Melee Sorceress

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EZ NAV
Build Core - Early Game - Mid Game - End Game - Challenges - Uberquests - Crafting - Miniguide - Alternate Builds

Official Documentation - Wiki - Discord Channel - Acronyms and Terminology - Old Guide



INTRODUCTION

The Melee Sorceress relies on speed and versatility in both close-quarters and medium-ranged combat to take down her enemies, while still being tough enough to stand against the strongest foes. Whether you want an aggressive Physical-based setup, a casual Elemental-based setup, or a flashy proc-based setup, Melee Sorcs can be built in a variety of ways to suit your playstyle. And though they’re generally not the fastest farmers or boss-killers, they can nevertheless do both without the need for respecs or constant gear swaps. In essence, they’re perfect for people who just want to play the game.



DEMO VID - TBA



DISCLAIMER

This guide was written for the base SIGMA 1.0.3 patch, with the walkthrough structured for solo, self-found, untwinked play. Some aspects of the walkthrough may not apply if playing MP, since you have easy access to trading and group play.

Also note, item tags are currently not up-to-date. Check the docs for current item stats and mods until they are.



PROS AND CONS

Pros:
  • Can complete most content solo, untwinked, and without respeccing.
  • Above average boss killer.
  • Access to summons when you need them.
  • Doesn't need overly expensive gear.
  • Many gear/skill combo possibilities to suit many different playstyles.
  • She's a Melee Sorceress.

Neutral:
  • Moderate skill-switching.
  • Average farmer.

Cons:
  • Viable weapon options are limited due to skill restrictions.
  • Viable mid-game gear options are limited.



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ATTRIBUTE POINT ALLOCATION

STR - Enough for gear (ideally, none)
DEX - Everything else
VIT - None*
NRG - None

*By End-Game, you may find your damage and CtB are adequate, so you can divert points from DEX to VIT for higher overall survivability.



SKILL POINT ALLOCATION

Max - Moonstrike, Living Flame, Baneblade
26 Points - Fusillade*
15 Points - Firedance
5 Points - Vengeful Power, Blade Spirits**
1 Point - Familiar, Wraithsword, Bladestorm, Hive, Symbol of Esu, Force Blast, and all prerequisites

*By End-Game and after Moonstrike, Living Flame, and Baneblade are maxed, any remaining points can go to Fusillade.
**May be left at 1 point by End-Game.

► SKILL BREAKDOWNS



HOW TO PLAY

For this build, a Poison/Fire spec is used to provide higher damage potential while still maintaining a good level of survivability in most situations. Since a big part of your defensive strategy is replenishing Life, you’ll need to adopt a highly aggressive playstyle. The longer you can sustain your attack, the better your chances of survival.

Offense:
You’ll use a Fusillade+Bladestorm combo--boosted by Moonstrike, Baneblade, and Firedance--for maximum versatility and devastating burst damage.

Defensive:
Rather than relying on high Armor Class Defense to avoid taking damage, you’re instead reducing incoming damage to a point at which you’re replenishing Life faster than you’re losing it. You’ll do this by using a multi-layered defense system consisting of passive and active damage reduction, Life regen, and Life sustain. High CtB will further boost survivability during times you can’t enter melee range.

TL;DR:
You’re not a heavily-armored knight casually strolling across the battlefield. You’re a naked berserker consumed by bloodlust. Basically, you’re Wolverine, not Juggernaut.

  • Summon your Familiar -> exit town -> summon Blade Spirits and buff with Baneblade, Hive, and any oskill buffs provided by gear.
  • Buff with Mana Shield during normal play early on and only those boss fights in which you don’t melee.
  • Buff with Moonstrike and keep it active at all times during combat.
  • Buff with Firedance whenever higher damage output is needed (e.g. boss fights).
  • Use Bladestorm for general questing and Wraithsword for specific situations.
  • Use Fusillade regularly for supplemental damage, bosses, and enemies that aren't easy to tank.
  • Use Force Blast to debuff enemies, when necessary.



BREAKPOINTS

IAS:
10/37/92 (5 fpa) - Crystal Sword (-20 WSM)
6/23/56/129 (5 fpa) - Warp Blade (-10 WSM)
FBR:
3/7/13/20/32/48/75/129/280 (4 fpa)
FHR:
5/11/20/35/60/109/280 (3 fpa)
FCR:
6/19/42/83/194 (5 fpa) - Staff
8/22/42/78/157 (6 fpa) - Crystal Sword/Warp Blade

Source: Speed Calculator v. 1.2 by Terryys.



CHANCE TO BLOCK

Sorcs have an innate +3% CtB. With Baneblade active, their innate CtB increases to +4%. The following values show the total DEX needed per additional %CtB from shields to achieve Max Block (75%). They will assume a clvl 120 Sorc with Baneblade active.

+2% CtB = 3015 DEX
+1% CtB = 3615 DEX
+0% CtB = 4515 DEX



MERCENARIES

A good support Merc can be handy in many situations, especially early on or when farming. For this build, an Act 3 Iron Wolf Abjurer or Bloodmage will be used. Their spells will deal damage over longer distances, and their defensive skills--as well as their tendency to stay out of your way--will help keep them alive.

