Tal Rasha set vs uniques

[Aginrikr]

Well, after a 2 month summer break from d2, I'll give it another go, but
after reading about the recent troubles with ladder, like nl items there,
and the never-ending botting, ladder ain't that tempting this season.
So my plan is to make a mf sorc in ladder, and trade for some better nl
items.
But I'm wondering what would be the best setup item-wise. Have gone through
the stats of tal set and the usual mf items (harlequin/skullders etc), and
it seems to me you get some more mf with a mixed unique setup, but the best
res/life/mana with the tal set. Will probably use an Ali Baba+Rhyme on
switch for last kill.
Any of you got any useful input? I've always used uniques before, but maybe
I'll go for the tal set now.

Thx,
Agin

[Sir Craven]

Aginrikr wrote:

[...]

Post by Aginrikr
But I'm wondering what would be the best setup item-wise. Have gone through
the stats of tal set and the usual mf items (harlequin/skullders etc), and
it seems to me you get some more mf with a mixed unique setup, but the best
res/life/mana with the tal set. Will probably use an Ali Baba+Rhyme on
switch for last kill.
Any of you got any useful input? I've always used uniques before, but maybe
I'll go for the tal set now.

I've built a Hydra sorc on the new ladder (ESCL) for MF runs and pure fun
(I can't stand the countless cookie-cutter builds running around ;)).
A week ago or so she found Tal's amulet from Baal in NM, which was the
last piece I needed to complete the set.

At level 80 she uses Tal's set (armor and helm socketed with a perfect
topaz each), 40% chance guards, a 35% MF Gheed's, a 21% MF Nagelring and
some more random mf items all the time. She has maxed resistances in hell
with Moser's shield (two diamonds) and a bit less than 350% MF all the
time, even while questing.

When she's facing bosses like Mephisto or Baal, she has an Ali Baba and a
Rhyme shield on switch which pushes her MF to about 450% - which is enough
IMHO.

So far she has no skill or MF charms, so she could be improved even
further although she's doing fine. To this point, she has found me a
number of nice items like Arreat's face, Oculus, Harlequin Crest (am I the
only one who hates calling the Harly "shako"?), Ravenfrost, four IK set
pieces, her Tal's pieces except for the armor, and more.

My point? Go for the Tal set. :)

Post by Aginrikr
Thx,
Agin

HTH,
SC

[Aginrikr]

Post by Sir Craven
My point? Go for the Tal set. :)

Hehe, was already leaning towards it, but think I've decided now. It also
gives some nice +skills besides the res/mf, and I usually have a mf % around
what you have there, so, yeah :-) And I never got around to use the complete
Tal set in last ladder. Aiming for a blizz sorc this time (yeh yeh, cheap, I
know), as she is only for farming items to trade for nl items.

Thanks for the input.

Agin

ps. Anyone got some spare tal items on europe scl? :-p

[Sir Craven]

Post by Aginrikr
Thanks for the input.

Glad I could help.

[...]

Post by Aginrikr
ps. Anyone got some spare tal items on europe scl? :-p

Heh, actually I do (orb, belt, mask), but I was going to offer
them at the ETF - I might be convinced to let you have them for a number
of perfect gems. :)

If you're interested, send me a message in game (*Sir_Craven1) or leave a
pm at the ETF (Sir_Craven).

SC

[Aginrikr]

Post by Sir Craven
Heh, actually I do (orb, belt, mask), but I was going to offer
them at the ETF - I might be convinced to let you have them for a number
of perfect gems. :)
If you're interested, send me a message in game (*Sir_Craven1) or leave a
pm at the ETF (Sir_Craven).

Sure, just let me scavenge some cow games first :-)

Agin

[RU42]

Post by Aginrikr
Well, after a 2 month summer break from d2, I'll give it another go, but
after reading about the recent troubles with ladder, like nl items there,
and the never-ending botting, ladder ain't that tempting this season.
So my plan is to make a mf sorc in ladder, and trade for some better nl
items.
But I'm wondering what would be the best setup item-wise. Have gone through
the stats of tal set and the usual mf items (harlequin/skullders etc), and
it seems to me you get some more mf with a mixed unique setup, but the best
res/life/mana with the tal set. Will probably use an Ali Baba+Rhyme on
switch for last kill.
Any of you got any useful input? I've always used uniques before, but maybe
I'll go for the tal set now.
Thx,
Agin

One question that pops into my mind, SC or HC. If SC - either is
fine. If HC, then I think the best way to go is Tals. If you ain't
living then it doesn't matter how much MF you have.

