Melee Sorceress

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INTRODUCTION

Are you looking for a build that will take you through the game’s content from beginning to end? Do you want a build that doesn’t need a ton of expensive gear or use an overly complex playstyle? Do you want a build you can play solo, self-found, and untwinked? Then let me introduce you to the Melee Sorceress.

The Melee Sorceress is a Dexterity-based build that’s fast, versatile, and tough enough to hold her own against the deadliest foes. The playstyle is simple without being boring, and you can complete most of the content with cheap, easy to find gear. And multiple spec options let you choose a melee playstyle that suits your tastes--from the hyper-aggressive Poison/Fire spec, to the super-casual Lighting/Cold spec. So if you’re someone who just wants to play the game, then a Melee Sorc may be just what you’re looking for.

PROS AND CONS

Pros:

Can complete the game’s content solo and untwinked.
Doesn't need expensive gear.
Above average boss killer.
Multiple playstyles, depending on spec and gear.
Access to summons when you need them.
She's a Melee Sorceress. I mean, c'mon, buddy.

Neutral:

Moderate skill-switching.
Average farmer.
Slower start than many Caster Sorcs, but easier End-Game.

Cons:

Viable weapon options are limited due to skill restrictions.
Some End-Game boss fights can be frustrating due to their mechanics and the nature of a Sorc’s melee skills.

ATTRIBUTE POINTS

STR - Enough for gear
DEX - Everything else
VIT - None
NRG - None

SKILL POINTS (at clvl 135)

Max - Moonstrike, Fusillade, Baneblade
28 Points - Warp Armor
10 Points - Vengeful Power
5 Points - Symbol of Esu
1 Point - Familiar, Wraithsword, Blade Spirits, Bladestorm, Hive, Nova Charge, Force Blast, and all prerequisites.

Remaining points can go to Warp Armor.

► SKILL BREAKDOWNS

BREAKPOINTS

Attack Speed (AS):
10/37/92 (5 fpa) - Crystal Sword (-20 WSM)
6/23/56/129 (5 fpa) - Warp Blade (-10 WSM)
Block Speed (BS):
3/7/13/20/32/48/75/129/280 (4 fpa)
Hit Recovery (HR):
5/11/20/35/60/109/280 (3 fpa)
Cast Speed (CS):
6/19/42/83/194 (5 fpa) - Staff
8/22/42/78/157 (6 fpa) - Crystal Sword/Warp Blade

THE BASICS

Melee Sorcs will generally have the same Melee Skill Point distribution regardless of spec. So your biggest consideration will be which defensive Passive combo to choose. All Passive combos are viable, and some are better in certain situations that others. Since this is a beginner’s guide, this build will use a safer and more casual-friendly Poison/Lightning spec.

Offense:
Melee Sorcs take a "death by a thousand cuts" approach to damage. A Sorc's melee skills are designed to overwhelm enemies with high volumes of low-damage projectiles. To achieve success, you’ll use a Bladestorm+Fusillade combo, paired with buffs such as Hive and Nova Charge to deal additional damage. Bladestorm’s range makes it more versatile than Wraithsword. And Fusillade will inflict burst damage when you need it. Later, you can gain access to oskills such as Spiral Dance, Charged Strike, and even Parasite, which can open up new build possibilities.

Defense:
Rather than going big on Defense, you’ll be layering multiple types of defensive mods in smaller amounts. Phys Res, Defense, and Life sustain will be your main focus early on, with CtB and Avoid overshadowing Defense later. And sources of active damage reduction such as Miasma and Force Blast will further increase survivability.

Chance to Block will be especially important by End-Game, with your goal being +65% CtB or higher.
Sorcs have a Base CtB of +3%. With Baneblade active, that increases to +4%. The following values show the total DEX needed per additional %Base CtB for a clvl 120 Sorc to reach Max Block (75%) with Baneblade active.

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

How to Play:

Buff with Mana Shield, Hive, Nova Charge, Baneblade, and any oskill buffs provided by gear.
Buff with Moonstrike and keep it active at all times during combat.
Use Bladestorm for general questing and Wraithsword for specific situations.
Use Fusillade for burst damage against mobs and bosses.
Use Miasma (later, Force Blast) to debuff enemies, when necessary.

MERCENARY

A merc isn’t necessary, but a good support merc will be helpful. You can choose whichever you want, but personally, I’ve always had a soft spot for the Rogue Priestess. She can spread damage over a broad range, and her Vindicate skill gives you a source of Life regen that’s incredibly helpful, especially early on.

► ROGUE CLASS-SPECIFIC BONUSES

► GEAR - WIP

Your merc doesn’t need anything special when starting out. Just equip her with whatever decent Rares you happen to find. Prioritize mods such as Phys damage, DEX, MF, AS, HR, and reanimates.

I don’t really have any End-Game gear suggestions at the moment. She can (mostly) survive through the clvl 120 Dungeons and Rifts with TUs and SU Quilted Armor. After that, I stop using mercs because of all the 1-shot mechanics, so I haven’t really done a lot of gear testing.

Weapon:

Shockwave

Shockwave
Bows
'Sol'
Runeword Level: 27
50% Chance to cast level 14 Punishers on Kill
+(58 to 72)% Enhanced Damage
+(11 to 15) to Maximum Damage
+3% to Poison Spell Damage
(3 to 5)% Chance of Crushing Blow
Slow Target (11 to 15)%
+(21 to 40) to Dexterity
+(21 to 40) to Energy

in a Short or Long War Bow ->

The Black Dame

The Black Dame
Long War Bow (4)
Two-Hand Damage: (10 - 12) to (17 - 28)
Required Level: 11
Required Dexterity: 108
Item Level: 18
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.11 per Dexterity)%
1% Chance to cast level 1 Barrage on Kill
30% Attack Speed
+(35 to 57)% Enhanced Damage
+(1 to 10) to Maximum Damage
(11 to 15)% Mana stolen per Hit
+(5 to 8) to Tantrum
Slow Target (3 to 5)%
Total Character Defense (21 to 25)%
+1% to Experience Gained
Requirements +10%
Socketed (2)
Two-Hand Damage: (36 - 40) to (63 - 88)
Required Level: 30
Required Dexterity: 200
Item Level: 33
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.11 per Dexterity)%
1% Chance to cast level 5 Barrage on Kill
45% Attack Speed
+(81 to 103)% Enhanced Damage
+(11 to 30) to Maximum Damage
(16 to 20)% Mana stolen per Hit
+(9 to 12) to Tantrum
Slow Target (9 to 11)%
Total Character Defense (31 to 35)%
+2% to Experience Gained
Requirements +40%
Socketed (4)
Two-Hand Damage: (101 - 112) to (171 - 204)
Required Level: 48
Required Dexterity: 498
Item Level: 53
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.11 per Dexterity)%
1% Chance to cast level 10 Barrage on Kill
60% Attack Speed
+(126 to 149)% Enhanced Damage
+(31 to 50) to Maximum Damage
(21 to 25)% Mana stolen per Hit
+(13 to 16) to Tantrum
Slow Target (15 to 17)%
Total Character Defense (41 to 45)%
+2% to Experience Gained
Requirements +80%
Socketed (5)
Two-Hand Damage: (134 - 146) to (254 - 300)
Required Level: 57
Required Dexterity: 1357
Item Level: 90
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.11 per Dexterity)%
1% Chance to cast level 16 Barrage on Kill
75% Attack Speed
+(149 to 171)% Enhanced Damage
+(70 to 100) to Maximum Damage
(26 to 30)% Mana stolen per Hit
+(17 to 21) to Tantrum
Slow Target (18 to 20)%
Total Character Defense (46 to 50)%
+3% to Experience Gained
Requirements +150%
Socketed (6)

* -> TBA

Body Armor:

Rebel

Rebel
Body Armors
'El'
Runeword Level: 11
Enhanced Weapon Damage +(4 to 6)%
+(12 to 23)% Enhanced Defense
+20 to Strength
+20 to Dexterity
-10 to Vitality
-10 to Energy
Elemental Resists +(16 to 20)%
+1 to Light Radius

->

Albrecht's Revenge

Albrecht's Revenge
Chain Mail (4)
Defense: (138 - 150) to (279 - 305)
Required Level: 4
Required Strength: 41 to 43
Item Level: 7
5% Chance to cast level 1 Arrow on Striking
Adds (2 to 4)-(6 to 7) cold damage
+(18 to 29)% Enhanced Defense
Cold Resist +(21 to 25)%
(3 to 4)% Reanimate as: Returned Archer
+(10 to 15) Life after each Demon Kill
Requirements -(11 to 15)%
Socketed (2)
Defense: (437 - 471) to (798 - 860)
Required Level: 22
Required Strength: 54 to 56
Item Level: 26
6% Chance to cast level 1 Arrow on Striking
Adds (7 to 13)-(13 to 25) cold damage
+(41 to 52)% Enhanced Defense
Cold Resist +(31 to 35)%
(5 to 6)% Reanimate as: Returned Archer
+(25 to 33) Life after each Demon Kill
Requirements -(21 to 25)%
Socketed (4)
Defense: (1038 - 1107) to (1843 - 1967)
Required Level: 39
Required Strength: 98 to 104
Item Level: 46
7% Chance to cast level 1 Arrow on Striking
Adds (26 to 50)-(51 to 100) cold damage
+(64 to 75)% Enhanced Defense
Cold Resist +(41 to 45)%
(7 to 8)% Reanimate as: Returned Archer
+(43 to 60) Life after each Demon Kill
Requirements -(31 to 35)%
Socketed (5)
Defense: (1513 - 1608) to (2670 - 2838)
Required Level: 49
Required Strength: 188 to 200
Item Level: 81
8% Chance to cast level 1 Arrow on Striking
Adds (51 to 100)-(101 to 200) cold damage
+(75 to 86)% Enhanced Defense
Cold Resist +(46 to 50)%
(9 to 10)% Reanimate as: Returned Archer
+(76 to 90) Life after each Demon Kill
Requirements -(36 to 40)%
Socketed (6)

