Diablo 2: The Brother (And Sister)hood of EoFF

[CimminyCricket]

What is impossible?

[Giga Guess]

Okay, I'm looking for an opinion for my Uber build for my sorc (Aside from the fact that I have a LOT of wishful thinking going on...)

Helm: Dream. Decent Res. All (5-20 I believe) and if Lightning Mastery Affects the active aura, all the better.
Armor: Chains of Honor. I have it, and it quite simply can't be beat. Massive Resistance bonus, good skills boost, can't lose!
Shield: Spirit. Pretty much, see above.
Weapon: Heart of the Oak. A whopping +3 all skills and a myriad of sweet bonuses. Plus, as a flail, it can help me out if I need to duke it out (God forbid...)
Boots: Aldur's. Have 'em, but it balances the Fire that Spirit lacks.

Here's where it gets into Wishful thinking:
Belt: The Spider Belt (It's name eludes me) solely for another +1 to skills.
Ammy: Mara's Amulet
Rings: A SoJ and a Bul Kathos (Yeah, right. )

Any suggested tweaks?

[Flying Mullet]

I would dye her hair bright orange and give her a tattoo.

[Giga Guess]

I would dye her hair bright orange and give her a tattoo.

Roxxorz punk sorc!

[Tavrobel]

There will be no Avril Lavigne references in my thread.

Helm should be Shako. Dream does not help Lightning skills at all, since Holys only affect melee damage.

Weapon should be an Eschuta's. It is much better than Hoto, damage-wise. Sorceress don't hit with melee weapons. Ever. And I do mean ever. Same skill bonus (if found properly), and a bonus to damage percentage. By the way, Flails don't actually deal damage once past Normal Act I.

Belt is Arach's.

Both rings should be an SoJ. Bul Kathos is for melee characters only, since Sorceresses don't use Lifesteal or Manasteal.

[Giga Guess]

Does Ecutcha's come in +3?

[Tavrobel]

+1, +2, +3. You really do need to learn your essential items.

+% Damage is for Fire and Lightning, ranging from 10 to 20% for each one separately.

[Giga Guess]

That's not very nice...

But yeah, if it comes in +3, I may have to find one...do I dare ask what they traditionally go for?

[CimminyCricket]

2-3 hrs generally

[Giga Guess]

And a High Rune is Um and up, right?

[Nominus Experse]

What I would use:

HELM

Harlequin Crest Shako

Defense: 98-141 (varies)
Required Level: 62
Required Strength: 50
Durability: 12
+2 To All Skills
+ (1.5 Per Character Level) 1-148 To Life (Based On Character Level)
+ (1.5 Per Character Level) 1-148 To Mana (Based On Character Level)
Damage Reduced By 10%
50% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+2 To All Attributes

OR

Rare circlet with +10-20 FCR, +2/3 Fire/Sorc Skills

To get resists out of the Shako, Um it. The Shako is really quite hard to beat, and the only thing missing from it is the FCR mod.


WEAPON

Eschuta's Temper Eldritch Orb

One-Hand Damage: 18 To 50 (34 Avg)
Required Level: 72
Durability: 30
Base Weapon Speed: [-10]
(Sorceress Only)
+1-3 To Sorceress Skill Levels (varies)
+40% Faster Cast Rate
+10-20% To Fire Skill Damage (varies)
+10-20% To Lightning Skill Damage (varies)
+20-30 To Energy (varies)

If you find one with +3, 20%, 30, you're smurfing lucky, and a killing machine.

BELT

Arachnid Mesh Spiderweb Sash

Defense: 119-138 (varies)(Base Defense: 55-62)
Required Level: 80
Required Strength: 50
Durability: 12
16 Boxes
+90-120% Enhanced Defense (varies)
Slows Target By 10%
+1 To All Skills
+20% Faster Cast Rate
Increases Maximum Mana 5%
Level 3 Venom (11 Charges)

No contest.


Mara's Kaleidoscope Amulet

Required Level: 67
+2 To All Skills
All Resistances +20-30 (varies)
+5 To All Attributes

OR

Rare or Crafted Amulet with FCR, 10-20+% All Res, and +2/3 Fire/Sorc Skills

The only thing that Mara's is missing that can be found elsewhere is a FCR and a higher +skill mod. However, a Crafted or Rare amulet of that type is exceedingly difficult to find.


RINGS

Stone of Jordan Ring

Required Level: 29
+1 To All Skills
Increase Maximum Mana 25%
Adds 1-12 Lightning Damage
+20 To Mana

OR

Rare ring with FCR, Resists, etc...

As Tav pointed out, Sorcs do not generally need life. You will benefit more from increased Mana than Life. The Shako gives you more Life than a BK ring does anyways.

A Rare ring with FCR may mean more damage, since you'll get in more spells of perhaps lesser damage than a slower cast rate of higher damage spells.

But the choice is yours. You don't need to hit the 200% breakpoint, but it's a lovely thing when you do.


SHIELD

Spirit

+2 To All Skills
+25-35% Faster Cast Rate (varies)
+55% Faster Hit Recovery
+250 Defense Vs. Missile
+22 To Vitality
+89-112 To Mana (varies)
Cold Resist +35%
Lightning Resist +35%
Poison Resist +35%
+3-8 Magic Absorb (varies)
Attacker Takes Damage of 14

You need one with +35% FCR. NEED.


