PvP Lightning Sorceress Guide

Lightning Sorceress Guide for PvP and PvM

PvP Rank: B Class / PvM Rank: S Class

Introduction

Lightning Sorceresses are one of the most powerful builds for PvM and they can hold their own in PvP. This build is competitive with other players if they don't over stack lightning resistances and lightning absorb to high amounts which is considered bad manners in PvP. This is a common weakness of multiple Sorceress builds in PvP because resistances can be over stacked and other players can use multiple elemental absorb items. The rating for PvP Lightning Sorceresses takes opponents' lightning absorb and the Thundergod's Vigor belt which increases maximum lightning resistance into account or it could have been rated higher for PvP.

Lightning Sorceress Skills

This build uses a Spirit Monarch Shield to increase your damage which makes Lightning harder to absorb and it can be switched to a Stormshield for 35% reduced physical damage taken at any time. It's built this way to be competitive vs physical builds while still having an advantage over elemental builds when you switch to a Spirit Monarch.

Recommendation: Lightning Sorceress

Stats: 156 Strength (enough for equipment), 0 Dexterity, all remaining points in Vitality, and 0 Energy.

Skill Points:

20 Lightning

20 Lightning Mastery

20 Chain Lightning (synergy for Lightning)

20 Charged Bolt (synergy for Lightning)

1 Frozen Armor

1 Teleport

All remaining points in Lightning Nova which is a synergy for Lightning.

Lightning Sorceress Gear

Weapon

Heart of the Oak (Ko Vex Pul Thul) - Gives +3 to all skills, 40% faster cast rate, 10 dexterity, replenish life + 20, 15% increased maximum mana, and level 4 Oak Sage charges which summon a minion that greatly increases your maximum life.

Shield (Offensive)

Spirit Monarch (Tal Thul Ort Amn) - Gives +2 to all skills, up to 35% faster cast rate, 35% cold resistance, 35% lightning resistance, 35% poison resistance, vitality, and mana. The plus skills on this shield help to work against lightning absorb.

Shield (Defensive)

Stormshield (Um'd) - This shield can be used against physical damage builds for its 35% reduced physical damage taken.

Weapon Switch

Call to Arms (Amn Ral Mal Ist Ohm) - Used for up to +7 to Battle Orders which greatly increases your maximum life which should be combined with a Spirit Monarch shield for +2 to all skills which increases the level of your Battle Orders.

Helmet

Harlequin Crest (aka Shako) - Gives +2 to all skills, 10% physical damage taken reduction, life and mana, and 50% magic find. The high life/mana, higher plus skills, and physical damage taken reduction make Shako better than Griffon's Eye when opponents have enough lightning resistance to counter the -20% to enemy lightning resistance. If you have enough resistances from charms you should use a Protector's Thunder jewel to increase your lightning damage and lower enemies' lightning resistances.

Body

+3 to Lightning Ormus' Robe (Um'd) - This item is important for +3 Lightning, 20% faster cast rate, and up to 15% increased lightning damage. The faster cast rate helps you reach the 117% faster cast rate breakpoint for Lightning. Once you have enough resistances you can switch the Um rune which gives all resistances to a lightning facet for more lightning damage.

Body Vs. Elemental Builds That Lower Resistances (also the budget armor)

Skin of the Vipermagi (Um'd) - This option gives +1 to all skills, 30% faster cast rate, up to all resistance +35%, and magic damage reduced by up to 15. When socketed with an Um rune you can have all resistances +50% from this armor which helps you over stack resistances for fighting elemental builds that can lower your resistances. Skin of the Vipermagi is also much less expensive than a Lightning Ormus and can be used as a budget option to easily reach the 117% faster cast rate breakpoint for Lightning.

Gloves

Trang-Oul's Gloves - Gives 20% faster cast rate, 25% increased poison damage, and 30% cold resistance.

Belt

Arachnid Mesh - Gives +1 to all skills, 20% faster cast rate, and 5% increased mana.

Feet (Default)

Waterwalk - Gives up to 20% faster run walk, 65 life, 15 dexterity, 100 defense vs missiles, and 5% to maximum fire resistance.

Feet Vs. Lightning & Cold Builds That Lower Your Resistances

Tri-resist Faster Run Walk Boots - Look for rare 30% faster run walk boots with up to 40% cold resistance, 40% lightning resistance, and 40% poison resistance optionally with faster hit recovery. As a budget option you can also use Natalya's Boots for 40% faster run walk, high defense, up to 25% lightning resistance, and up to 25% cold resistance.

Feet Vs. Magic Builds

Horazon's Legacy - Gives 30% faster run walk, strength, dexterity, cannot be frozen, and up to 30% magic resistance.

