The Enchantress is a Sorceress build that focuses on the spell Enchant.
Stat Point Allocation
- Strength: Enough to equip a decent light/medium armor and shield (127 should suffice).
- Dexterity: 200 (For extra attack rating and 50% chance to block incoming attacks)
- Vitality: Energy is a much more important attribute so this should be left at its base value.
- Energy: This is your Vitality, so it should be maxed out.
Skill Point Allocation
Main skills:
- Enchant (20)
- Warmth (20)
- Fire Mastery (20)
Optional skills (not including prerequisites):
Skills
Due to the nature of Enchant, the Enchantress is a unique build in that it can be an entirely weapon-based build: in other words, an Enchantress could use Enchant on herself, boosting her attacks with huge amounts of Fire Damage.
The Enchantress is versatile because Enchant only synergizes with Warmth, therefore, the only spells an Enchantress has to max are Enchant, Warmth, and Fire Mastery. As a result, an Enchantress can do a number of different things with her extra points:
- Put points into another Fire Spell such as Inferno, since it also synergizes with Warmth. However, since many enemies in Hell mode are Fire Immune, this is not often done.
- Put points into a low-synergizing Cold or Lightning Spell and its appropriate Mastery, such as Frozen Orb or Thunder Storm, to deal with fire immunes. This is a better option for Enchantresses that use Enchant as a support spell for teammates and Hirelings rather than themselves.
- Put points into a defensive spell and its synergies, such as Shiver Armor or Energy Shield. This is the better option for Enchantresses that plan to fight on the front line, as it gives them a defensive edge other physical fighters don't have.
- Put points into Lightning Mastery and wear equipment giving a high lightning damage bonus to attacks, such as dual Dream Rune Words.
When Enchant and its synergies are maxed, and the appropriate equipment is obtained, Enchant can add enormous Fire Damage to herself and her teammates. If an Enchantress decides to use the spell on herself, she can level up her attributes accordingly. The only problem with this is that Sorceresses, unlike classes such as Barbarians or Amazons, do not get as much life with each point into Vitality. This is why some physical Enchantresses decide to put points into Energy Shield, and in place of Vitality level up Energy. This high energy, combined with a very high level Warmth, is meant to absorb damage inflicted on the Enchantress while she attacks her enemies.
Equipment
A support Enchantress should look for traditional Sorceress weapons that boost her spells with +skill bonuses.
A melee Enchantress should look for weapons with fast attack speeds or high elemental damage. A Passion Phase Blade and/or dual Dreams in a helm and a shield, for example, stack to create a very high Holy Shock on top of the fire damage already dealt.
- Helm
- Armor
- Belt
- Arachnid Mesh
- Verdungo's Hearty Cord: Huge vitality boost, damage reduction.
- Death's Guard: An easy to find belt with the Cannot be Frozen attribute.
- Gloves
- Boots
- Amulet
- Rings
- Stone of Jordan x2
- Raven Frost (optional)
- Weapon
- Passion (main)
- Call to Arms (alternate)
- Shield
A ranged Enchantress can combine explosive arrows with piercing to deliver her fire damage. Raven Claw, then Kuko Shakaku at mid levels and Demon Machine at higher levels all fire explosive arrows. Razortail adds additional chance of piercing.
Both melee and ranged Enchantresses may seek additional gear for prebuffing. Magefists are great for +1 fire skills, though Increased Attack Speed gloves may be preferred while attacking. Drognan can sell staves with +3 Enchant; search for a nonmagic one with two sockets to make Leaf, or a nonmagic Gnarled Staff or Battle Staff with no sockets and have Larzuk socket it after the Siege on Harrogath quest is completed. They will receive 4 sockets, and Memory can be created (of note is that memory will also boost Energy Shield by at least 6 and Frozen Orb by at least 3, making it a powerful switch weapon for this build). Call to Arms is another common prebuff item.
Hireling
Although many players solo with their characters, Hirelings can certainly increase the survivability of any character if maintained properly. Typically, most choose the Act 2 Defensive Mercenary in Nightmare Difficulty (the "Holy Freeze Merc") or the Offensive version (the "Might Merc"), but the others have plenty of potential if geared properly. Act 3 Hirelings with cold attacks used to be popular, but are rare now due to many monsters being immune to their attacks. Although Barbarian Warriors are quite rugged, they can be overcome by large mobs. On the other hand, properly equipped, he can definitely play a major factor in increasing the character's survivability. And the Rogue Archer should not be counted out either, although without particular gear, her ability to assist in later stages of the game diminishes by quite a bit.
Equipment
Although the weapons vary, the armor and helmet choices are mostly stock, with some variance in regards to armor.
- Helmet
- Guillaume's Face: Crushing Blow and Deadly Strike.
- Tal Rasha's Horadric Crest: Mostly for the 10 percent life leech and +15 to Resistances.
- Vampire Gaze, Crown of Thieves and Stealskull are also popular choices for their ease of finding and life leech.
- Kira's Guardian or Darksight Helm: The reason for choosing either helmet is the Cannot Be Frozen attribute.
- Armor
- Fortitude: 300% Enhanced damage against everything.
- Duress: Features 15% chance of Crushing Blow.
- Gladiator's Bane: Cannot be Frozen and integer damage reduction at a level that actually makes a difference.
- Hwanin's Refuge: Static Field proc. Still useful even if lightning immunes aren't affected by it in Hell Difficulty.
- Treachery: may be of more benefit to a Rogue for the Increased Attack Speed.
- Skin of the Vipermagi: Iron Wolves can make better use of the Faster Cast Rate as they usually attack from range.
- Duriel's Shell: For Hirelings, this armor is prized much for being relatively easy to find, its Cannot be Frozen attribute and Vitality bonus.
- Weapon
- Rogue
- Faith: The Fanaticism aura and obscene damage are the big perks of this bow.
- Ice: The chief reason for this selection is the Holy Freeze Aura.
- Witchwild String: Amplify Damage proc and two sockets to customize it with.
- Riphook: Slows opponent and Open Wounds.
- Desert Mercenary
- Hone Sundan: Crushing Blow and three sockets.
- The Reaper's Toll: Decrepify Proc.
- Obedience: Crushing Blow and an Enchant Proc.
- Infinity: Boasts a Conviction aura. A very popular rune word for those specialized in elemental attacks as it will break many elemental immunities. However, unless the player plans to have a main aura other than Conviction, this item is a waste of time for an Avenger's Mercenary.
- Insight: Has a Meditation Aura that will help alleviate mana demands.
- Breath of the Dying, Last Wish, Death or Doom Rune Words as well, as these are very powerful. They are also equally difficult to create.
- Iron Wolf
- Spirit Sword and Spirit Shield: This combination will give the hireling excellent resistance bonuses as well as a total +4 to their skill levels.
- Lidless Wall: Has +1 to all skills and a Faster Cast Rate bonus.
- Rhyme: Cannot Be Frozen, Resist All +25.
- Barbarian
- Bloodletter: Fast, and has life leech. The sword will likely be obsolete by early Hell, however.
- Headstriker: Level dependent Deadly Strike as well as level dependent maximum damage.
- Azurewrath: The base damage is a bit low, but the added damage makes this blade frightening once it can be equipped.
- The Grandfather: Very high damage and Attack Rating bonus.
- Lawbringer: a relatively cheap rune word with a Decrepify proc.
- Breath of the Dying, Grief, or Death are also options, albeit difficult ones considering the runes required.