Hardcore Orb/tk Blind-teleporting Budget Mf Sorc - Topic

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May 14 2007 01:44pm

NOTE: The foundations/recommendations of this guide also apply to CLASSIC players.

DISCLAIMER: Huge read ahead. The Hardcore Orb/TK Blind-Teleporting Budget MF Sorceress is
formed from the collective knowledge and experience of the good folks at the DII.net and AB Hardcore
forums. I didn't create it; I just take credit for the 19011984 hours it took to compile/write this junk.

Introduction

This is written for poor/new-ladder “legit” players who want an efficient and durable MFer.
It assumes untwinked/no-trade solo hardcore play (works for softcore). Shako, COH/HOTO/CTA, and
torches etcetera are shiny but unnecessary. This is a long read – sorry. It’s laid out with great care
to help you understand how this very efficient MFer operates.

NOTE: If you're already an expert and never kill your MFers, skip ahead to the “Hardcore
Orb/TK Blind-Teleporting Budget MF Sorceress” (or HCOTKBTBMFS, as it’s commonly
known) section. Then again, if you’re already 1337, why are you reading a guide?

“Blind-Teleporting”

This means holding down teleport and watching the mini-map, ignoring all else. Blind-Teleporting is
the absolute fastest way to travel. With adequate faster cast rate (FCR), faster hit recovery (FHR),
faster block rate (FBR), and mana cost-to-regeneration ratio, it's also the safest way.

Basic MF tenets

I hate MFing. To minimize boredom, I maximized efficiency: single-minded dedication is best expressed
by an aggressive playstyle. I blind-teleport exclusively in hardcore and have never lost an MFer to it.

1. Speed
2. Survivability
3. Profitability

Kill fast, live, and get drops worth the time invested. It makes more sense to address these in reverse order.

3. Profitability

Don't run Pits/Tunnels if you want volume finds. Great stuff drops, just very rarely. The Pits may have
the same arealvl as WSK, but Baal and minions drop exponentially better. I don't recommend solo Baals
unless you're an Enigma-din or Infinity user. If you already have these, I don't see the point of MFing.
Poorly-geared dual-element sorcs can Baal too, but lack the necessary skill points for optimal safety.
…that said.
Hell Mephisto dies easily, doesn't need much MF for great drops, and has excellent TC categories.
The major deterrent? The journey from Durance 2 to Durance 3.

Note: Glitching bosses is very profitable. Make games with a character that's already killed the boss for
quest; kill the boss with a character that hasn't. This yields an enhanced “quest drop” every time.

2. + 1. Survivability + Speed go hand-in-hand

a. Teleporting
*Barebones, a well-equipped teleporter has:
4-6 mana cost Teleport, 63% FCR, 30% FHR, 27% FBR, decent resistances, 75% block
*Ideally, a well-equipped teleporter has:
2-4 mana cost Teleport, 105% FCR, 60% FHR, 27% FBR, max/stacked resistances, 75% block

b. Mephisto
You only need cold/light resistance to run Hell Mephisto. You’re set up to MF, not handle every
bosspack in the game. Fire/Poison resists aren't useful when blind-teleporting through Durance 2.

c. Why most die to a., some to b., and learnings from their mistakes

Section c. Part 1
Most die teleporting due to lag or "teleport lock." This occurs when something stops you from
teleporting. You get swarmed by fanatic/extra strong/cursed dolls, RIP.

Teleport lock is caused by:

1. getting hit, being put into recovery animation
2. blocking a hit, being put into recovery animation
3. getting hit, manaburn
4. running out of mana
5. clicking on an item (corpse, well, chest, whatever)

Surviving/avoiding Teleport lock requires (in order of importance):

at least 9-frame cast rate
30%+ faster hit recovery
low (2-6 mana) Teleport cost
good faster block recovery (27%+) and blocking (75%)
good/decent nerves
enough life to take 3-4 hits
16-slot belt (I keep 1 row of fat purples, 2 rows red - purples on top, and 1 row blue)

Rationale

Teleport lock causes #1: getting hit and #2: blocking a hit

Faster Cast Rate

Code

Frame.....13.....12.....11.....10.....9.....8.....7
FCR.......0%.....9%.....20%....37%....63%...105%..200%

At 63% (9-frame) or 105% (8-frame) FCR, most enemies won't complete their attack animation before
you've teleported away. I hold down teleport, watch the mini map, and keep an eye on life/mana.
99% of the time, nothing hits me because I don't stop to chat. If I do get hit, fine. Tap '2' for life.
I don't panic if I get manaburned, I just tap '4' for mana and don’t break stride.

