Diablo II Lord of Destruction Gaming Group

[Leper_Kahn]

Hello everyone!
So as you may have seen around these forums we have a Starcraft group, a Warcraft group, and now we will go the whole way and have a Diablo II group!

Very important info is in Bold. Even more important if it is in all three Bold, Italic, and Underlined.

So due to lack of voting from many people I am going to say that we will play at 4:00 PM EST Sunday.

We will meet in the channel GitP on the US East Server if we aren't there we will usually be in a game. You can find that out by messaging your friends. If you don't know what a friends list is I suggest you open the spoiler for the guide to basic B-Net.


BattleNet guide

When you log onto the BattleNet, the first thing you'll want to do will be to join the GitP channel - our private Playgrounder chatroom. To do so, click on the Chat button and then the Channel-button to the bottom right, and type GitP into the proper box, to enter the channel. Don't bother looking for it in the list of available channels - being a private channel, it won't appear there. You will either enter the channel then, or get a message telling you that such a channel does not exist and whether you would like to create it. Do so - this means that either you are the first one to come online, or all others are currently in a game, instead of in the channel.

You have a number of commands which you can utilise for easier communication with us, finding out and keeping track who is online, and so forth. Most commands have aliases, which result in the same command, but are shorter. For instance, a useful command is
/help
which lists you the topics/commands you can ask the BattleNet to explain to you. For example,
/help whisper
will explain what the whisper command does.
The alias for /help is /h, so typing /h instead of /help, or /h whisper instead of /help whisper will yield exactly the same result.

You have a friend list, onto which you can place up to 25 players, for various benefits. All commands related to the friend list begin with /friends (alias /f). Those will likely be the ones you will use most. You add a player with the account name Nickname by typing
/f add Nickname
or, if you prefer,
/f a Nickname
so, for instance, by typing /f a Winterwind_GitP you would add my BattleNet account to your friend list. The list of all our BattleNet accounts is above. I suggest adding as many people as possible, or at least the ones who are more frequently attending the sessions.

The benefits of adding people to your friend list are manifold:

If you type
/f list
or
/f l, you will see your friend list, which tells you who, amongst these people, is currently online. This way, you can find out who is online, even when they are not in the channel. So, if you enter the BattleNet and don't find anybody in the channel, do not despair - check your friend list first. Chances are, we might all be currently in games.

By typing
/f message Text
or
/f m Text
you send the Text you type to all people on your friend list who are currently online, no matter where they are - even when they are in games, and not in the channel.

By typing /f p Nickname or /f d Nickname (or, if you wish, promote and demote instead of p and d) you can sort your friend list by moving people up and down on it.

If you want to remove someone from the list, use
/f remove Nickname
or, you guessed it,
/f r Nickname

If people are mutually on each others friend lists, this has the added benefit that, when one of them enters/exits the BattleNet or joins a game, the other gets a message which informs them about this fact. That's another reason why it is helpful if we add each other to our friend lists (unfortunately, the limit of 25 people is too small for the group).

If you wish to send some Text to just one person - be it, so that the others in the channel don't see it, or because you wish to speak to some specific person who currently is not in the channel, type
/whisper Nickname Text
or
/w Nickname Text
Another aliases for this command, which accomplish the same, are /msg Nickname Text and /m Nickname Text.

Diablo does not send it to the account with the name Nickname, but to the character with the name Nickname. To send it to an account named Nickname, one must use
/w *Nickname Text
instead.

If you want to check whether somebody who is not on your friend list is online, you can use
/whois Nickname
which will tell you so.

Last, rather a fun gimmick than useful, but included since people will invariably ask about it, it is possible to write emotes in the chat, meaning that the text you type is presented as <Nickname Text> rather than <Nickname>: Text. You do so by typing
/me Text


Thats: 4:00 PM EST in the GitP channel (Or in a game) on Sunday

Quick guide:
4 P.M. Eastern Time
1 P.M. Pacific = 2 P.M. Mountain = 3 P.M. Central = 4 P.M. Eastern = 10 P.M. Central European

Make SURE to make your character Ladder (Although, some people play non-ladder. Even more so with the coming Ladder Reset.) and an Expansion Character or you won't be able to play with us!

I'd appreciate it if you'll post your account name so that people can add the name to your friends list. Here are some names.

Amiria, Countess of Mispelling (Amiria)
u-gotNOgame (u-gotNOgame)
SirSigfried (libertarian_sdr)
nooblade (nooblade)
dallas-dakota (Beriothien, Beriothien-hc)
hajo (hajo)
Lykos (Lykos, Lykos-HC)
Krytha (Freyjja)
Proven Paradox (Proven_Paradox)
Fleeing Coward (scorch87)
Penthar (Malderon, Penthar)
Rawtooth (Rawtooth)
pep[lfd] (pep[lfd])
LeperKahn (LeperKahn)
PePe_QuiCoSE (PePe_QuiCoSE, Yakkul)
tannish2 (tannish2)
Winterwind (Winterwind_GitP)

I'm currently working on a character list.

[Winterwind]

The Star/WarCraft group, a dud? Blasphemy! :smallbiggrin:

Having said that, I would participate (as if you wouldn't know that already :smallwink: ), though I will, of course, have to divert some time to Diablo 1 as well (don't want to disappoint Amiria after all :smallwink: ).
But one thing be said, I will never again waste away hours of my life with solo MF runs! :smalltongue:
(well, okay, maybe some :smallcool: )

...hmmm. I am a Blizzard fanboy, am I not? :smalleek:
At least I don't play World of WarCraft... :smallbiggrin:

Wow. Soooo many smileys...

[13_CBS]

Baal run! Baal run!

...now if only I could find my cd key again...:smallmad:

[Hermit]

I might well be interested. It's been ages since I last played DII/LoD. Got Hellgate over Christmas too which has given me a bit of a hankering for it too. Just need to remember where I put my discs...

[PePe QuiCoSE]

well, i commented about this while we were on SC, so i'm in. Thing is, i don't like much doing runs or things of the sort, i like questing or slow leveling as it is called, and usually on hardcore.
And if it is on weekends, it's fine for me. I guess i'll be around for D2 for some time (as it always happens with this game).

[Winterwind]

well, i commented about this while we were on SC, so i'm in. Thing is, i don't like much doing runs or things of the sort, i like questing or slow leveling as it is called,This would be, overall, my preference as well. I have had my fair share of runs back in my day, no need to exaggerate with it again.


and usually on hardcore.I've been thinking about playing hardcore, but I don't trust my connection nearly enough for that. I have died too many times (on softcore) to lag alone, and while I know hardcore characters are built differently, with better survival capabilities in mind, I still would not want it to happen.


And if it is on weekends, it's fine for me. I guess i'll be around for D2 for some time (as it always happens with this game).Heh, same here. :smallbiggrin:

[NEO|Phyte]

Hmm, at one point, I had a B.Net account, we'll have to see if I can find it again.

[Leper_Kahn]

Hmm, at one point, I had a B.Net account, we'll have to see if I can find it again.

You don't need to! Well, unless it within three months ago and you want a character from it. You can remake a BNet account for free. (Thanks blizzard.)

[SirSigfried]

I'll be in channel GitP for a while. If no one joins me ill move on to something else.

GN: GitP

PW: GitP

[Krytha]

Well, we had a few people who were playing d2 a while ago and then ladder reset which was kind of sad for some. I have pretty limited time what with this being my graduation semester, and my computer is so slow there is a noticeable death increase when playing in hell.

[AmberVael]

Diablo II?
...
>>
<<
*searches through dusty old games that never get played anymore*
It's somewhere in here...
As unlikely as it is for someone else to share the times, I would prefer to play it during weekdays.
MWF- Anywhere between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM EST.
TH- Anywhere between 1:00 PM and 5:00 EST.
I suppose I could play later in the day, or on weekends, but that would involve a less reliable computer and the times when I'd rather be doing something else.
The above times are actually when I'm at work... and I have absolutely nothing to do. :smallredface:

[Setra]

I'd love to play with ya but currently my computer is messed up so badly even surfing the internet (or even browsing through folders) causes massive lag spikes.

So I can't right now :smallfrown:

[Indon]

Sadly, when the modding community inevitably dried up and vanished, I moved on with the game. :(

[Mephisto]

I'd be interested, although early afternoon EST doesn't really work for me.

[Agalyon]

Hehe, I have finished that game from Normal to Hell with 3 different characters this year, I am so addicted to that god damn game!!!

Probably won't join though, time zone problems :smallfrown:

[Lord_Asmodeus]

This game is cool and fun, but have you guys ever heard of Titan Quest (and Titan Quest immortal throne) my brother has it, its the same kind of game as Diablo II (I.E. its like the same basic combat system and stuff) but its newer, there are more "classes" and its set in Greece, its really fun. Also I don't know when I might be able to get Diablo II >.<

[Amiria]

Having said that, I would participate (as if you wouldn't know that already :smallwink: ), though I will, of course, have to divert some time to Diablo 1 as well (don't want to disappoint Amiria after all :smallwink: ).

Yeah, where and when again ? :smallsmile: Diablo II + LoD ? As I said to you, I've never been much into the game but I have it lying around here and could reinstall it.

[Agalyon]

This game is cool and fun, but have you guys ever heard of Titan Quest (and Titan Quest immortal throne) my brother has it, its the same kind of game as Diablo II (I.E. its like the same basic combat system and stuff) but its newer, there are more "classes" and its set in Greece, its really fun. Also I don't know when I might be able to get Diablo II >.<

Titan Quest was kind of boring compared to Diablo II, I went through it in 2 nights with a friend and we found it wasn't nearly as good as Diablo in terms of Story, Fighting and Class Skills. But that was just me.

[Leper_Kahn]

Please note the changes. You people can play tomorrow on January 12th, but I'm not going to.

Sorry that I couldn't pick a more agreeable time, but too few people voted!


Hello everyone!
So as you may have seen around these forums we have a Starcraft group, a Warcraft group, and now we will go the whole way and have a Diablo II group!

Very important info is in Bold. Even more important if it is in all three Bold, Italic, and Underlined.

So due to lack of voting from many people I am going to say that we will play at 4:00 PM EST Sunday. I am sorry that I couldn't do it during the week Vael, but I have the feeling that those times aren't great for a lot of people. Work, school, etc.

We will meet in the channel GitP on the US East Server if we aren't there we will usually be in a game. You can find that out by messaging your friends. If you don't know what a friends list is I suggest you open the spoiler for the guide to basic B-Net.



Thats: 4:00 PM EST in the GitP channel (Or in a game) on Sunday

Quick guide:
4 P.M. Eastern Time
1 P.M. Pacific = 2 P.M. Mountain = 3 P.M. Central = 4 P.M. Eastern = 10 P.M. Central European

Make SURE to make your character Ladder and an Expansion Character or you won't be able to play with us!

[Winterwind]

Since this BattleNet guide I wrote was meant for StarCraft, there are a few things incorrect or incomplete about it when it is used for Diablo. Specifically, the button for the channel is not to the left but to the lower right, and one has to click on "Chat" first before one can switch channels.

Also important to note is that if one whispers somebody via
/w Nickname Text
Diablo does not send it to the account with the name Nickname, but to the character with the name Nickname. To send it to an account named Nickname, one must use
/w *Nickname Text
instead.

An interesting thing to note, finally, would be, that Diablo 2 and StarCraft use the same accounts.

[SirSigfried]

For the sake for todays game do we want new characters or are we just going to start new ones?

Also if we get enough people from the forum to show up (over 8 ppl) we are going to have to split into separate games, as diablo doesn't support any more than that.

[Leper_Kahn]

For the sake for todays game do we want new characters or are we just going to start new ones?

Also if we get enough people from the forum to show up (over 8 ppl) we are going to have to split into separate games, as diablo doesn't support any more than that.

I don't plan on showing up, but I'd say just go in with whatever character you like. After all, it is so easy to make new characters.


Since this BattleNet guide I wrote was meant for StarCraft, there are a few things incorrect or incomplete about it when it is used for Diablo. Specifically, the button for the channel is not to the left but to the lower right, and one has to click on "Chat" first before one can switch channels.

Also important to note is that if one whispers somebody via
/w Nickname Text
Diablo does not send it to the account with the name Nickname, but to the character with the name Nickname. To send it to an account named Nickname, one must use
/w *Nickname Text
instead.

An interesting thing to note, finally, would be, that Diablo 2 and StarCraft use the same accounts.

I updated the info. Thanks again Winterwind! :smallwink:

[Winterwind]

I am not sure how much sense it would make to start over and over again with new characters every time new people show up; on the other hand, we wouldn't be much of a group if we did not, so I really don't know what to do best here...

Maybe we can discuss this online in the BNet.

Also, *logging on* :smallwink:

[Griemont]

I'm in. :smallsmile:

[Winterwind]

While our numbers were little (but hey, on the first session nigh nobody showed up in the other groups as well, so I hope this will change yet), yesterday was pretty epic. :smallbiggrin:

We had luck with our loot, too - two items of the "best item of their kind in the whole game"-type. And while Magefist are, albeit powerful, not exactly a rare drop, a String of Ears is already a lot more impressive. :smallamused:

Now let's tackle Nightmare!

[Leper_Kahn]

I wish I could have come. I had a lot of work to do. I should have just stayed on though since I didn't actually get any of it done. :smallsmile:

Wait... *Looks back at Winter's post*

NIGHTMARE!?!?!?!

You beat Bael last night?! From level 20 to end game?! *Jaw drop*

[Winterwind]

Yeah, we beat Baal. We were not even that much in a hurry, did most of the unnecessary dungeons and even restarted once or twice and played through some sections twice (to let Tannish in and to allow him to reach level 25 so he could make the Ancients with us). It was Baal who was so friendly to drop two of the best unique items for us.

"Us" constituted SirSigfried, Mephisto and me in the beginning; after Mephisto left (after killing Duriel), Lib and I played alone for a long while (to Izual), then Tannish joined us. From there, we played straight to the Den of Evil on Nightmare.

My avenger went from level 20 to 37. :smallcool:

[The Orange Zergling]

*pokes head in*

I got D1/D2/LoD yesterday, and so far my ladder character is just a Level 3 Necromancer, but I'm still finding the game rather fun. My account name is Baneling_Aspect, same as everything else.

[Winterwind]

So, uhh, why is nobody here? PePe_Quicose, tannish2 and me are feeling kinda lonely here, and there are demons to be killed! :smalltongue:

[PePe QuiCoSE]

So, to give some activity to this thread, i though it would be a good idea to start posting the builds we are making in the group. Only relevant stuff: character name, build type (focused skills), level (act if in need of a rush) and equipment worth noting.
That could also give us some insight about the dynamic around here. If there are enough, Kahn could keep them all posted/linked in the op.

