Melee Sorceress [1.3]

Let me see. I'm missing the one from Rathma Square as well, but I think I'm gonna try and get the other charms labeled easy under the different sections. I've been saving Abandoned shrines , they're pretty rare compared to the others, or it's just my RNG. I have about 6, and I have maybe 14+ of all the other shrines so I should be able to make some decent gear.

I saved up a bunch of signets of learning (30+ or so), is it easy to trade those on realm ( I am playing on realm BTW), or would it be better to just eat them?

So I've been saving sacred rares so I'm sure I have a bladed shield to try and make that abandoned craft shield.

So my best bet would be to stop playing in terror altogether and just do whatever I can in destruction, somewhere with high mob density, got any ideas?

Thanks again for being so responsive and making this guide, much respect!

SlugInfinite wrote:Let me see. I'm missing the one from Rathma Square as well, but I think I'm gonna try and get the other charms labeled easy under the different sections. I've been saving Abandoned shrines , they're pretty rare compared to the others, or it's just my RNG. I have about 6, and I have maybe 14+ of all the other shrines so I should be able to make some decent gear.

I saved up a bunch of signets of learning (30+ or so), is it easy to trade those on realm ( I am playing on realm BTW), or would it be better to just eat them?

So I've been saving sacred rares so I'm sure I have a bladed shield to try and make that abandoned craft shield.

So my best bet would be to stop playing in terror altogether and just do whatever I can in destruction, somewhere with high mob density, got any ideas?

Thanks again for being so responsive and making this guide, much respect!

Your lack of Abandoned Shrines is probably just RNG, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're not more rare than the others (they're incredibly popular). You should have enough to at least start crafting your shield. Also, make sure you're using a Spiked Shield for crafting (or even a Bone Shield). Bladed Shields are only for Assassins.

As an aside, crafting is a pita. As long as your killspeed is decent with Khany, just keep using that instead of trying to craft a Warp Blade.

As far as trading prices go, it's hard to say what you can buy with sigs this late in the ladder, but if someone's got a Royal Circlet for trade, it couldn't hurt to ask if they'd accept sigs for it. As far as Akarat's Trek, you really don't need that until you're ready for Duncraig, which will be after you've farmed TA for sigs.

Speaking of which... Once your shield is made, if you wanted to try farming somewhere, try Dest TA with your merc and see how it goes. Since you don't need to worry about resists there, make sure all your gear is socketed with p-amethysts/Io Runes and your merc's gear is socketed with Lum Runes.

You could also try farming Level 6 of the Unformed Land for Fiery Essences and Runestones. All that matters there is killspeed and dodging ability, so you may be able to do that fine with the gear you have. Since defense won't matter there, you may want to use the Fire/Lightning spec listed in the end-game section for the life regen.

Oh my bad, yeah I meant spiked shield haha. They're kinda similar in my brain :p. Thanks again for all the help Solfege, you're my MVP, dawg. I'll report back in a few days and let you know my progress.

This is my gear currently, idk if you see any obvious mistakes or easy resets, just let me know.

Why Hellfire Plate over Xis Curandera?

Dreamhunter wrote:Why Hellfire Plate over Xis Curandera?

With

Hellfire Plate

Hellfire Plate
Body Armors
'IgnJahGurRhal'
Runeword Level: 115
+1% Innate Elemental Damage per 250 Strength and Dexterity
15% Chance to cast level 9 Life Spark on Melee Attack
20% Attack Speed
+250 Fire Damage
-(11 to 15)% to Enemy Elemental Resistances
+(171 to 200)% Enhanced Defense
Maximum Life +(3 to 5)%
Maximum Elemental Resists +(1 to 2)%
Fire Resist +(10 to 20)%
Lightning Resist +(10 to 20)%
Cold Resist +(10 to 20)%
Poison Resist +(10 to 20)%
Physical Resist (7 to 10)%

, you get higher defense, roughly 2k more life, %DR, you can orb it, and you can remake it if you find a higher grade armor later.

All

Curandera (Xis)

offers over Hellfire is more +Skills and higher %DR. +Skills is really only to increase the life of summons, Living Flame's regen rate, and Warp Armor's TCD bonus (and +2 Skills won't make much difference). High %DR is only relevant in a few Ubers where enemies deal lots of Physical damage (TA, Toraja, Fauzt, etc.). Since most enemies do some form of elemental or Magic damage, making Curandera solely for the %DR seems inefficient (besides, with Hellfire, Royal Circlet, Crafted shield, and TA Trophy, you've already got 30% DR right there--that's on top of the nearly 20% Avoid, 75% CtB, and high life regen you'll already have). You won't even notice the extra 385 regen Curandera gives, since smaxed Living Flame already gives you nearly 3000 end-game. Resists you can get anywhere and the 5% Mana regen is pointless.

Besides, I don't like Xis RWs--they're expensive, can't be orbed, and you're screwed if you fk it up.

