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DaBiggy's IceElf: A translated German Guide


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IceElf: A German Guide by DaBiggy translated 2009-Jan-12

Version 1.1.2

12.Jan.2009

 

 

I used the English Sacred Wiki as a source for a lot of the numbers presented here... I'm not mathematically inclined and am very grateful to be able to harvest from there. So: Big thanks to the Sacred wiki!

 

Hello! Welcome to my IceElf Guide.

 

I took the existing IceElf guide and adapted it to my style of play. If you love area of effect (Area of Effect), you'll love this build! This guide is not for melee-oriented players... just ones that use spells. The main spell will be Glacial Thorns while wearing a shield and carrying a one handed sword. There will be info on defense since survival is essential. {Frost: sounds like a Hardcore character guide}

 

Sections will be as follows:

 

1) Abbreviations

2) Attributes

3) Skills

4) Combat Arts

5) Buffs

6) The Mount

7) Playing Style

8) Runes

9) Items

10) Patches

11) Link list

12) To Do List

13) Final Word

 

 

1) Abbreviations

CA - Combat Art

level - level

+taS - + to all skills

+taCA - + to all combat arts

+experience - +% experience

+mf - chance to find special items, aka Magic Find

EP - Enhanced Perception

 

 

2) Attributes

Strength - increase melee damage

Dexterity - increase ranged weapon damage

Stamina - decrease regen times for combat arts (spells)

Intelligence - increase damage from spells

Vitality - increase life points

Willpower - increase resistance to spells

 

Since each attribute will increase by 10% of start values, you can enjoy benefits from each attribute increasing anyway. We find that Stamina, Vitality and Intelligence are useful attributes to increase for the IceElf. Stamina is especially needed at the lower levels when regen is a very limiting factor on the IceElf. Later, damage and increase life become more important. 2:3 or 3:2 points for Vitality and Intelligence as you see fit.

 

3) The Skills

 

8 are core skills with 2 free choices:

 

Mystic Stormite Lore

Mystic Stormite Focus

Delphic Arcania Focus

Concentration

Constitution

Shield Lore

Armour Lore

Ancient Magic

 

The order you take the skills is up to you, but this is the order you need to maximize to mastery (level 75). The shield and armour lores need not go so high.

 

921 skill points are available. So, we can have 2 skills kept at character level and all the others at 75.

 

Our main skills are the Stormite skills, we need to keep them at character level from the beginning. Things get a bit more complicated if you take Bargaining as a free skill choice, which needs a high skill investment to pay off. After these 3, Delphic Arcane Focus should go to 75 next.

 

HC variant: Push Armour Lore up to 75 instead of Delphic Arcane Focus first. Your elf can wear heavier armour without regen penalty. The armour focus also protects your built in Magic Find from Survival Bonus. In a non-hardcore character you can always regrow your SB, with HC, it is over right away if the character dies.

 

The Skill Choices Are:

 

1) The Negotiator. Skill: Bargaining. Amazingly good rings and amulets are available to the character with high bargaining skill. Bargaining is one of the most important skills for the High Elf.

 

Second choice skills for the Negotiator:

 

a) Riding

b) Spell Resistance

c) Enhanced Perception

 

2) The Pilgrim. 9th skill choice is either Riding or Divine Devotion. 10th skill choice is Enhanced Perception. Riding is highly recommended. At character level 75 the next skill to max out should be Enhanced Perception.

 

3) The Warrior. 9th skill: Magic Staffs. 10th skill: choice of Speed Lore or Tactics Lore. This is an unlikely build since you need to have a high damage staff to make it viable. Such staves are not yet found in the game, but could be patched in.

 

4) The Combo Champion. Some people really want to use combos, which an IceElf normally does not need. So. This build choice is provided. 9th choice: Combat Discipline. 10th choice: Bargaining (highly recommended) or Riding.

 

 

 

4) The Combat Arts

 

We'll use 4 spells and 2 buffs. This underlines it is so important to bring Mystic Stormite Focus to level 75 as soon as possible. Our main combat art will be Glacial Thorns.

 

Glacial Thorns - (Ice Splinters)

Very powerful to single targets and as an Area of Effect (Area of Effect). Single targets can be hit with every shard, and groups can be hit by a wide dispersal spray.

 

Modifications to Glacial Thorns

 

Bronze

* Fusillade - Increases the number of frozen thorns. (16.2% increase in base number, 8.6% increase in bonus number gained from CA levels)

* Frost - Increases damage inflicted by each frozen thorn. (70% increase in Ice damage)

 

I think more shards=better, especially against bosses. An argument could be made for more ice damage too I suppose.

