The Zeal Sorceress
Table Of Contents:
I. Introduction
II. Stat Distribution
III. Skill Placement
IV. Gear
a ) PVM/PVP Gear
b ) Prebuff Gear (Optional)
c ) Inventory
V. Mercenary Gear
VI. Conclusion
I. Introduction:
Although the zeal sorceress is not a common build, it is a fairly effective character in both PVM and PVP. To tell you the truth, I simply got tired of all the cookie-cutter builds on battlenet. At least half of the characters you find on battlenet are hammerdins and I find this makes the game very boring. So, when I started playing hardcore, I began to experiment with the enchantress. Eventually it led to the bowa sorceress and zeal sorceress builds. With this guide, I intend to provide you with the information about how to properly make a zeal sorceress. After reading the other guides pertaining to this build, I concluded that they were not sufficient in creating the most effective zeal sorceress possible as they did not pay attention to the breakpoints of a sorceress.
The zeal sorceress is able to run all parts of hell and also be very effective in duels, with practice, as it is very difficult to absorb both elements and the physical damage.
This particuluar build reaches the last IAS breakpoint for a sorceress using zeal with a phase blade and the last attainable breakpoints for FHR and FCR.
Enough of the introduction to this character, ON TO THE BUILD!
II. Stat Distribution
Strength: Enough for your gear. I chose to use a Dusk Shroud for my armor for the relatively high defence and low strength requirement so the total amount of strength I required was 91 for the Sandstorm Treks.
Strength Points Required (with perfect gear): 29
Dexterity: Enough to use gear. The only piece of gear that requires high dexterity is the Phase Blade, which requires 136 dexterity.
Dexterity Points Required (with perfect gear): 61
Vitality: Nothing. You will recieve enough from the gear and this sorceress uses energy shield.
Vitality Points Required (with perfect gear): 0
Energy: Everything you have left. Mana is your life!
Energy Points Required (with perfect gear): 400
III. Skill Placement
Cold Spells:
Frozen Armor - 1 Point
Lightning Spells:
Lightning Mastery - 20 Points
*Energy Shield -7 Points
*Telekinesis -20 Points
Teleport - 1 Point
Chain Lightning - 1 Point
Lightning - 1 Point
Charged Bolt - 1 Point
Static Field - 1 Point
Fire Spells:
* Fire Mastery - 15 points
Enchant - 20 Points
Warmth - 20 Points
Fire Ball - 1 Point
Fire Bolt - 1 Point
*These three may need to be adjusted depending on if you choose to use the prebuff gear. If you choose to use the prebuff gear, then 7ES points will reach the 95% ES.
IV. Gear
a ) PVM/PVP Gear
PVM Gear:
Helmet: Dream Diadem - There really isn't any other choice. The dream is where most of your damage will come from and a diadem has no strength requirement.
Amulet: Maras Kaleidoscope- The resistances and stats help, but the added skills increase the damage by nearly 5k.
Weapon: Passion Phase Blade - The main item of the build. It grants you the skill of zeal. The Phase Blade is the only real choice of base weapon to use for the high IAS and the high damage.
Armor: Treachery Dusk Shroud - Why Treachery? The 45% IAS helps reach the 65% IAS breakpoint goal and the FHR helps to reach the 86% FHR breakpoint. The venom and fade are welcome bonuses however. Armor type really doesn't matter, I chose Dusk Shroud for the low strength requirement and high defence.
Shield: Dream Tower Shield - Again, there isn't any other choice as most of the damage comes from the holy shock aura. I chose to use a tower shield for the low strength requirement and highest chance to block.
Gloves: Magefist - The fire skill provides a slight bonus to damage and attack rating while helping you reach the 40% FCR breakpoint. The only other choice for gloves is frostburn for the nice mana boost, but I would only advise this if you never plan on teleporting into any crowded areas.
Rings: Raven Frost - Not only do they give a bonus to dexterity and attack rating, but they also prevent you from being frozen, which is very annoying for a zealer.
Belt: Arachnid Mesh - Helps you reach the 40% FCR breakpoint and provides a nice bonus to damage with the skill.
Boots: Sandstorm Trek - Help you reach the 86% FHR breakpoint and provide Strength and Vitality.
Switch: CTA + Lidless - Max life/mana with low strength
PVP Gear:
Helmet: Dream Diadem - There really isn't any other choice. The dream is where most of your damage will come from and a diadem has no strength requirement.
Amulet: Angelic Wings Amulet - With angelic ring, it provides the necessary boost to AR for PVP.
