[2018] Spirit Tournament [by Wolron]

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

jiansonz said:
Misty has made Destroyer. Some new pieces of gear turned up in Act V. My broken belt has been replaced by an 8% Tangerine Belt. I had planned to use my Larzuk reward on either a Superior Breast Plate or a shield with 2 sockets max. Superior items can't be socketed by the recipes, and this would be one that would be good for MF in NM, and maybe even for a runeword for the merc later. But I have now found a Ring Mail as well (only need a little more STR to wear it). The only shield option I had was a Small Shield with only 7 durability left. Shield is very likely to get 2 sockets from recipe as well, so that's saved for later. (BTW, I'm hoping for a Bone Shield)
I do have a Shael rune, but I lack an Amn for the socket recipe. I also lack Amns for socketing weapons, something I had planned to do with my two Scythes with ilvls in the 'medium group' number of sockets (i.e. 4 max for a Scythe). I ALSO lack an Amn to make a runeword (not hard to guess which one...) in my personalized Katar.

So, having found no Amns at all, I decided to have Larzuk socket one of my Scythes and make Insight in it. Pretty awesome merc damage numbers at this stage of the game:
(75 of it is poison damage, though)

Needless to say, the rest of Normal was super easy, almost a yawn fest.

Code:

Player: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Jiansonz Misty Assassin MA (+Shadow) +671 48 NM Rogue camp Grisu Hildr Amazon None yet +209 20 Lut Gholein Mir Allanon Druid Summon +156 21 Lut Gholein Wolron Spook Necro Summoner +186 20 Lut Gholein The Second Dead: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Wolron Ghost Druid Elemental (NM) +514 57 NM: Tal Rasha Tomb

Misty now has 31 available slots for TP tome, charms, potions, scrolls and keys, so the selling trips are more manageable now. Her next skill tree to open up will be Shadow Disciplines - she has 7 saved points at this stage. Getting CoS and Mind Blast will be certain. Will probably take the first levels of Fade as well (the ones that give most bang for the points).

@Wolron: too bad about Ghost's death.

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

Wolron said:
Next, I will try a Sorceress. Her name will be Diaphanous. She will begin using the lightning tree and start with 4 skill points in charged bolt. Then she has a goal of maxing out Static Field before moving into lightning and chain lightning. If she survives this questionable objective, she will max out Warmth in NM. Then... well, second death seems certain, but just in case, she will major in cold spells in HELL.

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

maxicek said:
Do you want the tread title changed, as this seems to have gone beyond a proposal ?

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

Wolron said:
maxicek said:

Do you want the tread title changed, as this seems to have gone beyond a proposal ?

Click to expand...

That would be a good thing! If you could, just call it "Spirit Tournament". Thank you.

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

jiansonz said:
Start of Nightmare has been pretty easy for Misty and her buddy. Against monsters with not-too-much life, Pratham's Insight Scythe is still good enough. It does start to wear a little thin, though.

Had some hopes for a couple of merc weapons. First, a rare Pike dropped. With some decent ED and IAS, it had the potential to be great if upgraded. Alas, the affixes weren't up to par:

Later, an ethereal Bill dropped. Half chance with the recipe to make a significantly bigger Insight.
2 sockets, darn...

Andariel:

Before moving on, I had the imbue to collect. I thought of some merc weapons (checking the possibilty/chances for Cruel/Ferocious damage on ilvl 57 rares), but decided against them since both my Crimson gloves and my rare Boots (dropped by Diablo) had now broken. The choices were between Demonhide Gloves (7 dur), Heavy Gloves (8 dur) or Heavy Boots (8 dur). I went with the boots because boots have bigger resist chances and it was annoying to lose the FRW I had on my rare. Nicely done, Charsi!

I've now made 'Strength' in my personalized Katar. I switch to it and my Spiked Shield of Blocking whenever I need to fight myself. It's not that the Spiked Shield is better than my main one. It isn't (see below) but it has much more durability left...

Claws have melee range 2, which is MUCH better than range 1. For example, here:

At this position, that boss could only do poison breaths or Unholy Bolt me. Far less dangerous than risk getting smacked while Amped.

Cloak of Shadows makes snakes (the non-bosses, at least) far tamer because it prevents their Charge moves. Pratham was fed potions when needed, and he's only died twice in the act.

