PvP Nova Sorceress Guide | Diablo 2 Guides

Nova Sorceress Guide for PvP and PvM

PvP Rank: B Class / PvM Rank: S Class

Introduction

The Nova Sorceress was majorly buffed in a previous patch and is now one of the strongest builds in the game for PvM while still being a very strong and competitive build in PvP. Wielding an Infinity Scythe on Nova Sorceress is highly recommended in PvP and PvM to lower the lightning resistance of enemies with its level 12 Conviction aura and it also gives another -55% to enemy lightning resistance when the Sorceress is the one wielding the Infinity. Your mercenary can then wield an Insight polearm for very high mana regeneration which majorly improves your effective life with Energy Shield. Nova Sorceresses are very strong in PvP because most opponents don't over stack their lightning resistances to extremely high amounts. Energy Shield is highly recommended on Nova Sorceresses with +1 Lightning Skill Grand Charms which increase the level of your Nova, Thunder Storm, and Energy Shield. Nova Sorceresses also have plenty of left over skill points that can be spent in Telekinesis which makes you take significantly less damage to your mana when using Energy Shield which gives you a higher effective life pool.

Nova Sorceress Skills

This build is a low strength and dexterity build because your equipment will have a low strength requirement and because you'll be wielding an Infinity Scythe which means you won't need dexterity for block. This build is capable of dealing extremely high damage in PvM and is strong against other players if they don't have extremely high over stacked lightning resistances.

Recommendation: Nova Sorceress

Stats: Low Strength (enough for equipment), low Dexterity (enough for equipment), all remaining points evenly split between Vitality and Energy (for the high mana cost of Nova and for more effective life with Energy Shield).

Skill Points:

20 Nova

20 Lightning Mastery

20 Static Field (Nova synergy)

20 Telekinesis (Energy Shield synergy)

1 Energy Shield (which is increased to level 21 with the recommended equipment and charms)

1 Frozen Armor (if you don't want a Sorceress Orb for your Frozen Armor spell)

1 Teleport

1 Warmth

All remaining points in Thunder Storm.

Nova Sorceress Gear

Weapon

Infinity Scythe (Ber Mal Ber Ist) - Gives the level 12 Conviction aura which greatly lowers the elemental resistances of enemies, another -55% to enemy lightning resistance when Infinity is wielded by the Sorceress, level 21 Cyclone Armor charges, and it also serves to break the immunity of most lightning immune enemies in the game. Using Infinity also allows you to use an Insight weapon on your mercenary for the Meditation aura which gives very high mana regeneration for your Energy Shield. You can also optionally switch your weapon to a Memory Staff (Lum Io Sol Eth) in town for PvP for +3 to Sorceress Skills and +6 to Energy Shield to increase the level of your Energy Shield and then switch back to your Infinity Scythe.

Weapon Switch

Call to Arms (Amn Ral Mal Ist Ohm) - Should be used for up to +7 to Battle Orders with a Lidless Wall for another +1 to all skills. You can also use this weapon switch for your Energy Shield, Frozen Armor, and Thunder Storm because it increases your skill levels.

Helmet

Griffon's Eye (Um'd) - Gives +1 to all skills, 25% faster cast rate, up to -20% to enemy lightning resistance, and up to 15% increased lightning skill damage. You should reach the 105% faster cast rate breakpoint for Sorceresses once you have 25% faster cast rate from Griffon's Eye, 30% faster cast rate from Skin of the Vipermagi, 20% faster cast rate from your gloves slot, 20% faster cast rate from the Arachnid's Mesh belt, and 10% faster cast rate from your amulet.

Body

Skin of the Vipermagi (Um'd or 5, 5 Light Facet'd) - Gives +1 to all skills, 30% faster cast rate, up to all resistance +35%, and magic damage reduced by up to 15. This armor gives all resistances +50% when Um'd which is helpful because you won't have resistances from a weapon or shield on this build. You should also over stack your resistances in PvP for builds that lower your resistances.