Faster Hit Recovery

Code

Frame.....15.....14.....13.....12.....11.....10.....9.....8.....7.....6
FHR.......0%.....5%.....9%.....14%....20%....30%....42%...60%...86%...142%

If you are hit somehow, to avoid teleport lock cause #1, you'll want at least 30% FHR. Higher is
always better. This speeds up the hit recovery animation when you're hit for a certain % of life.
It's ideal to go below 9 frames - your teleport frame-rate - to prevent hiccups. Bloodfist comes
to mind, as do rare FHR boots and belts.

Faster Block Rate

Code

Frame.....9.....8.....7.....6.....5.....4.....3
FBR.......0%....7%....15%...27%...48%...86%...200%

With a slow block rate and multiple fast-hitting/high AR monsters, you're likely to get stuck in block
animation from all the hits; "block lock." To avoid this, you need a shield with FBR. Rhyme's fine,
but Upgraded Visceratuant, Moser’s Circle, or Whitstan's Guard are superior. In a bind, a
grim or bone shield of deflection (30% FBR / 20% increased blocking) with resists will do.

Teleport lock causes #3: getting hit, manaburn and #4: running out of mana

Invest in teleport (points in teleport > warmth; invest at a 4 or 3:1 ratio only if you have to).
The Orb/TK build can do this without losing too much efficiency. With a 2-6 mana cost teleport,
decent (100%+ish) mana regen, and 4-600 mana from base energy (use charms if needed), you'll
regenerate fast enough to teleport indefinitely - even if manaburned. Still, chug blues just in case.

Teleport lock cause #5: clicking on an item

Hold spacebar ("show items" key) while teleporting. This disables the cursor from registering
items. Alternatively, type /nopickup in the chatbox (great for anyone killing Baal’s minions!).

Section c. Part 2
75% blocking is key. Moat trick is slow and a ninja council member might kill you. Teleport right
up to Mephisto, Orb once to chill, then jam out Static Fields. Ideally, your merc has 50/75%
slow and tanks - walk back so Orbs are “sweetspotting” (last Orb explodes inside Mephisto’s
graphic). Repeat until dead. Your A2 normal Defiance merc should use Kelpie Snare,
Reaper’s Toll, or an Upgraded Woestave.

Running Debates

Max Block vs. Vita
Why get hit if you don't have to? Max block has 75% chance of deflecting all Mephisto's attacks
excluding lightning/poison - which he won't use when meleeing.

For a teleporter, max block > max vita because:

Faster Hit Recovery

Code

Frame.....15.....14.....13.....12.....11.....10.....9.....8.....7.....6
FHR.......0%.....5%.....9%.....14%....20%....30%....42%...60%...86%...142%

Realistically, with starting gear, you'll have 10 or 9-frame hit recovery, max.

Faster Block Rate

Code

Frame.....9.....8.....7.....6.....5.....4.....3
FBR.......0%....7%....15%...27%...48%...86%...200%

With an easily acquired Whitstan's Guard or Visceratuant, you hit 6-frame blocking.

What this means:
* Get hit while teleporting, teleport away in 10 or 9 frames.
* Block while teleporting, teleport away in just 6 frames. That's a 75% chance to escape 50% faster.

Max vita: you can take ~10 hits, but are hit 80-85% of the time (factoring in
any mediocre block you get from base dex). A stitch of lag and you're dead.
Max block: you can take ~7 hits, but are hit only 25% of the time. Argument's
done for me; max block over max vita on a Meph MF sorceress any day.

Frozen Armor vs. Shiver Armor
Shiver Armor apparently chills enemies when they begin their attack animation, while Frozen Armor
only kicks in after you take an unblocked hit. Go with Shiver Armor; it's nice to escape unscathed.

63 vs. 105 FCR
Orb is timered. FCR is only used for Static/Teleport. I teleport just fine at 9 frames; I don't need 105%
FCR. That said, faster is better. Hit 105% if you can afford to, but don't stress if you only hit 63% FCR.

Insight vs. Kelpie Snare vs. Teleport vs. Energy Shield vs. Ice Bolt
First off, I don't like being dependant on a mercenary for survival. If you rely on Insight and don't
invest in Teleport, fast-hitting manaburn mobs will kill you. With 2-6 mana cost Teleports and decent
mana regen, manaburn becomes little more than a joke, even without a merc. In hardcore, crucial.
In softcore, you save 25 seconds of rejoin/corpse recovery, some XP, 50k merc cost, and death tax.

Second, unless he's very well-dressed, Emilio will die vs. Andariel without a source of slow or decrepify.
With Kelpie Snare, he has a much better chance of survival, so tack on another boss you can easily MF.

