ES/Nova/Blizz PVM Sorc

I. Background
II. Skills
III. Stats
IV. Gear
V. Playing
VI. Appendix FCR, FHR, FBR data

Background
This is the spiritual successor to the best sorceress build of 1.09: dr/max block/es/nova/frozen orb sorc. It's not as powerful as that build, but it has a similar playstyle and versatility to it.

You will like this build if: Sorceress has been dead to you since 1.10 hit, you want a sorceress that can do everything in 8 player games, you play in games with a low number of players, you want to be a semi-unique snowflake
You won't like this build if: You have a highly specialized purpose for your character, you aren't capable of using lots of abilities in a row with high fcr, you aren't good at positioning or reacting to different mob types

You also might not like this build when you start comparing it to a hammerdin. It costs a bit more, takes a lot more effort, and its survivability depends heavily on the mods super uniques spawn with.

You definitely won't like this build if you go in to it thinking it's some new AMAZING DPS OH MY GOD build. It's not. It is competitive with any of the popular pvm sorc builds, and it's a lot of fun to play provided you like being a very active player. I won't guarantee anything more.

Basics
You wear infinity, your merc wears insight and has prayer, it allows you to hybrid nova/blizzard while using ES. Your blizzard does ~2.8k damage, your ice blast does ~1.2k damage, your nova does ~2.2k damage but you are wearing infinity so it is increased significantly against most monsters. To the point where it does more than if you had gone pure +skills.

Blizzard vs Orb
Blizzard is higher damage per cast. Nova is higher damage per second. For really high resistances/immunities to lightning blizzard also allows you to get ice blast to synergize with it, giving you a second dps spell to spam against tough monsters when nova isn't enough. In this specific build you get more bang for your buck from Blizzard.

Strengths
-Solos anything in the game with 8 players
-Can tank+kill 8 player hell ancients in <1 min, only moving to chase the ranged guy
-Can tank pretty much anything as long as it doesn't mana burn
-As good as any other sorc build
-Probably the fastest killing character in solo games with nearly 100% success at every location/mf place in the game
-Consistent, predictable damage, significantly stronger than CL/Orb

Weaknesses
-Doesn't kill as fast as a well played hammerdin in 8 player games
-Doesn't kill non-lit immune packs as fast as a good zon (ever)
-Mana Burn is a modifier that slows you down significantly

Reasons people might post to not like it
-Not easy to play despite requiring a middle of the line gear investment
-Can't be made much better by getting god-like gear, you are looking at ~1k fg of crap and that's pretty much where it caps out
-Doesn't pvp well (it's a pvm sorc)
-With really bad gear it is pretty terrible
-Pure lit sorcs are much easier to play and on even footing/ahead in a significant number of situations

II. Skills
Aiming for level 90:

15 TK
1 ES
20 Nova
20 Lit Mastery
20 Blizzard
1 Cold Mastery
1 Warmth

Last few points are optional

Option A: +5 TK [survivability]
Option B: +x Ice Blast [blizzard synergy, LI helper]
Option C: +1 TS [high damage per cast]
Option D: +x Warmth [you shouldn't need this as a pvm sorc, especially not if you use the inf/insight build]

You can combine the options as you see fit. You shouldn't really need option D.

III. Stats
If you are going to wear infinity you should have close to base str and base dex. The rest goes in to energy with a touch of vit.

If you are going for a mf build then you need higher str and can focus a bit more on vit after 150-200 energy.

IV. Gear

-All item builds have CTA and whatever skill shield you can equip with your current str on alternate.
-All mercs should use eth thresher or eth giant thresher

Gear One - Standard/Rush/8Player Guide is based around this build
Weapon: Infinity
Armor: Vipermagi
Helm: Griffons
Ring1: SoJ
Ring2: SoJ [or FCR if you don't have fcr on amulet]
Amulet: +Sorc/fcr amulet [or maras/whatever if you want an fcr ring]
Boots: I prefer hotspurs
Gloves: Magefist
Belt: arach

Inventory: lit skill gcs, torch, anni, 5% fhr scs, resist scs

Your goal with your inventory and sockets is to get max resists and as many +lightning skills as possible. After that use your sockets for facets.

Merc: Insight/Treachery/Vamp Gaze, a2 normal/hell combat for prayer

Gear Two - MF Great for doing lots of areas in one game
Weapon: Occy, Eschutas with lit, or HotO
Shield: Spirit
Armor: Chains of Honor or Enigma for mf/str/+2 skills
Helm: Shako
Ring1: SoJ or whatever
Ring2: SoJ or whatever
Amulet: Mara or Tals
Boots: War travs or whatever
Gloves: Magefist
Belt: arach

Inventory: whatever floats your boat

Merc: Infinity/Treachery/Vamp Gaze, probably a2 nm defensive

Gear Three - 200 FCR
You wear a bunch of stuff with FCR from the previous two builds, and toss on FCR rings/amulets. It's fun but the damage is probably worse than either of the other builds. Possibly a good rush option due to the low tele frames.

V. Playing
Hotkeys
Left Mouse: Glacial Spike/Ice Blast hotkeyed
Right Mouse: Static, Nova, Telekenesis, Blizzard, Teleport, Tome of Town Portal, Energy Shield, BO/BC

Yes, you will need to hotkey all of that. Telekenesis doesn't have to be hotkeyed I guess, but if you don't use it to pop seals/open chests/grab scrolls/grab potions/grab gold I have to question why you are playing a sorceress.

Killing Stuff
Pre-buff and get the highest ES on possible. If you wear infinity you cast ES with your CTA+Skill Shield up. If you are using another loadout you probably want to cast ES with your MH/OH.

This isn't 1.09. You can't teleport in to the middle of most mobs and just spam nova to victory in an 8 player game. You need to teleport more toward the edge, and against mana burn/extra fast/particularly dangerous mobs you need to kind of teleport kite while spamming nova.

vs most mobs: You can teleport to the side a bit, static, static, (50% or less here), blizzard, teleport close, spam nova, after every 5th nova should be another blizzard
vs stuff that nova doesn't hurt: spam ice blast in between blizzards
vs Mana Burn: Stay to the side, let your merc tank, feed him pots/teleport as needed, glacial spike+4x nova+blizzard
vs Mana Burn that can kill merc: do the same thing as a mana burn but babysit your merc with teleport, maybe pretend you are a blizzard sorc if it's particularly strong
vs cold immune: stop using cold spells
vs cold+lit immunes that can't be broken: De Seis is kind of common here, just let your merc handle it, maybe teleport on top of him over and over to maximize merc up time

VI. Appendix
Faster Cast Rate
FCR % FPC
0 13
9 12
20 11
37 10
63 9
105 8
200 7

Lightning / Chain Lightning Faster Cast Rates
FCR % FPC
0 19
7 18
15 17
23 16
37 15
52 14
78 13
117 12

Hit Recover Rates - Sorc, A2 Merc
FHR % FPH
0 15
5 14
9 13
14 12
20 11
30 10
42 9
60 8
86 7
142 6
280 5

Faster Block Rates
FHR % FPB
0 9
7 8
15 7
27 6
48 5
86 4
200 3