I have two accounts on D2, PePe_QuiCoSE and Yakkul (Yakkul should be the account i'd be using in the group, posting chars from both accounts)

EDIT: logged into accounts to do modifications (if you thought you were unoriginal baneling, prepare to suffer humiliation)

SC:
Therkla_gitp: Shadow Assassin (Claw Mastery, Venom, Mind Blast), level 10
Sup_gitp: Cold Bowazon, level 8
TL-Bugbear: Fireclaw Druid (fire spell synergies) level 33

HC:
TL-Leeky: Windy Druid level 45
TL-Durkon: Healadin level 24
TL-Haley: Fire Bowazon level 21

[Winterwind]

Good idea, Yak. :smallsmile:

My account name is Winterwind_GitP, and my characters on it are, so far:

Primary character:
Whiteblade - Avenger-Paladin (Vengeance, Conviction Aura, Resist Lightning/Fire/Cold) ~ lvl 44
This was always my favourite build - when any character dealing elemental damage is around, the character pulls its weight by being around alone, and he deals a lot of damage against singular targets, never facing a foe whom he cannot hurt, no matter the immunities. And when enemies like Fetish Shamans, Balrogs or Burning Souls come shooting their massive elemental spells, it is sure nice to have an aura around which simply turns off their damage. I like playing characters who can help others. :smallcool:

Secondary character:
CrimsonSong - Fire-Sorceress (Fireball, Meteor, synergies) ~ lvl 35
While a single element sorceress has her distinct disadvantages - and there are quite a lot fire immunes in the game - I like having a teleport-capable character who can help out others or, if need be, teleport down to Baal within short time, or such. And since none of the bosses is fire immune, the incredible damage of a fire sorceress becomes kinda amusing (20k damage per meteor? Hell yes. :smallbiggrin: ).

Tertiary character:
SilverMartell - Hammerdin (Blessed Hammer, Concentration, synergies) ~ lvl 10
A mix of massive damage, survivability and the ability to kill most foes in the game, I primarily created this character to join a low level game.

[The Orange Zergling]

Zeruv - Level 24 (Clay Golem/Raise Skeleton/Bone Spear/Corpse Explosion) Necromancer
Right now I'm just specced to have about 8 minions out at a time soaking up damage while I spam Bone Spear and Corpse Explosion. Right now I don't have any points in Summon Resist, but I'm going to put at least a few in it. I also took Amplify Damage... not the best spec, but this is/was my first character, and I'm still learning.

Aleira - Level 8 (Jab/Poison Spear) Amazon
Not much to say... I might split into Bows/Crossbows later, but at the moment I', just planning to go for a melee Javelin/Spear build. Again, probably not a good spec, but still.

[Leper_Kahn]

I'll post mine in the main. I'll also add these.

[PePe QuiCoSE]

there, i updated mine with real data. My Summoner Druid was single player.

This can also give us ideas for party making.

Level ~10
Therkla_gitp
Sup_gitp
SilverMartell

Level ~20
TL-Durkon - HC
TL-Haley - HC

Level ~30
TheBaneMistress
TL-Bugbear
CrimsonSong

Level ~40
Whiteblade
TL-Leeky - HC

Level ~50
None yet

PD: and yes, this also mean that i get a better idea who to hassle for a try at pvp :P

[Winterwind]

Don't forget to add tannish2 to this account list of yours, Leper Kahn.

His sorceress is named, if I'm not mistaken, cakesicle *eyesroll*, and is a pure Lightning Sorceress (Lightning, Chain Lightning, synergies); she should be something around level 44 as well, maybe a bit lower.

His druid (elemental/summoner, I think), whose name I forgot, should be in the mid twenties, or so, maybe higher now.

[Leper_Kahn]

Don't forget to add tannish2 to this account list of yours, Leper Kahn.

His sorceress is named, if I'm not mistaken, cakesicle *eyesroll*, and is a pure Lightning Sorceress (Lightning, Chain Lightning, synergies); she should be something around level 44 as well, maybe a bit lower.

His druid (elemental/summoner, I think), whose name I forgot, should be in the mid twenties, or so, maybe higher now.

Yeah, I wasn't sure of all the accounts and people so I was waiting for posts to add people to the list. Any conformation will do though. :smallwink:
Thanks,
LeperKahn

Also, I'm gonna take another leaf out of Winterwind's book and send confirmation PMs the day before. They will be sent to anyone who expressed interest in this thread. If you don't wish to receive these please PM me.

[Mephisto]

My characters:

ItsJebusLol: Level 37 Paladin, Concentration/charge build with Zeal for crowd control.

Batjew: Level 27 Amazon, spear/javelin lightning-based build.

Howlrunner: Level 21 Druid, elementalism.

[Leper_Kahn]

Just bumping to remind everyone that tomorrow is the big night.

Also I think I'm gonna start over with a PassiveZon... I have just learned that my Assassin isn't viable in Hell and Nightmare.

[PePe QuiCoSE]

i guess i am late for either join the party, or say that i am late :P

[Winterwind]

Sorry for missing the session on Sunday. :smallfrown:

As for Amazons, the most effective kind of Amazon I know of is one using a javelin with Lightning Fury, with as much points in synergies as possible - a good javelin provided (you might even get so lucky as I once got and obtain Titan's Revenge (http://www.diablo2.com/article/uniques/items/class-specific/amazon/titan-s-revenge.html) from Baal on Normal :smallcool: ), you can basically walk through Nightmare without ever seeing a single monster (because when you throw your javelin, everything within two screens dies :smallbiggrin: ).

(It is a good idea to put at least a few points into one of the purely physical melee skills as well, though, so the lightning immunes on Hell do not pose as much of a problem)

[Leper_Kahn]

Not a bad idea. I haven't started yet so I'm open to suggestions. Here is the build I was going to use if you have the time and inclination to review it:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/file/370600/40385

[Winterwind]

Hmmm... frankly, I have no idea. I think the damage output might be a tad low, and she's lacking the spectacularity of a javazon, but it might well work, I don't know.

I believe this might be more for people who played an ordinary 'zon before and are looking for a change now. Especially considering that this build has so many unused points, it shouldn't be difficult to make a hybrid between this and some other kind of amazon.

Interesting runewords she's using, though. Duress and Sanctuary both are affordable for a group like ours (the first one rather easily, the second one might take a while), and they look quite powerful (most affordable runewords are weaker than the unique/rare equipment you can find once you are in Hell). Gotta keep those in mind.

[Mephisto]

Not a bad idea. I haven't started yet so I'm open to suggestions. Here is the build I was going to use if you have the time and inclination to review it:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/file/370600/40385

Very gear-dependent. Specific gear at that. Not a character I would enjoy playing, since I have no patience for grinding to get a specific item.

[Leper_Kahn]

I hope everyone knows that there are people playing right now. If you have time come take a stop by.

[Dallas-Dakota]

Very interesting(rr?)
I normally play Expansion, non-ladder mainly(maybe I have some ladder char's left..), softcore.
I have two accounts, one for US east, and one for europe.

US east account name : Beriothien
Europe account name : Maxx

Characters
US east
These are all expansion and NON-ladder characters :
___________________________________
Maxxorcerer, sorceress lvl 68. Specializes in lightning.
___________________________________
Maxxecromancer, necromancer, lvl 75. Specializes in Summoning and Poison.(Yeah, kinda weak)
____________________________________
Maxxurricane, druid, lvl 53. Specializes in elemental, hurricane to be precise. Can not stand immune the cold monsters.
___________________________________
Maxxuid, lvl 19. druid, Specializes in lycanthrophy, werewolf+rabies to be precise.
____________________________________
Maxxowning, lvl 17. Paladin. Specializes in Hammer.
_________________________________

Europe
Expansion, NON-ladder.
__________________________________________
Hammery-maxx, lvl 80, Paladin. Specializes in Hammer, has maxed out all supporting skills and hammer +concentration.
__________________________________
Maxxarian, lvl 37, Barbarian, does not specialize, sucks.
_____________________________________

Europe, expansion, ladder character.
Maxxazon, lvl 20, amazon, specializes in bow and a bit of passive magic. Kinda sucks.
__________________________________________________ _______________

So those were al my characters+ account names.

So please add to first post.
And all you US east players, Please add Beriothien and send me a message when I'm online.
To all you Europe players, please add Maxx and send me a message when I'm online.
__________________________________________________ ______
Stuff I have for trade on US east, non ladder, expansion, non hard-core.


Sorceress items(weird..I spelled it wrong didnt I?)

Eschuta's Temper Eldritch Orb

One-Hand Damage: 18 To 50 (34 Avg)
Required Level: 72
Durability: 30
Base Weapon Speed: [-10]
(Sorceress Only)
+3 To Sorceress Skill Levels (varies)
+40% Faster Cast Rate
+11% To Fire Skill Damage (varies)
+18% To Lightning Skill Damage (varies)
+23 To Energy (varies)
(Only Spawns In Patch 1.10 or later)
_______________________________________
Serpent Lord Long Staff

Two-Hand Damage: 2 To (10-11) (6-6.5 Avg)
Required Level: 9
Durability: 30
Base Weapon Speed: [0]
+31% Enhanced Damage (varies)
+50% Damage To Undead
+12 Poison Damage Over 3 Seconds
100% Mana Stolen Per Hit (Yes that's correct!)
-50% Target Defense
+10 to Mana
Poison Resist +50%
-1 To Light Radius
(Only Spawns In Patch 1.09 or later)
_________________________________________

Naj's Circlet
Defense: 102(Base Defense: 20-30)
Required Level: 28
Durability: 35
+75 Defense
+25-35 Fire Damage
12% Chance To Cast Level 5 Chain Lightning When Struck
+15 To Strength
+5 To Light Radius
__________________________________________________ ______________
Paladin items

Milabrega's Orb Kite Shield
Defense: 44 (Base Defense: 16-18)
Defense: 53 (Base Defense: 16-18)
Chance to Block: Pal: 38%, Ama/Asn/Bar: 33%
Dru/Nec/Sor: 28%
Paladin Smite Damage: 2 to 5
Required Level: 17
Required Strength: 47
Durability: 30
+25 Defense
20% Better Chance of Getting Magic Item
+50 Life (2 Items)
+50% Enhanced Defense (3 Items)
__________________________________________________ __________
Caster stuff

Wizardspike bone knife
One-Hand Damage: 23 to 49 (36 Avg)
Required Level: 61
Required Strength: 38
Required Dexterity: 75
Base Weapon Speed: [-20]
+ (2 Per Character Level) 2-198 To Mana (Based On Character Level)
50% Faster Cast Rate
Regenerate Mana 15%
Increase Maximum Mana 15%
All Resistances +75
Indestructible
(Spawns In Any Patch)

[PePe QuiCoSE]

Maxxurricane, druid, lvl 53. Specializes in elemental, hurricane to be precise. Can not stand immune the cold monsters.huh? just use tornado on them, 100% Physical damage. I don't know how you have managed your synergies, but i have also a WindDruid in level 46 and no monster can stop him. Cold immunes just take a bit more time.

[Dallas-Dakota]

in normal I can survive against cold immunes.
In nightmare not.

[The Orange Zergling]

Zeruv is now level 34 and a slayer :smallbiggrin:.

I think I'm now going to go into Bone Spirit/Spear and Iron Golem for the most part, of course upping my skellies every once in a while as well.

[Winterwind]

I am by no means an expert on Necromancers, but I believe you should rather stick with the Clay Golem. Golems are no damage dealers, they are tanks, and a Clay Golem is the best tank of them all, since he gains more hit points per skill point - as soon as you have a couple of items with +skills, he will quickly overtake the others.
Though an Iron Golem, especially a good item provided, can become the single most powerful golem of them all. Of course, should it die, it is not as easy to re-create as other golems are...

I just checked the German Diablo homepage for good Necro builds; the one that comes the closest to yours suggests to put 20 points on Raise Skeleton (or Skeleton Mage - Skeletons make better tanks, Mages provide you with a wider array of elements and can freeze enemies with cold or stop monster regeneration with poison), Skeleton Mastery and either Bone Spear or Bone Spirit, a decent amount of points on Corpse Explosion, and to get pretty much all curses on 1, all golems except the Fire Golem on 1 (the Fire Golem is not necessary at all), Revive on 1 and to put the remaining points into synergies to the main skills. I guess improving the golem a bit and boosting Revive by a few points wouldn't hurt either - these guides generally assume a wealth level (and hence, more +skill items) a bit higher than what we can hope to achieve any time soon.

[u-gotNOgame]

woo! first post as a member of the GiTP forum community
... now to business, i have been playing diablo II for some time now and am hoping to find a group to play with
at the present all of my charecters are mid-high level but i am interested in making more and playing through the game
right now my charecters are:
Leninman: lvl 94 hammerdin (14k hammers massive tank)
CleopatraShocks: lvl 87 lite sorc (lightning +synergies) not fully geared and struggle through hell
ChurchillSummons: lvl 71 summoning nec almost geared fine after he gets his first kill
StalinForce: lvl 78 zealerdin not fully geared struggles through a1 hell
VictoriaFlames: lvl 64 fire sorc (currently on a duo playthrough with one of my e-friends)

there u have it my account on u.s. east is U-gotNOgame im not sure i have enough room on my buddy list to add all of you but i will add who i can...
msg me on diablo II if u need anyhelp hope to see u on next sunday

[Mephisto]

Does anybody know if the Leaf runeword staff would give a bonus to Druid fire elementalism spells? It says +2 to Fire Skills, but not (Sorceress Only).

[PePe QuiCoSE]

AFAIK, all that says an element in general doesn't have a restriction of what tree it helps. Still, i thought that the staff was only usable by sorc... don't know why i had that idea, might need to try it out.

[Dallas-Dakota]

Does anybody know if the Leaf runeword staff would give a bonus to Druid fire elementalism spells? It says +2 to Fire Skills, but not (Sorceress Only).

They mean with that to all skills that deal fire damage I think or just have to generally do with fire.

[factotum]

Which means yes, it boosts Druid fire skills too--I believe it would also boost Amazon fire skills, if it weren't for the minor difficulty of not being able to use a bow while wielding the weapon! :smallwink:

[Leper_Kahn]

I forgot to send out reminders via PM. Oh well, I'll just bump here.

Today is the day people!

[nooblade]

I guess now's an okay time to start playing a little bit again. I really dislike this game when I don't have friends playing too.

For my first glorious character... An enchanter sorc! Named gitpenchant. Currently level 6. She will depend heavily on mercenaries and party members as enchanting objects. Maybe, once I get to level 30, I'll back up enchant with a little orb. Thunderstorm might be useful, but I'd hate to focus on two passive-ish skills. Fireball is tempting, but I feel that the merc (and party?) should be doing enough fire damage. And nothing else seems too useful, unless I wanted a melee sorc, which I sort of don't.

My only reservation is that it seems most of us are casters.

If we need a healer for softcore, I find that those characters are fun too.

[u-gotNOgame]

hey guys,
today we met and played for a little bit, met leper and someone else (sorry whoever you are) and started a new druid:
NapoleansFury: atm lvl 13 he will use shapeshifting skills and the skill fury to unleast upwards of 10k damage when completed...he will also most likely get some summoning skills to tank and/or distract enimies, with your blessing i was going to twink some gear onto him but if you opposed i wont.
it was fun and was to bad I couldn't stay a little bit longer
i play lot so if you have nothing to do and want to get a little side session in msg me on useast *u-gotNOgame
:smallwink:

edit: typo's

[13_CBS]

[shameless advertising] Hey, Diablo fans! You might have seen the Diablo II freeform ad thread in this particular board, but many of you seemed to have missed it...

So, at the suggestion of a certain cookie eater, I bring you the Diablo II Freeform PbP! RP your favorite Diablo builds in Sanctuary! :smallbiggrin:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71952
[/shameless advertising]

[Koga]

I also want you to join, you cannot resist The Koga's alluring aura of awesomeness! You must join!
http://thorsten.springhart.de/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/hypnotoad.gif

[Amiria]

So, I finally came around and installed D2 LoD and also found the gitp crowd on the Battle.net.

I started as a Sorceress but I'm really at a loss when it comes to making a character build. I haven't played D2 for years and so I'm really a newb in that regard.

