<So, any advice to avoid this sort of cheap death crap?>

I don't know how much you normally have on you, but you're past the time when you can get away with ignoring what your encumbrance is. Pretty much every hunting area is going to have at least one critter that uses maneuvers and being unencumbered is the best way to keep them from hitting you with them. Unfortunately, sorcerer's stats don't do a lot to help with it AND they have all sorts of components needed for various spells. Basically, if you don't need it while hunting, locker it. Saving any white crystals you find and rubbing them once you find enough loot to increase your encumbrance will also help.

Other things that will help:

-Perception, there's no reason you shouldn't be 1x in it

-Physical Fitness, you should be 1x in this as well, the old advice of stopping once your HP maxes out is no longer valid

-Phase (704) will help when you cast it on yourself, Demonology lore will improve it's effectiveness by an unknown amount

-Disable everything that has a maneuver you can't avoid the moment it enters the room whether you intend on killing it or not.

-Step out of the room when there's too much to keep disabled, sometimes retreat is the best option

-Don't dawdle, if it can move it's a threat... if it's stunned/RT locked/delimbed/etc, it's safe. Cast first, rest later

Starchitin, the OG

A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.

Also 716 and using mana spellup would mean you aren't missing out on the new buffs. There's been a lot of changes to spell circles in the last 10 years and you are missing out on a lot of new stuff.

Directed to Starchitin...

Encumbrance has always been my bane, which I kept pointing out to Thalior\Lewis years ago on GEnie when he wanted to drag me to hold boxes when he killed stuff. lol I basically don't pick up boxes with anyone and as soon as I hit light to somewhat encumbrance I'm heading in.Always been that way, I have one character out of ten that picks up boxes. heh. As to training, I was x2 perception but I'm currently x1. I'm x1 PF as well. I'm at 51 ranks of Demonology Lore, 15 of Necro, x2 Spell Aim, 20 ranks in Elemental Lore, 20 ranks in Spirit Lore. I tend to step out of the room if there are two or more in the location. Though I'm again getting comfortable "sometimes" handling two.

I've had a few good hunts, I'm using Curse 715 in offensive stance on boars when they come in, that appears to be the most useful. Then since they're cursed mana expenditure wise two casts of Focused Maelstrom works well. One round or two and they die, this goes for Ogres and Vipers as well I'm finding now. With Ogres and Viper's I'm using 706 Mind Jolt with great success when I first see em. I t4end to be a cautious hunter, always have been.

I'm just torn on how common the maneuvers are and I'm trying to figure out if training in CM would mitigate that. Again I tend to not be encumbered and if I am I'm ringing/130-ing out. I'm also trying to figure out if stance plays a roll in dealing with these maneuvers like some of the older critters used to be and how Pookas still are when it comes to their stare/pity attack. Anyhow thanks for replying, I'm starting to catch on/catch up...



Directed to AllenM20...

I really prefer Offense cast Curse honestly over 709, it lasts longer, keeps them falling down longer so that my Maelstrom can be more effective. Also I don't have to worry about grasping anyone else.


Directed to Rathboner...

Great advice, I just discovered that last night!!! :) So now I have that up as well as putting 735 on my staff and armor. These two spells are helping quite a bit. I'm totally overwhelmed with all the new stuff for each of the classes that I often play, I'll be honest on that. ;)


Directed to Avaia...

I made the error of putting Mind Jolt on Cloak at first, but now I'm running Web though I think Pain might be the better choice. :)


To everyone who posted, sincerely, my thanks for posting advice. I was feeling really frustrated when I posted originally, but after hitting the wiki yesterday and reading and reading and doing more reading and then doing some testing versus lower level critters I'm feeling better. I've done hmm five or six hunts now in Maaghara Tower area with much better results. Feels as if you better disable quickly before they can do anything or you might be in trouble which is a pain in the backside but it's at least manageable.

FIXED! >> Like, I'll ring back at clear to dump boxes in a locker because leaving them behind IS WRONG!!

-- Robert

>channel my maul
You channel at a hefty mithril maul.
You make an astoundingly inept attempt! Success!

<I'm also trying to figure out if stance plays a roll in dealing with these maneuvers like some of the older critters used to be and how Pookas still are when it comes to their stare/pity attack.>

It does, try to stay in defensive or guarded as much as possible. If you haven't hit on this page, it breaks down how maneuvers work: https://gswiki.play.net/Standard_maneuver_roll

I hunted in the Citadel when my sorcerer was that level, but I can't help but wonder if 708 wouldn't be a less mana intensive and safer way of dealing with boars (since you wouldn't have to go into offensive).

Starchitin, the OG

A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.

I had a blast on Teras for my 60's. Wind wraiths are super easy quick fry, poor though. Massive Pyrohags had decent treasure, will tide you over for the early 60's, and make great animates to use against everything else. Fire sprites and eventually mages were pretty rich. 703 mages immediately and 709, let your animate get the killing blow.