► GEAR AND BREAKPOINTS

Tip:
Mercs inherit both your GF and MF, on top of any they get from gear, as long as they get the kill. They also benefit from the +Skills mod found on gear (additionally, A5 Barb mercs benefit from +Barb Skills). Mercs cannot use oskills.



SUMMONS

Summons gain 15% Elemental resistances per Skill Point up to a maximum of 75%. They can gain more res with the Summoned Minion Resistances mod from gear/skills/Charms, but they cannot utilize more than +75% from these sources. They suffer the same res penalties you do in later difficulties.

Summoned Minion Resistance Penalties per Difficulty (assuming at least 5 Skill Points in a summon skill):

Normal (+/-0% Res Penalty)
75% innate resistances. An additional +25% Minion Res will make them immune.
Nightmare (-50% Res Penalty)
25% innate resistances. An additional +75% Minion Res will make them immune.
Hell (-100% Res Penalty)
-25% innate resistances. An additional +75% Minion Res will give them 50% resistances.

Tip:
Summoned Minions (and Reanimates) inherit your MF, as long as they get the kill.



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GEAR

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WALKTHROUGH

Normal (clvl 1-54)

Consider Normal the game's Tutorial. Here, you'll get a feel for how the game plays, how a Sorc's skills work, and an introduction to both the caster and melee playstyles.

Act 1:

    Starting out as a melee build will be difficult, so level as a melee build, but play as a caster build. Use Flamefront or Lorenado until your Mana globe is about half-full, then switch to Immersion (it deals more damage with less Mana).

    Tip:
    Don't reveal the map until after you've completed the Den of Evil quest. This will make it easier to know which areas you've already cleared, thus making it easier to clear the whole map in one pass. Do this on every difficulty.

    At clvl 6, you’ll gain access to both Vengeful Power and Wraithsword. At this point, you can either remain a caster for a while longer, or start transitioning into a melee playstyle. If you go melee, use a Sorceress Orb and Shield rather than a Staff (Sorc Orbs have much faster attack speed).

    Mana will be a problem for a while due to Wraithsword’s high cost. But you’ll gain more Mana naturally as you level.

    When you reach Tristram, Griswold will drop
    Griswold's Heart
    , a low-level armor that’s moderately useful at this stage if you haven’t found something better.

    At clvl 12, you’ll gain access to Fusillade, which will help a bit if you’ve decided to go melee with a Sorc Orb.

    The Smith in the Monastery Barracks will drop the Catalyst of Disenchantment. With this, you can turn any spare Uniques into Arcane Shards (except Griswold's Heart and quest-related items). Cubing 5 Arcane Shards creates an Arcane Crystal, which will be useful later on.

    Tip:
    Gold will be scarce early on and most of the items you find will be worthless (boots with the +x% Movement Speed mod are the only items worth selling at this stage). If you need gold, farm Cave Snappers in the Underground Passage.

    At clvl 17, you should have enough gold to gamble for a Warp Blade. At this point, you can go primarily melee.

    Andariel isn’t too difficult, but her Hive can be dangerous. Clear out all the enemies in the throne room before focusing on her. As an aside, you’ll find Wirt here, and thus, Wirt's Leg.

    Tip:
    Andariel has a guaranteed Tiered Unique drop. Feel free to farm her a bit for a chance at some decent starter items or to get a head start on AC farming.

Act 2:

    Act 2 generally won’t be much of a problem as long as you have at least some Elemental resistances. However, watch out for Asatruars’ poisonous Punishers. They’ll drain your Life rapidly. Socket your gear with resistance gems or jewels with resistance mods to boost your survivability. Other than that, A2 is pretty straightforward.

    Zoltun Kulle and a handful of Horadric Mages guard the entrance to Duriel's lair. Zoltun’s lightning can hurt, so just plant a Fusillade near him and retreat until its CD expires.

    Come at Duriel hard and fast with Fusillade+Bladestorm. Then retreat when he casts Shower of Rocks. His Fortress also hits hard, so summon Blade Spirits near the towers to draw their fire until the skill times out.

Act 3:

    You won’t have much trouble in A3 as long as you have most of your basic RW gear and around 20% Elemental resits.

    Note:
    You’ll most likely get your first superunique kill of A3 when looking for Khalim’s Eye. Make sure to grab the Jade Figurine so you can complete the Golden Bird quest.

    Mephisto’s Durance can be a bit tougher. Que Hagans are the most dangerous things here. They have a fast, long-range attack that does moderate damage, but they also summon hordes of Peace Warders.

    As for Mephisto himself, his attacks do a lot of damage. Try to stack as much Cold res as you can, and a decent amount of Lightning res for good measure. And do not get caught in his Lightning Arena. You’ll get hit-locked to death. Cast Firedance and hit him with Fusillade asap. Keep attacking until your Life drops to about half. Then retreat, heal, resummon, and repeat.

    By the end of A3, you'll be around clvl 35-37. Before continuing on, farm Mephisto for enough ACs to make your TU Weapon, Body Armor, and Shield (in that order). Ideally, you’ll want to make these in T2 bases to save on ACs, but T1 bases are likely the best you’ll find.

    Tip:
    Cube an AC with an Oil of Craft to create an Arcane Cluster. Cube the Cluster with an AC to put the AC into storage. Cube the Cluster again to pull an AC out of storage.

