Optimum Gear question for some builds I want to try

[Pyrotechnician]

You can check out zaph's write up, he had maxed out res all around:
http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?846913-Matriarch-Dacey-Dual-dream-Bearsorc-(-and-sorceress-sept-complete-)

That's getting res from the dreams, um in GA, a pair of nice rare boots, maras, and a whole ton of charms.

I use this to help me with breakpoints and such for making weapon decisions for zeal breakpoints:

http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?495478-Break-Points-and-Formula-s

Pretty much if you are going the non-bear variety, you are limited in what you choose for a weapon. If you make passion in phase blade you can hit the 10/7 zeal breakpoint. If you go with anything else and just use a normal attack, the best you can do is 10 frames for a 1-hander. I think I remember reading somewhere someone having success using the vengance on kingslayer, but I don't know where the thread is at this moment and I don't think they used a dual dream setup and went with a big 2-hander.

The shael/eth pb, as well as the griz caddy are solely for use with a bear sorc (The phase blade can hit 4 fpa, the caddy can reach 5 fpa with slightly higher physical damage). Grief I think can reach 6 fpa with bear form (Don't quote me on this, might only be 7), but has much higher physical damage obviously. If you don't want to use bear form, or zeal, go with Cresent moon, the -elr will help significantly.

 

[pharphis]

^Hmm.. I wonder how a min-dmg vengeance sorc could pan out... Probably not comparable to the paladin but i'd like to see WoRG's stuff moved onto a sorc

 

[Pyrotechnician]

Not to derail the thread but it could probably work out, I'm a bit to lazy to do a mock up, but you would have to consider the following factors:

Paladin
Conviction that can be brought all the way up to level 25
Vengance that can be maxed with higher base damage weapon
Synergies (10% damage each from single resistance auras, 2% all from salvation)

Sorc
Conviction only available through merc capped at level 12
Vengance limited to level 1 +skills and lower base damage weapon
Synergies (Fire and Lightning mastery, Fire initial 30% + 7% per level, Lightning initial 50% + 12% per level, Cold would be meh past one point)
Enchant Bonus

The major question is if the Fire/Light mastery applies to vengance twice like they do for Enchant, I think it would since it is a skill, but I'm not sure if it does because enchant is flat damage added where as vengance is %s of weapon damage.

Might end up comprable if that's the case.

 

[RobbyD]

You can check out zaph's write up, he had maxed out res all around:
http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?846913-Matriarch-Dacey-Dual-dream-Bearsorc-(-and-sorceress-sept-complete-)

That's getting res from the dreams, um in GA, a pair of nice rare boots, maras, and a whole ton of charms.

I use this to help me with breakpoints and such for making weapon decisions for zeal breakpoints:

http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?495478-Break-Points-and-Formula-s

Pretty much if you are going the non-bear variety, you are limited in what you choose for a weapon. If you make passion in phase blade you can hit the 10/7 zeal breakpoint. If you go with anything else and just use a normal attack, the best you can do is 10 frames for a 1-hander. I think I remember reading somewhere someone having success using the vengance on kingslayer, but I don't know where the thread is at this moment and I don't think they used a dual dream setup and went with a big 2-hander.

The shael/eth pb, as well as the griz caddy are solely for use with a bear sorc (The phase blade can hit 4 fpa, the caddy can reach 5 fpa with slightly higher physical damage). Grief I think can reach 6 fpa with bear form (Don't quote me on this, might only be 7), but has much higher physical damage obviously. If you don't want to use bear form, or zeal, go with Cresent moon, the -elr will help significantly.

Thanks for the links - it looks like I'll need 50%IAS then for the fastest (relative) attack - 20% on CM, 20% on gloves (which I hope to be 1.07 LoH) - so that leaves 10% needed from JoF, belt, or ammy. I can't see going with any other belt than TGod's (that with 1.07 LoH takes care of Fire and Lightning, plus the 20STR will really help for the Arkaine's reqs), so it looks like I'll either need HW as the Ammy or a JoF in the Armor (though I really wanted a Jewel of Freedom).

Going through my stashes, my best Freedom jewel to socket in my (yet-to-be-obtained) Arkaine's:

Death Talisman
Jewel
Required Level: 24
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 75
Fingerprint: 0x2e6287a7
GUID: 0xffffffff 0xdeadbeef 0x0
+4 to Strength
+23 Defense
Lightning Resist +30%
Requirements -15%

(The "GUID: 0xffffffff 0xdeadbeef 0x0" comes from using ATS to convert a 1.10a item to 1.10s - this apparently came from my 1.10a Andy running)

A Fervor jewel will allow Mara's (I have a [email protected] in 1.09), but require ~25 more STR. My best res JoF would be:

Sapphire Jewel of Fervor
Required Level: 31
Unidentified
Item Version: Expansion
Item Level: 76
Fingerprint: 0x9acc7fee
Cold Resist +30%
15% Increased Attack Speed

Once I actually find 1.07 LoH and Arkaine's (and Skullder's), I guess I can plan further. My 1.07 Sorc is working her way through NM Act 2, so I have a ways to go.


************************************************

Actually, getting resists still confounds me. The more I think about it, the more I think maybe Albatross' Stardust build (Dream Hat, SS) might be the way to go. Give up a lot of HS damage, but gain the real ability to tank. Plus that 30%LR/-15%req Jewel would look pretty nice in a SS and allow for the 30%CR/Fervor jewel in the Arkaine's. The only big difference would be the CS PB instead of the Azurewrath.