I want to focus on Ice, with Fire as a backup if that's feasible. I currently look at this MF Ice Sorceress build (http://www.d3jsp.org/viewtopic.php?t=2260), is it any good ? Any tips for me ?

[Winterwind]

That Ice Sorc is definitely good and viable; that's pretty much the standard pure Ice Sorc build.
If you want a dual elemental sorc, on the other hand, I think Frozen Orb might make more sense than Blizzard - it's the weaker spell if you dedicate yourself to it, but it requires less points to be effective.

Also, the build has, at least, somewhat sensible suggestions regarding the equipment, unlike most online guides which assume you are Crassus after conducting a successful raid on the money bin of Scrooge McDuck. Pretty much all of that is at least moderately findable, the only two rarer parts of that equipment are the Oculus and Tal Rasha's amulet.

[Amiria]

So what would have to be changed to include Fire as a backup ? Or is it even neccessary ? With Cold Mastery I can even kill normally cold-immune monsters, right ?

1) Frozen Orb instead of Blizzard.

2) What with Fire ? Fireball as main attack, or something else ?

Apparently Warmth isn't really neccessary with the latest patches. Last time I played D2 some years ago it seemed to be extremly important. Were mana costs where lowered all over the board ?

[Prince Gimli]

I believe it is more that one can now buy mana potions, whereas before 1.10 one could only acquire mana potions from loot.

Actually, Frozen orb is more of a backup spell to fire, because as winterwind said it requires less skill points to be effective. 20 points in frozen orb and some points into cold mastery (about 8 I believe, but check the guides to be sure). Then one can max meteor and fireball. Fireball gains more damage from Firebolt, and Meteor more from Fire mastery. So which one to max would depend on which you use more. But one does have enough skill points to put several in both Fire mastery and Firebolt I believe, and one point in Fire mastery as soon as it is available is always good for a fire sorceress.

Unfortunately, I am not exactly an expert on ice sorceresses, since I prefer to be able to deal at least two damage types. You may want to check out the forums and strategy compendium on diabloii.net , that's where I got a lot of diablo II knowledge from anyway.

In other news:
A new warrior has joined our ranks, Maklagh the barbarian. He is level 6 now, and he calls the Malderon account home. He has already slain the vile demons and beasts that lurked within the Den of evil, and he is now scouring the Cold plains hunting the fallen rogue captain Blood Raven, whilst relentlessly slaying any vile fiend he comes across.

[Winterwind]

So what would have to be changed to include Fire as a backup ? Or is it even neccessary ? It is not necessary, but it can come in handy. I used to play a high-level single-element (fire) sorceress, so I can testify that having the merc deal with the immune monsters (or just teleport through) is possible on the one hand, yet challenging on the other. Of course, a single-element sorc has the advantage of more firepower... so choose for yourself which you like better. :smallwink:


With Cold Mastery I can even kill normally cold-immune monsters, right ?Alas, no. Cold Mastery does not work on cold-immune monsters (however, if a cold-immune had its immunity removed by a necromancer's Lower Resist curse or a paladin's Conviction aura, it starts working again).


1) Frozen Orb instead of Blizzard.Of course, this also means you don't need to put 20 points onto... Glacial Spike, if I remember correctly, because it is not a synergy anymore.
On the other hand, I just looked for a dual-element sorc guide, and found this one here (http://diablo2.ingame.de/tips/guides/DieDual-Sorc-Empfehlungen_Zauberin_GLC-Ber/DieDual-Sorc-Empfehlungen_Zauberin_GLC-Ber_seite1), where the author claims Blizzard and Frozen Orb are actually equally good choices and mostly a matter of taste (though he prefers FO himself).


2) What with Fire ? Fireball as main attack, or something else ?Yes, Fireball. With Frozen Orb or Blizzard you already have a cooldown-reliant heavy hitter, now you need something quick, and Fireball is pretty much perfect for that.


Apparently Warmth isn't really neccessary with the latest patches. Last time I played D2 some years ago it seemed to be extremly important. Were mana costs where lowered all over the board ?It's just that with a few +skill items your Warmth will be boosted to levels where your mana regeneration is decent enough for your purposes where regeneration is of help, and in fierce combat you will be chugging down mana potions either way.

[Amiria]

Mhm, that linked dual build seems good. Frozen Orb and Fireball. Thanks. Maybe I'll play a bit thi evening, going to Blood Raven for the first time.

[Rune Katashima]

Hello. I posted in the Starcraft Thread, so you might recognize me. Anywho, I just started playing Diablo II, and I think it'd be fun to have a group to mess around with. I have Diablo I as well and I've already played and beat it, currently going through the story on Diablo II at the moment. If you'll have me, I'd like to be caught up on what you're all doing.

P.S. I didn't know where to put it, but I have the expansion (Lord of Destruction) as well.

[Amiria]

The Gaming Group plays Diablo 2 LoD. I also just started a few days ago with a Sorceress. Currently I am in Act I at the Jail Level 1 waypoint.

Take a look at the first post in the thread, there is all the neccessary general information.

[hr]
We also have a Diablo I thread here. Search further down for a thread with a :smalleek:

[u-gotNOgame]

hey all...
cocerning the Cold Orb/Fireball Sorc
Cold orb vs. Blizzard debates have been raging even sence the advent of synergies i perosnally have only ever played an orber and found it enjoyable as long as you had a decent mercenary capable of killing cold immunes. going duel element would solve this, i have a fireball sorceress as well and she can take down anything other then fire immunes (do you see a pattern). both Fireball and Cold Orb are heavy hitting spells that cost lots of mana, and yes you can buy mana potions now, the gear in question while being findable will not be available untill we get a couple of charecters capable of magic finding in hell difficulty(i have one) so take all the builds you find online with a grain of salt because usually you will have to adjust them, especailly sorc builds due to the allarming number of guides that say zero into energy, yes its possible but you need top of the line gear.

in other notes NapoleansFury has reached act two after slaying the foul demon Andariel(SP?) in the depths of the catacombs, he has gained enough experiance to advance to the 15th level and a recent revalation shows that he will be capable of taking down uber trist solo if he gets good enough gear.
Hope to see you sunday and a happy St. Valentines day to all

-U-gotNOgame

Edit: i suppose if Amiria is the countess of mispelling i would be the count... stupid typos

[Amiria]

So far I'm faring well with no points put into Energy or Dexterity, no problem with too few mana. Stats at Level 21 are atm Strength 25, Dexterity 25, Vitality 80, Energy 35. 15 stat-points and 6 skill-points yet undistributed.

I guess I have to put some more points into Strength to use some heavier equipment, right ? Or can I rely on that 25 + stat-boosting items ?

[Krytha]

You'll have to put some points into strength sooner or later (probably sooner). You have the right idea with all those Vitality points though. But early in the game, the better equipment you can wear, the longer you'll live (as opposed to having more life) - because monsters can eat life faster than they can break through good armor.

[Rune Katashima]

What kind of points do you think are good for a Paladin?

[u-gotNOgame]

ahh the glorious paladin...
i think paladins are among the most veratile charecters in the game, as far as builds go there are many of those as well
There's the ever popular Hammer Din who can take down anything with ease,
theres the Zealer who specializes in attacking fast and hard, the charger who is mainly pvp but i have seen a few pvm builds out there, the smiter capable of soloing uber tristram, the hardest area in the game,
feel free to pm about the finer aspect of any paladin build you might try out
:wink:
-U-gotNOgame

[Winterwind]

And don't forget the trusty Avenger, best friend of any sorceress. :smalltongue:

The stat distribution is pretty much the same for any kind of paladin, though: Just enough strength to wield the entire equipment you would like to wear, just enough dexterity so that you have 75% chance to block when activating Divine Shield, no points in energy and everything that remains into vitality. If you do not know what you are going to wear (as is likely the case if you are not exceedingly rich), it's up to you what you consider a safe amount; personally, I like to get about 150 points of strength, which is enough to wear almost all good equipment and leaves not too much discrepancy between your strength and the heaviest gear you might want to wear, allowing you to re-spec if you should happen to find somewhing good (I know 150 is kinda a lot, but I had a rather traumatic experience when I found the Leviathan (http://www.diablo2.com/article/uniques/items/elite/chest/armor/leviathan.html) armour and was, like, 50 strength below the mark), and, unless your shield has a much above or below average base chance to block, just enough dexterity to have 75% at all times with your current shield.

[u-gotNOgame]

:smallredface: doh *facepalm* how could i forget the avenger after playing with yours last night (completely clothed i might add) but yes 150 str is a good mark to aim for, but don't allocate those 150 points right at the beginning be sure to boost your vitality early to make sure you can survive.

-U-gotNOgame

[Ghal Marak]

Hmm... I think I'll try my hand at this, cause this sounds like fun. It's been a long time since I've played though. And on top of that I've lost my CD code, so I have to go and buy the Diablo Battle Chest.

So, what is a good class to go for as a (semi)first time player?

[Winterwind]

I think just about any class would be suited equally well; it might be a wise move though to look up what popular and strong builds for the chosen class are, for while every class should work, some builds are more beginner-friendly than others.

[Prince Gimli]

To post in format:

Account name: Malderon
Character: Maklagh, Concentrate Axe Barbarian, Level 6

[Amiria]

Oh, yes, I should also do this.

Account name: Amiria
Character: Amiria, (Frozen Orb)/Fireball-Sorceress 28
Character: Grimhild, Javelin Amazon 9

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Yesterday I wasted my single Ral-Rune, accidently socketed it while sorting things in my treasure chest. :smallfrown: But luckily I found a new one today so I can make a nice "Leaf"-Staff now. :smallsmile:

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Btw, I really hate how complicated character building in Diablo II is. The skill trees, the item combinations with all those gems and runes and jewels and whatnot. All too much. Countless hours for finding the right build and studying it. :smallmad:

Diablo I was much simpler, maybe a bit too simple. But Diablo II seriously carried it too far.

[The Orange Zergling]

Suppose I should update as well...

Zeruv - 46 Bone Spear/Spirit/Golem Necromancer
Eziriah - 20 Multishot/Strafe/Fire Arrow (might switch to Immolating arrow when the chance arises) Amazon
NinjaZergling - 22 Trapassin (will go into Lightning Sentry/Death Sentry/Shadow Master when able)

I have long since deleted my Javazon, so you can take her off the list.

[u-gotNOgame]

Hey all,
i guess i should post my chars as well
Account: U-gotNOgame
Gitp Charecters:
NapoleansFury: Shape Shifting mostly Fury lvl 27 (soon to be 28)
Non-gitp charecters:
the only one you'll really see me on is...
LeninMan: Hammerdin 94
__________________________________________________ _______________
ok now... i am contemplating making a seperate account soley for gitp charecters since my current account is full (8 charecter limit ftl) if i do it will probably be, U-gotNOgitp, um yeah so thats it i guess

-UGNG

[The Orange Zergling]

I have a dilemma.

My trapassin found two sets of Claws while doing quest 5-1, and I'm not sure which is better.

One has 9-16 damage, 20% Increased Attack Speed, +124 Attack Rating, +120% damage vs undead, +142 Attack Rating vs undead, 1-36 lightning damage and 60 poison damage over 6 seconds.

The other has a 6% chance to cast lvl 1 Amplify Damage on strike, +1 Traps, +12 Attack Rating, and a 60% chance to make a struck foe flee. 10-23 damage.

The top one has excellent combat stats, but, being a trapassin, once I begin to start using the traps the build was actually made to use, I won't need to participate in combat, I'll just lay traps and walk off-screen. So the +1 Traps looks good, but it's stats are... not so good. Cuz, I'm still meleeing somewhat, my traps haven't quite kicked in yet.

Should I just use the first one and stash the second one till I get to a point where I don't need combat skills anymore, or just sell one, or what? Also keep in mind I haven't yet used the socket-reward from quest 5-1, in case that changes anything.

[Winterwind]

Why not use both? Assassins can dual-wield claws, after all.

Otherwise, I would definitely keep the ones with +1 Traps - as you said, in a not too distant future they will be much more useful to you.

[Green Bean]

Well, I've decided to brush off Diablo 2, and figured why not join in on the fun.

Account Name: haricot_vert
Character:
Blackleaf (Sorceresss) Level 15, aiming for FOrb/<FireSpell>

Incidentally, what do you guys recommend for a decent fire spell to focus on? I've tried Meteor in a previous game, but I'd prefer something without a delay.

[Amiria]

I'm quite new to the game but I also play a FOrb/Fire Sorceress, now lvl 37 or 38. My fire spell is Fireball, no cast delay, and available early. Seems like all other high level fire spells have cast delay.

[Green Bean]

I'm quite new to the game but I also play a FOrb/Fire Sorceress, now lvl 37 or 38. My fire spell is Fireball, no cast delay, and available early. Seems like all other high level fire spells have cast delay.

Sounds pretty good. Any idea if it'll still be feasible on Hell difficulty?

[u-gotNOgame]

Fire and Ice builds are perfectly viable, they are able to kill most if not all enemies in the game. Speaking from experiance i can say that with 2 sorcs one fire one cold me and my friend were able to walk alot of hell, there is an occasional boss that will spawn fire and cold immune you will have to rely on your mercenary or friends to deal with those. As for magic finding in hell you should do fine.

-UGNG

[Dallas-Dakota]

I don't suppose anybody could give me a hell rush, expansion, non-ladder, softcore?

[Winterwind]

Sounds pretty good. Any idea if it'll still be feasible on Hell difficulty?Fireball is the main weapon of most fire-focussed sorceresses. Note that the damage of Fireball increases with every point you put into Firebolt, Meteor and Fire mastery as well, which adds up to horrendous amounts ultimately, and there is no reason not to combine Fireball and Meteor into a deadly combo. If you divert points into a second element (like Cold), your damage will suffer, but remain more than decent nevertheless, and you will have that much less problems with immune foes in Hell. Whether you tread the single- or dual-elemental path is all up to you.


I don't suppose anybody could give me a hell rush, expansion, non-ladder, softcore?The problem with that is that, to my knowledge, none of us has a non-ladder character... so I'm afraid this might prove difficult. :smallfrown:

[Dallas-Dakota]

:smallfrown:

[Leper_Kahn]

Hey everyone!

Remember today is D2 day!

[The Orange Zergling]

I'm gonna be a couple hours late; today is my mom's birthday. But I'll definitely show up at some point.

[Winterwind]

As I have mentioned in the StarCraft and WarCraft 3 thread, I will be going on holidays for a week tomorrow, so I won't be attending either the Sunday session nor any games we might have meanwhile. Happy demon-slaughter till I'm back to all of ya, though. :smallcool:

[Amiria]

Oh noes, my mentor is leaving. Now the demons will slay me horribly .. and again ... and again ... and again. :smallfrown: :smallwink:

Schönen Urlaub, erhol dich gut. :smallsmile:

[u-gotNOgame]

hey all,
i was on recently and we were discussing the in's and outs of assasins and someone mentioned blade fury...
i have found this guide: http://strategy.diabloii.net/news.php?id=565
it seems pretty good, its rather subjective and explains the users points, the expensive nature of the gear however might post issues.

And WW have a good vacation where ever you might happen to be.

-UGNG

[The Orange Zergling]

Good news, my assassin is now in Hell difficulty, and doing well, although my once abundant excess of Full Rejuvs is now gone.

