After learning fairly recently (thanks
@ipsilantee ) that you could fight Diablo clone and the ubers offline (despite other articles I'd read), I got an extreme itch to take on Diablo clone eventually.
I'd started a zealot paladin earlier for Trav farming but had left him in dry dock for a while doing other things. Then Meph dropped 2 SoJs, and I took it as a sign that I should try for my first Anni, though I didn't have much confidence.
So begins the story of a promising young paladin...
Sir Henry the paladin took up the sword once again and continued his journey through normal, nightmare, and hell until he became dubbed a patriarch. He was fierce, and could handle most anything quickly, and could take on foes that would normally require 8 men or women. But his celebration was shirt lived and he soon received orders that he was to go on an extremely perilous quest, and must completely retrain to take on this deadly challenge. He was now a Smiter, though a Smiter without a decent shield.
Though his superiors looked at other "pagan" magic users with disdain, a blizzard sorceress was commissioned to find a suitable shield for Sir Henry to begin his most challenging quest. She worked long and hard by slaying the foul Mephisto over and over again for two days. Finally on Christmas eve, her duty was fulfilled when she brought a shiny HoZ back to Sir Henry. No, it wasn't a fabled eth Exile vortex shield, but Sir Henry would have to make do. But not until Christmas had passed.
In the wee hours after Christmas, after everyone else had been long asleep, Sir Henry reluctantly began preparing to meet the demon worse than Diablo himself. He hated the sacrifice required to begin his quest: the selling of a rare and priceless relic.
The relic had barely left his hand when the ground quaked and a messenger relayed that the more evil and deadly kin of Diablo walked the earth, not far outside the gates of the Rogue encampment.
Sir Henry knelt and breathed a long prayer to his deity -- so long that those in the camp began to wonder if he was ever going to take action.
But take action he did. He and his faithful companion traveled to the Stony Field, whereupon he viewed the hulking, demonic goliath that was Diablo clone. Sir Henry and his companion methodically cleared all the minor enemies in a circumference around the monstrosity, and then humbly met him at the stone pillars, drawing him out lest he die and drop his spoils on the portal to Tristram.
Diablo underestimated Sir Henry, thinking he was merely another mortal to be squashed under his clawed foot. He was shocked when the paladin approached, and he felt his massive health dwindling at a rapid pace. He barely could mount a retaliatory attack before his life left him, and he collapsed to the earth in a massive pile, leaving Sir Henry mostly unscathed, though his companion was lost.
Sir Henry was not a prideful man. He knew that three more arch enemies awaited, though he had not originally planned to take them on until much later and with more preparation. But encouraged by his recent victory, he concluded he should end the reign of the uber kin of Diablo that had taken up residence in Tristram: Uber Mephisto, Baal, and Diablo.
It was now very late, but Sir Henry vowed an oath to continue until his task was complete. He set about gathering 9 keys that would be needed to make his way to the evil triad. The 9 keys opened portals in Harrogath to lesser, but challenging opponents who must be defeated before facing the uber triad: Lilith, Izual, and Duriel. Izual and Duriel proved no match for Sir Henry. Lilith's minions, however, proved deadly to Sir Henry's companion, being able to strike brutally from a distance. But Sir Henry prevailed without succumbing to his injuries thanks to gloves which were also provided by the commissioned blizzard sorceress who had brought him his shield.
After his victory over the 3 lesser evils, Sir Henry returned to Harrogath and restored his companion's health, and prepared to take on his final adversaries. He knelt again, and uttered a louder prayer to his deity, knowing that this would be an ultimate test of both his faith and prowess.
Using the components collected from the lesser enemies he'd just beaten, Sir Henry opened a portal to Tristram. After stepping through, he circled the entire town, not knowing where his archenemies might be. He at first thought he was the victim of a ruse since the town appeared empty. But suddenly he heard a rushing noise rapidly approaching. It was Mephisto, the deadliest of the three. Sir Henry had no time for fear or calculation, and he acted quickly, repeatedly bashing his enemy quickly and without hesitation. Arcing bolts of electricity threatened to end him, but the paladin's gloves kept him alive and allowed for Mephisto to be defeated without being defeated himself.
The companion had unfortunately perished at some point during the battle, but there was no time to contemplate this as Diablo and Baal exploded onto the battlefield with their minions. The paladin engaged immediately and struck blow upon blow, eventually whittling his enemies' health to nothing.
Though many minions yet remained, Sir Henry knew his ultimate task was accomplished, and he quickly gathered his spoils and returned to Harrogath. His battle was over for now, but he would need his strength for many more that would follow.
.
(my third day off):