->

Screen of Viz-Jaq'Taar

Screen of Viz-Jaq'Taar
Quilted Armor (Sacred)
Defense: (11132 - 11789) to (12317 - 12993)
Required Level: 100
Required Strength: 460
Item Level: 105
+(171 to 200)% Enhanced Defense
+(5000 to 6000) Defense
(1 to 3)% Reanimate as: Augmented Inquisitor
(1 to 3)% Reanimate as: Accursed Demihuman
(1 to 3)% Reanimate as: Magineer
(1 to 3)% Reanimate as: Demonflesh Surrogate
(1 to 3)% Reanimate as: Vorpal Elytron
Socketed (6)

Helm:

Cannonball

Cannonball
Helms
'Ral'
Runeword Level: 19
1% Chance to cast level 6 Celerity on Melee Attack
(5 to 8)% Movement Speed
+(4 to 6)% to Fire Spell Damage
3% Chance of Crushing Blow
+10 Maximum Stamina
Level 5 Blast Wave (5/5 Charges)

->

Topspin

Topspin
Skull Cap (4)
Defense: (76 - 83) to (115 - 125)
Required Level: 3
Required Strength: 25
Item Level: 4
5% Attack Speed
+(31 to 50)% Enhanced Defense
(3 to 5)% to Dexterity
(3 to 5)% to Energy
+(31 to 50) Defense
Maximum Elemental Resists +1%
Total Character Defense 10%
Socketed (1)
Defense: (277 - 301) to (365 - 397)
Required Level: 20
Required Strength: 37
Item Level: 23
15% Attack Speed
+(61 to 80)% Enhanced Defense
(6 to 8)% to Dexterity
(6 to 8)% to Energy
+(71 to 100) Defense
Maximum Elemental Resists +1%
Total Character Defense 20%
Socketed (3)
Defense: (704 - 760) to (876 - 943)
Required Level: 37
Required Strength: 78
Item Level: 43
25% Attack Speed
+(91 to 110)% Enhanced Defense
(9 to 11)% to Dexterity
(9 to 11)% to Energy
+(151 to 200) Defense
Maximum Elemental Resists +2%
Total Character Defense 30%
Socketed (4)
Defense: (1182 - 1258) to (1471 - 1564)
Required Level: 47
Required Strength: 160
Item Level: 78
30% Attack Speed
+(121 to 140)% Enhanced Defense
(12 to 14)% to Dexterity
(12 to 14)% to Energy
+(301 to 400) Defense
Maximum Elemental Resists +2%
Total Character Defense 40%
Socketed (4)

-> TBA

Belt:

Rainbow

Rainbow
Belts
'Eth'
Runeword Level: 15
+3 to Maximum Damage
+3% to Spell Damage
+(6 to 10)% to Summoned Minion Resistances
Elemental Resists +(16 to 20)%
(6 to 8)% Magic Find
+2 to Light Radius

->

Wormtongue

Wormtongue
Light Belt (4)
Defense: (53 - 58) to (71 - 78)
Required Level: 3
Required Strength: 27
Item Level: 5
(31 to 50)% Bonus to Attack Rating
Adds 5-13 poison damage over 2 seconds
(2 to 4)% Life stolen per Hit
+(18 to 29)% Enhanced Defense
+(11 to 15) to Dexterity
Socketed (1)
Defense: (214 - 231) to (259 - 279)
Required Level: 21
Required Strength: 40
Item Level: 24
(71 to 90)% Bonus to Attack Rating
Adds 19-50 poison damage over 2 seconds
(8 to 10)% Life stolen per Hit
+(41 to 52)% Enhanced Defense
+(21 to 25) to Dexterity
Socketed (2)
Defense: (544 - 581) to (649 - 693)
Required Level: 38
Required Strength: 83
Item Level: 45
(111 to 130)% Bonus to Attack Rating
Adds 75-150 poison damage over 2 seconds
(14 to 16)% Life stolen per Hit
+(64 to 75)% Enhanced Defense
+(31 to 35) to Dexterity
Socketed (2)
Defense: (801 - 851) to (946 - 1006)
Required Level: 46
Required Strength: 173
Item Level: 77
(131 to 150)% Bonus to Attack Rating
Adds 100-250 poison damage over 2 seconds
(17 to 19)% Life stolen per Hit
+(75 to 86)% Enhanced Defense
+(36 to 40) to Dexterity
Socketed (2)

-> TBA

Gloves:

Kali

Kali
Gloves
'Pul'
Runeword Level: 45
15% Chance to cast level 13 Fire Splash on Kill
+2 to All Skills
-214 Defense
Maximum Fire Resist +4%
Fire Resist +26%

->

Featherclaw

Featherclaw
Chain Gloves (4)
Defense: (28 - 30) to (49 - 54)
Required Level: 5
Required Strength: 38
Item Level: 8
5% Attack Speed
(21 to 50)% Bonus to Attack Rating
+(18 to 29)% Enhanced Defense
+(6 to 10) to Dexterity
Socketed (1)
Defense: (149 - 161) to (203 - 218)
Required Level: 22
Required Strength: 56
Item Level: 26
15% Attack Speed
(81 to 110)% Bonus to Attack Rating
+(41 to 52)% Enhanced Defense
+(16 to 20) to Dexterity
Socketed (2)
Defense: (393 - 420) to (519 - 554)
Required Level: 40
Required Strength: 118
Item Level: 46
25% Attack Speed
(141 to 170)% Bonus to Attack Rating
+(64 to 75)% Enhanced Defense
+(26 to 30) to Dexterity
Socketed (3)
Defense: (581 - 617) to (759 - 807)
Required Level: 48
Required Strength: 244
Item Level: 80
30% Attack Speed
(171 to 200)% Bonus to Attack Rating
+(75 to 86)% Enhanced Defense
+(31 to 35) to Dexterity
Socketed (4)

-> TBA

Boots:

Epicenter

Epicenter
Boots
'Ith'
Runeword Level: 15
0.0625% Chance of Crushing Blow (Based on Character Level)
+(14 to 25)% Enhanced Defense
Maximum Life (11 to 15)%

->

Zealot Rush

Zealot Rush
Light Plated Boots (4)
Defense: (67 - 78) to (102 - 119)
Required Level: 6
Required Strength: 60
Item Level: 10
5% Attack Speed
(0 to 40)% Movement Speed
(11 to 25)% Bonus to Attack Rating
+(21 to 40)% Enhanced Defense
(3 to 5)% to Dexterity
1% Reanimate as: Dark Templar
Socketed (1)
Defense: (248 - 281) to (338 - 384)
Required Level: 24
Required Strength: 88
Item Level: 27
10% Attack Speed
(0 to 40)% Movement Speed
(41 to 55)% Bonus to Attack Rating
+(41 to 60)% Enhanced Defense
(9 to 11)% to Dexterity
(2 to 3)% Reanimate as: Dark Templar
Socketed (2)
Defense: (613 - 685) to (817 - 914)
Required Level: 41
Required Strength: 186
Item Level: 48
20% Attack Speed
(0 to 40)% Movement Speed
(71 to 85)% Bonus to Attack Rating
+(61 to 80)% Enhanced Defense
(15 to 17)% to Dexterity
(3 to 5)% Reanimate as: Dark Templar
Socketed (3)
Defense: (944 - 1044) to (1247 - 1378)
Required Level: 50
Required Strength: 385
Item Level: 83
30% Attack Speed
(0 to 40)% Movement Speed
(86 to 100)% Bonus to Attack Rating
+(81 to 100)% Enhanced Defense
(18 to 20)% to Dexterity
(4 to 6)% Reanimate as: Dark Templar
Socketed (4)

-> TBA

Amulet:
Rare with +Skills, then any combination of DEX, AS, Life, MF, or a Reanimate -> TBA

Socket Fillers:

Weapon - Perfect Emeralds or Eth Runes
Armor - Perfect Res Gems -> Perfect Amethysts -> Ber-crafted jewels with %DEX, Res, and HR or AS

Mystic Orbs:

Weapon (TU) - ED to cap, Max Damage, DS, CB
Armor (TU) - Elemental Res, MF, Max Damage

*At T4, the Black Dame has ridiculous DEX requirements. Uptier all your merc’s other gear to T4 before her weapon (her armor pieces will give her enough DEX to equip the bow).

► BREAKPOINTS

► QUIRKS - APPLIES TO ALL MERCS

GEAR

► expand

Weapon

Dawn

Dawn
Weapons
'El'
Runeword Level: 11
5% Chance to cast level 7 Celerity on Kill
15% Hit Recovery
+(18 to 35)% Enhanced Damage
(101 to 150)% Bonus to Attack Rating
10% to All Attributes
(4 to 8)% Gold Find
+2 to Light Radius

in a Sorc Orb ->

Shark

Shark
Weapons
'Tal'
Runeword Level: 17
5% Chance to cast level 9 Bloodlust on Kill
+(7 to 9)% Bonus Damage to Bloodlust
20% Attack Speed
+(24 to 35)% Enhanced Damage
+0.125 to Maximum Damage (Based on Character Level)
+5 to all Attributes
-1 to Mana

in a Warp Blade (not Crystal Sword) ->

The Warped Blade

The Warped Blade
Warp Blade (4)
One-Hand Damage: (6 - 7) to (22 - 36)
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 12
Required Dexterity: 39 to 41
Item Level: 19
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.13 per Dexterity)%
Area Effect Attack
5% Chance to cast level 12 Energy Beam on Melee Attack
15% Attack Speed
+(24 to 46)% Enhanced Damage
+(13 to 25) to Maximum Damage
+(16 to 25) to Dexterity
(3 to 4)% Reanimate as: Flayer Archon
Requirements -(11 to 15)%
Socketed (2)
One-Hand Damage: (20 - 23) to (73 - 90)
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 33
Required Dexterity: 53 to 56
Item Level: 36
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.13 per Dexterity)%
Area Effect Attack
10% Chance to cast level 20 Energy Beam on Melee Attack
25% Attack Speed
+(69 to 92)% Enhanced Damage
+(38 to 50) to Maximum Damage
+(36 to 45) to Dexterity
(5 to 6)% Reanimate as: Flayer Archon
Requirements -(21 to 25)%
Socketed (4)
One-Hand Damage: (49 - 54) to (157 - 179)
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 52
Required Dexterity: 91 to 96
Item Level: 58
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.13 per Dexterity)%
Area Effect Attack
15% Chance to cast level 28 Energy Beam on Melee Attack
35% Attack Speed
+(115 to 137)% Enhanced Damage
+(63 to 75) to Maximum Damage
+(56 to 65) to Dexterity
(7 to 8)% Reanimate as: Flayer Archon
Requirements -(31 to 35)%
Socketed (5)
One-Hand Damage: (69 - 75) to (202 - 225)
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 62
Required Dexterity: 166 to 177
Item Level: 90
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.13 per Dexterity)%
Area Effect Attack
20% Chance to cast level 36 Energy Beam on Melee Attack
40% Attack Speed
+(138 to 160)% Enhanced Damage
+(76 to 88) to Maximum Damage
+(66 to 75) to Dexterity
(9 to 10)% Reanimate as: Flayer Archon
Requirements -(36 to 40)%
Socketed (6)

