basic sorc questions

[charlengu]

I just DL'd this mod a day or two ago. I read the PDFs and stickies but it really seems overwhelming. My first attempt was actually a druid, and I tried the level challenge. hehe. After about 100 deaths in Tran, I gave up because I ran out of money for TPs. I made it pretty far though. =). Anyway, I have some sorc questions for you guys.

1) How does Meteor Shower do? I guess it has its limitations because of its spell timer, but is it still useable?

2) Is it smart to invest in only two trees instead of three? I tried out lightning cascade a little, and it seems pretty good once you learn how to aim it. Cold Blood reminds me of CE (which I loved on my necros), so I'll probably use that for cold.

3) Is a sorc viable completely untwinked and clueless about the game? =). I know in regular D2 that necros and sorcs do the best untwinked, but in the new player sticky, it talks about druids and barbs. o.o.

Thanks for the answer guys.

[Doabli]

Well you just need to read the readme file first for installation instruction & basic notes. Then when you find something new just search for it in the .pdf files ( don't expect to find anything related to the version bird) .
1/ Check the characters.pdf . It rains a bunch of meteors (total 150) around clicked point, covering the whole screen. Thing is, it is so randomly that monsters get it only once or twice. It is usable if you use it with another skill, say, Apocalypse.

2/ 3 elements is just convenient when you meet boss with Fire Enchanted or so ... 2 is fine ... 3 + Arcane Torrent (magic) for those bastards in Fautz (if you plan to kill them) .

3/ Yes.

[charlengu]

1) Can Flamestrike be used as a primary fire skill? I have 3 points in it, and its doing a lot less than my level 1 Cataclysm. I'm basically combining Flamestrike and Mana Sweep to make corpses for my Cold Blood right now.

2) It says somewhere that freeze is a lot less effective in the 2 later difficulties. Do monsters still get stuck in place? Or are they just slowed down.

Thanks for your help.

[aerial]

The point with cataclysm is it hits multiple times. Each of 32 firebals can hit (when surrounded dmg x32), thats why this skill seems so powerfull even on lv1.

[pza]

i found the elemental sorceress to be one of the most difficult characters to play untwinked.
even though, i'd suggest you to try it. she's incredible weak in taking but very strong in dealing. only the (poison) druid is more fragile than she (she has mage armor and inner fire).

i'd start with a more defensive kind of character.

just a suggestion on how to skill the char:

max: mage armor, vortex, cataclysm, cold blood (if you wanna have 3 elements, otherwise pick both the synergy to cataclysm)
some points: circle of mana, stormtouch if you wanna drink manapots

stats: str+dex for equipment, rest: ~30%(with orb) - 40%(with staff) on energy (staff gives you more energy facor bonus, what makes energy more useful) 60-70% in vita.

2) It says somewhere that freeze is a lot less effective in the 2 later difficulties. Do monsters still get stuck in place? Or are they just slowed down.

--> nope. and that's why flamestrike is only effective against stillstanding monsters like the archers in kurast 3000ba or any totemlike monster.

[xMeox]

my first median char (=untwinked) was a coldblood catalysm sorc... in normal game i had no problems at all, but it you have to farm good items for uberlvls first