I have sorc with high def, 75% block and 48% damage reduction. Monsters are generally not problem, but there are few exceptions:
a) I have energy shield 75% useful against physical attacks and dolls explosions, so I use it pvm. With es turned on no problems, but its worse when I meet mana burn monsters or when elemental attacks first use mana.
b ) vipers charge attack ignoring block/defense and bone spear attacks, both can be reduced only by percentage/point damage reduction. Problem is when these are super strong cursed, sometimes also auras like might or fanaticism. Then they deal 100-200 dmg each hit, that is not affected by defence and cant be blocked. Energy shield would help against most of groups, but not when mana burn or elemental attacks.
c) lord de seis or other pack with fanaticism, mana burn, extra strong, cursed. During my tests highest damage taken was about 1.2k.
Now the question is how reduce this damage and avoid deaths during lags. I had some ideas, for example:
a) stack more %dr, it would help when cursed, but then other items would have to be replaced
b ) stack more pdr, mdr, it would help against vipers attacks, but then amplify damage would be 200% instead of 150%, and even 50 more pdr wouldnt help against these most powerful attacks taking over 1k hp.
Do you have any ideas how avoid deaths during lag in these groups?

This post was edited by icecool on Mar 19 2018 09:35pm

Don't use energy shield in pvm.

Should solve most of your problems. Can't do much about lag.

Its low energy shield, helpful against things that I wrote about, but my all description is about cases when es is already down. After required strenth and max block with stormshield I put all points in vita and base in energy, after bo its 1980 hp. Maybe hp could be better?

get a good a2 merc with holy freeze aura
get 105fcr bp, at least
don't miss teleports
don't stop teleporting in the middle of a pack

maxblock means that low dmg attacks can now lock you down, why means you'll get hit by more stuff instead of getting away
50%dr against amp is just -25% physical dmg taken

mb sorc is just a terrible char
the safest feeling in the world, is 1mana 7frames teleport

^^^ In my experience, Lilith speaks the truth.

From what I can tell ES sorc in PvM was never of much use. Especially with mana burn packs. Just get a tanky merc and let him take the hits while you rain hell upon them with whatever skill tree you'd care to take.