Hardcore: a few questions

S

Sir Lister of Smeg

New member
Hardcore: a few questions

I finally started playing again, and managed for the first time to get a character through normal without dying once (usually I make some stupid mistake), and decided that the time has come to move to hardcore.

I've already started a few tourney characters ages ago, and will be continuing them soon.

Now, I also started a hardcore fishymancer as a first step towards a septavirate. I am however very worried about some bugs (fire, gloam. serpent), and want to use a mod which removes these bugs, I know some people here are using such a mod (or one at least removing the fire bug), and I wonder where I can find it. If it's against forum regulations to post a link her, then please send me a private message. I will of course not be using this mod for the tourney characters.

Another question, what are the best builds (aka good killing speed, and safety) per class that can beat the game hardcore untwinked (I have not got any items yet), and can kill any monster in the game?

For some I have a very clear idea:
necromancer: fishymancer (will have trouble with physical/fire immunes)
paladin: hammerdin (wailing beasts will pose some trouble)
sorceress: meteorb (fire/cold immunes are problematic)
amazon: javazon (but will have trouble with poison/lightning/physical immunes)
For the others I'm however very unsure, I've never played an assassin beyond act 2 normal, barbarians seem to die to easily (I never got the hang of whirlwind), and druids I don't know too well either.

Any ideas?
 
SPF is now mod friendly, you can find them form links here (certain rules to read before you trade/MP)

Note that only FE is "fixed" in mod, not gloam.

However, play fishymancer shouldn't need those fixes.
 
Assassin: Trapper (with MA or BF backup)
Main skills are Lightning Sentry/Death Sentry. Can use Fire Blast vs lightning immunes (pure trapper, also improves death sentry) or an attack skill, such as Tiger Strike or Blade Fury for dealing phys damage.

Druid: So many options.... a solid combination of safe and effective might be AE's fire/summoner. Other options include rabies/fury werewolf or maul/fireclaws bear.

Barb: I'm not so good with barbs. For ranged attacks though, consider a throw barb.
 
Fishymancer: Physical immunes are very rarely a problem due to Amplify Damage and Corpse Explosion...If you should encounter a physical immune/fire immune monster that can't be broken by Amplify, then just run past it. Shouldn't be a problem at all.

Hammerdin: Wailing Beast are only in some act 3 areas...the town ones I think. Again just run past them, ranged attackers will be much more dangerous I think.

Meteorb: Pretty easy character, with 2 good types of damage, shouldn't have problems, especially not with teleport. Dual immune monsters, just teleport past them if there are any???

Javazon: I think you're focusing too much on immune monsters being a problem...if you have a good merc+valkyrie, you're doing great lightning/physical damage which is enought to kill 99% of monsters...or you could even go poison/lightning hybrid although I haven't tried it so can't comment on efficiency.

Barbarian: Concentrate Barb...pretty much the ultimate tank, just beware of Iron Maiden. Also has Beserk for backup attack against PI's and when you're IM'ed

Assasin: Traps assasin...Very very powerful against non-lightning immunes and with Mind Blast+Shadow+Merc can handle immunes fairly well. Add Cloack Of Shadows to the mix and you have a very safe character.

Druid: Wind Druid is very nice with Cyclone armor against elemental attacks and huge physical damage. Physical immunes are a bit annoying because Hurricane isn't super powerful, but with Grizzly and good merc should be doable.
 
Chimaira said:
Hammerdin: Wailing Beast are only in some act 3 areas...the town ones I think. Again just run past them, ranged attackers will be much more dangerous I think.
Click to expand...

The Temples, in fact. If you get them in the Ruined Temple, you may have to be sneaky to get the Tome. Also, narrow areas cause problems with hammer usage.

Of course you can just pack a decent melee weapon on switch and Zeal away.
 
DeathMaster said:
SPF is now mod friendly, you can find them form links here (certain rules to read before you trade/MP)

Note that only FE is "fixed" in mod, not gloam.

However, play fishymancer shouldn't need those fixes.
Click to expand...

I agree with you on the fishymancer, but what about the others, I tried searching the forum for a link to that mod, but could not find any.
 
I would say a fishymancer is the safest route to take, or a lightning trapper if you prefer a more active killing style :) I made both early on when starting, and still use them both, althought the fishymancer is much safer in hell, and immunes are rarely a problem.

Welcome to HC!

~Ska
 
Ahhh Hardcore.

