ES/Nova sorc - I don't get the hype

Interesting. Based on my calculations, you will do about 9% less damage to lightning immunes with GG sunder and guardian thunder (-10 light for each), but 36% more damage to non lightning immunes. But then you have to factor that LI you spend 2.5 times as long to kill, so the -9% hurts a bit more there (depending on playstyle and whether you like to skip LI)

Prior to ROTW with the GG jewels and renewed sunder, the difference would be -17% and 26%, which to me in practice seems like it could feel slower, given that more time is spent on each LI kill.

On the benefits outside of the raw damage/neg res tradeoff you have a potential additional 20% FCR on the orb and 35% on the Spirit shield which allows for 105 fcr while using

Frostburn and dual soj without a 2/20 ammy (which hurts your

Battle Orders vs. a maras)

But then on the downside, you have no mediation aura, and a potential delay proc-ing the

Conviction aura.

I agree that the ES sorceress isn't my style. For me, lightning does thousands more damage, clears very fast, and just seems better in every aspect. Except you have to aim, which isn't fun. By the way, is a steam deck considered PC?

For me (the hype) its her speed farming keys and level 85 areas. She kills things fast you don't even need high MF and I find lots of good stuff because she kills monsters fast. I don't have to worry much about her dying only a few mobs Souls and Dolls.

if you have ever run a 200fcr

Nova to farm with you would understand the hype.

Sorry if off-topic. didn't want to open a new thread. Found a curious orb today. Is it any good for leveling? What to socket in it, apart from

Tir ?
lvl req 12
+3

Nova
+6 mana
2 mdr
1 socket

Imo,

Nova is not a good leveling skill. It shines brightly with strong gear, but leveling with it in normal and nightmare is dangerous and slower than other skills.

But if you want to do it, then a

Tir is a good idea. But make sure to get some FCR (Stealth, rings etc)

Heralds have been a bit of a thorn for

Nova sorc. She's still absolutely bonkers fast, but heralds require changing to p1 or they'll take forever.

Nova is highly regarded because it can speed through p8 content extremely quickly and safely when gear is maxed out. There are things it's not great at. It's not great at

Baal runs or nilathak runs unless you do what I did and make a

Nova sorc specifically for those runs (more life than mana). It's also not the best boss killer of any kind. But you know what? That's what makes D2 great, nothing (until warlock) was best at everything. You had specialists in different areas, and

Nova was a great PvM at p8 grinder. Still is, great for spawning heralds, and if you p1 them, it'll cruise through them.

Mana burn is not a big deal. Blood is mana you just don't do unless you're spec'd for it. Bosses are not the point with that character. In my opinion, nothing clears p8 content quite like it currently with the exception of maybe

Blood Boil warlock. Mosaic sin is kinda close but with some clunky management that make it a pain.

lightning sorc can clear any area incredibly quickly, and also do heralds,

Baal, etc.

I don't see the hype either. I tried a few variants, and it's squishy anyway. I dont think it can do tier 5 heralds.

Xarz wrote: 16 hours ago

I don't see the hype either. I tried a few variants, and it's squishy anyway. I dont think it can do tier 5 heralds.

They can handle T5 heralds, I've done many myself. Just gotta be smart and careful about how you take them down.

Knappogue wrote: 15 hours ago

Xarz wrote: 16 hours ago

I don't see the hype either. I tried a few variants, and it's squishy anyway. I dont think it can do tier 5 heralds.

They can handle T5 heralds, I've done many myself. Just gotta be smart and careful about how you take them down.

Well, you have to be really smart and really really careful.

I think there is at least 1 major perspective "missing" here so far, because the "hype" began several years ago?

It was in 2.4 iirc that the

Nova sorc was "revived" and thus especially many old-school players wanted to re-live this great build that used to rule and conquer the entire content of the game.

The build had been "dead" for many years - but with 2.4 the synergy changed for several builds, giving

Nova the 5% synergy boost from static.

Another major part of the "hype" - if you ask me, was that to make this build truly shine - you would need to invest more than in any other build at that time (pve content ofc).

Does anyone of you know/remember what an endgame

Nova was valued at, back in 2022-2023?

My first endgame

Nova sorc had gear worth more than 1000

Jah runes - And this was not even entirely with -45 life skillers - far from.

If you cant make this build shine - then you are either not playing it as intended and/or you simply do not have the proper gear.

Whether you like the "telestomp" playstyle or not - thats a matter of preference, but the overall "usefulness" of this build is matched by?

This was imo the most legendary build back in LoD 1.09 - and it was, for a few years, the most legendary build once again (for the vast majority of old-school players at least).

Today? The hype has definately faded - but imo this has nothing to do with the build itself and everything to do with mainly rotw.

