Any good Sorc build can be done on Runemaster, only better. Runemaster has infinitely more survivability and much higher damage. But I’m not here to talk about Runemasters, they were actually done well. Lets talk about Sorcs.
First, we’ll start with the fact that the best Sorc build I’ve tested so far:
Specced into exactly 0 sorcerer skills. Lightning Blast, Teleport, Elemental Nova, Static - focusing on a Lightning Blast Spark Charge build.
Why? Lets go over the Sorc Skill issues 1 by 1:
Static Orb: I’m not sure if the damage is bugged - but it’s non existent. Orbs rotating around you would be cool if done right (kind of like how you gave the Runemaster) buuuut, in reality they cost too much mana and do no damage - the only reason they pop up in any builds is because its one of the more reliable ways to proc Lightning Aegis.
Ice Barrage: Decent skill when weaved into some passives in the Frost Claw tree, but again, way too much mana for the damage it does. You will quickly go OOM during any boss fight.
Arcane Ascendance: is useless. The cast speed buff is nice, but the damage isn’t multiplicative so it’s not even noticeable and you lose almost all of your survivability for 50% increased cast speed. As a Sorc, mobility keeps you alive. Since we don’t get 10k+ ward and damage to mana before health is busted - in a bad way - using this skill makes no sense.
Black Hole: Low damage, high mana, high cooldown. Even when specced into elemental damage over time (yah I really wasted my time doing this). Really only used for niche CC in some builds. Overall, very useless.
Meteor: The end all be all of Sorc skills, surely this one has to be good, right? Not so much. Again plagued by the “this will completely deplete your mana bar for damage that isn’t that very impressive”. The highest crit from a meteor I’ve gotten was 130-160k, which isn’t bad, but we can’t sit there holding down the meteor key because you would go OOM instantly. And then you look around at all the top builds spamming 100k+ hits and reaching 7 digits…? Very lackluster. Incorporating it into lightning with the Vilatria’s set, Harbinger of Stars in a lightning crit build had potential (this is where my biggest crit came from), but you just run out of mana in a few seconds and no amount of mana regen will combat it.
Overall, the Sorc lacks survivability and damage, and every build that is viable to even reach 200 corruption can be done (much better) by a Runemaster since we cannot effectively use any of our Class-only skills. Meanwhile I get to watch my buddy summon a minion that can single handedly spam a spell that outdamages my highest crit damage meteor.
I’m level 100 and he’s 65.
I know your policy on fixing things mid cycle, but I was really hoping that you guys would get right where D4 royally screwed up. Apparently both of you hate Sorcs. Looks like I’m off to find another game to play. Cheers, hope the feedback proves useful.