The Triple Threat Tournament

Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

Got my girl to the outer cloister. Basically just pumping Power Strike, and her damage is pretty ridiculous while using it. One hit kills pretty much everything on /p8. Sitting at level 17, and can't wait to take down Andariel.

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Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Location        Points
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RGValdearg       Valense           Amazon   A1 - Norm          27 
spikewilbury     Terrorizer        Necro    A1 - Norm          16
Bugzy            Unpredictable     Amazon   A1 - Norm          13
scrcrw           Flighty           Sorc     A1 - Norm          2
fanatic          Cute_Butt         Amazon   A1 - Norm          2
Es Mors          Soulcatcher       Sorc     A1 - Norm          2
Lostprophet      Bartman           Paladin  A1 - Norm          0

The Dearly Departed
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Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Points     Method of Death
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Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

Flighty has made her way through A1 and some of A2. Full clears on /p8 all the way. A1 was extremely tedious, the Rogue merc stubbornly refused to attack most of the static'ed foes. Flighty had to whack most of them to death herself.
The Countess apparently pitied her and dropped awesomely. Too bad the other rune drops sucked. Barely managed to cube a Tir for Leaf and still waiting for an Eth.
Andariel was obviously easy (did I mention that I put points in static?).
Act 2 was a huge relief. By now the Prayer merc has a nice Savage Halberd and barely needs any support from Flighty. I'm quite bored. Cleared everything up to and including the Maggot Lair and the Far Oasis. The waypoint is right next to the Lost City, so I took the opportunity and called it a day.
Also: Found a nice new Amulet and these gg eth self rep increased stack axes (well, ok, they still suck).

level 24 + 14 wps + 6 quests = 44 points

Code: 
Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Location        Points
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scrcrw           Flighty           Sorc     A2 - Norm          44
RGValdearg       Valense           Amazon   A1 - Norm          27 
spikewilbury     Terrorizer        Necro    A1 - Norm          16
Bugzy            Unpredictable     Amazon   A1 - Norm          13
fanatic          Cute_Butt         Amazon   A1 - Norm          2
Es Mors          Soulcatcher       Sorc     A1 - Norm          2
Lostprophet      Bartman           Paladin  A1 - Norm          0

The Dearly Departed
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Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Points     Method of Death
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Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

Exactly same situation as Valdearg - managed outer cloister at level 17 - although it sounds like his having a much easier ride than me!

I'm waiting patiently for any drops with mana leech but no luck so far. Multi shot with poison is great fun but my blue bubble is empty so quickly.

That said - no problems as of yet :)

17 + 6 + 4 = 27

Code: 
Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Location        Points
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scrcrw           Flighty           Sorc     A2 - Norm          44
RGValdearg       Valense           Amazon   A1 - Norm          27 
Bugzy            Unpredictable     Amazon   A1 - Norm          27
spikewilbury     Terrorizer        Necro    A1 - Norm          16
fanatic          Cute_Butt         Amazon   A1 - Norm          2
Es Mors          Soulcatcher       Sorc     A1 - Norm          2
Lostprophet      Bartman           Paladin  A1 - Norm          0

The Dearly Departed
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Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Points     Method of Death
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Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

Updatez! But first, a question: I use ice blast a lot. Now, I found a staff that has the mod +2 to Ice Bolt. Ice Bolt is supposed to synergise with Ice Blast. However, the damage of Ice Blast on my character screen doesn't increase when I equip the staff! Why is it so?

My sorceress has had an adventurous start to this journey. First, I got to the Stony Field, at which point I was rollbacked, due to the hacker issues battlenet had these past days. Seeing how the Europe realm was getting more and more unplayable, I decided I couldn't wait for Blizzard to fix it. So Soulcatcher was reborn in single player!

I have already done some single player noob mistakes, like forgeting to set players to 8 once. This, and bad planning caused me to have less points in Static Field than I would have wished before tackling Blood Raven (for some reason, I'm afraid of her). Luckily, I found a skill shrine in the cold plains, and even the 500-zombies-wall Blood Raven hid behind couldn't help her.

I'm also having extreme luck with experience shrines. Is it normal to find four of them before you go down the underground passage?

Soulcatcher, cleared everything up to and including the Stony Field (had the obligatory Rakanishu NDE), level 12, 3 waypoints, 2 quests completed, points = 17.

