Matriarch/Patriarch/Guardian Archive Thread

Originally posted by @jiansonz on March 5, 2005

Yes!!!

I rerolled them 4 times. Try #1 and #3 had at least one FE dude. The other two times I got Cursed early on, and I didn’t even check them...

Fifth try was the charm. I drew the following abilities:

Madawc: Spectral Hit + Magic Resistant
Korlic: Lightning Enchanted + Mana Burn
Talic: Conviction + Mana Burn

Mana Burn is annoying, but not life-threatening when there are so few enemies. With this much CB, even Normal Attack should be able to pull me through this fight, I thought.

My plan was to not get involved in a fight where all three of them could hit. I decided to chase Madawc and kill him first, and leave the Mana Burners for later. Sometimes I could hit Madawc a couple of times in a row, but he eventually ran away every time. When any of the other two approached, I took the opportunity to hit them with Battle Cry, then I ran before I got Mana Burned.

Because I was on the move so much (and also because of the frequent Battle Cry effects on Korlic and Talic), Khaleel survived a long time. I healed him quite often, too. I had prepared two piles on the ground with 5-6 healing potions each. Inventory held another 5 healers and 5 full rejuves.

Madawc died, and I decided to focus on Korlic. Khaleel helped to keep Talic off Sten’s back for the most part. Eventually, Talic got him, though. Because of the Conviction, Korlic’s LE bolts hurt quite a bit. At one time, I managed to find a sweet spot, where no bolts hit. I stayed here for some time, drank mana potions to keep the Concentrate and Battle Cry up, healers and some rejuves to be able to hold my position. Korlic has a wussy weapon, but Talic did not. It was never any NDEs, but Sten life got down to about half a couple of times when Talic got into a whirling spree.

Finally, Korlic died and I led Talic up to the upper corner, in an attempt to reduce his whirling opportunities. I don’t know what happened, but it looked like Talic and Sten got "stuck" on top of each other. This was actually the best thing that could’ve happened! With regular attacks, Talic was not much of a threat. Of course he had his Mana Burn and he hit often because of the Conviction, but he had no chance in that situation.

The rest of the act went smoothly, except for one place. There were a couple of pretty nasty spawner boss packs in WSK 1, but they weren’t that bad.

No, the major threat was a deadly stairs trap on the Throne level, in the form of a Cursed Extra Strong Extra Fast Serpent Magus pack. I probably took more risk than I should have in this fight, but that was because I didn’t know what would be waiting around the corner! With a lot of potion help, Howls and Battle Cries, Sten defeated the damn snakes.

I drew Doom/OB knights (including at least 4 boss packs) both on the Throne level and WSK 3, but this character can handle them pretty well. The fighters are vulnerable to Khaleel’s lightning, which helps a lot when Sten is block-locked and rarely hits because he’s using Berserk. Two of the boss packs were Mana Burners, and on WSK 3 I also faced a mana burning skeleton mage pack at the same time as knights. I realized the Iron Maiden threat here: if Sten is attempting a Berserk swing when he’s out of mana, he will do a normal attack! So against those packs, I made sure to get far away from any Oblivion Knights. I even let the Doom Knights beat on me for a couple of seconds (just to make sure no OB knight had followed) before I started Berserking them.

I took on Baal at /players 3, slivered him and switched to MF gear. Now followed 15-20 minutes of seemingly endless battle. I mean, no CB, no Open Wounds, just Khaleel’s lightning (and he often got distracted by the appendages) and Sten’s pathetic ~70-120 damage Concentrate swings with Tancred’s bloody Crowbill! Even Khaleel’s listed damage with Culwen’s Point was higher! Baal did manage to die before I fell asleep, though.

Result:
* pile of cash
* magical Balrog Spear
* magical Ghost Glaive
* rare Boneweave Boots
* Cleglaw’s Tooth
* Raven Claw.

Name: Guardian Sten
Level: 85
(his 96th and final skill point was free and went to Battle Orders)
16 S/U item equipped
Next area: Cow level, Hell
 
Originally posted by @jiansonz on December 28, 2005

SPF Tourney Septavirate Guardian #4 of 7

On Februari 24, 2004, Aaliyah the Alphabet Sorceress was born.

After being on hiatus in early Hell for almost two years, she has now joined Brynhilde the Valkazon, Sten the Set/Unique Worshipper Concentrate Barb and Freddie the 'Rare Pleasures' Returnomancer/Lord of Mages in my personal Hall of Fame.

I already had a 1.10 Guardian Sorceress (SniperBlaze the Blaze Enchantress), but she was a bit shady in several ways (played mostly in the beta, a few emergency Save & Exits in NM, and her tournament was a little too "loose" for my taste). Now I have a Guardian Sorceress that is "pure" in all ways I care about.

Tournament rules and the progress of all participants can be found here. Basically, the two main rules were:
* Only every third skill point earned by level-ups (plus the ones from quests) was free to be spent however the player wanted. The remaining skill points were placed randomly as soon as we got them (they could not be saved).
* Every item in the headgear-amulet-left hand-body armor-right hand...boots sequence had to be in alphabetical order whenever we left town. This was true for both weapon/shield configurations, but mercs didn’t have to follow this alphabetical sequence. Arrows and Bolts didn’t have to fit in either.
We could leave item slots empty if necessary, that happened a lot early on.
Set items from the same set: only the first item had to fit into the alphabetical order. For once, Anya’s personalize rewards were actually very useful!


Character class was also randomized. I was glad I rolled myself a sorceress, because so many sorcs had failed miserably in other tournaments (Randomly Challenged + Set/Unique Worshippers) with a large random element regarding skill placement. I was convinced that sorcs should be able to do better, because they can be such great merc helpers with only a few 'one point wonders'.

As I knew I would have at most 40 "free" skill points to distribute, I made the standard choice of going with Frozen Orb. As I progressed, I opened up the cold and fire trees a bit, giving more chances for the random points to go where I wanted them. This didn’t quite work out as well as I had planned, though...

I chose a Might merc, because that merc adds a large damage type that Aaliyah didn’t have: physical. Big damage meant big life steal.

Aaliyah and her new friend Hazade progressed further, and it was soon obvious that Fire Wall was going to be her second main attack. Two awesome exceptional uniques dropped in Nightmare, they were very welcome. I had originally planned to invest in lots of DEX for blocking, but since the shield I decided to go with had such crappy blocking, I gave that up just when I had started to seriously boost the dexterity.

Magical items were often a staple because they were quite easy to fit into the alphabet sequence. I even made a list of all available prefix names and what item types they could spawn on. I began to appreciate the lower quality resist prefixes (Shimmering, Rainbow, Ocher, Russet, Tangerine), because they had much better names than Cobalt, Coral, Garnet, etc, for the "late" gear, like rings, belt, gloves and boots. An Amber Circlet of Fortune was a very lucky gamble in early NM.

Sorceresses had an advantage because their +class skills gear are named Angel’s and Arch-Angels, and the three item types that can have these prefixes are the first three in the gear sequence! Very convenient. Also, I only had to focus on +skills, resists and life. A fighter character would have a harder time getting useful gear together.

Final Stats:

Guardian Aaliyah the Alphabet FO/FW Sorceress
Level: 85
STR 69+1, DEX 38+1, VIT 373, ENE 35+19, Life 1251, Mana 348
Defense (with Shiver Armor): 955 Chance to block: 5%
Resistances (orb + Lidless Wall): Fire 75, Cold 73, Lightning 75, Posion -16
Resistances (wand + the other shield): Fire 75, Cold 75, Lightning 75, Poison 3

Ice Bolt 2+4 (random)
Frozen Armor 1+4 (random)
Frost Nova 3+4 (random)
Ice Blast 2+4 (1 of them chosen)
Shiver Armor 2+4 (random)
Glacial Spike 1+4 (chosen)
Blizzard 3+4 (1 of them chosen)
Frozen Orb 20+4 (all chosen)
Cold Mastery 2+4 (1 of them chosen)

Charged Bolt 3+4 (random)
Static Field 4+4 (1 of them chosen)
Telekinesis 3+4 (random)
Nova 3+4 (random)
Lightning 3+4 (random)
Chain Lightning 3+4 (random)
Teleport 3+4 (1 of them chosen)
Energy Shield 1+4 (random)
Lightning Mastery 1+4 (random)

Fire Bolt 2+7 (random)
Warmth 5+7 (random)
Inferno 4+7 (1 of them chosen)
Blaze 2+7 (1 of them chosen)
Fire Ball 3+7 (1 of them chosen)
Fire Wall 12+8 (10 of them chosen)
Enchant 4+7 (random)
Meteor 1+7 (random)
Fire Mastery 2+8 (1 of them chosen)
Hydra 1+7 (random)

Aaliyah’s primary gear:
* Aaliyah’s Volcanic Coronet, reward-socketed with an Ort rune and a Sapphire Jewel of Knowledge (+3 Fire Skills, Resist Lightning 30, Resist Cold 29, +1 ENE)
* Angel’s Amulet of the Centaur (+1 Sorcie skills, +0.75 life per clvl)
* Arch-Angel’s Heavenly Stone (+2 Sorcie skills, +1 Fire Wall, +1 Fire Mastery, +32 Mana)
switch: Bone Wand of Life Tap
* Jeweler’s Gothic Plate 'OrtThulOrt' + Scintillating Jewel of Knowledge (Resist Fire/Poison 14, Cold 44, Lightning 74, +8 Energy)
* Lidless Wall, reward-socketed with a PRuby
switch: Jeweler’s Spiked Shield of the Ox, with PRuby + PDiamond (+6 STR)
* Light Gauntlets of Fortune (25)
* Order Circle (rare Ring: Resist Lightning 20, Fire 7)
* Plated Belt of the Whale (100)
* Rainbow Ring of the Jackal (Resist All 10, +4 Life)
* Shadow Brogues (rare Sharkskin Boots: Resist Fire 40, Poison 15, 30% Faster Run)

Charms taking up a total of 21 inventory spaces giving +1 STR, +16 Defense, +7% Faster Run, Resist Fire 35, Resist Cold 60, Resist Lightning/Poison 15, +47 mana and +174 Life. Best single charms are probably these four:
Sapphire Grand Charm of Inertia (26/+7%)
Shimmering Grand Charm of Shock (15/1-2)
Serpent’s Grand Charm of Vita (47/39)
Sapphire Small Charm of Sustenance (10/14)

Alternate gear (kept in stash or on the ground when not in use)
* 'Black' Morning Star (corpse destruction tool, only used against Nihlathak in NM and Hell, and aganist Achmel’s cold immune Death Mages in Hell)
* Ring of the Mammoth (38)
* Ring of Fortune (25)
* Amulet of Luck (34)
* Amber Circlet of Fortune (35/18)

Hazade the Mighty Desert Guard
Level: 85
STR 186, DEX 150, Life 1767, Defense 1722
Resistances: Fire/Poison 72, Lightning/Cold 75
Damage (with Might): 835-1253 physical, with 45% chance of Crushing Blow
* Chromatic Coronet of the Leech (23/3), reward-socketed with a +20%/+10 Ambergris Jewel of Bliss, 1 empty socket (reserved for a PEmerald, to boost Hazade’s DEX should I had found a Lum rune and upgraded his weapon to a Ghost Spear)
* Hone Sundan 'AmnAmnShael'
* Iceblink Russet Armor

* Special tool in stash: 'Malice' Mancatcher (to stop life regeneration on particularly-hard-to-kill bosses)

Areas skipped: None
Areas repeated: None
Monsters parked: None!!

Number of NDEs: a couple. The absolute worst were these (all happened in Hell):
* Canyon of the Magi: Aaliyah was alone, had about 200 life left, NO potions, dodged javelins, Extra Fast Crushers and pursuing cats and finally escaped via TP.
* Maggot Lair: Teleported RIGHT INTO a FE + Conviction beetle pack!
* Losing about 900 life in the death blast of FE Lord De Seis.

Imbues used: 3 out of 3 (one circlet + two orbs; all crap and sold)
Socketing rewards used: 3 out of 3 (good choices, we use all three items)
Personalize rewards used: 2 out of 3

Number of Unique items found: 72 (10 of them exceptional)
Number of Set items found: 80 (2 of them exceptional)

End-game Rune Collection: Tir x2, Nef, Eth, Ith x2, Tal x2, Ral x2, Ort x2, Thul, Lem, Pul x2
 
Originally posted by @jiansonz on June 20, 2005

If there is one thing I’ve learned about Hell Ancients, is that there is no shame in rerolling them. I did that today. Many times.

The key to success lies in keeping the merc alive as long as possible. After he’s dead, my only real weapon is level 6 Iron Maiden (without the ability to lessen the physcial resistance). Durga died a number of times. After every resurrection, I would kill some critters near the Ancients’Way and Arreat Plateu waypoints. I even picked up expensive stuff to fund merc reserrections. The Plateau was good for this, with lots of puny Carvers and skellie mages.
Going back to an earlier area is going against my prinicples, but I felt the need for it here. I needed the merc to switch on Thorns, and I needed the time my mages could buy me the first chaotic seconds of each attempt against the Ancients. I started to get better at recognizing "hopeless" Ancients situations, even before the merc died. Sometimes even before I had fed him a full rejuve. Still used up my final three regular gems to cube three more full rejuves.

Very scary moments a couple of times. Got whirled at once and got way below 50% life in a hurry. Another time I had Korlic smacking me. With everything going on, he had sneaked up on Freddie without me noticing him. I had NO idea about his abilities! He was Holy Shock something (and not FE).

Finally a promising start. Two Stone Skin Ancients. Annoying, but not too dangerous right from the start. I managed to keep Madawc busy with some Bone Wall/Prison blocks. Merc fought the LE + Mana Burn Korlic (assisted by constant Life Tap) and could stand up to him pretty well. Talic ate golems and mages for breakfast. I kept him Amped. Talic was Extra Strong Stone Skin. He must have had a powerful weapon, because even though he had Stone Skin, he still died rather quickly. Madawc came running about the same time. Hmm, what if I feed Korlic a golem? Yup, stable fighting situation there. What to do against Madawc? His Stone Skin made him tough for Durga to leech from. Even Life Tap couldn’t help Durga to break even against him. His tendency to move around didn’t help either. I changed my plan. I started to run loops around Korlic and the golem. I stayed close enough for the golem to stay put. Korlic seemed content with just hacking away at the golem. My running allowed Durga to be left in peace, because Madawc was busy chasing Freddie. With well over 1000% damage returned to him for a couple a minutes, Korlic died.

Madawc was Magic Resistant + Stone Skin. Hard to damage, but pretty much a wimp. There, pushed up against a pillar, merc behind golem. Perfect! It took many minutes and two golem recastings, but he fell. YES!!!

The fun was far from over. I felt cocky and continued on /players 3, mostly because I was addicted to the drop rate and because I wanted to know if I would gain another level.

A hectic (but relatively problem free) WSK level 1, with numerous Zealot/Heirophant packs, with Amp-casting Hell Witches, and Defilers.

Level 2 was populated by critters that suited us perfectly. All meleers with no unpredictable behaviour: Serpent Maguses, Greater Hell Spawn and Cadavers. Pwnage...

Level 3 was a lot worse. Death Lords, PI Hell Temptresses and more Defilers. Luckily, the Defilers were the first monsters I met on the floor, including a double boss pack of them. They were almost comic relief!

The second Death Lord boss pack killed my merc three times, and all my mages. The boss and the minion that chased me and the golem hadn’t been poisoned either, so their life regeneration was extreme. I started to curse those damn bullheads (me, the player! Not Freddie, he curses everything anyway...) Then it hit me; I have the socket reward left! Oh crap, the Emerald got used when I cubed a rejuve. But wait, I still have the Tal from the reward in this act! Good, now we’re talking!
(BTW, I shudder at thinking of taking this dude on in melee. Might + Cursed + CE. It hurts, ask the poor golem...)

Throne level was all quiet at first. Too quiet...
The it showed its true face. Two vampires was the simple warm-up. Then add lots of Burning Souls and some dangerous and extremely well-camouflaged bone fetish. Two Soul bosses, one Extra Strong something, one Conviction + LE + FE! I was really scared of this last boss. Luckily, I had some vampire corpses around. I lured the boss over to the corpses by casting golems, then I ducked around a corner and just held down the CE button. Down you go!

Baal’s bosses posed no real threat but Baal himself had one last ambush prepared: Festering Appendages. LOTS of appendages! Freddie had to drink 3 full rejuves before he was free. Then I got into a good rhythm, casting a Clay Golem to the side of Baal, Amping him, backing off a few steps so the merc follows, and bring up some Bone Walls on Baal’s bridge to stop the merc from getting up to Baal. That way, I could keep him alive. Even when Baal surprised us with a quick golem kill followed by a sudden Flamethrower/Hoarfrost in our direction we were safe, because he was only attacking the Bone walls. For a Prime Evil, he isn’t particularly clever...

Just to be safe, I got a bit more aggessive with my golem recastings. That was good. Baal had only interest in the golems. He never left his bridge or summoned his clone. He dropped this. Ah, another one of those 'homage to D1' unique item names. I knew there is a Windforce in D2 (I still don’t know its abilities, though) since its get talked about a lot, but I didn’t know there is also an Eaglehorn. I’ve found neither in D1, but I always thought Eaglehorn seemed to be the cooler bow, looking at the abilities they had in D1.

Cows next. Getting the first corpse wasn’t always easy. The golem would be slughtered SO quickly if too many cows were hitting it. And if it fell too quickly, the merc often did the same. I had a very tight starting sequence, involving some wild Dim Vision and Terror castings, Bone Wall spamming and enormous Corpse Explosion fests. I quickly learned the best method:
Keep ~5 mages around. Their job is to concentrate the cows and soften them up with Thorns damage, while I let a small pack (1-4 cows) move towards the merc. All the mages will soon die in the large cow pack, but since I have the cows Dimmed, they stay put. Merc gets golem assistance (so he can survive better) and brings down a cow or two. By now, the mages have died. I switch to Amp on the cows, they see merc and golem and move over to them. Here are 1-2 corpses, some cows are softened up and I play on /p3. Guess what happens next?...
Then resurrect 5 mages. Move to the next large cow pack. Rinse and repeat.

