Hardcore Light Sorc Guide


Introduction:

This guide is intended for mid season hardcore players who want a TANK. It is based on
a character I built in December and survived easily through the season. It is based on safety
with options for kill power. It is built to Baal, but can also key run and chaos depending on
how well you work your merc away from IM. If you follow this guide, you will be a serious
tanking machine, and chance of death is very low.


Overview:

Since the introduction of synergies in 1.10, light sorcs have become legitimate all-around builds.
Furthermore, since the introduction of the ladder-only runewords Insight and Infinity, this is
true even more so then ever. For serious Baalers on the quest to 99, this is one of the best
characters to do it with. You will laugh at conviction souls, spit on exploding dolls, and have no
concern for Nihlithak's CE.


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1. Leveling:

There's no special secrets to be had here. GRush + Chaos + Baal. This is not an untwinked guide.
If you don't have a quester, follow this: 1-20 enchant through Act 1 and 2, rush to Act 5, ancients,
cow 21-25, Normal Baal Q, NM Cow 25-40, rush to / through hell, chaos to 60. Nothing revolutionary.
Your leveling goal is at least 96, but you will be effective any time after 75.



2. Skill Distribution:

Cold Spells Tree -

1 - Frozen Armor

Fire Spells Tree -

1 - Warmth

Lightning Spells Tree -

20 - Telekenesis
1 - Teleport
1 - Energy Shield
20 - Charged Bolt
1 - Static Field
1 - Nova
1 - Thunder Storm
20 - Lightning
20 - Chain Lightning
20 - Lightning Mastery


Why?

Your typical light sorc build. Except you sacrifice a synergy for telekenesis. Level 20 (base - only
hard points give bonus) TK = 1:0.75 Mana to Life ratio with Energy Shield. This is the key to your
safety. The skills illustrated would be at LvL 96. Thunder Storm is not really needed and could be
another hard point into Nova. All points after LvL 95 could go into nova unless you want 1 in TS
for looks / normal rushing.



3. Stat Distribution:

Strength - 29 + 25 - X* (156 after items)
Dexterity - Enough for 75% Block (Plan to have 230 after items @ LvL 96)
Vitality - Everything else
Energy - Base

*X = total points off perfect stats of anni, torch, and treks. If everything is perfect, X = 25.
Also see gear details for different options which would affect total base strength required.



4. Items

For this guide I have included some negotiable options depending on your style and what exactly
you are trying to do with your character. 90% of the build is dependant on exact gear, minus
a few tweaks here and there. The goal is to have the 8 frame (105% FCR) teleport breakpoint,
5 frame block, and massively stacked resists (especially light). There is also options for 11 - 9 range
frame hit recovery and the 11 frame (117% FCR) lightning breakpoint. Alternate options are marked
(*) and listed together at the bottom.


*Helm: Harlequin Crest Shako

-10% DR, skills, life and mana.
-Socket with Ort rune or 30% light res / dex jewel.

Armor: Skin of the Vipermagi

-FCR, resists, skill. A great armor.
-Upgrade and socket with Um rune.

Weapon: Wizardspike

-50% FCR, massive mana. IMO the best sorc weapon, and affordable.
-Socket with either +x/-5 facet or res jewel.

Shield: Stormshield Monarch

-35% DR, defense, resists.
-Socket with Shael rune (5 frame block rate, helps when surrounded and tanking).

Belt: Thundergods Vigor War Belt

-Max light res and sorb. The +stats don't hurt either !
-The all important soul eater.

*Boots: Sandstorm Trek Scarabshell Boots

-FHR, poison res, +stats.

Gloves: Magefist Battle Gauntlets

-20% FCR, up them for sex appeal.

Ring 1: 20 Dex Ravenfrost

-Your source of CBF + dex and absorb.
-I have an attachment to this ring I believe it's very underrated.

*Ring 2: Rare Ring - FCR / 20 Strength / other mods

-Helps to reach the 105% teleport BP, and also helps you with stats.

Amulet: Mara's Kaleidoscope

-Skills, stats, resists.
-Swappable alternative: +2 sorc / dex / all res (extra fire)


*Alternative Gear

Lose: Shako, FCR Ring.
Add: Griffons (+x/-5 OR Shael), SoJ.

You will have a chunk less life / mana / DR / MF, do more damage, and have the fastest lightning breakpoint.
Don't forget to compensate your build plan for the 22 strength and 2+ dex lost from this option.

You may also substitute Treks for War Travelers if you plan more to MF.

With treks and Shael'd Griffons and 1 FHR sc - 42% FHR (9 frame) breakpoint.

No matter which way you choose, you will be a tank. You will have well stacked resists, 35-45% DR, and at least 105% FCR.




5. Mercenary

This area is also negotiable. You will hire an Act 2 Merc, either Prayer (Norm / Hell Combat)
or Holy Freeze (NM Defensive). It will wear the following gear:

Weapon (Safety Choice): Insight Runeword Eth CV / CA

-Simply put, meditation owns. This will increase your tanking ability tenfold.
-Shoot for a level 17 meditation roll.

Weapon (Killing Choice): Infinity Runeword Eth CV / CA

-Simply put, conviction owns. This will increase your killing ability tenfold.

Armor: Treachery Runeword Eth Glitched Armor

-This is a great all-around armor. The fade says no thanks to curses, stacks resists, and the IAS is nice of course.

Helm: Vampire Gaze Eth Grim Helm

-Leech, DR
-Socket with IAS / other mod jewel (preferably res)


The facts: 6.5 Frame attack (56% IAS BP), DR, Leech, good game aura (either one).
Not much else to be said, Mizan is your right hand man.



6. Charms

As any given ladder season progresses, I find myself needing less and less space for items.
I started out with 3 x 4 rows open for picking up stuffs and ended with zero inventory space.
Go all the way across with lightning skillers (+ life if you can manage). You also have a choice
to substitutue a skiller with a life / mana GC (those are always nifty). Underneath your skillers
will be life / mana SCs, one SC being mana / FHR if youre going with Shael'd Griffons / Treks.
Lastly is your Torch / Anni and TP / ID tomes depending on how much free space you want.


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Conclusion:

When loaded up with skillers + Battle Command, you will be dishing roughly in the range of 22k
Lightning damage. With Insight you'll be a supporter and a Baal teleporter (easily without any BO
8 players), as well as an EZKeyFinder. With Infinity you'll be an unstoppable killing machine, just
not quite as much of a tank as before. You will have max res after conviction AND lower resist.
You basically have the freedom to be almost totally insane. Trust me, people will be like
'Does he have a deathwish ?" Lots of fun to be had with this build. After revising my sorc strategies
for safety more then a few times, this is what I'm most comfortable with. You will be too.



Remember, hardcore = safety, patience, and death

Thanks for reading,

-Gary