(re)introduction thread

[jeffy]

I used to be active on this forum back in 2009 or something but lost my account, and the forum software doesn't seem to recognize the email address I know I must have registered with. Anyway, since there doesn't seem to be too much going on I thought I might as well write a thread about what I've been up to in the two or three weeks I've been playing Diablo 2 this time around. Lost all my crap so this was a full restart.

I started out with a classic Fishymancer and unofficially joined the untwinked lvl 99 race (very optimistic indeed). I found that while a Fishy is great at completing the game, and clearing lvl 85 areas, they are not great at running quickly if you don't have an Enigma to teleport with. There's also the issue of Mercenary AI which absolutely drove me mad at times. After a while my poor 25 charge teleport amulet got used up faster and faster re positioning that damn moron. I couldn't stand it after a while and abandoned him at lvl 89. Still, Corpse Explosion is the coolest spell in the game and I hope to return to him in the future.

Next up was another cookie cutter, the blizzsorc. This really is an amazing build. Slightly twinked with gear from my necro she ran Meph, Pindle and LK like crazy (1000 each probably). Found some decent stuff, including a sur. (http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/p...23/realsur.jpg). Will casually continue to run Pindle and Meph with this character.

My third project will be one of those Trav Barbs I've read about.

The weapons will be these puppies:

Oath 
Colossus Sword 
ShaelPulMalLum 
One Hand Damage: 170 - 459 
Two Hand Damage: 398 - 792 
Durability: 26 of 26 
Required Level: 60 
Required Strength: 172 
Required Dexterity: 85 
Fingerprint: 0xc30c8903 
Item Level: 85 
Version: Expansion 1.10+ 
30% Chance to cast level 20 Bone Spirit on striking 
Indestructible 
+50% Increased Attack Speed 
338% Enhanced Damage
+75% Damage to Demons 
+100 to Attack Rating against Demons 
Prevent Monster Heal 
+10 to Energy 
+10 Magic Absorb 
Level 17 Iron Golem (14/14 Charges) 
Level 16 Heart of Wolverine (20/20 Charges) 
Ethereal

Grief 
Phase Blade 
EthTirLoMalRal 
One Hand Damage: 31 - 35 
Indestructible 
Required Level: 59 
Required Strength: 25 
Required Dexterity: 136 
Fingerprint: 0xb90bf2f5 
Item Level: 85 
Version: Expansion 1.10+ 
35% Chance to cast level 15 Venom on striking 
+40% Increased Attack Speed 
Damage +372 
Ignore Target's Defense 
-25% Target Defense 
+140% Damage to Demons (Based on Character Level) 
Adds 5 - 30 Fire Damage 
-23% to Enemy Poison Resistance 
20% Deadly Strike 
Prevent Monster Heal 
+2 to Mana after each Kill 
+10 Life after each Kill 5 Sockets (5 used)

Lo cubed from 3 vex and 2 gul I found in LK:

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/2153/vex1.jpg
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/8576/vex2.jpg
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/7796/vex3.jpg

I have the following gear in mind.

Head: Guillaume's Face. Key mods: 35% CB and 15% DS. From what I understand this is the helmet with the most offensive power. I haven't seen Arreat's Face yet.
Amulet: Highlord's Wrath is the only relevant amulet I have, and it will be used.
Gloves: LoH
Boots: Gore Riders. I have Goblin Toe as well, but I feel like 15% DS is better than 10% CB.
Rings:

Shadow Spiral 
Ring 
Required Level: 65 
Fingerprint: 0xdbb4cda7 
Item Level: 87 
Version: Expansion 1.10+ 
+46 to Attack Rating 
8% Life stolen per hit 
Replenish Life +5 
Lightning Resist +10% 
Fire Resist +14% 
26% Extra Gold from Monsters

Viper Loop 
Ring 
Required Level: 35 
Fingerprint: 0xd83092d9 
Item Level: 87 
Version: Expansion 1.10+ 
+10 to Attack Rating 
2% Mana stolen per hit 
5% Life stolen per hit 
+9 to Strength 
Fire Resist +7%

If you're still here after this wall of text, I have a question. Is 2% mana leech enough? I feel like it could be considering the damage I will be doing, but I'm not sure. I could potentially socket an Ith in the helmet for dmg -> mana.

Belt: Thundergod's Vigor. I would much prefer a String of Ears here but it hasn't dropped yet, weirdly enough. I feel like SoE should drop in the next 500 Meph runs, but you can never be sure.

Armor: This is the biggest conundrum I have. I have already made a Duress, and that one should be great for everything except Trav since I assume it will shatter corpses. Other options:

Black Hades
Pros: I could socket it with around 111%ED if I use my best jewels, and it has an innate 48%ED (max spawn 60%) to Demons and +200 AtR to demons. Cons: 160%ED seems bigger than it really is when it has no stats. It would force a larger hard point investment in vit and dex -> less strength -> less damage. So while this is the highest damage option, it's not an overwhelming winner.

Treachery
Pros: Defensively strong if it procs. Cons: Will it proc?

Stone
Pros: Nice overall piece it seems Cons: I'm out of puls and ums.

Lionheart
Pros: A lot of stats which means more strength at the same level of life, and resistances. Seems very solid still. Cons: Low def, old, boring.

Gladiator's Bane
Pros: Would give me a source of CBF. Not crucial at all, but it could occasionally be annoying to berserk while frozen. PDR and MDR are nice. Cons: Resistances might suffer.


I would like to fill my inventory with Sharp and Steel GCs, meaning I'll at most get +20% all res from small charms, and another 10-20 to specific elements. If I put a fair few points in NR that should be enough I think.

I think I'm done now. Tell me which armor to use, thanks.

edit: fixed screenshot

[pharphis]

you could throw an um in Gladiator's Bane. That's my thought about armor.
Also, your sur screenshot is actually a screenshot for a mal :P
Good luck with the barb!

[jeffy]

Uploaded the wrong screenshot; dumb.

[pharphis]

*whispers*
Still a mal rune.

Edit: YAY!

[jeffy]

*whispers*
Still a mal rune.

no!

Imageshack linked back to the old upload for some reason. Very strange stuff.

[redragon]

With the Fishy, you and me are of the same mind. I Patriarched for the first time ever with a Fishy just recently, got to level 90, and have 000.000 intrest in leveling him any more.

And the Moron, I have dreams of him him being caught in a CE explosion.....

[jeffy]

And the Moron, I have dreams of him him being caught in a CE explosion.....

Haha, that would be great.

[LozHinge the Unhinged]

I use Gore Riders plus Highlords, too.
I'd go for slightly higher mana leach, but then I have possibly collected more gear than you have after your restart. I use Nosferatu's belt as the Mana after Kill is helpful to me (although I'm a whirler rather than a frenzier).
When you get another Lo, Fortitude is the way to go
Treachery is great for the merc, IAS plus Fade = Res + DR.

Welcome back to the forums.

Edit: I remember my summonancer - grief, I hated my merc then

[Drystan]

Hey! Welcome back to the SPF, and grats on the Sur!

[jeffy]

Is 2% mana leech enough?

Having leveled the guy to 80 something, I can report that it is enough, barely. However, 13% life leech isn't. With no shield, mediocre defense rating, and no %PDR, my dude gets hit often and hard. That String of Ears would really be a huge upgrade I think, with the Thundergod's in the bag for Gloams and such. Surprisingly resists are OK with fire and lightning being in the 70s in hell.

So offensively amazing, but currently with some defensive liabilities. It's shocking to me that his damage actually could get higher than this with stuff like Fortitude and better charms.