Help! need diablo orientation! (spoiler)

[Claudius]

Hi I went to a different diablo forum and I was so overwhelmed. I got the impression that I couldn't really play the game unless I researched the build and built the skills correctly. Even so most of the builds you needed items from previous characters.

Is this really how the game needs to be played or can I just kind of build my own characters? Not perfect characters since I am new of course but following some sense eg I wouldn't put points in axe sword and club for a barbarian cause it makes sense to just pick one.

I don't care if I can do everything in the game. Maybe I just want to beat normal and see how nightmare goes.

So far I made a fishymancer because it was the only one you needed no items and it is easy but it was weird. I played andariel once with level 9 skellies and thrashed her. Then I went back for kicks with level 13 skellies and she almost killed me because she killed them all super fast

Do the bosses spawn with variable powers? Also I got no treasure the second time!

Finally what should I be doing with my gold? I have 180000 so far and just got the horadric cube.

Help Help (Deer in headlight look)

[Siberys]

Yeah, builds are usually meant for powergaming, especially in D2's case.

You can do anything you want in this game for a build, it's actually really hard to screw yourself when making a character (but it is possible). With a necromancer that specializes in skeletons, a piece of advise for a newbie to Diablo 2 is to get a couple ranks in Amplify Damage. Three or four tops just for the area and duration. Your skeletons will do more damage to those cursed as all damage dealt by skeletons (note: NOT mages) are physical.

[Claudius]

so the builds I am seeing sound like they are 'gourmet' builds but I can just have me some hamburger druids and mac n cheese amazons.

excuse my metaphor if it sounds to bad

Thanks Siberys!!

[Siberys]

No worries, it's all gravy.

[Claudius]

I'm still a little lost. I actually have some idea what the necromancer is about but I am trying to make an amazon who uses a spear.

I am confused about the skills. I understand that some are passive and some active. And some have synergies.

Here's my plan....put points in passive because they are always on. I like evade because it helps when you are moving. Does it help when you are still too??? If so does it stack with Dodge etc to give greater chances when still? I like the one with a chance to do extra damage. Then I was thinking of something physical damage (for lightning immunes) but also all the lightning synergies as my main skill. And also build up valkyrie and decoy if possible.

What should I do with strength, vitality, dexterity, and energy? is dexterity melee damage from piercing weapons or is it only to hit and bow damage???

thanks

[Siberys]

I really wouldn't recommend Decoy. That skill is usually meant for a fletcher simply because if a monster is attacking the decoy and you run up and attack it, it has a good chance of turning it's attention to you.

Definitely get dodge and evade (Dunno if they stack or not, I rarely play amazons), and for a spear user definitely get Jab and if the skill with the icon that has spears going in different directions (forget the name, fein or fiend or somethin) gives a synergy to Jab, grab that too. Jab is the end all useful skill to all spear user amazons (especially if you're playing only diablo 2, not D2:LoD, and the reason for this is in the normal version, Jab is two quick thrusts towards an enemy whereas the expansion it's three jabs, being slightly slower and more open to pummeling).

Dexterity usually only affects bows. I'm not entirely positive, but I think dexterity will affect damage on spears a small bit.

oh, and there is something that you should download. It's somewhat of a cheat simply because you can re-allocate skill points and stat points, as well as a huge inventory and horadric cube, as well as an infinite amount of separate pages for your Stash.


However, once you get to the later acts, this is almost a necessity because it gets frustrating without it sometimes. It's called PlugY, google will easily find it.

[Claudius]

I made my characters 'ladder' simply because I thought thats the only way I can give items between them... I'm not sure if I want to be cheap this way but hey 'everones doin it' hehe. Also if I get really bored I can join a MP game and be mystified by all the overlords (super players).

Can I download plugy onto my ladder chars??? I don't think so but maybe so???

Or I can just start em over no biggeee. I need my 'mystic' hehe so I think so!

Oh and I died and all my equipment is gone. That is a very dangerous life! I thought diablo 1 was the only one where you had to go nekked to recover your equipment and take 10 million hours trying over and over again haha. I lost some good stuff with my wizard!

[Caden]

You really shouldn't put multiple points into curses. Put one point into every curse you plan to use. Later in the game, you will find items that boost the level of your curses. These items are called "plus skill items". They will bring your curses to a more than high enough level. One point into amplify damage has always been enough for duration for me. If amp's duration ever runs out because you are fighting a boss or something, then just recast it. It's as simple as that. There really isn't any effort involved with recasting it. As for area of effect. Why waste skill points to double the area of effect of a curse when there is no effort casting a low level curse twice to get the same effect?

Plugy will not work for online characters and you shouldn't use it even if it did work for online characters. If blizzard detects you using a cheat or hack like Plugy, then they will ban you.

The builds you saw in the other forum are probably the best builds and you need the best builds in order to pvp. But if you just want to fight monsters and bosses, then you can build anyway you want.

Dodge and evade do not stack. Dodge helps you to move out of the way of an attack when you are standing still. Evade helps you to move out of the way when walking/running. You can't be standing still and running at the same time.

Dex will affect the damage of Amazon only spears.

Bosses will only drop their best loot the first time you kill them.

Don't put too many points into passives. Low levels might give +6% chance to dodge, but higher levels will only give +1% or sometimes +0% thus wasting a skill point all together.