Edit:
To give an example of the Life vs. %DR thing...
My Sorc right now has 12.5k life (before Moonstrike) and 30% DR with Hellfire. If I got hit with an attack that did 10k Physical damage, I'd be left with 5.5k life. If I used the exact same gear, but swapped Hellfire for Curandera, I'd have 10.2k life (before Moonstrike) and 50% DR. If I got hit with that same 10k damage attack, I'd be left with 5.2k life.

SlugInfinite wrote:Oh my bad, yeah I meant spiked shield haha. They're kinda similar in my brain :p. Thanks again for all the help Solfege, you're my MVP, dawg. I'll report back in a few days and let you know my progress.
This is my gear currently, idk if you see any obvious mistakes or easy resets, just let me know.
► Show Spoiler

Sorry Slug, didn't see you edited your post to include an image of your gear til just now.

Basically what I'd suggest for gear upgrade progression is:

Craft that shield we've been talking about -> remake your armor in something higher-grade -> craft some gloves -> look for an ammy with Mythal or Doom -> craft some boots -> pick up a good

Empyrean Band

Empyrean Band
Ring
Required Level: 40
Item Level: 40
1% Chance to cast level 18 Singularity on Kill
(3 to 5)% to All Attributes
Maximum Life +3%
Maximum Mana +10%
(5 to 15)% Gold Find

. Keep

Deadfall

Deadfall
Heavy Belt (4)
Defense: (135 - 159) to (178 - 210)
Required Level: 7
Required Strength: 36
Item Level: 19
2% Chance to cast level 2 Shower of Rocks on Kill
1% Chance of Crushing Blow
+(24 to 46)% Enhanced Defense
+(16 to 25) to Strength
Lightning Resist +(11 to 15)%
Socketed (1)
Defense: (485 - 551) to (616 - 700)
Required Level: 24
Required Strength: 62
Item Level: 36
2% Chance to cast level 4 Shower of Rocks on Kill
2% Chance of Crushing Blow
+(69 to 92)% Enhanced Defense
+(36 to 45) to Strength
Lightning Resist +(21 to 25)%
Socketed (2)
Defense: (1270 - 1400) to (1595 - 1758)
Required Level: 41
Required Strength: 218
Item Level: 51
2% Chance to cast level 8 Shower of Rocks on Kill
3% Chance of Crushing Blow
+(115 to 137)% Enhanced Defense
+(56 to 65) to Strength
Lightning Resist +(31 to 35)%
Socketed (2)
Defense: (1918 - 2095) to (2403 - 2626)
Required Level: 50
Required Strength: 436
Item Level: 85
2% Chance to cast level 12 Shower of Rocks on Kill
4% Chance of Crushing Blow
+(138 to 160)% Enhanced Defense
+(66 to 75) to Strength
Lightning Resist +(36 to 40)%
Socketed (2)

until you're ready to make

Nero

. Obviously, you're not expected to do this all at once, this is just the order I suggest you upgrade your current gear as you play.

As a general rule at your stage, the more RWs you use, the more important it is for the rest of your gear to be Abandoned-Crafts to increase your DEX. The higher your DEX is, the higher your CtB. And the higher your CtB is, the higher your survivability is.

Also, be sure you're adjusting your socket fillers depending on what you're doing at the time. For general play, you can use just enough perfect resistance gems to stay res-capped (depending on the area you're in). Fill the rest with p-amethysts/Io Runes. Only after you've got enough DEX to maintain a CtB above 60% should you consider using Lum Runes. Until then, let your merc with Lum-socketed gear kill things if you're looking for SUs/Sets.

Just remember, a Melee Sorc is heavily gear-dependent. She doesn't need expensive gear, but she does need it to be good.

I tried a melee sorc as one of my first char back in the day.Didn't end to well for lil miss sunshine :<(Thought she could tank like a baws....).Well i may try a new one after my sin but getting lazy don't feel much like skill switching no more

(sins a left clicker ftw

)Will most prob build a barb to farm my gear up or meby sin haven't decided yet.

Clariska wrote:I tried a melee sorc as one of my first char back in the day.Didn't end to well for lil miss sunshine :<(Thought she could tank like a baws....).Well i may try a new one after my sin but getting lazy don't feel much like skill switching no more (sins a left clicker ftw )Will most prob build a barb to farm my gear up or meby sin haven't decided yet.

Melee Sorc is so much better now. Not OP or as good as Light/Cold Sorc ofc, but she's not supposed to be. Also still gear-dependent, but no need for expensive gear anymore. I've only ever farmed for Abandoned Shrines, Auhe Runes, Fire Runes, and about 150 sigs.

there is acid fiends oskill affix on rare/crafted armors. they are immune to poison so they could be of use for yshari andariel for example

void wrote:there is acid fiends oskill affix on rare/crafted armors. they are immune to poison so they could be of use for yshari andariel for example

This is true. I even had it listed as a recommended mod on mid-game armor, but was too lazy to roll it on my own craft. Many minor things like that and using Stormblast over Bladestorm for certain things I still need to add. Ty for the reminder.