Act 4:

    You won't have much trouble here as long as your gear is socketed with res gems. Aim for at least +35% Elemental res.

    In the Chaos Sanctuary, three of the seals will release a Superunique enemy.
    • Magdha (west) uses Fire and Poison spells and spawns with minions. However, if you kill Magdha, all its minions will instantly die.
    • Ghom (east) is fairly tanky and its Tremor and Fortress will take decent chunks of your life.
    • Iceclaw the Merciless (north) summons minions and attacks from a distance.

    As for Diablo, his Flamestrike and Bloodstorm are deadly, so try to have your Fire res maxed. Take out his minions first. Then, cast Firedance and hit him with Fusillade. Avoid Bloodstorm and keep killing the minions he summons until Fusillade's CD timer expires. Then hit him again.

Act 5:

    Pick up a Mark of Infusion from Shenk and use it to make your Honorific in T1 Leather Gloves. Orb it with 5x Elemental Res and 5x HR. This will improve your Elemental defenses and nearly double your Hit Recovery.

    Going forward, about the only things you need to watch out for are the highly dangerous Bloodskin Darkbow and her elite Vampiress minions, who guard the entrance to the Crystalline Passage. They can kill you before you even know what hit you if you’re not careful.

    Tip:
    The side areas in Act 5 (Infernal Pit, Pit of Acheron, Abaddon, and Icy Cellar) are filled with Elite mobs that are much tougher than normal Elites, but the XP gains are higher than in normal areas.

    Nihlathak has a guaranteed 3x TU drop. Farm him a few times for enough ACs to uptier your Weapon, Body Armor, and Shield to T2 (don’t forget to add a Rune to the recipe when uptiering TUs).

    When you reach the summit of Mount Arreat, you’ll be attacked almost immediately by Narthal. He’s easy to kill, but it’s something to be aware of.

    Destroying the Infernal Contraption in Baal’s throne room will open a rift to Tran Athulua (Uberlevel). Before facing Baal, enter the rift to complete the Level Challenge and get your first Charm. After which, cube it with the Scroll of Elemental Resistance you got from Malah for rescuing Anya.

    Baal isn’t terribly difficult. With Firedance up, Fusillade will make short work of him. However, there are some things to be aware of. First, avoid the black circles he casts on the ground. They’ll erupt into a large AoE that will take a decent chunk of your Life. Second, you may have noticed a quest lockout warning pop up when you entered the Worldstone Chamber (in this case, a 1200 second lockout). This means you have free access to enter and leave the area only for the next 20 minutes. Once the timer expires, you’ll be prevented from reentering the area in that game. Don’t worry, though. It won’t take you nearly that long to kill Baal. It’s just an example of some of the mechanics you’ll be dealing with during some future quests.



Nightmare (clvl 54-102):

Consider Nightmare as the true beginning of the game. By now, you're expected to have a general understanding of the game's mechanics, as well as your build's strengths and weaknesses. As such, things will become more difficult, and you'll rely on Fusillade more to supplement your damage.

Note:
Before starting Nightmare, it's recommended you be at least clvl 54, have your Res capped, and have all your TU gear made and uptiered to at least T2 (it’s highly recommended you have your Weapon at T3). Spend time farming bosses back in Normal if you need to get your gear up to spec.

As you journey through Nightmare, you'll encounter a specific Veteran monster native to each Act that may drop an Evil Eye. Cubing all 5 different Evil Eyes together with your Class Charm (which you’ll get later) will add a bonus to it.

Note:
Veteran monsters won't always spawn in their designated areas during a specific game. But don't worry if you reach the end of an Act and haven't seen one. You'll have plenty of opportunities to collect these Monster Tokens later on.

Act 1:

    Proceed normally, uptiering your TUs as your clvl allows. Focus on your Weapon first, then Body Armor, then Shield. Also, feel free to orb your Honorific with Minion Res to improve your Blade Spirits' survivability.

    Clawstorm Terrors in the Monastery's Jail will drop the first Evil Eye.

Act 2:

    Same as Act 1. Nothing here will pose much of a threat, aside from Duriel.

    Fairy Witches in the Canyon of the Magi will drop the second Evil Eye.

    Tip:
    Cube 2x Arcane Crystals and a Healing pot to create a completed Horadric Staff.

Act 3:

    The difficulty will start ramping up here, so focus on getting your Weapon to T4 asap (preferably before you reach Lower Kurast). Once at T4, cube it with an Oil of Luck and orb it with 1x MoA and 1x LoA for now. As your clvl allows, add 2 more LoA orbs, then 1 more MoA.

    As you progress, you’ll start to notice Sacred gear drop. From here on, keep an eye out for the following Sacred and T4 items:
    • Sacred Warp Blade (not Crystal Sword)
    • Sacred Ceremonial Armor (or highest grade Sorc Body Armor you can find)
    • Sacred Sash
    • Sacred Leather Gloves
    • Sacred Boots (the ones marked "Boots")
    • T4 or Sacred Jared's Stone
    • T4 Sash
    • T4 Leather Gloves

    Also, keep an eye out for the following Runes (collect 1 of each):
    • Ber
    • Kur
    • Vith
    • Nih
    • On

    Tip:
    Cube 2x Arcane Crystals and a Mana pot to create a completed Khalim's Will.

    Glowing Blobs in Mephisto’s Durance will drop the third Evil Eye.