 

Silver

* Devastation - Increases the change for critical hits. (9.8% + 0.2% per CA level increased chance)

* Pierce - Chance that thorns will continue to spear forward after hitting a target. (33.4% + 0.2% per CA level chance)

 

While increased crit is great, increase lag due to all the calculations is not. I support the pierce option since it make the character less susceptible to lag... which kills.

 

Gold

* Fusillade - Increases the number of frozen thorns. (16.2% increase in base number, 8.6% increase in bonus number gained from CA levels)

* Pierce - Chance that thorns will continue to spear forward after hitting a target. (33.4% + 0.2% per CA level chance)

 

Your choice here depends on your earlier choices. More shards or pass-through? If you haven't taken pass-through, you should take it now. If you want more shards, well... take that. If you gather big mobs of monsters and then let fly, you'll want Pierce. Players who do this often have a large regen on their shards--they had better not miss!

 

Raging Nimbus

 

A raging blizzard sweeps across the target area damaging opponents with lightning and additionally slowing them down considerably.

 

Raging Nimbus Modifications

 

The idea in this build is to use the Raging Nimbus to slow the enemy, not to kill them. So. Anything that slows the enemy is good. Lightning frequency is better to increase than ice damage. The choices are yours to make.

 

Cascading Shroud - (Mist Form)

 

The High Elf becomes wisp-like in substance. Her fogged appearance makes her a difficult target for weapons, but increases her vulnerability to fire.

 

We only use CS when the situation is delicate. Like just before a boss fight. Or we're about to face a big mob.

 

 

Cascading Shroud Modifications

Bronze

* Faint - Reduces the probability of being struck by weapons. (4% + 0.2% per CA level evade)

* Mist - Additionally reduces physical damage. (20% + 0.2% per CA level dampening)

 

Since we will be using Crystal skin, we don't really need the reduction in physical damage. Choose Faint. Less chance to be hit at all.

 

Silver

* Intangible - Chance to fully resist root effects. (49.5% + 0.5% per CA level chance)

* Inconspicuous - Reduces the chance to be detected by opponents. (1% + 0.5% per CA level reduced chance)

 

We're not using CS to run away, we're using it as temporary buff. Choose inconspicuous. Less chance of being seen while the spell lasts.

 

Gold

* Steam - Reduces the vulnerability to fire effects. (10% + 0.4% per CA level dampening)

* Facileness - Increases run speed while Cascading Shroud is active. (20% + 0.2% per CA level increase)

 

I chose Facileness. However, Steam would be great against dragonfire. If your just going to use CS to fight bosses, choose Steam. I like the speed boost when I'm not in battle.

 

 

Shadow Step (Delphic Arcana Aspect)

With this spell the High Elf can teleport to any location within her line of sight. She will even be able to render herself invisible or invulnerable after the teleport making this spell a valuable strategic asset.

 

 

Shadow Step Modifications

Bronze

* Phase Shift - Decreases the cool-down time, not regeneration time, of Shadow Step. (50% + 0.5% per CA level decreased)

* Escape - Chance to break all rooting effects while teleporting. (100% chance)

 

Phase Shift--the only way to bring down cooldown time to 15 seconds. The only choice.

 

Silver

* Vanish - The caster remains invisible for a brief period after the teleport. (9.9 sec + 0.1 sec per CA level)

* Sanctuary - The caster is briefly invulnerable after the teleport. (100% dampening of physical damage for 4(?) seconds)

 

Vanish is the choice since Crystal Skin gives us high physical resistance.

 

Gold

* Explosion - Inflicts damage while teleporting. (To get an idea it does as much as the unmodded fire damage part of Fireball, damage type is magic)

* Mend - Heals the caster during teleport. (20% + 0.2% per CA level healing)

 

Mend- I prefer to heal rather than damage. We do have Glacial Thorns for damage! {Frost' note: Yup. But GT is ice/physical. Explosion would be fire damage. A new type, useful against a different set of opponents, and thus valuable to the IceElf.}

 

 

5) The Buffs

 

Crystal Skin

 

The ultimate buff. Boosts physical resistance {Frost's note: the most common form of damage in the game} and reduces our regen for our Stormite spells.

 

 

Crystal Skin Modifications

Bronze

* Freeze - Slows movement rate of opponents in close combat range. (19.8% + 0.2% per CA level slow)

* Glacial Mirror - Increases the chance to reflect incoming detrimental magical effects. (8% + 0.4% per CA level chance to reflect spell)

 

Well. This depends on your skill choice. If you did not take Magic Resistance skill, choose Glacial Mirror. If you did, then consider either as a free choice.

