Diablo II single player questions

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OK, first, I looked up open wounds. It lasts for 8 seconds, but it's a complicated process for calculating the damage it does, mainly because the effects of it ramps with level. Evidently, at high clvls, Open Wounds can do thousands of points of damage.

Here's the link.

One note about upgrading weapons - when you upgrade from a normal to an exceptional or an exceptional to an elite, all the modifiers stay the same - it just changes the base damage (or base defense if you upgrade armor).

So for the purposes of Bloodrise, it will take it's base damage from that of a morning star to that of a jagged star. All other stats stay the same.

One final disclaimer - when you upgrade a weapon or a piece of armor, it will increase the strength, dexterity, and level requirements as appropriate for that new item. It is possible to upgrade an item (especially armors that have high strength requirements) only to discover that you do not meet the minimum requirements to use it! For the purposes of Bloodrise, you will need to have a strength of 74 (which I assume you already have) and be at least level 30 (which you have already exceeded) to use it. There's no dexterity requirement on this weapon type.

Regarding the Sol rune issue. Sol runes can drop as early as Act IV Normal, so you're in the right place. You actually have decent odds of netting one when you complete the Hellforge quest there (1 in 9). They also drop with some regularity in Act V. (And by some regularity I mean that you will likely find one at some point in Act V.)

EDIT: If you don't find one in Act V, I'd recommend starting Nightmare difficulty and running the Countess on Nightmare difficulty. While it is possible to get enough rune drops from the normal Countess, it will be more time efficient to get the runes in Nightmare.

 

Oh, ok - that's very good to know. I had assumed it would change into the Moonfall. Well, a base-damage increase of that kind would still be pretty substantial, so it seems worth it. I'll wait a while and see what I get at the Hellforge since that's my next stop - or in Act 5. Who knows - Diablo may drop it.

Speaking of which - I've never done the Cow level before. Can I do it after I've beaten Diablo, or do I have to wait until Baal since I have the expansion installed? Any tips for the cow level?

Heh - cow, tips...cow-tipping.

I'm awesome.

 

It will still be a Bloodrise, but that big +120% damage modifier on it will now be applied to the base damage on jagged star (20-31) as opposed to that on a morning star (7-16), so you can expect the damage output to double.

You must beat the game in Normal difficulty (at which point you get the title of Champion) in order to do the cows. So you have to beat Baal. After that you need to start a new game (in Normal, not Nightmare difficulty), and the cow portal can only be opened in the Rouge Encampment - I know I screwed that up the first time I tried it.

 

Hmm - when I beat the game with my other Pally, I was given the title of "Slayer" - not "Champion." What does that mean?

 

You are a Slayer - Champion is what you get for defeating the game on Nightmare. It is Patriarch or Matriarch for beating the game on hell, depending on the gender of your character. It doesn't mean anything (other than what difficulty level you have completed) - it just identifies your relative prowess to other character if you play on Battlenet.

 

It was off the cuff - but I have read many guides over the years to help develop my strategy, and I'm sure I borrowed a lot of the concepts from them.

However, I did a quick search and I found a calculations heavy, comprehensive, in depth Mereorb Guide. This guide is way better than the one I posted - but this guy probably worked on it for days.

This guy actually does all the math for you to help you decide whether to max out Fire Bolt of Fire Mastery, how many points to sink into Cold Mastery, and even a level by level recommendation for placing skill points. He even has an extensive recommended equipment list broken down into "Top Choices", "Good Choices", and "Developmental Equipment" for when you're working up in level and cannot equip the top items. That said, a quick skim through his guide shows that he came to many of the opposite conclusions I did. So this is kind of a counterpoint to the guide I posted. For example:

1. While our end skill setup is similar he gets there by a different path.
2. He concludes it is better to max Fire Mastery (while I advocate for Fire Bolt).
3. He favors going for max block, while I favor maxing life.

There are several other differences too. He has a very good idea of getting an orb for your weapon switch with +skills for frozen orb, so you don't even have to assign a hotkey for the spell - just switch weapons to alternate between fire and cold attacks. He even gives a recommended equipment list for your mercenary.

EDIT: After reading the guide, I think I have to rethink my Fire Bolt/Fire Mastery conclusion. He makes a very persuasive argument in favor of Fire Mastery...

 

I finished my Amazon's run through normal with a sol rune, so it is indeed possible. I don't know if that was a drop or upgrade though.

With that character I didn't do many runs of any kind, so it shouldn't be exceptionally rare to get one.

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Wow, I just read to the end of the page before, so this post can be disregarded. Answers have been given.