Code: 
Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Location        Points
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scrcrw           Flighty           Sorc     A2 - Norm          44
RGValdearg       Valense           Amazon   A1 - Norm          27 
Bugzy            Unpredictable     Amazon   A1 - Norm          27
Es Mors          Soulcatcher       Sorc     A1 - Norm          17
spikewilbury     Terrorizer        Necro    A1 - Norm          16
fanatic          Cute_Butt         Amazon   A1 - Norm          2
Lostprophet      Bartman           Paladin  A1 - Norm          0

The Dearly Departed
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Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Points     Method of Death
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Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

Started up Trinity, an assassin who will be DClaw/ClawMastery in norm, DTail/ShadowWarrior in NM, and straight trapsin in hell (probably w/ Shadow Master).

So far, I've only got her up to level 7 and Stony Field WP, since I've been sick almost all week.

Code: 
Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Location        Points
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scrcrw           Flighty           Sorc     A2 - Norm          44
RGValdearg       Valense           Amazon   A1 - Norm          27 
Bugzy            Unpredictable     Amazon   A1 - Norm          27
spikewilbury     Terrorizer        Necro    A1 - Norm          16
ancalagon        Trinity           Assassin A1 - Norm          12
fanatic          Cute_Butt         Amazon   A1 - Norm          2
Es Mors          Soulcatcher       Sorc     A1 - Norm          2
Lostprophet      Bartman           Paladin  A1 - Norm          0

The Dearly Departed
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Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Points     Method of Death
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Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

Got through Act 1 and killed Radament. The act two merc is performing much much better than the act one merc! Found my first set item in act two - Berserker's Headgear. No other sets/uniques yet... Countess dropped my only rune so far - Ral.

Finlay found a +3 to static field staff at Drognan's, that didn't break any tournament rules with its other staff mods (thanks for the tip, Ohomemgrande!). Took some time, but I believe it will be worth it. :yes: For the future, are +x to all skills and +x to some tree items allowed?

Soulcatcher, the static/ice blast sorceress, going to the Rocky Waste next.
Level 21 + 7 completed quests + 11 waypoints = 39 points.

Code: 
Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Location        Points
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scrcrw           Flighty           Sorc     A2 - Norm          44
Es Mors          Soulcatcher       Sorc     A2 - Norm          39
RGValdearg       Valense           Amazon   A1 - Norm          27 
Bugzy            Unpredictable     Amazon   A1 - Norm          27
spikewilbury     Terrorizer        Necro    A1 - Norm          16
ancalagon        Trinity           Assassin A1 - Norm          12
fanatic          Cute_Butt         Amazon   A1 - Norm          2
Lostprophet      Bartman           Paladin  A1 - Norm          0

The Dearly Departed
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Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Points     Method of Death
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Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

Made it to the Outer Cloister. Nothing of interest so far. Pumping Raise Skeleton and Skeleton Mastery.

[highlight]Terrorizer, Necromancer, Level 17, Outer Cloister, 27 points[/highlight]

Code: 
Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Location        Points
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scrcrw           Flighty           Sorc     A2 - Norm          44
Es Mors          Soulcatcher       Sorc     A2 - Norm          39
RGValdearg       Valense           Amazon   A1 - Norm          27 
Bugzy            Unpredictable     Amazon   A1 - Norm          27
spikewilbury     Terrorizer        Necro    A1 - Norm          27
ancalagon        Trinity           Assassin A1 - Norm          12
fanatic          Cute_Butt         Amazon   A1 - Norm          2
Lostprophet      Bartman           Paladin  A1 - Norm          0

The Dearly Departed
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Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Points     Method of Death
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Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

Still in this thing to win it, and Bartman 2.0 has cleared his way up through (and including) the Dark Wood. Turns out that Smite damage doesn't increase with each successive shield like I thought, leading to a wasted Kite Shield gamble. Bartman's 52% MF has led to a set of Arctic Furs for my merc and not much else.