Bad news, my assassin was trying to empty her overfilled stash by removing a Sigon's Shield (I already have one but a spare dropped from Baal a while back), a really good bowazon bow, and a good piece of armor and switching them to a mule... but BNet decided to delete the game so I couldn't join it and pick the stuff up. :smallfurious: I'd tested it by dropping a key, switching chars and picking it up, and it worked, so I figured... :smallsigh: The other stuff is just meh, it's the loss of the shield I'm sad about.

[nooblade]

hey all,
i was on recently and we were discussing the in's and outs of assasins and someone mentioned blade fury...
i have found this guide: http://strategy.diabloii.net/news.php?id=565
it seems pretty good, its rather subjective and explains the users points, the expensive nature of the gear however might post issues.

And WW have a good vacation where ever you might happen to be.

-UGNG

I was the one who asked about them. And I found some stuff on Amazon Basin to be more interesting. Great site, thanks for pointing it out.

But school is starting to get more troublesome, so I'll need to study more instead of playing D2.

Plus it's a little frustrating how so few people are on? Where's the eight-player group who wants to smash through HC with me?

[u-gotNOgame]

hey no problem for the site, i would love to play a little hardcore... there is this guy hanging around account name *flashfire14 who hasn't registered who plays some hardcore too. i dont know that we have 8 players on softcore so find 8 hardcore might be tough, build wise i would probably make a safty build for my first charecter, a sword and shield concentrator or something along those lines, good for tanking lots of defence +battle order and command

-UGNG

p.s. i totally know what your talking about with school too, my work has totally been stepping up. but i have more time now that baseball tryouts are over (sadly i didn't make the team:smallsigh: ). see you when i see you

[Ghal Marak]

I would play, but I've got no money to get the Expansion Pack. :smallfrown:

[Legoshrimp]

Seems interesting i will try to be there this Sunday.

Edit: ok created an account for U.S. east now all i have to do is figure out what to play. I am open to anything. Does the party need anything in specific? If no one says anything I will be a summon necromancer.

[u-gotNOgame]

hello again guys,
lego, we dont need anything specific a summoner necro will be a welcome addition as not many necs are in the playground(bad pun i know). you will however need to find a group to play with atm i do not believe that there are many low lvl charecters around so you may be questing alone. we are looking into some hardcore play so if you're up for that you could do some of that.

im sry ghal for your finacial woes, if you raise the need funds (not more then 20 USD if i remeber correctly) we would love to see you online.

-UGNG

[Legoshrimp]

Ok well I got my summoner up to lvl 18. Sure I will try hardcore. When will you start your hardcore characters. I will want advice on what to build it as. Something that will not die easily.

Edit: Now lvl 20. with awesome items that next level will have plus three to all necro skills.

[u-gotNOgame]

good job leveling your necro, right now are median level is in the mid forties i believe. As for hardcore we will most likely start on sunday, meet in channel gitp as we organize, i havn't played hardcore in loooooooooong time, another summon necro wouldn't be bad and would give all the melee's and ranged some more tankers.

See You Guys Sunday

-UGNG

[Legoshrimp]

Yay just beat act 2 and am level 22 now. Sould I start the hardcore character now or wait?

[Winterwind]

Hi, I'm back! :smallcool:


Oh noes, my mentor is leaving. Now the demons will slay me horribly .. and again ... and again ... and again. :smallfrown: :smallwink::smalleek:
I sure hope such a horrible thing as you describe here did not actually happen in the end? :smalltongue:


Schönen Urlaub, erhol dich gut. :smallsmile:Vielen Dank, nachträglich. :smallsmile:


And WW have a good vacation where ever you might happen to be.Thanks, retroactively. :smallbiggrin:


Good news, my assassin is now in Hell difficulty, and doing well, although my once abundant excess of Full Rejuvs is now gone.Cool. We are starting to get a nice and large Hell party together. :smallcool:


Bad news, my assassin was trying to empty her overfilled stash by removing a Sigon's Shield (I already have one but a spare dropped from Baal a while back), a really good bowazon bow, and a good piece of armor and switching them to a mule... but BNet decided to delete the game so I couldn't join it and pick the stuff up. :smallfurious: I'd tested it by dropping a key, switching chars and picking it up, and it worked, so I figured... :smallsigh: The other stuff is just meh, it's the loss of the shield I'm sad about.I never entirely figured out the mechanics deciding whether a game will be deleted instantly when everybody leaves, or whether it stays up for 20 further minutes - it seems to involve a good bit of randomness - but generally it seems a game has to have been running for a while before it becomes "permanent" enough to not be killed instantly when every person leaves. So, if you create a new game, drop your items and leave, the game is quite likely to die, whereas if you had been playing for a while and leave only then, the game has much better chances to stay alive. Still, muling alone is always a highly risky endeavour; better get somebody to stay in the game while you switch your items around.


As for the hardcore game, I would participate in that; I currently have a hardcore paladin (to-be-hammerdin) of level... 15, I believe, right at the start of Act II.

[Ghal Marak]

Hey, I finaly got the Expansion, so now I can join in as well. :)

Account Name: Ghalmarak
Character: 1st level Barbarain, Ghall or something like that (it was 2:30 AM when I made 'em >.<).

I plan on just going sword and shield, since I already messed around with an axe specalist in single player.

[u-gotNOgame]

welcome ghal,
good to see you in the channel today, just holler if you need any help.

We need to get a hardcore group going, i would be more then happy to build a barb or nec, however i will be absent sunday due to my parents wanting to go out of town and meet with old friends (meh :smallsigh: )
Go ahead and start without me i will catch up, just let me know what you want me to build and what lvl to stop at

-UGNG

[Legoshrimp]

Well for hardcore I already have a necro so you should probably go with a barb.

[Amiria]

Yay, I finally found a 4-socket longsword and made me a virtually perfect1 Spirit sword for my sorceress (Amiria). :smallsmile: Now all I need is a Rhyme shield to pump her resistances and block (decided to go for maxblock with her, will be pumping dex for the next 20 odd levels).

So if someone finds a 2-socket tower shield, please don't throw it away ...

1 = max FCR, only one point below max mana

[Winterwind]

The best base shields for Rhyme meant for sorceresses are probably the Grim Shield (http://www.diablo2.com/article/shields/normal/items/exceptional/armor/grim-shield.html) (exceptional bone shield), the Luna (http://www.diablo2.com/article/shields/normal/items/elite/armor/luna.html) (elite small shield) and the Heater (http://www.diablo2.com/article/shields/normal/items/elite/armor/heater.html) (elite buckler). They have the best combination of high defense and block chance while still being sufficiently light for a sorc to equip them (the Luna can be a tad heavy for the weaker sorceresses), and best of all, they all have a maximum socket number of 2 - and since the 5-1 quest reward always inserts the maximum number of sockets possible when used on a non-magical item, it is fairly easy to create a Rhyme base out of them, if one finds them.

I'll keep an eye out. :smallwink:

[nooblade]

I found this really cool build for Barbs on Amazon Basin:
Crescent Moon the Lawbringer (http://www.theamazonbasin.com/d2/forums/index.php?showtopic=70558)
(the guy who wrote it must have learned English later)

And I think it would be awesome to make one. It is a sword barb, but I figure the swords are pretty unusual so it might not gimp the others.

Another equipment-related oddity is that it wants 8 Sounding GCs, which baffles me. If this is just for a higher level BO, why not go cheap and increase base life/mana with SCs? It doesn't seem like defense needs to be maxxed. And if points in War Cry or some other skill are needed, why not divert a few points from natural resistance instead? I don't get it.

But I'd probably not have a Btorch/Anni anyway. And the runes might be expensive, IDK if Um counts as a HR, but it seems really cheap overall, which is why I like it.

Unfortunately, my other barb went Mace Mastery, so I'd have to start a new guy for this build. Or, maybe someone who's on all the time should make one instead of me.

I was thinking, instead of maxing sword mastery for AR, you could get Battle Cry and cast it on mobs. It would be slower, but the main disadvantage is that Battle Cry works like a Necromancer Curse, so it would override Decrepify provided by the Lawbringers. I guess I wouldn't do it.

[Winterwind]

It's not cheap, but perfectly affordable.

(General note: Anything up to Gul may be expensive, but is manageable, especially with a group as large as ours, since it can drop as reward in the 4-2 quest)

I'm not sure how effective this build would be, but it sure looks interesting. :smallcool:

As for the charms, I think this is because people expect barbarians to have high level Battle Orders. When you enter a public Baalrun, for example, and have, say, level 26 Battle Orders... you are very likely to be flamed to cinders for how sucky your BO are. You see, I'm not sure whether it is due to cheats, bots and duping, or simply having way too much time (though I suspect it might be the former), but really, really rich people are common enough in public that their abilities are assumed to be standard. I remember I was once flamed when playing the level 94 fire sorc I used to have in a Baal run because my damage output was, supposedly, too low. I'm not entirely sure whether this "damage output" consisted of a level 30 Fireball and Meteor fuelled by a level 30 Fire Mastery, or whether it was level 31 respectively...
Likewise, if you are a sorceress, chances are they will demand you teleport straight to Baal, and then, instead of being thankful, they flame you for not using a map hack, and therefore needing more time than they are used to)

[Ghal Marak]

welcome ghal,
good to see you in the channel today, just holler if you need any help.

Thanks! :smallbiggrin: I may not need too much help, as I read the help section and tried to comit most of it to memory.


We need to get a hardcore group going, i would be more then happy to build a barb or nec, however i will be absent sunday due to my parents wanting to go out of town and meet with old friends (meh :smallsigh: )
Go ahead and start without me i will catch up, just let me know what you want me to build and what lvl to stop at

So hardcore is the one life mode right? I'd like to play too. Though, I've never played anything online before (excluding forums). I'll probably be the suckiest player there. :smallsigh:

So in order to join this game I would have to meet the level prequisets and know the name of it?

[Winterwind]

So hardcore is the one life mode right? I'd like to play too. Though, I've never played anything online before (excluding forums). I'll probably be the suckiest player there. :smallsigh: Just for the record, we also have a fully functional softcore party :smallwink: . (And yeah, hardcore is the one life mode)
Also, don't worry. Compared to some other games (like, say, strategy games), the difference in gameplay between single- or multiplayer is much, much smaller in Diablo. :smallcool:


So in order to join this game I would have to meet the level prequisets and know the name of it?Well... there are not so much level prerequisites (we always switch them off; in a group like ours, there is virtually no reason to ever activate them), but characters of too diverging levels cannot really level together - while you usually get experience for the kills of your party mates, this is no longer the case if these party mates are of a much higher level than you. And since characters of a much higher level will be doing pretty much all of the kills, well...
In short, it doesn't make much sense to play together with too disparaging levels. :smallwink:
As for the game's name, yeah, that, and the password; but you can just ask anyone of us in what game we currently are and what the password is (unless Tannish was the game's creator, the name is likely to be GitP, possibly with some number after that, and the password should be GitP as well. If Tannish was the game's creator... weep*1.)

*1 He surpassed himself yesterday in WarCraft, when he created a game called "this is an oxymoron dont ask" :smallsigh:

[Ghal Marak]

Thank you WinterWind, that was very informative and helpfull. :smallsmile:

Just to make sure I have the times right, the official Gitp games take place Sunday at 3:00 PM (Central)?

[Amiria]

So today (where I ironically started to ask for them) I found not 1 but 3 good socket-items for runewords.

The first was a longsword which I transformed into a Spirit sword.

Then I found another 4-socket longsword. Since Sorceresses can't dual-wield :smallbiggrin: I don't need it for myself. So just holler (PM) if you want it. Or tell me on B-Net.

And finally I found a 4-socket halberd. which I want to make an Insight with. But should I first upgrade it to Bec-de-corbin ? Or can I do it after the RW creation ? Does the Tal-Shael-P. Diamond recipe work at all for nonmagical items ?


Just to make sure I have the times right, the official Gitp games take place Sunday at 3:00 PM (Central)?

Yes, that's what the first post says. But I (and maybe other Europeans) might be even earlier there since it is already 10:00 PM here then.

[Winterwind]

Just to make sure I have the times right, the official Gitp games take place Sunday at 3:00 PM (Central)?Indeed, that's the official start - though don't take that mark too seriously, some people show up early, some show up late (possibly by hours), and the entire session usually lasts many, many hours, with people coming and going.


Then I found another 4-socket longsword. Since Sorceresses can't dual-wield :smallbiggrin: I don't need it for myself. So just holler (PM) if you want it. Or tell me on B-Net.Offer it to Tannish, I think he might be interested.


And finally I found a 4-socket halberd. which I want to make an Insight with. But should I first upgrade it to Bec-de-corbin ? Or can I do it after the RW creation ? Does the Tal-Shael-P. Diamond recipe work at all for nonmagical items ?I'd look for a better base for the runeword - the merc's function, after all, is not only to provide you with auras, but also to kill stuff. Okay, technically, he can also just tank, while you blast everything to pieces (as dual elemental sorc you do have that option; mono elemental sorcs must have mercs capable of killing monsters), but his survival rate and usefullness will improve greatly if he can slaughter demons on his own nevertheless.

Anyway, Tal-Shael won't work, since it works on unique armours only. The recipes are as follows for upgrading...

...a normal rare weapon: Ort + Amn + perf. Sapphire
...a normal rare armour: Ral + Thul + perf. Amethyst
...an exceptional rare weapon: Fal + Um + perf. Sapphire
...an exceptional rare armour: Ko + Pul + perf. Amethyst
...a normal unique weapon: Ral + Sol + perf. Emerald
...a normal unique armour: Tal + Shael + perf. Diamond
...an exceptional unique weapon: Lum + Pul + perf. Emerald
...an exceptional unique armour: Ko + Lem + perf. Diamond

It doesn't seem items that are neither rare nor unique can be upgraded at all. The last two recipes work for ladder players only.

[Amiria]

Darn, had some misleading information then. Seems like hunting for good runeword items is a bit harder, especially since I want to make so many ... at least one each of Insight, Rhyme and Peace in good powerful (the first) or light-weight (the other) items. Maybe also another Lore circlet for my Bowazon.

[Winterwind]

That's pretty much why I think that, if one finds an item that would be perfect as base for a runeword, except it lacks the sockets, and the 5-1 quest would add just the right number of sockets to it, it may well be worth going for it after all, to spare oneself the trouble of having to look for the item any longer.

[u-gotNOgame]

hey guys,

As for the charms, I think this is because people expect barbarians to have high level Battle Orders. When you enter a public Baalrun, for example, and have, say, level 26 Battle Orders... you are very likely to be flamed to cinders for how sucky your BO are. You see, I'm not sure whether it is due to cheats, bots and duping, or simply having way too much time (though I suspect it might be the former), but really, really rich people are common enough in public that their abilities are assumed to be standard. I remember I was once flamed when playing the level 94 fire sorc I used to have in a Baal run because my damage output was, supposedly, too low. I'm not entirely sure whether this "damage output" consisted of a level 30 Fireball and Meteor fuelled by a level 30 Fire Mastery, or whether it was level 31 respectively...
Likewise, if you are a sorceress, chances are they will demand you teleport straight to Baal, and then, instead of being thankful, they flame you for not using a map hack, and therefore needing more time than they are used to)
oh yes the glories of the diablo II battle.net community i have experianced it oh so much, the random flamingn the aparent noobishness of 12k hammers, the glory

As for the build i think it looks fine, the two ums will be the hardest as well as find 4 3 socket phase blades.