Not sure what Fangskin's aura was here. It wasn't Conviction or anything that helped the other snakes. Holy Fire, maybe.

Fade is a great skill for restricted tourneys. Especially fitting in this tourney, I think, with the 'ethereal' look it creates.

Not bothering with the scoring table this update - I'll list skills and gear instead.

Phoenix Strike 20
Fists of Fire 10
Claws of Thunder 16 (giving priority to this, since the Meteors can be heavily stacked)
All other Martial Arts 1

Fade 4 (38% resist all)
BoS, CoS, MB 1

Primary Gear:
* 2s Helm with 2x perfect topaz (3 dur.)
* Amulet of Luck (35)
* 1s Sabre with a 6% MF jewel (9 dur.)
* 2s Breast Plate with 2x perfect topaz (21 dur.)
* Rhyme Small Shield (4 dur.)
* Demonhide Gloves (6 dur.)
* Serpent's (20) Ring of Fortune (22)
* Tangerine (8) Belt (4 dur.)
* Fortuitous (15) Ring of the Bat (3)
* Rare Heavy Boots (see screenie, 8 dur.)

* Strength, Misty's Katar (non-eth.)
* Spiked Shield of Blocking (15 dur.)

12 inventory slots' worth of charms (mostly resists and a little +life)

Pratham, Prayer Guard
* 2s Full Helm with a perfect topaz (waiting for another)
* Insight Scythe
* 1s Chain Mail with flawless topaz

Misty the Phoenix Striker and Pratham the Prayer Guard, level 57, NM Arcane Sanctuary next

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

Wolron said:
Well, Wolron tried his Static Field sorceress and he killled Andariel on P1 at level 19. So, you might say that was a success, but in reality the Static Field max out idea was lousy. I finally assessed Diaphanous's situation before going after Radamant and decided to quit and try something (anything) else. Not sure what just yet.

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

Wolron said:
The "anything else" is another Sorceress. This time she will be a standard cold Sorceress. She is still going to be named Diaphanous and she is very weak.

She has killed Andariel, killed Radament, and cubed the staff. She is waiting to go into the palace.

She is level 25 and has saved most of her gems for the cube. All of her attribute points have gone into Energy and Vitality.

Code:

Player: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Jiansonz Misty Assassin MA +671+ 57 NM - Arcane Sanctuary Wolron Diaphanous Sorceress Cold +126 25 Lut Gholein - Palace Grisu Hildr Amazon None yet +209 20 Lut Gholein Mir Allanon Druid Summon +156 21 Lut Gholein Wolron Spook Necro Summoner +186 20 Lut Gholein The Second Dead: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Wolron Ghost Druid Elemental (NM) +514 57 NM: Tal Rasha Tomb

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

jiansonz said:
Wolron said:

This time she will be a standard cold Sorceress.

Click to expand...

What's your definition of a 'standard cold Sorceress'?

Good luck with her.

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

Wolron said:
jiansonz said:

What's your definition of a 'standard cold Sorceress'?

Good luck with her.

Click to expand...

My definition probably means nothing, but here it is.
5 points in Ice Bolt (because you have to do something before Ice Blast is available)
20 poiints in Ice Blast
1 points in Blizzard
1 point in Cold Mastery
1 point in frozen Armor
1 point in Frost Nova
1 point in Shiver Armor
1 point in Glacial Spike

The next two skills will trade after level 30 is reached:

20 Points in Frozen Orb (I've never tried Frozen Orb before, but Skunkbelly says it is fun!)
20 points in Chilling Armor
Hopefully find an ethereal orb or staff with Warmth and Static Field.

My main concern will be Cold immunes in NM and Hell. But first I have to get that far.

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

Wolron said:
Diaphanous has defeated Duriel and is at the Kurast Docks waiting for the best opportunity to trek through the spider forest on the way to Kurast proper. She is at level 28 and is having no trouble at all with her Ice Blast attack. Her ethereal sash wore out, but she found an ethereal belt to replace it. That gives her an additional 4 slots for potions. She found a couple of set items that she muled off to Wolron's private collection (though the collect already had both of them many times over). Diaphanous has the runes for STEALTH armor, but has not found an ethereal two socketed armor. Hopefully that will show up soon.