I found a merc armor improvement in the cow level. Rare Boneweave with 622 Defense, +14 STR and some posion resistance.

After I was done, I went to Gheed to gamble some more War Scythes. I had an idea that I wanted to celebrate with a Cruel rare Grim Scythe. I managed to do that, on the last possible gamble (I had sold everything I had except what we were wearing, the Ort, the Amn and the PSapphire):

Dire Scratch
Grim Scythe

Two-Hand Damage: 104 to 238
Durability: 30 of 55
Required Dexterity: 140
Required Strength: 140
Required Level: 48
Polearm Class - Fast Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10 Expansion
Item Level: 82
+2 to Strength
+241% Enhanced Damage
+2 to Minimum Damage
Required Level +5
+4 to Mana After Each Kill

Not quite as good as the Colossus Voulge, but pretty cool.

So Freddie struggled all the way from late NM and throughout Hell to get his merc a good weapon, and never quite succeeded. If we hadn’t been forced to use rares, I can say that with the finds I made, my merc would be using either Arioc’s Needle (unique Hyperion Spear) or an ethereal 'Strength' Mancatcher.

Guardian Freddie, Lord of Mages
Level: 87 (87.9 to be more exact)
Complete Game Clear
Final score: 221 pts

(btw, I think the scoring system is flawed. Insane Wayne has been much more brave and hard-working than me and played on /p5 pretty much the entire Hell while I have been going on /p3, and now he’s punished for it. That doesn’t seem fair to me. If he defeats the Cow King, I will regard our efforts as equal.)
 
Originally posted by @jiansonz on August 16, 2004

Yesterday, I played what turned out to be Brynhilde’s final session.

I used the passage through Ancient’s Way to get Razan’s Holy Freeze started, to practice hotkeys (I wanted to be able to get to all my available skills without having to think; this was needed because I played another D2 character on saturday) and to get a really good valkyrie. Also, I tried to get a feel for the radius and duration of the ace up my sleeve, the wand of Life Tap.

We arrived at the Arreat Summit. I was scared, but not too much. I had a plan, and I liked it.

Tries 1-4: We got Cursed immediately. TP!

Fifth try: Looked like I got a good start. Razan was tanking Korlic, who was Life Tapped. Valkyrie engaged the other two. Then I saw that Korlic was FE. Since the situation looked stable, I actually considered to go with this draw anyway. Then I saw that he also had Teleport! No thanks.

Sixth try: I misclicked the first Life Tap and Razan got killed very quickly. Uh, I think I’ll pass.

Seventh try: Cursed again.

Eighth try: I ran downwards and cast Life Tap through an arch and Razan seemed to survive well, even though his life bar went back and forth like it had spasms. All five fighters were at the edge or out of my visible range. More Life Taps and a couple of rejuves for Razan. Then he got killed anyway. Korlic was almost dead from all the Crushing Blows. I continued with the Life Taps, hoping they would help the valk survive, so the stable situation would continue. I think she tanked all three of them (I couldn’t really see). Who’s she attacking? Yes, it’s Korlic! He died. Here comes Madawc now. He has Spectral Hit Holy Shock. That should be doable.

I led him a bit to the right and ran around a pillar. He hit me once, then started to throw at the valk. I cast Slow Missiles and repositioned myself so Madawc shouldn’t be able to hit any more. I contined with the Slow Missiles to stay safe (Madawc loses most of his range in this case) and to help the valk.

I could just see Talic every now and then. Extra Strong Mana Burn. Ladies and Gentlemen, I think we’re going to make it!

Shortly afterwards, Talic was dead and the valk started to chase Madawc. Two down, and she’s hungry for more! After some chasing, the valk managed to corner Madawc against the gate where we entered the Summit. OK, let’s kill the bugger!

Brynhilde placed herself directly behind the valk and started to swing. For some reason, Madawc preferred to attack her. Suddenly, Brynhilde took LOADS of damage. I panicked, drank a rejuve and got away. This was no situation to try to be a hero, that was obvious.

Brynhilde: "Sister, do you mind if I cower a bit behind this pillar? You seem to have the situation well in hand."

Valkyrie: "Go ahead. I have him, he won’t go anywhere."

This really was an a**-kicking valkyrie! Madawc’s life bar moved with every hit. Awesome.

:yep: Victory! :yep:

The chance was there. Now it was just a matter of bringing this home...

WSK 1: Flesh Spawners, Heirophants/Zealots and Vile Witches. Very challenging. The spawners kept my minions occupied so the witches could spam their nasty missiles and curse us. And you never knew when a healer would stand around a corner and prolong the fights. At one time, I was worried if my money would cover all the resurrections. Then I though about all my gems and runes and realized I had a decent buffer. Besides, valuable items drop even on /players 1.

WSK 2: Melee Soul Killers, Serpent Maguses and Frenzied Ice Spawns. This was actually quite easy. It got mildly dangerous once, when the midgets almost managed to surround Brynhilde. I got out without needing Terror, but it was close.

WSK 3: Demon Sprites, Rancid Defilers and Doom/Oblivion Knights. By now, I had more money and a couple of merc resurrections due to Iron Maiden was no problem. I lost the über valkyrie to Iron Maiden as well, which was a bit of a bummer.

Throne of Destruction: Burning Souls, Serpent Maguses and Death Lords. Not easy but thankfully there was nothing boss-like of the minotaurs. After reading about the dreaded Gloam type creatues in Hell act 5, I was a bit scared. Turns out they weren’t nearly as bad as I have feared. There are plenty of corners to hide behind and the damage wasn’t that terrible. I have never let those lightning streams hit my characters much anyway, not even in 1.09. The ultra-bugged poison-shooting Tomb Vipers in Halls of Vaught are worse by several orders of magnitude. The Nightmare ones! It’s a good thing I didn’t draw those here in Hell. THAT would have been scary!

Nothing particularly exciting happened against the five boss packs. Once again, Iceblink and the CE charges of the Knout proved their worth against resurrectors.

The Minions of Destruction can be frozen. Once I managed to separate them, it was no contest. I reached the most perfect positioning possible against Lister:

Valk tanks.
Razan is right behind her. He doesn’t get hit, she doesn’t get knocked back.
Brynhilde swings at Lister’s back. Valk stops Lister from being Knockbacked.

He got owned, plain and simple.

Baal lost most of his life very quickly. I had to work quite a bit to take down the last part of his life. He got, like, totally pissed off near the end and was quite a nuisance. But in the end, we defeated him.
Cows was a funny little distraction. CE rules!

So:
Name: Guardian Brynhilde
Level: 87
Status: Complete Game Clear :yep:

Final stats:

Patriarch Razan, Holy Freeze Guard of Lut Gholein

Level: 87
Life: 1847
Resist Fire 65, Cold 75, Lightning 75, Poison 51
Listed damage (with Holy Freeze): 627-1159

* Rare Circlet, socketed with a Realgar Jewel of Thunder: 5% bonus to AR, +30% enhanced Damage, adds 2-183 lightning damage, +7 STR, Resist Fire +14%, +25% MF
* Hone Sundan unique Yari, socketed with AmnAmnShael: 95-194 damage, 14% life steal, 45% Crushing Blow, +20% IAS
* Iceblink unique Splint Mail, upgraded to Russet Armor and socketed with an Ort rune: 399 Defense, Hit Freezes Target, Resist Cold and Lightning +30%

Guardian Brynhilde the Amazon
Level: 87
(All stats with primary gear)

STR: **
DEX: 123
VIT: 299+30
ENE: 15+30

Life: 1481
Mana: 189
Attack Rating: 3132 (73% chance to hit Hell Bovine)
Defense: 1014 (77% risk to get hit by Hell Bovine)
Chance to block: 40%

Resistances:
Fire: 85
Cold: 75
Lightning: 75
Poison: 12

Skills:
Inner Sight 1+3
Slow Missiles 2+3
Decoy 20+3
Valkyrie 20+3
Dodge 13+3
Avoid 11+3
Evade 1+3
Critical Strike 6+3
Penetrate 20+3
Pierce 4+3

Corpse Explosion 4 (up to 12 charges)
Terror 6 (up to 105 charges)
Weaken 6 (up to 18 charges)
Teleport 2 (up to 25 charges)

Primary Gear:
* Peasant Crown unique War Hat, socketed with a perfect ruby (108 Defense, +1 skills, 15% Faster Run, +20 ENE, +20 VIT, Replenish Life +7, +38 Life)
* Rare Amulet (+2 Sorceress Lightning skills, damage reduced by 2, Resist Cold 20, Level 2 Teleport (25 charges))
* 'Black', Brynhilde’s Knout (15% IAS, 40% Crushing Blow, Knockback, +10 VIT, level 4 Corpse Explosion (12 charges))
* 'Smoke', Brynhilde’s Wyrmhide (652 Defense, Resist All 50, 20% FHR, +280 Defense vs missiles, level 6 Weaken (18 charges))
* 'Rhyme', Brynhilde’s Bone Shield (28 Defense, CBF, Resist All 25, 65% chance to block, 50% extra gold, +25% MF)
* Crafted Sharkskin Gloves (44 Defense, +1 P&M skills, +20% IAS, 8% Crushing Blow, 2% life steal, 3% mana steal +16 life)
* Rare Ring (+5% bonus to AR, +5 light, +85 AR, 6% life steal, Resist Fire +26%, Resist Lightning +19%, Half Freeze)
* Crafted Mesh Belt (61 Defense, 3% life steal, 8% Open Wounds, Resist Cold +27%, Resist Lightning +19%, +12 life)
* Coral Ring of the Jackal (Resist Lightning 27, +4 Life)
* Infernostride unique Demonhide Boots (102 Defense, 20% Faster Run, Resist Fire +30% (and the possibility to raise it to 85% maximum), 52% extra gold, adds 12-33 fire damage, 5% chance to cast level 8 Blaze when struck)

Weapon Switch:
* Balanced Knife of Terror
* 'Rhyme' Bone Shield (17 Defense, CBF, Resist All 25, 65% chance to block, 50% extra gold, +25% MF)

* Charms taking up a total of 21 inventory spaces giving +1 P&M skills, Resist Fire +26%, Resist Cold +28%, Resist Lightning +7%, Resist Poison +7%, +6% MF and +202 Life.

Best single charm is probably the 10/19 Ruby Small Charm of Vita.

Alternate gear:
* Rare Balanced Knife (Prevent Monster Heal, 10% IAS, +1435 AR based on level, Resist Lightning +14%)
* Gimmershred unique Flying Axe (massive elemental damage of three types)
The two items above form Brynhilde’s "Anti-PI Tool Kit".
* Grim Wand of Life Tap (only used against Hell Ancients)
 
Originally posted by @jiansonz on July 4, 2004

SPF Tourney Septavirate Guardian #6 of 7

I entered the No-Vitality tournament with a Paladin. It’s the class I am the most "noobish" with. Before this tourney, I had only reached Hell difficulty once with a Paladin, and NM only twice more. (embarrassing note: I had also gotten two "All Alone" Frost Zealots killed in the same place: Forgotten Reliquary in Normal!)

I had trouble "getting into" the character class. Most of the popular builds did not appeal to me. Hammerdins felt ridiculous, boring and overpowered. I have never liked Zeal either. It’s hard to explain, but Zeal is far too "unprecise" for my liking. Still, I really wanted a character with maxed Fanaticism. Fanatic Avenger has potential, but being often in the thick of things in a No-Vita tourney, naa...

Fanatic Ranger, then? I had tried that before, up to late Nightmare and it was pretty fun. But Pallys are natural shield users (and a shield felt like a good idea in a No-Vita tourney) and I figured the extra resists on Pally Shields would help a lot, because then I can hog up the inventory with more +life charms. Ranged attacks with a shield would literally be the best of both worlds. Every stat point would be going to STR or DEX, both which boost the damage with throwing weapons. So I chose to make a Fanatic Thrower. My Paladin in early Hell is mostly an assistant (Concentration, plus Smite for crowd/boss control) for his melee merc. So doing something like Fanaticism-assisting a melee merc for most of the game felt old. I love rogue mercs, and here was a chance to make one much more powerful than usual. Rogue it was!

The journey through Normal was uneventful. As usual, I built up the MF as much as possible.

In early Nightmare, I scored a gamble that was just as awesome as it was unlikely: Witchwild String. Not only did I have to roll both upgrade to exceptional base item plus roll unique quality in the same gamble, but not all of the gambles would be high enough in ilvl for a WWS to be even possible. Even more wacky was that me going for Short Battle Bows was somewhat a result of boredom and the frustration of gambling only one item type (Composite Bow was the most strategic choice at the time, Long Bow the second best).

Anyway, like Insane Wayne commented in the tourney thread, Iantha the rogue was now set for the endgame. With maxed Fanaticism, she would need only 45% IAS to reach the final attack speed breakpoint (something I have never been even close to before). A Shael added two BPs right away, and a +max damage jewel became its companion. I figured that if I got lucky and later would find a Lem rune and make a 'Treachery' armor for her, I could remove those socketables and go all-out damage with the bow.

Why so much talk over a merc weapon? Because it became the heart and soul of the whole gameplay! As you may know, I prefer to let the merc get the kills. Mostly for MF reasons, but also because I like to play that way. I get far less tired when I don’t need to spam an attack all the time, and I can also better see and react to dangers.
Another thing with the WWS was that it made us a lot less sensitive to immunities. The ctc (pretty high level) Amp made many fights with PI monsters a lot easier. This bow also fires Magic Arrows, converting some of the physical damage to magic damage. I know it worked, because Iantha could kill even FI+PI monsters.

The MF thing worked out really well. Tero found more S/U items than any other character I have played. Probably because he was at /p3 for almost the entire Hell difficulty, and sporting around +250% MF there.

Most of Nightmare was dominated by Iantha and her arrows, but gradually, Tero’s crowd control skills, Smite and Conversion, became more and more important. I found them so important and useful that I ended up maxing them both.

Smite was for controlling small packs, and to stop even single monsters in their tracks, to keep them away from Iantha so she could be more effective. It was also a good tool to move around monsters whenever I wanted to do that. Up to three monsters was very easy to control. Maxed Smite has around 5 seconds stun duration vs regular monsters (and about 1 second vs bosses) so it was very easy to keep a few monsters stunned. Smite is also the tool to stunlock tough bosses that you really do not want to fight in an "honest" way. Just find a suitable wall and smack the bugger into submission! Cursed bosses usually never got a hit in...And the stunlock effect works against the Ancients!!! Man, that is huge for HC play. The only monsters immune to it are act bosses and Izual. Maybe Griswold as well?

Conversion was for use against bigger packs, for getting breathing room in stairs trap situations, and for temporary parkings of monster packs I wanted to fight later rather than now. It was also used to get fodder to tank tough melee bosses I did not want to stunlock with Smite (like FELE, CELE or LE/Conviction, etc.).

Travelling though late Nightmare and then Hell, I found myself more and more comfortable with the gameplay. We could handle small melee packs, large melee packs, nightmarish melee bosses, ranged attackers. Our only weakness was tough melee Champ packs (with more than two Champs) in an early part of an area. And maybe Gloams in wide open areas.

The Throwing, then. Wasn’t that what the build was all about? Not as it turned out, no. OK, Tero did throw a bit now and then (usually to be able to take down a dangerous boss quickly, before a Conversion timer had run out and the whole monster pack would attack us).

I used my (expensively invested) maxed Conviction and my lightning damage javelins against exactly four monsters...

Final Stats

Guardian Tero, level 87 Fanatic Thrower/Smite Paladin


Stats:
STR: 232
DEX: 258+3
VIT: 25 (of course)
ENE: 15+2

Life (with items): 1178 (about 900 for most of Hell, because I used Skullder’s Ire rather than the +life armor)
Mana (with items): 156

Resists in Hell (main switch):
Fire 69
Cold 37 (I had 67 for most of Hell Act V, because Larzuk put a hole in Skullder’s)
Lightning 76
Poison -7

Skills:
(Note: all skills were +2 for most of the late game; +1 from Hell Ancients and onwards)

Prayer 1
Defiance 1
Cleansing 1
Resist Lightning 2
Vigor 1
Redemption 1

Might 1
Holy Fire 1
Thorns 1
Blessed Aim 1
Concentration 1
Holy Freeze 1
Sanctuary 1
Fanaticism 20
Conviction 20

Sacrifice 1
Smite 20
Zeal 1
Charge 1
Vengeance 1
Conversion 20

Endgame Gear:
* Tero’s Circlet of the Squid, reward-socketed with 2x Perfect Ruby: +147 life
* Monk’s Amulet of the Whale (95)
* Tero's Blood Needle (rare Harpoon): +274% ED, +11 minimum, +111 AR, +40% IAS, +1 Warcries, replenishing
* Jeweler’s Full Plate of the Squid with 4x Perfect Ruby: +224 life
* 'Rhyme', Tero’s Akaran Targe: 60% Resist All
* Hailstone Finger (crafted Heavy Gloves): 5% ctc lvl 3 Frost Nova when struck, +16 Life, 10% Crushing Blow, 1% life steal, 20% IAS, +6% MF
* Wraith Eye (rare Ring): +27 to Life, Fire Resist +28%, Lightning Resist +25%
* Coral (29) Plated Belt of the Whale (93)
* Doom Coil (rare Ring): +2 ENE, +9 mana, +1 max damage, Fire Resist +20%, Cold Resist +19%
* Fiend Brogues (rare Greaves): +3 DEX, Fire Resist +28%, Lightning Resist +32%, 30% Faster Run/Walk

Weapon switch
* Shocking (1-412) Throwing Spear
* 'Rhyme' Heraldic Shield: 35% Resist All

* Grand Charm of Sustenance (30)
* Grand Charm of Sustenance (31)
* Chilling Grand Charm of Sustenance (33)
* Grand Charm of Vita (37)
* Large Charm of Vita (34)
* Shimmering (3) Small Charm of Life (9)
* Lapis (6) Small Charm of Life (5)
* Lapis (7) Small Charm
* Cobalt (8) Small Charm of Blight
* Azure (4) Small Charm of Sustenance (15)
* Small Charm of Life (10)
* Small Charm of Sustenance (14)
* Small Charm of Sustenance (15)
* Small Charm of Vita (18)
* Bronze Small Charm of Vita (18)
* Small Charm of Vita (20)

In in-game stash
(for most of the time)
* Throwing Spear of Vileness (almost never needed)
* Buzzing Gnarled Staff of Teleportation (used to get onto Fangskin’s altar, and to separate NM/Hell Ancients)
* Ring of Telekinesis (to open Evil Urns from around a corner)
* 'Nadir' Cap (for handling Pindle’s zombie garden in NM/Hell, before I got a Conversion chain going)
* 'Black' Knout (used against NM/Hell Ancients and act bosses, and for exploding corpses around Hell Nihlathak)

Iantha of the Sightless Eye, level 87 Fire Rogue
* Darksight Helm (but she used a 3x PTopaz Artisan’s Great Helm of the Jackal for almost all of NM/Hell)
* Witchwild String unique Short Siege Bow (+165% ED), with a Shael rune and a +14 Jewel of Carnage
* Jeweler’s Gothic Plate of Negation (6), with 2x Jewel of Fervor, a Rusty (+14% ED) Jewel of the Icicle, and an Emerald (+7% MF) Jewel of Envy

Areas skipped: none

Monsters parked: none!