    After killing Mephisto, a rift will open to Kurast 3000 B.A. (Uberlevel). It has a clvl requirement of 80 to enter. But since you’re likely well above that, enter the rift and complete the Ennead Challenge to get your Class Charm.

    While doing the Ennead Challenge, you may see Shrines occasionally drop. Shrines to collect include:
    • Abandoned Shrines (all of them)
    • Creepy Shrines (1-3)
    • Ornate or Fascinating Shrines (10-20; only necessary if using an A3 Abjurer or Bloodmage merc)

    Tip:
    You can create a Vessel to store your Shrines by cubing a Shrine with an Oil of Craft. Then, just cube a full Shrine with it's corresponding Vessel to store the Shrine. Cube the Vessel again to pull a Shrine out of storage.

    Once you’ve completed the Ennead Challenge, grind K3KBA until you hit clvl 90 (it should take less than 2 full clears). This will give you access to both your Uber skill and your Ennead skill, which will make going forward much easier. You can also replace all the socket fillers in your Weapon with Perfect Rainbow Stones at this point.

    After you reach clvl 90, farm Mephisto for a few more ACs to uptier your Body Armor to T4 and all your other TU armor to at least T3. Orb your Honorific with DEX and STR MOs as needed.

Act 4:

    Get the Catalyst of Learning from Izual in the Plains of Despair. With it, you can turn spare Set pieces and Sacred Uniques (SUs) into Signets of Learning (SoL) later on. These give you 1 free attribute point per Signet used (up to a total of 400).

    Landmasses in the River of Flame will drop the fourth Evil Eye. Their Earthquake does decent damage, so try to fight them one at a time.

Act 5:

    Pick up another Mark of Infusion from Shenk. Use it at any time to remake your Honorific in T4 Leather Gloves. Orb them with the same MOs as your T1 pair, except skip Minion Res and Elemental Res. Instead, socket them with perfect res gems to meet your res needs.

    Nihlathak has a guaranteed Signet of Learning drop, so you can farm him for a few if you want some easy Attribute Points.

    Bane Hunters in the Worldstone Keep will drop the fifth and final Evil Eye needed to upgrade your Class Charm.

    Baal is a pain. Don’t engage him in melee. Lure him into your Firedance and hit him with Fusillade.

    After killing Baal and taking the red portal, make a new game in Nightmare and complete the following:
    • Go back and collect any Monster Tokens you may have missed to upgrade your CC.
    • Farm Mephisto and Nihlathak for enough ACs to uptier all your TU gear to T4.
    • Have your T4 Honorific Leather Gloves made and orbed with 5x HR, 5x DEX, 5x STR, and 5x Weapon Damage.
    • Socket your Shield with 1x Perfect Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, and Topaz, and 2x Io Runes.



Hell (clvl 102+)

Now that you're familiar with how the game plays in general, it's time to start tackling some Uberquests. But before you begin, here are some notes on Uberquests:

  • All Uberquests have a minimum clvl requirement you must meet before you can enter the level. For that reason, later subsections in the guide won’t be linear based on Acts. Instead, they’ll be divided based on clvl and the Ubers you can do at the specified time within that range. It’s recommended you complete the Ubers within each subsection in the order they’re listed.
  • Some Uberquests have timers that lock the quest after a short amount of time upon entering the Uberlevel (you’ve already experienced this with Baal). If you should leave the level or die at any time after the quest is locked, you’ll be unable to reenter the area. But making a new game will allow you to try again.
  • Some Uber bosses have a chance to drop a Trophy, which will add a bonus to it's corresponding Charm when the two are cubed together. It's recommended you farm for a perfect version of a Charm before cubing it with its Trophy, unless otherwise noted.

It’s also important to note that area levels from here on will be 100+, which means gear drops will be ilvl 99. Items to look for going forward include:

  • Sacred Rare Warp Blade (not Crystal Sword)
  • Witchhunter's Hood
    Witchhunter's Hood
    Witchhunter's Attire Set
    Cap (Sacred)
    Required Level: 100
    Required Strength: 228
    Defense: (2136-2611) to (2161-2642)
    (16 to 20)% to Strength
    +(80 to 120)% Enhanced Defense
    (16 to 20)% to Dexterity
    Maximum Elemental Resists +2%
    Elemental Resists +(31 to 40)%
    Physical Resist 5%
    Total Character Defense (16 to 20)%
    Requirements -50%
    Socketed (4)
     (Assassin Set piece)
  • All pieces of
    The Mysteries
    The Mysteries
    Sorceress Melee Set

    Witchblade
    Cauldron
    Pentacle
    Sacred Circle
    Charge of the Goddess

    Set Bonus with 2 or more set items:
    +2 to Sorceress Skill Levels
    Set Bonus with 3 or more set items:
    Physical Resist 10%
    Set Bonus with 4 or more set items:
    +21 to Spiral Dance
    Set Bonus with complete set:
    +125 damage
    10% Chance of Crushing Blow
    +17 to Moon Queen
    +4 to Sacred Armor
    +4000 Defense
    5% Chance to Avoid Damage
     (Melee Sorc Set)
  • Jewels with +1% All Attributes or +2% DEX and IAS or HR

And finally, a quick note on Sacred Uniques:
There are 3 tiers of Sacred Uniques, though they don’t have a naming system like TUs. The places in which they can drop, as well as the tiers, are dependent on area level (alvl), which is as follows:
  • T1 SUs = alvl 104+
  • T1+T2 SUs = alvl 115+ (bosses only), alvl 117+ (regular monsters)
  • T1+T2+T3 SUs = alvl 130+

Act 1:


Act 2:

    Island of the Sunless Sea (clvl 105)

    Grind Island of the Sunless Sea until you reach clvl 110 and get the Sunless Crystal Bird.

