ISO Fishymancer Ways to Clear Maggot Layer Hell

razen

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Jan 12, 2008
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ISO Fishymancer Ways to Clear Maggot Layer Hell

I hated it in norm and nm, and damn I hate it in hell...

only 2 skeles can attack at once, and the monsters regenerate life way too fast

this is especially painful against beatles (not to mention unique ones)

I know I can kill them, before I lure a couple to open space and took them out easy when I can get my whole team on them. But of course, that method is requiring too much effort (I have to desummon and resummon my team 1 monster at a time... and sometimes the open space is like 4 screens away... sigh...)

the obvious solution is to make my merc 1v1 them in tunnel, but he gets absolutely pwned by uniques/champions

I am not even using p8 mode... I just can't beat this... maybe there is something simple i am missing... someone with suggestion?
 
Re: ISO Fishymancer Ways to Clear Maggot Layer Hell

Maggot Layer and Arcane Sanctum are in my opinion the worst areas in the game period. they are however the worst area full stop for a summon necro.

I went through just using my merc. No active summons of any form. That way the path was as clear as possible for my merc. Even then it was pure tedium all the way.

the other thing I did do was swap a few bits of kit out for more melee bases stuff and just fought my way though manually. Wearing a pair of angelic rings combined with the amulet gives sufficient attack rating to hit most things to some degree.

It is painful and tedious but with a considerable amount of patience it is doable.
 
Re: ISO Fishymancer Ways to Clear Maggot Layer Hell

So far, 3 attempts... 12 deaths... distance record: layer 2 about 3 screens

Maybe I can keep resetting games until I get REALLY lucky where the entrance to each layers are just right next to it.

(usually, there are at least 1, my most current map layout has layer1 to 2 entrance right on the right side... hence the distance record, lol)

The problem with merc kill is that since I am untwinked, he does neither enough damage, nor good enough gear to absorb hits. I thought about comboing him with 1 skele, but the lighting from the beatles (especially unique ones, thank god I haven't met any stoneskin) are just completely destroying him.

I thought about using fear, but that doesn't work if the tunnel is jammed (and often are)

Confuse doesn't stay long enough, I imagine attract is much the same. (for some reason, the monsters can do a huge damage to you, but not to each other)

I don't know if it's a good idea, but maybe I should try to revive some really strong ranger? Souls would be perfect (lightning), but of course... not in act3 yet. act2 viper doesn't shoot out bone spears, and skeleton mage revives just doesn't cut it.

(also afraid that the revives will jam the tunnel even more than now)

ARG, so frustrating... (also on tele ammy, I find it a bit risky to tele into unknown area, but maybe minion stack can help... can I buy tele charge staff from akara in hell mode? I have seen enchant, orb, blizzard, and lower resist. I don't know if teleport is possible? Or should I shop nm because teleport's like middle of the pack skill?)
 
Re: ISO Fishymancer Ways to Clear Maggot Layer Hell

I just used my merc also like tomhyde mentioned. It was a pain in the ***, but it worked.
Also, with 1.13 you can respec, so maybe respec to a bone spear necro for those two places? Thats what ima do haha
 
Re: ISO Fishymancer Ways to Clear Maggot Layer Hell

cast attract in the middle of them so the start fighting each other
cast clay golem behind them so they turn away from you and so they're attacked from the rear
let the skeleton warriors attack from the front
cast amp damage on everything,
something in the rear, middle or front will die
then spam corpse explosion like crazy
 
Re: ISO Fishymancer Ways to Clear Maggot Layer Hell

I just used my merc also like tomhyde mentioned. It was a pain in the ***, but it worked.
Also, with 1.13 you can respec, so maybe respec to a bone spear necro for those two places? Thats what ima do haha

Are you able to fully respec multiple times or just after each time you complete the Den of Evil quest?


 
Re: ISO Fishymancer Ways to Clear Maggot Layer Hell

Are you able to fully respec multiple times or just after each time you complete the Den of Evil quest?

I've done it a couple times already to switch masteries on my new barb haha
As far as I know you can respec to your hearts content.


 
Re: ISO Fishymancer Ways to Clear Maggot Layer Hell

I HAVE FINALLY GOTTEN THE STAFF ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

Fourth try, some insane luck... finally beat it

I even took screenshots! (by the way, I can't seem to form the official d2 screenshots in window mode, is that normal? I end up using the default printscreen button and just paste onto paint)

Here's how I did it...
layer1.jpg

Basically, this map this scouted thanks to the numerous deaths of try 3... this time around, I only had one huge fight at area 1, then it's straight to the entrance of level 2. Easy enough, short walk.

layer2.jpg


I really REALLY lucked out on layer2... aside from the huge pockets (marked 1 through 4... and other pockets not part of the route) and the short distance between them, monsters that were blocking the way was locusts!

Unique or not, they all went down easily to bone spear + CE. Beatles were another story, bone spears can't even dent them. But thank god for all those locust swarms, I CE my way using the swarm body to clear beatles.

The lone route 5 was a total guess because it had no monster in it!! And what do you know? Entrance to layer 3 was just ahead.

layer3.jpg


I thought layer3 was going to be extremely tedious.
At the first junction right before area 1, (just above the level 3 entrance, not marked) I had to fight my way through 2 unique beatles and pal, but luckily, another unique pack of locust swarm was also waiting. Since locust swarms did no damage to my skeles, they were effectively blocking off the beatles for me (which would definitely decimate my army in the corridor)

1 swarm might not have enough HP to take down beatles with CE, but since they always come in a pack... *heh heh...

After CE settled, my skele just had to fight 2 or 3 beatles with the uniques very much dead.

I then reach area 1, which became staging point. Beatles were waiting, but my skele was able to charge quick enough that most of them were in before the beatles could block the entrance. In open area, beatles are no match for skeles.

I then scouted area 2... similar fight to area 1, and was starting to think this was going to be mad tedious. After I took the bottom route back to 1 (fighting, luckily... more swarms along the way instead of beatles), I figured... there is no way I am taking that rounded path on the right of area 2; I am just going to explore the straight line above area 1 first.

BINGO, and there it was, I didn't even bother opening up a small junction next to that straight corridor. (since I heard maggots) Actually, the fight at the queen's layer was actually getting messy. The beatles had charged and filled the tunnel before my skeles could enter queen's chamber. But you know what? MORE SWARMS JOINING THE PARTY AT THE ENTRANCE!! YAY!!!

Bone Spear those down, CE... and all the beatles went down relatively easily afterward. 5 skele + my merc left... but I got the staff.

WHEW...

(PS how come my images only show up as link? I use the
 
Re: ISO Fishymancer Ways to Clear Maggot Layer Hell

REally? Then how do I post direct image like in the rare item thread in statistics forum?

You can't. Statistics is the only one of the D2 Strategy Forums with implemented
 
Re: ISO Fishymancer Ways to Clear Maggot Layer Hell

Good to know that the entrance to next level of maggot lair is always facing to the right, when looking down the entrance passage of the current level.
 
Re: ISO Fishymancer Ways to Clear Maggot Layer Hell

Use the amp and ce combo. That works quite effective in maggots lair. Or make a game and ask for help with it. Mainly enigma would make it easier for you to do this job because of teleport.
 
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