Diablo 2 Resurrected (D2R) Ladder 3: Lightning Sorceress Build

If you'd like to listen to an AI read this post please see my Youtube channel: https://youtu.be/eotx7VJBF0U

D2R Ladder 3 will launch in a few weeks and I am starting to plan my build and strategy to get through the game again. In ladder 2 I really enjoyed the Terror Zones which helped me farm areas I normally wouldn't and resulted in me getting loot I've never had drop for me before in the game, including a Stone of Jordan. Patch 2.6 so far is only bringing 8 new runewords. 4 are tied to resists, 1 is designed for a merc/melee character, 1 is tied to early game melee speed runs, and 2 are tied to end game martial arts assassin and werewolf/bear druid builds. There doesn't appear to be much else changing in patch 2.6.

Credit: Activision/Blizzard

I have never played a lightning sorceress in my 20 year D2 career so I plan to do one this ladder. I'm looking forward to it because I hear it's a powerful DPS dealer once you get end game gear, which I've gotten much better at farming in D2R. 

There's multiple build guides for lightning sorcs on icy-veins, maxroll, and wowhead, plus some other sites and youtube videos, but I've settled on utilizing the budget build transferring into the magic find variation of the icy-veins guide. 

I may substitute in chance guards for more MF, we'll see where I'm at with FCR breakpoints and MF% when I get there. I also don't think I'll be making an Energy Shield sorc as much as I want to, but I just can't accept the "mana burn" enemies that are in key areas that I like to farm which can basically one shot me in an ES build.

For leveling you can follow any guide mostly to a T. It's the same leveling guide you'd see from any creator for any class. I typically run a fire sorc through normal because you can get leaf in a staff with +fire skills but I'm running with a friend who plans to play a fire druid so I will stick to leveling with lightning. 

Always ensure you put enough points in strength and dexterity to equip your gear as you go, and don't lose track of the attributes your items are giving you because you could end up trying to swap gear and suddenly can't equip it because you're replacing something with strength on it. Since I'm not playing an ES build all other points will go into vitality. 

Leveling/Budget Gear: 

• Helms: I start with whatever I find then transfer to 2os helmet for Nadir (Nef+Tir) then to Lore (Ort+Sol), Peasant's crown or Tal's mask. Eventually I'll transition to a Shako (socketed with ist or ptopaz) for my MF setup and Gryphon's Eye Diadem (socketed with light facet) for my DPS setup.
• Chest: Use whatever you can find until you get a 2 open socket base to build Stealth (Tal+Eth). I always run Stealth while leveling any class, while continually upgrading it as I find new bases. Eventually I'll transition to Que-Hagan's or Viper Magi until I find Tal Rasha's chest.
• Weapons: Use whatever staff or wand for caster gear but eventually you'll want a 4os sword (crystal or broad) and 4os Monarch shield for Dual Spirit (Tal+Thul+Ort+Amn). 
• Gloves: Any gloves with defense, life, resists will do while leveling. Once you you can afford it you'll want Trang-Oul's Claws, Magefists, or similar FCR gloves. If survivability is a problem it's ok to use something with life and resists instead. In the end game I'll swap between upped Chance Guards for MF% and FCR gloves for DPS.
• Belt: Always try to to upgrade belts early and often from 4 to 6 to 9 to 12 potion slots. Eventually you'll want Tal's belt as early as possible for MF% and you can swap to Arachnid's Mesh for DPS in the end game.
• Boots: run/walk speed, life, resists are always what you want on boots when leveling. Aldur's and Natalyas's both provide this if you're lucky. There's also plenty of yellows that can roll with good stats, including run/walk, life, resists, and MF%. I usually struggle finding good boots until Hell. In the end game you'll want War Traveler's.
• Jewelry: Rings and amulets wear whatever you can find. Prioritize life, resists, mana, attributes, and FCR. MF doesn't hurt either. 
• For end game rings you'll want at least 1 Nagelring for MF% and eventually a Stone of Jordan for DPS. You can also craft a ring with FCR, resists, life, and MF% on it to replace the Nagel.
• For amulet, you'll always want an amulet with +1-2 sorc skills or +2-3 lightning skills to help get you through NM & Hell. In the end game I plan to swap between Tal Rasha's amulet for MF% and Mara's/perfect crafted amulet for DPS.

• Charms: Same as any end game you want annihilus, torch, and gheed's. Lightning skillers are nice but not necessary. While leveling I usually try to utilize charms with FHR, life, all resist, single resist, or MF% but I usually only carry 1-2 GC's and a couple SC's. 

Attributes: As always enough points into strength and dex to equip gear. Then put all the rest in vitality. Monarch will be your max strength item at 156 str required. No points are needed for energy in a non-ES build since you'll have a merc with meditation aura.

Skills: 

• Cold spells- 1 point into frozen armor so you can run it for damage mitigation.
• Fire spells- 1 point into warmth so you passively regen energy.
• Lightning spells- 1 point into telekinesis but you don't have to use it, 1 point into Teleport for movement, 1 point into Static Field to burn boss HP below half quickly. Max out all skills in the middle tree (charged bolt, lightning, chain lightning, and lightning mastery). Put the rest of points into Nova.

Merc: 

I recommend using an A2 merc with frozen aura or might aura. Frozen helps fend off enemies while teleporting through dangerous areas quickly but might helps with DPS. 

Ethereal items are always BIS for mercs because they can't lose durability and will come with higher stats.

• For weapon: use an insight (Ral+Tir+Tal+Sol) in a 4os polearm. Start with any polearm and upgrade as you go until you find a good elite base, preferably ethereal if you can afford it. 
• For helm: start with Nadir until you find something like Andariel's Visage, Crown of Thieves, or a 3os base to build the new runeword Bulwark (Shael+Io+Sol). 
• For chest: use anything with good defensive stats until you find a good elite ethereal base to make either Treachery (Shael+Thul+Lem) or Smoke (Nef+Lum) in until you can afford to make a Fortitude (El+Sol+Dol+Lo). Duriel's shell is another good budget chest option.

Note: you'll want socket bases for your merc that require less than 170 strength at lvl 80 or you'll have to find ways to compensate for strength. Here's a handy tool to plan for merc attributes at specific levels.

For playthrough, magic finding, and trading guides please look at my past blog posts. They are largely unchanged but I want to fine tune a few things that go with this build and this ladder theme. 

Sorc Gameplay Skill Rotation:

1) Every few minutes, pop your frozen armor to keep it up.

2) Utilize Teleport as much as possible for instant movement and to reposition your merc if they're in danger.

3) When engaging in combat use chain lightning against large groups of mobs or lightning against single targets. 

4) For bosses ensure you spam static next to them until their HP stops dropping then tp away and spam lightning again.

I'll update this post after I play through the ladder using it but based on what I'm seeing it's definitely A or B tier in terms of solo PvM gameplay.