Discussion State of the Game - How do you play D2R? What have you been up to lately?

[NorthDakota]

Games been out a while now, lots of changes, lots of QoL type stuff. When it was in development and even to this day there was apprehension about new features and features that deviated from D2LoD. I'm curious to see which features you guys are using and how you're playing and enjoying the game. I feel like I've been out of touch with many of you lately and I'm curious!

Here's some discussion questions I'm personally curious about from you guys here on the SPF, but of course feel free to go on tangents and discuss whatever about how you're playing and what you're doing right now!


New Feature Related Questions:

1. Do you use quick cast?
2. Do you use force move keybinding?
3. Do you use always show items (toggle item label display)? or do you use the old method (push and hold to display)?
4. Do you use classic or resurrected item spacing?
5. Are you using Terror Zones?
6. Would you use Terror Zones to go for level 99?
7. How are you using Sunder Charms? Which builds/are you using them etc.

What have you been up to lately?

1. What character/build have you been playing/enjoying lately?
2. Are there any builds that stick out to you as more fun now than in D2LoD?
3. What have you been doing in game? (mfing, runefinding, LKing, leveling? and where?!)

 

[LouB]

New Feature Related Questions:

I finally started playing D2R in December and frankly didn't spend any time researching changes. So your first three questions caused a noob moment here. I had to look them up and I will definitely start using quick cast and will have to play with the toggle option.

4. Resurrected
5. YES!!!!!
6. That's exactly why I jumped into doing the TZs. First, it ends the boredom of Baal and Nihlathak runs and second you gain experience faster.

What have you been up to lately?

1. I really enjoyed my Wolfbarb ARGH (Pat'd at level 88) and turned him more into a MF character (400%MF) till he reached mid level 93. At that point I decided that I was going to take him to 99. THEN I read the 99 compendium guide and realized the grind would be longer than I thought, but decided to plunge on anyways. I made a number of changes to allow him to function at P/8 in Hell and got to level 95.3 before TZ arrived. Since then I've reached 96.3.

I've also been running LK with my Enigma equipped Zealot, but ARGH is the one finding the Jah and Cham runes.

I've also brought back my M'avina Straferzon to run TZs

I've got a build FoH/Smiter that is in Act 2 nightmare and a Bonemancer that is still in normal Act 1. Neither is getting any play time because of the others.

2. One of my favorite builds is a throw barb and they have made huge changes to the build. I respected one of my old barb and it looks like it will be a lot of fun.

While not a build I really like the changes they made to the Rogue and especially the Frenzy mercs.,

3. All of the above. till the TZ started ARGH was running a cycle comprised of Trav council, Pindle and then running down to Nihlathak, LK and Baal. Max the zealot was running LK for runes and AS for Keys of Hate.

 

[Arparrabiosa]

New Feature Related Questions:

1. Nope.
2. Nope.
3. I use the old method.
4. Classic.
5. Yes!
6. Yes.

What have you been up to lately?

1. It's been mostly Fire Druid and Hammerdin since they added Terror Zones. Some Javazon and Lightning Sorc here and there, too. I'd like to add Blizzard Sorc a Poisonmancer to the rotations, but I think I'll wait until I can make Doom (missing a Lo and I don't want to cube it) or have a Death's Web to play around Sundered Charms. I would be nice to add a question on how we are using Sundered Charms @NorthDakota .
2. Fissure Druid hands down, thanks to the changes in the cooldowns.
3. It has been mostly /p7 Terror Zones, killing density and elites, so a little bit of everything. /P5 Andariel MFing if terrorized Catacombs is the only exception. I don't do all TZ, though. If there is a bad TZ (Den of Evil, I'm looking at you), I skip it and do something else (not D2R related). I also have an untwinked hydra sorceress project: she is at Act 4 NM farming Meph. Prior to that I was mainly MFing Pindle+TS and runefinding, basefinding, jewelfinding and charmfinding at Cows, Chaos Sanctuary and Stony Tomb. I haven't farm LK in a long, long time, and I do not have plans to do so in the near future.

