tri-element sorc?

[Dembol]

tri-element sorc?

I'm currently building a sorc based on the power of Hydra with the synergy of FBall. I'm also thinking of maxing frozen orb (main Icy skill) and sth from the lightning tree (chain lightning?, T-storm?) to be capable of taking care of all immunes by myself.
I'm planning to make her my MF'ing sorc, but also a powerful character wchich can deal with most of the game solo.

Any suggestions?

 

[3xbd]

Did some calculations.

Assuming you have a moderate
2 cold skillers
2 fire skills
2 lightning skillers
Other: 8 all skills
For a total of +10 all skills

This is a reasonable division of points. Finished at lvl 89.

1 Fbolt
1 Warmth
1 Enchant
4 Fball
1 Meteor
7 Fmastery
20 Hydra

1 Icebolt
1 FNova
1 Iceblast
1 GSpike
1 Blizzard
20 Frozen Orb
5 Cold Mastery

1 CBolt
1 Telek
1 Static Field
3 Lightning
20 Chain Lightning
1 Teleport
8 Lightning Mastery

Hydra Damage: 652-747
Orb Damage: 415-435, -90% enemy cold resist
CL Damage: 4-1769, 11 hits

 

[Black_Rose]

I would max synergies instead of masteries, gives better results. Mastery 1 point only and rest into any synergy. Only in case of cold mastery it isn't true.

Anyway, a powerful sorc, huh? That would be a two-tree sorc depending on her mercenary

A good sorc can be skilled in three elements, she won't be a killer, but still be able to handle anything solo. If you plan to magicfind by just playing some areas, then she'd be very good. If by killing bosses, she would not.

 

[3xbd]

I would max synergies instead of masteries, gives better results. Mastery 1 point only and rest into any synergy. Only in case of cold mastery it isn't true.

Anyway, a powerful sorc, huh? That would be a two-tree sorc depending on her mercenary

A good sorc can be skilled in three elements, she won't be a killer, but still be able to handle anything solo. If you plan to magicfind by just playing some areas, then she'd be very good. If by killing bosses, she would not.

The problem is neither hydra nor CL synergies are very powerful.

The figures I gave are actually calculated for maximized damage.

 

[Sartok]

An archmage is a very fun build... its used mostly for solo play though, so huge dmg isnt as required as it is in 8 players games. This build should work well... but will work slowly in hell difficulty, a nice merc will help greatly.


:xfrosty:

 

[melianor]

Dividing points on an Archmage that way will indeed make him kill rather slow. Using Hydra on an Archmage is kind of not that optimal.

Normally you will place ~20 pts into fire tree ~40pts into lightning tree and ~20 pts into cold tree, not counting prereq and one pt wonder spells.

Nice builds are
Meteor
CB
FO

FW
L
FO

.....

I have done one with Blizzard aswell, but BLizzard was inferior to Frozen Orb without synergy.

Also there are 2 nice threads in the Sorceress Guide Library that handle all kind of builds concerning archmages. With archmages it is really about using ALL the spells that can kill with your build.

Like you will even use Fireball, though it will possibly only have about 2k damage and so forth.

Read up on Stormcryers Tri-Elementalist guide:
http://www.rpgforums.net/showthread.php?t=149144

and Zixao's Tri-Elementalist Guide:
http://www.rpgforums.net/showthread.php?t=215163

 

[Bugzy]

Tri-element sorcs = suck0rz tbh.

Only play them for a challenge. A sorc with an able merc and 2 skill trees can pwn the game much quicker and easier.

 

[melianor]

Tri-element sorcs = suck0rz tbh.

Only play them for a challenge. A sorc with an able merc and 2 skill trees can pwn the game much quicker and easier.

Playing Archmages is not about suck0rz and pwning....

 

[Dembol]

I got bored with classic builds that totally own the game. I also don't like depending on mercs or other players. I simply hate meteor so I guess it'll be Hydra/Orb/ChainL, but FBall/Orb/TStorm also looks promising from what I read in one of the threads...and it seems to fit my play style better.

 

[Bugzy]

Playing Archmages is not about suck0rz and pwning....

Hence why I said only play them for a challenge.

 

[Uzziah]

[rant]

Hence why I said only play them for a challenge.

Well you can build an archmage that is quite powerful for playing.

