Sorcerer 11-20 Progression Guide

By Ralsu

---

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.

Sorcerer 11-20 Guide Level 11 Levels 12-13 Levels 14-15 Levels 16-17 Levels 18-19 Level 20 Soloing Grouping 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 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. 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 Taqmir's Bolts and 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 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. 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 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 Energy Rift should let you get out there and do some more AoE soloing of light blues.

V. Levels 18-19

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 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.

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
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 recommended by Nex in our forums:

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
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!

---