Also for hardcore i found a build for a singer barb that looks interesting and im interested in playing the damage isn't the greatest but i think it will be a good addition to the party, i think however that we should see just how many people are interested and what they are planning on making so we dont have to much competition for weapons and armour and such, as well as a good mix between melee, ranged, and caster subtypes.

Also on upping items, if you make your insight in that halberd you might actually be able to up using the normal unique weapon formula due to the fact that after you insert the runes in the right order it become a unique item, it might be worth looking into...

-UGNG

[Dallas-Dakota]

I never entirely figured out the mechanics deciding whether a game will be deleted instantly when everybody leaves, or whether it stays up for 20 further minutes - it seems to involve a good bit of randomness - but generally it seems a game has to have been running for a while before it becomes "permanent" enough to not be killed instantly when every person leaves. So, if you create a new game, drop your items and leave, the game is quite likely to die, whereas if you had been playing for a while and leave only then, the game has much better chances to stay alive. Still, muling alone is always a highly risky endeavour; better get somebody to stay in the game while you switch your items around.
For the game to last any without anybody within it you must have atleast spend 5 min. in it. How long it lasts I do not know though.

As for transferring, my brother and me usually help out eachother(he also plays). So thats safe.

Any non-ladder softcore players here? I am one...

[Ghal Marak]

For the game to last any without anybody within it you must have atleast spend 5 min. in it. How long it lasts I do not know though.

As for transferring, my brother and me usually help out eachother(he also plays). So thats safe.

Any non-ladder softcore players here? I am one...

What exactly is the Ladder?

[u-gotNOgame]

What exactly is the Ladder?

the ladder is a ranking system of the highest level charecters in you specific realm, atm you have to be at least lvl 96 to make rank 1000. In addition some of the most powerfull(and expensive) runewords are designated ladder only. The third and probably biggest is that on non-ladder the program blizzard runs to detect dupes is not run in its entirety, that is to say that every time you join a game partial rustorm(or something like that) is run and detects any dupes that might be on you charecter, this however misses any runes already socketed into items, in your cube, and probably somewhere else. the full version that checks everysingle item on the realm is run something like once everyother month or so (and on important dates like ladder resets). This means that on non-ladder people can stockpile upwards of like 80+ hr's without fear of them vanishing

-UGNG

[Winterwind]

oh yes the glories of the diablo II battle.net community i have experianced it oh so much, the random flamingn the aparent noobishness of 12k hammers, the gloryAnother anecdote, not from myself this time but a friend of mine: He was playing a paladin in a Baalrun, and somebody demanded from him that he teleports down (and flamed him when he pointed out he was a paladin, not a sorc). Said person claimed that every paladin was capable of teleporting - apparently running under the assumption every player on the BattleNet has access to Enigma...


Also on upping items, if you make your insight in that halberd you might actually be able to up using the normal unique weapon formula due to the fact that after you insert the runes in the right order it become a unique item, it might be worth looking into...Runeworded items count as uniques henceforth?
Cool, now here's one thing I didn't know yet - I thought the golden runeword was just for show, but the item class still was "socketed". :smallcool:


For the game to last any without anybody within it you must have atleast spend 5 min. in it. How long it lasts I do not know though.Ah, I see. :smallsmile:


Any non-ladder softcore players here? I am one...Why don't you just start a ladder character, like the rest of us? :smallwink:


What exactly is the Ladder?To complete Len's explanations, every time you start a new character you are asked whether it is supposed to be a ladder character or not (just as you determine whether it's a hardcore character or not). The default setting is on "yes" for ladder; and since there are many rune words, items and cube recipes only available to ladder characters, there isn't much reason to ever create a non-ladder character, except for the explicit purpose of being able to play with other non-ladder characters - for the two are mutually exclusive and cannot play in games together.

[Dallas-Dakota]

Ah, I see. :smallsmile:
Good:smallsmile:


Why don't you just start a ladder character, like the rest of us? :smallwink:

But..But.. I'd have to level it high and then I'd have to get mules and I don't have that much room for so many characters!
On a side note, when I get on I'l probably make one.

[Winterwind]

But..But.. I'd have to level it high and then I'd have to get mules and I don't have that much room for so many characters!
On a side note, when I get on I'l probably make one.In my experience, the larger the group of people you play with, the less mules you need. In the Long Long Ago, I used to play with one or two friends and no more, and we all needed a ton of mules to store all our stuff... but in this group, I have no characters designated as mules yet at all, and I'm not needing them yet, either. There are always so many lower-level characters around to give items to...

[Amiria]

I have six characters and 2,5 of them are mules. But that's mainly because I collect low level set items. I also have many perfect gems but that will change when I have characters high level enough to get a chance for really good items with horadric cube recipes.

[Winterwind]

I have six characters and 2,5 of them are mules. But that's mainly because I collect low level set items. I also have many perfect gems but that will change when I have characters high level enough to get a chance for really good items with horadric cube recipes.The probably best use for that would be grand charms - in an attempt to produce charms with +skills.
I don't remember what level the charms should ideally be for that though. Does anyone know?

[u-gotNOgame]

The probably best use for that would be grand charms - in an attempt to produce charms with +skills.
I don't remember what level the charms should ideally be for that though. Does anyone know?

The ones that spawn +skills the most often are the ones from nightmare trav, the only ones with the chance of spawning +skills and having a powerfull suffix (life, or fhr ect.) are those dropped from hell baal

-UGNG

[Winterwind]

The ones that spawn +skills the most often are the ones from nightmare trav, the only ones with the chance of spawning +skills and having a powerfull suffix (life, or fhr ect.) are those dropped from hell baalIsn't the item level more or less random, even on those?
I mean, what level do bare +skill grand charms have, 45? Okay, so the best chance for them dropping would be in Nightmare Travincal, but surely, a grand charm dropped there (or by the counsil) doesn't have to have level 45, right? Or does it?
What I want to know is, what level would a grand charm have to have so the
3 perfect gems + grand charm = new grand charm of equal item level recipe
would have the best chance of creating a +skill charm (the 45 above was just some number I believe is about right, but we need to get it precisely)?

[u-gotNOgame]

Isn't the item level more or less random, even on those?
I mean, what level do bare +skill grand charms have, 45? Okay, so the best chance for them dropping would be in Nightmare Travincal, but surely, a grand charm dropped there (or by the counsil) doesn't have to have level 45, right? Or does it?
What I want to know is, what level would a grand charm have to have so the
3 perfect gems + grand charm = new grand charm of equal item level recipe
would have the best chance of creating a +skill charm (the 45 above was just some number I believe is about right, but we need to get it precisely)?

ah but item level is determined purely on monster level, so yes every gc dropped by the nightmare trav is that level, i think that being a boss mob actually gives them a +3 mlvl so better drops insue... actually there are monsters before nightmare trav that are cappable of dropping skillers(gc w/ +skills) but it is more likely to drop from nm trav, and the concentration of monsters is higher.
So for the record level 50 is the level capable of spawning skillers and actually the closer you get to 50 the more likely the gc is to spawn with +skills due to the fact that there are less possible affixes. there are actually monsters capable of dropping skillers in act 2 nm. i believe, however, that in order to drop a prefix and a suffix the item has to be higher then it needs to be in order ot drop a item with just one affix. so that is why higher ilvl gc's are capable of dropping 2 affixes as opposed to one.
your recipe is correct.
-UGNG

edit: wow everytime i touch a keyboard its like i become illiterate
double edit: cause im just that cool

[Green Bean]

Also, it doesn't have to necessarily be the Travinical. Everywhere in Act 3 from the Great Marsh onward will drop possible +skill charms. For instance, I just got a lovely +skill charm for Amazons from the Flayer Jungle.

[Winterwind]

ah but item level is determined purely on monster level, so yes every gc dropped by the nightmare trav is that level,Ah, okay. I thought the monster's level just set the maximum possible item level, and the actual item level was some random number between that and... something lower. But if the item level is determined purely on monster level (and now that I think about it, I seem to recall now this really is how it works), awesome, this tells us exactly what to do: Hit Nightmare Travincal until any grand charm drops, and then transmutate it for so long until it turns into a skiller. Rince and repeat. :smallcool:


So for the record level 50 is the level capable of spawning skillers and actually the closer you get to 50 the more likely the gc is to spawn with +skills due to the fact that there are less possible affixes. there are actually monsters capable of dropping skillers in act 2 nm. i believe, however, that in order to drop a prefix and a suffix the item has to be higher then it needs to be in order ot drop a item with just one affix. so that is why higher ilvl gc's are capable of dropping 2 affixes as opposed to one.Ah, so 50 it is. :smallsmile:

I don't know whether it's the same in D2, but in D1, an item couldn't have a prefix and a suffix of too diverging quality. It was not possible to have a really cool prefix, and a sucky suffix - if the one was good, the other had to be at the very least decent. Now, I'm not sure how item level is determined - whether it depends on the highest pre-/suffix on the item, or whether both are somehow taken into account - but if it's the latter, and that rule from D1 has prevailed, it might actually be that some levels too close to 50 but not actually being 50 are not able to become skillers, because any suffix good enough to go in pair with the +skill prefix would raise the item level beyond them.


Also, it doesn't have to necessarily be the Travinical. Everywhere in Act 3 from the Great Marsh onward will drop possible +skill charms. For instance, I just got a lovely +skill charm for Amazons from the Flayer Jungle.Oooh, cool, congratulations! Which skill area? :smallsmile:
(btw, isn't Gender Bender Week over now? :smallwink: )

[Dallas-Dakota]

I'm on now with my lvl 28 orso hammerdin! In ladder-softcore.



(btw, isn't Gender Bender Week over now? :smallwink: )
Becouse it gives more appreciation to us, the people who genderbend avatars, I mean, it would be kind of a waste to use a genderbent avatar just a week per year.... And why are we whispering?

[Green Bean]

Oooh, cool, congratulations! Which skill area? :smallsmile:

Passive/Magic Skills. Only had to reroll 10-12 times. I was pretty lucky.

[Winterwind]

I'm on now with my lvl 28 orso hammerdin! In ladder-softcore.28, already? You're fast! :smallcool:
Sorry, won't be able to join you today - gotta study a bit more, and then it's off to the StarCraft session, but tomorrow, the demons shall tremble!


Becouse it gives more appreciation to us, the people who genderbend avatars, I mean, it would be kind of a waste to use a genderbent avatar just a week per year.... And why are we whispering?Ah, good point :smallsmile: (I had been thinking about gender-bending my avatar, too, but decided doing the clothing again would definitely be too much of a pain in the donkey :smallbiggrin: ).
As for the whispering... because it's off-topic.


Passive/Magic Skills. Only had to reroll 10-12 times. I was pretty lucky.Ah.
Pity it's not the attack skill area, but a bonus to Valkyrie and the other stuff is not to be derided, either! :smallsmile:

[Krytha]

Hunger lists a 75% damage reduction on your attacks. But if you have elemental damage listed on the weapon, is that factored into the reduction as well, or is it separate and added after physical damage is calculated?

In other words, if a weapon does 50-150 physical damage and 50-150 fire damage, does hunger say... hmm you now do 13-39 physical and 50-150 fire OR does it say you now do 26-78, fire damage included?

[Winterwind]

The former, and this holds true for all damage modifications by skills. Elemental damage is always seperate and untouched by it entirely.

[Dallas-Dakota]

My pally is in nm, now and has done ancients and is lvl 44.

Nobody is on? its saturday with me here... Or was sunday d2 lod day? Can't remember...

Anyway, I'm looking for good baalruns... after doing some norm (skill)qeusting

[Amiria]

My pally is in nm, now and has done ancients and is lvl 44.

The Ancients on NM at Lvl 44 ?! Hell !!! :smalleek:

I waited with my two main characters until Lvl 41-42 before I even entered NM ... :smallredface:

[Krytha]

The Ancients on NM at Lvl 44 ?! Hell !!! :smalleek:

I waited with my two main characters until Lvl 41-42 before I even entered NM ... :smallredface:

Having a softcore hammerdin do all the heavy lifting makes one braver.

[Winterwind]

My pally is in nm, now and has done ancients and is lvl 44.

Nobody is on? its saturday with me here... Or was sunday d2 lod day? Can't remember...44? My, you're playing this with dedication, eh? :smallbiggrin:
Anyway, it's Sunday that is D2:LoD day.


The Ancients on NM at Lvl 44 ?! Hell !!! :smalleek:No, not Hell. Nightmare. :smalltongue:


I waited with my two main characters until Lvl 41-42 before I even entered NM ... :smallredface:You very rarely, if ever, have to stop to level. My characters tend to be in their early 30ies when they enter Nightmare.
On the other hand, the quickest way to level is to stop right before killing Baal and make Baalruns, killing only his minions over and over again, until you hit level 50 (at which point your experience gain will drastically break down), and only then to enter Nightmare (the point of not killing Baal is that this method is the more effective the more people are in the game, which amounts to public Baalruns, so you want to not advance to the next difficulty grade, because then you would stop to see the public runs for the difficulty you are on). In Nightmare, the cutoff is somewhere around 70-75.

[Dallas-Dakota]

44? My, you're playing this with dedication, eh? :smallbiggrin:
Anyway, it's Sunday that is D2:LoD day.

No, not Hell. Nightmare. :smalltongue:

In Nightmare, the cutoff is somewhere around 70-75.

Hmm, I usually go until 65/70, or sometimes a bit earlier if I can find a good hellrush.
And why is nobody on? Again! its a sunday, what is the specific time(and time zone) then?!?!?

[Axl_Rose]

<3 Diablo 2.

here's a graffiti I drew on facebook but was unable to save due to a bug which is unfortunately still unresolved =(

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/Twelling/Diablo5finished.jpg

[Mephisto]

I got my wind druid to nightmare yesterday and have started running around hurricaning everything. Right now I'm working on getting Cain.

Also, is it just me or is there a lot higher density of randomly-generated unique monsters in Nightmare? I went through the Cave for laughs (and precious XP and loot) and ended up fighting about eight boss packs, some of them two at a time.

[Dallas-Dakota]

I got my wind druid to nightmare yesterday and have started running around hurricaning everything. Right now I'm working on getting Cain.

Also, is it just me or is there a lot higher density of randomly-generated unique monsters in Nightmare? I went through the Cave for laughs (and precious XP and loot) and ended up fighting about eight boss packs, some of them two at a time.

Yes ,there are more uniques in nightmare, it gets even worse in hell, and in nightmare and then hell immunes get more freqeunt also.

And ohyeah, my pally is now around 65 in nightmare, has done ancients.

[Winterwind]

Yes ,there are more uniques in nightmare, it gets even worse in hell, and in nightmare and then hell immunes get more freqeunt also.More precisely, every monster has at least one immunity in Hell, without exception, and there are quite possibly more minions belonging to some unique around than non-associated monsters. :smallbiggrin:


I got my wind druid to nightmare yesterday and have started running around hurricaning everything. Right now I'm working on getting Cain.
And ohyeah, my pally is now around 65 in nightmare, has done ancients.Umm... and neither of you was interested in playing with us (i.e., the rest of the group) yesterday? There were, like, 4-6 of the group playing together throughout yesterday, 7-8 at the spike.

EDIT: Saw this only now:

And why is nobody on? Again! its a sunday, what is the specific time(and time zone) then?!?!?All the organisational stuff is in the first post of this thread...
And for the record, it's 4 PM EST onward, with sessions lasting 5-8 hours typically.

[Dallas-Dakota]

PM, afternoon/evening or morning?:smallannoyed:
You guys are I figure about 4 hours ahead of me, I live in The Netherlands....
I´l be there next sunday then...

