Sorcerer 11-20 Progression Guide



By Ralsu


href="http://vanguard.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=530">The
first ten levels as a Sorcerer let you explore how best to maximize
your damage, and you learned to buff before killing for best results.
Levels 11-20 help you become more powerful and give you access to
spells that change the way you play.


cellspacing="2">
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(160, 184, 216);">Sorcerer
11-20 Guide
  1. href="http://vanguard.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=735#I">Level
    11
  2. href="http://vanguard.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=735#II">Levels
    12-13
  3. href="http://vanguard.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=735#III">Levels
    14-15
  4. href="http://vanguard.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=735#IV">Levels
    16-17
  5. href="http://vanguard.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=735#V">Levels
    18-19
  6. href="http://vanguard.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=735#VI">Level
    20
  7. href="http://vanguard.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=735#VII">Soloing
  8. href="http://vanguard.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=735#VIII">Grouping
  9. href="http://vanguard.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=735#IX">Conclusion

I. Level 11

By now, you have had some time to experiment with the skills you
learned at level 10. Remember to use Disperse
I
every chance you get against weaker caster foes. It may not
mean much now, but you're going to want your Counterspelling skill at
max when you fight that boss with an AoE that can almost wipe a group.
Also continue to work on properly using style="font-weight: bold;">Planar Gateway. You need to learn
when to bail out your group, but it's a touchy thing. You can't evac at
the first sign of trouble, and it is very bad form to wait until
everyone else is dead and only save yourself.



This is definitely the time to start looking at making the trip to
other continents and hitting way points for fast travel to groups
later. Along the way, you'll bump into some mobs to kill and the
occasional group. Just a few of the group quests around this level
(think bee hive in Qalia or floating island on Kojan) will get you to
level 12 in no time.


II. Levels 12-13

Now you get new skills, including a couple of new ones. style="font-weight: bold;">Fireball I gives you a new explosive
nuke with some splash damage. Be sure not to break roots and mez'es
with this one! Disenchant is
designed to help remove buffs from a tough mob, but it is quite
expensive and does not always work well. You also get upgrades to style="font-weight: bold;">Taqmir's Bolts and style="font-weight: bold;">Shocking Grasp (yes!). You should
feel pretty powerful after this level.


III. Levels 14-15

Two skills learned at this level are the first in a new
line of skills for you, so this is a very fun level. First off is style="font-weight: bold;">Amplify Efficiency, which lets you
cast your next spell at no cost. It's a great way to compensate when
you are low on energy. Forget I
is your way of reducing the hate
you have generated with your large nukes. Use it proactively for best
results, as it is rather weak as a reactive spell.



You also get an upgrade to Char,
so you'll have another quick-fire nuke in your arsenal. Finally, the
new ring you can conjure allows you to breathe underwater. This will
add exciting new options for travel to your repertoire.


IV. Levels 16-17

The skills from this level increase your versatility greatly. style="font-weight: bold;">Fire Barrier I begins a new line of
spells that will make you cast spells faster, regen energy faster, and
occasionally regain extra energy after casting a spell. It should
become the staple barrier you wear when in a group. For when you are
solo, you'll be able to use the newest upgrade to style="font-weight: bold;">Force Barrier, which boosts AC and
mitigates damage.



Another new spell for you is Flame
Spear I
. This fiery nuke packs the most punch when used at
maximum range, so it is the perfect opener for when you are solo or if
you (somehow0 pull for your group. Finally, an upgrade to style="font-weight: bold;">Energy Rift should let you get out
there and do some more AoE soloing of light blues.


V. Levels 18-19 src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/vanguard/gallery/albums/album35/Sorcerer_paperdoll.jpg"
style="border: 2px solid ;" align="right">

Level 18 is huge for learning skills, and 4 of them start new
lines! This level will certainly change the way you play your Sorcerer.
Sleep I gives you a new way to
approach crowd control. It will cause the target to fall into a deep
slumber, but it will heal to full health in the process! Use this spell
with caution. See Invisibility
helps you be sure to notice those stealty mobs. Make it a priority to
buff your tank with this spell.



Arcance Mantle I is another
buff, raising arcane resisitance for your defensive target. Use it, but
be sure to continue counterspelling whenever possible. You also get
upgrades to Mimic (finisher),
Taqmir's Bolts (direct damage), and Frostbite
(cold nuke with movement debuff).



