V2 Single Player Character guides

[Hrus]

Build Guide List v2

Build guide list was originally compiled by Borlaq and AlterEgo, further additions made by Hrus. Final tidying by Thyiad.

(SC) indicates that the guide is in the Strategy Compendium. If the Strategy Compendium is down, use Google to search for the guide and view the cached copy on Google's servers.

Note: most of the guides are written for patch 1.10. If they are not, the version is noted. Differences between 1.10 and 1.11 and 1.12 are really small, so all the guides are still valid. RWM means that guide contains suggestion for using realm-only runewords.


Amazon


The Poor Mans Guide to FA/Strafe by Dacar92
Are you poor? Use this guide. Detailed informationto gain wealth via the Amazon.

Ugla's The Fury
Very detailed guide covering everything from breakpoints to gear and more.

Bubonous' Medusa Amazon
Nice explanation of all the Medusa's effects, especially slow and freeze. Very well written and formatted.

chipmc's Witchyzon
Great guide utilizing a much forgotten bow. The WWS. Amp damage rules!

Freya's FA amazon
This guide focuses on Freezing Arrow skill, which is able to freeze and damage enemies. Contains info about possible backup-skills. Two different ways of how to play the character are described. A Vamp - mana leech with good damage bow or a Mage - high mana (and mana regeneration).

Nidlav's LF/PJ Javazon
Javelin using amazon with a poison (plague javelin) and physical (jab/fend) backup for uber Lightning Fury skill.

Jek's lightning amazon
Lightning Fury is a great crowd skill, CS is great against the single monsters, add some synergy and you will slaughter everything non-lightningimmune in no time.

Ravenforce3's Mageazon (SC)
Magezon relies on skills delivering elemental damage (fire and cold) with her arrows. Fire based skills (Immolation arrow) are emphasized, but cold based skills (Freezing arrow) are mentioned too. This build is not so strong as LF based javazon builds, but it's also not so dependant on equipment.

Lone_wolf's Sniperzon
Sniperzon is an amazon using physical damage based bow skills (Strafe and Magic Arrow) and also utilizes the defensive strategy and killing her opponents off-screen. She needs a very good bow to be effective and it might be hard to find such a bow untwinked.

Moog_Playa's Simple Bowazon
Unlike Sniperzon this amazon uses Multishot as the main spell instead of Strafe. She needs a good bow too.

JohnnyBravo's Magic Arrow Bowazon (SC)
This is not so strong build, only Magic Arrow skill is the main and only bow skill. Quote form author: "If you are looking for a MF bowazon this guide is not for you, but if you are looking for an “outside the box” bowazon that is extremely fun to play read on."

Nightfish's Magic Find Amazon (LF/FA)
This hybrid amazon uses Lightning Fury as a primary skill and synergized Freezing Arrow as a strong backup. The guide is focused on Magic Finding with this build, especially in Worldstone Keep.


Assassin

Assassin FAQ (SC)
A really helpful FAQ contains answers to most common Assassin-related questions.

Shuko-jutsu: The Art of the Claw (Version 1.1) by maxicek
Beautifully written, detailed guide

TThe Aggressin
Dragon Claw / Death Sentry Assassin Build Guide by Maxicek
Another great guide from maxicek

wildjinn's TS/Dtail Assassin (SC)
Assassin using Dragon Tail as the main attack, damage from this skill gets multiplied by Tiger Strike charges. ~5 options about what to do with your remaining skills make this build quite versatile. The guide is written for assassin novices, some basic assassin info is included.

jrichard's Lightning Trapsin (SC)
Lightning traps, especially Lightning Sentry are really strong in 1.10 with their synergies. Strong build, easy to play untwinked too.

Nightfish's Tiger Strike / Death Sentry assassin (SC)
This assassin engages the combat with a big 2 handed weapon. Tiger Strike makes the damage great and Burst of Speed makes the attack fast. The Death Sentry is there for group killing. This character can be fragile sometimes, but is able to dish the damage and might be very fun to play. Not so easy for untwinked play.