 

Yeah, I have the Visceratuant shield too, and I plan on using it, even though I'm not planning on going the blocking route. I know my weapon is going to be primarily Hexfire, for the +3 fire skills, and I'll have the orb from Tal Rasha's set on switch when I'm using cold spells in nightmare (unless I find an orb that gives +3 to frozen orb). Since both are one handed weapons, I'm going to be able to use a shield, so why not use one that will give me +1 to all skills? If I want +1 skills on both the standard weapon and the switch, I can always go with a runeword (I believe Rhyme gives +1 skills and is a fairly cheap runeword to make).

While the guide I linked to is much better than the one I wrote, I have one smallish nitpicky point. And it concerns his use of shields. Not only do I disagree with gonig for max block, but I also disagree with him listing Stormshield as his top pick. First on the blocking issue. Using his table for level 80, I'd need 182 dexterity to have max block with an upgraded Visceratuant, or 195 dexterity for an upgraded Stormshield. As I'm currently only planning on investing 58 points in dexterity, I'm saving myself either 124 or 137 stat points that can go into vitality (and about 2 more for every level I earn beyond 80). On the choice of Stormshield as your best shield option, it is an excellent choice for most characters, and the 35% damage reduction is outstanding, but it has a prohibitively high strength requirement (156) for a sorceress. Especially for someone like me who has already planned out most of his other equipment, and expects his next highest strength requirement to be just 84. That's an additional 72 stat points needed that cannot go into vitality. So if I were to use the guide's recommendation and use Stormshield (which I have) and go for max block, I would have 209 fewer stat points to devote to vitality by level 80, meaning my character would wind up with 418 less life. I cannot fathom how my planned build with that much more life will be a detriment.

I also have a Harlequin Crest, access to Stones of Jordan (although I was planning on using 1 not 2 as the guide suggests), and an amulet that gives +1 to all sorceress skills and has resist all 17%. (I think you mentioned finding a Mara's a few days ago - I agree with the guide's author that is an excellent choice.)

If you do go the blocking route, you'll definitely want to upgrade Visceratuant from a defender to a heater. Like many of the elite shields, a heater has a better base blocking chance than its exceptional counterpart, and it will save you points in dexterity. I already looked up the requirements - I believe it's a level 58 requirement once you upgrade, but the strength requirement is still only 77, and you probably have equipment that would require you to go higher than that anyway. I still have to look up the stats on the Immortal King boots and gloves, as they come recommended as gear, and I have both of them, although I was not initially considering using them.

Keep in mind that even though my "guide" was off the cuff, I recently started a Meterorb of my own just a few days ago. Since I never just sit down and play without looking through the skills and getting a basic character plan together, it's not as impressive as doing it from memory - I actually recently did that exercise for my own character.

Regarding rainbow facets - they are extremely rare (I've never found one of any kind) and extremely valued. However, a poison facet for a Meteorb is completely worthless, as you won't be doing any poison damage. All the different facets drop with equal frequency, and you got a bit unlucky in getting the least useful one. You obviously need a character that specializes in poison damage to get the full benefit of it, which basically limits you to two options: 1) a necro specializing in poison spells - probably the least common type of necro behind summoners and bone necros and 2) a rabies/poison creeper druid, which are actually a lot more common as PvP builds than PvM.

The other three facets are definitely popular among sorceresses, but paladins running an elemental aura use them as well, especailly when wielding Baranar's Star. Assassins have many elemental skills as well. Amazons use lightning facets, while druids use fire facets. Only barbarians don't need no stinkin' facets to beat things to a bloody pulp.

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As for the guide's recommendation on the gloves and boots of the IK set - WTF?

Gloves: +65 Defense
+20 Strength
+20 Dexterity
12% Chance of casting slvl 4 Charged Bolt When Struck
+25% Increased Attack Speed (2 items)

Boots: +75 Defense
+40% Faster Run/Walk
+110 to Attack Rating
+44 Life
25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items (2 items)

Partial Set Bonuses: +50 to Attack Rating (Any 2 items)

The gloves are justifiable in that it gives you +20 to strength and dexterity, so that will save you 40 stat points. The thing I totally don't get is pairing them with the boots. The only stat that does a sorceress any good on those boots is the +44 life. Attack rating (both on the boots and as a partial set bonus) is worthless to a sorceress (you either need an ignore target defense item or you don't go into melee), faster run/walk is more of a convenience than a necessity, your defense will never be so high that it will matter it hell, and the 25% mf can be found on any pair of rare boots that will have other useful stats. Unless the author is admitting that if you go with his recommendation of getting max block with Stormshield, you'll be so strapped for life that you need to look for additional sources from equipment that normally doesn't come with life, I totally don't understand.

