Good PvM Build and Overall MF'er? (Urgent)

[Papasmurf90]

Hey,

Decided to start playing again after a long break and since everything seems to be constantly changing with D2 it seems like I'm a little behind the times.

Anyways, I'll be playing Classic HC Ladder and am looking for a character that can do well in PvM and is also a decent MF'er. I would like to stay away from a Sorc, just because she's so "normal", even though I know she's probably the best. So, any ideas?

Would like a reply as soon as possible since my friends are starting!

I'm also a particularly big fan of bowazons. Are they any good in HC Classic?

Thanks guys.

[WarlockCC]

Well, MF'er which is also nice for PvM and will prolly have to please your friends in teamplay.
There can be only one.
MF/GF Mauler WW barb. Should be in the stickies. Tastes varry, ajust percentage of GF, MF and FI(Find Item/Horking skill) to your liking.
Bowzon is neigh impossible unless you have a very, very good bow or ubergood amazon jewelery.
If you go bowazon, get a strong valk and expect she will do most of the work.
Wear some Crushing Blow, knockback and slow so you can at least help a little in the party. Strafer is probably the only choice that is remotely viable. GA will take forever and multishot will most likely drain your mana faster then you can say 'slurpy'.

[Papasmurf90]

Okay, thanks. Well I guess I won't go bowazon, but maybe WW Barb. My only concern is that since I'll be playing HC. Do you think death poses a major threat if I get my leech up?

Edit: Also, what about a throwing Barb? I remember before I quit was going to make one but never did. I'd assume the biggest problem would be finding a legitimate weapon...

[Beltyn]

well not entirely, as all you need is a set of harpoon's or hurlbats.

Great for charging through normal, i remember making one who solo'd normal by levle 23.

problem is late nm gets difficult, and in hell your damage sucks far too much to do anything.

fun to try though.

[Papasmurf90]

Well, scratch that then. So, about a WW Barb, my only concern is that he is melee. Is that a problem for HC? Thanks guys.

Edit: I've decided that I'm going to go with a Necro, probably a Skellymancer or some variant of one. Any recommendations? I'm thinking CE with Skellies.

[Papasmurf90]

Still not positive if I wanna make a Necro though. Right now I'm thinking either a WW Barb, Skelly/CE Necro, or a Orb Sorc. What do you guys would think would be the best overall PvM/MF'er?

Thanks.

[WarlockCC]

WW barb in HC, well, avoid CS as much as possible, In Hell, look out for Geleb Flamefinger when he is lightning Enchanted(all his bolts will also carry his trademark fire damage, causing death very soon).
Also, try to stear clear of most things fire enchanted, as their death explosion can(rare, but possible) be a bit more damaging then your life times 2 due to the fire enchanted bug.
Naturally, you'll want to stear clear of those undead stygian dolls which are common in Durance of Hate(but can also be found in other places like for instance the Flayer Dungeon)
You'll want to avoid the physical immune ghosts in Hell, for other monster types with Physical immune, you just get yourself one point in bezerk.

A WW barb is probabbly the most viable character in most areas.
Enough str/dex(maul would be better since it doesn't require dex) to use your weapon and gear. Max WW, Mastery, BO. 1 BC and Bezerk. up to you if you put the rest in nat res, shout, iron skin, faster run walk or spread it evenly over those 4.

Summoner can be fun and safe, but takes a *lot* of patience.

Orb sorc is a good option to MF and help people, since after filling Orb,synergy and Cold Mastery, you will still have enough points to fill teleport, making your teleporting almost free. With a few +skills on top of that, you can get entirely manadrained while teleporting around, just keep on teleporting without having to use a potion and when you get to where you need to be, you might be full again already.

The best overall PvM/MF'er is the one you like best. We can't descide what the best one for you. :)

[Fists of War]

Why not start with the easiest build (WWbarb/orb sorc) then try the other ones as well? You don't need to limit yourself to one char but the amount of time you have to play can :)

[IsThisNamePermanent]

If you where going to wear all mf gear with your skelly/CE necro, would it be ~Gold Wrap, 3 P Topaz helm, P Chancies, two 25-30% Nagel rings,25%MF 30%FRW res boots, Tancred Armor Tancred Amulet~?
That would require alot of strength, I've read something about using angelics armor rings and ammy to get mf.

[forumfreak]

If you where going to wear all mf gear with your skelly/CE necro, would it be ~Gold Wrap, 3 P Topaz helm, P Chancies, two 25-30% Nagel rings,25%MF 30%FRW res boots, Tancred Armor Tancred Amulet~?
That would require alot of strength, I've read something about using angelics armor rings and ammy to get mf.

wierd... thats exactly what i got for my mfer... well for my lazy mfer actually, where i dont constandly have to use both hands... would it be possible to wear gskin+tanc ammy n boots instead? i never found gskin yet but only heard about it. i also have mila shield for more mf and a gull.

[Akukami]

If you where going to wear all mf gear with your skelly/CE necro, would it be ~Gold Wrap, 3 P Topaz helm, P Chancies, two 25-30% Nagel rings,25%MF 30%FRW res boots, Tancred Armor Tancred Amulet~?
That would require alot of strength, I've read something about using angelics armor rings and ammy to get mf.

That would be the Angelic Armor, two Rings, and Amulet for a grand total of 100 MF.

- Akukami

[IsThisNamePermanent]

Wouldn't you lose something like 30%-40% mf if you did the Angelics?
I suppose it's worth it for the +1 skill you get with the amulet,
Also the AR would help a popper barb.

[goomba]

Wouldn't you lose something like 30%-40% mf if you did the Angelics?
I suppose it's worth it for the +1 skill you get with the amulet,
Also the AR would help a popper barb.

one ring, ammy/armor also gives 50 FR. (or do you get the 50 FR from just the ring/ammy combo? I can't remember)

that 50 FR, with a couple in nat rez makes it much easier for a popper to run/tank in cs runs too...

[quadeddie]

If you where going to wear all mf gear with your skelly/CE necro, would it be ~Gold Wrap, 3 P Topaz helm, P Chancies, two 25-30% Nagel rings,25%MF 30%FRW res boots, Tancred Armor Tancred Amulet~?
That would require alot of strength, I've read something about using angelics armor rings and ammy to get mf.

That setup would give you ~300 MF... if you really want to start turning things into uniques, throw a gull and a milab shield on.

Tancreds requires 80 strength and that setup is a glass mfer. You will absolutely die in hell if you get touched. (I used to try to make it to durance 3 with that setup on my sorc, and would constantly get splatted). But, if your necro was some sort of summoner guy with a million tough skellies or something, you could probably pull off a mfer necro - just don't get hit.

Resists suck, but if you're lucky, you could get a cobalt ring of fortune or something that gives you 30% cr and 25% mf. Put two of those on, get some godly 25% mf 30 FRW, dual 3x resist boots. Also, I like to put on a pward because of the 50% to all and the 10 str (helps with the tanc str req). But, a godly socketed priz +stacked grim would do nicely as well. :cool:

[WarlockCC]

At least the tanc armor gives 15 str aswell, so you could get your char up to 65 str and then use a 15 str ring to put tanc armor on, then switch out the 15 str ring for a MF ring.

On such a build you would need to get all your res from your boots. And like Eddy said, a ward is probably better then a 3D since it will save you another 10 str, putting your req on 55 without shield and without armor. On top of that, Ward has a nice bit of def and an ok chance to block.
Naturally a 30/20 pris pdia 9str towershield(best base ctb and you will have the str anyway) with stacked fres and/or lres would be better, but most people don't have such a shield lying around.