Energy shield, like blocking, is just another buffer between damage and your life. 55% absorb coupled
with good mana regen/cheap teleports is enough to save you from 99.99% of teleport lock scenarios.
Energy shield is unnecessary, except for that 1 unlucky run out of 600 when you lag in some compromising
position. One unlucky death is negligible in softcore. For hardcore, it's one death too many.

Regarding Ice Bolt debates, here's an old (slightly modified) post of mine from long ago:

Quote

Hell Mephisto has 94,320 life in a 1 player game. Assume he has ~50,000 life after
Static Fielding, your merc tanks, and you’re usually ‘sweetspotting’ (orb explosion inside
Mephisto's graphic).

1) 20 Frozen Orb/Cold Mastery minimum band: 267 dmg
-115% cold resist modifier vs. Mephisto’s 75% cold resist: 372 dmg
imperfect 12-shard ‘sweetspot’ hit: 4,469 dmg
50,000 / 4,469 = ~11.18 casts to kill

2) 20 Frozen Orb/Ice Bolt/Cold Mastery, minimum band: 366 dmg
-115% cold resist modifier vs. Mephisto’s 75% cold resist: 512 dmg
imperfect 12-shard ‘sweetspot’ hit: 6,149 dmg
50,000 / 6,149 = ~8.13 casts to kill

Basically, you waste 19 points in Ice Bolt to save yourself 3-4 casts of Frozen Orb to kill Mephisto.

Points into Energy Shield and prereqs vs. Memory staff
Memory's great, but finding a nice 4 os staff with +eshield or +shiver is tedious and time consuming.
Also, stash-switch prebuffing is irritating. I'd rather invest the 4-5 points into energy shield so I can use
Gull + Rhyme (125% MF) or Ali Baba + Rhyme (~100% MF) on switch. More MF means more loot!

Now that's all covered, finally, the build/setup.

The Hardcore Orb/TK Blind-Teleporting Budget MF Sorceress

Stat Setup

STR: enough for equipment after charms (perfectionism discouraged)
DEX: enough for max (75%) block
VIT: everything else
ENE: base (nothing)

Skill Setup

1 Ice Bolt, Frost Nova, Ice Blast, Spike, Blizzard, Frozen Armor, Shiver Armor
20 Frozen Orb
20 Cold Mastery
20 Telekinesis
1-5 Static Field (untwinked, this knocks out levels 6-30 *fast*)
10-20 Teleport (enough for ~2-6 mana cost)
1 Charged Bolt, Lightning, Chain Lightning
1-5 Energy Shield (~55% after +skills)
1-5 Warmth

Progression
- 1 in Warmth, Frozen Armor, prerequisites
- 1-5 in Static Field: this, your mercenary, Frost Nova and Glacial Spike
will get you to level 24 (Blizzard) easily
- simultaneously get Frozen Orb and Cold Mastery to 12/12, then max Orb
- 10 into Teleport, max Cold Mastery
- 1-5 into Energy Shield, max Telekinesis
- finish build by getting Teleport to an infinite-cast mana cost, rest warmth/any

Build done ~level 72 - 94, depending on the awesomeness of your end-game gear

Equipment (superior | inferior)

Weapon:.... Wizardspike (huge FCR, huge res) | Spectral Shard
Shield*:.... Up'd Visceratuant (+skill, block/FBR) | Whitstan's Guard | Moser’s Circle |
............... Prismatic Bone/Grim Shield of Deflection (30FBR/20IBR 20+allres)
Switch:.... Gull + "Rhyme" Shield (MF) | Ali Baba + "Rhyme" Shield
Head*:.... Tarnhelm | 3 perfect topaz mask | Peasant Crown | "Lore" Helm | Rare**
Armor*:.... Vipermagi (+skill, FCR, res) | “Smoke” Armor | "Stealth" Armor | Rare**
Hands:.... Bloodfist (FHR, life) | Magefist | FHR/res rare
Belt:.... Tal's belt (MF, dex) | Bladebuckle (FHR) | 16-slot FHR dual/tri-res Rare**
Amulet:.... +skill/res/mf | Tancred Amulet/Boots combo | MF/FCR/res Rare**
Rings 1/2:.... MF/mana/life/res Rare (get what you can)**
Feet:.... FHR/FRW/MF dual/tri-res Rare** | Tancred Amulet/Boots combo

* Perfect diamonds in shield, ruby/topaz elsewhere; resist jewel in Wizardspike
** FHR, resistances, life, mana - get what you can, really

Inventory:
Life/mana charms, FHR/resistances to reach breakpoints. Torch/annihilus are great
but unnecessary; untwinked/no-trade folks shouldn’t plan around notoriously hard
to get things, and the build functions just fine without them anyway.