->

Grace

Grace
Sorceress Crystal Swords
'Kur'
Runeword Level: 78
+(1 to 2) to Sorceress Skill Levels
45% Attack Speed
30% Block Speed
+(115 to 143)% Enhanced Damage
+(13 to 25) to Minimum Damage
+(21 to 40) to Strength
+(21 to 40) to Dexterity
+(21 to 40) to Vitality
Maximum Mana 3%
10% Chance to Avoid Damage

in a Sacred Warp Blade

Armor

Akara's Robe (1)

Akara's Robe
Quilted Armor (1)
Defense: 74 to 100
Required Level: 10
Required Strength: 10
Item Level: 255
+50 Defense
+(6 to 10) to all Attributes
+50 to Life
Elemental Resists +(11 to 15)%
Cannot be Upgraded
Socketed (2)

->

Wedding Dress of the Zann

Wedding Dress of the Zann
Ceremonial Armor (4)
Defense: (352 - 409) to (706 - 821)
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 12
Required Dexterity: 97
Item Level: 20
15% Attack Speed
(1 to 2)% Deadly Strike
+(2 to 3) to Spiral Dance
+(35 to 57)% Enhanced Defense
+(16 to 25) to Strength
+(16 to 25) to Dexterity
+(21 to 50)% Enhanced Damage to Moonstrike
Socketed (2)
Defense: (1131 - 1268) to (2161 - 2423)
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 31
Required Dexterity: 143
Item Level: 35
30% Attack Speed
(3 to 4)% Deadly Strike
+(4 to 5) to Spiral Dance
+(81 to 103)% Enhanced Defense
+(36 to 45) to Strength
+(36 to 45) to Dexterity
+(81 to 110)% Enhanced Damage to Moonstrike
Socketed (4)
Defense: (2818 - 3105) to (5286 - 5824)
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 48
Required Dexterity: 300
Item Level: 55
45% Attack Speed
(5 to 6)% Deadly Strike
+(6 to 7) to Spiral Dance
+(126 to 149)% Enhanced Defense
+(56 to 65) to Strength
+(56 to 65) to Dexterity
+(141 to 170)% Enhanced Damage to Moonstrike
Socketed (5)
Defense: (4203 - 4574) to (7888 - 8585)
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 55
Required Dexterity: 622
Item Level: 90
60% Attack Speed
(7 to 8)% Deadly Strike
+(7 to 8) to Spiral Dance
+(149 to 171)% Enhanced Defense
+(66 to 75) to Strength
+(66 to 75) to Dexterity
+(171 to 200)% Enhanced Damage to Moonstrike
Socketed (6)

->

Astarte

Astarte
Sorceress Body Armors
'Sha'
Runeword Level: 72
40% Attack Speed
+(38 to 50) to Minimum Damage
Stun Attack
+(1 to 5) to Spiral Dance
Enhanced Weapon Damage +(18 to 30)%
+(87 to 114)% Enhanced Defense
+(151 to 200)% Enhanced Damage to Moonstrike

in a Sacred Kazarghand or better (ideally, Sacred Ceremonial Armor)

Shield
Rare ->

Cloudladder

Cloudladder
Spiked Shield (4)
Defense: (102 - 116) to (203 - 230)
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 7
Required Dexterity: 55
Item Level: 12
+1 to All Skills
+1 to Sorceress Skill Levels
+1 to Druid Skill Levels
+(41 to 60)% Enhanced Defense
+20 to all Attributes
+10 Life Regenerated per Second
Socketed (1)
Defense: (372 - 414) to (629 - 699)
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 24
Required Dexterity: 81
Item Level: 29
+(1 to 2) to All Skills
+(1 to 2) to Sorceress Skill Levels
+(1 to 2) to Druid Skill Levels
+(71 to 90)% Enhanced Defense
+30 to all Attributes
+20 Life Regenerated per Second
Socketed (4)
Defense: (920 - 1007) to (1503 - 1645)
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 42
Required Dexterity: 170
Item Level: 49
+2 to All Skills
+2 to Sorceress Skill Levels
+2 to Druid Skill Levels
+(101 to 120)% Enhanced Defense
+40 to all Attributes
+30 Life Regenerated per Second
Socketed (5)
Defense: (1443 - 1687) to (2346 - 2743)
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 51
Required Dexterity: 353
Item Level: 84
+2 to All Skills
+2 to Sorceress Skill Levels
+2 to Druid Skill Levels
+(131 to 170)% Enhanced Defense
+50 to all Attributes
+40 Life Regenerated per Second
Socketed (6)

Helm

Cannonball

Cannonball
Helms
'Ral'
Runeword Level: 19
1% Chance to cast level 6 Celerity on Melee Attack
(5 to 8)% Movement Speed
+(4 to 6)% to Fire Spell Damage
3% Chance of Crushing Blow
+10 Maximum Stamina
Level 5 Blast Wave (5/5 Charges)

->

Haareis

Haareis
Diadem (4)
Defense: 36 to 80
Required Level: 10
Required Dexterity: 28
Item Level: 17
1% Chance to cast level 1 Shackles of Ice on Melee Attack
(4 to 5)% Bonus to Buff/Debuff/Cold Skill Duration
Adds 5-7 cold damage
(2 to 4)% Life stolen per Hit
(4 to 6)% to Strength
(4 to 6)% to Dexterity
(4 to 6)% to Vitality
Cold Resist +(16 to 25)%
Socketed (2)
Defense: 103 to 194
Required Level: 28
Required Dexterity: 57
Item Level: 32
2% Chance to cast level 5 Shackles of Ice on Melee Attack
(8 to 9)% Bonus to Buff/Debuff/Cold Skill Duration
Adds 18-20 cold damage
(8 to 10)% Life stolen per Hit
(7 to 9)% to Strength
(7 to 9)% to Dexterity
(7 to 9)% to Vitality
Cold Resist +(36 to 45)%
Socketed (2)
Defense: 215 to 386
Required Level: 46
Required Dexterity: 137
Item Level: 53
3% Chance to cast level 9 Shackles of Ice on Melee Attack
(12 to 13)% Bonus to Buff/Debuff/Cold Skill Duration
Adds 55-65 cold damage
(14 to 16)% Life stolen per Hit
(10 to 12)% to Strength
(10 to 12)% to Dexterity
(10 to 12)% to Vitality
Cold Resist +(56 to 65)%
Socketed (3)
Defense: 296 to 523
Required Level: 54
Required Dexterity: 294
Item Level: 90
4% Chance to cast level 11 Shackles of Ice on Melee Attack
(14 to 15)% Bonus to Buff/Debuff/Cold Skill Duration
Adds 175-190 cold damage
(17 to 19)% Life stolen per Hit
(13 to 15)% to Strength
(13 to 15)% to Dexterity
(13 to 15)% to Vitality
Cold Resist +(66 to 75)%
Socketed (4)

Belt

Rainbow

Rainbow
Belts
'Eth'
Runeword Level: 15
+3 to Maximum Damage
+3% to Spell Damage
+(6 to 10)% to Summoned Minion Resistances
Elemental Resists +(16 to 20)%
(6 to 8)% Magic Find
+2 to Light Radius

->

Wormtongue

Wormtongue
Light Belt (4)
Defense: (53 - 58) to (71 - 78)
Required Level: 3
Required Strength: 27
Item Level: 5
(31 to 50)% Bonus to Attack Rating
Adds 5-13 poison damage over 2 seconds
(2 to 4)% Life stolen per Hit
+(18 to 29)% Enhanced Defense
+(11 to 15) to Dexterity
Socketed (1)
Defense: (214 - 231) to (259 - 279)
Required Level: 21
Required Strength: 40
Item Level: 24
(71 to 90)% Bonus to Attack Rating
Adds 19-50 poison damage over 2 seconds
(8 to 10)% Life stolen per Hit
+(41 to 52)% Enhanced Defense
+(21 to 25) to Dexterity
Socketed (2)
Defense: (544 - 581) to (649 - 693)
Required Level: 38
Required Strength: 83
Item Level: 45
(111 to 130)% Bonus to Attack Rating
Adds 75-150 poison damage over 2 seconds
(14 to 16)% Life stolen per Hit
+(64 to 75)% Enhanced Defense
+(31 to 35) to Dexterity
Socketed (2)
Defense: (801 - 851) to (946 - 1006)
Required Level: 46
Required Strength: 173
Item Level: 77
(131 to 150)% Bonus to Attack Rating
Adds 100-250 poison damage over 2 seconds
(17 to 19)% Life stolen per Hit
+(75 to 86)% Enhanced Defense
+(36 to 40) to Dexterity
Socketed (2)

->

Truce

Truce
Belts
'Vith'
Runeword Level: 98
-5% Cast Speed
-5% Attack Speed
Stun Attack
+5% to Summoned Minion Damage
+(172 to 200)% Enhanced Defense
Physical Resist 10%
Slows Attacker by 5%

in a T4 Sash

Gloves

Mercy

Mercy
Gloves
'Shael'
Runeword Level: 29
5% Chance to cast level 14 Punishers on Melee Attack
+(6 to 8) to Maximum Damage
(11 to 15)% to Vitality
+26 Defense
+(11 to 20) to Strength

