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With the arrival of Season 7 in Diablo 2 Resurrected, some players might feel a bit underwhelmed by the lack of new content from the developers. However, this season opens up new opportunities for players to explore and experiment with different builds. I'm kicking off this season with a build I've never started ladder with before the Crossbow Enchant Sorceress. This build promises to offer a fresh and challenging experience, transitioning from budget gear to the endgame setup on the ladder.

Understanding the Crossbow Enchant Sorceress

The Crossbow Enchant Sorceress is an intriguing build that leverages the enchantment spell on a crossbow to deliver powerful fire damage. To clear up any confusion, the ladder starter build I refer to is not the one you play through the game with but rather the build you transition into after completing the game. The key D2R items for this build are the Demon Machine or Kuko Shakaku crossbows, which provide the necessary firepower for this setup.

Why Choose This Build?

  • Unique Playstyle: Unlike typical sorceress builds, the Crossbow Enchant Sorceress uses a crossbow, adding a unique twist to the gameplay.

  • Challenging Progression: Starting with budget gear and working your way up to endgame equipment offers a rewarding experience.

  • Versatility: This build allows for different strategies and gear combinations to optimize damage, survivability, and magic find.

Gearing Up: From Budget to Endgame

Starting with budget gear, the journey to endgame equipment requires strategic item selection and farming. Here’s a breakdown of the essential gear and skills for the Crossbow Enchant Sorceress:

Core Gear

1. Weapon:

  • Demon Machine: This crossbow provides explosive fire arrows with a 66% chance to pierce.

  • Kuko Shakaku: Another viable option, but with only a 50% chance to pierce, which can be supplemented with the Razortail belt.

2. Helmet:

  • Early Game: A three-socket helm with perfect topazes for magic find.

  • Mid Game: Wisdom for mana leech, cannot be frozen, and increased attack speed.

  • End Game: Flickering Flame for -enemy fire resistance and +3 to fire skills.

3. Armor:

  • Early Game: Stealth for early progression.

  • Mid Game: Skin of the Vipermagi for +1 to all skills and faster cast rate.

  • End Game: Chains of Honor for resistances and +2 to all skills.

4. Gloves:

  • Magefist: For +1 to fire skills and a faster cast rate.

5. Belt:

  • Razortail: For increased pierce chance.

6. Boots:

  • Early Game: Rare boots with resistance and faster run/walk.

  • End Game: Sandstorm Trek for poison resistance and faster hit recovery.

7. Rings:

  • Raven Frost: For cannot be frozen and dexterity.

  • Magic Find Ring: With resistances and other beneficial stats.

8. Amulet:

  • Crafted Caster Amulet: For faster cast rate and +1 to fire skills.

Skills Allocation

1. Enchant: Max this skill to add significant fire damage to your attacks.

2. Warmth: Max this skill as it synergizes with Enchant and keeps your mana up.

3. Fire Mastery: Max this skill to amplify your fire damage.

4. Energy Shield: Invest 15 hard points into this for damage absorption.

5. Telekinesis: Invest 10 hard points to reduce the mana cost of Energy Shield.

6. Static Field: One point for utility, as its range increases with +skills.

7. Frozen Armor: One point for additional defense.

Early Game Strategy

As a budget Crossbow Enchant Sorceress, you need to focus on farming areas where you can effectively deal with enemies and start collecting better gear. Here are some recommended farming spots:

1. Countess: Immune to fire, but her minions are not. Your mercenary can handle her while you deal with her minions.

2. Andariel: Weak to fire, making her an ideal target for early farming.

3. Stony Tombs: No inherent fire immunities, making it a good place to farm for gear.

4. Eldritch and Shenk: Relatively easy to farm and can drop decent items.

Transitioning to Mid and Endgame

Once you've farmed sufficient gear and gained a few levels, it's time to transition to more challenging areas and gear up for the endgame:

1. Mephisto: Utilize Static Field and your fire damage to quickly take him down.

2. Ancient Tunnels: Another level 85 area with no fire immunes, perfect for magic finding.

3. Lower Kurast: Open chests in player 8 games to find high runes and other valuable items.

4. Chaos Sanctuary: With better gear, this area becomes viable for high rune farming and other valuable drops.

The Mercenary Setup

Your mercenary is a crucial part of your setup, providing additional damage, utility, and tanking. Here's a recommended setup for your Act 2 mercenary:

1. Holy Freeze Aura: To slow down enemies and reduce the damage you take.

2. Weapon: Insight for the Meditation aura, which helps with mana regeneration.

3. Helmet: Blood Helm for life leech and survivability.

4. Armor: Treachery for increased attack speed and resistance.

Conclusion

While Diablo 2 Resurrected's Season 7 may not introduce new content, it offers a perfect opportunity for players to explore and experiment with unconventional builds. The Crossbow Enchant Sorceress is a refreshing and challenging choice, providing a unique gameplay experience. By starting with budget gear and gradually working your way up to endgame equipment, you can enjoy the rewarding journey of mastering this build. So, why not try something new this season and embrace the Crossbow Enchant Sorceress? Happy farming and may your drops be ever in your favor!

If you have any questions or need further guidance, feel free to leave a comment. Don't forget to like and subscribe to P2Pah for more Diablo 2 Resurrected content.