[Winterwind]

PM means afternoon/evening.
EST means GMT-5 (you and me are at GMT+1), but in the US (at least, in some states) day-saving time has already begun, so it's only 5 hours behind our time. (this is, by the way, also explained in the first post of this thread)

Or, in short, the session starts at 9 in the evening for us, until we too reach summer time, when it will switch to being 10 in the evening for us.

[Dallas-Dakota]

PM means afternoon/evening.
EST means GMT-5 (you and me are at GMT+1), but in the US (at least, in some states) day-saving time has already begun, so it's only 5 hours behind our time. (this is, by the way, also explained in the first post of this thread)

Or, in short, the session starts at 9 in the evening for us, until we too reach summer time, when it will switch to being 10 in the evening for us.

Ahh ok, that clears it up, thenks, I´l be there next week.

[Mephisto]

Umm... and neither of you was interested in playing with us (i.e., the rest of the group) yesterday? There were, like, 4-6 of the group playing together throughout yesterday, 7-8 at the spike.

I was in an activity for my Social Psych class all Sunday morning and afternoon, and spent all evening studying for a Bio test today. Sunday afternoons are really not a convenient time for me.

[Dallas-Dakota]

I was in an activity for my Social Psych class all Sunday morning and afternoon, and spent all evening studying for a Bio test today. Sunday afternoons are really not a convenient time for me.

Well, we are online at other times to, just at randomn, it´s just the official meeting time for ´the group´.

And Leper Khan, Please add my Hammerdin to the characterlist(yes it is ladder and expansion, softcore) He´s 65 now I think, may level up(fast). If I feel up to playing and have time for it.

[Winterwind]

I was in an activity for my Social Psych class all Sunday morning and afternoon, and spent all evening studying for a Bio test today. Sunday afternoons are really not a convenient time for me.Mhh, I see - I was just asking because you said you had brought your druid to Nightmare on Sunday...
Anyway, as dallas-dakota said, we also meet randomly during the week. I usually come online around 4-5 PM EST (though I don't always come for D2, sometimes it's SC or WC3), Amiria, SirSigfried and u-gotNOgame tend to be online more often.

[u-gotNOgame]

yes i do tend to play alot when im not writing dumb essays about Romeo and Juleit*ramblesincoherentlyaboutlightanddarkimagery *

That being said what level did the hardcore group get to on sunday night, i want to catch up as to not be left out in the cold next sunday.

-UGNG

[Winterwind]

That being said what level did the hardcore group get to on sunday night, i want to catch up as to not be left out in the cold next sunday.

-UGNGMy hammerdin got to level 20 and was the highest leveled character of the bunch, the rest was something like 12-16 I believe.

[Dallas-Dakota]

Hmm, I think I may just get a new char so I can join in. Will post details later.

[Amiria]

I might also make a character for the HC group. I like both of my highest SC chars and would play either build.

So what would fit better in the group ? A Javazon or a FOrb / Fireball Sorceress ?

[Legoshrimp]

I would suggest the javazon considering we already have two sorceress in the group.

[Winterwind]

And not a single amazon.

[Dallas-Dakota]

Wait hardcore? I don't play hardcore.....

[Winterwind]

Wait hardcore? I don't play hardcore.....Well, most of us haven't, until now. Pretty much all of us have, in addition to our usual, softcore characters, recently started a hardcore character as well, and have been playing those almost exclusively as a group so far. We are eager to find out how we will fare in this most difficult challenge.
We have just arrived at the Lost City, if I remember right, so if anyone wants to, catching up should be fairly easy still.

[SirSigfried]

I had skipped ahead of the group last night after a bout of insomnia. Soloing Duriel it was tough and I had to return to town on several occasions to get more minions, for my nec. Then I remembered that i had a wand that had +2 to iron maiden. Then duriel was toast. :smallamused:

However I almost died several times, I don't think ill risk going it alone again.

Also i've not done my char list yet so here we go.

Softcore

Knight_of_NEE lvl 64 Paladin shock zealot.

Thog_GitP lvl 73 Barbarian Concentrator (Sword)

Inquisitor_NEE lvl 18 Paladin Avenger

Forrest_Burner lvl 20 Druid Werebear Mauler

Hardcore

Gob_Slayer lvl 22 Necromancer Summoner

[Dallas-Dakota]

Ah ok, I'l try it maybe then, but are there time meeting differences between hardcore and softcore group? If there are, what are they?

And I"l be unable to play my usual style.... Very risky it is...

[Winterwind]

Ah ok, I'l try it maybe then, but are there time meeting differences between hardcore and softcore group? If there are, what are they?No, there are not; we just decide what we want to do at a moment's notice.


And I"l be unable to play my usual style.... Very risky it is...It's the thrill of knowing you are really fighting for your life that makes this interesting! :smallbiggrin:

[Dallas-Dakota]

No, there are not; we just decide what we want to do at a moment's notice.
Ahh ok.



It's the thrill of knowing you are really fighting for your life that makes this interesting! :smallbiggrin:
Ya mean character don't ya?:smalltongue:

[Amiria]

Ok, I've caught up with the HC group. Reached the Lost City waypoint. Now lvl 19. I thought the Maggot Lair would be tough but it was easy, found the way to the staff really fast, but I gave my merc the advantage to skewer most of the lightning beetles. :smallsmile:

[Winterwind]

Ahh ok.

Ya mean character don't ya?:smalltongue:Umm... perhaps... >.> <.<

Er, I mean, yes, yes, of course! Blizzard totally does not, repeat, does not employ a team of hitmen to bring every player into the same state as their hardcore character, nosiree!
Can I have my liver back now, please, mister hitman, sir?


Ok, I've caught up with the HC group. Reached the Lost City waypoint. Now lvl 19. I thought the Maggot Lair would be tough but it was easy, found the way to the staff really fast, but I gave my merc the advantage to skewer most of the lightning beetles. :smallsmile:Awesome! :smallsmile:
I admit though, I am mortified at the thought about Act III, especially the Flayers Dungeon, the Sewers and the Durance of Hate...

[Dallas-Dakota]

What ya guys need for the group? I would be most willing to play an trapsin or a necro.
Scrap that, people, I would like you to Mecromax-DDgitp! He is a lvl 1 summoner who I'm now getting up and about!

[Winterwind]

Just to make sure we're on the same page, we are of course talking about hardcore ladder characters.

A summoner, eh?
Those can surely be useful in Hardcore, considering what a great meat shield they provide. My only worries are about lag, which is likely to happen once there are several of them around (and I forgot who, but I'm pretty sure somebody else was playing a summoner on HC as well).


Time for an update on my characters:
Whiteblade, the avenger, has reached level 78 now.
CrimsonHeart, the fireball/meteor sorc, is on level 49.
SilverMartell was meant to be a hammerdin, but since I made my hardcore character into a hammerdin, I decided to go for a different build on this one - he will be a Fanatical Zealot now, even though his name will not fit anymore. He's currently level 18.
DanceWithBlades is my sword-whirlwind barbarian, level 25.

And the hardcore character is
Autumnhail, level 20 hammerdin.

[Dallas-Dakota]

I'm putting a bit in curses as well, since I know they can be handy, though its very hard to main on them.
I got 4 skeletons now and I'm probably gonna get 4 mages as well and then max main skeleton mastery and then summon resist/curses. so you probably shouldnt worry about to much lag.

He's lvl 11 now.

And maybe somebody should get Leper Khan down here to update the first post?

[u-gotNOgame]

Hey guys,
My singer barb has hit act 2 and got through rad with help from amiria et. al. im fairly sure that we already have a hardcore summoner but what ever. However if you guys have got to the Lost City Wp ill have to catch up and that might take some doing considering this build is will not be viable, and is not ment to be viable untill about lvl 40 :smallannoyed:.
about my charecters:
NapoleansFury: 66(i think, im at school right now) Shapeshifting Furywolf
other chars lvl 80+ that i use often times
on Hardcore
GreenSings: lvl 17(i think) warcry baba

-UGNG

[Palpie]

I haven't played on Bnet in forever (alas my level 93 Orbress is no more :smallfrown: ). It looks like the HC characters could use another meatshield. I'll start a concentrator barb and see if I can catch up.

Account name will be Palpie. Not sure what I'll name him, maybe FallingRoy :smallamused:

[Dallas-Dakota]

Ok, my necro is 15-ish now and stuck at andariel.

[Amiria]

Is here anyone experienced in the D2 trading system ? I might want to purchase some things in open trade games for my SC Amazons (Razortail, Titans) but I have no idea how much worth those items are. Runes seems to be the most common trading currency, right ?

[Krytha]

Is here anyone experienced in the D2 trading system ? I might want to purchase some things in open trade games for my SC Amazons (Razortail, Titans) but I have no idea how much worth those items are. Runes seems to be the most common trading currency, right ?

WRONGGGGG! You may see game names like x for HR which signals people are looking for high runes, which you almost certainly do not have. Sorry, save those Rals for later. The REAL most common trading currency for the items you seem to be looking for are more likely to be perfect gems or whatever strikes the buyers fancy. The biggest problem you are going to have is that nobody keeps razortails (assuming they are slightly more seasoned in their MFing) and titans might be worth a bit more. Try throwing either more pgems at them, or find an extra item to add in, or a little of column A/B etc. Additionally, some people are looking for large stacks of lower runes for crafting purposes. The best advice I can give you is to make a game like "pgems 4 x" and play around in it for a little while and see if anyone joins. Half of trading is luck, the other half is patience. Actually its more like 5% luck, 95% patience.

[Winterwind]

I haven't played on Bnet in forever (alas my level 93 Orbress is no more :smallfrown: ). It looks like the HC characters could use another meatshield. I'll start a concentrator barb and see if I can catch up.

Account name will be Palpie. Not sure what I'll name him, maybe FallingRoy :smallamused:Welcome to the group! Make yourself a home! :smallsmile:


Is here anyone experienced in the D2 trading system ? I might want to purchase some things in open trade games for my SC Amazons (Razortail, Titans) but I have no idea how much worth those items are. Runes seems to be the most common trading currency, right ?Sorry, I have no experience with it whatsoever. :smallfrown:

[Dallas-Dakota]

I'm experienced in D2 lod trading system.
And yes, what they say is almost correct, its 70% patience, 10% luck and 20% knowing the right people(having them on your friends list usually helps)
For example I know a person, who currently has 3/4 sorc mf gears.(gold wrap, chance guard, etc.)
The only way you are going to get anything good with pgems if you have 35/40 for them(worth of 1 hr I think).
Trading system has changed, earlier main high trading value were Annies...

My necro is currently lvl 15-ish and stuck at andariel.
Update : My hardcore ladder necro is at the beginning of the arcane sanctuary and lvl 18

[Fleeing Coward]

Is here anyone experienced in the D2 trading system ? I might want to purchase some things in open trade games for my SC Amazons (Razortail, Titans) but I have no idea how much worth those items are. Runes seems to be the most common trading currency, right ?

I play on West but if you're looking to trade, I'd suggest diabloii.net. Alot fewer scammers and if you want a price check on anything, there's a specific forums dedicated to it with some people who'd gladly give you a fair price on what the items you're buying and selling is actually worth.

If you're after a more legit trading experience, then baron's bazaar would be the place for you. They don't allow trading in high runes and fewer players visit there but items there are almost certainly not going to disappear on you.

Basic Currency is pgems, runes and keys. Of the lower runes, rals especially is the one to look out for - valued at 2pgems, mid runes - hel and ko and anything above lem is always good.

The items you're looking for isn't really that expensive, you can usually pick up a pair of titans for 10-15 pgems if not less as long as you're not too picky about ed and razortail shouldn't cost more than 5 pgems.



The only way you are going to get anything good with pgems if you have 35/40 for them(worth of 1 hr I think).
Trading system has changed, earlier main high trading value were Annies...


On bnet 40 pgems is only a pul on both west and east. HR are usually valued at 2um to 2um pul although you can usually pick up one for pgems on the forums from mass crafters. Not sure about east rates but in west, it's currently 80 per hr of your choice.

[Green Bean]

I just had the best Hell Countess run ever. It was my fourth run of the day, and she hadn't been dropping very well up till then. Then a random unique dropped a Hel, and when I got to the Countess, she dropped a Fal. Anyway, I decided to try out The Pit, and then another unique drops a Gul!

Anyway, at the moment I'm trying to assemble Tal Rasha's, and I still need the armour and the amulet. How close would you say my windfall has brought me? Am I going to need even higher runes to have a chance to make a trade?

[u-gotNOgame]

a gul! thats a hr, statisticly even tho many think it should not count due to the fact that is not used in many elite runwords. that should fetch you your arm amulet.

-UGNG

[Fleeing Coward]

Should be enough to fetch you both if you look hard enough. If you're planning to trade for tals though it's probably best to find someone to convert your gul into um and pul. Tal armor usually cost anywhere between um-mal while the ammy ranges from pul-um.
If you're trading on bnet, expect the higher end of that range as people almost always inflate their prices on there compared to forum trading sites.

[Krytha]

I just had the best Hell Countess run ever. It was my fourth run of the day, and she hadn't been dropping very well up till then. Then a random unique dropped a Hel, and when I got to the Countess, she dropped a Fal. Anyway, I decided to try out The Pit, and then another unique drops a Gul!

Anyway, at the moment I'm trying to assemble Tal Rasha's, and I still need the armour and the amulet. How close would you say my windfall has brought me? Am I going to need even higher runes to have a chance to make a trade?

What build are you using here?

[Green Bean]

What build are you using here?

LF/Plague Javazon. It's fairly good.


Thanks for your advice. I'm now the proud owner of the full Tal Rasha's set. And the best part is, I already had an Um and a Mal on hand, so I still have the Gul. :smallbiggrin:

[Krytha]

LF/Plague Javazon. It's fairly good.


Thanks for your advice. I'm now the proud owner of the full Tal Rasha's set. And the best part is, I already had an Um and a Mal on hand, so I still have the Gul. :smallbiggrin:

Oooff... I probably would've tried to hold onto the Mal in place of the Gul, but if you have a use for it then I guess that's ok.

[Green Bean]

Oooff... I probably would've tried to hold onto the Mal in place of the Gul, but if you have a use for it then I guess that's ok.

Well, I'm only a couple perfect gems away from replacing the Mal, so it seems to have worked out.

[Legoshrimp]

Just to let you guys know I will not be there tomorrow.

[Winterwind]

Congratulations on the runes and the Tal Rasha set, h_v. :smallsmile:

[Dallas-Dakota]

Looking forward to the meeting that starts in 3 hours and 25 minuts.

[Winterwind]

Update: The most advanced characters of the HC group (as of this writing, that would be Palpie's FallingRoy barbarian, Lib's Gob_Slayer necromancer, Baneling's ThinkWithPortals sorceress and my Autumnhail hammerdin (who reached level 25 today)) have successfully defeated Mephisto and have arrived in the Pandemonium Fortress (we haven't advanced in Act IV at all yet).

[Leper_Kahn]

Hey everyone,
Sorry I've been around a lot less these last few weeks. I didn't even show up today. If you're new and haven't seen anyone around then please stick with it. We're normally welcoming, but I've had insane amounts of work to do and my laziness combines to make me not do anything at all. I am really sorry and I'll try to make it more often.

