Bear Sorceress Build Guide D2R 2.6

Bear Sorceress Introduction

The Bear Sorc is a very unique build which is a lot of fun to play. The build is very expensive as it requires two Dream runewords, a Beast runeword, and optionally Infinity on the mercenary and Call to Arms as a third switch weapon.  Optionally you can use an ethereal Tomb Reaver on your merc and cast Enchant on him to deliver the maximum amount of damage with very fast attack speed.

The Bear Sorc delivers a huge amount of lightning and fire damage from Dream’s Holy Shock aura and Enchant. It also has a high attack rating due to high level Enchant. Compared to the Melee Sorceress, the build has quite good survivability, as you will be moving around in Bear form. 

The build can farm any content as it has two damage types. While it is not effective at areas where monster density is high, it will pretty much one-hit any enemy. The movement speed is also only a portion of other sorcs, as it cannot teleport. The bear sorc is not an effective magic finder due to gear limitations, so the main reason to play it is really just to have fun.

Gameplay

Attacking skills: You will rely on normal attack to kill monsters. As you will be using a 6*Sheal socketed Phase blade, your attack speed will be fairly high, you will slap enemies at a fast pace.

Movement: Running is the only option for movement.

Survivability: Compared to other sorc builds, the Bear sorc has decent survivability thanks to the Bear form. Still, you must have 75% all resistances on Hell difficulty, and some damage reduction can come handy via a Verdungo belt or a String of Ears. In case you want to use Sunder Charms, you should wear a Chains of Honor armor to neglect the minus resistances. While it is not mandatory, you can carry a Call to Arms in your inventory and Buff yourself frequently to maximize your life. Expect to die once in a while, the build is not viable on Hardcore unfortunately. Make sure to always have Frozen Armor and Energy Shield casted on yourself.

Party and Solo play: Party and Solo play is pretty much the same. You should focus on killing high life enemy monsters while your party kills normal ones at a fast pace.

Magic Find: The build is unfortunately not fit for magic finding.

Stats

Strength: Have just enough strength to wear your equipment

Dexterity: Have just enough dexterity to wear your equipment

Vitality: You all your remaining points on Vitality

Energy: Don’t put any points on it

Skill Points

Fire Skill Tree:

• Max out Warmth
• Put a point on Enchant’s prerequisites
• Max out Enchant
• Max out Fire mastery

Lightning Skill Tree:

• Max out Lightning Mastery
• Put a point on Energy Shield’s prerequisites
• Put your remaining points on Energy Shield

Cold Skill Tree:

• Put a point on Frozen Armor

Melee Sorc Gearing Options

Helms

• Dream Runeword Helm ➤ An essential item to deal high lightning damage

Amulets

• Mara’s Kaleidoscope ➤ The best choice for balanced defense and offense.
• Highlord’s Wrath ➤ The best offensive option
• Metalgrid  ➤ A nice attack rating and defense booster

Body Armors

• Chains of Honor ➤ The best armor to improve resistances
• Skullder’s Ire ➤ The best Magic Finding option.
• Stealth Runeword ➤ A good budget ladder starter.
• Ormus’ Robes  ➤ Best offensive choice, try to have it with +3 Fire Mastery

Weapons

• 6 Socket Phase blade with 6*Shael Runes

Shields

• Dream Runeword Troll Nest ➤  Another essential item to deal high lightning damage

Switch Weapons

• Beast  ➤ Also an essential item so you can turn to a Werebear
• Call to Arms ➤ Almost doubles survivability with Battle Orders, every build needs a CTA.

Switch Shields

• Spirit Monarch ➤ Boosts Call to Arms’ Battle Orders and Battle Command

Rings

• Raven Frost ➤ Great for survivability and attack rating boost

Gloves

• Magefist ➤ The best option for damage
• Dracul’s Grasp ➤ Helps with life sustenance, plus open wounds damage
• Frostburn  ➤ Boosts Energy Shield

Belts

• Verdungo’s Hearty Cord ➤ Great defensive belt
• Arachnid Mesh ➤ The best offensive choice
• Nightsmoke ➤ A decent budget ladder starter.

Boots

• Triple resist 30% FRW boots ➤ The best choice for survivability
• Goblin Toe ➤ The best choice for damage via Crushing Blow

Charms

• Annihilus ➤ A must have item for every build.
• Sorceress Hellfire Torch ➤ Another must have item.
• Fire Sunder charm ➤ Optional item to remove Fire Immunities
• Lightning Sunder charm ➤ Optional item to remove Lightning Immunities
• +1 to Lightning or Fire skills grand charm ➤ If you can afford it, try to have them with +life. +FHR 
• + All resistances small charm ➤  If you can afford it, try to have them with +life.
• + Life small charm ➤  If you can afford it, try to have them with +mana.
• + Fire or Lightning resist small charms ➤ They help to compensate for the fire and lightning Sunder charm

Sockets/Jewels

• Lightning Rainbow Facet / Fire Rainbow Facet ➤ The best choice for damage boosting.
• Ist rune ➤ The best choice for Magic Finding.
• Um rune ➤ Use it for allresist boosting if needed.
• Perfect Diamond ➤ Can use it instead of Um runes in shields and helms.

Mercenary

Have an Act2 mercenary with Holy Freeze aura for crowd control.

Ethereal items don’t lose durability if your mercenary wears them, so having ethereal item bases for each gear slot is preferred due to the increased defense on armor items and increased damage on weapons. In many instances ethereal items that are great for mercenaries will be much more expensive than non-ethereal ones.

Mercenary gear:

Helm

• Any 3 socketed helm with 3 perfect diamond  ➤ increase mercenary resistances and survivability
• Tal Rasha’s set helm  ➤  a decent choice
• Vampire Gaze unique helm -  ➤ another decent choice
• Andariel’s Visage unique helm ➤ the best helm choice

Weapon

• Insight runeword  ➤ provides meditation aura so you never run out of mana
• Tomb Reaver unique weapon ➤ the highest mercenary damage choice
• Infinity runeword ➤ the best choice for offense

Body Armor

• Treachery runeword ➤ great for both defense and offense, a budget choice
• Fortitude runeword  ➤ the best choice for both defense and offense

If you'd rather skip farming you can quickly buy D2R Items from our D2R Store.