orb/es questions/confusion

[Ruick]

orb/es questions/confusion

hey all. this is going to be my first sorc ever. I've always created zons and the such, but never a serious high level sorc build. Anyway i'm looking for a balance of pvp and pvm capability, im torn between a fire build or a orb / (es or ts?) build. I have a few basic questions though concerning +skills items and such. Let's say i equip a +3 ES item, even though i don't have any pts in ES. It will still grant me a lv3 es to use correct? do +skills items improve this too? Does this trigger a synergy? if i put pts in telekinesis will this improve upon my lv3 es from an item?

I am also troubled on the whole orb / es build. if some help / guidance / hints could be given, that would be very appreciated.

20orb
20mastery
20ice bolt
20tk
1 ES
1 Warmth
and all prereqs?

how much will my es absorb with tk at 20? maxing tk will add more to es then adding to es for es correct? i dont think i will go for a 95 build, will mawxing tk alone with maybe some +skills items grant me 75%?

how will this build do in pvm? how should i fight cold immunes? Should i try in a pt into TS? alot of questions, but if you could help me out, thanks.

 

[Frisco]

A +3 ES item will give you +3 to ES with or without any hard points in ES and +skills will add to it. The synergy will be in effect even without hard points in the skill. Adding skill points and +skills will increase the length of time ES stays active and the amount of damage that is redirected to your mana pool, TK does not change either of these effects. What TK does is reduce the amount of mana lost per damage absorbed by mana. At 0TK you will lose 2 mana for every point of damage absorbed and at 20TK you will lose 0.75 mana. An alternate way of looking at it is "resists" for your mana pool, 0TK is like -100% resist all and 20TK is like 25% resist all. IMHO, you should always max TK no matter what level ES.

I have never been impressed with TStorm even on a pure Lightning build.

 

[Sartok]

I have never been impressed with TStorm even on a pure Lightning build.

Just to make sure you get what he means... a lvl 25 or so TS will only do about 1.7k-2k dmg if I'm correct, this doesn't go up to quick either. Even if you obtain a lvl 45 TS, it would still only do about 3.3k dmg or so... take into consideration, this hits just around once a second.

 

[Ruick]

ok thanks alot, frisco you answered most of my questions. Thanks both of you. Despite what my cousin says, i'm no going to go with TS. so what should i do with ES? how many pts? max last? what about warmth? i read the energy sorc pvp guide but i want to see everyone else's skills/specs. what did you guys max first,etc? currently lvling him, hes gonna be 20 soon. So skills should i be getting first? focusing on my cold or my ES stuff first?

 

[F1R3STR1D3R]

only 1 point in ES is fine unless you got something with +3 es, do all your cold stuff first ice bolt, frozen orb, cold mastery, telekinesis, and the rest of your points into warmth. If this is going to be pvp try to get 75% with prebuff

 

[Ruick]

1 pt in es though is only going to be like 20%? or with this build you assume your going to try and get max +skill possible so it'll hit 75 just for that? 75 is for a lv20 es? ps what do you mean with prebuff. using a staff ,etc .on a weapon change to cast it ,then switching to your normal set of weapons?

 

[Sartok]

Well, with enough +skills in general (not just lightning) you should get a decent % of Dmg to your mana. I'm not sure what lvl of ES hits 75% or so... but its fairly low, it depreciates alot after that point though... Prebuff means using something like a memory staff, which has potential to add +9 to ES all on its own. Just know you should survive with 1 point in ES as long as you have a decent amount of +skills.... Shako/Memory/Ammy... all cheap already 15 points... then add Anni/Arachs/Sojs/CoH, thats a lvl 21 right there... all of a base of just 1.

 

[Ruick]

ah so a normal goal should be 75 and stop there?

 

[Ruick]

btw, doesnt memory staff only add +6 es? +3es and +3 skills?

 

[Frisco]

btw, doesnt memory staff only add +6 es? +3es and +3 skills?

White staves have "staffmods" which stay after Memory is created in them and if you choose a white staff with +3 ES you end up with a total of +9 ES (+3 skill from Memory, +3 ES from Memory, and +3 ES from the staffmod.)

 

[Sartok]

ah so a normal goal should be 75 and stop there?

Frisco is right, the +3 Base really helps... as for this, I think you should work towards a comfortable level of % for you, than after your build is otherwise complete... throw all remaining points into it.