So I'm a time travelling n00b here trying to find Raven Claw as well. Does this mean it can only drop in Hell? I was under the impression as a TC9 it could drop from Normal Andariel. Isn't there a lower MF breakpoint needed for Normal and Nightmare to have bosses drop all uniques?
It's not lower, it's higher... to the extent that it's unachieveable. However, you can always get lucky regardless. Easiest way (by pretty far) is Andariel (H) with 550ish MF.
It's not lower, it's higher... to the extent that it's unachieveable. However, you can always get lucky regardless. Easiest way (by pretty far) is Andariel (H) with 550ish MF.
I'm picking my 1.07 sorc back up so I can rack some eth threshers to make Infinity in D2R. I haven't played 1.07 in almost 11 years, so I've forgotten a lot of the basic knowledge that I once had.
My current problem is that my Barb Merc dies kind of easily, which gets pretty expensive, so I'm asking here for some help. I know that I really should just reread the big 1.07 guide, but I thought it'd be a good idea to also post here. So, here goes:
I'm doing a pretty standard FO/Static sorc. I have pretty decent gear (kill speed is okay) and I have a MPK ring. Here's my barb's gear (I'm in game, so no ATMA dump for now):
Level: 52
life: 581
all res: 5 <-- is this the biggest problem?
weapon: crafted Blood Rune Sword, life leech, damage and magic damage reduction
head: tancred
chest: tancred
Also, side note: I have 95 stat points saved. I'm guessing that's because I might find things like Arkaine's Valor later? Does that sound right? (I feel like I've asked this recently... I unearthed the character ... a couple of months ago, but I didn't do much with her.)
Get the quest in a5 hell done and hire yourself a lvl79 one (regardless of your character level!). And yeah, no leech, and the HP is about 1/3 of that from later patches. For equipment, what you're looking for is resists, Crushing Blow, MDR, and Life. %DR is also nice but only really on two unique items; and for MFing you want Harle. Bul Kathos' Sacred Charge (the colossus blade) and Tal Rasha's Guardianship (laquered plate) are set items (and thus pretty easily rackable) providing the most important stats, and they rank among the very best merc-items in the game.
Also, side note: I have 95 stat points saved. [...] (I feel like I've asked this recently... I unearthed the character ... a couple of months ago, but I didn't do much with her.)
Since I'm running in windowed mode, sometimes I click off and minimize the game. That pauses the game, but then I have to bring the window back up and try to keep moving. Well, of course I click off the window immediately as Duriel charges me, so when I bring the window back up, he kills me.
So, I S&E, then enter the game and res the merc (he'd been dead for a while, but I figured he'd provide some temporary safety). Then I was able to kill Duriel without too much trouble. I was mostly able to keep enough distance to not get chilled.
Anyway, I'm in Act 3 now, and I plan to make a beeline for LK.
Edit:
I'm working on finding a thresher rack, but I'm not sure what the best approach is. Should I limit myself to only checking direct routes or should I try multiple angles on each weapon rack? My thinking on trying multiple angles is that I may get a stable rack sooner, but then I'll have to use this roundabout path each time while running. If I only check direct routes, it may take longer to get a stable thresher rack, but then the running itself will be faster/easier.
(I want to farm up a few eth threshers, at least until I either get a 4os one directly or I have enough plain ones to cube socket. I would like to try for an eth Reaper's Toll later. The main goal atm is to get a base to make Infinity in D2R, but I think I'd like to get at least 4 bases total. I'd make a good Insight for D2R and also have some bases to use in 1.14d.)
I'm working on finding a thresher rack, but I'm not sure what the best approach is. Should I limit myself to only checking direct routes or should I try multiple angles on each weapon rack? My thinking on trying multiple angles is that I may get a stable rack sooner, but then I'll have to use this roundabout path each time while running. If I only check direct routes, it may take longer to get a stable thresher rack, but then the running itself will be faster/easier.
I'd use at least some variation, e.g. stopping short and using telekinesis, using Hydra on/near the rack (produces different results), maybe some simple route deviations. The important part is to be able to reliably reproduce them (and that they don't take too much time).
I'd use at least some variation, e.g. stopping short and using telekinesis, using Hydra on/near the rack (produces different results), maybe some simple route deviations. The important part is to be able to reliably reproduce them (and that they don't take too much time).
Polearms are restricted to four sockets in 1.07, so you can simply use the Larzuk quest on any eth Trasher.
For the Larzuk quest, do you mean that it's restricted to 4os in 1.07 or that forwarded items are still restricted to 4os? I only have a couple of characters in 1.07, and I wouldn't want to lose a good thresher rack in order to use my sorc's Larzuk quest in norm/nm. I was expecting to socket in 1.14d.
That's good to know about the Reaper's Toll. I wonder how many runs it would have taken me to give up if you hadn't said that.
For the Larzuk quest, do you mean that it's restricted to 4os in 1.07 or that forwarded items are still restricted to 4os? I only have a couple of characters in 1.07, and I wouldn't want to lose a good thresher rack in order to use my sorc's Larzuk quest in norm/nm. I was expecting to socket in 1.14d.