I love it. The thrill of living life on the edge. The determination to go back down and attempt to clear a stair trap...after it almost killed you. Knowing you cant afford to make a mistake.

Damn...nothing but satisfaction.

Surprisingly HC isnt that hard. I find, that when I play SC I dont take the game seriously enough, and when I play HC I scan boss mods real quick, move about alot more efficiently and generally seem to ride the adrenaline wave the entire game. :)

Also Guardian sounds better then Mat/Pat :P Even though I dont have one yet. :(

GL and welcome aboard Lister! :clap:
 
Welcome to HC. I challenge you to give it a try without using the FE mod. FE isn't really all that big a deal - I've only lost one solitary charater to the FE bug, and I think I just made a mistake.

There's much worse concerns than that.

Your builds seem fine. Give 'em a whirl!
 
AlterEgo said:
Welcome to HC. I challenge you to give it a try without using the FE mod. FE isn't really all that big a deal - I've only lost one solitary charater to the FE bug, and I think I just made a mistake.

There's much worse concerns than that.

Your builds seem fine. Give 'em a whirl!
Click to expand...

Okay I'll try without the mod. One thing I do remember from a softcore character was a welcoming comitee of three gloam packs at the entry of hell Throne Of Destruction, in spite of having 75% lightning resistance and also lightning absorb from Thundergods, I was fried instantly. Usually there are at most two packs at the entrance, that time I was feeling very glad I was playing softcore. I don't expect to get in such a situation again, but is there anyway to survive it?
 
Sir Lister of Smeg said:
Okay I'll try without the mod. One thing I do remember from a softcore character was a welcoming comitee of three gloam packs at the entry of hell Throne Of Destruction, in spite of having 75% lightning resistance and also lightning absorb from Thundergods, I was fried instantly. Usually there are at most two packs at the entrance, that time I was feeling very glad I was playing softcore. I don't expect to get in such a situation again, but is there anyway to survive it?
Click to expand...

Uh, yeah. You could be wearing guardian angel, dual perfect wisp protectors and a thundergod's, giving you 40%/20 absorb, and 90% lightning resistance.

Or you could be a little quicker on the trigger finger and quit man, quit when you see those gloam packs. You can come down the stairs, hit ESC, and hover the mouse pointer on boss mods and other such things. My sorceress nearly died to a fanatic doll pack, but I was alert enough to dive for the key and mash fat purples on the way through - a skill you probably already have but will be honed to razor edge playing HC :)

Some people play that you should try and survive every given situation, but in my extensive HC experience I tell you that you should live to fight another day. And if you build sensible, you should be fine. First character is the hardest - after that, the twinking really helps and you should be more than fine :)

Good luck!

flamearrows
 
Sir Lister of Smeg said:
Okay I'll try without the mod. One thing I do remember from a softcore character was a welcoming comitee of three gloam packs at the entry of hell Throne Of Destruction, in spite of having 75% lightning resistance and also lightning absorb from Thundergods, I was fried instantly. Usually there are at most two packs at the entrance, that time I was feeling very glad I was playing softcore. I don't expect to get in such a situation again, but is there anyway to survive it?
Click to expand...

Yes, equip a Nadir helm (or Darksight Helm) and immediately cast a CoS when you enter the level.

Or, equip something with Teleport charges and teleport behind the entrance block before the lightning streams reach you (but it may be equally dangerous to be there!).
 
Sir Lister of Smeg said:
Okay I'll try without the mod. One thing I do remember from a softcore character was a welcoming comitee of three gloam packs at the entry of hell Throne Of Destruction, in spite of having 75% lightning resistance and also lightning absorb from Thundergods, I was fried instantly. Usually there are at most two packs at the entrance, that time I was feeling very glad I was playing softcore. I don't expect to get in such a situation again, but is there anyway to survive it?
Click to expand...

And just remember to play HC, don't try to be "hero". It doesn't mean you should chicken out every hard battle, but something is just too dangerous for HC, not worth to try (eg conviction gloams, very large gloam packs that won't break up ...). Also try to hit Esc Key as fast as you can, in case you stuck in middle of hopeless battle and no way to escape. my necromancer once traped in bone prison with might lister (hell), in that case, there was no other way but use Esc to escape death.

My $0.02, if you play HC necromancer, and use arm of king lerioc, you need to be extra careful, just in case (like my lister experience).
 
Log in to Reply / Create Site Account
Remove Ads - Go PurePremium

Latest posts

Back
Top