Number of uniques found: 98 (23 of them exceptional, 4 of them elite: Nord’s Tenderizer, Baranar’s Star, The Gladiator’s Bane, Wizardspike)
Number of set items found: 116 (9 of them exceptional, 3 of them elite: Dangoon’s Teaching, Naj’s Light Plate, Laying of Hands))

Finally, here is the guy he is named after.

-------------------------------------------------------
Addendum: the other five:
Brynhilde the Valkazon (Tankazon tourney)
Sten the Set/Unique Worshipper Concentrate Barbarian
Freddie the Rare Pleasures Returnomancer and Lord of Mages
Aaliyah the Alphabet FO/FW Sorcie
Burt the Green with Envy Fire/Grizzly Druid
 
Originally posted by @OldSoldier on February 2, 2008

Re: Diverse Tournament of Multifariousness

I knew before starting to play this weekend that Penelope's time was short.

I'd stopped at the City of the Damned WP, waiting to assault Diablo in his sanctuary. I decided to play the RoF at players 8 in order to give myself a chance to hit level 82 in this act. That was a personal goal, and would allow me to max out Valkyrie. The monsters in the river were not difficult and yielded themselves well to the drudgery of clearing them at a high players setting. It was pretty slow to say the least. I equipped the merc with a malice colossus voulge the entire time, as the passion caused far too much monster fleeing. Haphasto was no joke at players 8, but just look at his attributes. Perhaps the easiest hell Hephasto I've seen in a while. I guess my reward was fitting.

No matter. I was on a mission, and could not be denied. I did the CS at players 1, as I'd gained about half a level and was nearly at 82 by the time I went into the sanctuary. Before clearing it I'd gotten to 82 and was set for the act. None of the seal bosses were too tough, though my respect for Infector caused me to port out and come back via the WP. Diablo dropped utter garbage, giving me my second Milabrega's kite shield.

Act V started with some difficulty, with many quill rats in the bloody foothills. They don't move and I cannot see their projectiles, so it was a good run n' gun challenge for me. Most of the other areas were not terribly difficult, as the valk was pretty sturdy. Oftentimes I left the merc dead for tough stretches, as in almost every area possible I got frenzytaurs. The only place gloams showed up was in the frozen river, so they weren't bad. It was guys like this that scared me. The initial passageways to the ancient's way actually started with extra fast boss packs of frenzytaurs on both legs that were available, which was really tough because they tended to catch me pretty quickly. The handy part about the Passion CV the merc had was the blinding, which shut down the frenzy part of their attack. It saved his bacon plenty of times.

I respawned the ancients one time. The second time I got decent mods, and so I went for it. I took along the teleport amulet, two extra throwing spear stacks, and all the space available with blues and purples. I also had the malice and strength weapons for the merc. I couldn't separate them with teleports, so somehow they all three got stacked behind the entrance like in this picture of Talic. Korlic was next, and his stone skin somehow resisted even damage from the Strength hyperion spear, so I switched to the malice. It takes about ten minutes to bleed him out, but it was so safe I could have left the computer running without me there. They never moved until only Madawc was left. By this time I'd used all of my mana and had to wait for the merc to finish them both off. Madawc got Strength treatment after getting the bleeding going.

My drops thus far were pretty poor, though I did get a headstriker and a die poison facet (+5/-3), as well as a silkweave from Nihlathak.

The minion waves were very easy, as LF ripped through everything. It was strange to me that the council wave was not immune to anything. Even PI Lister went down easily to lightning fury at level 23. Baal dropped better than he normally does with only 24% MF (the PTopaz in the Peasant Crown), because I consider the Atlantean a good paladin weapon. The fight with Baal took a long time, as I lacked the ability to slow him down any. I would have been much better off getting the Gore Riders before the fight, but none of the WP were handy for a restart session so I just kept going. The outcome was never in doubt.

I'd leveled up to 83 and successfully maxed out Fire arrow, Exploding arrow, Valkyrie, and Lightning Fury at level 83. I'm pretty happy with how the build turned out, as EA worked pretty well against all but the stoutest of enemies, and still OK against them. It was very mana intensive though, which was a stretch with these gear restrictions. Those silkweaves would have been awesome with their +5 MPK for this character but I didn't have the gear flexibility.

The cow king took two trips, as my computer crashed the first time through, but it was pretty easy with 80% FRW and LF. He dropped my second Sander's bone wand. That's all folks! Congrats to rD for winning the tournament, but I feel good about this character. She'll sit happily as runner-up. The pace was faster than I thought I could maintain and still get a guardian. She leveled up to 84 in the cow level (she was very close) and saved the point. Gear follows if you're so inclined. I really didn't switch it much.

Code:
Character name : Penelope
Character type : Hardcore Amazon
Character level : 84
Character exp : 963762952

Strength : 81
Energy : 15
Dexterity : 100
Vitality : 280
Stat Points Rem : 34
Skill Points Rem: 1

Life : 1204 / 1056
Mana : 278 / 139
Stamina : 447 / 427

Equipment:

Weapon 1:
39: Zephyr
Penelope's Reflex Bow
+33% Enhanced Damage
+66 to Attack Rating
+25 Defense
Adds 1-50 lightning damage
25% Increased Attack Speed
25% Faster Run/Walk
-25% Target Defense
+2 to Bow and Crossbow Skills (Amazon Only)
7% Chance to cast Level 1 Twister when struck
Socketed (2: 2 used)

Weapon 2:
Penelope's Maiden Javelin
+2 to Javelin and Spear Skills (Amazon Only)

Gemmed Superior Spiked Shield
All Resistances +33


Armor:
String of Ears
Peasant Crown (Ptopaz)
Sander's Riprap

Smoke
Penelope's Sharktooth Armor
'NefLum'
Defense: 652

Dire Hold
Leather Gloves
+12 to Strength
+10 to Mana
Regenerate Mana 10%
Lightning Resist +11%
+5 to Light Radius
5% Bonus to Attack Rating
+1 to Mana After Each Kill
10% Chance to cast Level 3 Nova when struck

Athletic Light Gauntlets of Frost Shield (valk prebuff)
+3 to Passive and Magic Skills (Amazon Only)
5% Chance to cast Level 3 Frost Nova when struck

Jewelry:
Eagle Grasp
Ring
Required Level: 31
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 81
Fingerprint: 0xa4452420
+7 to Dexterity
+54 to Mana
+118 to Attack Rating
Damage Reduced by 1
Cold Resist +20%
10% Faster Cast Rate

Chromatic Amulet of the Squid
+70 to Life
All Resistances +29

Telling of Beads (valk prebuff)
Amulet of Teleportation

Charms:

Shimmering Grand Charm of Life
+18 to Life
All Resistances +15

Serpent's Grand Charm (until act V hell, unless resists needed)
+56 to Mana

Serpent's Large Charm of the Icicle
+30 to Mana
Adds 2-4 cold damage over 1 seconds

Shimmering Small Charm of Anthrax
All Resistances +3
+50 poison damage over 6 seconds

Mercenary Items :
Griswold's Heart
Ornate Plate
+35 to Strength
+24 to Maximum Stamina
+48 to Attack Rating
+500 Defense
Lightning Resist +11%
24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Requirements -40%
+2 to Defensive Aura Skills (Paladin Only)
Socketed (3: 3 used)

Wraith Horn
Casque
+14 to Life
+94% Enhanced Defense
Fire Resist +10%
2% Life stolen per hit
10% Faster Hit Recovery
9% Deadly Strike
14% Chance to cast Level 5 Charged Bolt when struck

Passion
Colossus Voulge
Two-Hand Damage: 52 to 509
+209% Enhanced Damage
Adds 1-50 lightning damage
75% Extra Gold from Monsters
25% Increased Attack Speed
+1 to Berserk
+1 to Zeal
Hit Causes Monster to Flee 25%
Hit Blinds Target +10
74% Bonus to Attack Rating
75% Damage to Undead
+50 to Attack Rating against Undead
Level 3 Heart of Wolverine (12/12 Charges)
Socketed (4: 4 used)

Malice Colossus Voulge (most stone skin bosses)
Two-Hand Damage: 22 to 228

Strength Superior Hyperion Spear (act bosses)
Two-Hand Damage: 51 to 173

Code:
ALIVE
Character Class Forum Name Level Act Last WP Score
Molotov Assassin roninDOG 81 - GUARDIAN 238
Penelope Amazon OldSoldier 84 - GUARDIAN 235
Spice Amazon Wolron 46 A1 NM Harrogath 48
Tribunal Paladin Butzull 31 A5 Haggorath 42
Hammeryte Paladin Docturnal 34 A5 Frigid Highl. 40
DiversityMasta Necro Mimeaphone 25 A3 Flayer Jungle 21
PeekaBoo Amazon Zzzackkk 14 A2 Lut Gholein 7
Alexxa Assassin ToI 1 A1 Rogue Encamp 0
LazarusTheLich Necro Kool69 1 A1 Rogue Encamp 0
Blivenhcbarb Barb Bliven 9 A1 Cold Plains -3
JaneOfAllTrades Assa Zarfen 6 A1 Cold Plains -4
PepperTeddy Druid LprMan 15 A1 Dark Wood -5

DEAD/RETIRED
Character Class Forum Name Level Act Death Site Score
Skeletor Necro Vang 79 A5 HL Bldy Ft Hills 196
Bojangles Necro OldSoldier 60 A3 NM Kurast Bazaar 90
NuBluMoon Druid ElMiko 58 A4 NM Diablo 78
EntropySorc Sorc Low Key 36 A5 Frozen River 44
Jessica Sorceress OldSoldier 31 A4 Plains 33
Benetar Sorc Butzull 8 A1 Jail Lvl 1 5
EntropyDruid Druid Low Key 20 A2 Sewers 3 3
Guardian Penelope, level 84 LF/EA Amazon
 
Originally posted by @OldSoldier on July 29, 2007

Introducing Light Wight, My First Guardian

Well another boring guardian thread I suppose but this is my first. Not sure if I should post it under the Guardian sticky or not, but it does get more exposure (temporarily so) in its own thread. I don't spam new threads often so please excuse the mess.

This guardian is your standard untwinked trapsin, played under the restriction of the Afterlife Tournament. The skills are somewhat restricted, as are the stat point allocations, which is why I had 30 points left over when I finished.

Character name : Light_Wight
Character type : Hardcore Assassin
Character level : 80
Character exp : 735071007

Strength : 116
Energy : 25
Dexterity : 145
Vitality : 179
Stat Points Rem : 30
Skill Points Rem: 0

Life : 965 / 745
Mana : 172 / 143
Stamina : 457 / 392

Skills:
Charged Bolt Sentry: 6
Lightning Sentry: 20
Death Sentry: 20
Shadow Warrior: 20
Fade: 13
Cloak of Shadows: 1
Mind Blast: 1
Points Wasted in MA Tree: 4
Prereqs

For a breakdown on skill restrictions, please see the Afterlife Tourney rules for Assassins. I say the MA points were wasted because I could only use a few of them and the Shadow didn't make use of them very well, so I stuck to LS and CoS for my right mouse button.

The game was slow until I found the Sol about halfway through NM and then the Insight kicked in and play was much faster. LS and DS are a good combo, and in mobs I cast a few Mind Blasts and made a few buddies and things were good.

I went through most of the game with ethereal items, notably a 2 socket ethereal Bone Shield with ELDs in it. After I found Twitchthroe as a quest reward (and thus equippable under the rules) my blocking never wavered from 75%. With Fade active, my resists were at max as long as I wore the +20 res all amulet I found. Max resists and max (50%) PDR made for an easy time. I never went below 300 health toward the end. How did I get 50% PDR you ask? With level 17 fade (prebuffed) and a Stormshield, gift from Hell Diablo, I was on easy street.

Notable items were a really nice teleport helm, which made guardian at level 80 possible (which was my goal in the tournament) socketed with my NM Hellforge rune (Um), a great amulet with big adder to strength (otherwise Stormshield would have sat in the stash) and life and res all, Twitchthroe, Stormshield, and a shopped, personalized (and thus equippable) +2 skills claw weapon. Merc had a Smoke (Hell HF Lum) and was maxed out on resistances as well, and his Insight Halberd.

Play was very fun, especially after I tried to minimize experience to keep to level 80 and ran past absolute hordes of monsters, teleporting here and there to make a stand if I ran out of breathing room. I only killed what I had to kill on the way, including Hell Mephisto five times and Baal twice. Cow level + Death Sentry = No fair.

Character Status: Retired. I don't have enough HC MF gear (though I did find Blade of Ali Baba as my Hell Baal reward) to do that.

Equipment:
Viper Knuckle
Demonhide Gloves
Defense: 35
Durability: 12 of 12
Required Strength: 20
Required Level: 34
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 53
Fingerprint: 0xe90da7c9
+18 to Mana
Regenerate Mana 7%
17% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
10% Increased Attack Speed
+3 to Mana After Each Kill
+1 to Bow and Crossbow Skills (Amazon Only)

Dwarf Star
Ring
Required Level: 45
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 54
Fingerprint: 0x347b5c82
+40 to Life
+40 to Maximum Stamina
Heal Stamina Plus 15%
Magic Damage Reduced by 15
100% Extra Gold from Monsters
15% Fire Absorb

Treads of Cthon
Chain Boots
Defense: 25
Durability: 15 of 16
Kick Damage: 6 to 12
Required Strength: 30
Required Level: 15
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 62
Fingerprint: 0xd6a46ae7
+10 to Life
+32% Enhanced Defense
+12 Defense
+50 Defense vs. Missile
30% Faster Run/Walk
50% Slower Stamina Drain

Light_Wight's Gale Visage
Coronet
'Um'
Defense: 66
Durability: 30 of 30
Required Level: 48
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 64
Fingerprint: 0xff429987
+5 to Life
+62% Enhanced Defense
Fire Resist +15%
Lightning Resist +26%
Cold Resist +15%
Poison Resist +15%
+1 to Trap Skills (Assassin Only)
Level 1 Teleport (22/22 Charges)
Socketed (1: 1 used)

Light_Wight's Death Harness
Plated Belt
Defense: 19
Durability: 24 of 24
Required Strength: 60
Required Level: 18
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 60
Fingerprint: 0xead91511
+33 to Life
+7 to Mana
+25 to Maximum Stamina
+60% Enhanced Defense
24% Faster Hit Recovery

Twitchthroe
Studded Leather
Defense: 57
Durability: 32 of 32
Required Strength: 27
Required Level: 18
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 59
Fingerprint: 0x281c5514
+10 to Strength
+10 to Dexterity
+100 to Attack Rating (failed experiment with LI Madawc)
+25% Increased Chance of Blocking
+25 Defense
20% Increased Attack Speed
20% Faster Hit Recovery
Socketed (1: 1 used)

Beast Knot
Ring
Required Level: 13
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 59
Fingerprint: 0x2b4be2ce
+4 to Mana
Damage Reduced by 2
Fire Resist +23%
Poison Resist +20%
6% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
10% Faster Cast Rate

Psychic Amulet of Health (Prebuff)
Required Level: 30
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 42
Fingerprint: 0x718c5a96
Damage Reduced by 1
+2 to Shadow Discipline Skills (Assassin Only)

Ripsaw (Switch)
Flamberge
One-Hand Damage: 18 to 45
Two-Hand Damage: 26 to 67
Durability: 50 of 50
Required Dexterity: 49
Required Strength: 70
Required Level: 26
Sword Class - Fast Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 55
Fingerprint: 0x7f0864b8
+100% Enhanced Damage
+15 to Maximum Damage
6% Mana stolen per hit
80% Chance of Open Wounds

Bone Eye
Amulet
Required Level: 50
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 63
Fingerprint: 0xd4236e15
+17 to Strength
+59 to Life
Damage Reduced by 3
All Resistances +20

Amulet of Luck
Required Level: 19
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 62
Fingerprint: 0x271e0895
30% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

Light_Wight's Witch-hunter's Runic Talons
One-Hand Damage: 24 to 44
Durability: 69 of 69
(Assassin Only)
Required Dexterity: 115
Required Strength: 115
Required Level: 60
Claw Class - Very Fast Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 84
Fingerprint: 0xb59ae1ea
+2 to Assassin Skill Levels
+2 to Mind Blast (Assassin Only)

Stormshield
Monarch
Defense: 438
Chance to Block: 72%
Required Strength: 156
Required Level: 73
Indestructible
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 94
Fingerprint: 0x3e902fa9
+30 to Strength
+25% Increased Chance of Blocking
Damage Reduced by 35%
Lightning Resist +25%
Cold Resist +60%
35% Faster Block Rate
Attacker Takes Lightning Damage of 10
Indestructible
+300 to Defense (Based on Character Level)

Mercenary Items :

Bone Visor
Tiara
Defense: 46
Durability: 12 of 25
Required Level: 65
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: **
Fingerprint: 0x79e947ee
+9 to Minimum Damage
All Resistances +20
8% Life stolen per hit
6% Mana stolen per hit
+1 to Druid Skill Levels

Smoke
Wire Fleece
'NefLum'
Defense: 757
Durability: 28 of 32
Required Strength: 111
Required Level: 53
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 79
Fingerprint: 0xfecfeba
+10 to Energy
+75% Enhanced Defense
+280 Defense vs. Missile
All Resistances +50
-1 to Light Radius
20% Faster Hit Recovery
Level 6 Weaken (18/18 Charges)
Socketed (2: 2 used)

Insight
Halberd
'RalTirTalSol'
Two-Hand Damage: 67 to 219
Durability: 28 of 28
Required Dexterity: 37
Required Strength: 65
Required Level: 27
Polearm Class - Normal Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 33
Fingerprint: 0xa8c68a98
+5 to Strength
+5 to Energy
+5 to Dexterity
+5 to Vitality
+227% Enhanced Damage
+9 to Minimum Damage
Adds 5-30 fire damage
+75 poison damage over 5 seconds
23% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+6 to Critical Strike
35% Faster Cast Rate
203% Bonus to Attack Rating
+2 to Mana After Each Kill
Level 15 Meditation Aura When Equipped
Ethereal (Cannot be Repaired), Socketed (4: 4 used)
 
Originally posted by @OldSoldier on November 8, 2007

Guardian SaladShooter, Madawc's Better-Late-Than-Never Vassal

A few days ago my HC throwing barbarian finished off Hell Baal and claimed the title of Guardian. You can see his progress in the Thrower Barb Tournament, and the last part of the game, act V right here. http://forums.diabloii.net/showpost.php?p=6015090&postcount=289 In case you haven't been tuning in, the tournament was single pass, no RWM, no ATMA. He touched all WP and completed all quests along the way.

