 after killing Baal nm let a friend help you
till act5 and kill the ancients whenever you want. Just leech a bit, do some
cow lvl runs with some friends etc.
Matchups
These matchups will be from easy till hard. First of
all: Don't teleport in the same pattern all the time. They might
"read" your pattern and know where you will be next. Always change
your teleport pattern.
Easy matchups
Sorc vs wolf/bear druid
Teleport around them, lay orbs, let TS hit, just
don't be stupid and get hit by fury, you will most likely survive a fury
because of your block. That's all.
Sorc vs charge/smite pala
Teleport around them, orb them, let TS hit, when
pala charge-locked you tp over a house/wall whatever. His charge isn't
connected to you anymore now.
Sorc vs dragon flight assassin: You block about all
the assassins hits, just orb in front of you and teleport in your own orb. The
assassin will follow you with dragon flight, you will block and she gets hit by
orb/TS. Rinse and repeat.
Sorc vs trap assassin
Just tp around the assa. It's very hard for her to
mind blast lock you and you just keep teleporting around her and lay some orbs
etc. Lightning sentries do not do enough damage to stun you so don't worry
about that, just stay away from her mind blast.
Sorc vs nova sorc
This sorc cannot really hit you, every time she
tries to nova, you are already gone. Just orb trap this sorc and orb when you
see her nova because when she casts nova, she cannot teleport away. You
shouldn't have a lot of problems with this one.
Average matchups
Sorc vs necro
Teleport around the necro, watch out for bone
spirits cause these things hurt! Orb only when spirits are not to close. Don't
be a fool and teleport straight in a line of bone spirits coming from the back
of the necro. If you see him use poison nova, easy, use death's hand set
gloves. When you got enough teleporting skills, this will be an easy one.
Sorc vs fire sorc
Pretty much the same as the nova sorc, just let her
cast her spells without her hitting you and get max fire resist. Orb trap and
this one isn't that hard.
Sorc vs whirlwind barbarian
Barbs were very easy in 1.06 due to static field.
However this has changed a bit. A very speedy barb is hard to orb and with his
huge life he can take a lot of hits. His whirlwind will most likely not kill
you in 1 whirlwind. But if he has a lot of damage and good attack speed he can
in 2. So watch out for this one. He just might surprise you. It's not a shame
to loose vs a barbarian anymore with a sorc.
Hard matchups
Sorc vs FoH pala
Try to orb the pala and get out ASAP, don't let him
hit you when conviction is on you. If you are fast enough you can orb him
without being blasted by conv + FoH. Conviction takes some time to settle on
you so if you are fast you can get out fast enough. He might hit you with FoH
though, but FoH does almost no damage if you have no conviction on you. Don't
trade blows with this pala, you will loose!
Sorc vs other orb-sorc
Try to orb trap the other sorc, read her teleport
pattern, orb where you think she will be next. Don't try to trade blows. This
is kind of stupid because it's just about who has more life/mana. Now why you
shouldn't use max light res items: when trying to orb trap the other sorc you
will almost never be close enough and long enough next to the sorc for
thunderstorm to strike. This way it's pretty much useless to use max light res
items. Don't go all defensive. Try to make sneak teleports in and surprise the
sorc with an orb. Don't let this happen to you. Try to mix
aggressive/defensive. If you score more hits than your opponent, you ehm...
win.
Sorc vs Bowazon
Vs the average zon you will have a big chance
because the Amazon is the most played pvp class because it's the most easy one
to use and therefore most newbies/idiot's will choose the Amazon. They think
they own all with there physical resist gear and buriza bow. Most of the time
these "barbazons" are very easy to kill. There are however good
ama's. This is what you do vs them:
Bowazons have always since 1.04 been the answer to
the sorceress. With their fast moving, hard hitting guided arrows and the huge
spread of multishot they have the largest chance to win vs the sorceress.
Currently with the pierce bug you have very low chance vs a bowazon. The arrow
will just hit you or you block it but it will come back and hit you again and
this might be 4 times after the arrow initially hit you. If you find a bowazon
that doesn't abuse this bug then you have a very much bigger chance. How to
maneuver: teleport around the Amazon, orb when arrows are not to close. Do a
fast run past the Amazon so that thunderstorm will strike. Always teleport in
different ways. Do not always teleport in the same way, if you do, then the
Amazon might "read" your teleport pattern and have arrows waiting for
you where you will be next. If you see something like 6+ guided's on your tail,
teleport away from the Amazon and let them crash in a wall or house. That much
arrows might kill you in 0.1 seconds. So don't risk it! The most dangerous
things an Amazon has vs you in order of importance: a very fast attack speed,
pierce, a high dmg bow, life leech.