C-Beat's Dragon Talon Trapper (SC)
Dragon Talon provides an ability of rapid kicks, even faster than paladin's Zeal. It really shines with mods like Crushing blows, Open Wounds and Chance to Cast on Striking from your other equipment. Strong traps (Lightning Sentry and Death Sentry) are used too. The build really shines when played twinked.

tl998's Ghost (Trapper) (SC)
This is basically a variant of trapper who opts to spent more points in shadow tree for more safety and monster control. The use of Cloak of Shadow and Mind Blast is emphasized as well as Shadow Warrior/Master, Fade, and Weapon Block.

Ritslev's Furysin (Blade Fury) (SC)
Blade Fury is a skill that provides rapid range attack. Venom, Shadow Master, Death Sentry, CB and other mods from equipment are used for support and damge increase. The unique fighting strategy makes this build interesting, while it could be quite week without using proper gear.

Frogboybri's Ninja (SC)
Ninja is a character maxing Blade Fury, Dragon Talon and Cloak of Darkness skills. This build isn't a fast killer, but it's fun.

Duncan Idaho's Shadow Walker (pure claw/venom) (SC)
Assassin with 2 claws attacks her opponent with a Dragon Claw skill combined with Venom. Assassins are not the best melee characters, but they could be played this way.

Tragics' Shredsin (Whirlwind) (SC)
Assassin using Whirlwind skill granted by Chaos runeword focusing on Crushing Blows, open wound and deadly strike and also using Blade Sentinel and Blade Shield skill which adds another chances to hit the opposing forces while she is whirlwinding. This build works only twinked.

skygoneblue's Natalya's Phoenix Striker (SC)
Well written and detailed guide on Phoenix strike and other elemental attacks.

ilkori's kicker and k/t sin
Good and "in depth" guide about kickers and kicker variants.


Barbarian

Nightfish's HC Berserker
Berserk is the attack skill which does great damage, but leaves you vulnerable to monster attacks lowering your defence to zero. Therefore War Cry is used to stun monsters, so you don't worry about being hit.

Asmodeous’s Guide to the Iron Beserker v1.11+.
Brilliantly presented guide to getting the best and quickest killing Beserker. Not overly expensively geared either (Guardian Angel!).

rikstaker WW barb
*The* WW Guide

Halciet's Concentration Barbarian (SC)
This barbarian is a very sturdy character, concentrate adds insane defence while swinging, is not interruptable and you can still block while you are attacking! That makes the Concentrate barbarian one of the best tanks from all possible builds. Disadvantage is low damage.

Asmodeous' Iron Barb
Similar build like the Halciet's Concentration barbarian, but it even more stress the pure defence/vita route to create the best tank in the game.

Aramil's MF IK Barb (SC)
This guide describes how to build a barbarian wearing full Immortal King's set and use him for magic finding in various areas/bosses. The main skill is of course Whirlwind. It's not recommended for untwinked playm because IK armor is very hard to find.

salvo's Vitabarb
Barbarian going full vitality road. Frenzy is the main attack skill. The guide recommends using Phase Blades because their low STR requirements, so it's possible to not invest in STR at all. This is a very difficult build to pull of in SP and requires a lot of thought.

Ash's Comprehensive guide to Frenzy (SC)
Frenzy is a main attack skill, War Cry is used for stunning enemies for safety.

Cold493's IK Barb (SC)
Similar guide as Aramil's IK MF barb (the exactly same skill placement and also the use of IK set), but doesn't include those useful strategic tips.

Uzziah's Magi Barb guides
Great unorthodox builds meant for fun, not for the fast killing. Magi barb uses fire skills from partial Trang-Oul's set and delivers a poison damage from equipment, Summoner barb uses Wolfhowl for summoning Dire Wolves and Stone runeword for summoning Clay Golem. This guide mentions the items which give synergy bonuses to the main skills through the charges ("aka Marrowalk bug"). This "bug" was present in 1.10 patch and was removed in 1.11.


