Bush's Diablo 2 Thread

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Bush4Ever.
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Bush's Diablo 2 Thread

Post by Bush4Ever. »

My Paladin/Hammerdin character (level 88 currently) has finished hell mode. It's essentially a perfect character now as far as I can tell in terms of gear/skills/build. I also have a level 75 Assassin I've leaving on ice for a bit to think about her build and possibly respec (I have two left) for Hell.

I'm on a "semi-vacation" and moving each of the other five classes through normal mode, doing one quest at a time for all classes, with the goal getting everyone to level 75 and then playing hell with all those classes+Assassin. I finished Act 4 with everyone and am starting Act 5.

In between quests, I'm using my Hammerdin to farm gear for everyone else through shared stash. I've also focused on upgrading and crafting items (this game is complex AF unless you actually study it!), which I had never done. I bought a couple handfuls of runes needed to do this, because I'm not spending 200 hours on Countess and Baal runs. I found a sale and spent like 10 dollars total for a crapload of runes. Cool.

................

So...I just found a unique piece of armor in the Hell Pit.

An ethereal Skin of the Vipermagi! Armor to Level/Strength Requirement out to wazoo. Great for a Sorceresses or Druid...I'm thinking probably Druid because my Sorceresses can teleport now pretty easily. But in any case, at a bare minimum, I can use this for a midgame and maybe even endgame build for one of them. Amazing!

I say screw it...let's make this endgame viable (IMO)...let's upgrade.

I do so, upgrading from exceptional to elite body armor. Awesome!

But I got to deal with the ethereal aspect. No problem. I still have my socket-quest on the table for my Hammerdin playthrough. Basically three separate socketings available. I can spare one for what will probably be the final armor for my Druid, right? I take it to Larzuk and get a nice single socket in that shizzz.

Time to pop the Zod rune in and conclude the armor. It should be ethereal, indestructible, with insanely high physical defense, but not too radical a strength requirement....and with all the usual faster cast, +skills, etc...associated with the Skin of the Vipermagi. Pop! In goes the Zod. I beam inwardly, very proud of myself.

I move the cursor over the armor, and this is what I see:

Image

I legit stopped and stared at the screen for like five minutes after.

The following things happened:

1. My brain misread Skin of The Flayed One as Skin of the Vipermagi. How? I legit passed over the armor with my controller like 20 times. I didn't notice this once? The attributes of the respective armors aren't similar. How did I not notice ANYTHING even ONCE?

2. I unintentionally raised the level requirement from I think 29 (original SOTFO) to level 76. Basically, taking it entirely out of play for normal, nightmare and probably Act 1 or so of Hell.

3. Not that it really matters since I paid like a dollar for it, but I completely wasted a Zod rune.

4. I didn't notice the armor was *essentially* already indestructible because of the repair durability every 10 seconds ability. There was nothing (in effect) to address with the Zod rune in the first place! Again, how does one not notice this?

5. I did a quick Google, and found this Reddit thread of Diablo 2 Vets making fun of someone doing what I *thought* I was doing. So not only was I a retard, but the idealized version of what I was doing was also retarded (to my very small credit, at least I upgraded first). I didn't understand the role defense actually plays in the game (apparently, not nearly as much as is implied?).



I got owned like 51 times on this adventure. At best, I crafted a respectable piece of armor for Waheed or Khalid or Habee-bee or whichever of Leoss's ancestors I end up using in Hell mode. Lem Rune, Zod Rune, P-Diamond, socket quest 1, original dynamite midgame armor....for that reward.

Tough scene.
Last edited by Bush4Ever. on Tue Jun 06, 2023 5:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Good Afternoon Phuture. I'm Retarded (A Diablo 2 Tale)

Post by Havlicekstealsit »

I dont play video games anymore but this is a very dedicated post. Whatever happens...

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Re: Good Afternoon Phuture. I'm Retarded (A Diablo 2 Tale)

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Great detailed post.

Couple things...

1. LOL I am sorry but seeing your Skin of the Flayed One with a Zod in it made me laugh out loud. Especially with you saying you stared at your screen for 5 minutes afterwards.

