Next life Sorcerer

[AbyssalMage]

I am heavily favoring a pure Sorc life so trying to figure out some things before I TR so advice would be appreciated. First, some "information"...


Must be pure, thought about 18/2 but decided I want the capstone.
34 Point Build (PL: Wizard) F2P
This build is for 1 - 30 leveling, mostly Hard difficulty, unless I group.


Race - Human, Drow, or Warforge
I don't plan on staying at cap. I don't really plan on doing anything special except re-filling Karma from ER/TR cycle. Leaning towards Drow or Human because I will have Cacoon at 20 but the journey may be a struggle. Just wondering if there is something I am overlooking.

Gear - Anything I should farm in Heroic
Other than farming some collectables, anything else? Plan on using GH: Blue Dragon armor and Cannith Challenge Gear when appropriate, but other than that, I can't think of anything that is necessary. Anything obvious to players who played a Sorcerer that I am overlooking?

DA - Shards
Are Shards more prevalent on eHard/Elite? I have plenty of Supreme Shards, but am lacking the other 2. Do I need to try and form some Shroud groups or would I be safe running DA on harder settings to possible have a better chance at Shards. I need to make my two GS items before I TR (I can currently make 1 :( )

[mr420247]

Hi

If your just planning on farming etrs n gear id probly go wf bf

If u dont got all the tomes gear pls u probly wont have the dcs

Recons really handy for ee farming, lvl drain immunity, poi immunity and prr mrr w adamantium body

Note epic blue dragon armor got hella nerfd long ago not worth the slot run the lod docent at 20 or any junk one w a blue slot for asf till 28-29

Best caster gear docents hox ts shroud and maybe a slavers set few other items useful lantern ring n doj gloves n resonation

[Eth]

Race - Human, Drow, or Warforge
I don't plan on staying at cap. I don't really plan on doing anything special except re-filling Karma from ER/TR cycle. Leaning towards Drow or Human because I will have Cacoon at 20 but the journey may be a struggle. Just wondering if there is something I am overlooking.

Healing is not really a struggle. On my last TR I think UMDing a heal scroll no fail was possible at level 11. Get some heal amp and you are set for heroics.
Before that wands+pots suffice.

In epics I personally prefer EA as main destiny, which also gives you mass cure and divine wrath for healing beside cocoon.

Warforged has the downside of only half benefiting from the capstone, since you can't use the active part, if you want to keep using repair spells for healing.



Gear - Anything I should farm in Heroic
Other than farming some collectables, anything else? Plan on using GH: Blue Dragon armor and Cannith Challenge Gear when appropriate, but other than that, I can't think of anything that is necessary. Anything obvious to players who played a Sorcerer that I am overlooking?
CC has mostly replaced the need for anything. Make sure you recraft some spellpower sticks from time to time. I usually go with fire+acid until level 18 and then make a complete switch to lightning (with some minor very cold spec).
Other than that craft some max charisma items and just fill out the rest with the bare minimum useful stuff (Con, PRR, MRR, HP).
Sorc is still incredibly powerful through heroics.

[AbyssalMage]

Healing is not really a struggle. On my last TR I think UMDing a heal scroll no fail was possible at level 11. Get some heal amp and you are set for heroics.
Before that wands+pots suffice.

In epics I personally prefer EA as main destiny, which also gives you mass cure and divine wrath for healing beside cocoon.

Warforged has the downside of only half benefiting from the capstone, since you can't use the active part, if you want to keep using repair spells for healing.
I'll be in Draconic because I will be refilling Karma but I will work over to EA once that happens, which will probably occur around level 26 (if I remember correctly).

I'll choose Drow or Human then as I want to use the entire capstone; Human has easy access to Healing Amp, but I could do Healing Amp on a crafted Gloves regardless of which Race I choose.


CC has mostly replaced the need for anything. Make sure you recraft some spellpower sticks from time to time. I usually go with fire+acid until level 18 and then make a complete switch to lightning (with some minor very cold spec).
Other than that craft some max charisma items and just fill out the rest with the bare minimum useful stuff (Con, PRR, MRR, HP).
Sorc is still incredibly powerful through heroics.
Then I will stick with Crafted and Cannith Challenge gear. I was thinking of Fire/Acid (Fireball/Fire Wall) until Vale too before respec'ing to Air/Ice for the remainder of the time.