->

Toorc's Gift

Toorc's Gift
Heavy Gloves (4)
Defense: (15 - 18) to (30 - 34)
Required Level: 3
Required Strength: 24
Item Level: 5
2% Chance to cast level 1 Glacial Nova on Melee Attack
5% Attack Speed
Stun Attack
+(12 to 29)% Enhanced Defense
Cold Resist +(11 to 15)%
Socketed (1)
Defense: (129 - 143) to (160 - 177)
Required Level: 20
Required Strength: 35
Item Level: 24
3% Chance to cast level 2 Glacial Nova on Melee Attack
15% Attack Speed
Adds (11 to 15)-(16 to 25) cold damage
Stun Attack
+(47 to 63)% Enhanced Defense
Cold Resist +(21 to 25)%
Socketed (2)
Defense: (376 - 409) to (448 - 488)
Required Level: 38
Required Strength: 74
Item Level: 44
4% Chance to cast level 3 Glacial Nova on Melee Attack
25% Attack Speed
Adds (36 to 45)-(46 to 63) cold damage
Stun Attack
+(81 to 97)% Enhanced Defense
Cold Resist +(31 to 35)%
Socketed (3)
Defense: (568 - 614) to (685 - 740)
Required Level: 46
Required Strength: 154
Item Level: 77
5% Chance to cast level 3 Glacial Nova on Melee Attack
30% Attack Speed
Adds (81 to 100)-(101 to 125) cold damage
Stun Attack
+(98 to 114)% Enhanced Defense
Cold Resist +(36 to 40)%
Socketed (4)

Boots

Epicenter

Epicenter
Boots
'Ith'
Runeword Level: 15
0.0625% Chance of Crushing Blow (Based on Character Level)
+(14 to 25)% Enhanced Defense
Maximum Life (11 to 15)%

->

Lionpaw

Lionpaw
Chain Boots (4)
Defense: (49 - 54) to (71 - 78)
Required Level: 4
Required Strength: 44
Item Level: 7
(0 to 40)% Movement Speed
+(18 to 29)% Enhanced Defense
+(7 to 10) to all Attributes
+(31 to 50) to Life
+(16 to 25) to Mana
Total Character Defense (3 to 5)%
10% Gold Find
Socketed (1)
Defense: (203 - 218) to (267 - 288)
Required Level: 22
Required Strength: 65
Item Level: 25
(0 to 40)% Movement Speed
+(41 to 52)% Enhanced Defense
+(15 to 18) to all Attributes
+(71 to 90) to Life
+(36 to 45) to Mana
Total Character Defense (9 to 11)%
15% Gold Find
Socketed (2)
Defense: (519 - 554) to (667 - 712)
Required Level: 39
Required Strength: 137
Item Level: 46
(0 to 40)% Movement Speed
+(64 to 75)% Enhanced Defense
+(23 to 26) to all Attributes
+(111 to 130) to Life
+(56 to 65) to Mana
Total Character Defense (15 to 17)%
20% Gold Find
Socketed (3)
Defense: (759 - 807) to (974 - 1036)
Required Level: 48
Required Strength: 282
Item Level: 79
(0 to 40)% Movement Speed
+(75 to 86)% Enhanced Defense
+(31 to 35) to all Attributes
+(131 to 150) to Life
+(66 to 75) to Mana
Total Character Defense (18 to 20)%
25% Gold Find
Socketed (4)

or

Death Spur

Death Spur
Heavy Boots (4)
Defense: 27 to 39
Required Level: 3
Required Strength: 28
Item Level: 5
1% Chance to cast level 6 Spike Nova on Kill
(0 to 40)% Movement Speed
+0.09375 to Maximum Damage (Based on Character Level)
+(11 to 15) to Strength
+(11 to 15) to Dexterity
Socketed (1)
Defense: 109 to 141
Required Level: 20
Required Strength: 41
Item Level: 24
1% Chance to cast level 10 Spike Nova on Kill
(0 to 40)% Movement Speed
+0.15625 to Maximum Damage (Based on Character Level)
+(21 to 25) to Strength
+(21 to 25) to Dexterity
Socketed (2)
Defense: 248 to 310
Required Level: 38
Required Strength: 87
Item Level: 44
1% Chance to cast level 14 Spike Nova on Kill
(0 to 40)% Movement Speed
+0.21875 to Maximum Damage (Based on Character Level)
+(31 to 35) to Strength
+(31 to 35) to Dexterity
Socketed (3)
Defense: 346 to 427
Required Level: 46
Required Strength: 179
Item Level: 77
1% Chance to cast level 16 Spike Nova on Kill
(0 to 40)% Movement Speed
+0.25 to Maximum Damage (Based on Character Level)
+(36 to 40) to Strength
+(36 to 40) to Dexterity
Socketed (4)

Amulet
Rare with +Skills, and any combination of DEX, HR, Life, Laek/Maek, MF, and Res

Rings
Rare with +Skills, and any combination of DEX, HR, Life, LaeK/MaeK, MF, and Res

On Switch

Pax Mystica

Pax Mystica
Staves
'Nef'
Runeword Level: 13
+1 to All Skills
+15% Bonus to Poison Skill Duration
+(2 to 5) to Blink
Elemental Resists +(11 to 15)%
(11 to 13)% Magic Find

- Blink oskill

Socket Fillers
Weapon - Perfect Rubies -> Perfect Skulls/Ith Runes -> Perfect Emeralds/Eth Runes (at clvl 90)
Armor (except Shield) - Perfect Res Gems (Amber, Bloodstone, Onyx, Turquoise)
Shield - Diamonds -> Perfect Res Gems (1x Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz) and 2x P-Diamonds
All RWs - Any Jewels (as needed) -> Ber-crafted Jewels

Mystic Orbs*
Weapon (TU) - 2x MoA, 3x LoA, ED to cap, Max Damage
Weapon (RW) - ED, Max Damage
Armor (TU Helm, Gloves) - HR, TCD, DEX, MF
Armor (TU Body Armor, Belt, Boots, Shield) - ED to cap, TCD, DEX, MF
Armor (RW Body Armor) - ED, DEX, Max Damage
Armor (RW Belt) - Max Damage
Jewelry - Mana Regen, Flat Defense, MF
Staff - CS

*Only orb TU gear at T4 to avoid wasting gold.

WALKTHROUGH

Normal (clvl 1-54)

Consider Normal the game's Tutorial. Here, you'll get a feel for how the game plays, how your build works, and an introduction to certain mechanics you’ll deal with in later Dungeons and Rifts.

► ACT 1

► ACT 2

► ACT 3

► ACT 4

► ACT 5

► EPILOGUE

Nightmare (clvl 54-104):

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

A -30% Elemental Res penalty will be applied to you, your merc, and your summons.

As you level, increase your reserve to 150 Attribute Points by the end of Nightmare. Anything beyond that can go to DEX.

► ACT 1

► ACT 2

► ACT 3

► ACT 4

► ACT 5

► EPILOGUE

Hell (clvl 104+)

Now it’s time to tackle some Dungeons and Rifts; however, there are a few things you need to know before beginning your journey through Hell:

A -70% Elemental Res penalty will be applied to you, your merc, and your summons.

Dungeons and Rifts:

All Dungeons and Rifts have a minimum clvl requirement you must meet before you can enter the level.
Many Dungeons have lockout timers. You’ve already experienced this with Baal, but most of the upcoming lockouts are short (often only 20 seconds). Be prepared before entering.
Some bosses have a 7% chance to drop a Trophy Fragment. Cubing 3 Fragments together will create a Trophy, which will add bonuses to its corresponding Charm. You can also create Fragments by cubing 20x of the same Charm. Unless otherwise noted, farm for a perfect version of a Charm before cubing it with its Trophy.

Area Levels
All Area Levels (alvls) in Hell are 100+. Items that drop here will have an Item Level (ilvl) of 99 or higher. When looking for Sacred Rare equipment or Jewels for crafting, look for them in Hell for a chance at the best possible rolls.

Sacred Uniques:
These will start dropping after a certain point as you progress. There are 3 "tiers" of SUs (SU, SSU, and SSSU). These tiers only indicate how rare a particular SU is, not how useful it may be. The places in which they can drop dependent on Area Level:

SUs = alvl 105+
SUs/SSUs = alvl 120+
SUs/SSUs/SSSUs = alvl 130+

Riftstones
Depleted Riftstones are random world drops in Hell. When charged, they allow you to open a rift to a Dimensional Labyrinth according to the Riftstone’s tier. Labs are extremely difficult. Since there’s really nothing of value until the higher Labs, there’s no point in attempting them until late End-Game.

Skill Points
You’ll be entering Hell with a lot of unspent Skill Points. This is normal. You’ll be acquiring Charms with the “+x to Maximum Skill Levels” mod, which will allow you to put more points into skills beyond their natural maximums. It will all balance out in the end.

Progression
Since you already know what to watch out for when completing the main storyline quests, the following subsections will focus on which Dungeons and Rifts you can do at this stage. Complete them in the order listed, since the Charm you get from one quest will often help you in the next quest. Activate every Waypoint on your way through Hell. It’ll make things easier later.

► ACT 1

► ACT 2

► ACT 3

► ACT 4

► ACT 5

► EPILOGUE

GEAR

► expand

WALKTHROUGH

From here on, the guide will be divided based on clvl rather than Act. Complete the Dungeons and Rifts in the order they’re listed.

Build up a reserve of 75 Attribute Points by the time you reach clvl 120 (most of these will come from SoL). Anything beyond that can go to DEX.

Many enemies in upcoming Dungeons and Rifts will have attacks that deal massive damage. Since your merc is too stupid to avoid them, she’ll die a lot. You’ll be strong enough to run without her, but feel free to resurrect her whenever you need help. Quests for which she’s especially helpful will be noted.