His stats looked like this:

Character name : SaladShooter
Character type : Hardcore Barbarian
Character level : 81
Character exp : 806333129

Strength : 138
Energy : 10
Dexterity : 142
Vitality : 210
Stat Points Rem : 0
Skill Points Rem: 0

Life : 2601 / 1015
Mana : 315 / 90
Stamina : 942 / 357

Skills:
Shout - 12 or 13
Battle Orders - 20
Double Swing - 20
Double Throw - 1
Throw Mastery - 20
Natural Resist - 3 or 4

He was your standard double throw barb, but I took a different tack than did roninDOG on his. I used a blessed aim mercenary and that freed up points for me to boost shout, which in turn increased both of our survivability. I was around 40-50% to hit even without a shield in the later acts. The merc was very hard to kill, with defense around 7000. Our damage wasn't high but some lucky finds helped tremendously.

Equipment:
Helm - IK Will stuffed with 2 PTopazes. What a great find in normal difficulty, I never took it off once I got to level 47. +2 warcries helped my horking and grim totem range, as well as life, mana, duration, etc. This was a difference maker.
Gloves - Bloodfist - life, IAS, damage, FHR, great gloves
Belt - upgraded Nightsmoke (I used the only shael I found on this)
Boots - Goblin Toe - Crushing Blow, can I say more?
Armor - Black Hades (woo hoo 5 total sockets on my char) and Spirit Shroud, depending on the circumstance
Jewelry - one 35% MF ring and a bunch of other utilitarian magics, including a teleport amulet, which was handy against Hell Ancients
Weapons - See my tourney post for the shopped broccoli choppers I drug around. They weren't bad but were attained after shopping nearly every trip to town for the entire game. Even trying to kill Baal, but that was just by habit at that point.

Merc Equipment:
Helm - Rockstopper - resists and 10% DR
Armor - Duriel's Shell - dropped by NM Diablo, CBF, resists, +life
Weapon - Hone Sundan - this dropped in Durance level 2 in NM. This was another critical key to the success of SaladShooter.

Hellforge - Lum and Gul

This character was very blessed, finding some of the best possible items in a single pass run, and even finding them all before hell difficulty even started. I skipped tons of monsters trying to get below level 83, so I didn't need the drops. Probably half my drops were horked, which is another incredible advantage for a barbarian. Nothing was really hard, as 2600 life goes a long way. The merc had over 3000 life himself, and was very sturdy. He could even survive a self inflicted hit cursed with IM.

He's retired now, but I might bust out some of that equipment again on other characters, as my HC item stash is pretty weak.
 
Originally posted by @OldSoldier on January 14, 2008

Argh! Deerslayer went the distance last night and the forum timed me out and the update is destroyed. I don't want to type it again, so I'll summarize.

Scaredy-cat Frenzytaurs. Would Jiansonz kill these guys with ravens? :scratch:
My first Amn rune with this character.
Sweet gambled amulet.
Baal's crappy drop.

The fights were hardest in the succubi areas because they'd go through wolves really fast. The demon sprite areas were actually OK because they'd run around and poison each other and were one hit kills with rabies. The ancients spawned with cheesy mods and I dispatched them with a single full rejuv potion to the merc and a few rabies injections. The WSK was a joke, with defilers and poison bone mages. It's tough to get even a defiler boss to take a whack at you.

The only hard fight against Baal's minions was Achmel, who was poison immune and had holy freeze. With Baal's decrepify active, the merc took a swing at him about every half hour, which was easily regenerated. Enter malice and he eventually went down. Ventar and Lister were far easier than I expected. Neither of them even pushed me back to the entryway to the room with Baal in it.

All he has left to do is make some mad cow disease and then it'll be retirement in the halls of guardianship.

Vital statistics and gear below for those interested. 75% block. The cool tiara was found as a white in a cold tunnel area in act V hell and imbued, then socketed. It made life much easier with about 25% more powerful summons. The bear was a beast when I needed it. Charms provided 20% LR, 11% FR, 10%CR, 9% PR, 191 life, and 7% MF among other small mods.

Skills:
Oak Sage - 10
Spirit Wolves - 5
Dire Wolves - 20 (didn't regret this in the end)
Grizzly - 20
Werewolf - 1
Lycanthropy - 1
Rabies - 20
Poison Creeper - 14 (I think, might be less)

NM forge - Lem
Hell forge - Io

Best otherwise rune - Lum

Code:
Character name  : Deerslayer
Character type  : Hardcore Druid
Character level : 83
Character exp   : 954819120

Strength        : 224
Energy          : 25
Dexterity       : 229
Vitality        : 25
Stat Points Rem : 2
Skill Points Rem: 0

Life            : 924 / 238
Mana            : 202 / 194
Stamina         : 218 / 166

Skull Clutches
Sharkskin Gloves
Defense: 36
Durability: 13 of 14
Required Strength: 20
Required Level: 34
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 67
Fingerprint: 0x6435622d
+16 to Life
+15 to Attack Rating
Poison Resist +19%
2% Life stolen per hit
19% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Poison Length Reduced by 25%
10% Chance of Crushing Blow

Wraith Greaves
Light Plated Boots
Defense: 19
Durability: 16 of 18
Required Strength: 50
Required Level: 18
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 75
Fingerprint: 0xa0ae85ad
+64% Enhanced Defense
Fire Resist +31%
Poison Resist +22%
19% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
20% Faster Run/Walk

Gale Harness
Demonhide Sash
Defense: 66
Durability: 11 of 12
Required Strength: 20
Required Level: 42
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 57
Fingerprint: 0xb051dfa2
+84% Enhanced Defense
Damage Reduced by 2
Magic Damage Reduced by 2
Lightning Resist +20%
Cold Resist +26%
Poison Resist +6%

Skin of the Vipermagi
Serpentskin Armor
Defense: 279
Durability: 23 of 24
Required Strength: 43
Required Level: 29
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 64
Fingerprint: 0x8464664e
+38 to Life
+120% Enhanced Defense
Magic Damage Reduced by 13
All Resistances +24
30% Faster Cast Rate
+1 to All Skill Levels
Socketed (1: 1 used)

Entropy Master
Ring
Required Level: 48
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 75
Fingerprint: 0x4a96004a
+22 to Life
+18 to Attack Rating
All Resistances +10
+50 poison damage over 3 seconds
10% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Half Freeze Duration

Havoc Mask
Tiara
Defense: 59
Durability: 20 of 25
Required Level: 52
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 87
Fingerprint: 0x1e9b3aac
+38 to Life
+16% Enhanced Defense
Damage Reduced by 2
All Resistances +15
+2 to Summoning Skills (Druid Only)
Socketed (1: 1 used)

Gemmed Falcon Mask
'Ral'
Defense: 26
Durability: 20 of 20
(Druid Only)
Required Strength: 28
Required Level: 19
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 32
Fingerprint: 0x825f86e9
+38 to Life
Fire Resist +30%
24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+3 to Rabies (Druid Only)
Socketed (3: 3 used)

Communal Amulet
Required Level: 45
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 60
Fingerprint: 0x2f1ebfeb
+3 to Shape-Shifting Skills (Druid Only)

Corpse Crack
Barbed Club
One-Hand Damage: 24 to 44
Durability: 28 of 36
Required Strength: 30
Required Level: 43
Mace Class - Normal Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 67
Fingerprint: 0xd86493ac
+29 to Life
+76% Enhanced Damage
+2 to Minimum Damage
6% Life stolen per hit
+2 to Druid Skill Levels
150% Damage to Undead

Rhyme
Dragon Shield
'ShaelEth'
Defense: 65
Chance to Block:  58%
Durability: 74 of 76
Required Strength: 91
Required Level: 29
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 48
Fingerprint: 0x77d97f44
+20% Increased Chance of Blocking
Regenerate Mana 15%
All Resistances +25
50% Extra Gold from Monsters
25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
40% Faster Block Rate
Cannot Be Frozen
Socketed (2: 2 used)

Storm Talisman
Amulet
Required Level: 27
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 84
Fingerprint: 0xd235b085
+5 to Dexterity
+6 to Life
Poison Resist +29%
21% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+1 to Druid Skill Levels

Immortal King's Stone Crusher
Ogre Maul
Two-Hand Damage: 231 to 318
Required Strength: 225
Required Level: 76
Mace Class - Fastest Attack Speed
Indestructible
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 76
Fingerprint: 0xb3a6fcdc
+200% Enhanced Damage
+36 Defense
70% Increased Attack Speed
200% Damage to Demons
350% Damage to Undead
37% Chance of Crushing Blow
Indestructible

***Partial Set Item Bonuses***
Adds 211-397 fire damage
Adds 7-477 lightning damage
Adds 127-364 cold damage over 6 seconds
+204 poison damage over 6 seconds
Adds 250-361 magic damage
***Partial Set Item Bonuses***


Mercenary Items :
Hawkmail
Tigulated Mail
Defense: 368
Durability: 36 of 36
Required Strength: 86
Required Level: 30
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 60
Fingerprint: 0x6d15fe42
+98% Enhanced Defense
Cold Resist +15%
+15% to Maximum Cold Resist
Required Level +5
10% Faster Run/Walk
Cannot Be Frozen

Giant Skull
Bone Visage
'OrtRal'
Defense: 380
Durability: 40 of 40
Required Strength: 106
Required Level: 65
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: **
Fingerprint: 0x382c80b9
+29 to Strength
+277 Defense
Fire Resist +30%
Lightning Resist +30%
Knockback
10% Chance of Crushing Blow
Socketed (2: 2 used)

Insight
Superior Colossus Voulge
'RalTirTalSol'
Two-Hand Damage: 63 to 528
Durability: 38 of 50
Required Dexterity: 55
Required Strength: 210
Required Level: 48
Polearm Class - Slow Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 84
Fingerprint: 0xe77c6416
+5 to Strength
+5 to Energy
+5 to Dexterity
+5 to Vitality
+210% Enhanced Damage
+10% Enhanced Damage
+9 to Minimum Damage
Adds 5-30 fire damage
+75 poison damage over 5 seconds
23% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+4 to Critical Strike
35% Faster Cast Rate
229% Bonus to Attack Rating
+2 to Mana After Each Kill
Level 12 Meditation Aura When Equipped
Socketed (4: 4 used)
If-Idid-it-all-over-again-I'd-do-this ruminations: one point only in spirit wolves, to try and free up more points for the rabies synergy. Rabies worked OK but mostly as a regen-stopper. By the end, every point I put into creeper was giving me 500 damage though so it was getting better. Ended up at 8100-8600 damage.

Guardian Deerslayer, level 83 Summoning and Rabies Druid
 
Originally posted by @OldSoldier on April 14, 2008

Guardian Minime, Boneless Golemancer

I'd like to introduce my newest Guardian, this time a necromancer. He followed the rules of Merlin the Wizzard's Make No Bones About It Tournament, which if you haven't followed it closely involved characters who were allergic to bones of all kinds. Effectively this meant that no bone skills were useable, nor any skeletons/mages/revives allowed. Either Corpse Explosion or Poison Explosion must be maxed (as a form of corpse disposal to ensure that no bones would remain on the battlefield). The characters could not touch bone type stashes, must not melee skeletons, and must have a form of cold damage on every attack, with the intent that shattering a monster into ice was also a way to get rid of the bones. As such the merc used a savage poleaxe of frost until act II NM when I hired a holy freeze merc and he could equip any weapon I wanted (I didn't get a cold jewel until after that). Characters could not wear certain items that had anything to do with bones, such as bone shields, bone helms, etc.

Running bosses up to three times was allowed, but except for the countess, I used that rule sparingly. You can follow Minime's progress, with lots of pictures and storyline, starting on page 14 of that tournament, if you have the inkling. The character was untwinked and found all his own gear. I decided to kill two birds with one stone with this character, and that was to make an Iron Golem focused character. Their innate lightning resist and poison immunity seemed to me like it would make a pretty stout machine. It was, after I'd maxed out Golem Mastery, which is a must for longevity. In fact, casting the golem at a mastery level of 28 yielded over 6500 HP in hell difficulty. The other bird was using AI curses. Not too many people use Confuse so I decided to try that. Dim Vision as an AI curse is better crowd control, but I wanted monsters to clump together for more effective corpse explosion disposal, and confuse is just incredible for that. Monsters come from several screens away to join the party and whale away on their former friends. It takes most of the heat from the merc, who has enough time to put a couple monsters down, and from there CE shouldered the burden and destroyed all. Do this in about five or six spots per area and it is cleared. In fact by the time I started in hell (and went to /P1) the character was like a boulder rolling downhill, gaining momentum in an unstoppable manner until the end.

I tried to maintain the golem as a weapon with open wounds for as long as possible. That cures regeneration on all monsters and helped our speed greatly, especially in normal and nightmare when CE didn't do as much damage at the higher players settings. I used Malice/Steel RW for this as often as necessary, so much so that I finished with only three El runes in the ATMA stash. I finished with a Strength RW golem for the CB against the Ancients and onward. CB works wonders on the old men and Baal- I forgot to bring any with me into the fight with Hell Diablo and I paid for it with a long and bitter (and expensive) battle.

His skill placement was pretty straightforward.

P&B
Teeth 1
CE 20

Summoning
Clay Golem 1
Blood Golem 1
Iron Golem 1
Fire Golem 1
Golem Mastery 20
Summon Resist 3

Curses
Amp Damage 1
Weaken 1
Terror 1
Decrepify 1
Dim Vision 1
Confuse 20
Attract 1
Skill Points left over 20

He maxed out Golem Mastery first, then CE, and finally Confuse. Confuse has a huge radius at level 24; larger than the screen if you cast it on yourself. You can confuse-scout ahead and see if things through doorways start moving and attacking each other. My MO in hell was to scout with confuse sometimes (other times I would run headlong with 50% FRW and simply retreat behind the "lines" at first sign of trouble). Once a confused group of monsters was battling it out, my merc would generally pick the closest monster to him and begin to hit. I'd sometimes amp the pack closest to him for more effective corpse bombs and quicker dispatching of the first monster. Once a monster or two was down, I'd amp the area within CE range and start blasting. There were three instances this weekend when I had four boss pack stacks in the WSK and I didn't even realize it because I started corpse explosions from the edge of the screen and saw cold novas going off before even seeing the boss. Check out the pics in the tourney thread; I've never had four packs go down so quickly before.

His Achilles Heel was areas where monsters would scatter and create a non-linear battlefield. Areas with the blood hawks were the ones that come to mind. In hell it wasn't even too bad, since I found a Shael and decided to get to 50% block via Rhyme RW. 50% block saved me too, so sub-1000 life is OK for me.

Gear is shown in the text block below. Notable equipment is the Skin of Vipermagi (found act II NM) and the Spirit sword. All else is pretty standard gear for an untwinked character: rares and crafts with enough resists to get to 75% fire, cold, and lightning. That paid off too as the gloams in the WSK 2 would have probably killed Minime if I hadn't been good about keeping max resists.