Conjure Energy Shard is the
crowning jewel of this level. This spell lets you conjure a shard that
stays in your inventory. You use it when low on energy, and it gives
you a huge infusion (60-90% of max MP). It has a long recast timer, and
you can only store one, but this spell makes you a destructive force!


VI. Level 20

You've reached level 20! This time you learn some skills that will once
again change the way you play your Sorcerer. Chief among those is style="font-weight: bold;">Chaos Volley, a spell that becomes
more powerful each subsequent time you use it on the same target. The
catch is that it drains your life as you use it. Be sure your healer is
keeping an eye on your health in a group, or make sure you don't go
overboard and leave yourself too week when solo.



Incinerate is the finisher
you have been waiting for! It will deal massive damage to your enemies.
Icequake is an AoE version of
Frostbite, which can be handy if you are surrounded and need to run
away a bit for space to cast Planar Gateway. style="font-weight: bold;">



You also get upgrades to Fireball and Shocking Grasp. This is easily
the most powerful level you've had yet! Practice with your new spells
often to maximize your efficiency.



By now, you should be able to travel to a couple of the hubs for
activity on each continent. It's usually pretty easy to get groups for
the Strand of the Ancients and Kalendra's Coven in Qalia if all else
fails.


VII. Soloing

Against Single Mobs

Be sure you have conjured a ring and buffed with Arcane Mantle. You
could wear Force Barrier or Fire Barrier depending on how good you are
at keeping the mob at bay. Open with Flame Spear and use Frostbite to
slow down the mob. Then blast away with Char, Fireball, and Taqmir's
Bolts or Chaos Volley. If the mob gets close, burn your endurance with
Shocking Grasp. Continue to mix in Frostbites when they wear off to
keep the mob slow. If you get in over your head, use Sleep followed by
Planar Gateway to get to safety.



Against Multiple Mobs

Be sure you have conjured a ring and buffed with Arcane Mantle. Force
Barrier is the choice here to give you that little bit of extra
protection for all the hits you'll take. Pick on a group of light
blues, and let Energy Rift do the trick. Sit between fights to minimize
downtime, and use Icequake or Color
Spray
followed by a Planar
Gateway to escape from hairy situations..


VIII. Grouping

Rule #1

Assume you will group every time you play. Conjure an energy shard as
soon as you can so that you already have one when you group and the
timer will refresh sooner for you. When you start getting low on
energy, burn what's left as safely as possible and use the shard. Then
cast another one immediately and restart the timer.



Rule #2

Cast See Invisibility on the group's puller. No surprises and no adds
please!



Rule #3

Fire Barrier. Use it.



Counterspelling
style="font-weight: bold;">
If you are playing with just the regular spells memorized to your
hotbars and fighting a lot of casters, try to figure out what they are
casting
and assess the effect on your tank. If the spells are hitting hard or
are AoEs, you need to drop DPS for a bit to do your job at
counterspelling. If the spells lack punch, consider letting them go and
focus on killing faster. You can always go pick on some lower level
mobs while solo to boost your Counterspelling skill later.



If you want to always be able to counterspell without letting your DPS
dip too much, try a macro like the one href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/showpost.php?p=165157&postcount=4">recommended
by Nex in our forums:

/reactionautochain

/reactionautocounter

/cast "XYZ Spell"



That first line ensures you always cast a finisher when you can.
The second makes sure you get in the counterspell. If neither of the
first two options is available, the macro will cast whatever spell you
have in the quotation marks. Using this macro, you never miss a
finisher, and you can almost always counter without missing the
oppotunity. If all else fails, you'll still cast a nuke!



Maximizing Damage
style="font-weight: bold;">
When you can eschew your role as counterspeller, focus on dealing big
damage. As tempting as the fire spells can be, you'll probably find
arcane spells to be your bread and butter. They have a slightly more
sustainable damage-to-energy ratio. An alternative of course is to
fully employ your fire spells and sit out a fight every now and again.
You
may find this just about evens out, but it's your call.


IX. Conclusion

Levels 11-20 as a Sorcerer separate you from the pack in terms of raw
damage. They also provide some useful spells in the forms of buffs and
energy regeneration. If you don't feel supremely powerful as a Sorcerer
by level 20, you're not doing something right!


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Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

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