    Tip:
    The first tier of Sacred Uniques have a chance to start dropping from the Arcane Sanctuary onward in non-Uber areas. Check the End-Game gear section for a list of SUs to look out for.

    The Binding of Baal (clvl 110)

Act 3:

    Death Projector (clvl 105)
    Horazon’s Sanctum (clvl 110)
    Lord Aldric Jitan (clvl 110)
    Akarat (clvl 110)

    Grind the Torajan Jungles and D-Cows until you reach clvl 115.
    • Torajan Jungles: easier, but less XP gains. You’re more likely to find Sacred Warp Blades here, as well as SoL.
    • D-Cows: harder, but higher XP gains. You’re more likely to find SUs here.

    You’ll find Set pieces in both areas, so keep a look out for
    Witchhunter's Hood
    Witchhunter's Hood
    Witchhunter's Attire Set
    Cap (Sacred)
    Required Level: 100
    Required Strength: 228
    Defense: (2136-2611) to (2161-2642)
    (16 to 20)% to Strength
    +(80 to 120)% Enhanced Defense
    (16 to 20)% to Dexterity
    Maximum Elemental Resists +2%
    Elemental Resists +(31 to 40)%
    Physical Resist 5%
    Total Character Defense (16 to 20)%
    Requirements -50%
    Socketed (4)
    and any pieces to
    The Mysteries
    The Mysteries
    Sorceress Melee Set

    Witchblade
    Cauldron
    Pentacle
    Sacred Circle
    Charge of the Goddess

    Set Bonus with 2 or more set items:
    +2 to Sorceress Skill Levels
    Set Bonus with 3 or more set items:
    Physical Resist 10%
    Set Bonus with 4 or more set items:
    +21 to Spiral Dance
    Set Bonus with complete set:
    +125 damage
    10% Chance of Crushing Blow
    +17 to Moon Queen
    +4 to Sacred Armor
    +4000 Defense
    5% Chance to Avoid Damage
    . Clearing both areas per game should net you at least 1 clvl. Resurrect your merc and socket your Weapon with Jah Runes at clvl 113 to speed things up.

    Kurast 3000 B.A. (clvl 115)

Act 4:

    Respite. There are no Act 4 Ubers you can do at this stage, but pick up the Key of Sin from Ghom and the Key of Lies from Magdha for later use.

Act 5:

    Assault on Mount Arreat (clvl 110) - Make and equip
    Truce
    Truce
    Belts
    'Vith'
    Runeword Level: 98
    -5% Cast Speed
    -5% Attack Speed
    Stun Attack
    +(172 to 200)% Enhanced Defense
    +5% Increased Healing Rate from Apples
    Physical Resist 10%
    Slows Attacker by 5%
    in a T4 Sash and equip it before attempting this Uber. You’ll want the extra Phys Res. After which, resume using Wormtongue.

    Complete Act 5 up to the Worldstone Keep (level 2) and activate the Waypoint.



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GEAR - (RECOMMENDED)

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GEAR - (ALT SETUP, FOR USE WITHOUT THE SET)

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WALKTHROUGH

From here on, things will be less linear, and you’ll be bouncing from Act to Act in an Uber/farming cycle. It’s recommended you do the Ubers listed in order, as the reward from the previous Uber will often help with the next Uber.

Clvl 115:

    At this point, you’ve done about all you can with your TU gear. Upgrade your gear to the Mid-Game Gearset before attempting the clvl 115 Ubers.

    Legacy Of Blood (Act 3)
    Rathma Square (Act 3)
    The Black Road (Act 1)
    Bull Prince Rodeo (Act 1)
    Tran Athulua (Act 2)
    Library of Fate (Act 4)
    The Veiled Prophet (Act 4)
    Heart of Sin (Act 4)

    Grind Kurast 3000 B.A. until you reach clvl 120. Keep an eye out for any useful SUs/Set items. Turn all spares into SoL. Additionally, you can throw in some Library of Fate runs for a better Zakarum’s Ear, and TA runs for a better Sunstone.

    Your goals are to have the entire Melee Sorc Set, Witchhunter’s Hood, and at least 150 SoL eaten. However, if RNGesus has forsaken you, the Alternate Gearset will take you through the 120 Ubers.

Clvl 120, Part 1:

    Before beginning the 120 Ubers, farm Akarat, Jitan, and Bartuc for their Trophies. Farm TA for both the Trophy and the Askari Scroll, which is necessary to face Athulua.

    It’s also vital that you hit the 5 fpa IAS BP, and highly recommended you hit the 6 fpa HR BP. Use crafted jewels to accomplish this, if necessary (see the Crafting section of this guide for more details.

