/players: to use or not to use

[bugger]

Hi there!

I have a question regarding the use of "/players X".
I just started playing (single player), with no previous chars, equip or whatsoever. And my question is: I have read about the the above mentioned command and know how to use it, but should I?
I mean, I don't want to rush to Hell or something like that... I'm just playing to have some fun, and have a lot of time to reach the "end". Since I have no equip, which way would get me better one? And which one is faster?

(BTW, I'm assuming that, by using "/players 8", I would get to the end of Normal at level 4X, while without it at 2X. Then I'd kill Baal for XP and equip until the said 4X.)

And thanks for any help you may give :thumbup:

[Darkoooo]

The faster one and safer one is to use the /p x command (getting to Hell in the 50's? No thanks). Monsters have a higher chance of 'no drop' at lower player settings so you would get more items on the higher ones.

I prefer to use the /p x command, but you'll have to figure out which way you like it.

[Hrus]

Use it! More drops, more experience, why not? You don't have to play at players8 if it's not comfortable for you, but at least in normal, you should play at higher player settings, it's more comfortable and safer when you are few levels above the monsters.

[dryzalizer]

I concur, just as a reference I like to level all my chars to ~50 before starting nightmare, ~70 before hell. Only the most overpowered builds can handle /players 8 in hell, you might need to drop it down to 5, 3, or even 1 when things get hairy in hell.

[Dodgydave]

I'd go players 8 until the killing gets too difficult. Even untwinked you should be able to handle normal easy enough at players 8 and most of nightmare too.

Untwinked Hell is a lot more difficult as has been mentioned.

[evev]

How is the game "refreshed" when you change players? If I'm in the middle of a fight, it's going badly, and I go from /players 8 to /players 1 do all the monsters automatically go weaker? Do I need to go to town and return before the change takes place?

[Dodgydave]

Once a monster spawns it is at the players setting it spawned at no matter what you do.

If you drop players settings the monsters that have already spawned (within the adjacent couple of screens) will be at the original higher setting.

Once you've travelled a couple of screens they will change to the new setting.

[evev]

Ah so when you make a new game in D2 ALL the monsters and items aren't pre-determined immediatly? Or just the monsters?

[Dodgydave]

When you make a new game monsters and items aren't "pre-spawned".

Types of monsters are determined when you enter an area and the actual individual monsters spawn when you get "close" (ie within a couple of screens).

Item drops are determined on monster death.


(At least that's how I understand it.)

[Hrus]

We made a test on mephisto drops some time ago (players8 Meph allways drops 6 items, while players1 Mephisto often drops 5 or even less).
Actually changing players settings after you spawned the monster never worked for you as a player.
Spawned at P1 - changed to P8 - still 5 or less drops
Spawned at P8 - changed to P1 - still 5 or less drops.

It would require more testing though - there was a common tactic to spawn all cows in Hell Cow lvl at P1 and kill them at P8 and I doubt people would not spot the difference in drop numbers.

It does work immediatly for chests though. Players setting actual when opening chest is used in determining no-drop chance.