Code:

Player: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Jiansonz Misty Assassin MA +671+ 57 NM - Arcane Sanctuary Grisu Hildr Amazon None yet +209 20 Lut Gholein Wolron Diaphanous Sorceress Cold +207 28 Kurast Docks Mir Allanon Druid Summon +156 21 Lut Gholein Wolron Spook Necro Summoner +186 20 Lut Gholein The Second Dead: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Wolron Ghost Druid Elemental (NM) +514 57 NM: Tal Rasha Tomb

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

Wolron said:
Diaphanous has defeated Mephisto on P8 and is at the Pandemonium Fortress. Her rare boots finally wore out, so she will be on the lookout for some good boots. Her best item is this staff, and it should not wear out very soon because she never uses it to beat on things.

Gemmed Gnarled Staff
Two-Hand Damage: 7 to 18
Durability: 18 of 18
Required Level: 14
Staff Class - Slow Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 15
Fingerprint: 0xc7782d10
+3 to Energy
+1 to Minimum Damage
Lightning Resist +16%
Poison Resist +21%
+2 to Telekinesis (Sorceress Only)
150% Damage to Undead
Ethereal (Cannot be Repaired), Socketed (2: 2 used)

Diaphanous has the runes for STEALTH armor, but has not found an ethereal two socketed armor. Hopefully that will show up soon.

Code:

Player: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Jiansonz Misty Assassin MA +671+ 57 NM - Arcane Sanctuary Wolron Diaphanous Sorceress Cold +227 32 Pandemonium Fortress Grisu Hildr Amazon None yet +209 20 Lut Gholein Mir Allanon Druid Summon +156 21 Lut Gholein Wolron Spook Necro Summoner +186 20 Lut Gholein The Second Dead: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Wolron Ghost Druid Elemental (NM) +514 57 NM: Tal Rasha Tomb

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

Wolron said:
Diaphanous has defeated Diablo and moved on to Harrogath. She is at level 35 and is doing just fine. She still has not found an ethereal two socketed armor that she can wear and put STEALTH into. Her best item is still that lousy staff, but she has found another etheal staff and this one has three sockets and 3 points in Teleport. I have never used Teleport, so I am very leary about trying it. I will probably put jewels of value in it and then kill myself trying to use it.

Scoring: Life + 5 x Waypoints - 2xStrength - 5 x Level
324 + 5x31 - 2x20 - 5x35 = 264

Code:

Player: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Jiansonz Misty Assassin MA +671+ 57 NM - Arcane Sanctuary Wolron Diaphanous Sorceress Cold +264 35 Harrogath Grisu Hildr Amazon None yet +209 20 Lut Gholein Mir Allanon Druid Summon +156 21 Lut Gholein Wolron Spook Necro Summoner +186 20 Lut Gholein The Second Dead: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Wolron Ghost Druid Elemental (NM) +514 57 NM: Tal Rasha Tomb

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

Wolron said:
I am entering a third character (fourth actually, but Ghost the Druid died long ago). The new character is an Assassin named Glassine. She is a trapper specializing in Blade Fury and Fire Blast. Now that she is strong enough to try the other traps, she will probably develop Death Sentry, but that will take a while and she may not live long enough to achieve anything there.

Her best item is this Charsi embue that has repair:

Demon Clutches
Leather Gloves
Defense: 8
Durability: 7 of 7
Required Level: 15
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 22
Fingerprint: 0xce8c9135
+44% Enhanced Defense
Cold Resist +21%
10% Increased Attack Speed
Half Freeze Duration
Repairs 1 durability in 20 seconds
Ethereal (Cannot be Repaired)

Scoring: Life + 5 x Waypoints - 2xStrength - 5 x Level
316 + 5x15 - 2x25 - 5x24 = 221

Code:

Player: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Jiansonz Misty Assassin MA +671+ 57 NM - Arcane Sanctuary Wolron Diaphanous Sorceress Cold +264 35 Harrogath Wolron Glassine Assassin Traps +221 24 Lost City Grisu Hildr Amazon None yet +209 20 Lut Gholein Mir Allanon Druid Summon +156 21 Lut Gholein Wolron Spook Necro Summoner +186 20 Lut Gholein The Second Dead: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Wolron Ghost Druid Elemental (NM) +514 57 NM: Tal Rasha Tomb

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

jiansonz said:
Wolron said:

but she has found another etheal staff and this one has three sockets and 3 points in Teleport. I have never used Teleport, so I am very leary about trying it. I will probably put jewels of value in it and then kill myself trying to use it.