    Judgment Day, Part 1 (Act 4)
    Duncraig (Act 1)
    The Triune (Act 3)
    Athulua (Act 2)
    Kabraxis (Act 1)
    Quov Tsin (Act 3)
    Teganze (Act 3)

Bitter Work:

The 120-125 grind will be long and slow. You’ll be primarily grinding Dunc, Triune, and Teganze for XP, with some K3K farming runs thrown in for good measure. While in these areas, farm for the following:
  • Dunc: SUs
  • Triune: Cycles. Fill your Charm mostly with DEX Cycles and a few Life/Mana Cycles, but leave room for Combat Speed Cycles in case you need to boost your End-Game BPs. You’re not expected to have a completed Triune Charm before moving on to End-Game.
  • Teganze: Essences and Runestones. After you've farmed enough materials to make 1 Xis Rune and 4x Earth Runes, feel free to cube your Charm with any Essences you find.
  • K3KBA: SUs, and spare Sets for SoL. If using the Alternate Gearset, you’ll still want to complete the Melee Sorc Set for the next stage.

Once you’ve eaten all 400 SoL and completed the Melee Sorc Set, you can take one of two gearing paths:

Path 1
  • Farm Dunc for End-Game SUs.
  • Farm Teganze for 4x Earth Runes to make
    Wind Runner

    Wind Runner
    Boots
    'EaEaEaEa'
    Runeword Level: 100
    +(0 to 1) to All Skills
    35% Attack Speed
    10% Movement Speed
    Adds 37-70 damage
    250% Bonus to Attack Rating
    (10 to 15)% Life stolen per Hit
    +(171 to 200)% Enhanced Defense
  • Farm K3KBA for Abandoned Shrines to craft your shield.
Path 2
  • Farm Teganze for 4x Earth Runes to make
    Wind Runner

    Wind Runner
    Boots
    'EaEaEaEa'
    Runeword Level: 100
    +(0 to 1) to All Skills
    35% Attack Speed
    10% Movement Speed
    Adds 37-70 damage
    250% Bonus to Attack Rating
    (10 to 15)% Life stolen per Hit
    +(171 to 200)% Enhanced Defense
    and a Xis Rune to make
    Shark (Xis)

    Shark
    Weapons
    'TalXis'
    Runeword Level: 120
    1% Chance to cast level 31 Bloodlust on Kill
    +(201 to 250)% Bonus Damage to Bloodlust
    40% Attack Speed
    +230% Enhanced Damage
    +(2 per level) to Maximum Damage (Based on Character Level)
    +5 to all Attributes
    -500 to Mana
    Cannot be Unsocketed
    .
  • Farm K3KBA for Abandoned Shrines to craft your Shield.
  • Farm both Dunc and K3KBA for
    Royal Circlet
    Royal Circlet
    Tiara (Sacred)
    Required Level: 100
    Required Dexterity: 392
    Defense: (1740-1957) to (1968-2214)
    +2 to All Skills
    +150% Damage to Demons
    +150% Damage to Undead
    +(140 to 170)% Enhanced Defense
    (21 to 25)% to All Attributes
    Elemental Resists +(25 to 30)%
    Physical Resist 5%
    (21 to 25)% Magic Find
    Socketed (4)
    and
    Hammerfist
    Hammerfist
    Heavy Gloves (Sacred)
    Required Level: 100
    Required Strength: 484
    Defense: (1082-1279) to (1148-1357)
    Adds (1 to 20)-(21 to 40) damage
    5% Life stolen per Hit
    5% Chance of Crushing Blow
    +(15 to 25) to Spiral Dance
    Enhanced Weapon Damage +(50 to 100)%
    +(120 to 160)% Enhanced Defense
    Elemental Resists +15%
    Socketed (4)
    .
  • Craft some jewels and either remake
    Erawan
    Erawan
    Body Armor
    'Nih'
    Runeword Level: 100
    10% Bonus to Buff/Debuff/Cold Skill Duration
    5% Chance of Crushing Blow
    +(144 to 171)% Enhanced Defense
    25% to Strength
    25% to Vitality
    Physical Resist (11 to 15)%
    Total Character Defense (11 to 20)%
    (higher Defense, good Phys Res), make
    Curandera
    Curandera
    Sorceress Body Armor
    'Sur'
    Runeword Level: 61
    +2 to Sorceress Skill Levels
    +(58 to 86)% Enhanced Defense
    +(0.15 per level) Life Regenerated per Second (Based on Character Level)
    Regenerate Mana +5%
    Elemental Resists +(11 to 15)%
    Physical Resist (16 to 20)%
    (higher Phys Res and more MO space), or keep
    Pentacle
    Pentacle
    The Mysteries Set
    Gambeson (Sacred)
    (Sorceress Only)
    Required Level: 100
    Required Dexterity: 486
    Defense: (6091-6852) to (6492-7303)
    +3 to Sorceress Skill Levels
    Adds 25-50 damage
    5% Chance of Crushing Blow
    +(140 to 170)% Enhanced Defense
    +(31 to 50) to all Attributes
    Physical Resist 10%
    Total Character Defense (21 to 25)%
    Socketed (6)
    (decent Phys Res and usable sockets).
  • Either Abandoned-craft some gloves or keep using your Abandoned-blessed Sacred Honorific gloves.
  • Either keep using your Abandoned-blessed Sacred Honorific belt or switch to
    Truce
    Truce
    Belts
    'Vith'
    Runeword Level: 98
    -5% Cast Speed
    -5% Attack Speed
    Stun Attack
    +(172 to 200)% Enhanced Defense
    +5% Increased Healing Rate from Apples
    Physical Resist 10%
    Slows Attacker by 5%
    .