The warlock has made a great "impact" on many of these old-school builds and is, imo, the biggest isolated reason - let me turn it around - why is warlock so hyped?

retepnap wrote: 12 hours ago

The warlock has made a great "impact" on many of these old-school builds and is, imo, the biggest isolated reason - let me turn it around - why is warlock so hyped?

That question's answer could write a book by itself. Better summoner than necromancer, better summoner than druid, better archer than amazon, better physical damage dealer than barbarian, better fire damage dealer than druid, better fire damage dealer than sorceress, best magical damage dealer, best telestomper, best tank, amazing survivability, best AoE, highly customizable, at least 6 viable and powerful endgame builds...

Really, the question should be is there any flaw to a warlock that would kill some of the hype?

And to stay on topic: For me the best part of being a

Nova sorc is the synergy between

Energy Shield, high life, high mana,

Meditation+

Prayer+

Cleansing mercenary that keeps on topping off both energy reserves while you keep spending them.

Queegon wrote: 11 hours ago

retepnap wrote: 12 hours ago

The warlock has made a great "impact" on many of these old-school builds and is, imo, the biggest isolated reason - let me turn it around - why is warlock so hyped?

That question's answer could write a book by itself. Better summoner than necromancer, better summoner than druid, better archer than amazon, better physical damage dealer than barbarian, better fire damage dealer than druid, better fire damage dealer than sorceress, best magical damage dealer, best telestomper, best tank, amazing survivability, best AoE, highly customizable, at least 6 viable and powerful endgame builds...

Really, the question should be is there any flaw to a warlock that would kill some of the hype?

And to stay on topic: For me the best part of being a

Nova sorc is the synergy between

Energy Shield, high life, high mana,

Meditation+

Prayer+

Cleansing mercenary that keeps on topping off both energy reserves while you keep spending them.

100% agree - you emphasize my point clearly.

Several of those builds you mention (and I am sure you could add many more) was once, if not "hyped" then at least among the absolute top tiers - I assume you also remember how the

Windforce ama ruled cow and Chaos - together with the

Lance wielding barb ... and the list goes on.

The introduction of warlock is making these builds

Fade away (perhaps they were already fading, but warlock definately took its toll imo).

And your thoughts of what makes the best part of a

Nova sorc is spot on imo - kudos!

ganseng wrote: 1 day ago

Sorry if off-topic. didn't want to open a new thread. Found a curious orb today. Is it any good for leveling? What to socket in it, apart from

Tir ?
lvl req 12
+3

Nova
+6 mana
2 mdr
1 socket

It should be Tired you have nothing better. But I believe

Crystal Sword with 6*

Tir will do you more good till lvl 25, where you will put on Spirit Sword.

retepnap wrote: 12 hours ago

I think there is at least 1 major perspective "missing" here so far, because the "hype" began several years ago?

It was in 2.4 iirc that the

Nova sorc was "revived" and thus especially many old-school players wanted to re-live this great build that used to rule and conquer the entire content of the game.

The build had been "dead" for many years - but with 2.4 the synergy changed for several builds, giving

Nova the 5% synergy boost from static.

Another major part of the "hype" - if you ask me, was that to make this build truly shine - you would need to invest more than in any other build at that time (pve content ofc).

Does anyone of you know/remember what an endgame

Nova was valued at, back in 2022-2023?

My first endgame

Nova sorc had gear worth more than 1000

Jah runes - And this was not even entirely with -45 life skillers - far from.

If you cant make this build shine - then you are either not playing it as intended and/or you simply do not have the proper gear.

Whether you like the "telestomp" playstyle or not - thats a matter of preference, but the overall "usefulness" of this build is matched by?

This was imo the most legendary build back in LoD 1.09 - and it was, for a few years, the most legendary build once again (for the vast majority of old-school players at least).

Today? The hype has definately faded - but imo this has nothing to do with the build itself and everything to do with mainly rotw.

The warlock has made a great "impact" on many of these old-school builds and is, imo, the biggest isolated reason - let me turn it around - why is warlock so hyped?

Define "old school", because in my school,

Frozen Orb and

Bone Spirit were the be all/end all, and

Leap Barb was a thing, and mass farming was less of a thing while most people just played the game and hoped beyond hope that a unique ring would drop that was not a

Manald Heal or Nagel Ring. There was a lot of PVP back then, too.

Makes me thinking I always wanted to do a

Frost Nova sorc.

FerociousTerrier wrote: 3 hours ago

hoped beyond hope that a unique ring would drop that was not a

Manald Heal or Nagel Ring

back then, if you had manald and nagel with you in inventory and a unique ring dropped it would be 100% a soj unless you had a soj on you too

And i was thinking its rng back then, later i learned that this is how it worked, made me angry tbh.. bad system, unless you knew about it, then it would be good and you would find soj everytime a unique ring dropped.