Magic Find... A Hoax? A Myth? What'd ya think...?

[XxTaStYBaBiEsxX]

I've been playing Diablo II for a very long time now, 4 years probably. I've come to wonder what Magic Find really does. After a research online, and asking countless people I've gotten many different theories.

Some people say that Magic Find is only a myth, and really doesn't help your find all that much and it mostly just has to do with luck. I sort of have to agree, I have well over 850 Magic Find, and sometimes when not using it I find pretty good drops anyway.

Here on Diabloii.net, in the Stradegy Compendium, they supply us with this formula...

"
MF Diminishing Returns Formulae

Uniques: Final MF = (MF*250)/(MF+250) ; cannot exceed 250
Set Items: Final MF = (MF*500)/(MF+500) ; cannot exceed 500
Rares: Final MF = (MF*600)/(MF+600) ; cannot exceed 600
"

Does this mean 250 is the most desired amount of Magic Find? I'm very confused by all of this.

I'm wondering if I should trade in my 6 Ist Sword and 4 Ist Monarch for some better items as well. I know that I would be able to kill Andy, Meph, and Pindle a lot easier if I invested some of my High Runes into powerful items, but I'm not sure if I want to keep my Magic Find.

Please Chime in with your own opinions, or facts, if you have any idea.

[AnimeCraze]

Well, the magic find formula is curved, it is basically an 3 increasing functions that limits out at 250 for uniques, 500 for sets, and 600 for rares, assuming the functions formulas below are correct. (looks like a shifted 1 / x function on my graphics calculator) Therefore, the more mf you have, the better, as long as your killing speed is not impacted . If you are killing too slowly, switch some mf off to killing equipments.

[XxTaStYBaBiEsxX]

Hmm sounds good. I have a graphing calculator as well and I sort of understand the formula now. I'm not as dumb as I sound when it comes to math, it just confuses me how magic find really... "works." Well I geuss I'll keep doing magic find runs and see how I do. Thanks for the response. :thumbsup:

[Superhal]

more is better. when i had 1300, every ring meph dropped was unique.

[k/t]

You could wear a Nagelring or a Manald on every finger and toe!

[Bhruic]

more is better. when i had 1300, every ring meph dropped was unique.

You're joking, right? I've got about 500 mf right now, and less than 50% of the ring drops are unique. 500 mf equals 166 for unique. With 1300 mf, it jumps to 209 for unique. You're trying to tell me that the extra 43 is going to make every ring drop unique?

Bh

[AnimeCraze]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I remembered that in the patch file that they have said that they fixed the mf bug which costs mf over a certain % will turn everything into uniques. :lol:

[Hrus]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I remembered that in the patch file that they have said that they fixed the mf bug which costs mf over a certain % will turn everything into uniques. :lol:

They did.
For more info, search Thrugg's posts in this thread (http://forums.diabloii.net/~d2forums/showthread.php?t=337803)
He explains how the MF works now and how it worked in previous patches.

[sasja]

How MF is working has long been a well known fact.
Here on Diabloii.net, in the Stradegy Compendium, they supply us with this formula...

"MF Diminishing Returns Formulae

Uniques: Final MF = (MF*250)/(MF+250) ; cannot exceed 250
Set Items: Final MF = (MF*500)/(MF+500) ; cannot exceed 500
Rares: Final MF = (MF*600)/(MF+600) ; cannot exceed 600 "

Does this mean 250 is the most desired amount of Magic Find? I'm very confused by all of this.
I can see you don't get how the formula works - try to enter some values:
MF Unique Set Rare
100 71 83 85
200 111 142 150
300 136 187 200
400 153 222 240
500 166 250 272
600 176 272 300
700 184 291 323
800 190 307 342
900 195 321 360
1000 200 333 375
1100 203 343 388
1200 206 352 400
As you can see, more is always better - but adding 100 mf to your equipment if you have 100 mf already means 40 percent points to your unique find, whereas if you have 400 mf already adding 100 mf will give you only 13 percent points.

It's best to reach a balance - make fast runs and have a decent mf. Most people find their 'sweet spot' between 300 and 600 mf. Keep your Ist'ed stuff, but have it on switch for the killing blow when running bosses. For area mf (as in the Pits), they won't do you much good.

[bladesyz]

Also, remember that MFs are still random. People's perceptions of random events are often skewed, since they tend to remember the more salient events and forget the less important ones. (Such as remembering that one time you found an SoJ without MF, and forget about the 99 times you didn't.)

[abel]

Also, remember that MFs are still random. People's perceptions of random events are often skewed, since they tend to remember the more salient events and forget the less important ones. (Such as remembering that one time you found an SoJ without MF, and forget about the 99 times you didn't.)
Very true: after finding a shaftstop the other day, I started to think the MF wasn't doing anything until I slapped myself and realized that I WAS getting a unique and rares, I just wasn't noticing and remembering them because they were type of items I want. The mind is a tricky devil.