► CLVL 115

► CLVL 120, PART I

► PRELUDE TO ENDGAME

GEAR - WIP

► expand

Some item suggestions are still theoretical.

Weapon

Steel Punisher

Steel Punisher
Warp Blade (Sacred)
One-Hand Damage: (172 - 187) to (332 - 358)
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 400
Item Level: 120
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.13 per Dexterity)%
Area Effect Attack
+300% Bonus Magic Damage to Spiral Dance
15% Chance to cast level 25 ATMG Sentry on Melee Attack
+(1 to 2) to Sorceress Skill Levels
+(170 to 200)% Enhanced Damage
Adds 40-100 damage
(15 to 20)% Life stolen per Hit
10% Deadly Strike
Physical Resist 10%
Socketed (6)

or

Shark (Xis)

Shark
Weapons
'TaXis'
Runeword Level: 120
1% Chance to cast level 31 Bloodlust on Kill
+(36 to 60)% Bonus Damage to Bloodlust
40% Attack Speed
+200% Enhanced Damage
+2 to Maximum Damage (Based on Character Level)
+5 to all Attributes
-250 to Mana
Cannot be Unsocketed

in a Sacred Warp Blade (not Crystal Sword)

Armor

Dervish of Aranoch

Dervish of Aranoch
Kazarghand (Sacred)
Defense: (5959 - 6735) to (6832 - 7722)
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 550
Item Level: 105
5% Chance to cast level 6 Claw Tornado on Striking
40% Attack Speed
(5 to 20)% Life stolen per Hit
Stun Attack
Enhanced Weapon Damage +30%
+(115 to 143)% Enhanced Defense
20% to Dexterity
-20% to Energy
+1000 to Life
Socketed (6)

or

Rebel (Xis)

Rebel
Body Armors
'ElXis'
Runeword Level: 120
Enhanced Weapon Damage +120%
+(172 to 200)% Enhanced Defense
+(151 to 200) to Strength
+(151 to 200) to Dexterity
-75 to Vitality
-75 to Energy
Elemental Resists +(60 to 80)%
+1 to Light Radius
Cannot be Unsocketed

in Sacred Ceremonial Armor

Shield
Abandoned-craft/Abandoned-bless Spiked Shield with +2% CtB and at least 5% Phys Res (can go as high as 10%) ->

Lightforge

Lightforge
Kite Shield (Sacred)
Defense: (4144 - 5055) to (5252 - 6315)
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 100
Required Strength: 497
Required Dexterity: 559
Item Level: 105
Gematria
(Bonus per Socketed Great/Elemental Runes)
+5% Physical Resist
-5% Elemental Resists
+25% Total Character Defense
1% Chance to cast level 10 Thunder Hammer on Striking
-10% Movement Speed
+(100 to 150)% Enhanced Defense
+(500 to 1000) Defense
+(1000 to 2000) Defense vs. Missile
+(30 to 50) to all Attributes
+(30 to 50) Life after each Demon Kill
Socketed (4)

socketed with 4x Earth, Taha, or Auhe Runes.

Helm

Royal Circlet

Royal Circlet
Tiara (Sacred)
Defense: (1740 - 1957) to (1968 - 2214)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 392
Item Level: 105
+2 to All Skills
+90% Damage to Demons
+90% 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)

,

Idol of Rygnar

Idol of Rygnar
Mask (Sacred)
Defense: (2068 - 2350) to (2208 - 2510)
Required Level: 100
Required Strength: 540
Item Level: 120
+2 to Necromancer Skill Levels
25% Life stolen per Hit
Enhanced Weapon Damage +(60 to 90)%
Hit Causes Monster to Flee +1%
+(120 to 150)% Enhanced Defense
+(40 to 50) to Strength
+(40 to 50) to Dexterity
Target Takes Additional Damage of 500
25% Gold Find
+5 to Light Radius
Socketed (4)

, or

Veil of Steel

Veil of Steel
Great Helm (Sacred)
Defense: 9260 to 9653
Required Level: 130
Required Strength: 576
Item Level: 120
Enhanced Weapon Damage +150%
Hit Causes Monster to Flee +15%
+200% Enhanced Defense
+5000 Defense
Maximum Mana -50%
Socketed (4)

Belt

Nero

Nero
Belts
'Auhe'
Runeword Level: 100
10% Chance to cast level 14 Fortress on Melee Attack
Adds 7-25 damage
+90% Damage to Demons
Adds 63-125 fire damage
+(16 to 20)% to Fire Spell Damage
2% Deadly Strike
+(7 to 12) to Path of Flames
+(115 to 143)% Enhanced Defense

in a Sacred Plated Belt ->

Champion of the Triune

Champion of the Triune
Plated Belt (Sacred)
Defense: 5209 to 6598
Required Level: 115
Required Strength: 596
Item Level: 120
Ethereal (Cannot be Repaired)
6% Chance to cast level 1 Force Blast on Melee Attack
5% Chance of Crushing Blow
5% Deadly Strike
+200% Enhanced Defense
+(100 to 1000) Defense
Elemental Resists -20%
Physical Resist 5%
Socketed (2)

Gloves

Hammerfist

Hammerfist
Gauntlets (Sacred)
Defense: (1227 - 1450) to (1436 - 1697)
Required Level: 100
Required Strength: 574
Item Level: 105
Adds (1 to 15)-(20 to 30) damage
5% Life stolen per Hit
5% Chance of Crushing Blow
+(15 to 25) to Spiral Dance
Enhanced Weapon Damage +(30 to 60)%
+(120 to 160)% Enhanced Defense
Elemental Resists +15%
Socketed (4)

or

Rogue Foresight

Rogue Foresight
Heavy Gloves (Sacred)
Defense: 492 to 522
Required Level: 100
Required Strength: 484
Item Level: 120
+1 to All Skills
5% Deadly Strike
+(3 to 9) to War Spirit
-10% to Strength
20% to Dexterity
Physical Resist 5%
Socketed (4)

Boots

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

in Sacred Greaves

Amulet

Klaatu Barada Nikto

Klaatu Barada Nikto
Amulet
Required Level: 110
Item Level: 105
10% Chance to cast level 40 Nova Bomb on Melee Attack
+2 to All Skills
25% Attack Speed
Adds 1-188 lightning damage
+650 poison damage over 2 seconds
Stun Attack
+(11 to 16) to Hive
Lightning Resist +(40 to 50)%
Poison Resist +(40 to 50)%
30% Enhanced Damage vs. Necrobots

->

Dyers Eve

Dyers Eve
Amulet
Required Level: 100
Item Level: 120
5% Chance to cast level 5 Time Strike on Striking
+2 to All Skills
Adds 15-20 damage
5% Life stolen per Hit
Elemental Resists +10%
Physical Resist (1 to 10)%

->

Beads of the Snake Queen

Beads of the Snake Queen
Amulet
Required Level: 100
Item Level: 120
4% Chance to cast level 33 Scorpion Blade on Kill
Adds 5-10 damage
Stun Attack
(20 to 25)% to Strength
(20 to 25)% to Dexterity
+(200 to 500) Defense
+100 Life after each Kill

Rings

Ripstar

Ripstar
Ring
Required Level: 60
Item Level: 60
+0.5625 to Maximum Damage (Based on Character Level)
+20 Life on Attack

->

Empyrean Glory

Empyrean Glory
Ring
Required Level: 50
Item Level: 120
1% Chance to cast level 26 Singularity on Kill
(6 to 10)% to All Attributes
Increase Maximum Life and Mana 15%
15% Gold Find

or

Giant’s Knuckle

On Switch

Kabbalah

Kabbalah
Sorceress Orbs
'Kur'
Runeword Level: 78
+3 to Sorceress Skill Levels
1% Base Block Chance
+(16 to 20)% to Fire Spell Damage
+(6 to 16) to Divine Apparition
20% to Energy
Maximum Mana 3%
+(2 to 4)% to Experience Gained

in a T4 or Sacred Jared’s Stone.

Socket Fillers
Weapon - Jah Runes, Taha Runes, or Ber-crafted Jewels
Armor - Perfect Amethysts/Io Runes
Shield - Perfect Res Gems (as needed) -> Io Runes

Mystic Orbs*
Weapon - Max Damage, DS
Armor (SU) - DEX
Armor (RW Boots) - DEX, then HR (as needed)
Armor (RW Belt) - HR, then DEX
Jewelry (Rings) - Mana regen, Flat Defense, or MF
Orb - FCR

*SU MO recommendations are still considered “theorycrafted” at this point. Orb SUs at your own risk.

GEAR - (SUPPLEMENTAL)

► expand

WALKTHROUGH

Don’t worry if you haven’t found any End-Game gear yet. The Melee Sorc Set will take you through the clvl 125 quests without any trouble. You can start taking End-Game farming more seriously when you’re doing the clvl 125-130 grind.

► CLVL 120, PART II

► CLVL 125

► CLVL 130

► CLVL 135

*Nymyr’s Light, Spirit World, Archbishop Lazarus, The Void, Herald of the End, and Deimoss probably won't have write-ups. The mechanics in these quests generally just annoy the hell out of me and I don't like doing them.

Dungeons and Rifts are grouped into 3 tiers. They’re ranked depending on gear requirements, number of SoL needed, and strategy/player skill required. They are listed in Documentation order.

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 a Dungeon or Rift has a corresponding Trophy.

