Max block or life for Meteorb PvM rush/mf sorc?

[jhokie]

Max block or life for Meteorb PvM rush/mf sorc?

The eternal question.... I have around 250 saved stat points on my level 65 Meteorb sorc, and I'm tired of dying so easily in Hell, so it's time to make a decision. So far, the only stat points I've committed are str up to around 95 to wear my gear, so I need to decide whether to go max block or pump life. I've decided not to put any in energy shield (if this is a mistake let me know). I have maxed Forb, 10 in CM, plan to have maxed fball, meteor, and fire mastery. And basic utility spells like teleport, static field. I'll be using either full tals for rushing or partial with occy and shako for mfing.

So should I pump the dext or the Vit? I'm probably not going to have access to any huge supply of life scs. The issue is, I would have to use a higher % to block shield than what I'm currently using (sanctuary dragon shield), so is it gonna be worth it for me to pump up the str and dext to have max block with stormshield (or any shield you recommend)? Or should I consider another alternative?

Can any experienced meteorb sorcs please offer their opinion? I know this was touched upon in the recent meteorb guide, and the author advocated max block, but I'm looking for more opinions if possible. Thanks for any responses, I hope to be able to decide when I wake up tomorrow :idea:

 

[QuickShifter]

Hi

I cant say im very experienced but here goes.
After I aquired the tals and stormshield I tested it on my retired meteorb sorc, she was quickly put back to work(from cheerleader to vampireslayer in a second :thumbsup: ).
She had put alot of points into dex to achieve max block with a sigons shield, and she felt too weak even for act1 hell to put any more effort into(Not so with Tals)

Anyway with the Tals set she gets enough vitaly anyway so those points into dex will with blocking act almost as a multiplier to the huge life bonus from tals.

My point is: If you can get enough good gear with high life, like the tal's set and maybe a stormshield go with blocking.
If You dont have good gear go with max vitality.

I feel that first you need enough life to survive a hit in Hell, once this is achieved blocking is more important.

 

[darzog]

I would also recommend going with max block. My first meteorb was max vit and I never was interested so I ended up leaving her on the sidelines, but my new one with max block is doing great. I think block is definitely the way to go. There is only 1 thing that kills me regularly:
- When I switch to MF-switch I go all negative in resist and I recently put up my ravenfrost for a nagel. With negative resist and no ravenfrost, cold enhanced guys kill me when they die and the ring comes out. Otherwise I don't die ever (except maybe to gloams or exploding pygmies).

As for the shield, I got a stormshield but wasn't particularly impressed. I prefer either an upgraded Viscerataunt (72% block, 67 req Str, +1 skills) or an upgraded Moser with 2x PDiamond (65% block, 100 req Str, +63 all res). With the Moser, even with my MF gear my main switch (Wizspike + Moser) I have maxed res in Hell. That with max block makes it very hard to die.

_________________
Darzog

 

[jhokie]

Well, ive gone with max block, it's working well with good resists, but unfortunately I've got the 156 STR, so I'd feel like I wasted it if I didn't stick with Stormshield + pdiamond now :grrr:

 

[Andy2702]

hmm max block is doing fine with me right now

since you only get 2 life per 1 vita, just get some life scs, and u should be set with a fair amount of life and max block.

Good luck!,
Andy

 

[MithrandirX]

I will never make another mf sorc without maxblock / pdiamond ss. The benefits are simply huge. Huge defense, huge blocking, huge dr, huge resists. I wish someone would do the math, but I would bet that equipping a ss on a maxblock sorc negates close to 90% of total damge with resists, 75 ctb, added def and dr.

Every time I see some poser sorc mfing with a lidless is smile and think "noob."

Mith

GOSOXGO!

 

[stratocasterfury]

I will never make another mf sorc without maxblock / pdiamond ss. The benefits are simply huge. Huge defense, huge blocking, huge dr, huge resists. I wish someone would do the math, but I would bet that equipping a ss on a maxblock sorc negates close to 90% of total damge with resists, 75 ctb, added def and dr.

Every time I see some poser sorc mfing with a lidless is smile and think "noob."

Mith

GOSOXGO!

Good sorcs don't need max block.

'nuff said.

And sorcs use Rhyme Grim Shield for mf, dude.

 

[darzog]

I think he meant a Lidless on their main switch for FCR (usually with Wizspike).

_________________
Darzog

 

[melianor]

Good sorcs don't need max block.

'nuff said.

And sorcs use Rhyme Grim Shield for mf, dude.

