Ladder Drop Rates.

[Ancient Greek Necromancer]

I played the game ages ago. Most active before synergies had been a thing, too. I recently decided to have a go at it again. Is it me, or item drop rates are terrible? I am almost halfway through normal and not even one set item, not even one unique. Act bosses drop yellows, even on first visit. Back in the day (1.09?), interesting items weren't that scarce to come by... Even cruising through acts randomly, used to yield one or two uniques, three-four greens, etc.

Did they change item chances to drop, or something? Also, last time i played ladder (years ago), i reached hell with 60+ level skelemancer, but ultimately died (hardcore), because crucial items for build would never appear, during farming, or even good runes to make nice runewords. I don't know what to do, maybe i 'll just give it up, it's pointless to keep playing, since itemization is all this (type of) game(s) is about.

Any insight? Advice etc? I know all about magic find gear, andariel glitch, joining games with act bosses quest not completed, all places for farming (countess for runes, etc) and the insides out of the game already.

 

[zemaj]

Sounds like you are just having memory crossover since last you played, you were playing well-geared chars that were probably sporting a bit of +% chance to find magic items....

In any event, I would push on. The set/unique drops in Normal usually aren't anything you will want to use long, anyway. Nightmare and Hell are much better for drops. Also, most of the best items now are Runewords, so get ready for that hunt.

If you don't mind a reset, Single Player is much preferable to my thinking. You have more control of what you play, since you don't have to trawl bot-games, have static maps, unlimited stash space (with forum-approved apps)... the list goes on.

 

[Ancient Greek Necromancer]

Thanks pal. Will give it a try to Nightmare, then. Initially, to be honest, i was mostly interested in Single Player, but there is Ladder only content (runewords and uniques exclusive to it, as well as those events). So, i think i am going to stay with Ladder, as is.

 

[Kestegs]

You can do anything in SP that you can do on Bnet with the exception of the Uber events. But in Single player you can do nice things like have an infinite stash and no lag or internet required.

Here's the SPF sticky thread, which has info about the things that are available to Single Player players. It's got a ton of info in it, but if you ever want any help with anything people are always willing to walk you through it.

 

[Ancient Greek Necromancer]

Halfway in Nightmare, now. Item drops are better somewhat, but only barely. Even in games with more players. Andariel drops crap, even if glitched. Set items drop frequently somewhat, but they are so basic, that the same items would drop even in act 1-3 Normal, in the old days (Cleglaws, Deaths, etc). Many cracked, damaged and inferior whites, as well; in the old days, those would have stopped dropping, past certain points in the game. At least, lots of useful, early and middle runes drop, so i was able to craft some basics (spirit weapon, +1 skills helmet, mercenary gear, etc).

I clearly remember the 1.09 days... In act 5 Normal, i would have found things like Bloodletter Gladius, Duriel's Shell, basic Normal type Uniques with skillers and those +1 to all/class skills blue-magic/yellow-rare circlets were both common and fixed, to act 5 Normal (in Nightmare, there were also Coronets, a new type of circlet that seems to have disapperead entirely from the game, with a chance to spawn +2 to all skills attribute, i think class-locked).

Seriously, what the Hell happened to looting system???

 

[Ghonn]

I don't mean to argue, but I think you're being nostalgic. Every playthrough is different regarding drops, and after all it's all about luck with some help of magic find. Those white items do not stop dropping past certain point even in older patches. Coronets are in the game as well, and yes, all circlet type items do still get +2 (class) skills if you're lucky to get that roll.

There definitely aren't any guaranteed Duriel's Shells or other usefull uniques with every playthrough even in 1.09. Get some mf and try your luck again And if you're in doubt, in SP you can relive those old patches!

 

[Kestegs]

Yeah, I'll agree with Ghonn on that one. Also get some MF if you don't have any, 100-200 MF will go a long ways in finding good S/U items.
I also don't generally see any reason to farm Andy, just get to NM Meph, who can drop 99% of the items you would want to be able to get through Hell.

 

[Ancient Greek Necromancer]

I don't think it's nostalgia, though... I never said anything about fixed drops, only that exceptional uniques would drop for me on Normal act 5, at 1.09. And Cracked/Damaged whites, would have stopped appearing, past a certain point in the game.

I have some magic find, but the interesting drops are at a minimal. At 1.09, even in Normal, i wouldn't have place to put the set items that would drop here and there! It's not only that, crappy, basic, upstart sets/uniques, drop well late into Nightmare. Death's or Cleglaws were Normal act 1 possible drops, back in the day, not Nightmare act 2 ones... Now i am at Nightmare act 4, so i expect some interesting finds. A Lum rune i lack to make the +1 skills shield, only. I played like crazy in the past, i even remember Nightmare Andy dropping Mavina's or other "high tier" items, now i am relying only on runewords and good rares to progress! Heck, even RARES are rare, which were dropping at every corner...

I will waste some points into strength, so as when i find a Monarch in early Hell, i can make Spirit Shield, too. Something tells me the items i really want, i will never live to see the day that i get them. At least Summonmancer progresses very fast into the game and isn't gear dependent at all. I dread to think how i would have fared, had i made one of those item-dependent fellas (Barbarian? Paladin? Druid?).

 

[Ghonn]

I am not talking about about fixed drop rates either. I am just saying the weighing of the drops has not fundamentally changed from 1.09 times, except for the runes which are easier to get now. You will still get exceptional uniques in a5 normal. It's about luck. Just don't expect them on every playthrough. The game itself has changed a lot since 1.09, though, with synergies and immunities and all. This will make it tougher for item dependant and melee characters to progress without twinking gear, but only _really_ applies to hell difficulty.

I just took sorceress through nm in current patch, and that netted me Homunculus amongst some other usefull uniques. Untwinked, so not too much mf. Just luck.