 

[Excalibur]

Aside from the balance and general changes in which players will always argue, D2R is an excellent remaster. My initial expectation with D2R was that I will just give it a shot to check it out and then revert back to D2 Legacy. But ever since I tried it, it almost feels impossible for me to go back. I think this sums up my thoughts about the game!

 

[maxicek]

Nice thread, thanks ND

New Feature Related Questions:

1. No. I personally don't get it - I just hold down RMB then press the keys. I think I am too stuck in my 1.14d PvP habits to change this now.
2. I don't even know what this does.
3. It varies. Running LK I left it always on. General gameplay I use the traditional. I have also used the press and timer option.
4. Classic
5. Not yet but I will do when I get that far, except on my original UT99er.
6. Yes, I'm planning it for a few characters.

What have you been up to lately?

At one point I was going to forward some gear and characters to D2R, I have decided to keep them completely seperate.

I have four characters in D2R, all untwinked:

• Villanelle, SC level 97 K/T Assassin - No TZs, traditional 99er
• Forley, HC level 44 Barbarian - Just finished Normal
• Envy, SC level 84 Blizz sorc - I will push her to Mat soon to unlock TZ
• Savine, SC level 73 Martial Artist - Just about to finish NM. Will be a TZ runner.

I'm kind of enjoying the untwinked playthrough style at the moment. Every drop may help and it is more challenging than the usual blast through Normal & NM. I may make some twinked characters in D2R at some point, depends on how I feel.


I still have several characters in 1.14d I want to finish too, mostly using some of the less used high end runewords. I have another 2h Sword sept to finish here, and another MP playthrough at some point. I don't see myself doing much more running in 1.14d though, that will pretty much done in D2R only now. Except I still want another Jah for a Fury claw...

 

[Timinator]

I've been slowly doing some D2R, until recently I only had one who had beaten Hell Baal, but now have 3 others done.

I've been really enjoying Terror Zones, its brought a freshness to a game I've loved on and off for 20 years.

I don't think I have tried some of the new features yet. Need ot do that.

In terms of gameplay, I have about 200 grail items I've never found in D2R yet. I'm yet to get my first torch, yet to really hunt runes, so much I can do.

I have managed to get a TC87 to drop that never dropped yet in legacy. I know its all RNG but it was good. I've also been doing a bunch of other games and putting stuff on Youtube, so trying to balance D2 vs other games and doing a good job of it. If nothing else just understanding my gaming personality!

 

[Excalibur]

I don't even know what this does.

Lmao, same and I was too embarrassed to ask.

 

[NorthDakota]

Lmao, same and I was too embarrassed to ask.

@maxicek @Excalibur

Or for anyone - #2 force move is a new key binding option that allows you to bind a key on your keyboard that forces your character to move to the location of your mouse when you press the button.

This helps if you have item labels on, and you want to move through them without clicking them, or if you want to precisely place your character around or through groups of mobs, without accidentally clicking and attacking them.

 

[Kruemelmonschda]

New Feature Related Questions:

1. Yep
2. No
3. Always show items
4. Classic
5. Yes
6. Sure
7. -

What have you been up to lately?

1. Trying the terror zones with my Hammerdin.
2. Summoner Druid
3. Farming keys and torches until i get a Paladin torch. No luck yet. Have multiple torches for the other classes but paladin is still missing. And trying the new terror zones an /p7 - so a mixture of mf, lvling and rune finding.

 

[Cattleya]

New Feature Related Questions:

1. Yes. Honestly, if they hadn't added it in, I'm not sure how much I would have been able to play. If I can't offload some of the mouse clicking to my other hand, it doesn't take long to start having pain problems.
2. Yes. This is something that I had gotten very used to in D3, so was very happy when it got added in.
3. I use the toggle, although I've been thinking of experimenting with the hold hold to display method. (I've had some cases where things got dicey because I had to hit the button to toggle them off so I could see the action.)
4. I think I'm using classic. (Whichever one is closer together.)
5. I haven't managed to get a character far enough along for Terror Zones.
6. I don't think I've managed to hit 70 in D2R, so the thought of me trying to get to 99 using any method is comical.
7. I'm not there yet, but there are several builds (especially sorceress and amazon) that I'd really like to try out with them at some point.