[highlight]Bartman the Mightsmiter and Sharyn the Fire Rogue, Level 15, Dark Wood (Norm)[/highlight]

Code: 
Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Location        Points
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scrcrw           Flighty           Sorc     A2 - Norm          44
Es Mors          Soulcatcher       Sorc     A2 - Norm          39
RGValdearg       Valense           Amazon   A1 - Norm          27 
Bugzy            Unpredictable     Amazon   A1 - Norm          27
spikewilbury     Terrorizer        Necro    A1 - Norm          27
Lostprophet      Bartman           Paladin  A1 - Norm          20
ancalagon        Trinity           Assassin A1 - Norm          12
fanatic          Cute_Butt         Amazon   A1 - Norm          2


The Dearly Departed
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Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Points     Method of Death
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Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

Flighty made her way through the palace and the Arcane Sanctuary a while ago. Not much happened. Firebolt is now at level 23 (with +7 from Leaf - I'm a lazy shopper), Static level 10. Finally managed to complete Stealth.
Not that the merc needs any help, the Savage Halberd is still good.

level 26 + 18 wps + 9 quests = 53 points

[highlight]Flighty, lvl 26 Sorc, Canyon of the Magi[/highlight]

Code: 
Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Location        Points
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scrcrw           Flighty           Sorc     A2 - Norm          53
Es Mors          Soulcatcher       Sorc     A2 - Norm          39
RGValdearg       Valense           Amazon   A1 - Norm          27 
Bugzy            Unpredictable     Amazon   A1 - Norm          27
spikewilbury     Terrorizer        Necro    A1 - Norm          27
Lostprophet      Bartman           Paladin  A1 - Norm          20
ancalagon        Trinity           Assassin A1 - Norm          12
fanatic          Cute_Butt         Amazon   A1 - Norm          2


The Dearly Departed
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Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Points     Method of Death
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Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

Soulcatcher died mere minutes of gametime after my last update. It was a lightning bolt from a dung beetle in the rocky waste that did her in.

[highlight]Soulcatcher, level 21 sorceress, dead in the rocky waste[/highlight]

Not giving up so easily, I deleted the char and made a new Soulcatcher (yes, same name). This time I was really careful with the dung beetles. :) Playing it very safe, always keeping the merc between me and monsters, and if some of them slip past him, I just freeze them. Found a civerb's icon somewhere late in act 2, what I wouldn't have given for the regenerate mana 40% in act 1! Also shopped a very nice +3 static, +1 ice blast staff from Drognan.

No real challenges yet, except the false tomb where Kaa lives. Is that area five levels higher than the other tombs or something? I had to revive my merc plenty of times (and he pretty much solo'ed the rest of the act) and to add lots of injury to the insult the tomb had three lightning enchanted bosses (including Kaa).

Duriel was a joke, I have never seen him go down so quickly (static ftw!). Currently sitting in Kurast, waiting to go out into the jungle.

Level 28 + 12 quests completed + 19 waypoints = 59 points.
[highlight]Soulcatcher, level 28 sorceress, Kurast Docks[/highlight]

Code: 
Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Location        Points
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Es Mors          Soulcatcher (2)   Sorc     A3 - Norm          59
scrcrw           Flighty           Sorc     A2 - Norm          53
RGValdearg       Valense           Amazon   A1 - Norm          27 
Bugzy            Unpredictable     Amazon   A1 - Norm          27
spikewilbury     Terrorizer        Necro    A1 - Norm          27
Lostprophet      Bartman           Paladin  A1 - Norm          20
ancalagon        Trinity           Assassin A1 - Norm          12
fanatic          Cute_Butt         Amazon   A1 - Norm          2


The Dearly Departed
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Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Points     Method of Death
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Es Mors        Soulcatcher (1)     Sorc        39       Dung Beetle Lightning
 
Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

I have another question about the rules, does "Atma/GoMule may be used as an extended stash" mean we can only mule items off the character or can we mule them back on later?

May as well update, since I finished another act. :)

Soulcatcher has arrived at the Pandemonium Fortress. She has done good in the shield department, finding two (:coffee:) Sigon's shields and Milagreba's shield. Too bad she is using a two handed staff. I read up on the item generation tutorial and found out that I can use the chipped gems cube recipe to reroll a one handed orb in the hopes that it will get +3 to static field. Not a very big chance, but I gotta use those chips somewhere. Going to try that nex time I find an orb. Also, found a bunch of other set items and some uniques, including Sparkling Mail, which Soulcatcher is currently using.

Anyway, Soulcatcher and her merc didn't break any sweat in Act 3. Even the lightning enchanted beetle stair trap in one of the temples wasn't scary - they didn't do enough damage for me to drink a single potion.

Two more levels and I have maxed Ice Blast, then I'll start working on the synergy, Ice Bolt. Going to leave Static Field at 11 (14 with staff).