Code:
Character name  : Minime
Character type  : Hardcore Necromancer
Character level : 83
Character exp   : 907208705

Strength        : 69
Energy          : 25
Dexterity       : 166
Vitality        : 245
Stat Points Rem : 0
Skill Points Rem: 20

Life            : 929 / 688
Mana            : 200 / 189
Stamina         : 391 / 391

Gold (Inventory): 787148
Gold (Stash)    : 2100000

Number of Items : 54

1: Skull Gyre
Ring
Required Level: 43
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 59
Fingerprint: 0x3b71399d
+29 to Life
+114 to Attack Rating
Cold Resist +26%
9% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
14% Chance to cast Level 5 Charged Bolt when struck

2: Raven Touch
Bramble Mitts
Defense: 95
Durability: 36 of 36
Required Strength: 50
Required Level: 42
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 61
Fingerprint: 0xc77787fa
+2 to Dexterity
+52% Enhanced Defense
+15 to Attack Rating
Lightning Resist +24%
Poison Resist +18%
15% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+1 to Light Radius

3: Doom Lock
Demonhide Sash
Defense: 33
Durability: 12 of 12
Required Strength: 20
Required Level: 24
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 75
Fingerprint: 0xf508769
+2 to Strength
+4 to Life
+15 to Attack Rating
Fire Resist +18%
Lightning Resist +13%
Cold Resist +21%
+1 to Light Radius
Required Level +5

4: Minime's Skin of the Vipermagi
Serpentskin Armor
Defense: 279
Durability: 24 of 24
Required Strength: 43
Required Level: 29
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 46
Fingerprint: 0xfc200d5c
+38 to Life
+120% Enhanced Defense
Magic Damage Reduced by 9
All Resistances +23
30% Faster Cast Rate
+1 to All Skill Levels
Socketed (1: 1 used)

Perfect Ruby
Inserted into a Serpentskin Armor

+38 to Life

Required Level: 18
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion

5: Dire Greaves
Chain Boots
Defense: 9
Durability: 16 of 16
Required Strength: 30
Required Level: 29
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 49
Fingerprint: 0xb059caa7
+3 to Dexterity
Heal Stamina Plus 25%
Fire Resist +34%
30% Faster Run/Walk
14% Chance to cast Level 5 Nova when struck

7: Small Charm of Vita
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 39
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 83
Fingerprint: 0x31ad568e
+16 to Life

8: Grand Charm of Vita
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 69
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 83
Fingerprint: 0x792a62e
+39 to Life

9: Small Charm of Sustenance
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 17
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 43
Fingerprint: 0xe9b788ed
+15 to Life

10: Sapphire Large Charm of Pestilence
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 27
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 67
Fingerprint: 0x93802a40
Cold Resist +13%
+25 poison damage over 5 seconds

11: Coral Grand Charm of Life
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 15
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 30
Fingerprint: 0xff03975b
+5 to Life
Lightning Resist +21%

12: Snake's Small Charm of Life
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 24
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 65
Fingerprint: 0xfea276f8
+7 to Life
+11 to Mana

13: Small Charm of Good Luck
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 33
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 81
Fingerprint: 0x2fbd0b62
7% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

14: Large Charm of Vita
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 50
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 69
Fingerprint: 0x57d9b1ae
+26 to Life

15: Shimmering Large Charm of Dexterity
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 13
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 37
Fingerprint: 0xac55f7dd
+4 to Dexterity
All Resistances +5

16: Russet Small Charm
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 10
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 23
Fingerprint: 0x9a0a8ee3
Fire Resist +7%

23: Summoner's Amulet of Guarding
Required Level: 27
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: **
Fingerprint: 0xb9520fbd
Magic Damage Reduced by 3
+1 to Necromancer Skill Levels

28: Ring of Fortune
Required Level: 31
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 85
Fingerprint: 0x331d5b67
24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

29: Monk's Amulet of Luck
Required Level: 27
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 53
Fingerprint: 0x5d72d958
35% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+1 to Paladin Skill Levels

30: Superior Zombie Head
Defense: 9
Chance to Block:  25%
Durability: 22 of 22
(Necromancer Only)
Required Strength: 14
Required Level: 24
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 79
Fingerprint: 0xea184567
+8% Enhanced Defense
Adds 2-7 poison damage over 3 seconds
Increase Maximum Durability 10%
+1 to Bone Spear (Necromancer Only)
+3 to Iron Golem (Necromancer Only)
+2 to Poison Explosion (Necromancer Only)

31: Minime's Stone Mask
Circlet
Defense: 27
Durability: 35 of 35
Required Level: 25
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 32
Fingerprint: 0xa482ce95
All Resistances +14
Adds 1-75 lightning damage
20% Faster Cast Rate
Poison Length Reduced by 50%
+1 to Curses (Necromancer Only)
12% Chance to cast Level 4 Charged Bolt when struck

32: Mojo Circlet
Defense: 20
Durability: 35 of 35
Required Level: 30
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 48
Fingerprint: 0x2682c1ea
+2 to Summoning Skills (Necromancer Only)

33: Golemlord's Petrified Wand of the Locust
One-Hand Damage: 8 to 24
Durability: 13 of 15
Required Strength: 25
Required Level: 45
Staff Class - Slow Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 85
Fingerprint: 0xad209df8
7% Life stolen per hit
+1 to Poison Explosion (Necromancer Only)
150% Damage to Undead
+3 to Summoning Skills (Necromancer Only)

34: Order Talisman
Amulet
Required Level: 44
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 63
Fingerprint: 0x42779d0d
+3 to Strength
+19 to Energy
+19 to Mana
Regenerate Mana 7%
All Resistances +12
9% Faster Cast Rate

35: Shadow Emblem
Amulet
Required Level: 34
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 45
Fingerprint: 0x8debfd9
+3 to Maximum Damage
Damage Reduced by 1
All Resistances +8
+2 to Summoning Skills (Necromancer Only)
8% Chance to cast Level 3 Chain Lightning on attack

36: Noxious Amulet of Fortune
Required Level: 30
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 85
Fingerprint: 0x4821ff0d
25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+2 to Poison and Bone Skills (Necromancer Only)

37: Strength
Ogre Axe
'AmnTir'
Two-Hand Damage: 56 to 292
Durability: 26 of 26
Required Dexterity: 65
Required Strength: 185
Required Level: 45
Polearm Class - Normal Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 83
Fingerprint: 0x6a73124d
+20 to Strength
+10 to Vitality
+35% Enhanced Damage
7% Life stolen per hit
25% Chance of Crushing Blow
+2 to Mana After Each Kill
Ethereal (Cannot be Repaired), Socketed (2: 2 used)

38: Amulet of Teleportation
Required Level: 48
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 48
Fingerprint: 0xf45161cb
Level 1 Teleport (17/22 Charges)

40: Grand Charm of Sustenance
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 53
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 84
Fingerprint: 0x4eab4ae4
+31 to Life

41: Grand Charm of Sustenance
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 53
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 83
Fingerprint: 0xabb9b559
+31 to Life

50: Spirit
Superior Long Sword
'TalThulOrtAmn'
One-Hand Damage: 3 to 20
Durability: 44 of 44
Required Dexterity: 39
Required Strength: 55
Required Level: 25
Sword Class - Fast Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 37
Fingerprint: 0x222b16a1
+22 to Vitality
+90 to Mana
+1 to Maximum Damage
+250 Defense vs. Missile
Adds 1-50 lightning damage
Adds 3-14 cold damage over 3 seconds
+75 poison damage over 5 seconds
7% Life stolen per hit
55% Faster Hit Recovery
35% Faster Cast Rate
+2 to All Skill Levels
+7 Magic Absorb
Socketed (4: 4 used)

51: Rhyme
Large Shield
'ShaelEth'
Defense: 12
Chance to Block:  52%
Durability: 24 of 24
Required Strength: 34
Required Level: 29
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 12
Fingerprint: 0x81bb1fb3
+20% Increased Chance of Blocking
Regenerate Mana 15%
All Resistances +25
50% Extra Gold from Monsters
25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
40% Faster Block Rate
Cannot Be Frozen
Socketed (2: 2 used)

52: Rainbow Ring of Warding
Required Level: 48
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 64
Fingerprint: 0x90999c34
Magic Damage Reduced by 1
All Resistances +10

53: Zephyr
Edge Bow
'OrtEth'
Two-Hand Damage: 7 to 25
Required Dexterity: 43
Required Strength: 25
Required Level: 21
Bow Class - Fast Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 31
Fingerprint: 0x8de6bc3
+33% Enhanced Damage
+66 to Attack Rating
+25 Defense
Adds 1-50 lightning damage
25% Increased Attack Speed
25% Faster Run/Walk
-25% Target Defense
7% Chance to cast Level 1 Twister when struck
Socketed (2: 2 used)

Mercenary Items :

1: Artisan's Mage Plate of Absorption
Defense: 240
Durability: 60 of 60
Required Strength: 55
Required Level: 25
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 74
Fingerprint: 0x8450705
+30 to Strength
Damage Reduced by 3
Socketed (3: 3 used)

2: Iratha's Coil
Crown
Defense: 202
Durability: 39 of 50
Required Strength: 55
Required Level: 15
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 60
Fingerprint: 0x65ba866a
Fire Resist +30%
Lightning Resist +30%

***Partial Set Item Bonuses***
+166 to Defense (Based on Character Level)
***Partial Set Item Bonuses***


3: Insight
Superior Colossus Voulge
'RalTirTalSol'
Two-Hand Damage: 64 to 536
Durability: 50 of 50
Required Dexterity: 55
Required Strength: 210
Required Level: 48
Polearm Class - Slow Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 85
Fingerprint: 0x59111088
+5 to Strength
+5 to Energy
+5 to Dexterity
+5 to Vitality
+217% Enhanced Damage
+8% Enhanced Damage
+1 to Attack Rating
+9 to Minimum Damage
Adds 5-30 fire damage
+75 poison damage over 5 seconds
23% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+2 to Critical Strike
35% Faster Cast Rate
189% Bonus to Attack Rating
+2 to Mana After Each Kill
Level 15 Meditation Aura When Equipped
Socketed (4: 4 used)
Hellforges were Sol (NM) and Io (Hell) which is just about as bad as it can possibly get. No matter, throughout his travels he also got the following goodies.

Haemosu's Adamant
Ethereal Colossus Sword (no sockets)
Biggins Bonnet
Bloodmoon (HC grailer)
Butchers Pupil
Cliffkiller (HC grailer)
Corpsemourn
Dark Adherent
Frostwind (HC grailer)
Gerke's Sanctuary (ethereal)
Hand of Blessed Light
IK Boots and Maul (perfect 40% CB)
Jade Talon (HC grailer)
Nord's Tenderizer (HC grailer)
Skystrike
lightning skiller +4 strength
Stormrider (HC grailer)
Tal Rasha's Amulet (HC grailer)
Trang Oul's Claws and Wing (couldn't wear either of them due to restrictions)
Venomgrip
Valkyrie's Grand Matron Bow (+3 bow skills) - no suffix

As with my other guardians he'll sit on the shelf for a while longer. Perhaps someday I'll put that IK Maul into a golem with the two ruby jewels (33% and 40% I found with this guy) and pump fire golem to max the damage synergy and see how much the rusty can sing.
 
Originally posted by @OldSoldier on September 2, 2008

Guardian Horatio, Holy Knight of Westmarch

Those of us active in tournaments may realize that I've been searching for a way to Guardian a paladin in my own tournament for quite a while now. Last night I finally achieved the goal. He is the fourth guardian in that untwinked, single pass tournament.

For those of us unfamiliar with the tournament restrictions, roninDOG and I left it up to each individual's play style for their choice of build and restrictions, tiering the tournament to reward those who fought harder and farther. You can follow along Horatio's journey (he is my fifth character in the tournament, the others died between levels 52 and 80) in the tournament thread. I'll post an excerpt here because Horatio, my sixth Guardian in my tournament septemvirate quest, was easily the most challenging finish I've ever had to this game. I attribute it to his two tournament restrictions: not being able to repair equipment except via the cube, and not being able to purchase scrolls for the duration of the journey.

... The next two screenshots demonstrate Horatio at his finest: cowering behind Hazade. His resists were well maximized by then, he only saved Anya in order to give him a gold gambling outlet. Plus the fact that the area held 2/3 undead monsters didn't hurt.

Take a look at Horatio collecting his breath just before facing the ancients here. He had 10 TP scrolls before going the first time. The first roll was scary as the merc died before I could even see the mods on the ancients. TP. The second roll was doable, and I settled into a 2 on 2 battle after leaving Talic behind. It was a stable situation until Madawc came to whisper sweet nothings into my ear. He stayed like that for a few throws but eventually aimed at Horatio, breaking his hoy bolt concentration, and Korlic, slivered, killed Hazade. I got Korlic but realized I'd forgotten my Goblin Toe and only had the OW on the Malice to deal damage. CRAP! TP.

Next few rolls of the ancients: tough ones, requiring merc resurrections galore and many trips to town. TP, TP, TP, TP. Down to 4 left to finish the game, plus whatever drops in the WSK if I get that far. Horatio touched the altar and ran away. His 30 FRW circlet and Vigor are wonderful attributes. The ancients killed the merc again (I think Madawc did it, he was extra strong) but I separated them after running a bit. Talic was first. Stone Skin! Goblin Toe barely touched him, and he bled all over the place. Eventually he died and Korlic came next. Also Stone Skin. I kept checking the durability of the Malice War Scepter (started around 65 for the battle) because I was afraid I'd lose my source of OW if it broke. After Talic it was about 45. Korlic took about 35 more, but he died. Ick! I didn't even know what mods Madawc had at this point. Fortunately Stone Skin wasn't one of them.

After the ancients died, I checked the durability on the Malice. Yikes, one left! Good thing I had an Ort in the game stash. I stepped through the portal expecting a stair trap, which never came. I popped a TP to get Hazade back into the fight. 3 TPs left.

WSK1 was uneventful, with FI Blood Lords and undead. Physical attackers tend to be my bread and butter with an Abbot, so it wasn't bad, and I needed it. WSK2 had fights like this. Generally I was pretty happy with undead setups, so I kept going from the WP to the stairs instead of quitting.

WSK3 was really hard, featuring physical immune witches, more blood lords, and the goofy skeleton poison mages. I burned two TPs trying to fight my way through the level before just putting on my running boots and hauling booty through the insanely populated level. Horatio was dodging multiple attacks, getting sniped here and there by frenzytaurs, and generally making a scared swim through shark infested waters. It was really intense. I entered the ToD with two TP scrolls.

The D2 gods smiled upon me, providing me with a Throne of Destruction comprised completely of Blood Lords, Burning Souls, Oblivion Knights, Doom Knights, and Stygian Dolls. All undead and ripe for the holy bolting. Two burning souls were nice enough to drop TP scrolls too, which left me with 3 for the minion waves and Baal.

I plugged away at the first wave with Redemption, slowly chipping away at Colenzo's buddy pool, and giving him a good smiting when I thought he needed it to keep the blood flowing. Wave 2 was easy, as I laid down a few FoH on some outlying skeletons and the wave of bolts crashed through the unravelers. Waves three and four were handled with copious amounts of conversion. I really like that skill, but it has limitations.

I had to split Lister's pack which was tough considering that I couldn't portal out unless in dire emergency. I got them into groups of two and killed them OK. Conversion didn't work on them like I'd hoped it would.

On to the fight with Baal. I had to TP out a couple of times when the festering appendages got too thick. I knew that going back through the WSK2 wouldn't be a viable option so when he spawned his clone I would retreat to the corner to wait it out, dodging appendages along the way.

It got worse before it got better. One of the merc resurrection trips I got all my remaining full rejuvs (I started with 10 for the fight) and all spaces filled with healing pots, and it looked like this. That's right, I'd burned every single TP scroll I had available. I then spent my unused socket reward putting a PRuby in my circlet and equipped a +76 life and prismatic amulet for extra life. It gets worse. Baal cloned himself and they were both hammering on Horatio, locked into a corner. The Rhyme CBF mod shined here, as Horatio wasn't idly taking this abuse. He was dishing out the crushing blow with an auto-hit smite attack.

When Baal went to the hoarfrost mana drain, Horatio went to the Meditation and gained enough mana to sustain his smiting consistently. When the Lord of Destruction physically hit Horatio to below 50% health, he used a purple. It was a neck and neck struggle. I couldn't leave if I'd wanted to, and Baal's last sliver was going so very slowly. It took what seemed like ages before he fell.

In the end I was out of TP scrolls, had one single full rejuv left over, and the Malice again was almost broken.

He maxed out Holy Bolt, Fist of the Heavens, Prayer, had one point in all non resists-based defensive auras, and one point in smite and holy shield. He is working on maximizing Blessed Hammer for synergy purposes. He also spent 4 or 5 points in conversion, with + skills he got his percent chance up to 33%, which was acceptable when the timing was right.

