Pando - The Trembling Giant

[D2DC]

Paladin - A2 Normal

Name:               Class:              Build:              Level:  Act:
---------------     --------            --------------      -----   ----
Canopée             Paladin             Combat Skills       24      A3
Fourré              Paladin             Offensive Auras     24      A3
Verdure             Paladin             Defensive Auras     24      A3

These were not terribly OP, but fun to play. Mainly because if you rely on items to grant your main attack/aura, as soon as you switch out that item, you switch the entire build!

Spoiler

Pretty cool lvl 18 Scepter for Canopée (combat skills). HF/Conc netted about the same damage, so I used Conc with Hammer, and HF with Zeal. Probably should be muling on my Fine/Sharp GCs, but usually don't hit lvl 21 until halfway through A2.

Fourré (offensive) used a Bloodrise for +3 Sacrifice. Death's combo got him up to +15% LL, so he was quite a mini-Martyr. Love how Bloodrise has OW on it. Led to some decidedly bloody clashes.

Verdure (defensive) started out with Rusthandle/Steelclash for a nice +4 Vengeance and Thorns, and he was quite a mini-Venger. Got to make use of Kinemil's Awl next (w/maxed Fire Resist synergy), which is one of the S/U that I really had earmarked for this project.

Winner: Verdure (defensive auras)
Not by a great margin, but Verdure takes 1st prize again. He was probably stronger with the Avenger setup, as I've already started putting spill over points into Resist Cold/Lite. Initially, I thought defensive Paladin would have been one of the dreadful builds I would have to drag through hell. But now, I'm actually looking forward to seeing what he can do with several high level Aura-granting items, and maxed synergies.

 

[Pb_pal]

Interesting that the defensive pally is going so well, I just assumed he'd be a slog as well. Looking forward to what you come up with for him moving forward!

 

[saracen85]

Finally got around looking at this project. Wishing all the best and certainly looking forward to the progress (finishing same acts over and over again with different characters is a helluva commitment).

Great to see that playing the game has evolved from finishing builds, to completing septs and then completing sets of septs

 

[D2DC]

@saracen85, it certainly gets repetitive. I can handle 3-6 of the same act, but then I need to take a break to do something different in D2..

However, my current projects are circlet gambling (#500 and counting), or 1.07 Trav runs with MF setup (super ssslllloooowwww). So, Pando project feels like a nice reprieve from those!!

 

[TheNix]

@TheNix any tips for Curses-only? He looks like he is gonna be quite a pain.

As Pb_pal said, a strong merc really helps. I also went for maximum slow on the monster (HF merc, decrep, the works). If you are allowing non-curse tree skills available on items, telestomping with Revives will speed up the process no end.

 

[D2DC]

Sorceress - A2 Normal

Name:               Class:              Build:              Level:  Act:
---------------     --------            --------------      -----   ----
Arborista           Sorceress           Fire Spells         24      A3
Silvicultora        Sorceress           Cold Spells         24      A3
Dendróloga          Sorceress           Lite Spells         24      A3

Back to the coal mines.

Spoiler: Pics

Free TK for all 3 of the Sorcs.

+3 Inferno with +3 Static was a perfect 'Leaf' base for Arborista (fire skills).

I actually used the CL as well with Sivicultura (cold skills).

Another great 'Leaf' base. All I was really interested in was the +6 Warmth. After playing an Inferno Sorc, and Ice Bolt/Frost Nova, I didn't feel like waiting the extra 2 levels to equip The Salamander.

Winner: Dendróloga (lite skills)
Yea.. She will pretty much be champion until NM respec.. She is legitimately pretty gg, and the other two builds are just so weak to begin with.

 

[Pb_pal]

Nice finds along the way, great job.

 

[D2DC]

Nice finds along the way, great job.

I wish. Ive had those squirreled away for a long time.

 

[D2DC]

Sorceress - A3 Normal

Name:               Class:              Build:              Level:  Act:
---------------     --------            --------------      -----   ----
Arborista           Sorceress           Fire Spells         27      A4
Silvicultora        Sorceress           Cold Spells         27      A4
Dendróloga          Sorceress           Lite Spells         27      A4

Winner: Dendróloga (lite spells)
Silvicultora isn't all that bad. Frost Nova would be a lot better if I were putting points into it's synergies. But, Inferno is just .. Inferno.

 

[D2DC]

Paladin - A3 Normal

Name:               Class:              Build:              Level:  Act:
---------------     --------            --------------      -----   ----
Canopée             Paladin             Combat Skills       27      A4
Fourré              Paladin             Offensive Auras     27      A4
Verdure             Paladin             Defensive Auras     27      A4

Spoiler: Pics

Canopée (combat skills) got to use this one. It's probably best suited for Verdure (defensive), but I put all his points into Resist Fire. He will possibly get to try this out on NM.

Winner: Canopée (combat skills)
Most credit for the victory goes to the 'Holy Thunder' Scepter. All three Paladins are pretty closely matched. I wanted to use Kinemil's Awl with Verdure, so he suffered a bit and opened the door for Canopée to take the win.

 

[D2DC]

Necromancer - A3 Normal

Name:               Class:              Build:              Level:  Act:
---------------     --------            --------------      -----   ----
Boscus              Necromancer         Summoning           27      A4
Botanicus           Necromancer         Poison n Bone       27      A4
Herbarius           Necromancer         Curses              27      A4

Spoiler: Pics

Still haven't figured out what to do with Herbarius (curses). Likely that he will have to partake in some melee, so I gave him my default Necro weapon (flail, knout, scourge).

Winner: Botanicus (poison n bone)
Boscus (summoning) is pretty decent, as he gets Amp/CE from items. But, nobody can hold a candle to my mini bonemancer at the moment.

 

[Pb_pal]

Mojomancer will be interesting. Load him down with CB/OW and give him an 6xEth crystal sword so he can actually hit stuff?

 

[D2DC]

Mojomancer will be interesting. Load him down with CB/OW and give him an 6xEth crystal sword so he can actually hit stuff?

Best thing about him so far is that Necromancer falls in the middle of my snaking alphabetical order. At least I can just grin and bear it for one act, and then be done with him for a while! XD

 

[D2DC]

After a bit of a hiatus, time to get this going again!

Druid - A2 Normal

Name:               Class:              Build:              Level:  Act:
---------------     --------            --------------      -----   ----
Delienn             Druid               Elemental           27      A4
Gwezenn             Druid               Shape-Shifting      27      A4
Koadeg              Druid               Summoning           27      A4

Spoiler: Pics

Is it just me, or are the maps in D2R more straightforward?

Winner: Delienn (elemental skills)
Delienn and Koadeg have been in A4 for quite a while. So, Gwezenn (werewolf) was the only one that I actually played here recently. Despite him mowing everything down with 1-shots, I took Delienn out for a test spin, and he still has to be the winner.

 

[LouB]

Interesting task you set for yourself. On your two noncombat builds, but especially for the masteries build have you considered Wolfhowl for once you reach Hell?

 

[D2DC]

Interesting task you set for yourself. On your two noncombat builds, but especially for the masteries build have you considered Wolfhowl for once you reach Hell?

Definitely an option. I usually finish hell around 80-85 with most builds though.. So, we will see where they are at!