DUNGEON

Horror Under Tristram - clvl 105, 20 second lockout

► More Info

Invasion - clvl 105, 20 second lockout

► More Info

Infernal Machine - clvl 105

► More Info

Death Projector - clvl 105, 20 second lockout

► More info

The Binding of Baal - clvl 110, 20 second lockdown

► more info

Horazon's Sanctum - clvl 110, 20 second lockout

► more info

Akarat - clvl 110

► more info

Assault on Mount Arreat - clvl 110, 120 second lockout

► more info

Lord Aldric Jitan - clvl 110

► more info

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

► more info

Rathma Square - clvl 115

► more info

The Black Road - clvl 115

► more info

Legacy of Blood - clvl 115, 20 second lockout

► more info

The Veiled Prophet - clvl 115, 30 second lockout

► more info

Heart of Sin - clvl 115

► more info

Judgment Day - clvl 120, 20 second lockout

► more info

Location: Act 4 -> Plains of Despair (kill Izual to open a rift) -> Diamond Gates -> Silver City (Waypoint Location) -> Silver Spire (east side of the City) -> Crystal Arch -> Pools of Wisdom (Malthael) and Halls of Valor (Imperius)
Reward:

Crystalline Flame Medallion

Crystalline Flame Medallion
Required Level: 120
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
+1 to Summon Edyrem
Cold Absorb 5%
Lightning Absorb 5%
Fire Absorb 5%
Cube after Killing Imperius and Malthael
(Max: 1 minute from each other)

Before you begin:

Equip
Truce
Truce
Belts
'Vith'
Runeword Level: 98
-5% Cast Speed
-5% Attack Speed
Stun Attack
+5% to Summoned Minion Damage
+(172 to 200)% Enhanced Defense
Physical Resist 10%
Slows Attacker by 5%
Use Mana Shield

In both areas, you’ll encounter untargetable/unkillable Edyrem. They’re little more than a nuisance in small numbers, but Imperius and Malthael will summon more as each fight drags on.

Pools of Wisdom (Malthael):
Malthael uses a PsiCrown-like spell that fires numerous homing missiles that do minor damage, but are difficult to dodge. He also teleports and occasionally uses Punisher. His Edyrem use Tremor (which reduces your Life by a percentage) and Deathstrike (which is a telegraphed attack that’s easy to avoid, but will take about 90% of your Life if you try and tank it).

Halls of Valor (Imperius):
Imperius uses the same PsiCrown-like spell and teleports, but he also uses MIRV, which is a delayed attack that has a large AoE. Getting clipped by it won’t kill you, but trying to tank it will. When you hear the audio cue (a buzz, followed by “nuclear launch detected”), you’ll have about 5 seconds to move out of the way. His Edyrem use Tremor and Frozen Breath (a Cold spell that does minor to moderate damage). Imperius also tends to summon Edyrem much more often than Malthael.

Judgment Day, Part 1
You’ll have 2 chances to get the Charm, since both bosses will drop it. Imperius is more difficult, so try his fight first. If you manage to kill him, still try to kill Malthael just to get an idea of how his fight plays out. Both fights will play similarly. Go in with all your Blade Spirits summoned and rush straight to the boss. Activate Moonstrike, then hit him with Fusillade. The main difference between the 2 fights is that you won’t want to engage Imperius in melee. Just stick with Fusillade. Malthael is easier to melee, but immediately drink a Healing pot and eat a moon cookie if you get poisoned. Heal any time your Life drops below 40%.

Judgment Day, Part 2
For this, you need to kill both Imperius and Malthael within 60 seconds of each other, then cube your CFM.

Before beginning, put your CFM in your cube and have some extra healing items in your inventory. Kill Imperius first, since his fight will take longer. When Imperius is dead, resummon a few Blade Spirits to distract Edyrem, then sprint+teleport to the portal. When you’re between realms, quickly restock your belt (if needed), then enter Malthael’s realm. Resummon Blade Spirits to full as you walk. When you reach Malthael, nuke him with Moonstrike+Fusillade. Again, use Blade Spirits to distract Edyrem so you can sprint+teleport to the portal. Finally, cube your CFM before the 60 seconds have expired.

The Trophy adds a nice +5% All Attributes.

Twin Seas - clvl 120

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Quov Tsin - clvl 120

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Kingdom of Shadow - clvl 120, 90 second lockout

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Location: Act 3 -> Lower Kurast (kill the Vizier to open a rift) -> Caldeum -> Vizjerei Temple (NE corner. Kill Kentil Dumon to open a rift) -> Ruins of Ureh (rift is on the opposite end of the Temple) -> Ruins of Ureh -> Kingdom of Shadow
Reward:

Eternal Bone Pile

Eternal Bone Pile
Required Level: 120
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
+(1 to 2) to Amazon Skill Levels
+(1 to 2) to Assassin Skill Levels
+(1 to 2) to Barbarian Skill Levels
+(1 to 2) to Druid Skill Levels
+(1 to 2) to Necromancer Skill Levels
+(1 to 2) to Paladin Skill Levels
+(1 to 2) to Sorceress Skill Levels
10% Movement Speed

Before you begin:

To make it to the other side of the Vizjerei Temple alive, start your sprint once Quov Tsin’s Life bar pops up on screen.
Have as much Max Poison Res as possible without dropping below 50% Chance to Block.
Have 3 belt columns filled with Healing pots, and 1 column filled with moon cookies.
Have some extra healing items in your inventory, just in case.
Have
Kabbalah
Kabbalah
Sorceress Orbs
'Kur'
Runeword Level: 78
+3 to Sorceress Skill Levels
1% Base Block Chance
+(16 to 20)% to Fire Spell Damage
+(6 to 16) to Divine Apparition
20% to Energy
Maximum Mana 3%
+(2 to 4)% to Experience Gained
and
Wheel of Fortune
Wheel of Fortune
Large Shield (4)
Defense: 85 to 162
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 4
Required Strength: 22
Required Dexterity: 45
Item Level: 6
+(21 to 30) to Vitality
Maximum Elemental Resists +1%
Elemental Resists +(6 to 10)%
Cold Absorb 1%
Lightning Absorb 1%
Fire Absorb 1%
(4 to 7)% Gold Find
(5 to 10)% Magic Find
Socketed (1)
Defense: 240 to 405
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 21
Required Strength: 32
Required Dexterity: 67
Item Level: 25
+(31 to 40) to Vitality
Maximum Elemental Resists +1%
Elemental Resists +(11 to 20)%
Cold Absorb 2%
Lightning Absorb 2%
Fire Absorb 2%
(9 to 12)% Gold Find
(11 to 20)% Magic Find
Socketed (3)
Defense: 501 to 817
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 39
Required Strength: 68
Required Dexterity: 139
Item Level: 46
+(41 to 50) to Vitality
Maximum Elemental Resists +2%
Elemental Resists +(21 to 30)%
Cold Absorb 2%
Lightning Absorb 2%
Fire Absorb 2%
(14 to 17)% Gold Find
(21 to 30)% Magic Find
Socketed (4)
Defense: 684 to 1113
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 48
Required Strength: 141
Required Dexterity: 288
Item Level: 80
+(51 to 60) to Vitality
Maximum Elemental Resists +2%
Elemental Resists +(31 to 40)%
Cold Absorb 3%
Lightning Absorb 3%
Fire Absorb 3%
(17 to 19)% Gold Find
(31 to 40)% Magic Find
Socketed (4)
on-switch. Socket the shield with Io Runes to boost your CtB.
The thatch-roofed hut that serves as the entrance to the Kingdom of Shadow spawns in random locations, but the fire arrow near Quov Tsin's hut will point you in the general direction.

Notable enemies:

Citizens - Fast, untargetable, and unkillable Zombies that hit hard and will poison you. Their numbers can quickly overwhelm you.
Dark Wardens - Fat and slow, but their Retaliate will stun and knock you back, giving Citizens a chance to swarm.
Punishment Turrets - Stationary turrets that spit a ring of Punishers.

Enter the Kingdom with your on-switch Orb+Shield and Divine Apparition selected. This way, you can quickly teleport over walls and past enemies. Make your way SW as far as you can go, then teleport over the western wall. You’ll end up in an area with 2 long, parallel causeways. Follow the right-hand causeway all the way north. When you see a set of stairs, teleport past them and into the small area, then immediately switch back to your Warp Blade+Shield.

Other than his ability to summon more Citizens, I’m not really sure what attacks Juris Khan uses, but they deal decent Poison+Cold damage. Khan is weak defensively, so ignore the Citizens and just rush him. He’ll die to 1 Moonstrike-empowered Fusillade and a few hits from Bladestorm. When he’s dead, grab the Charm and gtfo. Use Blade Spirits to distract Citizens if you’re having trouble picking up the Charm.

The Charm can spawn with up to +2 Sorc Skills, but +1 is fine for now. The Trophy adds +10% Movement Speed, which is helpful.

Eve of Destruction - clvl 120, 20 minute lockout

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Location: Act 5 -> Worldstone Keep
Reward:

Spirit of Creation

Spirit of Creation
Required Level: 120
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Maximum Skill Level Increased by 1
+25 to Strength
Maximum Mana (1 to 5)%
Regenerate Mana +10%
Elemental Resists +(1 to 10)%

Before you begin:

Have some extra healing items in your inventory so you don’t have to go back to town once you enter the Worldstone Chamber.
Don’t use Mana Shield.
Don’t use any minions (i.e. no summons and no merc).

Notable enemies:

Minions of Destruction - Obnoxious little bastards that deal decent damage and constantly pounce on you. They also inflict Slow, which reduces both your Movement Speed and AS. I think they also heal Baal a little if you kill them when he’s nearby.
Visions of Destruction - Resurrected versions of the other Prime Evils (Mephisto and Diablo) and the Lesser Evils (Andariel and Duriel). They’re just as strong as their boss counterparts, and are extremely tanky. They also emit an aura that makes Baal immune to all damage when they’re nearby.

Baal is essentially the same as he was in Nightmare, except he’s ridiculously tanky. He also now has a chance to summon Minions of Destruction and Visions of Destruction on-hit, so avoid his attacks as much as possible. When a Minion or Vision does spawn, lure them as far away from Baal as you can and kill them (not only because it’s easier, but to avoid Minions healing Baal).

Aside from dealing with Minions and Visions, you’ll essentially fight Baal the same way you did in Nightmare. Stick to Fusillade and keep him on either the left or right sides of the map so you can teleport to the center peninsula and escape when you need to regen, heal, or restock your belt. Defensively, you won’t have much trouble unless you’re dealing with a lot of Minions and/or Visions. Offensively, you’ll have a rough time. You’ll have high enough damage output, but due to the nature of your skills, you’ll have a hard time dealing damage consistently. And Baal’s speed and chance to teleport will only make this tougher. You’ll need Moonstrike active, which will increase your risk of Minions or Visions spawning. And you’ll want to stay fairly close to Baal while Fusillade is out. The longer he stands still trying to hit you with spells, the better Fusillade’s chance of dealing damage.