Feet Vs. Fire Builds

Hotspur - These boots should be used against fire builds for +15% to Maximum Fire Resistance, 15 life, and 45% increased fire resistance. Hotspur boots can be Up'd to Demonhide Boots in the Horadric Cube using a Perfect Diamond, Shael rune, and Tal rune. Hotspur can then be Up'd a second time to Wyrmhide Boots in the Horadric Cube using a Perfect Diamond, Lem rune, and Ko rune.

Amulet (With Offensive Spirit Shield)

Mara's Kaleidoscope - Gives +2 to all skills, 5 to all attributes, and up to all resistances +30%.

Amulet (With Defensive Whitstan's Guard Shield)

Crafted Caster Amulet - You need at least 17% faster cast rate from a Caster Amulet to reach the 117% faster cast rate breakpoint for Lightning when using Whitstan's Guard and Ormus' Robe. When using Skin of the Vipermagi with this setup you will only need 7% faster cast rate in this slot. Caster Amulets can have +2 to Sorceress Skills, faster cast rate, all resistances, dexterity, and life.

Rings

Two Bul-Kathos' Wedding Bands - These rings give +1 to all skills and life per level. Bul-Kathos' Wedding Bands are preferred over Stone of Jordans in PvP for Sorceresses without Energy Shield because they give high life for survival instead of mana.

Rings (Absorb)

Your should switch to two Raven Frosts which each give 20% cold absorb when dueling cold damage builds, you should switch to two Wisp Projectors which each give 20% lightning absorb when dueling lightning damage builds, and you should switch to two Dwarf Stars which each give 15% fire absorb when dueling fire damage builds.

Charms

Use Hellfire Torch for +3 Sorceress Skills, Annihilus for +1 to all skills, Renewed Crack of the Heavens sunder charm with faster hit recovery in PvM, 2 Lightning Skills grand charms with 12% faster hit recovery, and the rest of your grand charms should be +1 Lightning Skills grand charms with life. Your small charms should have life and resistances to over stack your resistances.

Mercenary Type

Act 2 Holy Freeze Mercenary - Gives a Holy Freeze aura that slows the attack speed and movement speed of enemies.

Mercenary Weapon

Ethereal Infinity (Ber Mal Ber Ist) - Gives the level 12 Conviction aura which lowers enemies Lightning resistances by 85% and breaks the lightning immunity of most lightning immune enemies in PvM.

Mercenary Armor

Ethereal Fortitude (El Sol Dol Lo) - Gives 300% enhanced damage, up to all resistances +30%, high life per level, 5% to maximum lightning resistance, and a 20% chance to cast level 15 Chilling Armor when struck.

Mercenary Helmet

Ethereal Vampire Gaze (Um'd) - Gives up to 8% life stolen per hit, up to 20% reduced physical damage taken, cold damage, and high defense. You can also use an ethereal Andariel's Visage if your mercenary needs more strength for a high defense body armor. The plus two to all skills from Andariel's Visage is less important on this build because it's for a Holy Freeze mercenary.

Budget Mercenary Weapon

Ethereal Insight (Ral Tir Tal Sol) - Gives up to level 17 Meditation which provides very high mana regeneration.

Budget Mercenary Armor

Duriel's Shell - Gives 20% all resistances, 50% cold resistance, 15 strength, life per level, and cannot be frozen.

Budget Mercenary Helmet

Tal Rasha's Helmet - Gives 10% life leech, 15% to all resistances, and 60 life.

Note: Ethereal items don't lose durability on mercenaries.

Lightning Sorceress Strategy

Lightning Sorceresses are capable of very high damage but they can also be countered with high lightning resistance and lightning absorb. You can still kill most PvP builds with high life, lightning resistances, and absorb but it takes some patience. Blizzard Sorceresses are a tough fight because they're considered the best Sorceress vs Sorceress build. You should have an advantage over Fire Ball Sorceresses because Lightning has a slower cast speed than Fire Ball which makes it easier to aim. With the very fast Teleport speed of a Lightning Sorceress you should try your best to never be attacked while standing still by a melee build.

Lightning Sorceress Leveling Items

The Angelic Raiment set can be used as early as level 12 for high life and magic find as a great starter set option. An Ancient's Pledge Large Shield (Ral Ort Tal) can be switched to for high resistances once you reach level 21. A Spirit Crystal Sword (Tal Thul Ort Amn) is a nice upgrade at level 25 that gives +2 to all skills, up to 35% faster cast rate, 55% faster hit recovery, vitality, mana, and magic absorb. At level 29 you can switch to a Rhyme Shield (Shael Eth) for a high block chance, all resistances +25%, cannot be frozen, and increased magic find. Skin of the Vipermagi is the inexpensive resistance body armor option and it can be switched to once you reach level 29 for +1 to all skills, 30% faster cast rate, up to all resistances +35%, and up to 13 reduced magic damage taken.

And that's all for the Lightning Sorceress Guide. You can check out more guides in the menu at the top of this page. Good luck!