4 year dormant sorcerer, testing the waters...

[nocturnix]

Its been a long time, I think i was at, or close to 40 trains. Dont remember much else except I was of course a pure caster.

I used to have alot of fun on my sorc although pookas/miners started getting boring.

So far what I see has changed:

-New, seemingly awesome, ball spell 713
-Curse updated - seems OK
-Demons have a bit more usefulness due to 713 procs

What have I missed?

Oh yah and, unrelated to sorcs, monks! WTF? Only took 5 years? :)

[nocturnix]

Also have pocket bard and cleric, if that matters.

[Kronius]

Unfortunately, Balefire is pretty useless as a primary hunting tool for those who do not have exceedingly large mana pools (ie. capped folk). At 13 mana, you aren't going to hunt very long with it... Curse was updated to support Balefire, though the stance based curses are still the same.

If he's 40 trains, try Sheruvian Monks/Initiates. If you can Planar Shift to the Misty Chamber, you could have a very good hunting ground all to yourself, really.

[nocturnix]

So hunting is still for the most part, stunning/disabling, CEing casters, DCing casters, 705ing physical mobs and praying maneuvers dont fuck me up. At least thats how I Remember it.

[Jonty]

So far what I see has changed:

-New, seemingly awesome, ball spell 713
-Curse updated - seems OK
-Demons have a bit more usefulness due to 713 procs

What have I missed?

Full enchant bonus from your runestaff in all stances
Runestaff flares (?)
One-handed invoke for scrolls

[nocturnix]

Full enchant bonus from your runestaff in all stances
Runestaff flares (?)
One-handed invoke for scrolls

1. so I should see more DS in all stances except def. I guess?
2. ?? what is that?
3. Ooooh. I didnt use scrolls too much yet, but was getting into learning how to infuse and stuff.

Is shield/brawl still better than runestaff? now with this flaring stuff?

[DrxLecter]

Unfortunately, Balefire is pretty useless as a primary hunting tool for those who do not have exceedingly large mana pools (ie. capped folk). At 13 mana, you aren't going to hunt very long with it... Curse was updated to support Balefire, though the stance based curses are still the same.

If he's 40 trains, try Sheruvian Monks/Initiates. If you can Planar Shift to the Misty Chamber, you could have a very good hunting ground all to yourself, really.

I hunt there all the time on my sorc, the harbs are a massive pain but everything else there is a complete pushover for sorcs.

[msconstrew]

Depending on where you want to hunt, Kronius is right that Sheruvian Monks/Initiates are good. If you're more the Illistim type, then there's an area in Illistim with a bunch of late 30s/early 40s undead that was exceedingly rich when I hunted there. I think it's called the "Dead Plain" or something like that, but I'm not looking at a map right now.

Oh, and to answer your question about brawl/shield, I think brawl/shield is the better build for DS reasons and also because mine is in Voln so she can use brawling skill. But it's very TP heavy to do, so you're going to miss out on skills you might otherwise want to have. For example, you'll want to be 1x in PF and Perception, and I find that difficult to maintain with my current build. But it can be done with certain sacrifices (only 2x spells, for example, or cutting down on MIU/AS). It's really an RP in some ways. I like the idea of having a more physically oriented sorcerer, so brawl/shield appeals to me for that reason, too.

[Jonty]

1. so I should see more DS in all stances except def. I guess?
2. ?? what is that?
3. Ooooh. I didnt use scrolls too much yet, but was getting into learning how to infuse and stuff.

Is shield/brawl still better than runestaff? now with this flaring stuff?

Runestaff updates: http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?t=66337

Shield brawl vs. runestaff: I wouldn't say either is better than the other. It's more of a trade off between more DS and no chance of disarm vs attack flares, being able to use your TPs elsehwere, and RP style. (After about 6 years of being gone, I came back and switched my sorcerer to a runestafff user because I wanted the TPs for other things and I didn't like the idea of my sorcerer holding a shield and brawling.)

[nocturnix]

I also prefer runestaves for RP. shield/brawl doesnt fit my idea of a sorc.