Level 32 + 18 quests completed + 28 waypoints = 78 points
[highlight]Soulcatcher, level 32 sorceress, Pandemonium Fortress[/highlight]

Code: 
Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Location        Points
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Es Mors          Soulcatcher (2)   Sorc     A4 - Norm          78
scrcrw           Flighty           Sorc     A2 - Norm          53
RGValdearg       Valense           Amazon   A1 - Norm          27 
Bugzy            Unpredictable     Amazon   A1 - Norm          27
spikewilbury     Terrorizer        Necro    A1 - Norm          27
Lostprophet      Bartman           Paladin  A1 - Norm          20
ancalagon        Trinity           Assassin A1 - Norm          12
fanatic          Cute_Butt         Amazon   A1 - Norm          2


The Dearly Departed
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Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Points     Method of Death
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Es Mors        Soulcatcher (1)     Sorc        39       Dung Beetle Lightning
 
Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

Es Mors said:
I have another question about the rules, does "Atma/GoMule may be used as an extended stash" mean we can only mule items off the character or can we mule them back on later?
Click to expand...

Extended stash means that you can mule off and then mule back on from that specific stash. Your character can use any item that they find at any point in time.



 
Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

Finished Act 1 last night. Andariel was pretty easy on P8. The skeletons did the work and I stood back casting amp damage. She dropped Hsaru's Iron Stay and the Berserker's Helm. I found Crushflange earlier in the Catacombs.

[highlight]Terrorizer, level 20 Necromancer, Lut Gholein[/highlight]

Code: 
Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Location        Points
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Es Mors          Soulcatcher (2)   Sorc     A4 - Norm          78
scrcrw           Flighty           Sorc     A2 - Norm          53
spikewilbury     Terrorizer        Necro    A2 - Norm          35
RGValdearg       Valense           Amazon   A1 - Norm          27 
Bugzy            Unpredictable     Amazon   A1 - Norm          27
Lostprophet      Bartman           Paladin  A1 - Norm          20
ancalagon        Trinity           Assassin A1 - Norm          12
fanatic          Cute_Butt         Amazon   A1 - Norm          2


The Dearly Departed
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Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Points     Method of Death
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Es Mors        Soulcatcher (1)     Sorc        39       Dung Beetle Lightning
 
Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

Destroyer Soulcatcher is once again resting in the Rogue Encapment!

Act 4 wasn't really memorable. I staticed and ice blasted, my merc hit stuff and stuff died.

Act 5 started out a bit harder, since my merc was becoming less and less effective. Then I found this and the rest of the act went by as a breeze. :thumbsup: He can't use it in nightmare though, because of the ctc Ice Blast, but a bit later I found a nice rare ethereal Partizan which he'll switch to now.

I found myself in possession of all the Spirit runes and proceeded to waste the socket quest on a broad sword I shopped in act 1, because I wasn't aware that item level restricted max sockets. :crazyeyes:

Did everything on players 8, except the Ancients, on players 1 (if I'm correct, the experience bonus for that quest doesn't increase with a higher player count?). Baal went down increadibly easily, just as his brothers. He dropped very colorfully (Tancred's, yey!), which is always nice. :) Tyrael then decided that destroying the three Prime Evils wasn't enough of a challenge for me, so he figured I should jump off a cliff in order to reach destruction's end. After that little situation, Soulcatcher and her merc prepared themselves a well deserved steak dinner, in preparation for nightmare.

Random stuff:
Incredible chest in Act 1.
Fire Enchanted Frozen Scourge, which is sort of a contradiction, in my opinion. :whistling:
Highest rune: Dol
Skills: 11 Static Field, 20 Ice Blast, 15 Ice Bolt, 1 Frozen Armor (1 point wonder!), 4 Warmth.

Now I'm off to read a bunch of guides, calculators and what not to figure out how to respec. Not only is this my first time in hardcore nightmare, it's also my first sorceress!

Level 48 + 27 quests + 40 waypoints = 115 points.
[highlight]Soulcatcher, level 48 sorceress, Rogue Encampent (NM)[/highlight]

Code: 
Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Location        Points
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Es Mors          Soulcatcher (2)   Sorc     A1 - NM            115
scrcrw           Flighty           Sorc     A2 - Norm          53
spikewilbury     Terrorizer        Necro    A2 - Norm          35
RGValdearg       Valense           Amazon   A1 - Norm          27 
Bugzy            Unpredictable     Amazon   A1 - Norm          27
Lostprophet      Bartman           Paladin  A1 - Norm          20
ancalagon        Trinity           Assassin A1 - Norm          12
fanatic          Cute_Butt         Amazon   A1 - Norm          2


The Dearly Departed
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Forum Name     Character Name      Class     Points     Method of Death
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Es Mors        Soulcatcher (1)     Sorc        39       Dung Beetle Lightning
 
Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

Es Mors said:
He can't use it in nightmare though, because of the ctc Ice Blast
Click to expand...