The +1 Max Skill Levels is the most important mod on the Charm. There’s no need to farm for a perfect version unless you’re going for the Trophy (which adds +10% Elemental Res) or farming for reagents to open the way to Samael.

Banisher of Light - clvl 120

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Lord of Lies - clvl 125, 20 second lockout

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Location: Act 4 -> Chaos Sanctuary (kill Magdha, then use the Key of Lies to open a rift) -> Realm of Lies
Reward:

The Book of Lies

The Book of Lies
Required Level: 125
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
+(100 to 500) to Life
+(50 to 250) to Mana

The enemies in the Realm are just your typical Elite mobs. They’re easy to kill, so clear the entire map.

Belial is located in the eastern corner of the map. He spawns with a number of illusions that all use the same sprite, but Belial himself is distinguishable by his purple hue (or so I’m told). They all cast a number of spells that aren’t too dangerous on their own, but the volume of projectiles can add up to significant damage--especially the Phalanx-like spell. The ice ball meteor can also deal heavy damage if you’re at the direct center of the blast. Occasionally, Belial will morph into a tiny rat. When he does, he’ll summon more illusions. You’ll need to kill him quickly before you get overwhelmed.

I’ll be honest, I really don’t have a good strategy for this. I have a hard time telling the real Belial from the fake ones, and I can’t see Belial’s rat form. What I usually do is start off by killing Belial’s clones. A few Bladestorms and a Fusillade per clone will be enough, especially with Path of Flames, Hive, Nova Charge, and Fortress all helping. Whenever I happen to spot the real Belial, I move in and unload on him until I start losing more Life than I’m replenishing, or he turns into a rat and I can’t find him anymore. If I still have a full belt, I’ll go back to killing clones until I find the real Belial again. If not, then I retreat to outside their AI range to restock my belt and recast all my buffs. Every time I’ve managed to kill Belial, it’s been purely by accident. So if you follow this strat, check item drops periodically to look for the Charm. If, however, you can keep track of the real Belial, you should be able to complete this fairly quickly and easily. Try your best to keep your Life above 60%, and heal immediately any time it drops below half.

The flat Life/Mana rolls on the Charm have a wide range, but anything above +300 Life is fine. The Trophy adds +20% EWD.

Ghosts of Old Bremmtown - clvl 125

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

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Xazax - clvl 125, 5 minute lockdown

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Astrogha - clvl 125

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Nymyr’s Light - clvl 125, 20 second lockout

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Spirit World - clvl 125, 20 second lockout

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The Void - clvl 130, 25 minute lockout

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Nephalem's Sacrifice - clvl 130

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Location: Act 4 -> Plains of Despair (kill Izual to open a rift) -> Diamond Gates -> Silver City (Waypoint location) -> Silver Spire (east side of the City) -> Crystal Arch -> Edyrem’s Path (x10) -> Uldyssian’s Tomb
Reward:

Neutrality Pact

Neutrality Pact
Required Level: 130
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
+(1 to 2) to All Skills
+(61 to 100)% Bonus to Summoned Edyrem Life
+(2 to 5) to Purify

Before facing Uldyssian, you’ll need to complete 10 stages in which you’ll face a powerful version of a specific storyline quest boss (or bosses). Killing the stage boss opens a rift to the next stage. Open a new TP in each completed stage before moving on.

Before you begin:

Have enough res Gems to hit at least 84% F/C/L res.
Have enough Ambers to hit 90% Lightning res.
Have enough Onyxes to hit 90% Cold res.
Have
Witchhunter’s Hood
and
Wheel of Fortune
Wheel of Fortune
Large Shield (4)
Defense: 85 to 162
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 4
Required Strength: 22
Required Dexterity: 45
Item Level: 6
+(21 to 30) to Vitality
Maximum Elemental Resists +1%
Elemental Resists +(6 to 10)%
Cold Absorb 1%
Lightning Absorb 1%
Fire Absorb 1%
(4 to 7)% Gold Find
(5 to 10)% Magic Find
Socketed (1)
Defense: 240 to 405
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 21
Required Strength: 32
Required Dexterity: 67
Item Level: 25
+(31 to 40) to Vitality
Maximum Elemental Resists +1%
Elemental Resists +(11 to 20)%
Cold Absorb 2%
Lightning Absorb 2%
Fire Absorb 2%
(9 to 12)% Gold Find
(11 to 20)% Magic Find
Socketed (3)
Defense: 501 to 817
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 39
Required Strength: 68
Required Dexterity: 139
Item Level: 46
+(41 to 50) to Vitality
Maximum Elemental Resists +2%
Elemental Resists +(21 to 30)%
Cold Absorb 2%
Lightning Absorb 2%
Fire Absorb 2%
(14 to 17)% Gold Find
(21 to 30)% Magic Find
Socketed (4)
Defense: 684 to 1113
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 48
Required Strength: 141
Required Dexterity: 288
Item Level: 80
+(51 to 60) to Vitality
Maximum Elemental Resists +2%
Elemental Resists +(31 to 40)%
Cold Absorb 3%
Lightning Absorb 3%
Fire Absorb 3%
(17 to 19)% Gold Find
(31 to 40)% Magic Find
Socketed (4)
to further help with Res needs.
Be prepared for a substantial time investment if this is your first time (roughly 2 hours).

Part 1: Stages

Blood Raven - Can do heavy damage, but otherwise isn’t a problem.
The Countess - Fast and incredibly tanky. She’ll deal heavy damage when cursed with Amplify Damage. Melee until you’re cursed, then use Fusillade only.
Radamant - Boost Max Lightning res as much as you can. His Lightning Wall deals heavy damage, and his Thunderstone will nearly 1-shot you. Keep moving and stick to Fusillade.
The Summoner - The toughest (i.e. most annoying) stage. The Summoner is tanky and constantly summons Edyrem. They’re also tanky, hit hard, spam Sacred Armor, and have a ctc Deathstrike on-death that will 1-shot you. You’ll also consistently get stuck on staircases, and clicking anywhere off the tileset will cause your character to take no action. About the only thing you can do is teleport over to the Summoner, activate Moonstrike, and hit him with Fusillade. Then, lead Edyrem back to the portal and kill them there. Repeat.
The High Council - There are 3 bosses here:
- Lachdanan (west) is Magic-immune and uses War Spirit+some ranged attack.
- Zhar the Mad (east) is Fire-immune and uses Elemental.
- Deathshade Fleshmaul (east) is Poison-immune and uses Wyrd.
All spawn with adds and will curse you with Amplify Damage on-striking. Only Zhar opens the rift, so don’t bother with Lachdanan (you’ll have to fight Deathshade too, since he’s with Zhar).
Nihlathak - Boost your Max Cold Res. Nihlathak’s Hunting Banshee thing does decent Cold damage and Chills you. His Rust Furies aren’t tough, but they make this fight a pain because Fusillade often targets them instead of Nihlathak.
The Ancients - They’re fast, tanky, and hit hard. Keep them debuffed with Force Blast and lead them through Fusillades. Melee while Fusillade is out to hold the Ancients in place. You only have to kill Korlic to open the rift.
Pain and Anguish (Duriel and Andariel) - The 2 most dangerous attacks to avoid are Andariel’s Meteor Shower and Duriel’s Fortress. You’ll do this fight in 2 stages. For the first half, walk a circuit through the entire stage, leading Andariel and Duriel through Fusillades. When Andariel’s Life drops below half, she’ll run. Let her. For the second half, lead Duriel into the larger chamber and kill him, then go finish off Andariel.
Lies and Sin (Belial and Azmodan) - Slightly more obnoxious simply because Belial is present. Ignore him and focus on Azmodan (he opens the portal). If your Res is decent (84% or higher) and you have decent leech, you can sustain melee combat for quite a while. Heal as necessary and retreat when you need to resupply.
The Prime Evils (Mephisto, Diablo, and Baal) - Separate and kill Baal first. He’s the fastest and most obnoxious of the 3. Next, separate and kill Mephisto. He’s only slightly less annoying than Baal, but he’ll summon tons of Edyrem. When they become a problem, lead them away and kill them. His Cold attack also does a lot of damage, so boost your Max Cold res. Finally, kill Diablo. He’s the easiest of the 3, and you can melee him without issue while he’s debuffed with Force Blast. He’ll also summon tons of Edyrem.

Part 2: Uldyssian
Settle in. This fight is gonna take awhile.

I haven’t beat Uldy yet, but here’s what I have so far.

Uldy will spam-summon Edyrem, but they’re not as terrible as the Edyrem you’ve previously fought. They still hit hard and spam Sacred Armor, but they don’t cast Deathstrike on-death. So when they’re debuffed and if you have decent leech, you can melee a whole pack.

Uldy himself is fast and insanely tanky (you’ll deal practically no damage per hit). He also uses Divine Apparition, and he’s almost impossible to hit (besides being surrounded by Edyrem most the time, he instantly teleports away if he’s hit by anything, including Force Blast).

Aside from summoning Edyrem, Uldy uses 3 other skills: Hoof Stomp, a super-Deathstrike (a massive AoE Deathstrike that falls in a star pattern), and some kind of slow-moving projectile attack which I’ll call “Deathballs.” Deathstrike will 1-shot you, but it’s telegraphed and easy to dodge 99% of the time. The Deathballs will take roughly 95% of your Life. They can be blocked, but don’t rely on that.

Uldy’s Hoof Stomp will slow you and knock you back, but it won’t damage you nearly as much as BPR’s Hoof Stomp did. It’s also your best opportunity to inflict damage. As long as Hoof Stomp is active, Uldy won’t teleport. So if you can, rush him (or teleport on top of him) while he’s using it, then unleash everything you have in hopes of inflicting some damage.

And 1 final thing: he heals if you die. So avoid that.

Not sure if his AI changes when his Life is low like in previous patches. I’ll rework this section as I learn more.