Disarm sucks, there is no mechanic/spell/etc. to avoid that or become immune? IE. a runestaff chain? (forgive me if thats retarded).

[Jonty]

You can train in the CMs (http://www.krakiipedia.org/wiki/Combat_Maneuvers) Disarm Weapon (http://www.krakiipedia.org/wiki/Disarm_Weapon) and Cunning Defense (http://www.krakiipedia.org/wiki/Cunning_Defense) at a pretty expensive price. But it still won't be 100% effective.

[Jonty]

Disarm sucks, there is no mechanic/spell/etc. to avoid that or become immune? IE. a runestaff chain? (forgive me if thats retarded).

I'd like to see some sort of spell or magical bonding for runestaves to have the runestaff return to you after being dropped for a few seconds.

[Fallen]

I'd like to see some sort of spell or magical bonding for runestaves to have the runestaff return to you after being dropped for a few seconds.

I think this has been discussed as a Savant power and/or general guild skill, but I could be mistaken.

[Gibreficul]

Level 40, you have lots of options. Level 50, I wouldn't miss a chance at Bonespear as a sorcerer. It was my favorite place to hunt pre-cap with mine.

[nocturnix]

OK I just reactivated. I am 39. Here are my stats and skills, any tips/advice greatly appreciated. I think i have a fixskills avaliable so I can fix any weirdness in my training, already I guess maybe the spell aiming isnt so necessary? Or is that used for focused implosion, I forget...

XXXXXX (at level 39), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Multi Opponent Combat..............| 10 2
Physical Fitness...................| 82 18
Arcane Symbols.....................| 124 32
Magic Item Use.....................| 124 32
Spell Aiming.......................| 170 70
Harness Power......................| 152 52
Elemental Mana Control.............| 120 30
Spirit Mana Control................| 120 30
Sorcerous Lore - Demonology........| 128 34
Sorcerous Lore - Necromancy........| 25 5
Perception.........................| 128 34
Climbing...........................| 62 13
Swimming...........................| 15 3

Spell Lists
Minor Elemental....................| 30

Spell Lists
Minor Spirit.......................| 33

Spell Lists
Sorcerer...........................| 39
Training Points: 97 Phy 0 Mnt (1114 Phy converted to Mnt)
(Use SKILLS BASE to display unmodified ranks and goals)

0 days remain until the annual FIXSKILLS is to be granted.

Your 30 day migration period will begin when you choose to degrade a skill.

[nocturnix]

OK, I suppose the easiest way in is to have my Voln master cleric take the tapestry and set a ring?

Finally, what is your preferred hunting strategy in the monestary?

Its been awhile since I have hunted with my sorc, but I remember a few strats depending on the situation. Just wanted to check these strategies are still valid and if there are others I'm missing:

1. CE spellcasters always, usually DC decimates spellcasters. 1 DC + a few 702s usually does the trick.
2. Prone mob/Offensive channeled disintegrate, double open handed if you're really ballsy and can prone the mobs well/not too swarmy.
3. Guarded curse high TD mobs, plink away with disintegrate from guarded.
4. Dangerous CM mobs - Torment, run the hell away. Wait until dead, loot.

Any other strategies I am missing at 39 trains? Of course in this case I am talking about efficient fry hunts, not tasks/etc. Also I am a COL master, so I have 2 manabars depending on how tough of mobs I'm hunting.

[DrxLecter]

As far as the Monastery goes:

1. Get a charged dull gold coin or find and charge a 1701 scroll. Both the hooded figures and the nightmare steeds(and the cook's assisstant but they are super rare) dispel so having decoy up prevents headaches.

2. Nightmare steeds might be kinda difficult for you if they show up (they are 55). The dispel and ewave make them kinda annoying, but they aren't that dangerous. Generally if I want to get rid of one I 715,413,703,then 702 to death to save mana for the rest of the hunt.