Ohomemgrande said:
In Nightmare difficulty, you are restricted to only place hard points in skills up to level 18; you may not place more than 1 point into prereqresites until you have at least 30 points placed into level 12 and 18 skills.

Enigma could be equipped starting in Nightmare once the teleport skill has opened up.
Click to expand...

I don't see how the ctc Ice Blast would prevent you from using it. I believe you can use skills UP to level 18 in NM. Hard points have to go into level 12 & 18 skills (until 30 pts have been used), but all skills 1 to 18 should be available as mods. I might be reading into that wrong though.


 
Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

spikewilbury said:
I don't see how the ctc Ice Blast would prevent you from using it. I believe you can use skills UP to level 18 in NM. Hard points have to go into level 12 & 18 skills (until 30 pts have been used), but all skills 1 to 18 should be available as mods. I might be reading into that wrong though.
Click to expand...

Yes. That's the correct interpretation. In NM, everything up to skill level 18 is useable.



 
Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

spikewilbury said:
I don't see how the ctc Ice Blast would prevent you from using it. I believe you can use skills UP to level 18 in NM. Hard points have to go into level 12 & 18 skills (until 30 pts have been used), but all skills 1 to 18 should be available as mods. I might be reading into that wrong though.
Click to expand...

He probably meant until nightmare or not in normal



 
Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

Thanks for the correction, I was wrong about that, indeed. :thumbup:

Moar questions: the rules say "you may not place more than 1 point into prerequisites until you have at least 30 points placed into level 12 and 18 skills." Is the word "prerequisites" to be taken literary here or can we use any level 1 and 6 skills after spending 30 points in level 12/18? For example, in order to spend points in static field, must I also spend at least one point in Nova, because otherwise static field isn't technicaly a prerequisite?

The rules currently allow one to retain the same playing style you had in normal. A static field sorceress could for example just dump enough points in arbitrary level 12/18 skills and then proceed to use static field as a main skill throughout nightmare, just as normal. I don't think that is in the spirit of the tournament however, so I'll change my main skill to something from the level 12/18 set.

Speaking of the level 12/18 skills, is firewall hard/cumbersome to use? It deals quite a lot of damage, but I imagine it could be hard to use it effectively for a sorc noob like me. If not firewall, I'll probably go with fire ball with a back up static field for bosses.

EDIT: I just found out that firewall has a casting delay, which makes it pale in comparison to the fireball, if my calculations are correct.
EDIT 2: Unless I do a max firewall, 1 point glacial spike combo...
 
Last edited:
Re: The Triple Threat Tournament

Es Mors said:
Moar questions: the rules say "you may not place more than 1 point into prerequisites until you have at least 30 points placed into level 12 and 18 skills." Is the word "prerequisites" to be taken literary here or can we use any level 1 and 6 skills after spending 30 points in level 12/18? For example, in order to spend points in static field, must I also spend at least one point in Nova, because otherwise static field isn't technicaly a prerequisite?
Click to expand...

Once you spend 30 points in the level 12-18 skills, then you could put points in Static unless you used it as a prereq. Your interpretation is correct. In practice though, you should be able to do that once you hit NM quite easily.

Es Mors said:
The rules currently allow one to retain the same playing style you had in normal. A static field sorceress could for example just dump enough points in arbitrary level 12/18 skills and then proceed to use static field as a main skill throughout nightmare, just as normal. I don't think that is in the spirit of the tournament however, so I'll change my main skill to something from the level 12/18 set.
Click to expand...

Although true, I think you'll generally want to develop some of the higher skills. Also be aware that static field will only take a monster down to about 33% in NM and only 50% in Hell so it's not quite as good as it is in Normal.

Es Mors said:
Speaking of the level 12/18 skills, is firewall hard/cumbersome to use? It deals quite a lot of damage, but I imagine it could be hard to use it effectively for a sorc noob like me. If not firewall, I'll probably go with fire ball with a back up static field for bosses.
Click to expand...

I like Firewall as a good backup skill because it is relatively cheap to get to high damage output. But, it's not as easy to use as some of the other fire skills. Good luck in NM!!



 
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