His stats and gear:
Code:
Character name  : Horatio
Character type  : Hardcore Paladin
Character level : 82
Character exp   : 855236566

Strength        : 97
Energy          : 15
Dexterity       : 179
Vitality        : 200

Stat Points Rem : 14
Skill Points Rem: 0

Life            : 1089 / 802
Mana            : 209 / 136
Stamina         : 411 / 345

Gold (Inventory): 31377
Gold (Stash)    : 2100000

Tome of Town Portal
Quantity: 0

Dwarf Star
Ring
Required Level: 45
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 66
Fingerprint: 0x8954d277
+40 to Life
+40 to Maximum Stamina
Heal Stamina Plus 15%
Magic Damage Reduced by 12
100% Extra Gold from Monsters
15% Fire Absorb

Small Charm of Life
+10 to Life

Rugged Small Charm of Balance
+15 to Maximum Stamina
5% Faster Hit Recovery

Snake's Small Charm of Greed
+12 to Mana
10% Extra Gold from Monsters

Jagged Grand Charm of Sustenance
+26 to Life
+1 to Maximum Damage

Russet Small Charm
Fire Resist +7%

Death Hand
Chain Gloves
Defense: 17
Durability: 7 of 16
Required Strength: 25
Required Level: 26
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 49
Fingerprint: 0x144ca89a
+5 to Strength
+72% Enhanced Defense
Cold Resist +20%
3% Life stolen per hit
21% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+1 to Bow and Crossbow Skills (Amazon Only)

Small Charm of Life
+10 to Life

Goldwrap
Heavy Belt
Defense: 36
Durability: 15 of 18
Required Strength: 45
Required Level: 27
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 81
Fingerprint: 0xe1dfe6b0
+60% Enhanced Defense
+25 Defense
60% Extra Gold from Monsters
30% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+2 to Light Radius
10% Increased Attack Speed

Smoke
Ancient Armor
'NefLum'
Defense: 386
Durability: 29 of 60
Required Strength: 100
Required Level: 37
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 61
Fingerprint: 0xb557229c
+10 to Energy
+75% Enhanced Defense
+280 Defense vs. Missile
All Resistances +50
-1 to Light Radius
20% Faster Hit Recovery
Level 6 Weaken (18/18 Charges)
Socketed (2: 2 used)

Coral Ring of Fortune
Lightning Resist +28%
21% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

Russet Large Charm of Sustenance
+17 to Life
Fire Resist +9%

Small Charm of Vita
+20 to Life

Russet Small Charm of Vita
+18 to Life
Fire Resist +6%

Small Charm of Sustenance
+14 to Life

Burly Grand Charm of Sustenance
+35 to Life
+15 Defense

Snake's Grand Charm of Sustenance
+21 to Life
+31 to Mana

Rugged Small Charm of Pestilence (for PI/LI bosses only)
+11 to Maximum Stamina
+25 poison damage over 5 seconds

Lidless Wall (for turbocharged merc healing only)
Grim Shield
Defense: 288
Chance to Block:  50%
Smite Damage: 14 to 20
Durability: 42 of 70
Required Strength: 58
Required Level: 41
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 49
Fingerprint: 0x32631540
+10 to Energy
+91% Enhanced Defense
Increase Maximum Mana 10%
+1 to Light Radius
20% Faster Cast Rate
+1 to All Skill Levels
+5 to Mana After Each Kill

Viridian Small Charm
Poison Resist +7%

Grand Charm of Sustenance
+25 to Life

Spirit Cowl
Circlet
Defense: 28
Durability: 35 of 35
Required Level: 63
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 81
Fingerprint: 0x58dedafb
+28 to Strength
+52 to Life
+95 to Attack Rating
All Resistances +16
30% Faster Run/Walk
50% Damage to Demons
+86 to Attack Rating against Demons
Socketed (1: 1 used)
Perfect Ruby
Inserted into a Circlet
+38 to Life

Glyph Trample
Chain Boots
Defense: 8
Durability: 11 of 16
Required Strength: 30
Required Level: 29
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 46
Fingerprint: 0x9339821b
Lightning Resist +30%
Poison Resist +32%
25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
30% Faster Run/Walk
10% Chance to cast Level 3 Charged Bolt when struck

Gull
Dagger
One-Hand Damage: 2 to 19
Durability: 16 of 16
Required Level: 4
Dagger Class - Fast Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 6
Fingerprint: 0x98d84e24
-5 to Mana
+1 to Minimum Damage
+15 to Maximum Damage
100% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

Goblin Toe
Light Plated Boots
Defense: 33
Durability: 6 of 18
Required Strength: 50
Required Level: 22
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 52
Fingerprint: 0x5f970d4c
+50% Enhanced Defense
+15 Defense
Damage Reduced by 1
Magic Damage Reduced by 1
-1 to Light Radius
25% Chance of Crushing Blow

Nagelring
Ring
Required Level: 7
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 14
Fingerprint: 0x13336ca3
+57 to Attack Rating
Magic Damage Reduced by 3
Attacker Takes Damage of 3
25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

Doom Eye
Amulet
Required Level: 49
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 63
Fingerprint: 0xa057af0d
+15 to Mana
Regenerate Mana 8%
Damage Reduced by 3
All Resistances +12
5% Faster Cast Rate
+2 to Combat Skills (Paladin Only)

Prismatic Amulet of the Squid (Hell Baal fight only)
Required Level: 31
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 50
Fingerprint: 0xe58ef66b
+76 to Life
All Resistances +16

Spirit
Superior Broad Sword
'TalThulOrtAmn'
One-Hand Damage: 7 to 14
Durability: 35 of 36
Required Strength: 48
Required Level: 25
Sword Class - Normal Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 49
Fingerprint: 0x2a1e3b45
+22 to Vitality
+109 to Mana
+1 to Attack Rating
+250 Defense vs. Missile
Adds 1-50 lightning damage
Adds 3-14 cold damage over 3 seconds
+75 poison damage over 5 seconds
7% Life stolen per hit
Increase Maximum Durability 13%
55% Faster Hit Recovery
28% Faster Cast Rate
+2 to All Skill Levels
+7 Magic Absorb
Socketed (4: 4 used)

Pain Badge
Protector Shield
Defense: 274
Chance to Block:  50%
Smite Damage: 18 to 24
Durability: 31 of 40
(Paladin Only)
Required Strength: 69
Required Level: 34
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 64
Fingerprint: 0x930f2d22
+78% Enhanced Defense
Fire Resist +28%
Lightning Resist +28%
Cold Resist +37%
Poison Resist +28%
Poison Length Reduced by 75%
+1 to Combat Skills (Paladin Only)

Malice
War Scepter
'IthElEth'
One-Hand Damage: 13 to 31
Durability: 48 of 70
Required Strength: 55
Required Level: 15
Mace Class - Fast Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 36
Fingerprint: 0x31976823
+33% Enhanced Damage
+50 to Attack Rating
+9 to Maximum Damage
Drain Life -5
+0 to Light Radius
+2 to Defiance (Paladin Only)
-25% Target Defense
Prevent Monster Heal
-100 to Monster Defense Per Hit
150% Damage to Undead
100% Chance of Open Wounds
Socketed (3: 3 used)

Rhyme
Heraldic Shield
'ShaelEth'
Defense: 23
Chance to Block:  70%
Smite Damage: 3 to 9
Durability: 40 of 40
(Paladin Only)
Required Strength: 40
Required Level: 29
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 43
Fingerprint: 0xcd5a2416
+20% Increased Chance of Blocking
Regenerate Mana 15%
Fire Resist +25%
Fire Resist +26%
Lightning Resist +25%
Lightning Resist +26%
Cold Resist +26%
Cold Resist +25%
Poison Resist +26%
Poison Resist +25%
50% Extra Gold from Monsters
25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
40% Faster Block Rate
Cannot Be Frozen
Socketed (2: 2 used)

Mercenary Items :

Blood Crest
Circlet
Defense: 47
Durability: 35 of 35
Required Level: 51
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 64
Fingerprint: 0x1ca307c0
+23 to Life
+54% Enhanced Defense
+21% Enhanced Damage
+7 to Minimum Damage
All Resistances +17
5% Mana stolen per hit

Jeweler's Lacquered Plate of Ease
Defense: 455
Durability: 55 of 55
Required Strength: 166
Required Level: 62
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 85
Fingerprint: 0xa9a6a2b3
+16 to Strength
Fire Resist +23%
20% Extra Gold from Monsters
24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Requirements -20%
Socketed (4: 4 used)

Malice
Ogre Axe
'IthElEth'
Two-Hand Damage: 37 to 201
Durability: 34 of 50
Required Dexterity: 75
Required Strength: 195
Required Level: 45
Polearm Class - Normal Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 74
Fingerprint: 0x34a0ea85
+33% Enhanced Damage
+50 to Attack Rating
+9 to Maximum Damage
Drain Life -5
+0 to Light Radius
-25% Target Defense
Prevent Monster Heal
-100 to Monster Defense Per Hit
100% Chance of Open Wounds
Socketed (3: 3 used)
My last remaining tournament character is in Wayne's tournament, a very enjoyable one at that, and in act V hell.
 
Originally posted by @OldSoldier on September 16, 2008

I am finished

Welcome to the Tournament Jiansonz!

As you may have figured out, Dio is named after a guy who sang a pretty crunchy melody called "The Last in Line". OK, not really a very girly name for a girl, but she was my final character to finish my personal goal of a tournament Septemvirate. This is her final story.

The Crystalline Passage held frenzytaurs, which caused Dio to switch constantly between glacial spike and frozen orb, in order to help the merc's damage as well as keep him alive. The area also had a nice double boss pack of slower monsters, which went down easily to level 26 hydras.

Defeating Frozenstein didn't prove to be much of a challenge, per usual with sorceresses I imagine. He didn't drop anything nice this time though.

The Glacial Trail had this little surprise waiting for me. The boss hadn't even "woken up" with Dio this close. Frenzytaur bosses were her achilles heel, as she could freeze their minions in place but they'd chew through the merc in seconds. Fortunately none spawned CI; that would have been a nightmare.

In the Drifter Cavern, Dio faced a boss pack of Yetis from the safety of the moat, until the boss decided to join me. I knew he would make it! It was at this point that Dio faced three champion packs of skeleton mages, ripe for the gold finding. Alas, none of them dropped beyond her current record from Act III, though many piles were above 22,000 and even 23,000. Sadness, it was beginning to look like IW would take the pile crown, at least as far as Dio was concerned.

In the Infernal Pit, I saw something rare for me. In fact, I don't remember seeing Stygian Dolls in the game before. Undead Stygian Dolls are all over the place, but Stygian Dolls are a rarity for me. Anyway, they all bit the dust and will soon be raised by some shaman to be the undead variety for later adventurers I am sure.

This guy was a pain in the butt. He was part of a regular pack and his minions that all rushed us at the same time down one of those narrow corridors. If we hadn't cleared some space before we hit them, it would have been VERY ugly in here. It was a wall of frenytaurs unlike anything I'd seen before. Teleport rocks, and eventually we split them up and handled them one by one.

Dio beat Seethe Web by abusing the waypoint directly behind her. It would sure make a different game if monsters could follow you through those and start slaughtering the townsfolk. The Icy Cellar held gloams and witches for a fun time. Hydras work well against them.

I had to reroll the ancients about ten times to get a set that wasn't might enchanted or cursed, so Dio forfeits another hell bonus point. Finally she got a crew she could handle and separated Madawc first. The merc held on for dear life, but helped immensely by his Kelpie Snare, he fought off two of the three Ancients. Talic killed him pretty handily but frozen orbs in his face did the trick and Dio was onto the WSK!

Here is a neat shot of the death throes of a burning soul in the WSK2. Hydra worked very well as both a scouting tool and a way to keep Dio safe against their damned lightning bolts. They hurt. WSK 3 held Oblivion Knights, and required some work to separate them from their FI minions. Jerks.

Dio stumbled into a stair trap in the Throne of Destruction. A champion pack of claw vipers, assisted by some venom lords and blood lords (undead type) ambushed us. Waheed absorbed the damage and Dio hit them with frozen orbs and they went down like all the rest.

The minion waves were uneventful. Ventar and his friends all absorbed many ice shards, so the frozen orbs were very effective against them. Then Dio was surprised at how easily Waheed tanked Lister and Company. This picture actually showed a stable situation. They didn't kill the merc, didn't push him anywhere, and Dio hammered them with orbs over and over again. Once a few fell, they started to push Waheed back a bit, but didn't kill him. Overall a very tame group of Minions.

Baal, slowed by the Kelpie Snare, didn't do a thing. Static field to half and frozen orbs the rest of the way. Here is Baal about to eat the last Frozen Orb he'll ever see out of me. His drop was per usual.

Dio, realizing that she must obtain maximum points in order to defeat all other challengers, decided to take the cows on /P3 to get more drops. She equipped her Ali Baba and went to work but it was not a fruitful adventure. Too many enemies near the entrance portal to gather much breathing space, she went back down to /P1 and meekly accepted defeat in the largest pile of gold competition. The Cow King's Drop was decent I guess. I've still never found any of the cow set.

Finds along the way included a Demon Limb (HC Grailer), Nord's Tenderizer, and the Unique Grim Shield (can't remember the name). Dio ended the game with a perfect 3,000,000 gold pieces for retirement. She didn't inspire me much which is unfortunate since she's the last.

Her max GF% ended up being 1,170%, though she was a few % short of that in the cow level, using her 48% GF gloves rather than the 70% GF gloves used for the calculations. Her largest pile is still 24,413 PG.

Points: 150 for acts, 68 for bonus (missed normal HoD, Hell Pit, 1 Hell Kurast Temple, and Hell Ancients first try) and 10 so far for largest GF%.

Her stats and gear:
Code:
Character name  : Dio
Character type  : Hardcore Sorceress
Character level : 85
Character exp   : 1053069432

Strength        : 69
Energy          : 35
Dexterity       : 157
Vitality        : 244
Stat Points Rem : 10
Skill Points Rem: 1

Life            : 756 / 652
Mana            : 291 / 203
Stamina         : 402 / 392

Gold (Inventory): 850000
Gold (Stash)    : 2150000

Number of Items : 45

1: Stone Nails
Light Plated Boots
Defense: 15
Durability: 18 of 18
Required Strength: 50
Required Level: 12
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 29
Fingerprint: 0x666806e
+27% Enhanced Defense
Lightning Resist +16%
Cold Resist +14%
78% Extra Gold from Monsters
24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
10% Faster Hit Recovery

2: Viridian Small Charm of Greed
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 15
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 13
Fingerprint: 0x13f36c6e
Poison Resist +7%
6% Extra Gold from Monsters

3: Ghoul Grasp
Ring
Required Level: 3
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 86
Fingerprint: 0x589a3bfc
+4 to Mana
+15 to Attack Rating
Poison Resist +7%
32% Extra Gold from Monsters
10% Faster Cast Rate

4: Eagle Torc
Amulet
Required Level: 30
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 83
Fingerprint: 0x91efe7b1
+1 to Strength
+5 to Maximum Stamina
All Resistances +9
78% Extra Gold from Monsters
+2 to Passive and Magic Skills (Amazon Only)

5: Hailstone Grip
Leather Gloves
Defense: 2
Durability: 12 of 12
Required Level: 12
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 23
Fingerprint: 0x237cecef
Lightning Resist +11%
Poison Resist +7%
48% Extra Gold from Monsters
21% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

6: Skull Harness
Heavy Belt
Defense: 10
Durability: 18 of 18
Required Strength: 45
Required Level: 15
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 43
Fingerprint: 0xf6ae9a8e
+25 to Life
+48% Enhanced Defense
Fire Resist +20%
Lightning Resist +24%
Attacker Takes Damage of 1
62% Extra Gold from Monsters

8: Ocher Small Charm of Greed
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 15
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 17
Fingerprint: 0x446dae4c
Lightning Resist +7%
6% Extra Gold from Monsters

9: Sapphire Small Charm
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 32
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 61
Fingerprint: 0x3c0b85e2
Cold Resist +11%

10: Great Wyrm's Ring of Greed
Required Level: 29
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 83
Fingerprint: 0x363b679
+72 to Mana
32% Extra Gold from Monsters

11: Artisan's Light Plate of the Colossus
'RalThul'
Defense: 94
Durability: 60 of 60
Required Strength: 41
Required Level: 25
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 77
Fingerprint: 0xb05ca493
+46 to Life
Fire Resist +30%
Lightning Resist +27%
Cold Resist +30%
18% Extra Gold from Monsters
Socketed (3: 3 used)

12: Forked Grand Charm of Vita
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 69
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 78
Fingerprint: 0xc2bea406
+40 to Life
+2 to Maximum Damage

13: Malice
Ogre Axe
'IthElEth'
Two-Hand Damage: 37 to 201
Durability: 31 of 50
Required Dexterity: 75
Required Strength: 195
Required Level: 45
Polearm Class - Normal Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 66
Fingerprint: 0x96c29b39
+33% Enhanced Damage
+50 to Attack Rating
+9 to Maximum Damage
Drain Life -5
+0 to Light Radius
-25% Target Defense
Prevent Monster Heal
-100 to Monster Defense Per Hit
100% Chance of Open Wounds
Socketed (3: 3 used)

14: Rugged Small Charm of Greed
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 15
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 33
Fingerprint: 0x3e6df44a
+5 to Maximum Stamina
10% Extra Gold from Monsters

15: Large Charm of Vita
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 50
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 83
Fingerprint: 0xf707238a
+26 to Life

31: Small Charm of Vita
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 39
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 62
Fingerprint: 0x9be042b
+18 to Life

32: Snake's Small Charm of Good Luck
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 33
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 64
Fingerprint: 0x4e822a03
+12 to Mana
7% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

33: Cobalt Small Charm of Venom
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 20
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 42
Fingerprint: 0x1b6ffae8
Cold Resist +9%
+15 poison damage over 4 seconds

34: Grand Charm of Greed
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 14
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 72
Fingerprint: 0x7463c1ca
39% Extra Gold from Monsters
35: Grand Charm of Greed
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 5
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 36
Fingerprint: 0x83b52388
30% Extra Gold from Monsters

36: Grand Charm of Greed
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 5
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 48
Fingerprint: 0xca9d32a7
27% Extra Gold from Monsters

37: Sapphire Grand Charm of Craftmanship
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 22
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 38
Fingerprint: 0xaa0191b0
+1 to Maximum Damage
Cold Resist +30%

38: Coral Small Charm of Burning
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 24
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 56
Fingerprint: 0x1b39529c
Lightning Resist +9%
Adds 4-6 fire damage

39: Blade of Ali Baba
Tulwar
One-Hand Damage: 31 to 69
Durability: 32 of 32
Required Dexterity: 42
Required Strength: 70
Required Level: 35
Sword Class - Slow Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 64
Fingerprint: 0xf651544
+7 to Dexterity
+15 to Mana
+99% Enhanced Damage
35% Extra Gold from Monsters
212% Extra Gold (Based on Character Level)
85% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items (Based on Character Level)
Socketed (2: 2 used)

40: Glacial Clasped Orb of Regeneration
One-Hand Damage: 5 to 12
Durability: 78 of 80
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 52
Orb Class - Normal Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 95
Fingerprint: 0x7d1045fd
+42 to Life
Replenish Life +5
+1 to Blizzard (Sorceress Only)
+1 to Cold Mastery (Sorceress Only)
+2 to Meteor (Sorceress Only)
+3 to Cold Skills (Sorceress Only)

41: Rhyme
Bone Shield
'ShaelEth'
Defense: 24
Chance to Block:  60%
Durability: 40 of 40
Required Strength: 25
Required Level: 29
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 38
Fingerprint: 0xcf3178f3
+20% Increased Chance of Blocking
Regenerate Mana 15%
All Resistances +25
50% Extra Gold from Monsters
25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
40% Faster Block Rate
Cannot Be Frozen
Socketed (2: 2 used)

42: Arch-Angel's Glowing Orb
One-Hand Damage: 8 to 21
Durability: 20 of 20
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 42
Orb Class - Fast Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 57
Fingerprint: 0x63ef7c9
+22 to Life
+2 to Sorceress Skill Levels
+1 to Energy Shield (Sorceress Only)

43: Dio's Chromatic Circlet of the Whale
'Ral'
Defense: 26
Durability: 35 of 35
Required Level: 41
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 72
Fingerprint: 0x69b95052
+81 to Life
Fire Resist +75%
Lightning Resist +30%
Cold Resist +30%
Poison Resist +30%
28% Extra Gold from Monsters
Socketed (2: 2 used)

44: Leaf
Jo Staff
'TirRal'
Two-Hand Damage: 6 to 21
Durability: 20 of 20
Required Strength: 25
Required Level: 30
Staff Class - Fast Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 38
Fingerprint: 0x1926c9a2
Cold Resist +33%
Adds 5-30 fire damage
+3 to Fire Bolt (Sorceress Only)
+3 to Warmth (Sorceress Only)
+2 to Chilling Armor (Sorceress Only)
+3 to Hydra (Sorceress Only)
+3 to Inferno (Sorceress Only)
150% Damage to Undead
+3 to Fire Skills
+2 to Mana After Each Kill
+170 to Defense (Based on Character Level)
Socketed (2: 2 used)

45: Serpent's Grand Charm of Inertia
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 41
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 52
Fingerprint: 0xc849f8be
+53 to Mana
7% Faster Run/Walk

Mercenary Items :

1: Gemmed Gothic Plate
'Ort'
Defense: 131
Durability: 30 of 55
Required Strength: 70
Required Level: 31
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 43
Fingerprint: 0xc10816bd
+13% Enhanced Damage
Fire Resist +29%
Lightning Resist +30%
Adds 1-44 lightning damage
29% Extra Gold from Monsters
15% Increased Attack Speed
48% Damage to Undead
+28 to Attack Rating against Undead
Socketed (4: 4 used)

2: Shadow Brow
Circlet
Defense: 25
Durability: 35 of 35
Required Level: 34
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 64
Fingerprint: 0x9b4a5e47
+12 to Strength
+55 to Mana
Adds 22-40 fire damage
79% Extra Gold from Monsters
+1 to Barbarian Skill Levels
10% Faster Cast Rate

3: Bonehew
Ogre Axe
'AmnShael'
Two-Hand Damage: 114 to 591
Durability: 44 of 50
Required Dexterity: 75
Required Strength: 195
Required Level: 64
Polearm Class - Fastest Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 75
Fingerprint: 0xe58fbc73
+308% Enhanced Damage
7% Life stolen per hit
50% Increased Attack Speed
Prevent Monster Heal
50% Chance to cast Level 16 Bone Spear on striking
Level 14 Corpse Explosion (22/30 Charges)
Socketed (2: 2 used)
 
Originally posted by AJK on Sep 28, 2007:

Patriarch Spot, the immortal wolf.