Druid

JihadJesus' The Flaming Mauler Guide
Fireclaws/maul werebear combination. The biggest challenge is the weapon.

Garbad_the_Weak's Fire druid (SC)
This druid specializes in fire spells from his elemental tree. The guide contains very nice analyzis of these spells and covers several possible variants.

Electric Blue's hybrid wolf
Fire Claws, Rabies, Fury - all wolf primary attacks are explained here as well as all all the possible variants

TheDragoon's Werebear
Beautifully presented werebear guide.

TheDragoon's Werewolf
Dragoon does it again, this time with a werewolf.

Strijdje's Windmaster Druid
Short guide about a Windmaster, the druid mastering the wind skills - Tornado and Hurricane (and their synergies) to deal physical and cold damage. This is quite strong character.

AlterEgo's Fire/Summoner (SC)
Druid described by this guide is a hybrid between Summoner and Fire Elemental druid combining power of the elemental tree with safety provided by minions. The main skills are Volcano and Dire Wolves.

Lothric's Druid Summoner (SC)
"A summoner is any druid build that focuses largely or exclusively on the summon skill tree. For the purposes of this guide then I will assume that all variations within this build focus on summoning with a smaller investment in one or two other trees as needed." Several variants are possible: The Pure Summoner, The Hunter (using bow), The Elemental Summoner, The HunterMentalist, The Were-Summoner.

Kefir-Tribe's Witchwild Werewolf
Kefir's werewolf uses Witchwild String bow which has some really nice stats (Deadly Strike, ability to cast Amplify damage) and put most of his statpoints into Dexterity which helps his damage (he uses a bow!), attack rating and defence. Kefir also advocates use of PDR (damage raduced by property) for safety, ideally paired with Weaken cast from Soul Drainer gloves for extreme safety. Very original guide, but requires some twinking to be really effective.

Uzziah's Dual Elemental Druid (SC)
Uzziah druid uses the classic winddruid skills, but he has a nice backup - Firestorm synergized by charges of Molten Boulder on Stone runeword. This is the known "Marrowalk bug" which worked only in 1.10 and was removed in 1.11.

[Hrus]

Necromancer

Porius's Bonemage
"The Bone Mage is a necromancer build that makes use of the Bone Spells for killing. A Bone Mage may also use a merc and/or minions for tanking, but the focus of the build is the ability to cast high damage spells quickly."

Angst's Bone/Summon Necro (SC)
"This build is one that uses both minions and high damage bone spells to kill the enemy. There are two important variations on this build, one using Revives and one using Skeleton's only."

Gix' Commandomancer
Want to do more than simply follow your minions? Try this.

Nightfish's Skellymancer/Fishymancer v2.1
This is the famous skellemancer guide, skellies are used as meat shield and damage dealers, Corpse explosion is used as a direct damage spell and great group killer. This build is very effective even with a "lame" gear and is easy to play untwinked.
bonus: Fishymancer WS K Runs Mini-Guide

Encyclopedia Necromantica
Great source of knowledge about all Necromancer related problems stuff.

usamahanas' Veno/returnomancer
"Usamahamancer" uses Poison Nova as primary spell and skeletons for safety and some added damage. The key item is a Bramble runeword, which gives you a huge bonus to poison damage and Thorns aura, which works well with the skeletons. Note: Bramble needs very expensive high runes OHM and SUR.


Paladin

Paladin FAQ (SC)
Paladin variants list, breakpoints, skill descriptions.

Budgetdin (SC or HC)
Want to try a melee build but don't have a lot of item-wealth to do it with? Asmo to the rescue (once again), with a guide for a zealot focusing on end-game capable items that you can trade for cheaply. Very cheaply.

Cyrus' Avenger (SC)
Avenger combines Vengeance (melee skill dealing cold, lightning and fire damage) with Conviction aura (reducing enemy resistances to those elements). You will never face a monster immune to your attack. You will need a good and fast weapon for effective killing though.