2. These things happen to everyone. The game is fairly complex and essentially has its own language that you really need to master before making moves. I've made mistakes like this in the game a few times. I've accidentally used the upgraded items quests for the wrong item or had a Barbarian rushed to a high rank and then accidentally held shift while putting in stats and dumped around 150 points into energy for a fucking Barb... Luckily they added the respec eventually to negate that but still. If you fucked up when the game first released you were shit out of luck and had to build another of the same character if you wanted to get it right. D2 has always been a lot of trial and error.

3. Smart to use your Hammerdin as a farmer. I'm assuming he's decked to the nines in solid gear and you can MF with him fairly easily. Only character arguably better for MFing is the Sorceress but she's not as efficient against mobs and bosses like your Hammerdin is if I had to guess. Essentially better drops but slower kills. A give and take.

4. As a small side that will help with your farming (and I just Googled this to be sure) "if your mercenary kills a monster, the loot that drops is based off your magic find plus your merc's magic find too." So when your MFing with your Paladin, try to get the bosses down to very low health and let your merc finish the job. He has better MF than you technically if you give him gear socketed with Perfect Topazes (which add MF).
Last edited by PhutureDynasty on Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Good Afternoon Phuture. I'm Retarded (A Diablo 2 Tale)

Post by Alex_Murphy »

PhutureDynasty wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 1:54 pm Grea detailed post.

Couple things...

1. LOL I am sorry but seeing your Skin of the Flayed One with a Zod in it made me laugh out loud. Especially with you saying you stared at your screen for 5 minutes afterwards.

2. These things happen to everyone. The game is fairly complex and essentially has its own language that you really need to master before making moves. I've made mistakes like this in the game a few times. I've accidentally used the upgraded items quests for the wrong item or had a Barbarian rushed to a high rank and then accidentally held shift while putting in stats and dumped around 150 points into energy for a fucking Barb... Luckily they added the respec eventually to negate that but still. If you fucked up when the game first released you were shit out of luck and had to build another of the same character if you wanted to get it right. D2 has always been a lot of trial and error.

3. Smart to use your Hammerdin as a farmer. I'm assuming he's decked to the nines in solid gear and you can MF with him fairly easily. Only character arguably better for MFing is the Sorceress but she's not as efficient against mobs and bosses like your Hammerdin is if I had to guess. Essentially better drops but slower kills. A give and take.

4. As a small side that will help with your farming (and I just Googled this to be sure) "if your mercenary kills a monster, the loot that drops is based off your magic find plus your merc's magic find too." So when your MFing with your Paladin, try to get the bosses down to very low health and let your merc finish the job. He has better MF than you technically if you give him gear socketed with Perfect Topazes (which add MF).
I know youre a good friend so you matched Bush's long winded post with a long winded reply of your own but lets be honest here.... this entire thread screams tldr.. and thats what im finna do!

im out!

:50centlol:
Last edited by Alex_Murphy on Sun Jun 04, 2023 3:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Good Afternoon Phuture. I'm Retarded (A Diablo 2 Tale)

Post by Bush4Ever. »

PhutureDynasty wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 1:54 pm Grea detailed post.

Couple things...

1. LOL I am sorry but seeing your Skin of the Flayed One with a Zod in it made me laugh out loud. Especially with you saying you stared at your screen for 5 minutes afterwards.

2. These things happen to everyone. The game is fairly complex and essentially has its own language that you really need to master before making moves. I've made mistakes like this in the game a few times. I've accidentally used the upgraded items quests for the wrong item or had a Barbarian rushed to a high rank and then accidentally held shift while putting in stats and dumped around 150 points into energy for a fucking Barb... Luckily they added the respec eventually to negate that but still. If you fucked up when the game first released you were shit out of luck and had to build another of the same character if you wanted to get it right. D2 has always been a lot of trial and error.

3. Smart to use your Hammerdin as a farmer. I'm assuming he's decked to the nines in solid gear and you can MF with him fairly easily. Only character arguably better for MFing is the Sorceress but she's not as efficient against mobs and bosses like your Hammerdin is if I had to guess. Essentially better drops but slower kills. A give and take.

4. As a small side that will help with your farming (and I just Googled this to be sure) "if your mercenary kills a monster, the loot that drops is based off your magic find plus your merc's magic find too." So when your MFing with your Paladin, try to get the bosses down to very low health and let your merc finish the job. He has better MF than you technically if you give him gear socketed with Perfect Topazes (which add MF).
Thanks for the advice (and the DM also, very helpful!).