Going pure Dual Dream, I think I would need to go CoH and be "the Bear".

I really like Albatross' character though - and I think a beta CM would make it shine even more.

 

[Pyrotechnician]

That Albatross write up is really stylish. Might have to try that if I get rich sometime soon.

I at one point made myself a Dream Bear Sorc variant (note still on the realms because wealth was unlimted there) that used the following setup just because I could and I wanted to amplify the physical damage portion of the build:

Grief
Dream Helm
Phoenix Shield
COH armor
Rare gloves with 20 ias or LOH
HLW Ammy
Tgods
RavenFrost/SOJ
Boots might have been gores...or treks for fhr, don't remember.
Beast on switch

I thought that was pretty neat and would do it again, but the phoenix shield is just way to much runewealth for SP, let alone the rest of it, especially in HC.

The thing to note about this is the same thing you are considering doing, I gave up the second dream (shield) in order to gain other benefits, in my case it was for physical damage/redemption/fire damage, in yours it would be for res/blocking/DR%.

Still though, the concept is the same, you have to be ready to give up 15k+ lightning damage by switching out your shield and you have to weigh out if its worth it.

If Res is really what your worried about, using a whole slew of res charms instead of sorc lightning skillers will still produce substantially more damage than giving up the second dream and then having more charm room. If the SS is more about DR% and blocking then it may well be worth the switch, especially since 30k+ damage in a single hit is pretty much overkill anyway.

 

[RobbyD]

The trouble is that I would not really be able to benefit from that fabulous 30LR/-15%reqs charm, because I would lose the benefits of gaining the +30 +4 STR of that in a SS on BO switch with beta CtA and Spirit (need the 156 for Spirit +2 skills and 165 for AV +2 skills), which is really heartbreaking. That's 39 stat points I lose if I want CtA/Spirit for BO switch.

Still, I do think that balance that Albatross struck is a good one. I have time to consider, though, since my 1.07 Sorc is still working her way through NM and has a lot of stuff left to find.

 

[Pyrotechnician]

Couldn't you just flip which item the jewels are going into? Or am I just not thinking things through? That would make your highest strength item the spirit monarch. You wouldn't lose as many stat points, but you still wouldn't be able to use it to its full extent right.

 

[RobbyD]

Hmm... Yes, that's more elegant - and would work. Just - putting a 30%CR jewel in a SS makes its already ridiculously imbalanced resists even more imbalanced. That LR/Freedom Jewel is just so perfect for a SS - it's a pity I can't make it work with this build.

 

[Pyrotechnician]

You are right, that wouldn't look as pretty, and style is > all else. So don't do that. I think you need to find another jewel.

Besides I would hate to waste that jewel on something for one build, where as SS is more likely to be put to use elsewhere as well.

 

[RobbyD]

With running 1.07, I've accumulated quite the number of damage charms. I'm thinking, along with the melee Sorc (since I'm not making the Dream Shield), that I might go ahead and use that superior 4os +3 Skills GMB from 1.09, put one of the Chams to use (and the 3 Lo runes) and make a Faith Strafer with a Pride merc. The missing item... 1.07 Saracen's Chance for the Amp proc plus resists/stats.

 

[nulio]

I'm not sure if Atma's is not better. Although the radius is a bit smaller, it has higher proc chance. It has 20% AR (not much compared to what Faith will give via fanat but it's always something) and 75% PR (which is more than 15% all)(which is better for your case will depend on the inventory also of course). Ok it doesn't have the 10str and 10dex... but the Iron Maiden when struck (which it problaby will only happen for archers) can't proc and override Amp for a bit?

 

[twillight]

Just a minor note on trapper assassin:
Don't forget to have ShadowMaster summon to have, else you won't be able to pass Hell Ancients.

A "good early-Hell" weapon for any druid meleeing (assuming you mule) is Kingslayer runeword in a big axe.

On Avenger: it is not much different if you ask me from a Berserk Baba. Click on each target to destroy, autohit, no immunity, easily being hit in melee (although that can be covered if you decide so).

 

[RobbyD]

Many thanks to Nulio for trading me the missing pieces for my Sorc and Zon plans. I think I have endgame gear worked out, but working on development gear - Strafe Zon will be easy - Skystrike, Lycander's, Faith - but the melee Sorc is more challenging (before Dream goes on)... maybe enchant the 1.09 Raven Claw and upgrage to a 1.09 Kuko (does it also have bugged EA?), run with a Ginther's Rift, try out a Bing Sz Wang, Hexfire, Shurshill Frost or Moonfall (I've never used those weapons), or just make a Lawbringer Divine Scepter (for style). Need to get through most of NM withough the HS from Dream.

With all those Gripphon Headreasses falling in 1.07, I may go ahead an plan out an Elemental Druid too, and do all three of these in parallel.

***********************

Hmmm - It looks like Voice of Reason with a point in CM might be the way to go until Dream for the melee Sorc.

***********************

Josephine (Sorc) and Faith (Zon) were created. Will do my typical overtwinking, starting with this jewel in a 5os Long Bow (along with 4 other Envy jewels) for Josephine to help with that steep 22STR req:

Stone Heart
Jewel
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 17
Fingerprint: 0x8e0ef024
+20 to Attack Rating
+20 poison damage over 2 seconds
Requirements -15%