[AbyssalMage]

Hi

If your just planning on farming etrs n gear id probly go wf bf

If u dont got all the tomes gear pls u probly wont have the dcs
Yeah, my CC skills will be sup-optimal but thankfully I will mostly be running in Hard content while only running Elite when grouping. DC's are slightly more favorable in Hard Content with Power Creep and +DC augments purchasable from GH.


Recons really handy for ee farming, lvl drain immunity, poi immunity and prr mrr w adamantium body

Note epic blue dragon armor got hella nerfd long ago not worth the slot run the lod docent at 20 or any junk one w a blue slot for asf till 28-29
Recon is very tempting. But I want to use the Capstone which nerf's the recon's :( (I'm heavily favoring Human/Drow thanks to that oversight on my part, but self-healing is so delicious). This may come down to a last minute decision while actually rolling the toon up.


Best caster gear docents hox ts shroud and maybe a slavers set few other items useful lantern ring n doj gloves n resonation
I wont be staying in the level range to gain full use of these items on this life. I'll probably live with a Thunder-Forged Docent/robe or something easily acquired (ES Robe/Docent, for example @22). I may work towards a Necro IV set, which is fairly easy to acquire. Although, I need to start working towards a TS/HoX armor regardless so beginning the farming process on that would be a start with my Sorc life.

[mr420247]

A few things to note

The capstones ok but u might get alot more out of multi classing

Spell point management could also be a problem depending

Ice sorcs used to be nice but in epics these days you don't see too many any more

Too many immunes not enough synergy depends what your farming i guess though

2-4 fvs splash maxes fire force damage n spell point regen or 3 fighter or pally for alot more defense

Have fun with it

[Hobgoblin]

i would farm the circlet from memoirs

[AbyssalMage]

i would farm the circlet from memoirs
Already started, not a lot of luck yet :(

[AbyssalMage]

A few things to note

The capstones ok but u might get alot more out of multi classing

Spell point management could also be a problem depending

Ice sorcs used to be nice but in epics these days you don't see too many any more

Too many immunes not enough synergy depends what your farming i guess though

2-4 fvs splash maxes fire force damage n spell point regen or 3 fighter or pally for alot more defense

Have fun with it
Thought about multi-classing but then I feel I will be to tempted to switch to a Sharidi build, which means leveling another sphere before I TR and ER'ing in that one. Staying pure makes/helps me stay focused in Arcane Sphere.

Spell Point management will definitely be an issue. Even with my ability to craft Wizardry and +Charisma gear, having Torc + a GS Con/Opp (?) to regen mana when hit, and better SLA's than a Wizard, I have a feeling spell point management will be a challenge.

Farming on the Sorc life will be minimal. It's more to get the PL on a 2nd life before the 3rd+ life "XP needs" and running Elite streak in Heroics.

[Eth]

Spell Point management will definitely be an issue. Even with my ability to craft Wizardry and +Charisma gear, having Torc + a GS Con/Opp (?) to regen mana when hit, and better SLA's than a Wizard, I have a feeling spell point management will be a challenge.


I think the biggest mistake people make is putting to many metas active.
Personally I don't have any metas active on my nuking spells, except SLAs obviously.
I turn on heighten only when it's needed, in conjunction with the clickies that make it cost nothing.
Maximise depends on quest, with reductions at cap it only costs 11 sp for me so it's mostly active, except for very heavy duty stuff until I run out of clickies. While leveling it was mostly turned off.
Quicken is used only in rare situation where there's a lot of incoming damage you can't avoid (but even then, sorcs cast so fast you can often just squeeze it in).
Empower isn't even worth taking on a sorc IMO, with how tight feats are nowadays (although if you don't plan on staying at cap, you could skip the spell pen line, although it's nice for the first two eveningstar chains).

[AbyssalMage]

Ok, this is assuming Human/Drow (i.e. No Docent) and keeping what has been discussed in mind:

Armor: Cannith Challenge Robes // ES Robe (@ 22 w/Insight Charisma)
--Cold Lore/Focus 'till 20'ish

Trinket: Voice + hLitany + Vibrant Purple Ioun Stone

Boot: Dodge + Str (?)
---Not really sure here, going to have to take another look for possible effects to craft or Named Boots to equip.