The game always uses the socket "tables" it finds in the current game files, so from Larzuk you get 4os on the thresher in 1.07 but 5 in 1.14d (or D2R). Best course of action is to rush some chars through normal 1.07 and then use their socket quests.
Socketing in 1.07 Socketing in 1.07 is a bit confusing, so here's all the necessary information on the topic.
First of, the maximum number of sockets an item can recieve depends on the patch the item is socketed in, not the patch the item came from.
Second, the number of sockets an item can get depends on three different things: Base item, item level, and rarity. The maximum socket numbers based on each of these three parameters are collected and the lowest number is used.
Base Item: Each weapon and armor has a "gemsockets" value set in the weapons.txt or armor.txt in the MPQ. Later patches simply use this number, but in 1.07, there's an additional check based on the item category, and many categories have hard limits. The following list is the end result, sorted by category, with the note "coded" for whenever the result of the additional check is lower than the original list entry.
Armor:
Circlets: 1 (coded)
Cap/hat 2
Skull Cap 2
Helm 2
Full Helm 2
Great Helm 3
Crown 3
Mask 3
Bone Helm 2
War Hat 2
Sallet 2
Casque 2
Basinet 2
Winged Helm 3
Grand Crown 3
Death Mask 3
Grim Helm 2
Shako 2
Hydraskull 2
Armet 2
Giant Conch 2
Spired Helm 3
Corona 3
Demonhead 3 Bone Visage 0
Item Level: Next, many items have a further reduces socket number at low item levels. Original table from GalaXyHaXz, I've removed all entries that don't affect anything (so if a category doesn't appear, like assassin claws, the item level is irrelevant).
Rarity: Last, the item rarity sets a limit to the socket numbers: Entries for unique and set items can overwrite these.
Normal 6 Magic 4 Craft 3 Set 1 Rare 1 Unique 1
Larzuk always puts the maximum possible number of sockets into an item, unless the item is magic, in which case the socket number is randomly (and evenly) chosen within the possible range. So an item with four possible sockets has a 25% chance of actually getting them.
@Derklord Thanks for the run down! I started another character to rush, but it seems like I don't have the multiple instance dll installed, and I don't want to deal with that frustration today. I think I'll stick to rack finding, and I can make new characters (heavily twinked) at some point in the future. If I farm up 10+ plain eth threshers, I could then work on rushing.
I have a question on racks that relates to some advice I've gotten (either in this thread or another).
I've found a rack that seems to stably drop Ogre axes. Is it possible or likely that I can get it to drop threshers by using Hydra? Will hydra change to a different base within the same class/category? Or, does Hydra just give another "random" base?
Edit: btw, I did get a superior, eth, plain GPA earlier, so maybe I can use that for something. For Infinity, though, maybe not the best. If I just give up on threshers, I do have an eth elite polearm. Superior, too! Also, extra thanks to @Derklord, now I know that all I have to do to get 4os is Larzuk it in 1.07.
'Ticking' a rack, whether with Hydra or something else, will give another "random" base, I'm afraid...note that it could be another polearm type, but it can also be anything else that rack can drop.
Hydra actually 'ticks' a rack 3 times, once for each head...the only way a sorc has to tick a rack once is to open a portal next to it (which can help make for fast runs, but costs gold/time to grab scrolls)
BTW, when checking racks, try TKing them from a distance as well, it can change the drop.
'Ticking' a rack, whether with Hydra or something else, will give another "random" base, I'm afraid...note that it could be another polearm type, but it can also be anything else that rack can drop.
Hydra actually 'ticks' a rack 3 times, once for each head...the only way a sorc has to tick a rack once is to open a portal next to it (which can help make for fast runs, but costs gold/time to grab scrolls)
BTW, when checking racks, try TKing them from a distance as well, it can change the drop.
I got impatient and made my Infinity in an eth GPA that I had drop while looking for a thresher rack. It only took me a week to get the runes, so I can do it again if/when I buckle down and get serious about racking.
Yes! Every serious 1.07 player should try a Multishot Crushing Blow Zon! In 1.07, EVERY arrow from MS carries all effects: leech, CB, CtC, everything! Not just for Cows, this build rox everywhere!
Gear is pretty simple too... Guillame's, Goblin Toe, Rattlecage, and 15%CB greater blood gloves will net you 100% Crushing Blow, add a Mav's belt for big ML and 40%FRW (as Goblin Toe lacks any FRW)...Highlord's Wrath also has FRW in 1.07 (no DS though...)
If you feel like 75%CB is enough, you can swap out Rattlecage for Skullder's Ire for +1 skills, 25MDR (a big deal in 1.07), and lots of MF...
The GMB isn't really necessary for this build, but can be used to craft an awesome gun for her...might wanna try to get another so you have one to use and one to try crafting something better with at the same time.
Thanks @WoRG So I rushed 6 more Zons and one Bowazon. Got lucky and another GMB:
Is lvl53 Bowazon able to level herself at Cows with some kind of bow? I have few other chars waiting for leveling but she could have all the XP if she could do it by herself.