Asmodeous Avenger
Improved version of Cyrus' avenger. (Conviction with Facets+CM is still not explained correctly)

TheMadOnion's Cleric (SC)
"The focus of this build is team support; massive healing, versatile support auras, and slaughtering the Undead with extreme prejudice. This is not a build made for solo play; you will have almost no offensive capability versus non-undead monster types."

Kitriara's Frost Zealot
Frost Zealot is a paladin with Holy Freeze aura, which slows down enemies and adds a cold damage to all your successful hits. Zeal is used as a primary attack to delivier that cold damage fast. This build can be played untwinked.

Ragnarod's Hammerdin (SC)
Famous Hammerdin is a paladin casting the Blessed Hammer. These Hammers are really strong if the synergies are maxed and Concentration aura is used. They are so strong that a lot of people call this paladin variant "cheesy".

Captain Bogus's maximum damage hammerdin
Another guide about hammerdin describing how to get the maxed possible damage while you playing the game - ie what skills you should invest into during the leveling.

Raven-Hood's Ranger index
Index of all possible variants of Ranger (=Paladin using bow) builds.

Wurmer's Tesladin (SC)
Similar to Frost Zealot, Tesladin has a very good lightning damage provided by the Holy Shock aura. Tesladins deals much higher damage than Frost zealots, but Holy Shock doesn't provide the slow.

AbbaZabba's Vindicator/Templar (Smite/FoH)
Repost of a AbbaZabba's V/T. Spelling and grammar has been improved. The original is at the top of that thread.

Cyrus' Zealot
This is probably the strongest melee paladin build. Fast and uninterruptable Zeal together with Fanaticism giving enhanced damage, faster attack speed and attack rating and Holy Shield giving block percentage bonus and high defence is really great combo.

poopie_pants' The Undead Hunter
This build specializes in killing undead monsters and focusing on getting as much +%ed against undead as possible. Zeal (syrgized with Sacrifice) and Sanctuary aura are the two main skills.

JihadJesus' Thundergod
"The Thunaer (Thunder Gods) are Paladins who rely on the power of lightning to vanquish their foes. The hammer (or war scepter, since the graphic is the same) is their weapon of choice. They choose Holy Shock as their primary aura, and also utilize a partially synergized Vengeance and a powerful Fist of the Heavens.
This is a themed character and can be quite difficult and frustrating at times, but is very rewarding (and at times very powerful) to play."

SSOG's Invicible Abbot
A PDR and DR Abbot. Some excellent technical explanations too.


Sorceress

Blizzballer - by Miladys-Knight
Everyone's raves about the Meteorb, but try this girl. A little more tight on points, but more balanced skill set.

Blova - by Liquid Circus
Similar to the Blizzballer, except using Nova instead of Fireball to compliment Blizzard. A very versatile (and fun) sorceress capable of going anywhere and doing well. Well suited to MF or just general butt kicking.

MongoJerry's Enchantress Guide
The Enchantress Guide.

Diabolic Apom's Executress
Another good Enchantress guide, this one is focused on a 2-handed avenger (Kingslayer) sorc.

mOnk's CL/FO Sorceress (SC)
"CL/FO (Chain Lighting/Frozen Orb) is a great all around build that rivals the effectiveness of (and at times surpasses) Meteorb in almost all areas except max damage. This guide will help you build a viable CL/FO sorc for Hell that is also great for solo MFing, especially in areas rather than bosses (as in The Pit, etc) while providing a bit of customization room."

Raszagal's Melee sorceress
Melee sorceress requiring very expensive runewords (like Beast, BOTD). She uses Beast to turn into a Bear, Enchant and Energy Shield as main skills.