Click to expand...

For me, Teleport is one of the skills that provide the absolute most safety. 99% of the times I use it, it's for teleporting back to cleared territory (in order to separate enemies or to prevent my merc from waking up more than a few of them) or to place my merc in a better spot.

The biggest risk with it is to confuse it (which skill that is currently active) with an offensive skill you usually aim at the middle of a monster pack. A good habit to develop is to have the offensive skill active nearly all the time, then swap to Teleport immediately before using it, then right back to the other skill.

(I had to look up the word 'leary'. You learn something new every day...)

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

Wolron said:
I am entering a fourth character (fifth actually, but Ghost the Druid died long ago). The new character is a Paladin named Redeemed. Paladins have trouble with only using one skill tree. They really need to diversify to be effective. But that is not the only trouble with a paladin in this tournament. The other problem is melee which destroys ethereal gear quickly. He has reached the jail level 1 waypoint and would love to have Charsi embue something, but it has to be an ethereal item and Redeemed only has three that he has saved and they are all two socketed pieces of armor (two body pieces and a helm).

His most effective weapon is holy bolt, but that only works on undead. For everything else he uses sacrifice. He has recently put a point in Blessed Hammer, but that is a difficult spell to use and it has been about 6 years since I used it.

Scoring: Life + 5 x Waypoints - 2xStrength - 5 x Level
314 + 5x7 - 2x28 - 5x18 = 203

Code:

Player: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Jiansonz Misty Assassin MA +671+ 57 NM - Arcane Sanctuary Wolron Diaphanous Sorceress Cold +264 35 Harrogath Wolron Glassine Assassin Traps +221 24 Lost City Grisu Hildr Amazon None yet +209 20 Lut Gholein Wolron Redeemed Paladin Combat +203 18 Jail Level 1 Mir Allanon Druid Summon +156 21 Lut Gholein Wolron Spook Necro Summoner +186 20 Lut Gholein The Second Dead: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Wolron Ghost Druid Elemental (NM) +514 57 NM: Tal Rasha Tomb

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

Wolron said:
I am entering a fifth character (sixth actually, but Ghost the Druid died long ago). The new character is a singing Barbarian named Elvis. There are no good offensive skills until War Cry at level 30. That is a problem because getting to level 30 is going to be laborious. The other problem is melee which destroys ethereal gear quickly. He has reached the outer cloister waypoint and is looking forward to Charsi embuing something, but he has to get that horadric malus firs.

His most effective weapon is his fists. Oh, he has had a few ethereal weapons, but they did not last long. The Tangerine ring is his best find because it raises his strength to 36.

Tangerine Ring of Strength
Required Level: 3
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 7
Fingerprint: 0xc7dae5fe
+2 to Strength
Lightning Resist +5%

Scoring: Life + 5 x Waypoints - 2xStrength - 5 x Level
407 + 5x6 - 2x36 - 5x17 = 280

Code:

Player: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Jiansonz Misty Assassin MA +671+ 57 NM - Arcane Sanctuary Wolron Elvis Barbarian Warcries +280 17 Outer Cloister Wolron Diaphanous Sorceress Cold +264 35 Harrogath Wolron Glassine Assassin Traps +221 24 Lost City Grisu Hildr Amazon None yet +209 20 Lut Gholein Wolron Redeemed Paladin Combat +203 18 Jail Level 1 Mir Allanon Druid Summon +156 21 Lut Gholein Wolron Spook Necro Summoner +186 20 Lut Gholein The Second Dead: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Wolron Ghost Druid Elemental (NM) +514 57 NM: Tal Rasha Tomb

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

jiansonz said:
Be on the lookout for ethereal throwing weapons. They last a long time in melee.

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

Wolron said:
jiansonz said:

Be on the lookout for ethereal throwing weapons. They last a long time in melee.

Click to expand...

Yes, the best weapon that I found was a set of 117 throwing knives. They lasted much better then the typical sword or club. I will definitely be hoping to find more of those.

I had an interesting experience with a self repairing cap that I found. If wore out!!! I thought that it would repair itself in a few minutes, but it did not. I guess the item is considered broken when it goes down to zero health and all of the mods are cancelled.