As Olaf Wulfgaard awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic wolf.* At first shocked, but also delighted about his newfound ability to lick his own nads he soon realized that last night's drunken game of taunt-the-witch hadn't been without repercussions.

The villagers, bless their superstitious souls, soon made it clear by hard to misinterpret and violent means that he was no longer welcome in the small town of Fjordenfjord. He set out on a long trek, serving as a furry flea-ridden mercenary, when he heard about ancient evils awakened from their slumber...

Patriach Spot, lvl. 84. Immortal wolfbarb.

I always wanted to try a wolfbarb, so I set out to make one. I decided to sculpt his gear around his biggest drawback, a low-AR, low-ED primary attack. Since the wolfbarb can't use the combat tree, and also can't use any war cry in wolf form, the skill allocation was decided rather quickly.

In order to fix the AR problems, I hoisted the poor barb into Bul-Kathos' scrap metal, AKA the Immortal King's set. The barb has only one head, so the IK's bunny hat had to go. I didn't feel like switching to Wolfhowl for only the transformation. In order to fix the ED problems, I went for a big hammer with elemental damage, not surprisingly also provided by IK's maul + set bonuseses.

That wraps up the gear list. The merc wore 'Duress' + Reaper's + 'Um' Vampire Gaze. His might aura was very welcome, since the feral rage damage% didn't exactly blow people's pants off.

Let's look at the 5-part set and its bonuseseses in more detail, shall we?

The weapon
- Indestructable. Luxury property, always nice to have.
- 80% IAS. Two shaels = fast fast hammer. U can't touch this.
- +200% ED, nice, but also has +200% more ED to demons and 250% to undead. Do not underestimate these properties, I found that they made a noticeable impact during gameplay.
- Spectral hit. Some nice numbers there on the elemental damage front, but the impact of the damage petered out a bit during the last two acts of Hell, which I played through at /P3 all the way.

The armor
- spectral resists. Niice. That and a rediculously high level of natural resistance (thanks to a backpack full of +passives skillers) meant no needless waste of charm space on resists. I maxed every resist except poison in Hell.
- 25% FHR: what puts a wolf with 4.3k life in hit recovery? Not much, I can tell you that.
- 5% CtC Enchant. Now this is a really cool bonus, since getting hit was no problem at all, even with 17k defense. The added AR bonus was quite nice and getting hit to proc it wasn't difficult when running constantly.
- +2 combat skills. Yawn. Feral rage doesn't count...

The gloves
- +20 str, +20 dex, 10% LL+ML, +def. Awesome stat boosts and the mana leech is appreciated when using feral rage constantly.

The belt
- +lots of fire and light res.
- +25 str. Means more free stats to dump into vitality and dexterity**.
- Another 25% FHR. Meh.
- Damage reduced by 20%. Useful. I only encountered a few situations where my purple potions did anything more useful than decorating the belt. Being cursed and shot at by red balls of doom meant that 20% off still made an impact.

The boots
- 40% FRW. That, wolf speed, and 9 points in increased speed (after skillers) made the barb run like the wind. Always running towards pain and never from evil***.
- Even more defense. Immortal wolf indeed.
- +560 AR (+450 gold set bonus included). Yes. Awesome. That's what I like about IK's set. The nice chunk of free AR you get. I added two raven frosts to the mix for a nice straight +1017 AR total. Further multiplied by the wolf's skill and mace mastery (and lvl 5 enchant) pushed the AR above 12K.

I probably missed a few bonuseseseses but the most important ones are here.
Lest I forget, my skills:

Mace mastery: 20 (33)
Natural resistance: 2 (15)
More speed & stamina: 1 each (14)
Iron Skin: 20 (33)
Shout: 20
Battle Command: 1
Battle Orders: 20 (30****)
Spare points: 6

Playing experience:
Normal and NM: mad MP rush until lvl. 79.
Hell: /P3 all the way, and this char is the definition of auto play. I killed myself only three times: twice in the chaos sanctuary and once in Baal's Throne room. Guess why. Send correct answers on a postcard to

O.K.Night
Meleebane 666
1234 IM, Hell

TLDR, AKA summary:
This was without exception the safest character I ever played. Example: while I fought Duriel my sister showed me something dead and feathery the cat dragged in. Instead of pausing the game I merely held down the right mouse button while I tried to determine the genus of the poor ceased-to-be avian. When I looked back at my screen, Duriel was dead and I was standing in a pile of crap and a TP scroll.

Don't get me wrong, he was fun to play, but 4.3k life is certainly overkill for PvM. And I haven't even started about the 50% life leech yet.

-----
Finds
-----
(Hell)^2 forge: Fal
Normal, Tristram: Infernal Cranium
Normal, cube tomb, level 3: Biggin's Bonnet
Hell, Tal-Rasha's shack: Barb combat skiller
Hell, Spider Forest: 6%ED +45 res. all superior Sacred Targe
Hell, Mephisto's crib: A shape****ting skiller

______
*: Sorry about that, Franz.
**: I'm going to try a Grief/Beast setup in a few levels.
***: Except that one time with a conviction Bremm Sparkfist and a pack of angry blood lords.
****: Switch: 'Spirit' crystal sword, HotO, and battle command.
 
Last edited:
Originally posted by aman on May 15, 2006:

Patriarch Freeman

Not posted many pat/mat threads recently even though i had quite a few.

This build is pretty much the same as DX wolf barb 😁

Name - Freeman
Type - whirl wind/wolf barb

Stats(after equip)
STR - 196
DEX - 175
VITA - 239
ENE - 10

Life(after bo) 3000
Life(bo and shift) 4100
Mana(after bo) 321

Def 14k/17k(shiver armour)
AR 7.4k

Gear

Wolfhowl(26 ed/9 dex jewel)
Grief pb
Stormshield
Fortitude
Atma's amu
Gores
Ravenfrost/duel leech ring(6/6)
Laying of the hands gloves

Stash 4 warcry skiller rest were life/resi/fhr/max damage sc's

Resistances
Fire - 41
Cold - 42
Light - 14
poisen - 51

Skills
20 battle orders
20 whirl wind
20 sword mastery
20 shout
rest 1 point wonders

Very good baal runner going to try and get him as high level as possible and maybe try some pvp with him the only wave he seems to have most problems with is wave 2 so i run that at p2 rest was p8. Feral rage was great i hardly ever have to use potions 😁

Edit : Also had problems with baal was quite slow but i think that was due to low ar.

Merc - Didn't really need one/too lazy to get one but he did use crown of thieves/eth hone sudan(3 x shael) lionheart mage plate if he wasn't dead :rolleyes:

Main reason for whirl wind was too make leveling easier and it's a good skill .

No really good finds with this character hell forge did get me an um though(hell)

Thanks for reading all 👋
 
Originally posted by Crazy Runner Guy on Oct 20, 2005:

#23: Patriarch Fuzzball, the Titan Wolfbarb

Patriach Fuzzball
Titan Ribcracker Wolfbarb

Listed (actual)
Str: 519 (455)
dex: 91 (base)
vita: 76 (base)

299% up'd Ribbie (shael'd)
CoH Archon
Wolfhowl /w 38% ed jool
Highlords
Steelrends/LoH
219/18 raven
220/18 raven
Travs
31/12 dungo's
+4 Ondal's on switch
Demon Limb in cube for enchant


Charms were:
4x Steel GC's Sustenance
4x sc's of vita
Fine sc of vita (3/15/20
Fine sc of sustenance (3/xx/13)
Sharp LC of life
Sharp LC
Steel LC of life

Feral Rage: 4077-6385 /w enchant and might
AR: 13140
Def: 15364
Resistances: 56/75/56/56

2028 life
387 mana

20 Iron Skin
20 BO
20 Mace Mastery
20 Shout
1 BC
1 Inc. Speed
12 (?) NR

Might Merc
Reapers
GF
Shaft

---------------
Story time.

Fuzzball is my second wolfie. This time, he was meant for PvM, not PvP. After trading for a BHS (big hurty stick) in a 299% up'd shaeled Ribbie, he was off and moving.

Life was pretty much the toughest from 31-53, when I stupidly used a plain ribbie, instead of grabbing an exceptional Steeldriver. Once I hit 54, the game just took off, and I began to get 25-30 damage each level from strength. That adds up very quickly. 6k is nothing to sneeze at, especially considering the 60% CB and my DS/CS percentages.

Only a few deaths to report, both in the Chaos Sanc in hell. I went in there before I got wise and muled the burrito over, and got IM'd twice. Ouch, it sucked. I almost made it without a death....

Much of act 5 hell was done on /p5 or 8. Ancients were done on 8, with little difficulties (two were MB, and I had no mana leech). WSK was /p8 (once I found that there were no PI's or OK's on the levels). Minions were done at /p5. Only Lister (who was MB) presented a problem. Baal was done on /p8, and too long because he cloned himself. I also regligently forgot to grab by Lash for the initial Static. He also cloned himself quite early in the match up, and that clone stayed till he died. He dropped crap. One unique, and it was a Battlebranch.

As usual of my builds, this guy had no real problems. He could kill anything (except FI/PI), and as long as he was swinging, he was alive. I had zero mana leech, but that didn't prove to be a problem. Consistent mana pots fixed that.

Notable finds: Gimmeshred from Eldritch. That's it.

What next? Maybe run WSK minions until clvl 90 to push his STR a little higher. Other than that, I have lots of projects going on right now, as usual. Look for more project completions later.
crg
 
Originally posted by Dagaz on Jun 20, 2019:

Patriarch Malkuth - SC Wolfbarb

This is my first pat thread. I loved this wolf so much I just had to make it :)
I hope I’m doing this thread right. If not, please correct me.


Name: Malkuth
Class: Wolf-Barb
Level: 85

Stats:
Strength: 275/290
Dexterity: 64/112
Vitality: 171/180
Energy: 10/20

Resists (with Natural resistance):
Fire: 75
Cold: 55
Lightning: 69
Poison: 45

MF: 0
GF: 0
FR/W: 30
FHR: 22
IAS: 90
FCR: 25

Bash: 1/2
Berserk: 3/4

Sword Mastery: 20/21
Increased Stamina: 1/2
Iron Skin: 20/21
Increased Speed: 13/14
Natural Resistance: 13/14

Howl: 1/5
Shout: 1/5
Battle Orders: 20/24
Battle Command: 1/5

Gear:
Helm: Wolfhowl (6/3/6) with 36% ed, +5 max dmg jewel
Armor: Fortitude (28 all res)
Weapon: eth Oath (288% ed) in Highland Blade (2h)
Gloves: Laying of Heands
Belt: String of Ears (7ll, 15% dr)
Boots: Gore Rider
Ring 1: Raven Frost (246 AR, 18 dex)
Ring 2: Raven Frost (234 AR, 19 dex)
Amulet: Highlord’s Wrath
Shield: None
Switch: 2x Spirit in Crystal Sword
Charms: Various resistance, max dmg and AR charms.

Merc: Guardian Angel, Kira’s Guardian (70 all res), eth Reaper’s Toll.

LCS:

wolfbarb-lcs.jpg



* * * * *

Thoughts:

- I leveled him as WW barb until he could equip Wolfhowl. Leveling was slow and dull.
- This guy is super fast and effective. Granted, I played Hell on p1, but apart from a bit slower progress in Chaos Sanctuary, he was a breeze. He smashed Ball’s minions in no time and Baal himself in a minute or two.
- I thought resistances will pose a problem. They did not.
- The defense of this guy is just insane.
- Mana burners were a problem, but not a game changing drawback.
- Wolfbarb are super fun, fast and easy to play. He just cuts through most of enemies like through butter.
- I would recommend this build to almost anyone. Anytime. Probably most fun D2 build I’ve ever tried.
- Too bad there’s not much to do with him. He has 0 MF and he’s not that effective in Pits, AT or anywhere.
- Future plans: I’ll probably run Baal with him a little. I spawned an almost perfect WSK map and would like to make some useof it. Other than that I don’t really know at the moment.

Thanks for reading ;)
 
Last edited:
Originally posted by @Darkoooo on Aug 7, 2007:

Mat/Pat Thread - Double Trouble

Jae and I have a goal. To make two chars, that will together be able to run every area in the game, without loosing much on fire power, and most important, to have fun. Btw. While heavily twinked, we played on players 8 all the way, we just put Baal on players 3. Also, so we wouldn’t abandon them when we get to the Hellforge, we decided to get them to lvl 90 first, thus experiencing advantages and disadvantages of the two. Now, with great pleasure we present you Matriarch Chill_Out(ladies go first) and Patriarch Awwwrroooo!

Matriarch Chill_Out, lvl 90 Blizzard-Lightning sorceress

Actually, at first we thought to make it Blizzard – WolfBarb combo, but then we wouldn’t be able to run every area in the game. I already had a BlizzBaller and didn’t want to make another one, Jae recommended Lightning as back up, and it turned out great! With 2K life (with Jae’s BO), 120 FCR, 8 frame FHR, and almost all maxed resist, she almost had no troubles surviving, and a big thanks to Jae for his l337 skills for tanking! Killing was no probs, with massive Blizzard damage she can wipe out enemies in a second, and when CIs arrive I can use Lightning (but Jae’s Wolfbarb was really coming out in those situations). I could’ve used most of my gear on the end of Nightmare, so she was really shining in at the beginning of Hell. Without further delay, here is some info:

Stats: without gear/with gear
Strength: 150/185
Dexterity: 25/40
Vitality: 315/352
Energy: 50/55

Skills:
20 Glacial Spike
20 Blizzard
10 Ice Blast (future points go here)
4 CM
20 Charged Bolt
20 Lightning

Damage(with no BC):
Glacial Spike: 1021-1075
Blizzard: 5478 - 5702
Lightning: 2-4571

Life: 1020 (no BO)
Mana: 419(no BO)

Equipment:

Mercenary:
Prayer Merc(for life regen between waves)
Vampire Gaze – Ort
Eth Upped Shaft – Ral
Eth Giant Thresher Insight

Helm: Griffon’s +17/-24 (with +3/-5 facet)
Ammy: 24 Mara’s
Weapon: DF +31/-5 (with +5/-5 facet) – Jae’s
Armor: CoH – Jae’s
Shield: 35 Spirit
Gloves: Trang’s
Belt: Arach
Boots: Travs
Ring1: Nagel
Ring2: Wisp
Switch: Isted Gull, 4xIsted Monarch – Jae’s:grin:
7 chilling charms, Gheeds
 
Originally posted by Jaedhann on Aug 7, 2007:

Mat/Pat Thread - Double Trouble

Patriarch Awwwrrooo, lvl 90 WolfBarb!!

Thanks to Darkoooo i could finally make a wolfbarb. I can't imagine levelling up one solo. No real attackskill until level 79 (wolfhowl) just isn't my game of cricket. But with his final gear......oohhh..man is he unstoppable. Just imagine 4.1k life and 7.2k maxdamage with a fast attack that has 32% life leech. Jum. jum, JUM. Halfway through the game used a 'passion' thresher.
Seeing how much damage berserk did i decided not to go with a full defence wolfbarb, but with a berserk hybrid. I must say it worked pretty darn well, thanks to darkoooo's glacial spikes backing me up and me using a grief and having 75% block with stormshield). As shout is a synergy to berserk (damage) and to battle order (time) it seemed the most logical path.
A two-handed berserker without howl just wouldn't have an easy life i guess. So, for some desriptions:

Stats: without gear/with gear

Str. 195/210
Dex. 123/186 (to gain maxblock with stormshield)
Vit. 211/256
Ene. 11 (yeah, i know, :rolleyes:)

Skills:
20 in BO and shout.
20 in berserk
20 in polearm mastery
4 in natural resist
6 in ironskin (remaining points will go there)

Damage: with might aura from merc.