Vega's MF sorceress
This build is similar to classic Meteorb build (uses meteor and Frozen Orb as the main skills), but focuses more on Forzen Orb - spending more points in Cold Mastery is suggested.

sasja's Meteorb
Meteorb is one of the most used builds out there, she can dish great damage (even with low-end items) in both cold and fire elements (that means she has almost no problems with immunities). She is good as starting character and thanks to her universality and speed, she can run any area in hell with success, including all the usual MF targets or Baal for experience.

Lira Lindriel's Charged Boltress (SC)
Charged Bolt is the main skill, it can do a really nice damage especially with high FCR and when cast from close distance. Firewall or Frozen Orb are suggested as secondary skill to deal with lightning immune monsters.

Zarhrezz' Energy Sorc (SC)
This guide explaines everything about Energy Shield (and it's synergy Telekinesis). It leaves offensive skill choice up to you.

Soepgroente Lightning Sorceress (SC)

Crazy Runner Guy's 200% Fast Cast Charged Boltress

nepeta's Lower Kurast running Blizzsorc


Miscellaneous Guides

Ragnarod's 1.09 Hellforge Rushing Guide

Best places to level up while soloing in 1.10 (SC)

The Definitive Guide to The Pits (SC)

Full list of area levels for each difficulty

1.10 Mercenary Guide (SC)

Urlik's Rune Finder Guide

[Thyiad]

EDITS:

23 July 2008 - Added Dacars Amazon Guide
27 July 2008 - Added Asmos Barb Guide
19 August 2008 - Added nepeta's LK-running Blizzsorc
10 Jan 2009 - Added max's Aggressin

[Jabari]

Note that SSoG's Abbot (Paladin) guide is not accessable to us mere mortals. I'd prefer that it be freed up if possible (please?), but if not it should probably be removed from the list.

[Skinhead On The MBTA]

Great list that. The little explanations are excellent to give a quick idea of what the guide's about.

I do agree with Jabari - SSoG's Abbot isn't available to those of us without Mod privileges.

[winmar]

I just wan't to say that i think you did an excellent job! This is so much better then the last list.

[Mursilis]

Since it's become popular, probably add the Blizzballer to the Sorceress guide list.

[Hrus]

As an explanation, this was the guide compilation I made when I was a mod about a year ago. Thanks Thyiad for reposting it and thanks to all for any input. It was almost done, but not completely, last two guides miss quickie explanations.
For SSoG's Abot guide, it's a real shame that the thread with the guide was (soft)deleted because - as all others SSoG's guides - it was one of the best guide work I have ever seen. Maybe a repost of the guide would be possible after discussing it with HaevAngel?

[Thyiad]

As an explanation, this was the guide compilation I made when I was a mod about a year ago. Thanks Thyiad for reposting it and thanks to all for any input. It was almost done, but not completely, last two guides miss quickie explanations.
For SSoG's Abot guide, it's a real shame that the thread with the guide was (soft)deleted because - as all others SSoG's guides - it was one of the best guide work I have ever seen. Maybe a repost of the guide would be possible after discussing it with HaevAngel?

It's an amazing piece of work, Hrus. I was delighted when I found it, as you know. I've taken note of and acted on the comments you left in the thread. I added a bit of highlighting here and there, but that's it.

Oh and I'm working on SSoG/Heav/Elly.

[Asmodeous]

Asmodeous Avenger
Improved version of Cyrus' avenger. (Conviction with Facets+CM is still not explained correctly)

Reason for that is the lack of editing posts here. It would be easy to repost a corrected copy of the guide, but as the error was pointed out in the thread, I didn't bother.

I have a few guides that would be of value to include here. I'm currently rewriting the Eletemplar guide which is currently stickied in the pally forum to basically include both the pure elemental templar and the "rifttemplar", given that the combo of rift/VoR/cresent moon, conviction and FoH is rather nasty. Plus there are other guides, The immortal paladin, My hydra guide just to name a couple off the top of my head. Basically the one's that aren't a repeat of what you already have stickied.

So, if that's ok with Hru's/Thyiad, I'll update and post them up?