What have you been up to lately?

1. I had been working on an untwinked HC Frost Zealot. That little adventure ended in NM WSK (and reminded me why I wasn't going to do HC in D2R.) So, I'm heading back to SC, probably with something ranged as I'm ready for a bit of a melee break after all the zealing.
2. The 2.6 Enchant changes have me eyeing a ranged enchantress, and there are several things that seem more interesting with the addition of sunder charms. Insight in bows has been a game changer for me and my obsession with Act 1 mercenaries.
3. I'm mostly just leveling. Coming back to D2 has been a bit rough. Aside from the fact that life has been making finding play time hard, I'm just in a very different place than I was a decade and a half ago. I've had a bit of a learning curve when it comes to realizing that what I found fun then isn't what I find fun now. I used to really love weird restrictions and such, but now I'm finding that I have the most fun when I'm just playing and going with the flow. Figuring that out has led to several abandoned projects for D2R and a whole bunch of low level characters. But, I'm enjoying my time with it, even if I'm not really getting anywhere yet.

 

[little birdy]

Cool thread idea!

New feature Q's:

1. I play on Switch with a controller so this doesn't really apply to me / I dunno
2. See above
3. I use the default setting, which I guess is push and hold to display
4. Whatever the default is
5. You bet!
6. I am thinking about it but who knows if I will follow through on it
7. I have tried out Flame Rift on my Fire Ball Sorc and Cold Rupture on my M'avina Freezing Arrow Bowazon

What I have been up to lately:

1. Multishot and Freezing Arrow / Immolation Arrow Bowazons, Blade Fury Assassin, Tiger/Tail Assassin, Kicksin, Fire Ball Sorc, Bone Necro... I have discovered that my preferred build type is a ranged attacker, with a preference for skills that can pierce... Tons of fun lately playing the Bowazons and Bone Necro in Terror Zones!
2. In OG D2, Summon Necro was my jam. When LoD hit, it became immediately clear to me that Assassins were the coolest class ever (esp. Martial Arts builds). I still love Assassins, but I have developed an appreciation for Traps that I didn't have in the bad old days; and I honestly don't find the Summon/CE Necro very enjoyable anymore, and instead have a stronger appreciation for the Bone build. My love for Bowazons is a new thing too. I had a fling with FoH which is much improved in D2R since 2.4 but I haven't played that FoHdin as much lately.
3. Questing new characters is still the bulk of my play time, though I do spend some time running alvl 85 areas with my MF builds, and of course Terror Zones have been a major distraction lately. I am working an 'Insight' Concentrate Barb through Normal right now. As for MFing, etc... Fire Ball Sorc mostly lives in Stoney Tomb, though that's different now with the Sunder GC. Freezing Arrow Zon loves hunting in Ancient Tunnels. Both of these gals do well against Pindle. Bone Necro, Multishot Bowazon, and Blade Fury Assassin can farm basically everywhere, maybe not the most efficient, but they're all fun to play so I don't care about efficiency / run times. My key and torch farmers (Lighting Sorc, IK WW Barb for Nihlathak, and Uber Smiter) all collect dust at the moment.

 

[TheNix]

New Feature Related Questions:

1. Quick cast is a real game changer, I couldn't do with out it now.
2. No
3. Wait? What?!? Edit: Oh my giddy aunt! The growing callus on my thumb sighs in relief
4. No idea, but it looks the same as classic, so I assume that that's what I'm using
5. Yes, but not exclusively
6. Yes and No. I feel that a grind to level 99 is a total waste of my time (there are too many builds to explore) but if I was to get to 99 it would be because I have run terror zones.
7. I've not used any yet, but if I find a Death's Web I might make a poisionmancer in the future.

What have you been up to lately?

