Dmitri's Nova/Energy Shield PvM Sorceress Guide
The Nova/Energy Shield Sorceress is not a new build, but it received a major buff in D2R Patch 2.4 with the new static field synergy of +5% damage per level. It is in my opinion the most fun type of Sorceress to play. It combines an aggressive telestomp style with good tankiness. Nothing in this guide is revolutionary. I just thought it would be a nice compilation of advice that has been written piecemeal in several different threads. Note: this build is quite weak without infinity, and I would advise not building it until you can buy a cheap infinity.

Skills and attributes
Fire Skills
Warmth - 1 (put points here after maxing energy shield)

Cold Skills
Frozen armor - 1

Lightning Skills
Charged bolt - 1 (prereq)
Lightning - 1 (prereq)
Chain lightning - 1 (prereq)
Nova - 20
Static field - 20
Lightning mastery - 20
Telekinesis - 20
Energy shield - all remaining points

Attributes
Strength - enough to equip gear
Dexterity - none
Vitality - enough to reach around 1k life, so that you don’t get 1-hit killed by mana burn mobs
Energy - all remaining points

Gear
Gear equipped
Weapon: Infinity in low strength base (Scythe). Prioritize -X% Enemy Lightning Resistance
Helm: Griffon’s Eye socketed with -5/5 lightning facet
Body Armor: Skin of the Vipermagi (upgraded to Wyrmhide) socketed with -5/5 lightning facet
Gloves: Magefist upgraded to Battle Gauntlets
Belt: Arachnid Mesh
Boots: Rare boots with faster run/walk, poison res, magic find (alternatives: Aldur's Advance, Caster Boots with poison res+FRW, Ethereal Sandstorm Treks, War Traveler)
Amulet: +2 Sorceress Skill Levels (or +2 Lightning Skills), +10% FCR caster amulet. other valuable mods: life, mana, lightning/fire resist, reduce poison length duration
Rings: 2 x Stone of Jordan
Switch 1: Call to Arms
Switch 2: Lidless Wall

Why Infinity on Sorceress: Infinity on the Sorceress is far superior to all other builds when it comes to lightning immunes. 1) The -% Enemy Lightning Resist only works when it is on the sorceress. 2) The -% ELR works at 100% effectiveness on broken immunes. Consider a Dark Archer in the Pit with 110% base lightning resistance. Conviction (-85% enemy lightning resist) works at ⅕ effectiveness to bring the resistance down by 17% from 110% to 93%. The -% ELR then kicks in at full effectiveness. With infinity on the mercenary, Griffon's + facets will only bring the resistance down to 63%. With infinity on the Sorceress, the resistance will come all the way down to 8%. See https://www.theamazonbasin.com/wiki/index.php/Immune

Why Vipermagi > Ormus: The +15% to lightning skill damage is additive with lightning mastery, so only improves your +lightning skill damage from +519% to 534%. With Ormus you then need a 2/20 amulet to hit the 105% FCR breakpoint. The 2/20 amulet is more expensive and sacrifices a mod which could boost life/mana/resist. Also, the magic damage reduction, greater defense, and resists on Vipermagi all help with survivability.

Inventory
Hellfire Torch
Annihilus
Gheed’s Fortune
6 x Sparking Grand Charm of Vita
Small charms: life, mana, lightning/fire resist

Mercenary - A2 prayer
Weapon: Insight in ethereal Giant Thresher (other option: Cryptic Axe)
Armor: Fortitude in ethereal Sacred Armor (other options: Archon Plate)
Helm: Ethereal Andariel’s Visage socketed with 15% Increased Attack Speed / 30% fire resist jewel

Prayer's +rep life makes a big difference with a small max life and high % absorb from energy shield. You never need health potions and poison damage barely hurts you. The Giant Thresher deals slightly less DPS than Cryptic Axe. However, the GT allows you to hit the 4.55 hits per second Jab breakpoint compared to 4.15 hits per second with Cryptic Axe/Great Poleaxe/Colossus Voulge. This helps him maintain a more consistent life leach and forces enemies into hit recovery. I prefer Sacred Armor to Archon Plate. The Sacred Armor slows down his move speed a bit (medium weight) but honestly the AI is so dumb that when he runs faster he just ends up getting himself into more trouble.

Farming spots
Chaos Sanctuary - If you farm places like CS and Pit, I suggest loading up on MF charms and War Traveler for Unique Bosses.
The Pit
Cows
Telebaal - teleporting safely and quickly to Throne of Destruction. Need help to kill Baal though.
Avoid Worldstone Keep. The Burning Souls’ mana drain will destroy you.

Summary
(assuming level 95)
Nova (level 38): 3726-4877 damage
Static field (level 38): 28-yard radius
Energy shield (level 38): Absorbs 93% with 0.75 mana consumed per damage
Life: ~1400
Mana: ~3000
Defense: 3750

Faster Cast Rate (FCR) Frames
0% 13
9% 12
20% 11
37% 10
63% 9
105% 8
200% 7

Faster Hit Recovery (FHR) Frames
0% 15
5% 14
9% 13
14% 12
20% 11
30% 10
42% 9
60% 8
86% 7
142% 6
280% 5
1480% 4


Please leave your comments/suggestions below!

This post was edited by DmitriSmirnov6666 on Aug 5 2022 10:53am

good guide. sands are pretty bad though, fhr is borderline useless on a nova sorc so the only thing they offer you is the poison res. I'd rather have a rare boot with frw, mf and poison res since mf is hard to get from other gear slots

e: don't use holy freeze merc. you don't want to slow down mobs outside your nova range

This post was edited by Dolphy on Aug 5 2022 06:22am

Thanks, I agree the holy freeze can be a hindrance to clear speed.

Would welcome any other comments/suggestions!

I like the guide, thanks!

Question: with cyclone armor through infinity and energy shield, which one kicks in first? -looking at this to save me from burning souls every now and then

Instructions unclear, equipped dual dream & maxed thunderstorm, using Crescent Moon with 4 facets in my armor. Everything is weird and nothing makes sense but I'm a shitty auradin now.

You would use lightning sometimes so you'd want 117 fcr wouldn't you ?

very rare that you'd use lightning in the build. That +12 fcr would be a pain to get

ES Absorbs damage after Bone Armor and Cyclone Armor are applied
http://theamazonbasin.com/wiki/index.php/Energy_Shield

This post was edited by DmitriSmirnov6666 on Aug 13 2022 11:44am

ty!