Image



GEAR - (PHYSICAL) - WIP

► expand


GEAR - (ELEMENTAL) - WIP

► expand


GEAR - (CHEAPER ALT SETUP) - WIP

► expand


GEAR - (SUPPLEMENTAL) - WIP

► expand



Clvl 120, Part 2:


Clvl 125:

    Toraja (Act 3)

    Farm Toraja for an Auhe Rune to make
    Nero
    Nero
    Belts
    'Auhe'
    Runeword Level: 100
    10% Chance to cast level 14 Fortress on Melee Attack
    Adds 7-25 damage
    +150% Damage to Demons
    Adds 125-250 fire damage
    +(16 to 20)% to Fire Spell Damage
    2% Deadly Strike
    +(7 to 12) to Path of Flames
    +(115 to 143)% Enhanced Defense
    . The Fortress proc and Path of Flames oskill will be incredibly helpful.

    Vizjun (Act 3)
    Astrogha (Act 3)
    Belial (Act 4)
    Zorun Tzin (Act 3)*
    Yshari Sanctum (Act 3)
    Nymyr’s Light (Act 3)*

    Fauztinville is locked behind the Elemental Spirits (:eyeroll:). So you’ll need
    Starhawk
    Starhawk
    Warp Blade (Sacred)
    (Sorceress Only)
    Required Level: 100
    Required Dexterity: 400
    One-Hand Damage: 49 to 86
    Dexterity Damage Bonus: (25/256 per Dexterity)%
    Area Effect Attack
    25% Chance to cast level 50 Magic Missiles on Melee Attack
    +(3 to 5) to Sorceress Skill Levels
    50% Attack Speed
    Adds 800-1000 magic damage
    Adds 800-1000 fire damage
    Adds 800-1000 lightning damage
    Adds 800-1000 cold damage
    -(25 to 35)% to Enemy Elemental Resistances
    10% Chance to Avoid Damage
    Socketed (6)
    before you can attempt Fauztinville and Bremmtown. Do more Dunc farming or just trade for it. Hopefully, this gets changed in the next patch.

    Fauztinville (Act 5)
    Ghosts of Old Bremmtown (Act 5, clvl 125)
    Xazax (Act 2)

    From here on, XP farming spots will be Fauztinville, Bremmtown, Vizjun, Toraja, and Duncraig. It’s recommended you just stick to areas that are easy to clear and/or have a decent chance to drop whatever gear you still need.

Clvl 130:


Clvl 135:


*Zorun Tzin, Nymyr’s Light, Archbishop Lazarus, The Void, and Herald of the End probably won't have write-ups. Reasons will be given in their respective sections.
#1
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Edited by Solfege 1 month.
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Solfege
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For this guide, Uberquests are grouped into 3 tiers, and ranked depending on gear requirements, number of Signets of Learning needed, and the amount of strategy/player skill necessary to complete them. They are listed in Documentation order.

Note:
Uberquest difficulty colors in the guide still need to be reworked. Don’t rely on them yet.

Easy
  • Gear: Early Game gear, with some Mid-Game upgrades recommended
  • Signets of Learning: 0
  • Strategy/Player Skill: Low

Medium
  • Gear: Mid-Game gear, with some End-Game upgrades recommended
  • Signets of Learning: 150-300 recommended
  • Strategy/Player Skill: Medium

Hard
  • Gear: Full End-Game or other specific gear
  • Signets of Learning: 400 recommended
  • Strategy/Player Skill: High

This symbol indicates an Uberquest has a corresponding Trophy.



DUNGEON

Horror Under Tristram - clvl 105, 20 second lockout
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Infernal Machine - clvl 105
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Death Projector - clvl 105, 30 second lockout
► More info


Assault on Mount Arreat - clvl 110, 120 second lockout
► more info


The Binding of Baal - clvl 110
► more info


Akarat - clvl 110
► more info


Lord Aldric Jitan - clvl 110
► more info


Horazon's Sanctum - clvl 110, 20 second lockout
► more info


The Black Road - clvl 115
► more info


Legacy of Blood - clvl 115, 20 second lockout
► more info


Rathma Square - clvl 115
► more info


The Veiled Prophet - clvl 115, 30 second lockout
► more info


Heart of Sin - clvl 115
► more info


The Twin Seas - clvl 120
► more info


Eve of Destruction - clvl 120, 20 minute lockout
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Quov Tsin - clvl 120
► more info


Judgment Day - clvl 120, 20 second lockout
► more info


Banisher of Light - clvl 120
► more info


Kingdom of Shadow - clvl 120, 90 second lockout
► more info


Lord of Lies - clvl 125, 20 second lockout
► more info


Ghosts of Old Bremmtown - clvl 125
► more info


Yshari Sanctum - clvl 125, 12 minute lockout (Valthek fight only)
► more info


Xazax - clvl 125, 5 minute lockdown
► more info


Astrogha - clvl 125
► More Info


Spirit World - clvl 125
► more info


Nymyr’s Light - clvl 125, 20 second lockout
► more info


Nephalem's Sacrifice - clvl 130
► more info


Archbishop Lazarus - clvl 130, 15 second lockout
► more info


The Void - clvl 130, 25 minute lockout
► More Info


Herald of the End
► More Info
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RIFTS

