The Sorcerer's Handbook: A Guide to Building and Playing Sorcerers

[Carpone]

Life sucks as a sorcerer prior to level 6 when you get fireball. Before level 6 you can use hypnotism/charm very successfully to solo quests.

[Potvin]

Life sucks as a sorcerer prior to level 6 when you get fireball. Before level 6 you can use hypnotism/charm very successfully to solo quests.

I've only played him a couple hours, but right now I am using scorching ray wands - a good bit of hypotize to manage crowds...and a holy heavy mace (I didn't take Master Touch initially...going to trade it out for Niac's tomorrrow night when I can.

I also took scorching ray for my first second level spell...I save the mana pool version for oranges/reds as they get all the augmented damage from enhancers.

Really, I think I just need to get used to using the AOE stuff more. It's sorta how to play a Sorcerer if you intend to power through quests as quickly as possible.

Side note: at level 3/4 Stealthy repossession is your friend. All you need to do is keep one or two prophets alive/hypotized the entire time, and it's nice exp/time invested. Run it 3-4 times. Half a rank right there in like 20 minutes. Also, Durk's got a secret can be done pretty quickly if you know where you're going.

[thafrogggg]

Aspenor,

I would love to see a lvl 20 WF build with Skill point allocations you choose each level. I like the Feats/enhancements/spell choices you have listed for each level. I went very similar with my WF Wiz while learning a bit about casters.

This also goes out to anyone that has followed this handbook and has a solid WF Sorc build. You can PM me with the builds, or post them here, if Aspenor says it is ok to do so. I personally do better looking at an "end product" than trying to visualize it.

[drachine]

Do these two items stack? I don't own a Staff yet so I have not been able to test it out.

[Ecnassianer]

The only experience I have soloing is when I wander off from my party (which is often), but here's some things that have been helpful for me:

Snipe with Niacs, prioritize gear that reduces resists. Get all the +frost enhancements and +crit.

Pull from as far away as you can, your goal should be that everything is dead by the time it makes it to you.

If you get overwhelmed, throw 2 hypnotisms in a row without hesitating. Consider a 3rd once you see how many the first cast caught. You'll basically end up with 1-2 guys hitting you and 6-7 looking at the pretty lights. (I'm still getting the hang of web.)

Generally acid spray gets me killed, but I've used it once or twice successfully on 3-4 mobs.

Once you get charm, if you're pulling more than 3, start with a charm, so the mob can tank, then just snipe with Niacs. If your charms get resisted cast it twice on the same mob without waiting to see if it landed.

In general, as long as I'm spending my mana as fast as possible, I do ok. It's when I slow down to conserve that stuff gets out of control. But having mana is what being a sorcerer is about right?

[ZennyoTheWise]

LOL....Aspenor....this thread is the only reason I started a sorc today. Any thread that generates this much debate can only mean a metric sh*t load of fun as a player character. Cheers m8!

[joneb1999]

With the changes I was thinking of using augment summoning and a combination of grease and burning hands ip to 4th level. Is this a mad idea and is this thread exactly as relevant as it once was?

[ArtosKincaid]

*will do lower levels when I get around to it*

End-Game Targets
Ring 2: Encrusted Ring (+6 Strength, +1 Exceptional Constitution, + 15% Healing Amplification)

This should be Gnawed Ring, yes? Encrusted has exceptional strength, and you're using Vorne's Belt already.

[200xth]

Very good thread. Could have gone without some of the personal attacks and childishness that went on in places, but overall there was a lot of good points brought out and a lot of good ideas tossed around that IMO showed the versatility of the class.

[Aspenor]

This should be Gnawed Ring, yes? Encrusted has exceptional strength, and you're using Vorne's Belt already.

depends what you're going for. You don't really need exceptional strength, and that exceptional con can, depending on gear acquired, put you at another even number for more hp.

I didn't really care about the set bonus.

[ArtosKincaid]

What I was trying to point out is that you have the wrong name for the ring's stats. The stats you're using is the Gnawed Band. Encrusted has +1 exceptional strength, not +1 exceptional constitution like you have it statted as in your gear lists.

[Aspenor]

What I was trying to point out is that you have the wrong name for the ring's stats. The stats you're using is the Gnawed Band. Encrusted has +1 exceptional strength, not +1 exceptional constitution like you have it statted as in your gear lists.

Oh, thanks. I always get those two confused.

