Expansion vs Classic??

[mcriket002]

Expansion vs Classic??

Now that our brains and playstyles have been innundated by the expansion and all its content for a couple years now, I wanted to revisit Classic. This is also posted in the Community forum, but I think that you all (with people playing various patches) know a bit more. I was wondering what the differences were between the Expansion and Classic. I used to know, but have been playing the expansion for so long that I have forgotten.

A few (more obvious) differences that I am aware of are; these things are in the expansion but not in classic:

- 2 character classes, Druid and Assassin.
- Runes and Runewords
- Charms
- Act V and it's quests/monsters/bosses.
- Elite weapons and armors
- Big stash
- Weapon switch

What other things should I be aware of? Are rares still godly? (One thing I remember from 1.06 ) Thank you, in advance, for any and all information.

 

[Shagsbeard]

One thing you're going to have to specify is which patch are you comparing. Some differences are patch related, and some are classic vs LoD related. The godly rare thing was a patch choice. Some items/mods have been changed or removed entirely because of balance concerns. If you want a complete list, you're going to have to page through patch notes and item lists. Not a small feat.

Most agree that LoD was an expansion that added to the game, rather than detracted from it. I think 1.10 and 1.10b (also called 1.11) are the most fun SP patch yet. There's enough variety of items and viable builds that you can play it for years and still see new stuff.

One thing you might focus on, if you're writing a history paper, is how gambling has changed over the patches.

 

[Thirty-Thirty]

Check me on this, but I think the following are expansion only, too:

- exceptional uniques,
- class-specific items, and
- ethereal items.

I think things like partial set bonuses and retaining your merc after he died or you changed act came in one of the patches. (1.07 probably?)

 

[TheWormishOne]

Check me on this, but I think the following are expansion only, too:

- exceptional uniques,
- class-specific items, and
- ethereal items.

I think things like partial set bonuses and retaining your merc after he died or you changed act came in one of the patches. (1.07 probably?)

And don't forget:
-Crafted items.
-Socketed magic, rare, unique and set items.
-Jewels.
-Magic, rare, unique and set throwing weapons.
-CtC, charges and other modifiers.

 

[Swivelguy2]

body armor doesn't come socketed in classic.

And I think the max number of sockets on most everything is lower.

In short, socketed items just aren't that useful in classic, except for very early on.

 

[symeon]

Lots of uniques and about half the sets only came in with the expansion, including most of the (commonly agreed upon as) "good" ones.

 

[Indemaijinj]

body armor doesn't come socketed in classic.

And I think the max number of sockets on most everything is lower.

In short, socketed items just aren't that useful in classic, except for very early on.

Well, the non-magical shield with 3 Pdiamonds is rather popular.

 

[NeckRomancer]

- single resistances could go up to 49% (supposed to be 50% but Classic also had the memorable n-1 bug)
- no +3 to a skill tree mods; no cruel or grandmaster's prefixes either
- +1/2 to all skills to more than one class can spawn on a rare amulet (someone got a +2 barb, +2 pal, +2 ama, LL rare amulet)
- no clvl requirements for uniques (SOJs, Eye of Etlich and Tarnhelm at clvl1!)
- set items have twice the durability of their Expansion equivalents
- uniques can be gambled much more easily in Classic
- unique amulets and rings drop/appear in a sequence
- uniques already in the current game cannot drop again
- Whirlwind and Jab were unaffected by weapon speed
- the resistance contribution of gems to shields varied within a certain range
- resistance penalties were only -20 in NM and -50 in Hell
- throwing weapons were never magical
- blocking was shield blocking - no dex factored in
- lit mastery featured reduced mana cost, not increased damage
- no elite weapons
- hirelings could not be equipped or transferred to other acts

 

[TrubbaNot]

- unique amulets and rings drop/appear in a sequence

If I'm not mistaken, one of the patches changed this in D2Classic as well as in the expansion. Fodder Cannoned says it was fixed.

 

[WayWardSoul]

what patch was it that made the PI's so mean and everyone was trading the 6 P emerald bows for an SoJ on the realms? I believe it was the one right before LOD came out.