 

Silver

* Feel Cold - Reduces the opponent's resistance against ice damage. (20% + 0.5% per CA level reduction)

* Focalize - Increases the spell intensity of the aspect Mystic Stormite combat arts. (30% + 1% per CA level increase)

 

 

I chose Feel Cold. I want to be able to damage even Ice creatures. I could have chosen Focalize to strength the spell intensity of all Stormite spells... but I'm hoping Ancient Magic boost of 75 levels will give me a much needed damage boost.

 

Gold

* Mystic Stormite Expertise - Decreases the regeneration time for the Mystic Stormite aspect. (26.7% + 1.3% per CA level decrease)

* Frosty Breeze - Additionally increases ice damage. (50% + 2% per CA level increase)

 

I chose Mystic Stormite Expertise. I like the much lower regen times. If you choose Frosty Breeze you're going to have much longer regen times. With Frosty Breeze you'll get a big jump in Ice damage... which also makes it a good choice. I suspect it will be much harder to play a Frosty Breeze IceElf, so I chose Mystic Stormite Expertise.

 

Grand Invigoration - Regenerative Power (Delphic Aracania Aspect)

 

When active, hitpoints and spells will regenerate at an increased rate.

 

Grand Invigoration Modifications

 

Bronze

* Arrant Pyromancer Expertise - The regeneration time for the aspect Arract Pyromancer will decrease significantly. (10% + 1% per CA level decrease)

* Mystic Stormite Expertise - The regeneration time for the aspect Mystic Stormite will decrease significantly. (10% + 1% per CA level decrease)

 

No brainer here! Mystic Stormite Expertise FTW!

 

Silver

* Replenish - Further decreases the regeneration time of all spells. (7% + 0.7% per CA level decrease)

* Life Energy - Additionally increases the hitpoint regeneration rate. (1.5hp/sec + 1hp/sec per CA level)

 

Choose Replenish. Life regen is nice, but we want spells when we want them. Not later.

 

Gold

* Resilience - Reduces the impact and duration of incoming detrimental effects. (30% + 0.3% per CA level reduction on debuffs)

* Fleetness - Increases run speed while Grand Invigoration is active. (9.9% + 0.1% per CA level increase)

 

I like speed, so I took Fleetness. If you prefer you can choose Resilience.

 

6) The Mount

 

Whether we took Riding skill or not, we'll use the Wind Serpent that boosts Mystic Stormite spells, aka the Ice Mount. We should have roughly the same regen as an unmounted character, but with 25% more life points. If our life counter drops to 0, our mount will die and we won't. Well worth the gold. {Frost's edit: Especially to a hard core character!}

 

7) Play Style

 

Pretty simple: Start Crystal Skin and Grand Invigoration when you enter the game. Always use a Mount. Use Glacial Thorns as your primary attack. Add a Raging Nimbus if you face a boss. Use Cascading Shroud just before a boss fight. Maintain a minimum distance from the boss. You don't want to melee with them. Keep moving. Never stop. Avoid projectiles.

 

8) Runes

 

What runes are we supposed to read? What ones should we not read? The answer is simple. Crystal Skin, Grand Invigoration and Cascading Shroud can be read. The others are to be increased by equipment and socketing equipment. Why socketing and equipment? Because they have a lower regen penalty for higher levels than just reading the runes would cause. The difference is socketed/equipped levels cost 1/2 of the cost of just reading a rune. This implies the IceElf that just reads runes will have twice the regeneration time for the same damage compared to an IceElf that uses socketed/item levels to boost her spells. Or... the runes read IceElf at the same regen time will have 1/2 the damaging power compared to an socketed/equipment IceElf.

 

9) The Items

 

So far we have covered the basics. Getting the right equipment is an art -- from drops and shopping and balancing skill levels with spell levels with damage dealt with damage prevented, evaded or blocked.

 

Things I look for in items:

 

1) Rings: to all skills +X, to all combat arts +X. These are the best. Next best is +X ice damage.

 

2) sockets in armour: we boost the value of the armour by socketing rings.

 

3) bonuses built-in to the armours: we want the following bonuses:

+taS, +taCA, +Mystic Stormite Focus, +Mystic Stormite Lore, +ice damage%, +physical damage%, +experience, +mf, +defense, +x specific spell we use, and much more.

 

4) avoid items that boost skills we don't have and have no or minimal sockets. We're not fighters, so a boost to Attack rating doesn't matter.