What kind of statement is that? In PvP for example any "good" Sorc will use a Shield, or die. In PvM, well here it all depends upon your playing style. Vitality all the way works nicely when you are quick and fast at dodgeing, though i want to see that when you are surrounded by multiple groups of Archers.

I think both Vitality and Block are absolutly viable, also including another category which uses no, or nearly close to no life and no max-block, but Energy Shield paired with tons of Mana.

So i would like to hear a detailed explanation about what a "good" Sorc is. Giving information without background is rather fruitless.

 

[jblakely]

I will never make another mf sorc without maxblock / pdiamond ss. The benefits are simply huge. Huge defense, huge blocking, huge dr, huge resists. I wish someone would do the math, but I would bet that equipping a ss on a maxblock sorc negates close to 90% of total damge with resists, 75 ctb, added def and dr.

Every time I see some poser sorc mfing with a lidless is smile and think "noob."

Mith

GOSOXGO!

I agree that I prefer max block to vit sorc. I am not all that fast and always seem to get hit so its nice to block 3/4 of them. However, I am not convinced that SS is the way to go.

I have used SS, uped Viscerataunt, moshers, and Sanctuary troll nest and have found the Sanctuary better for me. Viscerataunt did not have enough resists to max my sorc out and I like full resists in hell. The +1 was a nice bounus to damage but outweighed by the lack of resists. Moshers has resists but little else, I never tried uping it as someone suggested, but it still would offer little other than resists and block. The resists are also kind of over kill with tals since you only need half of them. With storm I was able to max resists, by playing with charms and sockets, but the str requirement really hurts. I would rather use the Sanctuary (resists, good block, and FHR) and use the extra points in vit.

SS has a little better block rate but its big + is DR. What many forget is that you can make up DR with vit. If you look at the points you can save on str that can add up to quite a bit of life even on a sorc. Further, a sorc in general is not melee and will do her best not to get hit. Working on this theory you are investing a lot of points in str for something you will rarely use. DR is more important for melee where it will protect you over and over from multipal hits. Higher life will handle the occational hit and offer more benefits in the long run against elemental attacks and and stuff. In addition, the FHR on the sanctuary (if you can hit next break) may allow you to avoid that next hit. Basically, IMO SS is too expensive in terms of stat points for what it gives you. My current sorc has good block, relatively high life, and reaches 86 FHR allowing her to teleport past most nasties with little trouble.

Jack :drink:

 

[Voice]

I used to not use max block. Then i started playing melee and learned how useful it was. So I started incorporating it in my casters. I will never go back it saves my life so many times in pvp and pvm. True all vit gives more life but when you take a hit you take a hit no chance to block and run/tele away.

IMO I would only make a vitality if it was speifically to duel caster vs. casters. Because then block wouldnt really be that important since you cant block spells. However, only dueling casters ..... boring :lol: . So max block it.

Good Luck in whatever you decide :thumbsup: .

 

[MithrandirX]

Good sorcs don't need max block.

'nuff said.

And sorcs use Rhyme Grim Shield for mf, dude.

That's a silly statement. Sure, you can survive without max block, but I think you will find that most "good sorcs" use it. The original poster indicated that he was interested in PVM / MF, and max block makes both of these areas a hell of alot easier. Take Andy, for example. I used to mf her all the time with my vita sorc, and found that I would sometimes die in the mob of enemies surrounding her. This just doesn't happen with a block sorc. Ever. One of my current mfers has done the Andy, Tunnels, Meph sequence nearly a thousand times without a single death. Another added benefit to the SS block sorc is the fact that she can use the 4xIst monarch on her switch. This also opens up the occy socket for a facet, instead of an ist.

Another thing: tanking meph makes for faster runs than the moat trick, and it is dangerous to tank meph without max block. No teleporting around him is required, either. With my new mephrunner, he goes down in less than five seconds most of the time, and Andy is lucky to survive three seconds. You might also note that SS resists + Tal belt, amy, armor resists will give max cold and lightning res in hell, perfect for meph. Even when you max block with SS, you will have well over 200 vitality by the time you reach level 90. Add in a decent CTA and you are looking at 1.5k life, maxed or near maxed resists, 38% DR, and around 9k defense with merc. That's a TANK, and one with close to 800 mf with the ists on switch. I think it's pretty clear that the ideal MF sorc, with all the elite gear will be using SS.

And, FYI, most mf sorcs use a wizzy and a lidless for teleporting, with an occy/gull/6xister and a rhyme on switch, IIRC.