What you should do with your stats is put the minimum points into strength and dexterity required to wear your gear. Then, put the rest into vitality. Sorceresses who use energy shield are the only character who needs to put points into energy.

Edit: If you will be using a shield, then you will need more dex than your gear requires in order to get the maximum block rate. The best shield in the game will require 222 dex to reach the maximum block rate on amazons, assassins, and barbarians, 237 for necros, druids, and sorceress, and 208 for paladins.

[Claudius]

Thank you that was very useful information. So far it is going good with the countess. I notice that you can't use a shield with the spears so I think I might use javelins since I plan on using the lightning to do most of the damage. I might use a spear at times if its better than my other setup. Not sure.

So far I am thinking the lightning synergies could be good. I am using the power strike to kill bosses and just regular attack to kill trash. Man I need to find some better enchanted javelins! (or spear) Maybe I could have a spear on switch for a choice in setup?? Or I could even take a bow skill for lightning immunes and work on it?

I wasted 5 pts in energy but other than that I think I am ok.

Thanks.

[Deadalready]

It's quite easy to get away with playing Diablo 2 the first time with 1 point in everything with extras going into skills you like. It's not a great strategy for the long term but will familiarise you with skills and what they actually do.

Personally I think the necromancer is not the best choice for a first character, but remember that he has no bussiness hitting anything personally and you'll do fine.

Amazons aren't bad, when done right they are pretty powerful. Be aware that one handed or throwing weapons will do less damage in melee than two handed weapons. The advantage of one handed weapons is having a shield though so it might be good to weight up the pros and cons of each.

A few recommendations I can give are:
Don't bother with putting points into mana, it's never really that useful. When in doubt, put points into vitality.

Gambling gives one an outlet to spend excess cash, gambling is basically buying an unidentified item. Sometimes the item is poor, sometimes the item is godly. Gheed, Elzix, Alkor, Jamella, Nilathak and Anya will let you gamble.

If a character build requires hitting things in melee, be aware of attack ratings and chance to hit. Try to keep chance to hit about 75%.

If playing online and there's more than one player character in the game, be aware that monsters will be more difficult to overcome.

Aim to get resistances as high as possible, normally resistances are capped at 75% but they can go beyond 75% with certain items.

[Dottie]

Originally Posted by Claudius

Is this really how the game needs to be played or can I just kind of build my own characters? Not perfect characters since I am new of course but following some sense eg I wouldn't put points in axe sword and club for a barbarian cause it makes sense to just pick one.

I really have to disagree with Siberys here. If all you want to do is finish normal difficulty I guess you could build any way you want to, but if you are looking to go through the entire game I really recommend doing some simple research before deciding your build. Otherwise you risk putting weeks of play into a character that can't come further than nightmare or so.

Originally Posted by Claudius

Do the bosses spawn with variable powers? Also I got no treasure the second time!

Bosses don't spawn with variable powers, but the semi bosses might. So Andariel should be the same every time.

Originally Posted by Claudius

Finally what should I be doing with my gold? I have 180000 so far and just got the horadric cube.

Gamble for gloves, boots, amulets, rings or perhaps circlets. Depending a bit on what you need. It's often not a good idea to gamble for weapons though.

[Claudius]

Thanks, I have a pretty successful zon and necro going. One is textbook fishymancer. The other I have made with 2 flaws from Lightning zon. I may restart it and just take what I have learned (level 20) as a learning experience. I put 4 pts in power strike which is not that good other than adding synergy to charge strike or other lightning skills. Also I put 5 in energy haha. Maybe I'll go through with this char just for fun (hey the 40/32/4 to various lightning skills isn't whole wasted) and see if I can make my own char. It will be a learning experience either way. And if it fails I can follow guides from now on.

But thanks for the information.

Charge strike is simply astonishing at the moment. It sure drains the mana but it can clear them out in seconds.

[Caden]

Yeah, you should take your first character as a practice run and just toy with all the different abilities s/he has.

As long as you research abilities that synergize each other, you should have no problem playing on hell difficulty. Very few synergized builds have difficulty on hell. Some include the golemmancer and the bonemancer. However, the bonemancer is considered one of the better pvp builds. The golemmancer just suxxors.

[the_bogan]

I honestly don't see why putting any points into energy is a waste.
(I'm talking untwinked)
Early on, if you want to consistently use non-passive attacks or spells, it saves a lot of hassle with having to sacrifice attack for mana steal, or stocking your belt with mana potions.

When I say early on, I mean up to level 40.

If anything, it's alot easier playing with less points in vitality, rather than energy. Of copurse, there's always exceptions, aren't there?

[C Elegans]

Originally Posted by the_bogan

I honestly don't see why putting any points into energy is a waste.
(I'm talking untwinked)
Early on, if you want to consistently use non-passive attacks or spells, it saves a lot of hassle with having to sacrifice attack for mana steal, or stocking your belt with mana potions.

I disagree. Almost all characters need str to wear their equipment (even a sorc needs 156 for a Spirit in a monarch), dex for max block and life enough to surivive such monsters as Gloams or the Lister pack in Hell difficulty.

Early on, the game is easy anyway even if you are untwinked, so why waste valuable points you will need later when it gets more difficult? Use items like rings and charms, drink potions and if you have a physical attack, leach mana. Unless you are an Energy Shield sorc, there is absolutely no reason to put points in energy instead of in stats that gives you more damage, better block or more life.