[nooblade]

My (softcore) Hammerdin made a lot of progress today and I found lots of neat stuff in Hell difficulty. I think I'm around level 76 and in a3 (soloing the Maggot lair was FUN!). So thanks to everyone who gave/loaned me gear.

WW gave me stuff to give to Bane, but he wasn't on, so I put it in our community mule, along with a few other things I found.

[Winterwind]

Hey everyone,
Sorry I've been around a lot less these last few weeks. I didn't even show up today. If you're new and haven't seen anyone around then please stick with it. We're normally welcoming, but I've had insane amounts of work to do and my laziness combines to make me not do anything at all. I am really sorry and I'll try to make it more often.Hey, you don't have to be sorry, it's not like a game we played for fun suddenly turned into an obligation for you. :smallwink:
(Though I do have some stuff for your HC zealot, and I am kinda running low of stash room... :smalltongue: )


My (softcore) Hammerdin made a lot of progress today and I found lots of neat stuff in Hell difficulty. I think I'm around level 76 and in a3 (soloing the Maggot lair was FUN!). So thanks to everyone who gave/loaned me gear.Maggot Lair + Hammerdin = Fun for you? :smalleek:
What are you, a masochist of some kind? :smalltongue:


WW gave me stuff to give to Bane, but he wasn't on, so I put it in our community mule, along with a few other things I found.The stuff for Baneling('s assassin) is Natalya's armour and rare claws with +2 to Traps (amongst other stuff), to be precise.

[Dallas-Dakota]

WW gave me stuff to give to Bane, but he wasn't on, so I put it in our community mule, along with a few other things I found.

We have a community mule?:smallconfused:

[Winterwind]

We have a community mule?:smallconfused:Aye, we do. We play as group for the most part, after all, sharing everything we find for the good of all of us, and we can all trust each other, can we not? :smallsmile:

I'll PM you the account name and password.

[Amiria]

I always lose the connection to BattleNet after 5-10 minutes, always with the error message


"Could not restore MCP connection"

in the log file. Today I installed D2 LoD two times in the hope that that would fix the problem. The second time I was really thorough with first cleaning the registry, deleting temporary files and a defragmentation of my hard drives. Didn't help, I'm at a loss what the problem might be. The internet connection is working fine other purposes. :smallannoyed:

[hr]
Btw, I currently have a sizeable collection of exceptional unique bows on my chars, a Riphook, a Kuko Shakaku, a Witchwild String and a Goldstrike Arch. To much for my bowazon really, anyone wants the Kuko and/or GSA ?

[Winterwind]

Aww, that's saddening to hear. :smallfrown:

I can't really help you here (I hope somebody else will be able to); maybe this Blizzard page (http://us.blizzard.com/support/article.xml?articleId=20792&categoryId=2646&parentCategoryId=2613&pageNumber=1) will hold some useful information though.

[Amiria]

It might be a timeout problem of the router. I have also problems with streaming applications, like videos on YouTube. But we didn't do anything with the internet settings here at home recently. Although the internet connection / router where compeletly disabled while new cables for a telephone system and higher internet speed were installed (new internet cables and network cards not active yet only prepared). The problem started at about the same time, so the cable stuff could have to do with it, but I can't understand why. But I am not that versed in that hardware / internect connection stuff. :smallconfused:

[nooblade]

Sounds to me like you need to get in touch with whoever did the higher-speed internet connection, Amiria. But, like I said before, I don't know anything about internets.

I found a fun unique called Spellsteel that lets my H-din teleport with about 20 charges. Also I'm going to make a bunch of public games called "freeifyouwait" to lure hapless pubbies into, so I can get better chances of finding stuff. So far I found a IK barb-helm, Bloodletter, and that Spellsteel, all exceptional items in normal difficulty, from doing about 10 Diablo runs. The pubbies were pretty happy with the leftover low level sets I was giving them too.

Tannish doesn't seem to like this amount of independence, which I don't understand at all, since those Sorceresses could the same thing even faster than me in norm. Maybe a Blizzard Sorceress would be faster? :smallamused:

The Maggot Lair was fun because it increased my level as a player. I can do more with Blessed Hammer than I had thought possible. I learned how I can get around quickly with charge too. I'm still in serious trouble when there's enough lag that the monsters are "desynched" from their actual positions (I can't do the spiral-aim right if I don't know where they are), but meh.

[Winterwind]

Tannish doesn't seem to like this amount of independence, which I don't understand at all, since those Sorceresses could the same thing even faster than me in norm. Maybe a Blizzard Sorceress would be faster? :smallamused:Do you seriously attempt to understand Tannish's motivations? :smallamused:

Though I suspect what he did not like was the prospect of entering public games. Either that, or he finds fighting against immunes and/or teleporting around without battle orders too annoying.

[Dallas-Dakota]

Do you seriously attempt to understand Tannish's motivations? :smallamused:

Though I suspect what he did not like was the prospect of teleporting around without battle orders too annoying.
This is it....


And now for some math!
Tannish + frustration = not good:smalltongue:

[Winterwind]

This is it....


And now for some math!
Tannish + frustration = not good:smalltongue:Seriously? The battle order one? :smallconfused:

How indescribably spoilt does a sorceress have to be to even expect to have battle orders on while teleporting?! :smalltongue:
I mean, on Baalruns, where there's a whole team who only want you to get there, sure, okay.
But otherwise? Sorcs teleport alone all the time, down to Meph, to Baal, to... whomever!
(Yes, I know you know that, I'm just baffled... *sigh*)

[u-gotNOgame]

How indescribably spoilt does a sorceress have to be to even expect to have battle orders on while teleporting?! :smalltongue:
I mean, on Baalruns, where there's a whole team who only want you to get there, sure, okay.
But otherwise? Sorcs teleport alone all the time, down to Meph, to Baal, to... whomever!
(Yes, I know you know that, I'm just baffled... *sigh*)

Spoiled enough to be able to afford a Call to Arms runeword... i had one for a little while

other then that its just not realistic to have a barb with you all the time, unless theres one in a gitp game that your questing with

-UGNG

[Mephisto]

Man, I think I'm going to delete my Paladin after realizing how badly I messed it up. To start, a Charge-based build really isn't practical or fun to play given how Charge works. Also, I messed up by placing a lot of points in Concentration, when Fanaticism is far better (even in terms of +damage%, which is all Concentration has going for it).

[Dallas-Dakota]

Man, I think I'm going to delete my Paladin after realizing how badly I messed it up. To start, a Charge-based build really isn't practical or fun to play given how Charge works. Also, I messed up by placing a lot of points in Concentration, when Fanaticism is far better (even in terms of +damage%, which is all Concentration has going for it).

As I see it there are three ways to go as paladin : Hammerdin, Zealerdin or Auradin(varies).
At most, put one point in charge. Later(if you get that far) You'l get enigma, with teleport and faster run/walk items.

[Winterwind]

Spoiled enough to be able to afford a Call to Arms runeword... i had one for a little while

other then that its just not realistic to have a barb with you all the time, unless theres one in a gitp game that your questing with

-UGNGCall to Arms? C'mon, that's like Hollywood level of spoilt! :smalltongue: :smallbiggrin:


Man, I think I'm going to delete my Paladin after realizing how badly I messed it up. To start, a Charge-based build really isn't practical or fun to play given how Charge works. Also, I messed up by placing a lot of points in Concentration, when Fanaticism is far better (even in terms of +damage%, which is all Concentration has going for it).What's the problem with Charge? (Except that it likes to freeze every now and then... :/)
You're right about Fanaticism though; if you wish to deal raw physical damage, Fanaticism is always the aura to go with.


As I see it there are three ways to go as paladin : Hammerdin, Zealerdin or Auradin(varies).
At most, put one point in charge. Later(if you get that far) You'l get enigma, with teleport and faster run/walk items.*the Avenger feels forgotten :smallannoyed: *
And the Smiter would like to have a word with you, too.
As for the Chargeadin, as far as I know that's a PvP build.
Besides, pretty much every paladin needs a point in Charge, since it is a prerequisite for Holy Shield.

[Fleeing Coward]

Decided to start playing east yesterday as well as west now that I'm done with my most of my west builds.
Currently at level 63 on my meteorb sorc.

Also is the weekly meeting times for the hc group? I've been thinking about giving hc another go.

[Winterwind]

Decided to start playing east yesterday as well as west now that I'm done with my most of my west builds.
Currently at level 63 on my meteorb sorc.

Also is the weekly meeting times for the hc group? I've been thinking about giving hc another go.No, they are not for the HC group, they are for the start of the official session (which basically just amounts to more people trying to be online at that day than usually). We decide spontaneously what we want to play.
There is a very high chance of meeting one or other of us online pretty much every day, though.

[nooblade]

There is a very high chance of meeting one or other of us online pretty much every day, though.

Aren't we great like that?

I found a +1 java skills gc, also with +27 life, the other day when doing a countess run. Wondering what to do with it. I think that our javazons will already be doing plenty of damage, so I might as well sell it, but I'm not very good at trades at all. :smallannoyed:

Someone help me out? Tell me what I can get for it? One guy I was talking to offhand offered a pul.

[Winterwind]

I know next to nothing about trading, but that sounds like a very bad deal to me. I'm pretty sure a java-skiller with that much life is worth more.

Personally, I wouldn't trade such a thing away, though. It's like a gift from heaven to any javazon.

[Dallas-Dakota]

*the Avenger feels forgotten :smallannoyed: *
And the Smiter would like to have a word with you, too.
As for the Chargeadin, as far as I know that's a PvP build.
Besides, pretty much every paladin needs a point in Charge, since it is a prerequisite for Holy Shield.

The avenger? never heard of...
The smiter is... It was just never the way to go for me or handy at all.... Unless you got a good runeword shield. And I have never ever seen a smiter at 80+ in my 5 years of playing d2 lod.
People, I will be around one hour later then the beginning becouse of RL reasons:smallfrown:

[Amiria]

My Javazon has a Java-GC, but without life or anything.

Edit: Btw, is the +21 Life / +49 Mana GC that my Sorceress schlepps along any good ? Trade value ?

[Winterwind]

The avenger? never heard of...My current highest level character, Whiteblade, is one.
The Avenger is a paladin who uses Vengeance as attack, Conviction as aura, and puts the rest of the points (besides obvious stuff like Holy Shield) into the synergies of Vengeance (namely, the Resist X auras). This gives a powerful tri-elemental attack with high damage output (albeit against only a single target), while completely ruining resistances and defense of all enemies, reducing all resistances by 130-150 or more. Can break most immunities in the game, too, so basically the best friend of any sorceress.


The smiter is... It was just never the way to go for me or handy at all.... Unless you got a good runeword shield. And I have never ever seen a smiter at 80+ in my 5 years of playing d2 lod.I haven't either, but a build that, according to u-gotNOgame, can solo Über-Tristram in little time must be decent, n'est-ce pas? :smallwink:

[Dallas-Dakota]

I haven't either, but a build that, according to u-gotNOgame, can solo Über-Tristram in little time must be decent, n'est-ce pas? :smallwink:
All can, with the right equipment....

[Winterwind]

All can, with the right equipment....Not having played one myself, I'll leave the argument in the Smiter's favour to Len.
I can vouch for the Avenger's effectiveness though.

Oh, right, and there is also the Fistadin (who uses Fist of Heavens/Conviction), if we want to move to the somewhat more obscure paladin builds. I have tried one out myself, a long time ago; he is not exactly the best build, to put it mildly (much too little damage output for a caster class), but he seemed viable.

[Palpie]

Chargers and FoHers are mostly pvp builds. Charge can one hit kill quite often and FoH can namelock and always hits.

The thing that makes Smiters powerful is using weapons with +damage (ie unique scepters and especially Grief) because the +damage modifier is added to the smite and smite will also add crushing blow. And since smite ignores the uber's defenses it's the quickest way to take them down.

[Green Bean]

Does anyone know if there's a way to have an aura active without taking up your right-click button? I have a hammerdin, and left-click casting is a right pain.

On the plus side, I now own a DTorch. Of course, I don't actually have a druid, but whatever. :smalltongue:

[Fleeing Coward]

Aren't we great like that?

I found a +1 java skills gc, also with +27 life, the other day when doing a countess run. Wondering what to do with it. I think that our javazons will already be doing plenty of damage, so I might as well sell it, but I'm not very good at trades at all. :smallannoyed:

Someone help me out? Tell me what I can get for it? One guy I was talking to offhand offered a pul.

Better to keep something like that or give it to someone you know, it's not something that's going to drop much (i've rolled a baal gc over 100 times (300pgems) on west without seeing a single skill+life gc)

If you plan on selling, the charm's probably worth closer to the 2 high rune (vex-zod) mark.


My Javazon has a Java-GC, but without life or anything.

Edit: Btw, is the +21 Life / +49 Mana GC that my Sorceress schlepps along any good ? Trade value ?

Doesn't really have any trade value since the life is abit low but it's still a nice charm to have around for a sorc until you can find a skiller to replace it with.


Does anyone know if there's a way to have an aura active without taking up your right-click button? I have a hammerdin, and left-click casting is a right pain.

On the plus side, I now own a DTorch. Of course, I don't actually have a druid, but whatever. :smalltongue:

Auras can only be placed on the right click button unfortunately. Left click hammer can be annoying but you get used to it after awhile. Personally I think it's a small price to pay for arguably the fastest monster killer in game.

[Krytha]

Auras can only be placed on the right click button unfortunately. Left click hammer can be annoying but you get used to it after awhile. Personally I think it's a small price to pay for arguably the fastest monster killer in game.

Maybe the issue is that you're not holding down the shift key while left clicking.
Thing are much more simple when youre standning still.

[Fleeing Coward]

Guess it could be that for him. I've been thinking that he meant the nuisance of attacking instead of running to a particular spot when he accidentally clicks on a monster there.

[Krytha]

Guess it could be that for him. I've been thinking that he meant the nuisance of attacking instead of running to a particular spot when he accidentally clicks on a monster there.

Well clicking monsters over and over again individually would drive me nuts too...

[Green Bean]

Guess it could be that for him. I've been thinking that he meant the nuisance of attacking instead of running to a particular spot when he accidentally clicks on a monster there.

Yeah, it's kind of annoying. Also, I'm at a low enough level that I either have to constantly switch back and forth between regular attacks and hammer or stop every two minutes for more mana potions. Ah well, at least I'm getting better at aiming the little boops.

[nooblade]

Yeah, it's kind of annoying. Also, I'm at a low enough level that I either have to constantly switch back and forth between regular attacks and hammer or stop every two minutes for more mana potions. Ah well, at least I'm getting better at aiming the little boops.

Did you look up the guides for getting max hammer damage? I found it pretty easy right from level 18 to kill anything with it (due to past experience). Then again, I also had a +2 BH scepter. As far as mana goes, chug the potions until you get one point in redemption and you'll be set. The spirit runewords with lots of mana added help a bunch too.

I'm starting to get bored. I already beat the game so, now it's either play again with something slower or do millions of MF runs. I guess I won't quit, but I also would rather not play so much. Once my frenzybarb gets to level 30 or so that will be enough fun for me.

[Dallas-Dakota]

I'm starting to get bored. I already beat the game so, now it's either play again with something slower or do millions of MF runs. I guess I won't quit, but I also would rather not play so much. Once my frenzybarb gets to level 30 or so that will be enough fun for me.

Get uber equip.
Go collect keys, then organs, and the likes like uber-trist. In my thought, thats when you have beat the game.
(I have 3 matriarchs atm and have had a total of 7 matriarchs.)

