This is basically what i tried to say
here. Only this time I'll try to make it more... uhmm.. more more
This is my basic approach to building casters. I'm not saying this is the best way of building casters. I'm not saying every caster should be built this way. But I'm saying this is my preferred way of building casters. And mind you i love casters. And if you hate deaths like i do, this is what i recommend.
Like I've said in some of my posts, i don't like staves. I like it if i have 10 items instead of 9. But that means getting strength, right? Right of course. So hybrid? not necessarily. So strength and int so that means no DA? Of course you'd want that also.
This is doable self-farmed but you have to be patient in farming. Why? Because low dex means you have to get your DA from items. And that's one of the beauties of playing this a caster. Because you don't need OA. And DA can be easily get from items especially for twinked characters. Also, if you are gunning for no deaths, i recommend to just twink. It's allowed anyway. And to cheese whenever you can. It's also allowed
No str + dex melee references here please. This is a caster thread
Many people like int and dex for casters. This is slightly similar but i take str instead of dex
The advantage: you get a shield and you also get DA
The disadvantage: you don't get access to dex items like SB cuffs. you can solve that if you get dex also but that's another story. that's harder but doable. but harder
The stat distribution is different though. And this is where it gets a little harder. For int + dex, you can just go 1:1 and it will be alright. For str + int, you can't go 1:1. Just trust me on this. Start int first then just get str later. Start with a staff. Usually, i use a staff until act 3 normal. Then i put a little bit of points on str just to equip shields. But not too much. Learn to save stat points. I read somewhere before, someone said to spend stat points because you need to, not because you can. I agree with that. If you feel you're fine, just save your stat points. 400+ int is enough for the whole normal and epic. You'll have enough points on str if you do that. The rest, just save them.
This will be easy to gear if you do it this way. If you have items waiting for you already, you don't have to pre-plan what your items will be. I don't plan at all whenever i do this. It always turns out fine. Like i said, this is my basic approach. My go-to build whenever i want to build something safe. Usually i still put points on dex but not too much. Just 200+ endgame legendary.
Do i nerf my damage by doing this? maybe but i don't really feel like my kill speed is slowing down. I kite less with these characters after all, and when i kite less, i have more time to attack. Have i tried casters with no str or just all in on int? Of course. Like everyone, i tried to build my characters the usual way. But i find that this works for me better and I'll take this way over the usual practice.
just some examples. managed to scrounge some pics
Starting With Mage