TOURNAMENT: THE SWORD OF DESTINY
The legends are many. A single warrior. A single blade. Together, no host of evil can stand against them. They are linked through prophecy and legend. Aragorn and Anduril. Rand al'Thor and Callandor. King Arthur and Excalibur.
This tournament plays off the classic stories of the hero and his trusty sword. You find or make a legendary sword, and then are linked to that blade for the rest of your career.
THE RULES:
1) The Sword of Destiny: The first unique or set two-handed sword that drops is your character's "Sword of Destiny," the weapon that has been linked to him/ her through prophecy. Once that weapon drops, it is the only weapon that is permitted to be used, with one exception (see #2). If you do not meet the requirements, it remains your Sword of Destiny no matter what other drops occur. At level up, all future skill points must be devoted to becoming qualified to use that sword. You may socket your sword of destiny, upgrade it, enhance it in any way you wish, but it must be the only weapon you use. There is only one way to change your weapon after the first unique or set two-handed sword has dropped . . . see #2.
2) The Runesword: No warrior is more intimately linked to his sword than the warrior who has crafted his or her own sword. Once, and once only per character, you may use runes to create a runeword out of a two-handed sword. Once that is done, the character can never use any other weapon, with no exceptions. It replaces or supercedes any set or unique sword you have found or drops in the future. A character who creates a runesword has essentially made his final weapon choice. This is, however, a way to upgrade your weapon if your Sword of Destiny turns out to be less than endgame powerful. If you make a "Steel" runesword with Tir and El in Act I normal, however, that is your sword until your character dies or wins the tournament.
3) Two-handed swords are the only weapons permitted for use in this tournament. Your character has devoted his life to swordcraft. Barbs must use two-handed swords two-handed and cannot dual wield. You can use any rare or mundane sword that drops during gameplay until you find your Sword of Destiny, but you cannot purchase anything but a white or grey sword. No blues ever, at any time. You can also use the imbue quest for a two-handed sword if you choose, though that can be used for other gear as well.
4) If your Sword of Destiny drops as ethereal, you must use that sword until its durability expires. Then, once it is useless, the gods will grant you another Sword of Destiny (i.e., you must go back to using whites, greys or rares until the next unique or set two-handed sword drops. No sword that drops while you are using the Ethereal blade is permitted for use.
5) Untwinked, hardcore, or softcore until first death. Players may choose their players setting and change it at will. Enter as many times as you wish.
6) Re-running of areas is permitted. The hero will search every corner of the world to find the blade of prophecy, but consider: re-running low-level areas is a good way to ensure your Sword of Destiny will be low-level as well.
7) Classes: Any, though some characters have clear disadvantages. (More info below).
8) Other gear: All other gear (including jewelry) must be mundane (white or grey), rare, or crafted. No blues allowed anywhere on your character, and no set or uniques except the Sword of Destiny.
9) All charms are permitted.
10) Socketing rules: You are a swordsman, not a jeweler. You cannot socket anything in ANY gear except your sword, as you are intimimately familiar with it. Anything you find (gems, runes, jewels, facets) is fair game for socketing in your sword--including any sword you use before your Sword of Destiny drops, but you can't socket any other gear. And remember, only one runeword sword allowed per game as described in rule 2.
11) No gambling. Heroes of Destiny do not find their gear by gambling.
10) Melee kills only. Curses, auras, buffs, etc. are allowed to enhance the damage of the sword, but spells or skills which deal damage without a strike of the sword are not permitted in combat (they can, however, be used as synergies or have a point as a prequisite.) Damage return skills are OK, such as Thorns, Iron Maiden, and Spirit of Barbs, as they are essentially melee skills.
12)Summons, Minions, and Mercs: Heroes of Destiny often have companions, but they typically travel in small bands. For this tournament, you can have no more than two damage-dealing members of your party, including mercenaries. For example, a necromancer who summons a golem and a skeleton could not have a mercenary. However, a druid with a grizzly and Act I mercenary could summon his Heart of Wolverine (because it does not deal direct damage to enemies), but not a raven or poison creeper.
13) Merc gear: Mercs can only wear rare, crafted, or white/greys. No socketing of merc gear.
14) No scoring, except that the lowest level Guardian wins. This will encourage players to take risks and not do to much re-running. Tournament ends when there have been no posts for two weeks.
SPECIFIC SKILL INFORMATION:
ASSASSIN:
No traps. No mind blast.
AMAZON:
Passives tree only.
BARBARIAN:
Everything except War Cry. No dual wielding.
DRUID:
Uh . . . not much. Summons as long as they follow the summons rule. No shapeshifting, as then you're using claws and not a sword. Nothing in the elemental tree except Cyclone Armor.
NECROMANCER:
All curses are permitted in combat except Confusion and Attract. Summons as long as they follow the summons rule. No poison skills, no bone spear, teeth or bone spirit. No corpse explosion.
PALADIN:
No holy bolt, Fist of Heavens, blessed hammer, smite, or conversion.
SORCERESS:
Only skills available are Enchant, Warmth, Energy Shield, teleport, masteries, and the cold armor branch.
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