 

I agree that static charge requires you to get close to the boss. The only thing is that some bosses have attacks that cannot be blocked. Andariel uses that poison attack that is unblockable. Duriel's attacks mostly ARE blockable (although the cold damage from his holy freeze aura is not). Mephisto's regular attacks are blockable, but again, not the Poison Cloud. Diablo is probably the most difficult boss in the game, and his two most devastating attacks (Pink Lightning Bolt of Death, and that branching fire attack thing he does) are totally unblockable. Most of Baal's attacks are blockable, with two noteworthy exceptions: the mana drain thing he does, and that curse that only can be cast if your total mana exceeds your total life. I cannot remember the name of the curse - it's called blood something I think - basically the effect of the curse is every time you cast a spell, it depletes your life and mana by an equal amount. For most characters this is a non-issue as your life is always greater than your mana so you won't be affected by the curse. However, a sorceress with a low life total may fall into this category. This would not be a possibility if you go the life route, as your mana pool would not exceed your life pool. If you go the block route (especially with a high strength requirement shield), then it also would behoove you to not spend any points in energy to make sure your have more life than mana.

And as long as you are using a shield, it's not like your block percentage will be zero. The compariosn shouldn't be blocking 75% versus not blocking at all. Even my pathetic necro who has virtually nothing invested in dexterity has a block chance of around 20% (although I am using a shield with a high base block chance).

Regarding players 8 and runes - yes. Players 8 causes more items to drop. It doesn't improve the quality of the drops as a percentage of total drops, you just get more of everything - including runes.

 

Well, crap. I just did the Hellforge last night and forgot to turn Players8 back on when I got there, so I had a mediocre drop when I smashed the soulstone: 4 gems (all in flawless or perfect condition, but still) and a single friggin' El rune. An El rune!! Bottom of the freakin' ladder. The gems were nice, don't get me wrong - but still. Grr.

I don't know what I was thinking.

In an ironic twist, I soon after got a Ral rune...from a crate. Go figure.

 

Rest easy DR - the Hellforge is called an "auto drop" in game terms. You ALWAYS get four gems - 3 flawless and 1 perfect, and a rune regardless of what the players setting was, or what your mf was. If the game rolled for an El rune, that's what you were getting whether you were on players 1 or players 8, and your player setting would not have influenced what rune you got.

Remember player setting increases the number of items that drop, but not the quality of items dropped. Auto drops override the players setting by always dropping certain items.

EDIT: That said, you have every right to be pissed at the result. There wasn't anything you could have done to avoid it though.

 

Ok, thanks - I feel better now. I can deal with crap luck, but I can't deal with the feeling that I blew a good opportunity.

 

Well, I think I can safely say I made up for that setback.

Last night, Diablo gave me one hell of a drop (it was the first time killing him for that character). In addition to dropping 3 set items and 2 rares, he dropped The Undead Crown, which I never thought I'd find without cheating. Too bad I'm not a Necro...oh wait, Atma baby!

I went back two more times, collecting 1 more set item and a handful of nice rares. Now I'll move on to Act V a happy boy.

 

I found a load of set items on about five Mephisto runs. The funny thing is that it was the council members and a crate that contributed to most of them... The highlight is that I have two pieces of Sigon's set now...

And I finally have a new weapon other than my triple socketed crystal sword, it's a rare jagged-star. As a side note, my character's armor and helm provides enough damage that he does 30-120 damage barehanded

 

For the max block/HP prob I usually just go max block if my character expects to tank hits while doing damage, and go max HP if he expects not get hit in the first place or if he doesn't want his attacks to be potentially disrupted by block. For example I'd want my Barbarian to have high block because I expect him to take damage regularly, and because I don't mind so much if his attacks are disrupted by block. Other examples are a Summoning Necro who only casts the occasional Bone Spirit/Corse Explosion, and a variant of the Windy Druid. A Fire/Summoning Druid or "Dentist" Necromancer would not want their attacks disrupted by block, however, as they would really rather avoid getting hit in the first place and when they have to risk taking damage they'll want their spells completed to keep their total damage up.

For a Meteorb Sorceress block would probably disrupt Meteor, causing you to lose momentum. Perhaps it would better to get hit, teleport, and keep your attacks going rather than teleport and realize your character had blocked instead of casting a spell.
You could consider max block if you intend to use Fireball almost exclusively. You don't lose much by miscasting Fireball. If your playing style also involves fighting things fewer at a time rather than jumping in the middle of the fray you could also consider max block. Less attacks, less blocks.

BTW, I am actually a fan of poison necros since the poison tree only needs a few points to be useful (maxing them is optional and I wouldn't recommend it). You'll have enough remaining points to invest in the summoning tree, the curses tree and even Bone Spirit. It's a great build for PvE/PvM.