I have completed a HC Tals and she is doing very well. I have Max
resists and substantial life (cannot remember the amount off hand.)
On switch is a Gull plus Ward (a lucky shot by a monster could ruin
the whole day.)

I sit at about 300MF in combat and 400 on Switch. I can still socket
my orb (IST) and Mask (PTopaz) and add about 50 more MF. If I can
get some War Travs I would could go up an additional 25 from where I
am now. And I am using Frosties for the extra mana - if I switched to
Chances, then I could go up more.

My merc is using Wealth and 3 PTopaz helm, so when I can let him get
in the kill, MF goes up another 175.

With the diminishing returns of MF, I cannot see how a unique setup
will get much better. Maybe the MF raw numbers will be higher but %
would be extremely slim. When you factor in all the mana, life, and
resists the set provides, I think Tals is the clear winner.

RU

[steve]

Post by Aginrikr
Well, after a 2 month summer break from d2, I'll give it another go, but
after reading about the recent troubles with ladder, like nl items there,
and the never-ending botting, ladder ain't that tempting this season.
So my plan is to make a mf sorc in ladder, and trade for some better nl
items.
But I'm wondering what would be the best setup item-wise. Have gone through
the stats of tal set and the usual mf items (harlequin/skullders etc), and
it seems to me you get some more mf with a mixed unique setup, but the best
res/life/mana with the tal set. Will probably use an Ali Baba+Rhyme on
switch for last kill.
Any of you got any useful input? I've always used uniques before, but maybe
I'll go for the tal set now.

I wouldn't trade my Tal's set for any other gear. Topazed the armor and
helm and my finishing gear is on SOJ, one Nagel, boots with about 20MF and
some resists and an upped Viscerant. With a couple 6%-7% mfsc's I'm at
about 315MF which is where I stop worrying about any more. If I could find
a damned Gheeds I'd be happy at the 350ish mark (last ladder they dropped
like candy for me - not this one for some reason)

75% block is pretty easy on the upgraded Viscerant and the set makes for a
killing machine - at least for a cookie cutter orb/fireball/meteor sorc.
The -15% fire resistance bonus is really underestimated in my opinion,
resists are very good as is defense. I keep a wizardspike and lidless on
switch for teleporting (bunch of mana and faster cast) - I prefer to get
where I'm going faster on MF runs than worrying about bumping MF from 315 to
405.

[RegNitto]

Post by Aginrikr
Well, after a 2 month summer break from d2, I'll give it another go,
but after reading about the recent troubles with ladder, like nl
items there, and the never-ending botting, ladder ain't that tempting
this season.
So my plan is to make a mf sorc in ladder, and trade for some better
nl items.
But I'm wondering what would be the best setup item-wise. Have gone
through the stats of tal set and the usual mf items
(harlequin/skullders etc), and it seems to me you get some more mf
with a mixed unique setup, but the best res/life/mana with the tal
set. Will probably use an Ali Baba+Rhyme on switch for last kill.
Any of you got any useful input? I've always used uniques before, but
maybe I'll go for the tal set now.
Thx,
Agin

I have both... Tal's set and a unique set.

Tal's set is cool.. she's pretty and sparkly, but so limited to gear... my
unique sorc has spare armor/rings/amulets for harder areas... anything in NM
or normal gets the full MF gear... somewhere in the neighborhood of 550%.
In hell, I swap out for resists (75/90/75/75) and roughly 350% MF.

Either build is fun to play...

My Unique Sorc (RegSorcer) gear:
Harly w/ PTopaz
Mara's ammy or Rare with 15% all resist & 30%mf
(2) SOJ or (2) Nagels 27%
Occy w/ IST & Rhyme Luna shield
Wiz spike and Lidless on switch (fast cast/mana)
Skullders w/ Ptopaz or Vipermagi w/ resist all charm
Upped Goldwrap or Snowclash
36% Wartravs
38% Chancegaurds

+1 Cold skills GC, Annihilus & Gheeds
charms round out max resist and the rest are 6/7% mfsc.

She's fun :)

Now, what do I do with this Gaurdian Angel armor I found today?

[NuWorld]

Post by RegNitto
Now, what do I do with this Gaurdian Angel armor I found today?

Er, build a pally? :)

[Jack Hollis]

Post by Aginrikr
Any of you got any useful input? I've always used uniques before, but maybe
I'll go for the tal set now.

I used Tals Armor (PTopaz), Belt and Ammy for my MF Sorc. Add to
that an Isted Occy, WT Boots, Rhyme Shield, HC Shako (PTopaz) plus a
coulpe of Nagel rings and you have a very viable killer with good MF.

[Babe Bridou]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Wow, now that's what they call lag! :P