 

Helmets

 

2 set helmets are great for us:

 

Faladal's Eye : Raging Nimbus +X, Spell Resistance +X%, Casting Speed +X%, Physical Resistance, one socket. Not very good for us, and only one socket.

http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5...aladal%27s_Eye

 

Cowl of Antiquity: Grand Invigoration +X, Intelligence +X, xp +X%, two sockets.

http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5...l_of_Antiquity

 

Circlet of Innocence: Visibility range, defense, 3 sockets.

http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5...t_of_Innocence

 

 

Torso armour:

 

Robe of Innocence: chance to find valuables +X%, 3 sockets.

http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5...e_of_Innocence

 

Velaria's Garment: defensive skills +X, 3 gold sockets.

http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5...ia%27s_Garment

 

Faladal's Moxy: Crystal Skin +X, Max Hit Points +X, 2 sockets.

http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5...ladal%27s_Moxy

 

Velaria's 3 gold sockets are great. Life bonus or Magic Find are also very nice to have.

 

 

 

Belt:

 

A girl has a hard time finding good accessories these days...

2 sockets and bonuses that aren't that great are the best we can find in Faladal's Belt:

 

Faladal's Cord: Stamina +X, Cascading Shroud + X, 2 sockets.

http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5...ladal%27s_Cord

 

Pants/Legs:

 

Pantaloons of Innocence: Chance to Evade, Run Speed, 3 sockets.

http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5...s_of_Innocence

 

Faladal's Safe Step: Glacial Thorns, Combat Discipline, Mystic Stormite Lore, 1 socket.

http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5...%27s_Safe_Step

 

Again 3 sockets trumps the other benefits. Socket the right rings, and you're rockin'!

 

 

The shoes:

 

Boots of Remembrance: Chance to Evade, Shadow Step, Delphic Arcania Focus, 2 sockets.

 

Faladal's Finesse: Raging Nimbus, Spell resistance, Casting Speed, 1 socket.

http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5...al%27s_Finesse

 

First choice: Boots of Remembrance for the Arcania Focus and 2 sockets. If not, then Faladal's.

 

 

The Shoulders:

 

Faladal's Sound: Glacial Thorns, Frost Flare, Casting Speed, 1 socket.

http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5...adal%27s_Sound

 

 

Velaria's Wristguards Crit, Regen, Spell Intensity, Casting Speed, 1 socket.

http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5...7s_Wristguards

 

Because of bonus to Glacial Thorns, Faladal's is first choice.

 

 

 

Gloves:

 

Velaria's Mitts: All combat arts +X, Spell intensity, Attack value, Ranged defense value, 1 socket.

http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5...aria%27s_Mitts

 

 

Faladal's Gloves: Crit, Frost Flare, Glacial Thorns, Regen per hit, 1 socket.

http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5...dal%27s_Gloves

 

Velaria's gloves are the best out there for a High Elf. Bonus to every spell, and more intensity. Faladal's aren't so bad either, but definitely second choice.

 

The Weapon:

 

Unique weapons:

 

Officer's Saber: (one handed sword) Faster increase of Survival Bonus, Attack Value, 4 sockets

Tinwora's Curse (hafted weapon): All combat arts +X, decrease regen, casting speed, 3 sockets.

Rancuil's Dark Flame: (one handed staff): decrease buff regen, Ancient Magic, Attack Value, 3 sockets.

 

http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5...iques_Database

 

The best weapon for a High Elf is Tinwora' Curse, it was designed with a caster in mine. Mega's ring in the Officer's Saber makes is a strong contender for best weapon.

 

 

 

The Shield

 

an unique:Stalworth Safeguard: Faster increase of Survial Bonus, Opponent's chance to proc decreased, big defense bonus, 1 socket.

 

http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5...Unique_Shields

 

Why is this shield the best? Very high resistances. If you take Shield Lore to 75, look for a different shield with chance to block, since blocking (0 damage) is better than resisting (reduced damage). Only drawback is just one socket... but the resistances make up for that.

 

 

Rings and Amulets

 

All skills, all combat arts come only on yellow rings. No big deal, with high bargaining you should find many at the merchants. Also to look for are + Ice Damage and + Mystic Stormite Lore and Mystic Stormite Focus. 3rd tier of bonus to look for: XP and MF.

 

PATCH

 

The Patch cut down the damage the IceElf dealt to 1/6 of previous values. Damage numbers reduced to 1/4, but armour resistance reduced actual damage further.

 

To keep the damage up, you need to have much higher levels of Glacial Thorns. Low regen builds will fail now at the higher difficulty levels as they cannot overcome the resistances of the opponents. So, pump your skill levels, pump your spell level and use items with "reduce opponent's resistances".

