Hybrid Sorc - Cold Ligh Hybrid Build Guide - D2R 2.6

Build Introduction

The hybrid sorceress is a well-rounded build that is efficient against any monster and can farm all areas in the game. It has the benefits of regular sorceress builds, like the ultra fast movement with high faster cast rate and the teleport skill, huge area damage, decent single target damage, but it relies on multiple types of elemental damage and can deal with monster immunities. It is also one of the best builds for magic find. Efficient budget options are available, so it's a great ladder starter too. Due to these reasons, it is one of the most popular builds.

Related Guides

Hammerdin Build | Spear Amazon Build | Javazon Build | Uber Smiter Build |

Gameplay

Attacking skills: There are several ways to make a hybrid sorceress. In each of them Frozen Orb will be one of our main attacking skills. Efficient hybrid builds can be made for Lightning/Chain Lightning which is the most popular one, but Fire Wall, Meteor, Hydra, or even Nova can be used as secondary elemental attacks. I also suggest using Static Field against Bosses to quickly reduce their life.

Movement: Teleportation is the preferred movement of choice as with any other sorceress. Running can be dangerous due to the reduced blocking chance, so I always suggest walking for any sorceress build, and using teleportation as the primary means of moving. Having high % faster cast rate on your gear can greatly improve your casting speed. The breakpoints we aim at for teleport are 63% FCR (9 frame), 105 FCR (8 frame) and 200 FCR (7 frame).

Survivability: Survivability is generally not a strength of Sorceress builds. Casting Shiver Armor and Energy shield should be your first step to boost survivability. Having 75% all resistance on hell difficulty is also highly suggested. If you can afford a Call to Arms as a secondary weapon, by casting Battle Orders you can almost double your character's life. If you play on hardcore, using a Stormshield and a Verdungo belt is recommended to achieve the 50% physical damage reduction cap. Wearing elemental damage absorption items, or a Guardian Angel to increase your maximum resistances can also greatly boost your survivability chances.

Party and Solo play: You can solo the entire game with minimal difficulties, with the only exception being Uber Tristram. It is still doable, but with great difficulty. With teleport you will be able to get to any endgame Boss very quickly, and Frozen Orb with the combination of your preferred secondary attack skill can quickly eliminate any enemies. In parties you will be welcome for your quick teleportation abilities which are especially useful for Baal and Chaos runs, and the great area damage you deal.

Magic Find: Hybrid Sorc is one of the best and most efficient magic find builds. It's probably the best ladder starter MFing character, as high magic find % is available even in budget gearing options. Unlike any other build, close to 1000% magic find can be achieved.

Breakpoints: For detailed breakpoints, check out this guide.

Stats

Strength: Put just enough points on it to be able to wear your gear.

Dexterity: Put just enough points on it to be able to wear your gear.

Vitality: Put all remaining points on it.

Energy: Don't put any points on it.

Skills

For any hybrid build, use skill points on the following skills:

• 20 points on Frozen Orb + 1 point on prerequisite skills
• 1 point on Cold Mastery
• 1 point on Warmth
• 1 point on Chilling and Shiver Armor
• 1 point on Energy shield and +1 point on prerequisite skills
• 1 point on Static Field

Option #1 - Lightning/Chain Lightning hybrid

• 20 points on Lightning
• 20 points on Chain Lightning
• 20 points on Lightning Mastery
• Remaining points on Nova

Option #2 -Fire wall hybrid

• 20 points on Fire Wall
• 20 points on Warmth
• 20 points on Fire Mastery
• Remaining points on Inferno

Option #3 - Meteor hybrid

• 20 points on Meteor
• 20 points on Fire Mastery
• 20 points on Fire Ball
• Remaining points on Fire Bolt

Option #4 - Hydra hybrid

• 20 points on Hydra
• 20 points on Fire Mastery
• 20 points on Fire Ball
• Remaining points on Fire Bolt

Option #5 - Frozen Orb - Nova hybrid

• 20 points on Cold Mastery
• 20 points on Ice Bolt
• 20 points on Nova
• Remaining points on Lightning Mastery

Items, Gearing

The listed items are organized by slots.

• The usefulness rating of an item is based on how good it is for farming.
• The price rating reflects the cost of the item (cheaper ones are available after ladder starts as budget options), higher price ratings reflect exponentially higher cost for an item.
• Magic Find ratings are added to items that are good options for MFing.

Adding sockets and improving your items

• If you complete the act5 quest Siege on Harrogath, Larzuk will grant extra socket/sockets to your items. Use the quest to add sockets to your gear and put useful jewels, runes or gems in your item sockets.
• You can also upgrade your unique items from normal to exceptional quality and from exceptional to elite by using Horadric Cube recipes. After upgrading, your armor pieces will have more defense, and your weapon pieces will have more damage. The downside of upgrading is the increased strength/dexterity requirements.
• To increase your lightning damage, put +5/-5 Lightning Rainbow Facets in your item sockets.