1. My FoH Pally is my go-to character for most situations, but in specific terror zones, I use my Blizzballer or my respec'ed LF Amazon.
2. FoH Pally probably, but I have lost my favourite character (kickersin) in the process, so there are swings and roundabouts.
3. Currently, I have been key farming so that I can grab myself a Torch; what a pain in the arse that is!

 

[coju]

New Feature Related Questions:

1. Do you use quick cast? Yes
2. Do you use force move keybinding? no
3. Do you use always show items (toggle item label display)? or do you use the old method (push and hold to display)? Toggle. Wish console had a full toggle or push and hold.
4. Do you use classic or resurrected item spacing? Classic on pc. lol
5. Are you using Terror Zones? Yes.
6. Would you use Terror Zones to go for level 99? Oh yeah
7. How are you using Sunder Charms? Which builds/are you using them etc. don’t have any yet.

What have you been up to lately?

1. What character/build have you been playing/enjoying lately? Trapsin HC. Just got to act 2 nm
2. Are there any builds that stick out to you as more fun now than in D2LoD? FOH! I’ve played a bit of it and it wrecks. What I build the HC one I’ll be utilizing the lightning damage to deal with those holy bolt cannot.
3. What have you been doing in game? (mfing, runefinding, LKing, leveling? and where?!) as in real life: character building. Stopped playing for a few years. Got back when d2r released. Started sc then. Crafted that ultimate phase blade with the Lo rune. Then switched to bnet play for cross play. But, when I bnet I rush and just try to join games. Try playing it solo but then I think I might as well play single player, so I switched. Console HC right now.

 

[LouB]

I feel much better knowing that I wasn't the only one ignorant about several of the new QoL features.

I now use quick cast and toggle mode for show items. So far I leave the toggle on unless there is too much going on and the items are making it difficult to see where the monster are.

 

[Arparrabiosa]

7. How are you using Sunder Charms?

I'm only using them on single-element builds that can stack -Enemy Resistance on top of merc's Infinity. So my Hammerdin is not getting Black Cleft, and my Trapsin is not using Crack of the Heavens, as I build her with the hybrid approach. She has a Fireblast backup, and she still can't apply -ELR to traps due to the bug. I'll respec her to pure lightning and use a Sundered when this gets patched in SP.

I'm using Flame Rift with my Fissure Druid (Infinity + Faceted Ravenlore + Phoenix). Cold Rupture with my Blizzard Sorc (Infinity + Cold Mastery + Doom + Faceted Nightwing's Veil & Skin of the Vipermagi). And Crack of the Heavens with my Lightning Sorc (Infinity + Faceted Griffon's Eye + Crescent Moon). I'm unsure about bothering using a Sundered Charm with my Javazon (Infinity + Griffon's) as I mostly do cows with her and don't care about killing The King and the occasional unbreakable LI unique that much.

I don't have builds that use poison or physical damage yet, so I'm not using Bone Break or Rotting Fissure. Likewise, I'd play around Decrep / Amplify on the merc (TRT, Lawbringer, upped witchwild string) with the first one or Death's Web with the second if I do.

 

[NorthDakota]

I don't have builds that use poison or physical damage yet, so I'm not using Bone Break

I'm curious if there's a situation where it's actually worth using this charm? I was messing around with it on my bowazon but it seems like it's never worth it on her.

 

[Arparrabiosa]

I'm curious if there's a situation where it's actually worth using this charm? I was messing around with it on my bowazon but it seems like it's never worth it on her.

I'm not an expert on physical damage builds, but probably not. Have you tried to play around Atma's Scarab?

 

[NorthDakota]

Have you tried to play around Atma's Scarab?