Island of the Sunless Sea - clvl 105
► more info


Bull Prince Rodeo - clvl 110 (Secret Cow Level), clvl 115 (Corral of Corruption)
► more info


Torajan Jungles - clvl 110
► More Info


Kurast 3000 B.A. - clvl 115
► More Info


High Heavens - clvl 115
► more info


Tran Athulua - clvl 115
► more info


Teganze - clvl 120
► more info


The Triune - clvl 120
► more info


Corrupted Abbey - clvl 120
► more info


Toraja - clvl 125
► more info


Vizjun - clvl 125
► more info


Fauztinville - clvl 125
► more info



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LEVEL CHALLENGE

► More Info


ENNEAD CHALLENGE

► More Info



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SACRED HONORIFICS

► More Info


JEWEL-CRAFTING

► More Info


SHRINE-CRAFTING

► More Info


BASE-CRAFTING FOR RUNEWORDS

► More Info



TEST BUILDS (WIP)

Since the Poison/Fire build is a hold-over from the last patch, and it's playstyle isn't very accessible for new players, I'm listing some alternate builds people can try until I've settled on a final build. Note that these are test builds, so understand they may still need a bit of tweaking.

That said, I'm leaning toward Fire/Lightning as a final build. It should provide decent damage while still giving the player that traditional “tanky” feel people tend to expect from a melee build.

► Fire-Lightning


► Poison-Lightning


► Lightning-Cold


► Fire-Cold



Image



  • The entire MXL team.
  • Blizzard North (may you RIP).
  • Deafwave specifically for all his work with the Linux Launcher.
  • All the people who keep the forum running, maintain the documentation, and host servers.
  • Everyone who provided feedback, strategies, and tips for this guide.
  • And last, but not least, the people who took the time to read this guide and try out the build.

Thanks for reading!

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions related specifically to this guide, feel free to PM me here on the forum.
#3
2 months
Edited by Solfege 1 month.
Magisch
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Do you reckon the defense of Sorc is anything to write home about? I was doing this before rerolling Hammerzon and it just felt incredibly weak. I was getting near oneshot in IOTSS and barely breaking 250k defense with all TCD MO's on my TU gear. It honestly felt weak as hell.
#4
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Heisenberg
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The order you have multiple items listed in is it 1st is the best or going left to right in order of upgrades?
#5
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Solfege
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@Magisch
It depends on your spec, but you'll never get insane amounts of ACD (I think the most I ever got while still being able to kill stuff was 600k a few patches back). Melee Sorcs aren't Barbs. They don't rely on just 1 or 2 layers of defense. They rely on stacking multiple layers of different defensive mods, with the spec you choose determining which layers are more important. If you're only looking at your ACD number, you're not seeing the whole picture.

@Heisenberg
Order of upgrades. So, for example, when it says "Shark -> The Warped Blade," it means use Shark, then upgrade to The Warped Blade.
#6
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Magisch
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Solfege wrote:@Magisch
It depends on your spec, but you'll never get insane amounts of ACD (I think the most I ever got while still being able to kill stuff was 600k a few patches back). Melee Sorcs aren't Barbs. They don't rely on just 1 or 2 layers of defense. They rely on stacking multiple layers of different defensive mods, with the spec you choose determining which layers are more important. If you're only looking at your ACD number, you're not seeing the whole picture.

@Heisenberg
Order of upgrades. So, for example, when it says "Shark -> The Warped Blade," it means use Shark, then upgrade to The Warped Blade.


How much health do you have, and how important is that actually? Even with 84 all res 50 phys res 350k def and 40% block my hammerzon feels like it's made of paper with 15k hp, I think sorc will be on way less then that, how do you survive higher ubers?
#7
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Solfege
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As with ACD, total Life will depend on spec, as will how important it is (I think I have about 11k with Moonstrike active atm).

It also doesn't really work doing straight numbers comparisons between 2 different builds from 2 different classes. There are other factors beyond just a numbers game (e.g. character skills, playstyle, etc.). Not sure what Ubers you consider "higher Ubers," but aside from that fairly low CtB, those are decent mid-game numbers for a Melee Sorc.
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GRANDLarsony
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#9
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Fenrils
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Magisch wrote:How much health do you have, and how important is that actually? Even with 84 all res 50 phys res 350k def and 40% block my hammerzon feels like it's made of paper with 15k hp, I think sorc will be on way less then that, how do you survive higher ubers?


My melee sorc currently has 17k health, 75% block, 50% physical resistance, 80% all res, 69% life steal, ~200 life on attack, and damage avoidance. As well, we get a lot of natural movespeed so it's pretty easy to get around and dodge things. Not to even mention that sorc gets delicious moon cookies. When it comes to facetanking things, this build has only really felt below barb personally but it takes more finesse to get to that point than barb, pally, or even assassin. I've personally downed 120s and most 125s and will be looking to take this build all the way to the end, sans Samael because fuck that. I can already run Fauz blindfolded, for what it's worth, so your survivability later on is certainly up there.
#10
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