ARMOUR

Chains of Honour

+2 To All Skills
+200% Damage To Demons
+100% Damage To Undead
8% Life Stolen Per Hit
+70% Enhanced Defense
+20 To Strength
Replenish Life +7
All Resistances +65
Damage Reduced By 8%
25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

OR

Ormus' Robes Dusk Shroud

Defense: 371-487 (varies)(Base Defense: 361-467)
Required Level: 75
Required Strength: 77
Durability: 20
+10-20 Defense (varies)
+20% Faster Cast Rate
+10-15% To Cold Skill Damage (varies)
+10-15% To Fire Skill Damage (varies)
+10-15% To Lightning Skill Damage (varies)
+3 bonus to a random Sorceress skill (Sorceress Only)*
Regenerate Mana 10-15% (varies)

OR

Skin of the Vipermagi Serpentskin Armor

+120% Enhanced Defense
+1 To All Skills
30% Faster Cast Rate
Magic Damage Reduced By 9-13 (varies)
All Resistances +20-35 (varies)

Ormus' Robes is better than CoH, but only if it has the correct attributes, which is completely variable and up to an insane amount of chance. CoH is much more secure, offers more defense and resists, and is not given to random skills and variables.

Skin of the Vipermagi is a nice armour for sorcs if they are poor, or can afford sacrificing skills and defense for FCR.

BOOTS

Whatever is needed to cover your weak spots (resists, Life, Mana, etc)

The only boots with FCR and resists are... well, they are only rare drops, and they are only fairy tales in all reality.


GLOVES

Magefist Light Gauntlets

Defense: 24-25 (varies)(Base Defense: 9-11)
Required Level: 23
Required Strength: 45
Durability: 18
+20-30% Enhanced Defense (varies)
+10 Defense
+1 To Fire Skills
+20% Faster Cast Rate
Regenerate Mana 25%
Adds 1-6 Fire Damage

Alternatively, a rare set of gloves with +2 Sorc/Fire skills, FCR would be best, but again, such rare items are nigh impossible to find.

At least with this pair of gloves, it's always going to grant you bonuses that you - being a Fire Sorc - can definitely use.

The only thing it's missing is resists/life/defense.


Any Vita/Serpent's Charms, FHR small charms, Shimmering charms, Fire Skillers, etc..


SWITCH

Call to Arms and a Spirit Shield

5 Socket Melee Weapons (Use a flail) *Thanks Tav

+1 To All Skills
+40% Increased Attack Speed
+250-290% Enhanced Damage (varies)
Adds 5-30 Fire Damage
7% Life Stolen Per Hit
+2-6 To Battle Command (varies)
+1-6 To Battle Orders (varies)
+1-4 To Battle Cry (varies)
Prevent Monster Heal
Replenish Life +12
30% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

This makes living in Hell much, much easier, as it grants you and your merc a very large increase in Life and Mana.

Use a crap/any Spirit with the CtA, as you only want the Spirit for the +2 All Skills bonus.

MERC

Infinity/Insight
Fort/CoH
Dream/Delirium/Andy's/Vampire Gaze
Freeze Aura (Nightmare - Defensive)

You need crowd control. Slowing enemies down with a Holy Freeze aura and having a chance to cast Confuse/Mindblast is one of the best methods of doing so. Additionally, having a pulsing damage aura will cause the enemy to initially engage the merc, not you.



With this list, you could end up with quite a number of skills and bonuses to various attributes, but you haven't hit the high FHR or FCR breakpoint. However, you do have a lot of skills, and plenty of resists to survive almost without worry.

But this is only my opinion. I hope it helps.

[Tavrobel]

I have a +2, +17% Lightning. Not quite the +3, but still better than Hoto is. High runes are Um only if the person wants them. Otherwise, disregard it. A good Eschuta's goes for 5 or more.

Nom, I think he's making a Lightning Sorceress. Also, I think Mulley may have an Ormus' Robes that I gave him. The +skills is on Telekinesis, but it's still got +percent damage. Also, CtA is a 5Os Runeword, not 4Os.

Mercs don't need CoH. Their resistance is already high enough with Fortitude. Your merc, however, will benefit the most from Infinity, not Insight as is the case with most spellcasters. This is because all enemies with Lightning Immunity can have it broken in Diablo II, and those enemies with Immunity are not often, either.

Also, his belt and gloves should play the same function as his boots, unless he has Arach's, simply because this is both a popular item, but it has a low supply. However, most will go with Magefist or Teang Oul's for the FCR and resistance on Trang.

Charms should cover whatever it is that you lack, or mass Lightning skillers.

[Giga Guess]

Hmmm...seems pretty sound.

Oh, and all this is for my Fire Sorc, so that's my concern...bringing up the Lightning part just concerns the fact that Lightning is my secondary "survival" skillset.

[Flying Mullet]

Also, I think Mulley may have an Ormus' Robes that I gave him.

Yes, I have an Ormus' Robes collecting dust if GG(or anyone else) needs it.

[Giga Guess]

Iunno...I may have a look at it...but to replace my armor, I'd have to replace a lot of things, as Tal's set will lose a TON of power in doing so.