 

Recommended that you run a Bargaining character ahead of your IceElf to shop for her. Because Glacial Thorns can be used both on individuals and area of effect, it makes for a much more enjoyable Sacred playing experience. Either the elf wipes out the opponent, or gets wiped out herself. No middle ground. The classic glass cannon.

 

11) Links

 

Sicfreid's FAQ in German

Zigfive's High Elf Spells

 

12) To Do List

a) Insert Images

b) Insert Abbreviations

c) Improve spelling

d) General improvements

 

13) Final Word

 

I hope you like my guide and have a good idea of what skills to take. If you wish to distribute this guide, please send me a PM so I can give you my consent. If you have questions or criticism, please let me know as soon as possible.

 

I'm still looking for images for all the items discussed here, and would like to receive images around levels 80 to 90 to compliment the others here already. Unfortunately, I cannot harvest from the Sacred wiki because of the level differences.

 

I wish to thank both Unimatrix and Gorx for help with this guide.

 

Wishing you tons of fun

 

DaBiggy

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Good guide :) The Ice HE and Fire HE seem to have the same the same skill setup (just compare this with the pyro HE), which is not strange at all. Pyro is Damage + Damage, while Ice is Defense + Damage.

 

I see that biggy doesn't add frost flare here. FF is good at start for sniping, but later on isn't enough to do the kill, so I guess he's playing GT mostly :D

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  • 2 months later...

I've got a few questions about an Ice elf build (originally posted over here

):

 

I'm curious about trying one myself (my level 14 shopper was spamming Raging Nimbus, which was quite fun, though she did have quite a lot of +all skills).

 

I do have two questions about some of the CAs:

Crystal skin Feel Cold mod - does this affect all monsters, or just those in melee range?

Cascading Shroud fire vulnerability - does the vulnerability increase with CA level & does the benefit from the Steam mod increase faster (ie, at some point, will the Steam mod get rid of the fire vulnerability)?

 

Skills:

Mystic Stormite Lore (damage)

Concentration (2 buffs & regen)

Mystic Stormite Focus (regen & CA level)

Delphic Arcana Focus (regen & CA level)

Armour Lore

Combat Discipline (damage)

Ancient Magic (damage & mastery)

Riding

Delphic Arcana Lore (damage & health regen)?

Constitution/Spell Resist?

 

 

CAs:

Crystal Skin - Glacial Mirror/Feel Cold/MS Expertise?

Grand Invigoration - Mystic Stormite Expertise/Replenish?/Resilience

Raging Nimbus - Wrath (damage)/Roar (reduced attack)/Cyclone (duration)

GT - Frost (damage)/Devastation (crit)/Fusillade (more thorns)

Cascading Shroud - Mist (more physical damage reduction)/Inconspicuous (invisibility)/Steam (reduction to fire vulnerability)

Shadow Step - Phase Shift (cooldown reduction)/Vanish?/Explosion

 

Crystal Skin Feel Cold. I'm not entirely sure how much of an effect Spell Intensity has, I was always of the opinion that failing a spell intensity/resistance check resulted in reduced damage rather than no damage (like failing an attack/defence check), so both Feel Cold & the other mod are ways to increase your damage (one by reducing reducing the target's resists & the other by making you less likely to do reduced damage). Since I don't understand spell intensity as well, I went for the resists reduction, though I was also planning on getting the Ancient Magic Mastery as well (hopefully the resist reduction stacks).

 

Cascading Shroud. I was more thinking of using this for boss/large battles rather than keeping it up constantly.

 

Stats - I always put all my stat points to Vit as I don't like dieing. I know that Int would give me more damage/spell intensity (-> damage) & Stamina would give me lower regens (-> higher CA lvls -> more damage), but I like having as much HP as I can.

 

IIRC my Ice HE is level 5 or so & has a mod point saved, so I'm at the point of making my second choice for Crystal Skin. Thinking about it, if I met up with someone in a pvp server, we could test the range on the resist reduction from Feel Cold, I think I'll see if I can grab anyone tonight & see what I can see.

 

My view on the duration v size for RN was that taking the duration would make it easier to get to the stage where you can have multiple RN up at the same time, which multiplies the damage. Having a larger are covered makes it easier to hit more monsters (if they're running away or scattered about, like ranged attackers).

 

I went for the damage mod as this should allow more damage to get through their resistances (since that's a theme in S1 & 2, fewer large hits will do more damage than more smaller hits), which should "stack" with the reduced resistances from Crystal Skin Feel Cold mod & Ancient Magic mastery. Though you could take the view that Feel Cold & Ancient Magic mastery will be "enough" & that an increased number of hits would do more damage (though that probably depends on whether you're going up against something with high or low resists v Physical/Ice).

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