Archbishop Lazarus - clvl 130, 15 second lockout

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Herald of the End

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Deimoss

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RIFTS

Island of the Sunless Sea - clvl 105

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Torajan Jungles - clvl 110

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Kurast 3000 B.A. - clvl 115

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High Heavens - clvl 115

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Tran Athulua - clvl 115

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Teganze - clvl 120

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The Triune - clvl 120

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Corrupted Abbey - clvl 120

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Location: Act 1 -> Warriv’s Caravan -> Bramwell -> Church of Dien-Ap-Sten -> Subterranean Corridor (NW corner of the Church) -> Duncraig -> Corrupted Abbey
Reward:

Assur's Bane

,

Demonsbane

Demonsbane
By Robert Marks

Required Level: 120
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
+(0 to 2) to Amazon Skill Levels
+(0 to 2) to Assassin Skill Levels
+(0 to 2) to Barbarian Skill Levels
+(0 to 2) to Druid Skill Levels
+(0 to 2) to Necromancer Skill Levels
+(0 to 2) to Paladin Skill Levels
+(0 to 2) to Sorceress Skill Levels
+5 Life Regenerated per Second

Note
Requires the Purify skill

[color=]Before you begin:[/color]

Have enough Perfect Bloodstones/Perfect Rubies on-hand to reach as close to +400% stacked and +90% Max Fire Res as you can.
Bind the Move Only skill to your LMB.
Equip Pax Mystica on-switch (Blink is better than DA here).
Mana Shield is fine to use for the level, but don’t use it for the boss fight.

Notable enemies:

Slain Soul (Magic-absorb) - Throws a barrel that explodes after a short time. The AoE explosion will take roughly 80% of your Life with Moonstrike active. Watch for the spark trail leading to the barrel rather than looking for the barrel itself.
Slain Soul (Poison-absorb) - Throws a seed that erupts into a poison cloud. It will drain your Life quickly, but the duration is very short. It can take roughly half your Life with Moonstrike active.
Slain Soul (Cold-absorb) - Chills you. If you get chilled, retreat immediately. The effect only lasts about a half second, but it’s still enough for Souls to get an advantage.
Necromorbs - Pure obnoxiousness. They spam a hard-hitting projectile, are painfully difficult to melee, and hole up in places you can’t reach so they can spam you some more. The most consistent way I’ve found to kill them is to lead them through Fusillades.

Sub-bosses - Skinrender, Spinecracker, Bonehexer, Eyegouger, and Fleshcutter. They’re tankier than Slain Souls, but no more dangerous. Each one will drop a specific Sigil. Cubing all 5 Sigils with a

Ring of the Five

(which any monster can drop) will create

Assur's Bane

. Its a decent Ring on it’s own, but it’s Purify oskill is required to complete the quest (the ring must be equipped in order to use Purify).

You should expect to die multiple times per run until you get better gear. Many areas can only be accessed via teleport, and you’ll be forced to teleport right into a mob (the first teleport gap especially is a truckload of bullshit). Hit the mobs with Force Blast and Fusillade the instant you teleport. If you can get to safety, do it. If you can’t, take as many of them with you as you can. Always open a new TP before you teleport to a new area.

At the end of the map, you’ll find Assur. He constantly spams Flamefront, Flamestrike, and Cataclysm, but +90% Max and +400% stacked Fire Res will practically nullify his damage. He’ll also Pounce on you, and can do so from long distances, through walls, and across teleport gaps. He's immune to all damage, and only Purify can harm him. But Purify slow, so you may need to get in close to hit him.

Try to clear out all the mobs just outside Assur’s area so you fight him without distraction. Get him to pounce on you, then just run circles around him and hit him with Purify. 2 shots will kill him.

Ideally, you’ll want a Charm with +2 Sorc Skills, but +1 is fine. Unfortunately, there’s a chance the Charm will roll with 0 Sorc Skills, so you may have to do this more than once. The Trophy adds +10% Combat Speeds, which is nice.

Toraja - clvl 125

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Location: Act 3 Town -> Torajan Jungles (through the rift in the SE part of town) -> Torajan Cemetery (NE part of the Jungles) -> Toraja (NW corner of the Cemetery. Kill the Symbol of Time to open a rift)
Reward:

Lylia’s Curse

Drop bias: Runes, Toraja Great Runes (Krys, Auhe, Sha’ad)

Before you begin:

Use P-Amethysts/Io Runes to boost your CtB as much as possible, but not at the cost of AS or HR.
Mana Shield is optional
Resurrect your merc.

Inside the Torajan Cemetery, look for the Symbol of Time, a simple Rogue located near the northwestern corner of the map. The summoned Edyrem from your CFM are the only ones who can remove its immunity shield. When it's dead, a rift to Toraja will open.

Notable enemies:

Celebrants - Rangers similar to the Amazons in TA. Dangerous in a swarm.
Morlu - Melee fighters. Not really dangerous since there aren’t a lot of them. Their job is to hold you in place while Celebrants snipe you.

All enemies here are immune to everything all the time. As with the Symbol of Time, only Edyrem can remove their immunity shields. But Edyrem are incredibly weak, and it takes a second before their AI to kicks in when they’re summoned. Use Blade Spirits to keep enemies distracted long enough for Edyrem to do their jobs. Once their shields are broken, your merc can finish them off. Your job is to keep your summons up and pull back your merc when she stupidly gets in trouble. As the mobs thin, you can join in the fight yourself. Debuff the area with Force Blast as needed to boost party survivability.

Lilith is located in a small fenced-in area in the south-central part of the map. Don't just go directly to her or you’ll get overwhelmed. Instead, go west from the portal and follow the wall south, clearing out all enemies along the way. Then, slowly move east to draw out and kill as many Celebrants and Morlu as you can before Lilith notices you. Once she does, draw her back to a place you've already cleared. When you're in a safe area, summon a few Blade Spirits and Edyrem on top of her. Once her shield is down, debuff the area with Force Blast, then rush in and kill her (if you can’t get to her because she’s surrounded by Morlu, teleport on top of her). Her Iron Spiral is manageable as long as she’s debuffed, but she’ll constantly summon Morlu. Kill her asap.

The bonus to Edyrem Life is the only variable mod on the Charm. Unless you intend to do any dedicated Toraja Great Rune farming, there’s no need to farm for a perfect version.

Vizjun - clvl 125

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Fauztinville - clvl 125

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LEVEL CHALLENGE

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ENNEAD CHALLENGE

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JEWEL-CRAFTING

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BASE-CRAFTING FOR RUNEWORDS

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This section outlines the steps for rolling a proper base item in preparation for creating a Runeword. These steps will assume you're making a standard RW (i.e. not Enhanced RW) using either T4 or Sacred gear. If making an Enhanced RW, make sure to read the Enhanced Runewords subsection at the end.

Weapons:

Cube the Weapon with an Oil of Renewal to reroll it as a Superior base.
Keep rerolling until you have the base stats you want and either no sockets or 6 sockets. Try to get as close to +35% ED and +100% AR as possible, but no lower than +30% ED if there is no %AR bonus. +25% ED is acceptable, but only if the Weapon also rolls with +100% AR.
Cube your weapon with an Oil of Luck. Weapons can roll with an additional +20% ED and +100% AR. Both are helpful, but %ED is more important. So if the Weapon rolls with at least the %ED bonus, proceed to step 4. If not, return to step 2 and try again.
If your weapon rolled with 6 sockets, skip to step 5. If it rolled with no sockets, cube it with 6 Jewels to add 6 sockets (1 Jewel = 1 Socket; the Jewels will be consumed).
With your base prepared, insert 5 Jewels into your weapon, followed by the appropriate Rune.

Armor:

Cube the armor piece with an Oil of Renewal to reroll it as a Superior base.
Keep rerolling until you have the base stats you want and either no sockets or the max number of sockets for the specific item (Body Armor/Special Shields = 6 sockets, Helms/Gloves/Boots/Standard Shields = 4 sockets, Belts = 2 sockets). Try to get as close to 35% ED as possible, but no lower than 25%.
Cube your armor piece with an Oil of Luck. Armor can roll with an additional +20% ED and +1% Phys Res. Both are helpful, but the Phys Res is slightly more important. So the armor piece rolls with at least the Phys Res bonus, proceed to step 4. If not, return to step 2 and try again.
If your armor piece rolled with max sockets, skip to step 5. If it rolled with no sockets, cube it with the appropriate number of Jewels for the armor type (1 Jewel = 1 Socket; the Jewels will be consumed).
With your base prepared, insert the appropriate number of Jewels into your armor piece (5 for Body Armors/Special Shields, 3 for Helms/Gloves/Boots, 1 for Belts), followed by the appropriate Rune.

Enhanced Runewords (applies to both weapons and armor):
It's important to note that, unlike standard RWs, Enhanced RWs cannot be unsocketed or unmade. So make sure your Jewels and base item your using are all as close to perfect as you can make them.

There’s also the question of Mystic Orbs. For standard RWs, you’d generally orb your base item with ED to achieve higher total ED once the RW is made. However, since Enhanced Runes automatically raise the item’s base clvl req to 120, if you add any MOs your base item, the clvl req may be too high for you to equip it once the RW is made. For example, adding 5x ED orbs to a base Sacred Warp Blade, then using a TalXis Rune to make Shark, will result in an item with a clvl req of 140. If you’re making an Enhanced RW for a clvl 140+ character, this is fine. But for characters below clvl 140, you won’t want to add any MOs to your base item. This means you may end up having to make 2 versions of an Enhanced RW if you intend to use it at clvl 140+. Also remember that Uniques Mystic Orbs add +10 to the clvl req, so keep that in mind if you intend to use UMOs.

Finally, many people prefer to use Ethereal bases for Enhanced RWs due to their higher base stats. If you use an Ethereal base, or intend to use an Occult Effigy to make your item Ethereal, make sure at least 1 Jewel has the “Indestructible” mod.

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The entire MXL team.
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Everyone 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.

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.

The order you have multiple items listed in is it 1st is the best or going left to right in order of upgrades?

@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.

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?

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.

First page!

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.