Helm

• Lore runeword -usefulness 4/10, price 1/10
• Peasant Crown unique helm - usefulness 5/10, price 2/10
• Tal Rasha's set helm - usefulness 7/10, price 2/10
• Harlequin Crest Shako unique helm - Usefulness 10/10, price 6/10, Magic Find - 10/10

Amulet

• Any amulet with +1-2 to sorceress skills or + % faster cast rate - usefulness 4/10, price 1/10
• Tal Rasha's set amulet - usefulness 7/10, price 6/10
• Mara's Kaleidoscope unique amulet - usefulness 10/10, price 7/10
• Magic amulet with 40-50% to magic find - price 5/10, 10/10 for magic find

Weapon

• Spirit Crystal Sword -usefulness 6/10, price 2/10
• Wizardspike unique weapon - usefulness 6/10, price 4/10
• Tal Rasha's set weapon - usefulness 6/10, price 3/10
• The Oculus unique weapon - usefulness 8/10, price 5/10
• Heart of the Oak runeword - usefulness 10/10, price 6/10

Shield

• Spirit Monarch - usefulness 8/10, price 2/10
• Moser's Blessed Circle unique shield - usefulness 6/10, price 2/10

Switch Weapon

• Call to Arms Runeword - usefulness 10/10, price 7/10
• 6*Ist crystal sword - magic find -10/10, switch when killing boss

Switch Shield

• 4*Ist monarch - magic find 10/10, switch when killing boss

Body Armor

• Stealth runeword - usefulness 5/10, price 2/10
• Skin of the Vipermagi unique armor - usefulness 7/10, price 5/10
• Tal Rasha's set armor - usefulness 6/10, price 6/10
• Ormus's robe unique armor - usefulness 7/10, price 5/10
• Chains of Honor runeword - usefulness 10/10, price 8/10
• Skullder's Ire - usefulness 6/10, price 5/10, magic find 10/10

Belt

• Rare belt with +resistances and +life - usefulness 3/10, price 2/10
• Nightsmoke unique belt - usefulness 4/10, price 2/10
• Tal Rasha's set belt - usefulness 6/10, price 3/10
• Arachnid Mesh unique belt - usefulness 10/10, price 6/10
• Goldwrap unique belt - magic find 10/10, price 3/10

Rings

• Rare ring with +resistances and/or +life - usefulness 3/10, price 1/10
• Raven Frost unique ring - usefulness 8/10, price 4/10
• Bul Katho's Wedding Band unique ring - usefulness 8/10, price 6/10
• Stone of Jordan unique ring - usefulness 10/10, price 6/10
• Nagelring - magic find 9/10, price 3/10
• Magic rings with 40% MF - magic find 10/10, price 6/10

Gloves

• Magefist unique gloves - usefulness 10/10, price 3/10
• Trang Oul's set gloves - usefulness 8/10, price 3/10
• Frostburn unique gloves - usefulness 8/10, price 3/10
• Chance Guards unique gloves - magic find 10/10, price 3/10

Boots

• Rare boots with 30% faster run and walk, % to faster hit recovery - usefulness 5/10, price 2/10
• Waterwalk unique boots - usefulness 8/10, price 4/10
• War Traveler unique boots - usefulness 7/10, price 5/10, magic find 10/10

Charms

• Any charm with +skill, life, faster hit recovery or faster run and walk - usefulness 4/10, price 1/10
• Annihilus unique charm - usefulness 10/10, price 8/10
• Hellfire Torch unique charm - usefulness 10/10, price 6/10
• Magic grand charms with +1 to cold/lightning/fire skills - usefulness 7/10, price 4/10
• Magic grand charms with +1 to cold/lightning/fire skills and +life, +faster hit recovery or +faster run and walk - usefulness 8-10/10, price 5-10/10
• Magic small charms with resistances and life - usefulness 8-10/10, price 6-9/10
• 7% to magic find magic small charms - magic find 10/10, price 3/10
• Gheed's fortune unique charm - magic find 10/10, price 4/10

Mercenary

Have a Normal Act2 Combat or Defensive Mercenary (Prayer or Defiance aura) to provide you with mana and life regeneration, or additional defense.

Ethereal items don't lose durability if your mercenary wears them, so having ethereal item bases for each gear slot is preferred due to their 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 to increase mercenary resistances and survivability - usefulness 5/10, price 1/10
• Tal Rasha's set helm - usefulness 6/10, price 3/10
• Vampire Gaze unique helm - usefulness 7/10, price 4/10
• Guillame's face set helm - usefulness 8/10, price 4/10
• Andariel's Visage unique helm - usefulness 10/10, price 5/10

Weapon -

• Insight runeword to provide you with meditation aura so you never run out of mana - preferably in elite base - usefulness 7/10, price 4/10
• Bonehew unique weapon - usefulness 5/10, price 4/10
• Tomb Reaver unique weapon - usefulness 6/10, price 5/10
• Reaper's Toll unique weapon - usefulness 8/10, price 6/10
• Infinity runeword - usefulness 10/10, price 8/10

Body Armor-

• Treachery runeword - usefulness 9/10, price 4/10
• Fortitude runeword - usefulness 10/10, price 7/10

Rpgstash.com will have D2R items in its Ladder selection already on day 1. We will be doing our best to let you buy 2.4 ladder items right at the beginning of the season including the new runewords, so you can climb the ladder rankings as fast as possible!

Must have items for this build:

If you want to get the best items and runewords in the game, check out our D2R Store.