3. Initiates and Monks are kinda the bread and butter of the place, simple squares mostly, no CMANs to worry about. If they swarm they can heal each other, they also have one special attack where they yell something and get +AS/+TD for one round. the TD increase is pretty high(like +50) so just hang out and wait till they swing again and it'll go away. As long as you know no one else is around open maelstorm absolutely destroys them when they swarm.

4. Initiates, Monks, and Figures are all easily stunnable can all be sacrificed for decent returns.

5. If you see a Harbinger, RUN! They bind, silence, spirit strike, frenzy, and will probably be only thing that can actually kill you in there. They also don't like to despawn, I've had one hanging out for hours.

6. Don't go in the summoning chamber.

If you need a ring set send me a PM and we can meet up in game and i'll set one for ya and remind ya how to get inside.

[nocturnix]

Awesome, thanks for the great tips on this hunting area. I especially need it now that I have been away for 4 years. For example, I completely forgot about the sacrifice ability :)

PMed, thanks again!

[nocturnix]

As far as the Monastery goes:
5. If you see a Harbinger, RUN! They bind, silence, spirit strike, frenzy, and will probably be only thing that can actually kill you in there. They also don't like to despawn, I've had one hanging out for hours.


Well the good news is I got in! Bad news is, I was a little tipsy after returning home from a friend's birthday. The first thing I came across in the new hunting area was a Harbringer. Did I run? Ney, I started casting at it. Derp!

OK will try again tonight. The tapestry is verrrryyy convenient, voln was useful after all!

[Queleri]

My personal opinion would be at 39 to head to the Elven Nations. Right now you could hunt Bendeiths, Wood Sprites, and probably start hunting Trali/Kiramon.

As Gib said I would do this until about 50 before heading to Bonespear and than back to the EN for the Skull Temple at about 60ish as I recall. The Temple/Tower in EN were my favorite hunting grounds, as a sorcerer you carve through them.

[nocturnix]

By the way, quick update:

Having a blast back in the game flattening monks and initiates in Sheruvian Monestary with my sorcerer. DC wrecks them, being casters and all. I can fry pretty quick which is exactly what I was looking for, AND I am getting a little loot as a kicker.

Now the next challenge I am trying is bringin my cleric along. so far its not too much of a problem, just requires alot of manual alt+tabbing to get both credit for all the kills. So frying them both is pretty work-intensive. Maybe this could be reduced with some clever scripts, but thats the next project.

[Queleri]

What I would do is probably set the cleric up as a bolt caster to get splash from 111 to get credit for multiple kills with one cast, than fry them with DC on your sorc.

[nocturnix]

What I would do is probably set the cleric up as a bolt caster to get splash from 111 to get credit for multiple kills with one cast, than fry them with DC on your sorc.

Not a bad idea, although he's not specced for 111 thats the only problem. 0 spell aiming. I could use Divine Wrath as an AOE credit builder, but its high mana cost and still CS based and he is only 35 trains.

Right now i'm using smite, single casting loop. But it is alot of micro-management to constantly start and stop the script as not to waste mana.

[nocturnix]

At what point should I move on from Sheruvian Monestary? Once I hit 40 I should be able to use palanar shift to travel elsewhere if necessary.

[msconstrew]

You know, through my early 40s, I was here (http://www.virilneus.com/roomdata/room.php?realm=Ta'Illistim&map=EN-sylvarraend) hunting the undead on the Black Moor. Then I moved here (http://www.virilneus.com/roomdata/room.php?realm=Ta'Illistim&map=EN-gyldemar) hunting trali, which are easy as hell as long as you remember to 703 the Shamans. I did that through my 40s and early 50s, and then moved to Bonespear. Hunted that with a pure cleric hunting partner and made it through my late 50s there.

So you've got lots of options. I agree with Queleri's advice about getting a 1701 coin, though.

[Gibreficul]

Cleric + sorcerer... If the cleric is having CS issues, spend the mana up front on 212/217, 715, 417 and 119 to drop TD, and then nuke away. The sorcerer can use 703, 706, 709 and 410 to stall the critters while you set up. Also, I don't use it, but slapping 413 up there should help as well. Maybe not the answer you wanted, but where there's a will, there's a way.