Changes

There's an amazing speed and fluidity and precision to play at that level, where players measure their success and skill by how quickly they can clear levels.

Hellfire changed nothing about Sorcerer performance in the Hell levels. The Hive is quite easy as well, but the Crypt is a very different kettle of fish. Nothing in Diablo is Immune to Fire/Lightning and resistant to Magic, and since Fireball and Chain Lightning are by far the most effective killing spells, and none of the magic-based spells were very effective ([[D1_Spellbooks#Flash|Flash]] lists quite high damage, but it's bugged and does much less in actuality.), most Sorcerers never deviated from those spells. In Hellfire's Crypt, numerous monsters are immune to Fire and Lightning, while vulnerable to Magic. These beasts can simply be treated like triple immunes and Stoned and clubbed to rubble, but this is not the most efficient or speedy way to clear the levels. Blood Star, Bone Spirit, and Flash are effective magic type spells, but the fact that only 4 hotkeys are allowed makes it hard to keep a full assortment of attack spells at the ready, along with Teleport, Stone Curse, and perhaps Golem. On the whole, the Crypt is much more of a challenge to a Mage than any of the levels in Hell.