Rares: Which to pick up?

[Nazdakka]

I was thinking about which rare items are worth IDing, and which aren't. Sometimes the unique, set and runeword options for a particular item type are so powerful as to be only beatable by the most awesome rare possible, but sometimes rares are the best options. It's not something which is talked about much, so I though I'd write out my opinions on the subject. This is all intended for twinked characters looking for endgame gear - obviously an untwinked character will be ID-ing a lot more.

My classifications are:
Always: Rares can be as good or better than the other options. I'll always ID a rare of this type.
Sometimes: A very good rare can be better than the other options. I'll ID one of these if I'm not in a hurry, but I won't feel too bad if I don't.
Never: A rare is almost always worse than the other easily-available options. I won't ID these unless I'm short on gold and want an easy 35k.

Armour

Always:
Circlets
Boots
Gloves

Sometimes:
Belts
Druid/Barb/Necro class specifics.

Never:
Body armour
Shields
Non-circlet headgear.
Paladin Shields.

Weapons

Always:
Claws (Looking for good Fool's claws)

Sometimes:
Wands

[Skinhead On The MBTA]

I'll usually ID Sorceress Orbs and Scepters - normally for a quick 35K, but sometimes you can get really useful gear from them (Imagine a rare scepter with mana, energy, +2 to Paladin skills and +3 to Blessed Hammer and Concentration - not as good as HoTO, but probably easier to find)

[Mursilis]

You might want to rethink the paladin shields, some can spawn with nasty mods. I had one recently ID with +2 paladin skills, faster block rate/chance, +resistances and +strength. Unfortunately in MFO mode so seeing as it was defense of 25 sold it before I recalled that rares can be upped :banghead:

But I'm right there with you on the gloves, belts and boots. Always on the lookout for dual/triple resistance ones.

For those that don't MF often rares are the way to go, so IDing the useful ones is always a good idea.

[Shagsbeard]

Depends on playstyle... as do most of these questions. Playing untwinked, I tend to ignore the items not useable by my class, even if it would be nifty with the right roll.

One thing you missed is polearms. An ethereal rare polearm can be really nice on a merc. Hats and body armor too.

If you're playing twinked... there's very little that can beat certain items. That's why you're finding that some rares aren't even worth an El rune... or the time to click on and ID. Playing untwinked makes every drop worth checking out.

[EasyG]

I ID these:

-rare rings, amulets, circlets+upped variants
-eth rare war axes+upped variants
-eth and normal rare crystal swords+upped variants
-eth and normal rare greater talons + runic talons
-magic monarchs :tongue:, never seen a jewelers
-sometimes eth rare merc weapons
-sometimes rare orbs

[Tupsi]

I always have 4x4 spaces empty in my inventory (more on some chars) and I carry a cube and two Tome of Identifies with me. I ID lots of stuff in other words.

Rare
Class Specific items, all
Elite weapons
Wands
Circlets
Boots
Gloves
Belts
Crystal Swords, Dimensional Blades in case they're eth (I also check grey Dimensional Blades for eth ones and use my imbue quests on them)
Small weapons (2x1 and 3x1) for gold

Magical
Circlets
Monarchs
Bone Shields and exceptional/elite
Some armors in case of Jeweler's armor of ___
Primal Helms

I pick up rare/magical Amulets and Rings and let Cain ID them, all the other items I ID with my tomes unless I know I'm heading to town soon. Sometimes it feels I should pick up a third Tome with me :hide:

[Luca Rescigno]

Gloves, Belt, Boots - Always. I've found some sick rares lately. Triple resist + 10% IAS gloves, triple resist + life + eth + self-repair belt, dual resist + life + FHR belt, etc. I have never quite found the "perfect" combinations for anything, especially boots. I found a triple resist pair with no MF or FR/W, but I have some dual resist + FR/W, dual resist + MF, and single resist + MF + FR/W. Sometimes it's hard choosing exactly which one is best, but I just balance it with my belt and glove choices, along with my other gear, and it makes it pretty easy for me to max my resists and get several other nice effects at the same time. Gloves, belts, and especially boots are the three armor slots where the unique and set items really can't quite compete with the best rares. On top of that, some of the best rare items can be equipped very early on.