[ZennyoTheWise]

Level 6 Human Sorc now....way too much fun. This thread was very helpful. Niac's is a must...hypnotisim is helpful...if you cant afford a hireling...summons are your key to success when running levels 1-5. Fireball at level 6 FTW. I changed Charm Person spell at level 6 and replaced it with Shield.


I am 100 points away from unlocking Drow.

I go to bed at night dreaming about Warforge and the awasome tukaw build/video. :-)

Gnome, Gnome on the Range...nominated for Guild of the Week...

[blumsborres]

What does BBEG stand for?

[ArtosKincaid]

Big Bad Evil Guy.

[Daveodude]

actually i just made a sorc like this and i have never had a caster but with a 78 niacs cold ray on a non crit at level four is pretty good to me

[Seventh]

I more or less followed this guide for my first sorc (looking back, the only things I now regret about how I built him are the places I deviated from the guide... lesson learned). I'm working on getting him geared up now and I have a few questions on that. I noticed that having Greater False Life and +6 Con is on all the DT sets, but then Vorne's Belt is also recommended, which seems redundant. What am I missing there? Also, I'm a bit confused about the Savant Belts... I understand that they don't stack with standard lore gear, but it says combined with a greater arcane lore item you get major arcane lore? Does that mean that it's like a set bonus, as in, if I've got a greater arcane lore item and a savant belt I get major arcane lore?

[AliasRevolution]

The boomstick build... Ah, there's nothing like it. I'm planning on TRing my Human Wizzy into Sorc very soon. I'll let you know how it goes. It should be pretty amazing.

BTW, Top damage with Boomstick build so far, 5,948 to Unstable Power Crystal with Cone of Cold at lvl 16.
Top damage that's actually on a mob, 2,452 to Anur-Shub the Hellion in The shroud with Polar Ray at lvl 19.

[ArtosKincaid]

I more or less followed this guide for my first sorc (looking back, the only things I now regret about how I built him are the places I deviated from the guide... lesson learned). I'm working on getting him geared up now and I have a few questions on that. I noticed that having Greater False Life and +6 Con is on all the DT sets, but then Vorne's Belt is also recommended, which seems redundant. What am I missing there? Also, I'm a bit confused about the Savant Belts... I understand that they don't stack with standard lore gear, but it says combined with a greater arcane lore item you get major arcane lore? Does that mean that it's like a set bonus, as in, if I've got a greater arcane lore item and a savant belt I get major arcane lore?

The Occult Slayer belt (Vorne's) is redundant, but it's really for the Exceptional save bonus or in case you're wearing another robe for something weird. Really it's just because the exceptional save bonus is good.

The bonus from the Savant sets doesn't stack with your normal lore items. The way they combine to give you major lore in an element is by increasing your crit multiplier to .5 (normal greater lore items only give you a .25 bonus to your crit modifier). Combined with your Greater lore item giving you a 9% chance to crit, that's a major lore bonus.

My suggestion would be to try and get Rakhir's Ring and Belt for the bonus to all spells. The Int bonus isn't useful at all, but you don't have to item swap then.

[Aspenor]

I more or less followed this guide for my first sorc (looking back, the only things I now regret about how I built him are the places I deviated from the guide... lesson learned). I'm working on getting him geared up now and I have a few questions on that. I noticed that having Greater False Life and +6 Con is on all the DT sets, but then Vorne's Belt is also recommended, which seems redundant. What am I missing there? Also, I'm a bit confused about the Savant Belts... I understand that they don't stack with standard lore gear, but it says combined with a greater arcane lore item you get major arcane lore? Does that mean that it's like a set bonus, as in, if I've got a greater arcane lore item and a savant belt I get major arcane lore?

The Occult Slayer belt (Vorne's) is redundant, but it's really for the Exceptional save bonus or in case you're wearing another robe for something weird. Really it's just because the exceptional save bonus is good.

The bonus from the Savant sets doesn't stack with your normal lore items. The way they combine to give you major lore in an element is by increasing your crit multiplier to .5 (normal greater lore items only give you a .25 bonus to your crit modifier). Combined with your Greater lore item giving you a 9% chance to crit, that's a major lore bonus.

My suggestion would be to try and get Rakhir's Ring and Belt for the bonus to all spells. The Int bonus isn't useful at all, but you don't have to item swap then.

Basically what Artos said. The belt is there to show good options depending on your setup.