To wear atmas you need to either accept 8 fpa, or make your faith in a matriarchal bow, or do some crazy jewelers setup. In any of those cases, you're sacrificing consistent damage for the inconsistent amp proc. like matriarchal bow setup just does less damage. windforce needs insane gear that's practically impossible to acquire in single player to compete with GMB (like 60ias body armor, 45 ias helmet jewelers setup)

I don't really use atmas because I have gmb faith, which means I either need ias on my amulet or I'm stuck at 8 fpa multishot. Plus with the change to magic arrow (BIG DAMAGE) you can deal with phys immune boss monsters fairly easily (if you don't outright skip them)

Plus for how I play I have always been underwhelmed with atmas. It isn't reliable, it's more like helpful for act bosses and stuff or big tanky phys immunes that even magic arrow takes a while to kill (on /p8 for example). But in my experience you're better off skipping those and just moving on to the next pack, or simply farming in an area without so many physical resistant monsters.

 

[Arparrabiosa]

But in my experience you're better off skipping those and just moving on to the next pack, or simply farming in an area without so many physical resistant monsters.

Yeah, that's exactly what I was expecting.

windforce needs insane gear that's practically impossible to acquire in single player to compete with GMB (like 60ias body armor, 45 ias helmet jewelers setup)

I was thinking about building a WF bowazon one day myself, with an Act 1 merc wielding Faith. Should I ditch the idea and build around wielding Faith myself, instead?

 

[NorthDakota]

I was thinking about building a WF bowazon one day myself, with an Act 1 merc wielding Faith. Should I ditch the idea and build around wielding Faith myself, instead?

Unless you're looking to super-optimize, WF is of course just fine! Especially if you have one.

The problem with windforce is that it's a hydra bow which means it's slow. It does have 20% ias native (faith has 0%) and you can socket it with a jewel so you can get an extra 15% ias there, which brings you to 35% ias on the weapon alone which you can't get with faith. But the issue is that without fanaticism, windforce is SO SLOW.

Like look at this IAS table for Hydra bows without fanaticism:

IAS	FPA
0	15
5	14
11	13
22	12
35	11
56	10
89	9
147	8

(wow I have no idea how to make a table smaller, that's a big table)

You can see that even reaching 9 FPA is a considerable hurdle. You have 35 in your weapon, 20 gloves, you can do 20 ammy bringing you to 75 so you NEED ias on your helm. It does give options on the helmet if you're satisfied with 9 FPA, like you can wear anything with an ias jewel. You can wear stealskull and that takes care of your leech. You could wear giant skull, or shako, or whatever and just slap a 15 ias jewel in there. It's not half bad!

9 fpa feels a bit sluggish though (but totally fine, just not top end)

So if you want to attack faster than that you're basically forced to build a faith, either to wear it yourself or to put on an act 1 mercenary (in which case you have to make it in a non-amazon bow, which does feel like sort of a waste).

With the addition of "Hustle" RW, you can give that bad boy to an act 2 merc, get might and fanaticism level 1, and then reaching 9 fpa is even easier, and you can reach 8 fpa for 92 ias, so the helmet like stealskull or andariels visage with an ias jewel will get you there, or m'avina's true sight will get you there no jewel, or you can wear nosferatu's coil instead of razortail.

Either way hustle does help with that 8fpa breakpoint and give you some options on a budget.


Or you can skip all that and just go faith GMB. Reaching 8fpa with that (assuming level 14 fanaticism roll) you reach 8 fpa easy with basically nothing. 7 fpa is tougher, you need to wear mav's true sight or a triple ias jeweled helmet and nosferatu's or goldwrap. I'm currently wearing



1.07 valk with with an ias jewel. This is super nice because you get all that other good stuff and with an fcr ring you hit casting breakpoint for pretty manageable teleport with enigma.

The other benefit of wearing faith yourself is that you can do an act 2 might merc, give him Pride RW, and then you have might, concentration, and fanaticism aura. This gets better and better the more flat damage charms you have.


Honestly I could go on and on. But the jist of it is this: I love faith GMB, you can make it in a matriarchal bow and that gives you more flexibility with ias, but you'll do lower damage. If you don't care about that or just want to clear on /p1-p5 then it doesn't really matter which you do (especially if you have lots of +damage charms). Windforce is good, it's better with an a1 merc with faith (which is about the only version I'd use end-game).