Just a note: I’ve soloed the Diablo Clone with this build at least 3 times – it’s a long
test of potions and patience. Half-hour kill, anyone? Spawn him in the Den of Evil to
avoid surprises. This character isn't built for clone-killing; avoid.

Normal A2 Defiance (Defensive) Mercenary

My ultimate not-quite-budget Hell Meph merc setup:
Weapon:.... Up'd Eth Kelpie Snare with a Pul (Demon Killer mod is nifty)
Armor:.... Eth "Duress" glitched Armor ~1k base def (FHR, open wounds, res)
Helm:.... Eth 8/8/20 Vampire Gaze with Cham (hahaha), Ptopaz, or Shael

Reasonable Alternative (preferably ethereal):
Weapon:.... Kelpie Snare (socketed with +%dmg or whatever, really)
Armor:.... Treachery | Duriel's Shell
Helm:.... Crown of Thieves | Tal Rasha's Mask

Socket Kelpie with +enhanced damage or poison, perfect ruby/topaz elsewhere.

Mercenary vs. damage vs. exploding dolls

Assumptions:
* Normal A2 Defiance merc, level 95, perfect hit, perfect %ed Kelpie Snare
and perfect 20%ed “Duress” Armor
* ‘Bone Fetish’ (exploder) types have 2789–6249 life in 1-player hell games

Code

Kelpie Type........Max Damage*
-----------------------------
Upgraded Ethereal........2943 (4% chance of 1-hit kill)
Upgraded.................2037
Ethereal.................1319
Regular...................690

*Obviously, significantly less for lower-level mercs using less-than-perfect equipment.

A 1-hit killed monster (~2900 life) exploding for 100% life vs. a 55% energy shield
75% fire-resist sorc does 1595 mana damage and 815 life damage. Moral: Don't use
Up'd Eth Perfect Kelpie Snare unless you have a ton of HP (1000++) to spare.

Note: Ironically, this build gets safer with more players in game. More players in
the game makes it impossible for your merc to 1-hit kill anything. If you have someone
to BO/split drops with or an extra set of CDkeys, congratulations. You’ve got it made.

Hotkey setup

Q W E R T
A S
Z _ C
Shift
Spacebar

Q: Shiver Armor – prep
W: Energy Shield – prep
E: Static Field
R: Glacial Spike
T: Telekinesis – my favourite; speeds up potion fetching, chests, portals/wps, etc.
A: Teleport
S: Frost Nova
Z: Tome of Town Portal – never TP from the inventory again!
C: Character Screen – I’m a sucker for compulsive checking XP/everything
Shift: Stand Still
Spacebar: Show Items - easy thumb rest, prevents hitting the Windows key

I put weapon switch on a third mouse button.

General Killing

Put Orb on the left mouse button (LMB) and leave it there. Use shift (stand still)
to stationary-cast. Hotkey everything else to the right mouse button (RMB).
When you can afford the mana cost, don’t walk or run – only teleport. It’s faster
and safer: it accurately indicates lag and maintains 75% block all the time.
Make this a habit.
Orb first, talk later. Cast Static Field between Orbs until it’s useless, then cast
Glacial Spikes to freeze enemies for increased safety while 'sweetspotting'.

A “safe” rudimentary hardcore MFer progression

1. Get to nightmare (NM) ~level 35, quickly get Den/Rhadament skill quests
2. Run normal Travincal/Mephisto/Shenk/Eldritch/Crystalline/Ancient's/Baal
until ~level 50 with 50%+ fire/cold/light resist in NM, 48% FCR, 50%+ block, maybe
some life/mana charms; move on to NM Mephisto
3. Run NM Mephisto until ~level 55 with 75% cold/light res in NM,
63% FCR, 75% block, and 30% FHR; add NM Andariel and Baal to the kill list
4. Run NM Andariel/Mephisto/Baal until ~level 75 with 50%+ fire
75% cold/light res in Hell, 27% FBR, Up'd Woestave (50% slow) or Kelpie Snare
(75% slow) for your mercenary; move on to Hell Mephisto
5. Tack on Hell Andariel to the kill list if you’re confidently running Hell Mephisto

Okay, that’s the lot. Thanks to the dii.net and AB crews for everything! Special mention goes to
temporary unemployment for driving me to write this.

Enjoy!

Now go get rich so you can tell me all about it.

- Socialism / Sunforge / Shon

This post was edited by Sunforge on May 14 2007 02:10pm