My magic find right now is 274. Judging from what I've read and graphs, it seems the optimal tradeoff between kill speed and MF is somewhere in mid to high 300s? For me it doesn't really matter much since I'm basically adding bits and pieces to five different pre-Hell characters, plus whatever Assassin gear I collect. It's been a pretty constant grind towards good gear, and I've already gotten some pretty strong pieces. I'm sure by the time the team has gone through Nightmare it will be even better.

I actually didn't know magic find combined only when the merc landed the kill. That's helpful. I'll see if I can judge how many hammers it takes me now to kill Mephisto and try to time it minus one to let old Ahsab landed the final blow.

I also had a crazy, insanely hard time beating Diablo on normal with the Barbarian. I have really poor gear with him, but will get a big series of upgrades to my swords, armor, and helm from levels 29-31 (I'm 27 atm). But I think the game is way, way, more difficult for melee characters than anyone that's ranged.

Fun stuff, regardless. I can see why people fell in love with this.
Last edited by Bush4Ever. on Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Good Afternoon Phuture. I'm Retarded (A Diablo 2 Tale)

Post by Bush4Ever. »

Alex_Murphy wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:05 pm
I know youre a goos friend so you matched Bush's long winded post with a long winded reply of your own but lets be honest here.... this entire thread screams tldr.. and thats what im finna do!

im out!

:50centlol:
The sand people are the (generally) best mercenaries in Diablo 2. They also have funny names.

Currently, I have three Ahsabs, two Razans, a Waheed, and a Mizan.

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Re: Good Afternoon Phuture. I'm Retarded (A Diablo 2 Tale)

Post by PhutureDynasty »

Bush4Ever. wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:24 pm
PhutureDynasty wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 1:54 pm Grea detailed post.

Couple things...

1. LOL I am sorry but seeing your Skin of the Flayed One with a Zod in it made me laugh out loud. Especially with you saying you stared at your screen for 5 minutes afterwards.

2. These things happen to everyone. The game is fairly complex and essentially has its own language that you really need to master before making moves. I've made mistakes like this in the game a few times. I've accidentally used the upgraded items quests for the wrong item or had a Barbarian rushed to a high rank and then accidentally held shift while putting in stats and dumped around 150 points into energy for a fucking Barb... Luckily they added the respec eventually to negate that but still. If you fucked up when the game first released you were shit out of luck and had to build another of the same character if you wanted to get it right. D2 has always been a lot of trial and error.

3. Smart to use your Hammerdin as a farmer. I'm assuming he's decked to the nines in solid gear and you can MF with him fairly easily. Only character arguably better for MFing is the Sorceress but she's not as efficient against mobs and bosses like your Hammerdin is if I had to guess. Essentially better drops but slower kills. A give and take.

4. As a small side that will help with your farming (and I just Googled this to be sure) "if your mercenary kills a monster, the loot that drops is based off your magic find plus your merc's magic find too." So when your MFing with your Paladin, try to get the bosses down to very low health and let your merc finish the job. He has better MF than you technically if you give him gear socketed with Perfect Topazes (which add MF).
Thanks for the advice (and the DM also, very helpful!).

My magic find right now is 274. Judging from what I've read and graphs, it seems the optimal tradeoff between kill speed and MF is somewhere in mid to high 300s? For me it doesn't really matter much since I'm basically adding bits and pieces to five different pre-Hell characters, plus whatever Assassin gear I collect. It's been a pretty constant grind towards good gear, and I've already gotten some pretty strong pieces. I'm sure by the time the team has gone through Nightmare it will be even better.

I actually didn't know magic find combined only when the merc landed the kill. That's helpful. I'll see if I can judge how many hammers it takes me now to kill Mephisto and try to time it minus one to let old Ahsab landed the final blow.

I also had a crazy, insanely hard time beating Diablo on normal with the Barbarian. I have really poor gear with him, but will get a big series of upgrades to my swords, armor, and helm from levels 29-31 (I'm 27 atm). But I think the game is way, way, more difficult for melee characters than anyone that's ranged.