Cloak:GS Con/Opp
--SP Regen + SP's.

Belt: (Crafted) Con + False Life

Gloves: Wizardy + Healing Amp

Head: Pansophic Circlet (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Pansophic_Circlet)
SP Discount, my "everything" spell focus.

Bracer: GS +45 HP + Permanent Blur (cleansed)
--Will use Cannith Bracer until 11 (which saves on ingredient farming)

Goggles: Evocation + Insightful Evocation (or Enchant + Insightful Enchant while grouped, not sure yet)
--I don't like things with evasion saving while solo :)

Necklace: Torc (http://ddowiki.com/page/Torc_of_Prince_Raiyum-de_II)
--Yeah, getting hit in Epic levels will be bad, not sure about replacement. Then again, Epic Hard isn't a lot of damage (except in newer content), Thoughts???

Ring: Charisma + Sheltering

Ring: Electric Focus/Lore or Ice Focus/Lore (These will switch around as I swap out gear)

Main: Electric Focus/Lore or Ice Focus/Lore (These will switch around as I swap out gear)

Secondary: Shield or Orb
--Honestly, I may just use a (named) Mithral Shield for the PRR/MRR bonus. Then an Orb at 26+

This gives me 7 Augment slots Circlet (Green) + 6 Crafted Pieces (Ring x 2, Belt, Goggles, Gloves, and Primary)
Augments:
Deathblock (yellow)
Heavy Fortification (blue)
Blindness Immunity (yellow)
Evocation Focus (yellow)
Enchantment Focus (yellow)
Fear Immunity (yellow)
Vitality (clear)


**Missing**
Good Luck (Blue)
Strength (Clear)


What have you done for gearing (and trying to keep it simple and not min/max)?

[Livmo]

Cloak*: Open (kinda)
--Really don't know what to place here. I have a Mabar Cloak (@16) and Jewel Cloak (@24) but that is a lot of dead levels. I prefer the Jewel Cloak for swap, so Cannith Challenge Cloak ('till 16, ???). Thoughts??? There has to be something for this dead slot



I wear Heroic Elite then equip EH or EE and both (heroic and epic) hold my Deathblock augment in the yellow slot and I use the clear slot for either an off-ability stat or Spellcraft augment.

[Eth]

Even at cap my cloak slot is just heroic GS (SP item with Int skills) with swap to mysterious remnant cloak, when I used those 300 SP (so two items which you can also use while leveling).
I'd highly recommend the latter because it covers one of the biggest weaknesses in defense on a sorc, which is MRR.
Melees should rarely hit you anyway, but magic damage is what wrecked me the most. You'll have poor saves. The MRR on the cloak really helps with that, which is why I'd also recommend going light armor, so you can get past the 50 MRR cap. Obviously the healing amp also helps a lot with keeping yourself alive.

For boots I'd use Orcish Privateer's. Further helps with incoming magic damage (fire is the most common) and perma FoM is always nice, although not that important once you have elemental form.

[AbyssalMage]

Even at cap my cloak slot is just heroic GS (SP item with Int skills) with swap to mysterious remnant cloak, when I used those 300 SP (so two items which you can also use while leveling).
I'd highly recommend the latter because it covers one of the biggest weaknesses in defense on a sorc, which is MRR.
Melees should rarely hit you anyway, but magic damage is what wrecked me the most. You'll have poor saves. The MRR on the cloak really helps with that, which is why I'd also recommend going light armor, so you can get past the 50 MRR cap. Obviously the healing amp also helps a lot with keeping yourself alive.

For boots I'd use Orcish Privateer's. Further helps with incoming magic damage (fire is the most common) and perma FoM is always nice, although not that important once you have elemental form.
Thanks, I will switch the GS Con/Opp to Cloak slot. I'll get a lot more mileage out of it and if they ever do make a better Cloak, I won't feel so bad.