I suggested this build earlier:

As for trielementalist try this build find a +3firewall staff and add leaf to it. Using points in fire mastery to bring that measily slvl 6 firewall up to decent damage. The make a Frozen orb chain lightning build out of the rest of your skill points. Firewall is your 3rd and backup skill it is meant to deal with the rare CI/LI it will only be at about 1000 damage without other +skills.

skills with this setup:
chainlightning 20
lightning 20
charged bolt 10
static 1
lighting mastery 20
frozen orb 20
prereqs 5
cold mastery 7
fire mastery 1

104 total points and +10 all skills you get the following main skills:
frozen orb 415-435 with -100% in mastery
chain lightning 1-4722
firewall (with +3 firewall leaf staff) 1968-2020

Which is easily Hell viable.

Yeah for PvP this is very weak but for PvM this is all you need, I have come to the overall conclusion that if you can get 1000 average damage out of a skill you can use it in Hell and it will be effective.

Oh and an archmage is not a challenge, this would be a challenge:

Barb:
20 your choice weapon mastery
20 thrown weapon mastery
20 iron skin
20 nat resist
1 faster run/walk
1 increased stamina

And yes I have this build in Act 1 Hell so its doable just challenging.

Another challenge would be what I call a mastery sorc:
20 each mastery
20 Warmth

No other skill points assigned. Go ahead and figure out why that build can beat Hell.

[/rant]

Sorry I hate it when people make comments like this

Tri-element sorcs = suck0rz tbh.

What give a person the right to say a build is "suck0rz" if the build can play and beat Hell mode than the build is not hard enough.

 

[Bugzy]

I'm planning to make her my MF'ing sorc, but also a powerful character wchich can deal with most of the game solo.

Perhaps my comment sounded 'rude' or what have you Uzziah but it was aimed at the sentence above.

No tri element sorc will have as easy a time MFing as a single tree/double tree sorc. Single tree damage is at its peak and double tree damage is still high but once you get to the point of having all 3 trees the efficiency in MFing drops dramatically.

O and believe me, don't talk about challenges like I know nothing about them. Firstly, I'm not one of these battle.net players, I play single player normally with /players 8. I've choosen single tree sorcs, sorcs with no points in energy etc. - at the end of the day it sounded to me like you was criticising the fact that I don't know what a challenge is.... single player is a challenge in itself (although you may be a sp person but never the less...)

Sure the build you mentioned is viable in hell and has some ok damage for a tri-element sorc, heck it may even solo the game easier but looking only at the 'soloing the game easier' part isn't effective enough.

Now as for my choice of vocabulary, I'm not a constant diablo II bnet player (i rarely play bnet at all). I've come from a game where the chat has adapted some what and so once again, sorry if my post came across as rude.

But in the end what I'm trying to say is :

Tri-element sorcs aren't as efficient as a single tree/two tree sorc with an able merc. They should only be played for a challenge in my opinion or as perhaps a character to run hell with (if you ever decide you want to run hell).

Anyway, expanding on the original quote. I don't honestly think a tri-element sorc will make a great MF'er. It has the ability to run nearly any area which is useful but you will struggle in a /players 8 game (if your sp - if not then obviously on bnet you'd have 7 pepps in the game/with you). Most people can get away with a fire/cold tree with static from the lightning tree. This gives you the ability to effectively take down any immunities on a mob providing your merc can actively hit.

If you did decide to use him/her for MFing then I'd suggest you use it as a means of running tc87 areas. They normally have mobs which are immune to one attack or another and so you could be fairly effective in these with/without a good merc.

But at the end of the day I guess it comes down to personal preference. If your happy with your character then great, i'm happy for you. Don't let me clog you down with my rude banter

 

[Liliel]

Uhh... just a question... and don't take it the wrong way, I'm genuinely curious here.

Why is it people recommend using Chain Lightning without maxed synergies?

I ask, because Nova does higher average damage than Chain Lightning without high synergy, it's much more consistent with that damage, and is capable of hitting groups as well (though at a closer range... but then I see people recommending charged bolt here too). I think it may also be faster to cast. The only reason I see for using Chain Lightning is a longer range, and a slightly less necessity of guzzling blue potions.

Am I missing something?

 

[melianor]

Uhh... just a question... and don't take it the wrong way, I'm genuinely curious here.

Why is it people recommend using Chain Lightning without maxed synergies?