Fun stuff, regardless. I can see why people fell in love with this.
No problem. Happy to help.

Barbarians, more than any other character, are very gear dependent. It was the same on D3. You need solid gear and a decent inventory of the right charms and a good Torch to be able to handle what another character can with lesser gear.

As a child and young teenager he was my favorite character but definitely not the best. That is obviously the Paladin now for both my favorite and the best in game.

Shout-out to Ahsab by the way. I get more angry sometimes when the mob kills my mercenary than when I die.
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Re: Good Afternoon Phuture. I'm Retarded (A Diablo 2 Tale)

Post by Bush4Ever. »

Holy shit!

I decided to take a quick coding break and send my Druid through the Ancients (he crushed with volcano, Rogue and Sorc already through) to the Worldstone Keep waypoint, and do a few Mephisto runs.

Four Mephisto runs produced:

Sandstorm Trek Boots x 2
The Blade of Ali Babba
Andariel's Visage
Duriel's Shell
Rockstopper

Some RNG luck. Maybe I should go to Atlantic City.
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Re: Good Afternoon Phuture. I'm Retarded (A Diablo 2 Tale)

Post by LeBronMonsterDunk »

D4 is legit
You never liked me, probably don't like me still, but a ***** liking me aint never paid my bills
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Re: Good Afternoon Phuture. I'm Retarded (A Diablo 2 Tale)

Post by Bush4Ever. »

LeBronMonsterDunk wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 4:29 pm D4 is legit
I've heard mostly good things. I'm going to wait until the dust settles a bit (and my D2 stuff is done or almost done) and buy around Christmas time when I get a laptop (that I'll buy or build with an eye towards gaming).
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Re: Good Afternoon Phuture. I'm Retarded (A Diablo 2 Tale)

Post by vcsgrizzfan »

I'm old. I read books. Hard cover.
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Re: Good Afternoon Phuture. I'm Retarded (A Diablo 2 Tale)

Post by Bush4Ever. »

vcsgrizzfan wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 4:35 pm I'm old. I read books. Hard cover.
Do you even know the difference between the effects of a perfect diamond vs. perfect sapphire on armor?

I doubt it.
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Re: Good Afternoon Phuture. I'm Retarded (A Diablo 2 Tale)

Post by vcsgrizzfan »

Bush4Ever. wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 4:37 pm
vcsgrizzfan wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 4:35 pm I'm old. I read books. Hard cover.
Do you even know the difference between the effects of a perfect diamond vs. perfect sapphire on armor?

I doubt it.
Absolutely not. I feel shame.
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Re: Good Afternoon Phuture. I'm Retarded (A Diablo 2 Tale)

Post by PhutureDynasty »

Bush4Ever. wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 4:23 pm Holy shit!

I decided to take a quick coding break and send my Druid through the Ancients (he crushed with volcano, Rogue and Sorc already through) to the Worldstone Keep waypoint, and do a few Mephisto runs.

Four Mephisto runs produced:

Sandstorm Trek Boots x 2
The Blade of Ali Babba
Andariel's Visage
Duriel's Shell
Rockstopper

Some RNG luck. Maybe I should go to Atlantic City.
Solid at absolute worst. All can be put to use.
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Re: Bush's Diablo 2 Thread

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Re: Bush's Diablo 2 Thread

Post by gaskill15 »

This thread makes me wanna throw Elder Scrolls Online back in.
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Re: Bush's Diablo 2 Thread

Post by elartman1973 »

Smgdh
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Re: Bush's Diablo 2 Thread

Post by Alex_Murphy »

bro fuck this nerd thread. respond to my threads.
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Re: Bush's Diablo 2 Thread

Post by LeBronMonsterDunk »

elartman1973 wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 8:58 pmSmgdh
Everything ITT is way out of your wheelhouse old timer.
You never liked me, probably don't like me still, but a ***** liking me aint never paid my bills
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Re: Bush's Diablo 2 Thread

Post by elartman1973 »

LeBronMonsterDunk wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 9:13 pm
elartman1973 wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 8:58 pmSmgdh
Everything ITT is way out of your wheelhouse old timer.
Lol at thinking that's a flex...thats how completely dumb you are.
I'd be embarrassed if this was of any interest to me, as a man
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