Sorcerer

July 20th, 2023

A lot of the Diablo community is saying RIP to the Sorcerer this season due to the nerfs given to an already suffering class. Even so, we would rather think of it as only having a foot in the metaphorical grave. It is no secret that the Sorcerer isn’t in the best shape right now but that does not rid us of its massive potential. So let’s take a look at this season's changes and make the best out of what we’ve got.

Summary

The Sorcerer may not have gotten the power that some of the other class options currently have but they do have some fun new toys that are worth checking out. A free Teleport Enchantment from the new Oculus unique wand and the ability to reappear somewhere else when you evade can lead to some interesting and possibly advantageous situations. And the new Searing Wards aspect has the potential to make a Firewall build more prevalent by helping destroy those pesky small missiles after spending sufficient mana for a free cast of the spell.

Bug Fixes

Unlike some of the other classes, the Sorcerer’s bug fixes are mostly beneficial to its viability. The Firebolt Enchantment effect not contributing to the Combustion key passive as well as the Enchantment effect for Chain Lightning having no visual tracking bonus and could unexpectedly drop off are two bug fixes that could have a substantial impact to the demon slaying to come. Though none of these changes may be enough to raise the Sorcerer from the ashes, they are still a great benefit to have.

Balance Changes

Devouring Blaze

One of the biggest impacts of this patch is the nerf to Devouring Blaze. Not only was the critical strike damage reduced from 10/20/30% to 7/14/21%, the critical strike damage to Immobilized enemies was reduced from 25/50/75% to a meager 10/20/30%. Immobilizing enemies can already be a challenge for the Sorcerer but the high critical damage from Devouring Blaze made the reward worth the struggle. Even though this is no longer the case, Devouring Blaze is still among the best options for almost any build.

Arc Lash Sorcerer

Though it is unfortunate to lose more damage, an issue where Aspect of Control was applying its damage bonus 3 times for Staggered bosses was fixed.
To further the detriment of this build, the changes to Aspect of Retribution and Aspect of Disobedience continue to lower its damage and defense.
Now for the good news! The duration of Protection Barrier has been increased from 2 to 3 seconds and the damage reduction from Mana Shield has been increased from 5/10/15% to 7/14/21%. These small changes make minimal difference in the long run but it is still something and they help keep this build among the best for the Sorcerer.

Ice Shards Sorcerer

The Devouring Blaze nerf hurts this build as well.
Though not hugely impactful, the non-ultimate cooldown reduction from Supreme Deep Freeze has been increased from 50% to 100%. This will in-turn help you keep your Ice Armor and Flame Shield up slightly more frequently.
Another small bonus is that the Destruction Glyph will now affect the damage of Deep Freeze as well as your Ice Shards.

Chain Lightning Sorcerer

The Devouring Blaze nerf rears its head again in this build.
Though this build is mechanically different, it suffers from the same negative effects of the previous two builds.

Conclusion

This season will primarily display the same Sorcerer builds we are used to in both the early-game and end-game. Even with the nerfs and the current state of the Sorcerer, both the Ice Shards and Arc Lash builds might surprise us with the Malignant Heart options and the effects they put on the table. And don’t discount the Chain Lightning build with its fast leveling potential. The Sorcerer isn’t down for the count yet!