Seeking advice for offline SSF HC Sorc

Hello!
I started a SSF HC sorc last week. I am up to lvl 70 and am working my way through Nightmare act 5 right now. It's been really enjoyable using the players 5 command (not going to 7 or 8) and having set maps for farming nightmare countess.

I have 2 questions.
1) should I switch to a hybrid build for hell? I've currently used one respec and am full blizzard right now. It mows through stuff without any issue in nightmare so far, but for immunes in hell should I just skip cold immune packs or would you all recommend doing a hybrid orb/ Fireball type thing? I'm a little worried about using my 2nd respec, and then using my 3rd to get necessary str requirements for Spirit Monarch near the end of hell if i live that far.

question 2) I found a Duriel's Shell that my merc is currently wearing, I also have a Lem rune and a 2 socket Mage Plate. I am considering farming hell countess when I get there for a Lum (though the cold/fire immune countess may have something to say about that) and making Smoke.
Should I just wear the Duriel's Shell on the sorc and make a Treachery for the merc? Or grind out for the Smoke and leave the Duriel's Shell on the merc or craft a Treachery? I was thinking a Treachery would be good for more damage output to help with cold immunes.

Just bored and work and thinking about this stuff. Thanks!

Spectie wrote: 1 year ago

Hello!
I started a SSF HC sorc last week. I am up to lvl 70 and am working my way through Nightmare act 5 right now. It's been really enjoyable using the players 5 command (not going to 7 or 8) and having set maps for farming nightmare countess.

I have 2 questions.
1) should I switch to a hybrid build for hell? I've currently used one respec and am full blizzard right now. It mows through stuff without any issue in nightmare so far, but for immunes in hell should I just skip cold immune packs or would you all recommend doing a hybrid orb/ Fireball type thing? I'm a little worried about using my 2nd respec, and then using my 3rd to get necessary str requirements for Spirit Monarch near the end of hell if i live that far.

question 2) I found a Duriel's Shell that my merc is currently wearing, I also have a Lem rune and a 2 socket Mage Plate. I am considering farming hell countess when I get there for a Lum (though the cold/fire immune countess may have something to say about that) and making Smoke.
Should I just wear the Duriel's Shell on the sorc and make a Treachery for the merc? Or grind out for the Smoke and leave the Duriel's Shell on the merc or craft a Treachery? I was thinking a Treachery would be good for more damage output to help with cold immunes.

Just bored and work and thinking about this stuff. Thanks!

I hope I can help,

Question 1: Act 5 nightmare already appear cold immunes. In hell, the beginning of act 1, Claw Viper temple and whole act 5 you will suffer with pure cold damage based. I recommend you go hybrid with hydrorb sorc. Countess is cold and fire immune, her minions are only cold immune. You use Static Field and yout merc finish The Countess. Hydra kill her minions. Korlic is immune to cold also.

Question 2: If you got lucky and find a Lum at The Countess or at nightmare. Begin hell with Smoke. As your merc increases his level, I suggest you go back to Duriel's Shell, because it provides cannot be frozen. Your merc has a source of life steal?

nah no life steal on the merc yet unfortunately.

i've also read using Meteor on controller is absolutely awful (i play on ps5) so i guess i should try to avoid that, but Hydra could work.

Spectie wrote: 1 year ago

nah no life steal on the merc yet unfortunately.

In this case farm Nightmare Mephisto and Baal to get some equipment for him before going to hell mode.

I've found a few hydrorb variants. Do you guys recommend putting more points into the Ice or the fire tree?
Looks like orb only has 1 synergy point and then Cold Mastery. Whereas Hydra has 2 synergies and mastery so it seems like you could get more mileage maxing orb stuff first?