I ask, because Nova does higher average damage than Chain Lightning without high synergy, it's much more consistent with that damage, and is capable of hitting groups as well (though at a closer range... but then I see people recommending charged bolt here too). I think it may also be faster to cast. The only reason I see for using Chain Lightning is a longer range, and a slightly less necessity of guzzling blue potions.

Am I missing something?

Chain Lightning for range. you would not want to be too close to enemy groups. same goes for CB. I think you could pull it of with Nova too though. Totally right about the consistent damage. Just like CB.

 

[Uzziah]

Uhh... just a question... and don't take it the wrong way, I'm genuinely curious here.

Why is it people recommend using Chain Lightning without maxed synergies?

I ask, because Nova does higher average damage than Chain Lightning without high synergy, it's much more consistent with that damage, and is capable of hitting groups as well (though at a closer range... but then I see people recommending charged bolt here too). I think it may also be faster to cast. The only reason I see for using Chain Lightning is a longer range, and a slightly less necessity of guzzling blue potions.

Am I missing something?

Range and multiple hits per casting. With each +skill you get more hits so the damage is small but it adds up quickly, and with the fact that it goes off screen when it hits something at the edge of the screen gives the chain lightning incredible length especially in areas like flayer jungle where many enemies are near by, cows would be another great example.

Charge bolt is for close range and its width and multiple hits are its key to success, Its also cheap 20 total points and a ring with lightning charges makes it plenty strong as a spare skill. Other points in lightning mastery make the skill well worthwhile.

@Bugzy I could never stand the lag on Bnet nor a fair majority of immaturity I have found there during my brief trial of Bnet so many years ago. So yes I play single player and solo. Players 8 for normal 4 for nightmare and 1 for hell. I know what a challenge is since I only play challenging builds now, my current project is all the single tree builds including curses, defencive auras, and combat masteries.

As far as I am concerned archmages are plenty strong and are not challenging in the least bit if built right, with a bit of thought involved. My first sorc was a poorly planned archmage in 1.09, she made it to Hell adventually. I am not saying you don't know what a challenging build is just that the "archmage" is not a challenging build.

 

[bohne]

I've got an archmage in singleplayer and I'm doing ok, though I would definitly stay away from TS in a next build if I ever made it.
I've got one with Hydra/FO/TS one, can't remember how I divided the skills, though. 79 and a2 hell currently with sub-standard equipment.
The TS is my major drawback, I'd say. The distribution of thunderstrikes is to sporadic and doesn't really kick in enough damage to outweigh most monsters regeneration.
I would try something like chain-lightning next time; another aimed spell apart form fo is really a fine idea.

peace,
aka

 

[Bugzy]

Nova is a great build with a cold tree as a secondary one. Lay down a frost nova or two and then nova away.

One thing you'd need to learn is how to group the mobs the right way. Generally you want FCR and then to trap yourself in the middle of the mobs so they are around you in a circle of nova away. Although this is hugely effective in normal and nightmare, in hell immunities are a common issue and so it could be more dangerous.

One thing I'd suggest using the nova sorc for is cow running. You can do it incredibly fast.

 

[Stormcryer]

Well it's certainly nice to see players actually building archmages. When I first started building mine, back pre 1.10, it was based on the max block/dr principle where you mage was her own tank hence she didn't have to kill hyperfast as she could stand toe to toe and slug it out.

This build was the the forerunner to the one I use in my guide.

I'v now just completed (took her to lvl 80 and she' soloing hell quite nicely) my next archmage.

The last time I hung out here I was working on a Blizz/Meteor/CL archmage. When I finally finished her, (stopped at lvl 87 as she was powerful enough to MF Baal w no fears) I had promised Melianor that I would build a FO/Meteor/CL. Mel has suggested that I could get more punch and better control out of FO then Blizz.

So I went that way this time.

Last year, when I built that char and published my guide I was working under a challenge from my cousin that stated I had to build from scratch, with no twinking, using only items that I was able to find/craft or trade for, and the only time was allowed to enter multplayer games was to trade for items (so no rushes or playing help from outside players. The idea was to see if one could start out from scratch, using the archmage build, and complete the game. Well that was accomplished.

This time around my goal was to replace my char, and her mule accounts as I became a victim of my own good nature, and battle.net’s ladder reset.

The ladder reset gave me to opportunity to start fresh, so I wasn't too upset about that, but being a fairly good natured, person, I allowed a friends kid, access to my account. (He seemed like a good kid and in reality IS a good kid) but the two friends who somehow managed to the login info were of a different nature.

