Force build viable?

[GMilici07]

I'm sort of tempted to try a force/elemental build with my sorc. He's just hit 10 on his first TR, and right now his enhancements focus on elemental damage and crit. But I've been having fun using magic missile on mobs that are resistant to the elements, and it seems like it can pump out some good damage... It hits fast, and since each individual missile has the ability to crit, it seems like it has the potential to do some serious damage, especially since you can pump them out so quickly.

I was reading up on spells, since I really ignored force spells my first time through playing a sorc, and there seem to be only three: Magic Missile, Chain Missiles (?), and Force Missiles. Not including repair spells, of course.

So I guess what it comes down to are these questions:
#1 Is force viable at all, or am I wasting my time?
#2 Should I put points into elemental manipulation as well, for those times when I need to be using firewall/cone of cold/niacs/scorching ray?

[Memnir]

If you are playing a WF or expect to group with a lot of WF, and are using it to boost your Repair spells as well as damaging spells - then yes, it's worth it. Chain Missiles can be a very fun spell.

Yes, even speccing for Force - pick up at least one of the elemental lines. Probably Fire/Ice for Firewall.

But, used as a pure damage enhancement - your better off picking up both element lines instead.

[GMilici07]

Right, forgot to mention I'm human.
I'm really tempted to try it, but being a sorc it would take me something like 6 days to switch over to it...

Force spells *seem* to be capable of better single target damage than fire/ice, but then again I've never tried it so that's purely speculation...

I would imagine firewall + spamming force missiles could do some damage though

[Trillea]

If you are playing a WF or expect to group with a lot of WF, and are using it to boost your Repair spells as well as damaging spells - then yes, it's worth it. Chain Missiles can be a very fun spell.

Yes, even speccing for Force - pick up at least one of the elemental lines. Probably Fire/Ice for Firewall.

But, used as a pure damage enhancement - your better off picking up both element lines instead.

Hey Mem, is Disintegrate typed as force or untyped damage?

[Deaths_ward]

Honestly, I gave up most of my crit enhancements to get the force/repair damage enhancements on my wizard because I saw how much damage chain missiles can do to a group of enemies. Especially in the Dreaming Dark where every thing has elemental resistance of like 200 + F**K YOU!.

With the 40% enhancement, a Sup. Pot. VI scepter, and the blue scale robe (can accomplish same thing with Greenblade, or Skiver) I hit consistently with chain missiles for about 250-280 points on my main target then hit each target around that one for about 300-400 points (Hits each opponent around the main target 10 times for 30-40 points each), and when I crit on a chain it turns into about 550-600 on the main target and nearly 800 on each target around him.

[GMilici07]

Yeah I just grabbed force missiles and respecced my enhancements and messed around in Redwillow and SC..

It seems like a lot of fun, and I was surprised at how much havoc force missiles can wreak. Seems like it could be good for bosses with trash mobs around them, throw up Max/Empower and spam force missile/magic missile/force missile/magic missile/etc. on the boss

[sephiroth1084]

Hey Mem, is Disintegrate typed as force or untyped damage?

Disintegrate is untyped.

[Lyle_Vertigo]

The sorc part of me loves the chain missles. I dual wield greater kenetic IV and Superior Potency III weapons and I tell you what, watching those numbers roll off all them mobs gives me a hardon. I'm just glad I have ok DC or else I'd be mince meat shortly after XD

[bradleyforrest]

Yeah I just grabbed force missiles and respecced my enhancements and messed around in Redwillow and SC..

It seems like a lot of fun, and I was surprised at how much havoc force missiles can wreak. Seems like it could be good for bosses with trash mobs around them, throw up Max/Empower and spam force missile/magic missile/force missile/magic missile/etc. on the boss

Do Force Missiles splash like Chain Missiles?

[PSU93]

Do Force Missiles splash like Chain Missiles?

No.

[GMilici07]

Do Force Missiles splash like Chain Missiles?

Whoops, I meant chain missiles. dont have force missiles yet. they seem kinda meh until level 20

[maddmatt70]

A force build is not really viable in the end game considering all the other spell groups buffs get such as fire/cold, but a repair build is. What I mean by this statement is you had better be willing and strive to repair first and throw force missles second otherwise scrap the build.

[GMilici07]

Yeah, I don't really like the build.
It seems capable of decent damage, but jesus christ, the SP cost is insane! I've never drained SP this fast... it does good damage, but only if youre constantly spamming it, and it doesn't do very good damage unless its empowered. So basically, I'll spam chain missiles on a group of mobs, and drain a quarter of my SP. Whereas a single firewall could have done the same job, for 1/8 the SP cost. Same with magic missile, I have to spam it, 3 or 4 times on a single mob, whereas PK/FoD/even Scorching Ray could have done the job much quicker and at much less cost.

It seems like it's really only useful for buffing repair spells, because the SP cost is intense!

[Crazyfruit]

I like mine coupled with the wiz past life (10 free magic missile clickies). Don't think it'd be worthwhile at all without it for you since you're not warforged.

It does have it's moments though! Like those pesky maruts people are talking about for 5 minutes before the battle starts... bam bam dead