Weapon: Passion Phase Blade - The main item of the build. It grants you the skill of zeal. The Phase Blade is the only real choice of base weapon to use for the high IAS and the high damage.
Armor: Treachery Dusk Shroud - Why Treachery? The 45% IAS helps reach the 65% IAS breakpoint goal and the FHR helps to reach the 86% FHR breakpoint. The venom and fade are welcome bonuses however. Armor type really doesn't matter, I chose Dusk Shroud for the low strength requirement and high defence.
Shield: Dream Tower Shield - Again, there isn't any other choice as most of the damage comes from the holy shock aura. I chose to use a tower shield for the low strength requirement and highest chance to block.
Gloves: Magefist - The fire skill provides a slight bonus to damage and attack rating while helping you reach the 40% FCR breakpoint. The only other choice for gloves is frostburn for the nice mana boost, but I would only advise this if you never plan on teleporting into any crowded areas.
Rings: Angelic Halo Rings - With the Angelic Amulet, the rings provide a hugh boost to AR. If there is a cold sorceress in the game however, you may want to switch one Angelic Ring for a Raven Frost to prevent being frozen.
Belt: Arachnid Mesh - Helps you reach the 40% FCR breakpoint and provides a nice bonus to damage with the skill.
Boots: Sandstorm Trek - Help you reach the 86% FHR breakpoint and provide Strength and Vitality.
Switch: CTA + Lidless - Max life/mana for low strength
b ) Prebuff Gear (Optional)
Helmet: +2 Sorc Skill Circlet - Helps boost ES and Enchant.
Amulet: Maras Kaleidoscope - +2 skills boost ES and Enchant.
Weapon: 9 ES Memory Staff, 6 Enchant Leaf - Maximum ES and Enchant.
Armor: Chains of Honour- Provides +Skills to prebuff ES and Enchant.
Gloves: Magefist - Fire skill for enchant prebuff.
Rings: Stone of Jordan / Bul Kathos Rings - +Skill for prebuff.
Belt: Arachnid Mesh - +Skill for prebuff.
Boots: Sandstorm Trek - You already have these, so might as well leave them on.
Switch: CTA + Lidless - Extra +Skill
Grand Charms: 9 x Lightning Grand Charms for Energy Shieild. 9 x Fire Grand Charms for Enchant if desired. The fire charms really aren't needed but provide an increase in damage and a large difference in attack rating.
c ) Inventory
Hellfire Torch: 20/20 Sorceress.
Annihilus: 20/20/x(x)
Grand Charms: 9 x Lightning Skill Grand Charms. Either with Life on them or Strength/Dexterity to reduce the amount of stats you must use.
Small Charms: 8 x 20 Life / 17 Mana Small Charms OR 8 x 20life/36Attack Rating Small Charms OR 8 x 5 All Resistance Small Charms. The resistance charms aren't really needed, as the fade will give you resistances as well. The 20 Life / 17 Mana Small Charms are the best choice here.
Remaining Space: 2 Squares - Tome of Town Portal.
V. Mercenary Gear
Helm: Andariel's Visage - Life Leech and Strength.
Weapon: Infinity Etheral Collosus Voulge - Conviction.
Armor: Etheral Fortitude - Highest defense, resistances, damage.
VI. Conclusion:
Final Statistics:
-70 IAS (65 is Breakpoint)
-40 FCR (40 is Breakpoint)
-90 FHR (86 is Breakpoint)
PVM Gear Damage (no prebuff): 57k
PVM Gear Damage (with prebuff): 75k
PVP Gear Damage (no prebuff): 53k
PVP Gear Damage (with prebuff): 71k
PVM Gear Attack Rating (no prebuff): 7.5k
PVM Gear Attack Rating (with prebuff): 14k
PVP Gear Attack Rating (no prebuff): 10k - 13k
PVP Gear Attack Rating (with prebuff): 22k - 28k
Life: About 1500 with BO
Mana: About 3000 with BO
PVM Resistances (with 8 x 5 All Resist Small Charms) : All = 75
PVM Resistances (without 8 x 5 All Resist Small Charms): All = 35
PVP Resistances (with 8 x 5 All Resist Small Charms) : All = 60
PVP Resistances (without 8 x 5 All Resist Small Charms): All = 20
I hope you enjoyed my guide as it is the first guide I've ever written. Feel free to PM me with any questions or suggestions. My greatest hope is that this guide inspired at least 1 person to choose to make a zeal sorceress instead of a hammerdin!
The End