Needless to get into the finite details, in short they sold, gave, ro threw away just about everything I has spent some three years playing to accumulate.

So the skills that I learned, and the techniques that I developed for building a char from scratch really came in handy.

I’m happy to report that while I have lost some items that were dear to me, I now (after about two and a half weeks of playing) have my new FO/Meteor/CL. She’s fully equipped Tal Set(socketed with facets), twin soj, upped Viscer and magefists, war travs, dual isted ali, and rhymed Grim, 2 of each skillers, a gheeds and I was even able to snag an anni on the trading channel.

A couple of points that I would like to make.

Building an archmage using Hydra as your primary fire skill, is an interesting variant, especially if you dislike meteor. I'll have to look into that one. Though I tend to agree with Mel that meteor is probably the better of the two skills to use in an archmage build.

Bugzy,

I think the issue that some have is the use of terms like effective, quicker, easier, not viable for MFing as these terms are relative to the players’ goals, playing technique, and expectations..

I have run with tri-elementalists since the early darks ages of beta release and have evolved both my playing and the rudimentary build all the way through 1.09 and 1.10. I don't claim to be an expert at single tree or even dual tree builds, but I have had a few years building three tree sorcs. I MF with my builds in multiplayer games, and yes even upto 8. IMO the trick when building my archmages is to actually build two complete chars...your char and your merc.

Usually by the time I'm done, the merc is capable of running all but the act bosses solo with me along to take care of mob reduction, ranged attacks, act bosses, and to pick up stuff. My target for thei new build is a lvl 90 act 2 defiance merc with an eth glads bane (socketed w um) a Tomb reaver (socketed with Cham, Amn, Mal,) and a perfect gaze (socketed with a Ber) my merc kicks butt and takes my def to about 10000.

That combined with the high end EQ that I typically get for my char makes doing MF runs in multiplayer games with only a minimal loos fo time. As to effort, I really can't compare as I have been running archmages for so long my playing style is for skewed to playing archs, that what many might see as difficult, is just same old same old to me.
I keep meaning to build a dual (Meteorb) but keep getting side tracked with the different archmage build suggestions that I keep getting.

BTW

To all..

I’ll be ready to upgrade my guide in the few months after testing the rest of the variants that have been sent my way.

Cheers!

Storm

 

[melianor]

Good to see you are still around Stormcryer. Agree an all of the above

 

[Stormcryer]

Good to see you are still around Stormcryer. Agree an all of the above

I finally was able to finish up the work thing so I can now find some time for the play thing.

Your suggestion on the FO v Blizz was bang on. While I still miss some of the shock and awe of Bliz, the accuracy of the FO makes up for it.

You'll have to give me a whisper next time your on line I think you'ld love to take a ppek at my gear this time out. The Facets (1 each fire/light/cold)that I've put in the mask/armor/crystal have allowed me to cut 7 levels off the build. I was able to solo Hellwith relative ease and comfort at lvl 80 this time v 87.

I also streeamlined the build a bit and saved myself some of the previously lost skill points. By skipping over Enchant, Hydra, Chilling Armor, Nova, TS and ES, I gained 6 skill point allocations and by carrying a ton of mana pots in the early stage of the game I was able to warmth down to three points which gained me another five points to place in the assualt skills. It meant quaffing a lot of pots in the early stages, but has paid off in big hit bonuses at the end game.

I timed my quest run against Meph, and from teh time I hit Durance 3, to the time I went through the portal was a grand total of 1 min 30 seconds and that was with a char lvl of 75...barely into my Tal armor.

Here's an interesting little tid bit....

As a result of swapping for an anni, albeit a low level one, I've hit max block at 75% far earlier in the leveling so that I've had 191 in dex (using an upped viscer) and have been able, for the last few levels anyway, to place points into Vit and energy bring the new build up to a point where I don't need a tonne of +life and + mana SCs.

That means more SMFC room for the final stage of MF running.

The merc is almost done, just need to find the reaver, and a few runes. He's wearing a shaft right now, but I've managed to find an eth glad bane which one he's lvl 86 he'll fit inot nicely. He still get smoked by teh occasional Obliv Knight, but they do so there's nothing to compleain about there.


Anyway I'll get the writing thing done on that guide, hopefully, over the holidays.

Cheers!