Of course, I also always pick up rare rings and amulets, since uniques are good but not great for those slots as well. But they don't drop very often, and I've never really found anything amazing.

I never pick up helms unless I'm going untwinked, which I very rarely do. The uniques and sets in the game are amazing and no rare, not even a perfect one, could beat them. Just look at Tal's Mask, Vampire Gaze, Shako, etc.

I pick up exceptional and elite rare body armor, not because they ever spawn with anything good, but because they're basically guaranteed to give you 35k gold. Even higher end rare normal armors, like Gothic Plates, Field Plates, etc. are usually worth 35k gold. But most unique and RW body armors beat rares hands down. I've never found a rare armor worth keeping.

Oh yeah, I also pick up rare polearms and spears, and pretty much any other elite weapon. Staves and wands I'll get but usually only for the gold. And I never pick up claws. I don't like assassins and I never have any idea what to even look for in a claw, and they sell for very little gold.

[zarfen]

I usually pick upp what you said, + all weapons that are of a good or at least decent item type, phasers, gpa's CV's etc, especially if they are eth :grin:
I also pick up lowers versions like cryst swords etc, since rare's can be upped.

[Uzziah]

I always id, rares with:

chance of staffmods (they can gain +skill tree and +3 on a skill thats upwards of +6 to a single skill :thumbsup: )
jewelery
4 row belts
gloves/boots (you'd be suprised how well some low level rares can be quite good in these)

bows and crossbows (these are good for a secondary emergency weapon when distance is your friend, plus you never know when you'll get one with a dual poison mod and jewelers for more poison to be added)

most armors especially if they are exceptional or elite.

That means I normally id >2/3rds of all rares that drop, you never know when you'll find something that a low - mid level character can use while they wait on their level requirements for the gear you want them to use.

[Neksja]

gloves/boots (you'd be suprised how well some low level rares can be quite good in these)


2nd that, absolutely. Managed to find from normal pindle one gloves with +20mf, little life, 15+ fire res, 15+ light res and some minor mod gloves. Been using them since and my hdin has leveled up like 30-40 levels :smiley:

Neksja

[purplelocust]

I always id, rares with:

chance of staffmods (they can gain +skill tree and +3 on a skill thats upwards of +6 to a single skill :thumbsup: )

I agree about IDing items with staffmods, but actually the max possible on a rare is +5 to a single skill. The +3 skilltree mods can only occur on blue magic items, so the best you can get on a rare is +3 skill and either +2 class or +2 tree. I also often ID blue items looking for good staffmod combinations- a +3 Energy Shield +3 Lightning skill ("Powered") orb would be great but I think it will be a while before I find one.

I'm also more particular about IDing rare items that you can't gamble- orbs and necro heads, for example, where you can find some good combinations that suit characters while leveling to where they can use the great uniques.

[yiuman]

I ID pretty much all items, especially weapons as you never know when that cruel+fools+40IAS mod, or other useful combo is going to spawn (I'm also after dagger with charges of Pdagger and ITD for a varient I'm thinking of). Armors and helms (non-class/circlet type) are mostly for the gold though.

[Dodgydave]

I pick up all rares. Can't bear to see a potnetially useful item left on the ground.

I also pick up a lot of blues, jewelery, circlets, armours that can get four sockets with jewelers, class specific items etc.

[Crazy Runner Guy]

I pick up:


Circlets (blue and yellow)
Druid pelts
Excep/Elite Claws (blue, yellow and white)
Rare Gloves
Rare boots
Yellow jewelery


crg

[Luca Rescigno]

Oh yeah, I always pick up blue amulets as well. You never know when you'll get a +3 skill tree ammy, maybe with a good second mod as well.