Feral rage: 1552-7328
Berserk: 2436-12k

Life:
4164 with bo and wolf form

Mana:
yeah, right.....

Endgame Gear:

Mercenary:
Might Merc
Eth Reapers
Gloom(for ctc Dim Vision)
Vampire Gaze

Armor - fortitude dusk shroud
Helm - Wolfhowl 5/6/5/3
Amulet - metalgrid 444ar/ 34 res. all
Rings - 2x raven
Gloves - LoH
Belt - Dungo's 31/14
Boots - Waterwalk 65life
Weapon switch kelpie snare to shut baal up

main weapon:

Tomb Reaver
Cryptic Axe
Two-Hand Damage: 146 to 664
Durability: 53 of 65
Required Dexterity: 103
Required Strength: 165
Required Level: 84
Polearm Class - Fastest Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 88
Fingerprint: 0x6937ae9b
+343% Enhanced Damage
All Resistances +48
58% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+11 Life after each Kill
+4 to Light Radius
90% Increased Attack Speed
154% Damage to Undead
+335 to Attack Rating against Undead
10% Reanimate As: Returned
Socketed (3: 3 used)

Should have put in 3 jools of fervor, but i didn't. When i socketed it i thought the attackskill on wolfhowl was fury. Oohh well.

charm selection:
Code:
1: Steel Small Charm of Vita
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 49
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 80
Fingerprint: 0xa7619ae8
+16 to Life
+26 to Attack Rating

2: Small Charm of Vita
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 39
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 80
Fingerprint: 0x930d4f72
+19 to Life

3: Small Charm of Vita
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 39
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 81
Fingerprint: 0x3a883157
+18 to Life

4: Small Charm of Vita
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 39
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 86
Fingerprint: 0x669c0692
+18 to Life

5: Fine Small Charm of Strength
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 21
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 80
Fingerprint: 0xebc6421d
+1 to Strength
+13 to Attack Rating
+3 to Maximum Damage

6: Coral Small Charm of Dexterity
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 20
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 69
Fingerprint: 0xe78d4d79
+2 to Dexterity
Lightning Resist +9%

7: Sharp Grand Charm of Sustenance
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 53
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 80
Fingerprint: 0x4b98be32
+33 to Life
+71 to Attack Rating
+9 to Maximum Damage

8: Sharp Grand Charm of Sustenance
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 53
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 99
Fingerprint: 0xa1732a32
+34 to Life
+62 to Attack Rating
+9 to Maximum Damage

9: Fanatic Grand Charm of Vita
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 69
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 88
Fingerprint: 0x6f2cebb8
+38 to Life
+1 to Masteries Skills (Barbarian Only)

10: Fanatic Grand Charm of Vita
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 69
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 99
Fingerprint: 0x1d4f5ecc
+37 to Life
+1 to Masteries Skills (Barbarian Only)

11: Steel Grand Charm of Vita
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 83
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 99
Fingerprint: 0x70cd109c
+44 to Life
+131 to Attack Rating

12: Steel Grand Charm of Sustenance
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 53
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 80
Fingerprint: 0xbbefa2e3
+33 to Life
+108 to Attack Rating

Those charms really sorted out the ar problems some wolfbarb have. I did manage to get 12k ar with feral rage, which is plenty PvM

About the gameplay. Well, up to where i could use grief and fort darkoo basically killed everything while i tanked. Once grief+fort
came into play i started to kill pretty well with a 1 point berserk. It was then that i decided to go berserk hybrid. From then on
it was a long wait to get to lvl 79. Then i found out i couldn't use the reaver until 84....aarrgghh!!! All in all it is a solid build.
but maybe not one you would want to level in soloplaying.
And i am very happy that i could safely kill in OK infested areas. Wouldn't be much fun if darkoooo had to clear those area's all by himself.

Any finds? Well, i picked up the GC, the GC turned out to be a captains of sustanance (+22). and then my pc decided to crash me out the game and the GC was gone.............crap. Also, there were a fire skiller, and two TC3s uniques, who cares?!

Baals great let down:

Fiend Sever
War Axe
One-Hand Damage: 24 to 44
Durability: 15 of 26
Required Strength: 67
Required Level: 48
Axe Class - Very Fast Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 99
Fingerprint: 0xe83f59da
+146% Enhanced Damage
+240 to Attack Rating
4% Life stolen per hit
40% Increased Attack Speed
5% Chance to cast Level 1 Amplify Damage on striking

So, close to being GoDlY...
 
Originally posted by domac on Nov 17, 2006:

Patriarch BigBadWolf

Here he is! Patriarch BigBadWolf!

BigBadWolf is Barbarian using WolfHowl to shapeshift into a Werewolf and use Feral Rage instead of normal Barbarian skills... you all know the drill. Because he didn't use any combat skills he could make full use of his Warcries and Combat Masteries to obtain good life pool, defence and maxed resists.

STATS
Character screen

Base values
Strenght: 130
Dexterity: Base
Vitality: 345
Energy: Base



SKILLS
20 Battle Orders
20 Shout
20 Iron skin
20 Weapon Mastery
5 Natural Resistance
3 Battle Command



ITEMS
WolfHowl OFC with 34% enh. dam, +5 maximum damage
Upgraded Ribcracker with shael 243% damage -> 287-432
Smoke Archon Plate (all resistances +50)
Angelic Amulet + Angelic Ring
Raven Frost
Wilhelm's Pride
Gore Rider
Dracul's Grasp
Inventory full of charms :rolleyes:


MERCENARY
NM Offensive of course
The Reaper's Toll
Vampire Gaze
Rare armor 1300+ def


He was very fun to play ... once he reached clvl 79. :) Before that it was pretty tough and boring. Once I reached clvl 30 i used dual bloodletters for whirlwind and things were a bit easier but I had to repair a lot ... and soon they weren't strong enough so I used upgraded steeldriver and finally upgraded ribby... once I hit hell I went strait to te Pits and leveled there at /p3 and /p5.... but since I used normal attack it was slow. So finally I was clvl 79 and put on my WolfHowl.

As you can see from the stats he was very tough due to life leech from dracul so he died only once (from IM of course). It was pretty close with Vile Witches though (extra strong, fanaticism) but he survived. Later Ancients were a breeze! They spawned all with dual immunities and some LI I think but no extra strong, cursed, no nothing. They fell pretty easy due to crushing blow.

He didn't find one good unique ... and hellforge drops were all pretty bad. Hell gave a LEM! With 2 pats 2 LEMs in a row! :(
.
.
.
.

But you don't need to feel sorry for me! Why? Here's why! 👍
 
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Originally posted by friedbananazzzz on Jul 13, 2008:

Introducing Patriarch Sazabi! The Mute Double Swinging Frog!

What's that? Don't like Cookie Cutter builds? Then perhaps you'll like needless restrictions!
Introducing Patriarch Sazabi! The Mute Double Swinging Frog!

MUTE: NO WAR CRIES. AT ALL. EVER.
Combat Skills: Nothing higher than tier 2, which means I only have access to Leap, DS, and Bash. So we might as well MAX those 😁
Weapons: MUST ALWAYS be of the same base type. So if one is a Rune sword, then the other has to be one of Long/Rune/Cryptic Sword.
And to top it all off, He must wear his already personalized set: Sazabi's Grand Tribute

I had always wanted to use this set, and when Inigo had the armor drop, I had no more reason not to try something out. I read some Double Swing mini-guides on the Basin, and one of them mentioned the set (as well as a mini-guide on a cold-damage based character using only blue-coloured items), so I modified my own build idea.


Sazabi (Final LCS)

Level : 83
Strength : 160 (221)
Dexterity : 90 (135)
Vitality : 250 (270)
Energy : 10 (10)


Life : 1845 (1470 on switch) (No BO, but Sazabi's Set comes with +27% Life)
Mana : 132
Defense : 2338

Resists: (switch)
Fire - 74 (44)
Cold - 19 (-11)
Light - 85 (60)
Poison - 74 (44)


Double Swing: (with Enchant)
Main Damage: 489-1981 / 715-2549 (576-2092 / 802-2660)
Main AR: 4222 / 4222 (6435 / 6435)
Switch Damage: 1023-3733 / 749-1270 (Lawbringer)
Switch AR: 4118 / 4118


Gear:
Sazabi's Mental Sheath (17%FR, 18%LR, jewel with +8 min dmg/IAS)
Sazabi's Ghost Liberator (35% Enhanced damage jewel)
Drac's
TGod's Vigor (tried Dungo's, but liked the Str and Lightning Bonuses better)
Gore Rider
Highlord's
Raven Frost
Carrion Wind/Nature's Peace

Sazabi's Cobalt Redeemer (37% ED +9 max dmg jewel) (cryptic sword)
Frostwind (cryptic sword)

Switch:
Eth Oath Balrog Blade
Passion/Lawbringer Balrog Blade

Demon Limb in Stash


Merc:
Holy Freeze
Eth Crown of Thieves (IAS jewel)
Eth Duress Great Hauberk
Eth Obedience Thresher (special thanks to Nagisa for the gift)
A Might Merc would have net me higher damage, but with no warcries, I needed some crowd control.


Charms:
+26 MINIMUM damage
+143 AR
148 Life
a bunch of resists


Skills:
Bash, Double Swing, Leap: 20 (22)
Sword Mastery: 20 (22)
Increased Speed: 4 (6)
Natural Resistance: 8 (10)
Increased Stamina, Iron Skin: 1 (3)
Warcry Tab: ZERO!


Hellforge:
Normal: Nef
NM: Shael
Hell: Gul (!)
Best non-HF rune: Hel


Finds:
Flavie link
Nothing really worth mentioning (no elite S/U), but found 3 Skillers: Natural, Hexing, and Graverobber's of Greed (35%) (GR found in WSK, and will soon be going to a Fishymancer)
I guess the HF made up for it, or perhaps it's the reason why I never found anything else :\
Eth Skewer of Krintiz (Norm Duriel)
IK Boots are always useful at least (NM Meph)
Spirit Forge is a self-grailer (NM A5)


Deaths:
More than I would have liked, but not surprising for an intentionally underpowered build. 14 total. Almost every single one of them can be attributed to being cursed (either Amp or IM).
(#3) Especially the first one in the CS: I got cursed with IM, ran away, turned my head to look at the TV, turned back to the game, and ran back into the fray to attack (insantly forgetting I was still cursed). Dumbest death EVER.
(#9, #10) I was handed my nephew (he's only six months old) to watch for a short while, so I figured I could get away with running through the Countess's dungeon with only one hand as I held him on my lap with my left. Not such a great idea. He's discovered that hitting the keyboard will 'change' the screen or whatever his mind equates it to (he learned when his grandmother set him in front of her computer last month). So while he was distracted for a little while by Sazabi darting around the screen killing things, he soon decided he wanted to play too, leaning forward to bang his tiny hands on the keyboard. He caused two deaths to this impossible boss pack of Ghosts (not sure if I eventually parked them or not though). I should have just paused and left the room, so I guess it's really my fault. Whatever, that's why I play SC.
(#12) Killed Thresh, still cursed, chased down a Slinger, and this Boss made me regret it. It was so fast it took me 6 tries to get a screenie with it's mods visible (after I died).
13 and 14 were to a really bad corner in the Hell Frozen River, with two packs of Serpents, a pack of Yetis and 2 packs of Succubi. I think every single boss was Cursed. Bloodstars did me in the first time, and Serpent charges did me in soon after. Boo.


Leap:
- A maxed Leap is a wonderful thing. It knocks back the ENTIRE SCREEN, and puts everything into hit recovery. Only the Ancients and Act Bosses (not sure about Gris though) are immune to it. You can be completely surrounded, and about ~10 leaps will have every monster pushed back to the edge of the screen, giving you plenty of room to re-compose yourself.

- Is there an especially dangerous boss with a nasty aura? Pin them (and all their minions) up against a wall with continuous short Leaps, and let your merc take care of 'em. No problems.

- Frenzytaurs getting you down? Pin them all against a wall for the six seconds it takes for their frenzy skill to run out, and now they're not as dangerous (at least until they charge back up again, but you can rinse and repeat as long as you want)

- Great skill for travelling too. As long as you're in the air, you can't be damaged, and the few frames you're on the ground they're in hit recovery and can't attack anyway. Just be careful of long Leaps, as Missles can be fired in your direction (and the occasional melee swing at your destination) that will hit you when you land. And there's the slight draw-back of not being able to use a potion in mid-air either.

- 'Fun Times' Screen Shot: You might want to ease up on Leaping around Beetles. Unless you've got TGods on; then have fun and enjoy the fireworks. 😁



Progress:
This guy is FAST. The damage might be low, but he swings at 5 frames (each sword), and with no need to charge up Frenzy to reach it. The 40% FRW on the set make up for lost bonus from Frenzy too.

A level 9 DS by clvl 15 completely negates the mana cost, making leveling SO much easier (don't have to worry about leech or mana burners). As you can see, I didn't even have 2 mana for Bash, but I could still use DS to my heart's content.

Pretty much used various Steel RW swords until early NM:
Steel War Sword + Death's Touch (and gloves/belt)
Steel Flamberge + Honour Zweihander
Steel Rune Sword + Plague Bearer
Steel Highland Blade + Bing Sz Wang
CM/VoR Phase Blades (tons of fun, could definitely have it's own build for them)
Sazabi's Sword + Frostwind (@ clvl 73, near the end of NM)

I used a barb helm with +Berserk on it in Normal CS as an IM solution, and in NM I had the Passion Balrog Blade to get me by. In Hell I switched out Passion for Lawbringer against Ghosts, as Sanctuary/Decrepify was better than Berzerk. Put Passion back in for CS, but the Hell CS was almost deserted, and I didn't really need to use the switch much. A5 Tunnels had lots of Ghosts though, so back to Lawbringer I went.

Never completed Nihlathak's or Gidbinn Quests, on any difficulty (not sure why...)

Being Cursed was my main trouble, regardless of what curse it was.

Ancients were relatively easy compared to the rest of the game. There were Stone Skin and Dual Immunes, but no one was PI, so I made short work of them. CB and OW were big helpers.

WSK2: Cadavers, Black Souls, Soul Killers. No trouble, TGod's FTW. Though the Merc seemed fine with his 75% Res and no absorb, so maybe TGod's didn't make that much of a difference.
WSK3: Soul Killers, lightning Horror Mages, Rancid Defilers. A breeze.
Throne: Horadrim Ancients, Black Souls, Undead Soul Killers (dolls). Great. All undead, and Ancients to re-raise everything. This is when Nature's Peace and it's RIP mod became vital.
Sactuary Aura was also vital for the second wave, which for some reason gave me more trouble than expected. The poison damage was tearing down my health, and Lifetap wasn't coming on to let me leech from the skeletons. Wave 3 and 4 were easy. Lister and Co. needed to be spread out, but once that was done they were handled easy enough.

Weird thing happened with Baal and in the bottom left wing of the Throne (may have also happened in the Frozen River and with Pindle, but I can't be 100% certain). I was hit ...oddly... somehow, and got frozen in an odd position. It only lasted a second or two, and then went away after switching weapons or taking damage or something else. No idea what happened. But it definitely happened more than once.
Baal pic
Throne pic

The Throne was bad timing too, Gloam boss with Conviction is never good. You can even see that my hand is NOT connected to my body/arm too. Really weird.



Random Thoughts:
- A level 22 Double Swing costs: [highlight]-3 mana. Yes. MINUS THREE MANA.[/highlight] It doesn't give mana though, so I don't know what the point of that is... At level 13 it's -1. However, it will ONLY ever get as high as +200% ED, and as it's from the synergy from Bash, no amount of +skills will make it any better. And the AR bonus is pretty laughable, you're better off leaving it at ~10ish and pumping a warcry instead.

- I don't think I could have gotten through without Drac's Lifetap. I would have died far too often, and completely lost interest. There were many, many fights where my life bulb bounced up and down. Without it, I had 31% Life Leech, but with such low damage, it just wasn't enough. Though the idea of having 81% when it triggered is pretty cool.

- I was a little disappointed with Sazabi's set, but not for the reason you might think. It is coloured Dark Blue in the Inventory screen, but it barely looks coloured at all while playing! BOO! I was expecting a look similar to Silks of the Victor...

- Cryptic Swords have a ridiculously low min damage, so those +min dmg charms were almost necessary to damage anything with any amount of consistency.

- Cain left his Tristram portal open for me in Nightmare. yay.

- Barbs look awesome using Arctic Blast, it's a real shame that it won't ever kill anything past A2 Normal (maaaaaybe A3...) He jumps up in the air, sticks his arms out, and blows icy cold air out of his crotch. Beat that Superman. (ss)



Future plans:
He was A LOT of fun, but just didn't do enough damage to be used any further. May try a similar approach for a "drummer" build, except instead of wands use Demon Limb and Nord's, and allow Warcries. I used a CM and VoR Phase Blades for a few levels before I could use my endgame ones, and that was a lot of fun, so it could definitely be end-game viable if someone else would like to try that. I suppose I could also make a Sazabi Paladin, but I've got enough projects on the go right now, so I don't think I'll be starting anything new for a while.


Thanks:
The SPTF: most of his gear was traded for or gifted, so he wouldn't have been possible without you guys. A special thanks to omgwtfbbqpwned for the Drac's/Highlord's, Dryzalizer for upgrading my Frostwind, and Nightfind for the hax 1.07 +min dmg charms. Cygnus especially, for the sword, without which I couldn't complete the set.

Thanks again to everyone for reading, I know I make these too long... :rolleyes:


I just Pat'd this guy a few hours after posting my Blizz Mat Thread, but felt that this secret little project of mine deserved to have his Pat thread right away.
 
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