Gloves

Trang-Oul's Gloves - Gives 20% faster cast rate and 30% cold resistance. If you don't need the added cold resistance you can also optionallyy use Magefist gloves for 20% faster cast rate and 25% increased mana regeneration which improves your Energy Shield.

Belt

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

Feet

Rare Tri-Resistance Boots - These boots are used for over stacked resistances and can also have 10% faster hit recovery.

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

Rare Amulet - Your amulet should have +2 to Sorceress Skills, at least 10% faster cast rate to reach the 105% faster cast rate breakpoint, all resistances, optionally life or mana, and optionally damage taken goes to mana. If you can't afford this amulet you can also use an amulet with +1 to Sorceress Skills or +2 to Lightning Skills instead.

Budget Amulet

Mara's Kaleidoscope - This budget amulet gives +2 to all skills, 5 to all stats, and all resistances +20-30%. Mara's Kaleidoscope can be paired with a faster cast rate ring as a budget option to get the final 10% faster cast rate for the 105% faster cast rate breakpoint.

Rings

Two Stone of Jordans - These rings each give +1 to all skills, 20 mana, and 25% increased maximum mana for your Energy Shield. If you are using Mara's Kaleidoscope as a budget amulet you should also use a 10% faster cast rate ring with all resistances and mana.

Rings (Absorb)

Your rings can be switched to Raven Frosts which each give 20% cold absorb when fighting cold damage builds, Wisp Projectors which each give up to 20% lightning absorb when fighting lightning damage builds, and one ring can be switched to a Dwarf Star (good manners when using Hotspur boots) when fighting fire damage builds.

Charms

Hellfire Torch for +3 Sorceress skills, Annihilus for +1 to all skills, The Crack of the Heavens Grand Charm (optional to remove the lightning immunity of enemies for PvM), two +1 Lightning Skills Grand Charms with 12% faster hit recovery, and an inventory of +1 Lightning Skills Grand Charms with life. The rest of your charms should be small charms with high life and resistances.

Mercenary Type

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

Mercenary Weapon

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

Mercenary Armor

Ethereal Fortitude (El Sol Dol Lo) - Gives 300% enhanced damage, 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, high defense, and up to 20% reduced physical damage taken.

Budget Mercenary Weapon

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

Budget Mercenary Armor

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

Budget Mercenary Helmet

Tal Rasha's Helmet - Gives 10% life stolen per hit, all resistances +15%, and 60 life.

Note: Ethereal items don't lose durability when they are on a mercenary.

Nova Sorceress Strategy

Nova Sorceresses are one of the strongest Sorceress builds in the game for Sorceress vs Sorceress. One of their greatest strengths is their massive amounts of negative lightning resistance from the Infinity runeword weapon and Griffon's Eye which can make one Thunder Storm one shot opponents if they aren't prepared. Nova Sorceresses deal very high damage in PvP when opponents don't have extremely high over stacked lightning resistance and lightning absorb. Nova Sorceresses also cast up close and don't use a shield so they can sometimes be weak against melee opponents when they have very high over stacked lightning resistances. Energy Shield is highly recommended on Nova Sorceresses with an inventory full of +1 Lightning Skill Grand Charms which serve to increase the level of your Nova, Thunder Storm, and Energy Shield. With your equipment and skill charms your Energy Shield should be at a high level with only one point invested giving a very high effective life pool. Overall Nova Sorceresses are one of the strongest Sorceress builds for PvP and are one of the very best builds available for clearing speed in PvM.

Nova Sorceress Leveling Items

An Ancient's Pledge Large Shield (Ral Ort Tal) can be switched to at level 21 for high all resistances. You can also switch to a Spirit Crystal Sword (Tal Thul Ort Amn) at level 25 for +2 to all skills, up to 35% faster cast rate, 55% faster hit recovery, vitality, mana, and magic absorb. The Skin of the Vipermagi unique armor is the recommended armor for this build and can be equipped as early as level 29 for +1 to all skills, 30% faster cast rate, up to 15 reduced magic damage taken, and up to all resistances +35%.

And that's all for the Nova Sorceress Guide. You can also check out the most popular crafted items here Crafting Guide.