"Best" type of runestaff flares for a pure sorc?

[aramund]

I have a couple of those nervestaves and I've been debating internally for a while which type of flares I'd like to eventually get for them. The obvious choice for a while seemed to be RotFlares, but upon closer inspection, I'm uncertain of their efficacy. Sure, they'll flare every time with enough necro lore, but their overall damage doesn't seem to be phenomenal. Plus, they only work on creatures that have bodies capable of being diseased.

So, if cost is not an issue, what do ya'll say is the "best" flare? I've left the term "best" intentionally vague because I'd like to hear your opinions on both damage/death-inducing flares as well as disabling flares, etc. In that regard, I suppose "best" means the most efficient hunting instrument, where the goals are killing and not being killed.

[rolfard]

If cost is no issue, rot/nerve/acuity/ensorcelled has all the bells and whistles for attack and utility

[Maerit]

Now that enchanting allows you to get things that were normally blocked before - get one of those 6x/6x nervestaves, or one of the rot nerve staves that were spun in a recent duskruin. Have it enchanted with the new system to 10x. Use the acuity vouchers from duskruin (if they're still available) to bring it up to 10x acuity. Add T5 ensorcell (probably before enchanting). Get rotflares if you haven't already.

Rotflares, for me, are a big waste of money as a sorcerer. I kill things with a single cast of 717 or 719 normally, so the flares are just superfluous. If you're plinking things with 702/705 or even 711, they might save you a cast once in a while, but most of the time you're going to have to cast the same number of times. It's a lot of money for a low return on the investment.

Another option worthy of a sorcerer is the new Sigil Staff fully unlocked. This weapon might be worth the money more than a Rotflare staff, actually because it has a lot of advantages for a sorcerer. For one, you can still add acuity flares to the runestaff through the HESS at duskruin. Secondly, you can infuse an offensive attack spell, and transfer that spell to your runestaff. The ideal use would be to infuse 518 scrolls, and transfer them to your runestaff. That way you can tear swarms apart without any core training requirements (just spell aiming) and for no additional mana cost. Then, you have the T5 flare, which repeats your last spell. Now, the same problem applies if you're 1-shotting with 717 or 719 (or 720), but repeating your last spell is far more potent than Rotflares. Imagine repeating 711, or 705 - it will do significantly more damage.

Overall, a T5 Sigil Staff with lots of unlocked scroll slots, T5 ensorcell, added acuity through HESS is probably better than the nervestaff. You might be able to add rotflares to the Sigil Staff too.

[AnOrdim]

Wait can you now go from 7x to 10x just as long as you have the essences and without the need for potions?

No, you still need the $$ pots to unlock the enchant, but Acuity as a flare should now be enchantable.

[Merzbow]

In order to get T5 sigil you have to outscript and out latency the fifty other people going for the five or so certs during the first few seconds of DR. So glwt.

[Fortybox]

In order to get T5 sigil you have to outscript and out latency the fifty other people going for the five or so certs during the first few seconds of DR. So glwt.

And then lose it to disarm mechanics.

[Darcthundar]

If cost is no issue, rot/nerve/acuity/ensorcelled has all the bells and whistles for attack and utility

If cost is an issue then none. Sorcerers really do not need flares to get the job done. Rarely will a flare kill since our spells will destroy them first (think 717). Which means most flares will be wasted on a a critter already dead. IMO, the most cost effective would be acuity/and ensorcell flares. The added CS will flare before the damage is done, which means more damage being done.

But the absolutely best runestaff for a pure would be one that is a returner. Add acuity/ensorcell to it.