Sorc: surviving Harry's fire ball

[Hathorian]

this, plus use of fire resist and protection. again, you can basically scroll protection; it's only 108 points instead of 120, so it isn't quite equal, but most of the time it'll get the job done. alternately, there are level 10 wands you can buy iirc.

Better to buy Prot from Elements Mass and you get 120 pts of protection (equal to spell!) and longer duration (less than spell). and, oh yeah, you also buff the whole party!

[MRMechMan]

The best defense is being WF and popping a recon right after he unloads on ya.

RAWR.

[tinyelvis]

The best defense is being WF and popping a recon right after he unloads on ya.

RAWR.

With my WF I dont even waste spell points casting recon against easy foes like Harry. Heck, he doesnt even move. A scroll will perform more than adequately. When you are in the situation where Harry has singled you out for most of his attention, then more than likely you are one of the few DPS'rs left alive and potentially need all of your spell points to finish the job. In those cases, I switch to scrolls.

Besides, I don't see how healing is a defense. When it comes to a point where your skill is lacking or the foe is totally dominant and you need to resort to spell healing, then you have past the point of defense and entered the realm of damage control.

Defense is blocking or dodging damage. Lack of defense, for whatever reason, requires damage control. If you need to play a WF to fight Harry, then reconsider your occupation choice. Maybe consider playing a barbarian melee and let someone else handle healing you.

[MRMechMan]

With my WF I dont even waste spell points casting recon against easy foes like Harry. Heck, he doesnt even move. A scroll will perform more than adequately. When you are in the situation where Harry has singled you out for most of his attention, then more than likely you are one of the few DPS'rs left alive and potentially need all of your spell points to finish the job. In those cases, I switch to scrolls.

Besides, I don't see how healing is a defense. When it comes to a point where your skill is lacking or the foe is totally dominant and you need to resort to spell healing, then you have past the point of defense and entered the realm of damage control.

Defense is blocking or dodging damage. Lack of defense, for whatever reason, requires damage control. If you need to play a WF to fight Harry, then reconsider your occupation choice. Maybe consider playing a barbarian melee and let someone else handle healing you.

I see my short post that was 100% in jest provoked a long and serious reply.


Excellent.

[Havok.cry]

I prefer hitting my bluff button that makes him face away from me whenever I can, In addition to real defenses like fire sheild cold, resists, protections, moving etc.

[goodspeed]

The best defense is being WF and popping a recon right after he unloads on ya.

RAWR.

The best defense is splashing evasion levels!! But then ud cripple. Now if aN insightful charismatic feat ever popped out then we'd have something going on.

And about the 2700 that was the first reply. After adding it up on the planner with the ap and whatnot I found I think a lv 17 first life would get about 2300 Or something like that. But by lv 20 definitely 3k

[Feithlin]

Very well. I politely ask you present your math for producing a level 17 Sorcerer with 2900+ SP. You can use Wizardry VI, Cove Trinket, and Medium Guild Slot, but no Green Steel.

Edit : I've done it for you, using the parameters you yourself have put forth.

Charisma @ Level 17
18 Base
02 Tome
04 Enhancements
04 Levelups
06 Item
=34 Charisma

1370 Level 17 Sorcerer (Includes Magical Training)
0312 Bonus SP @ 34 Charisma
0200 Magi or Power X Item
0070 Energy of the Dragonblooded II, required for Savant I
0120 Medium Guild Augment Slot, Sorcerer
0090 Mental Toughness (Not recommended)
0100 Greater Cunning Trinket
0100 Upgrade Magi/Power X to Wizardry VI

=2362 SP @ level 17

I'm still seeing a difference of almost 550 SP. In fact, even adding in a tier 3 GS SP item would still leave you 250 SP shy. Am I missing something, or would you like to reconsider this number?

You could also use Archmagi (easy to get on a CC hat) instead of Wiz VI, for a total of 2462, and 26 more from ship buff (it was on part 4 still), for 2488. We're getting nearer, but still not there

[TheDearLeader]

You could also use Archmagi (easy to get on a CC hat) instead of Wiz VI, for a total of 2462, and 26 more from ship buff (it was on part 4 still), for 2488. We're getting nearer, but still not there

*Not* easy to get on a CC hat for a new Sorc. The point of this exercise was to show that a new sorcerer would not have the spell points that posters seem to expect them to. You can't get a CC when the toon hasn't existed for a single round of CC, now can you?