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

Wolron said:
Redeemed (Paladin) has killed Andariel and disposed of Radament. He is actually playing with no weapon and no armor for all practical purposes. He uses holy bolt on the undead (works pretty well) and uses his fists and the sacrifice skill on all others (works ok, but wears out any stuff he is trying to use). He has three points in Blessed Hammer, so I guess he will start trying to kill things with that.

Scoring: Life + 5 x Waypoints - 2xStrength - 5 x Level
335 + 5x11 - 2x33 - 5x21 = 219

Code:

Player: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Jiansonz Misty Assassin MA +671+ 57 NM - Arcane Sanctuary Wolron Elvis Barbarian Warcries +280 17 Outer Cloister Wolron Diaphanous Sorceress Cold +264 35 Harrogath Wolron Glassine Assassin Traps +221 24 Lost City Wolron Redeemed Paladin Combat +219 21 Lut Gholein Grisu Hildr Amazon None yet +209 20 Lut Gholein Wolron Spook Necro Summoner +186 20 Lut Gholein Mir Allanon Druid Summon +156 21 Lut Gholein The Second Dead: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Wolron Ghost Druid Elemental (NM) +514 57 NM: Tal Rasha Tomb

Grisu · Apr 6, 2020

Wolron said:
Elvis (Singing Barbarian) has killed Andariel and disposed of Radament. He had been struggling without a weapon and naked, but things have changed a bit. First of all, just before meeting up with Andariel, he found:

Gemmed Trident
Two-Hand Damage: 13 to 22
Durability: 15 of 18
Required Dexterity: 14
Required Strength: 28
Spear Class - Normal Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 11
Fingerprint: 0x574887ca
+29 poison damage over 3 seconds
Ethereal (Cannot be Repaired), Socketed (3: 3 used)

The three emerald chips were added immediately. Then, he finished off level 3 of the Catacombs with a couple swords that he dual weilded. Of course they began to dissolve as all ethereal stuff does. But just prior to going down to meet Andariel, he found this:

Sabre of Self-Repair
One-Hand Damage: 4 to 12
Durability: 17 of 17
Required Dexterity: 15
Required Strength: 15
Sword Class - Fast Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 14
Fingerprint: 0xe06e8d6
Repairs 1 durability in 33 seconds
Ethereal (Cannot be Repaired)

I know, it isn't much by our usual standards, but it has repair and it means that if he is careful, Elvis will always have a weapon. I think I can use 3 chipped gems to add sockets to this, but I am a little concerned about whether or not the repair could be lost. Anyone know about that? Another possibility would be to get a little better weapon by using 3 flawless gems. You get a level 30 weapon with that instead of level 25, but is that really worth it? I think prior to trying this I am going into my ethereal collection and find a similar weapon to try it out on. It will probably work fine on that one and then mess up the one that counts, but the experiment seems appropriate.

Strangely enough, Elvis has not found an ethereal belt of any sort. That is a pain, but patience and care win the day with 4 potions close at hand.

Elvis is taking voice lessons and has gotten as far as Battle Cry, but he is not ready for prime time yet. That will be when he is a bit further along in levels. About level 40 he should be getting into War Cry and be able to do damage independent of his merc. By the way, the merc is doing real well with that poison Trident. Even at P8, Elvis did not have to do much other than pick up gold and use Battle Cry to help out a bit.

Scoring: Life + 5 x Waypoints - 2xStrength - 5 x Level
455 + 5x11 - 2x36 - 5x21 = 219

Code:

Player: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Jiansonz Misty Assassin MA +671+ 57 NM - Arcane Sanctuary Wolron Elvis Barbarian Warcries +333 21 Lut Gholein Wolron Diaphanous Sorceress Cold +264 35 Harrogath Wolron Glassine Assassin Traps +221 24 Lost City Wolron Redeemed Paladin Combat +219 21 Lut Gholein Grisu Hildr Amazon None yet +209 20 Lut Gholein Wolron Spook Necro Summoner +186 20 Lut Gholein Mir Allanon Druid Summon +156 21 Lut Gholein The Second Dead: Name: Class: Tree: Score: Level: Area: ---------------- ------- -------- ------------ ------ ------ --------- Wolron Ghost Druid Elemental (NM) +514 57 NM: Tal Rasha Tomb