[The Orange Zergling]

I have no idea if this is credible (http://www.diablo3.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6585) or not, but it may be worth mentioning.

[Winterwind]

I have no idea if this is credible (http://www.diablo3.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6585) or not, but it may be worth mentioning....remotely controled bug bombs? :smallconfused:
...remotely controled bug bombs!!! :smallbiggrin:

I have no idea whether it's credible either, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was - rumours about D3 have been around since a long time, Blizzard has been hiring people with experience in just that type of game for a while (and supposedly not for WoW), and I seem to remember some official announcement that Blizzard was working on three projects - two of which would be SC2 and WoW: Wrath of the Lich King, if I'm not mistaken, whereas the third still remains secret.

[Dallas-Dakota]

Bug bombs?:smallconfused:
Bug bombs:smalltongue:

It would be nice but just a tick overdone, they should make something..... more original, its a copy of the necro as I see it. Just as the druid is, only less original.
I mean necro´s already have Corpse Explosion, though that isnt live thingeys, but that is only bugs...

We´l see.... And I say again : I will be later for tonights meeting probably around an hour orso.

[The Orange Zergling]

And due to Easter dinner, I may not be able to show up at all. We'll see, though.

Also, ThinkWthPortals is no more. :smallfrown: Instead I made ThnkWthPrtalsII, 13 Sorc who will go FOrb/Fire Wall.

[Winterwind]

The high level hardcore characters have not progressed any further after this last tragic loss (which means we are at level 30 and slightly below, right at the Frozen Highlands WP).
We created a couple of new hardcore characters instead, who are mostly level 10-12 now (Outer Cloister WP).

For me, it's Stormdaughter, lightning fury javazon.

[Palpie]

I got back on late and killed meph and diablo a few times, found a sig belt, civerb and cleglaw's shields. Also have hsarus' boots and shield. Not sure if anyone would want those.

update: two civerb's shields now, a goreshovel, a +1 necro rare wand, a couple rare claws.

[Winterwind]

I doubt anyone will want the Civerb and Cleglaw stuff, but Hsaru's might be worth keeping - that's almost the entire set, and for starting characters (of which we will have much more on hardcore than usually, I presume) Hsaru's might be pretty cool.

I don't think we have a character who could make use of the Goreshovel (there are not many builds that make sensible use out of a two-handed axe, much less so on hardcore, where defense is more important - and none of us is playing one of these builds right now). The wand and the claws, on the other hand, might come in handy.

___

The hardcore group is generally looking for 4-socketed swords - Len wants two Spirit-swords, and I wouldn't mind one for myself either. I imagine Baneling and Palpie might want some, too...

[Palpie]

Also have now found a twitch (I figure Haley and Stormdaughter can fight to the death over it :smalleek:), angelic and cathan's rings, razortine (maybe ok for an act2 merc?), isenhart's armor (likely not worth hanging on to), and a +1 p&b ammy.

[Winterwind]

Also have now found a twitch (I figure Haley and Stormdaughter can fight to the death over it :smalleek:), angelic and cathan's rings, razortine (maybe ok for an act2 merc?), isenhart's armor (likely not worth hanging on to), and a +1 p&b ammy.Twitch would be the Twitchthroe armour?
It's nice, but you can have it. I'll just look out for something more defensey at this level. :smallcool:
Besides, who am I to try to take something away from Haley that Haley wants? :smalleek:


Also, update: Len, Lib and me have played hardcore yesterday again, and we finally managed the impossible: We have reached Baal in the Worldstone Keep and ended the reign of Destruction once and for all (until Nightmare). :smallsmile:

[Prince Gimli]

Raghdar, my HC bear druid has mauled Andariel to a heap of bloody pulp and is now smashing through act 2, at level 17.

My SC level 35 Frenzy barbarian has reached the waypoint of the second level of the Worldstone Keep.

[u-gotNOgame]

i am saddened to tell you of the lose of a great charecter on hardcore mode. last night while questing in nm at the tender age of 38, GreenSings second try at Hardcore mode Failed. A nasty Extra Strong, Fire Enchanted boss pack slew my hero with his dying breaths (he blew up and killed me) but alas a loot was succesfull, and the re-rebuild begins :smallsigh: . i lost alot of gems and runes:smallfrown: but i will try to get him to a decent point before sunday... any low level items will be greaty appreciated.

-UGNG

[Palpie]

Well good news for those who want a spirit sword, if you have a 4os sword, I found an Amn last night.

Winterwind dunno what your current shield for your Hammerdin is but got a Steelclash if you want.

Gen's mf is about 90 now, found a 30mf nagelring.

[Winterwind]

Winterwind dunno what your current shield for your Hammerdin is but got a Steelclash if you want.I'm pretty sure my current shield is worse than Steelclash. I'll gladly take that. :smallsmile:


Gen's mf is about 90 now, found a 30mf nagelring.So you are going for a high MF rating, are you?
Want +33 MF Chance Guards in exchange for this Steelclash?

[Palpie]

I'm pretty sure my current shield is worse than Steelclash. I'll gladly take that. :smallsmile:
Ok, I'll get it to ya next time we're both online.

So you are going for a high MF rating, are you?
Want +33 MF Chance Guards in exchange for this Steelclash?
I always try to get some mf on sorcs since I can skimp on things like defense, a bit with resists (though on HC I won't have any -70 resist like I do with alot of SC sorcs), and don't need to worry about weapon damage. And since Blizzard is timered, fast cast isn't as important. Also I've pumped Gen's vit to 100 already (still have 70 odd points to spend if I need str for something), as well as having +life from armor, belt and a p-ruby in my circlet, giving her around 400 hp right now. So even with her resists lower than I could have them, she can take a few hits on normal and early nightmare. Then once we get to nm Meph and Diablo she can farm them for stuff to get everyone safely into hell (like hopefully an occy for her :smallcool: ).

[Winterwind]

I always try to get some mf on sorcs since I can skimp on things like defense, a bit with resists (though on HC I won't have any -70 resist like I do with alot of SC sorcs), and don't need to worry about weapon damage.Yea, I tend to do this myself with sorcs (and am in fact wondering whether not to start a HC sorc for these purposes as well), though MF in too stark exclusion of defensive capabilities seems like a dangerous endeavour in HC.
So, want the Chance Guards, or do you have something better already?


And since Blizzard is timered, fast cast isn't as important.Except for teleporting - FCR can help you to teleport out before that Moon Lord can make his second strike connect.


Also I've pumped Gen's vit to 100 already (still have 70 odd points to spend if I need str for something), as well as having +life from armor, belt and a p-ruby in my circlet, giving her around 400 hp right now. So even with her resists lower than I could have them, she can take a few hits on normal and early nightmare. Then once we get to nm Meph and Diablo she can farm them for stuff to get everyone safely into hell Heh. Each of us seems to have pumped VIT to exactly 100; last time we compared, both Lib and me had exactly 100. (I think I have gone beyond that now)


(like hopefully an occy for her :smallcool: ). In spite of the Occy's suicidal tendencies? :smalltongue:
Yeah, I know, that thing is awesome, Please-Murder-Me-Teleport notwithstanding.

[Fleeing Coward]

Palpie, would you be interested in a +3 cold skills circlet? Found it just before my 43 trapper got tppked during a baal run :smalltongue:

[Winterwind]

Palpie, would you be interested in a +3 cold skills circlet? Found it just before my 43 trapper got tppked during a baal run :smalltongue::smallconfused:
If the character who found it died... how can you still give it to him?

[Fleeing Coward]

It's like the 5th time my trapper got tppked this week, so I regularly transfer any decent item I find but don't need onto a mule. I just never learn that most high level pub sorcs can't be trusted no matter how nice they appear :smalltongue:

[Winterwind]

It's like the 5th time my trapper got tppked this week, so I regularly transfer any decent item I find but don't need onto a mule.Oh, I see. I thought you meant you found that item just before being killed. Nevermind.

...wait, the 5th time?! :smalleek:
Wow, I didn't realize hardcore public games were that bad.

It would likely be safer if you played with us - the only problem is that we play mostly in what amounts to the morning hours for you...


I just never learn that most high level pub sorcs can't be trusted no matter how nice they appear :smalltongue::smalleek:

[Krytha]

hahaha well looks like you're figuring out HC the hard way.

Read this for some important stuffs
http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=d2-general&t=1318430&p=1&#post1318430

[Winterwind]

hahaha well looks like you're figuring out HC the hard way.

Read this for some important stuffs
http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=d2-general&t=1318430&p=1&#post1318430Holy... :smalleek:
Wow, this sounds even worse! To think I actually suggested we make some public Baalruns to get us up to level 50... seems I would have killed us all by that suggestion, if we had followed through with it!

It also explains why we saw so few public games in Nightmare.

[Krytha]

Well, from what the posts look like, it seemed like people were taking HC the SC way which would probably lead to a lot of new characters. On the bright side, you have enough people to run your own private HC games, so you ccooouuuld still do Baal runs without going public.

[Winterwind]

Well, from what the posts look like, it seemed like people were taking HC the SC way which would probably lead to a lot of new characters. Well... I do indeed think that we progress much too quickly at times (and not rarely either), not with enough caution (if a level 42 character has to stop and switch to Vigor for a moment because of stamina depletion, something is going horribly wrong), but a good part of the deaths we suffered would have been hard to avoid either way.


On the bright side, you have enough people to run your own private HC games, so you ccooouuuld still do Baal runs without going public.Mhh... not quite, since, while we have enough people playing and enough of them possess HC characters, the number of those who have sufficiently advanced characters is much smaller. I hope this will change yet.

[Krytha]

Well, perhaps the issue is party survivability. You NEED
1. barb with maxxed BO, shout
2. Druid with maxxed Oak Sage

at the very least, at all times in higher areas of difficulty. From there, it isn't hard to assemble a viable party of characters, but the builds the groups have selected (hammerdins, meteorbs, lightning traps) can work well in HC, but only with a different mentality. I think one problem with transitioning with these kinds of characters is that they traditionally have a high kill speed which allows players to become overconfident and take on monsters which are very difficult, especially when we are looking at untwinked characters. Therefore, it might be easier to stay alive if people brought completely party oriented characters over ones who are traditionally fast killers.

Edit.. When you say the majority of the deaths were hard to avoid one way or another, you glossed over a very important option. Alt-F4. The HC faq deals with this in detail hahaha, but the point is that running away is always an option.

[Winterwind]

Well, perhaps the issue is party survivability. You NEED
1. barb with maxxed BO, shout
2. Druid with maxxed Oak Sage

at the very least, at all times in higher areas of difficulty. From there, it isn't hard to assemble a viable party of characters, but the builds the groups have selected (hammerdins, meteorbs, lightning traps) can work well in HC, but only with a different mentality. I think one problem with transitioning with these kinds of characters is that they traditionally have a high kill speed which allows players to become overconfident and take on monsters which are very difficult, especially when we are looking at untwinked characters. Therefore, it might be easier to stay alive if people brought completely party oriented characters over ones who are traditionally fast killers.We do have a barb (and which barb does not max BO and Shout anyway?), we lack a druid... though we have a summonancer with his skeleton/monster meatshield, that should count for something, too.
Some heavy hitters to take out the monsters quickly once they are properly tanked seem like a good addition though, to take advantage of all the buffs.
As for the mentality... well, I'm sure we would progress more slowly if the monsters would not all die pretty much instantly, as is the case right now.


Edit.. When you say the majority of the deaths were hard to avoid one way or another, you glossed over a very important option. Alt-F4. The HC faq deals with this in detail hahaha, but the point is that running away is always an option.What I meant is, I think the majority of the deaths happened too quickly for the players in question to react (I'm not sure, I don't think I was ever on the same screen when a death happened, except for one, which was a very unlucky Infestor spawn right on top of us in the Chaos Sanctuary - like I said, I think we progress too quickly at times, so much that I have trouble keeping up).
So, I suppose party tactics played a role here as well...

[Krytha]

well, I'm sure we would progress more slowly if the monsters would not all die pretty much instantly, as is the case right now.

What I meant is, I think the majority of the deaths happened too quickly for the players in question to react (I'm not sure, I don't think I was ever on the same screen when a death happened, except for one, which was a very unlucky Infestor spawn right on top of us in the Chaos Sanctuary - like I said, I think we progress too quickly at times, so much that I have trouble keeping up).
So, I suppose party tactics played a role here as well...

This is what I'm getting at here. The monsters die quickly in some circumstances because you are dealing with softcore builds that emphasize kill power over survivability. Hardcore is not meant to be a walk in the park, because there is a chance you could die to anything. If you reduced your chances of dying, obviously something has to give - which is going to be your kill rate.

Also, these "unlucky" incidents honestly seem to be just bad tactics. These spawns are well known in how they appear, the lag they bring with them etc. You can't just sit a hammerdin in the middle and whirl hammers and expect all the venom lords to die because that is very softcore. You weren't on the same screen when the person died, but shouldn't the party stick together and be visible? Did the barb use grim ward to scare off the monsters in the spawn area and give you time? Howl? Did the necro use decrepify or dim vision? Did someone open the seal by themselves? Was it a sorc who could teleport out after she touched it? Did your assassin make use of mindblast for stun and conversion? There are lots of skills which are undervalued because they don't add directly to killing power, but become very useful in situations where staying alive is more important by far. Oh by the way, Leap has hidden stun frames, so a barb who just leaps around stunning enemies is a great way to deal with overwhelming packs of monsters if you dont have a druid with shockwave (which is another AMAZING crowd control skill).

[Winterwind]

This is what I'm getting at here. The monsters die quickly in some circumstances because you are dealing with softcore builds that emphasize kill power over survivability. Hardcore is not meant to be a walk in the park, because there is a chance you could die to anything. If you reduced your chances of dying, obviously something has to give - which is going to be your kill rate.But shouldn't the ideal party still include somebody with high killing power, simply to remove the threat quickly? Of course, one will want to ensure individual survival as well, and maybe take these couple of resistance points over the additional skill points to boost damage, but if the party is fighting this huge group of monsters, the best way to ensure the party's survival seems to me to remove the monsters, before they deal too much damage, so---
...oh, I see. At the point where the party is fighting an entire group at once, somebody has already screwed up. I got it now.


Also, these "unlucky" incidents honestly seem to be just bad tactics. These spawns are well known in how they appear, the lag they bring with them etc. You can't just sit a hammerdin in the middle and whirl hammers and expect all the venom lords to die because that is very softcore. You weren't on the same screen when the person died, but shouldn't the party stick together and be visible? Did the barb use grim ward to scare off the monsters in the spawn area and give you time? Howl? Did the necro use decrepify or dim vision? Did someone open the seal by themselves? Was it a sorc who could teleport out after she touched it? Did your assassin make use of mindblast for stun and conversion? There are lots of skills which are undervalued because they don't add directly to killing power, but become very useful in situations where staying alive is more important by far. Oh by the way, Leap has hidden stun frames, so a barb who just leaps around stunning enemies is a great way to deal with overwhelming packs of monsters if you dont have a druid with shockwave (which is another AMAZING crowd control skill).We are still working on the "stay together and don't run ahead part". Don't overwhelm us with a ton of obscure skills nobody uses usually. :smalltongue:

(Seriously though, thanks for the advice :smallwink: )

[Krytha]

You got it now. You might consider starting again with different builds which emphasize survivability and watch how the game becomes completely different in terms of gameplay and group dynamics (after all, you just have to mule your existing equipment over), but it also might be enough to just play more carefully.