I understand what you're saying. My point wasn't max theoretical - it was max practical. Although it has been interesting to see both.

[soulaeon]

Get an unsuppressed Pale Lavender Ion Stone. There are very few things that can block untyped damage, which is the portion that will hit the hardest from Meteor Swarm.

[MRMechMan]

Get an unsuppressed Pale Lavender Ion Stone. There are very few things that can block untyped damage, which is the portion that will hit the hardest from Meteor Swarm.

24-36 fire damage (reflex for 1/2, evasion for none)
8-12 bludgeoning damage (no save)

It's 3/4 fire damage.

[ferrite]

Well I'm sorta surprised no one has mentioned this yet but..

The fire shield/resist ideas are all good, but the best way to avoid Harry's ranged attacks is to realize they all require REFLEX saves. So that's what you must improve. Even without evasion, a good reflex saves means half damage, a necessity for your situation.

You can add an extremely nice +10 reflex save to your setup with the Xoriat Madness: Uncanny Awareness upgrade on the Infused Chaosrobe/Docent, which is just made for sorcerors and fits beautifully on there.

[MRMechMan]

Well I'm sorta surprised no one has mentioned this yet but..

The fire shield/resist ideas are all good, but the best way to avoid Harry's ranged attacks is to realize they all require REFLEX saves. So that's what you must improve. Even without evasion, a good reflex saves means half damage, a necessity for your situation.

You can add an extremely nice +10 reflex save to your setup with the Xoriat Madness: Uncanny Awareness upgrade on the Infused Chaosrobe/Docent, which is just made for sorcerors and fits beautifully on there.

Right, that's a big one, potentially. The save DCs range from low 30s to mid 30s for nomal-->elite.

20 sorc can get an OK reflex, enough to mitigate damage at least. But is it worth it?

Little/No work:
6base
4GH
=10

A bit of work:
6base
5resist
4 GH
4holy aura (ask a divine for it, it's pretty good spell still and very few seem to use it. STACKING +4 saves)
3dex
=22

A lot of work:
6 base
10 madness
4 GH
3 exp (shroud crafted probably)
4 holy aura
4 insight (Eswashbuckler)
6dex (8+7item+1exp+2exp+2tome+2 ship)
1alchem
=38 reflex (overkill for shroud, but very nice for epic comefalls which are becoming rediculously common)

That's a *lot* of slots to take up and you are better off just fireshielding, fireabsorb items, learning to dodge, etc for shroud.

[ferrite]

A lot of work:
6 base
10 madness
4 GH
3 exp (shroud crafted probably)
4 holy aura
4 insight (Eswashbuckler)
6dex (8+7item+1exp+2exp+2tome+2 ship)
1alchem
=38 reflex (overkill for shroud, but very nice for epic comefalls which are becoming rediculously common)

That's a *lot* of slots to take up and you are better off just fireshielding, fireabsorb items, learning to dodge, etc for shroud.

I'd probably say around 30 or so is relatively safe for the OP's needs.

From your example, you mention 4 insight (Eswashbuckler), however my understanding from the original post is the OP is level 17. So we can probably strike that item off your list for now. Next, the alchem bonus fits on any bound existing item already in its slot. A +2 tome is fairly trivial to get on the AH and takes no slot. The other dex based items simply replace other dex items already in those slots, however I'm unaware of any 3 exp gs item, afaik the max is 2 exp, something the OP can work toward anyway.

From that I don't believe 30ish is much work at all, nor that it takes up any more slots save for the extra 1 gs item, the 2exp/1exp buff, which is hardly a lot considering 12+2 slots to fill out. And on dodging, I think its only slightly helpful to dodge if at all, esp with blades nearby, as casters already have enough to do as it is without having to think about if they'll lag while trying to dodge meteors or blades. Much better to focus on a good reflex save, and start from there.

[Gaavik]

Erm... Here I thought my stuff felt low.. I'm level 15 currently on my sorc :

HP: 289
SP: 2155

After reading this, I feel pretty good.