Thought about going Light Armor at 20 but not really sure with what? :( I realized that Insightful Int on the ES Robes is redundant now with Cannith Crafting. So it opens up a whole lot of possibilities with the only requirement being a Blue Slot to slot the -15% ASF shard.

[Eth]

Thanks, I will switch the GS Con/Opp to Cloak slot. I'll get a lot more mileage out of it and if they ever do make a better Cloak, I won't feel so bad.

Thought about going Light Armor at 20 but not really sure with what? :( I realized that Insightful Int on the ES Robes is redundant now with Cannith Crafting. So it opens up a whole lot of possibilities with the only requirement being a Blue Slot to slot the -15% ASF shard.

You don't really need a slot for ASF. If you go light you should pick up the proficiency in EK anyway (which gives 5% ASF already). If you spend one more point in a second core you cover the 10% entirely (I usually spend 12 AP in EK total and pick up the first charisma).

As for the armor itself I prefer Green Cormyrian, mainly for the 10% discount, but the rest is also nice. Not sure what to wear at 20 - CC just like everything else? :D

[cru121]

If you're farming gear (GS and such), I'd recommend that you take a look at http://ddowiki.com/page/Update_32_named_items and then go 5-6 updates backwards to identify the tasty stuff.

Here are some ideas:
ML8 spinneret: quality spell focus, +2 spell pen, quality potency
ML15 earthen mantle: sf:evo 4, 101 impulse
ML17 dashing gloves: very tasty if you like to shout/greater shout
ML15 brazenband: insightful evo focus 2, speed, stuff
ML14 devil handiwork set

I'd wear a mithral shield, probably one Cannith Crafted. Perhaps you have a ML8 legacy crafted version of Superior Stability. The 5% ASF can be negated with a ML12 augment.

no Master's Gift?

[Frezar14]

I get a ton of use out of vibrant purple ioun stone.

Enjoy!

[AbyssalMage]

I get a ton of use out of vibrant purple ioun stone.

Enjoy!
Holy crud, I forgot about that. It's on a mule. Time for me to grab it and un-suppress it :) Thanks for the reminder.

[AbyssalMage]

no Master's Gift?
No, I haven't run Chrono enough to collect the Tokens for this toon. I am still collecting enough for my Main. I probably should attempt a solo on my Mains this life. Worse that will happen is I will go splat :)

[Pyed-Pyper]

For heroic leveling, I usually don't bother optimizing gear except at a few notable levels. The levels have changed a little with the new and improved(tm) cannith crafting. For low levels I use mostly generic bta damage mitigation and basic boosts (invulnerability, strength bonus, feather falling etc.). A few notables - blue slot robe/pj's fearsome/deathblock with TMG slotted, vibrant purple stone, a guild slot crafted item with an SP augment. At level 10 I switched to blue slot robe parrying/deathblock, heavy fort aug. At 13, litany, con-op, cannith ring (con, ins con, sheltering), cannith necklace (cha, ins cha, evoc focus), and pan circlet. I pulled a few other items from the TR closet but those are the core. CC weapons for element power/lore until 13, switched to circlet and gs elemental mastery boots. Next big regear will be lev 23 for CC, named as they come along. Equal distribution of points in electric and ice until about 60 APs.

[Livmo]

This is my first life wizzy from the forums that could finger in LTS TR'ed into a sorc for the 2nd life. I scroll heal as well.

Included screenie, so that you can see what I'm using. BTW Eth is much better at caster play than I. I recomend Eth posts, and I sometimes refer to them from other threads when I bite off more than I can chew.

EDIT ~ I get the name v. aligment in the screenie : ) ) Many more lives until the final product (pure human wizard w/past lives, then I may line them up).
http://i.imgur.com/oTjTk7g.jpg

[Livmo]

Favor farmer I'm running right now for the awesome DDO deals going on in December!!!

PDK/Sorc Iconic

http://i.imgur.com/2yxLLTs.jpg

[AbyssalMage]

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all of the feedback and help. I just want this caster life to go much smoother than the Wizard :) I am farming a Skyvault Shield for Heroic levels but otherwise, I need to un-supress the Ioun Stone and use the CC farming guide for some quick runs before I TR. Unfortunately work has gotten in the way but thankfully that is only temporary. I am starting to look forward to this TR :)