Originally posted by: @Gripphon
Well played everyone. Congratz to the winner, that is quite impressive score there. 1200 Andy runs in 15 hours where questing takes like almost 2 is indeed quite fast. Fastest I could go with fire trapper was like 1 min by killing Rakanishu and Andy. Thanks to
@T72on1 for hosting this interesting tournament. At first I was like "lol tc3 farming", but eventually when I saw Nagi joining, I thought I could give it a shot too. If its good enough for Nagi to bring him out of retirement, it is good enough for me!
My journey started by doing theorycrafting before actual playing. What I knew was I want to check gem shrines to get ptopaz gear, and secondly to roll solid maps for running. My only question was what targets to focus on? I saw potential in Andy due to dropping 19 different tc3 items, and I saw potential in Coldcrow + Rakanishu combo with potential of 16 items, but faster farming. I also kinda wanted to collect gold to gamble something. Of interest were boots and leather armors.
Typical early strategy was to quest fast, kill Countess few times to get runes for Stealth and to level up to 20+ before starting to grind. Then went to buy MF gear in town 2 (gloves, gamble boots) and let the party start. First target was Andy due to dropping MF rings to boost MF a bit more.
Fire Druid
His map was excellent, having Rakanishu right at waypoint and solid Andy map. Coldcrow map was mediocre, and had only 2 shrines to check, so his development was slowish. Every run I checked those two shrines to upgrade topazes. After initial Andy running, I went to clear some Devilkin nests to fast farm chipped topazes to start with proper shrining. I kinda wasted my time, but wanted to have fun.
Strategy with fire druid was simple - get ptopaz helm and run some combo of Andy-Rakanishu-Tristram-Coldcrow. That worked nicely first few hours until I noticed - wtf Andy, do you even drop tc3? I did farm tc3 items with not bad tempo, but none was from Andy area. And when she finally dropped me something - it was like fifth or whatever set buckler. That continued until I said to myself - enough of this Andy, she sucks. Then went to focus only on Rakanishu + Coldcrow killing bosses on the path too. But you know, it gets boring to repeat it all over again, so I eventually threw Andy into mix. Actually found one (OP!) useful item by running her, and she wasn't the one that dropped it lol. It was unique sash from something next to Andy. That moment when you run Andy for items, and she gives none, but creeps around do. I eventually found another item by running her - again not from her, but creeps lol. It was The Hand of Broc. I mean, Andy is the one supposed to drop items, yet she refused and turned out to be incredibly bad target to me. In total she dropped me 3 items of which none was upgrade. Upgrades dropped from creeps around her. Incredible, but oh well. And I spent like 4 or more hours running her in the mix with other targets. Don't blame me that I didn't want to kill her anymore with other chars.
Druid developed fine, completed ptopaz helm near 7 hour mark, then went to make ptopaz armor. In total did only few countess runs since I was lazy to farm runes for Zephyr and countess map was bad.
My strategy of running was kinda fancy. At beginning of run I put on Stealth, then replaced it with 3 ptopaz armor that I carried in inventory before killing major targets like Andy and Coldcrow. Well, my MF was indeed impressive, especially after 11th hour when Gull dropped boosting me from 200+ to 300+ MF. Strategy was to farm death set from Rakanishu which I managed to do in the end, and get as many items as I can from Coldcrow and her bosses (boss in cave 1 dropped me scepter), then mix in some Andy to score something lucky (and all I scored was waste of time).
In the end druid gear looks like this:
Code:
Gemmed Skull Cap
Skull Cap
Defense: 8
Durability: 12 of 18
Required Level: 18
Required Strength: 15
Fingerprint: 0x6e0ed5bc
Item Level: 12
Version: Expansion 1.10+
48% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
2 Sockets (2 used)
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Perfect Topaz
Required Level: 18
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: Adds 1 - 40 Lightning Damage
Armor: 24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Shields: Lightning Resist +40%
Perfect Topaz
Required Level: 18
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: Adds 1 - 40 Lightning Damage
Armor: 24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Shields: Lightning Resist +40%
Gemmed Breast Plate
Breast Plate
Defense: 67
Durability: 38 of 50
Required Level: 18
Required Strength: 30
Fingerprint: 0xa863424b
Item Level: 20
Version: Expansion 1.10+
72% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
3 Sockets (3 used)
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Perfect Topaz
Required Level: 18
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: Adds 1 - 40 Lightning Damage
Armor: 24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Shields: Lightning Resist +40%
Perfect Topaz
Required Level: 18
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: Adds 1 - 40 Lightning Damage
Armor: 24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Shields: Lightning Resist +40%
Perfect Topaz
Required Level: 18
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: Adds 1 - 40 Lightning Damage
Armor: 24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Shields: Lightning Resist +40%
Gemmed Small Shield
Small Shield
Defense: 8
Chance to Block: 0
Durability: 11 of 16
Required Level: 15
Required Strength: 22
Fingerprint: 0xd21e7381
Item Level: 20
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Regenerate Mana 30%
2 Sockets (2 used)
Socketed: Eth Rune
Socketed: Eth Rune
Eth Rune
Required Level: 15
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: -25% Target Defense
Armor: Regenerate Mana 15%
Shields: Regenerate Mana 15%
Eth Rune
Required Level: 15
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: -25% Target Defense
Armor: Regenerate Mana 15%
Shields: Regenerate Mana 15%
Leaf
Short Staff
TirRal
Two Hand Damage: 1 - 5
Durability: 20 of 20
Required Level: 19
Fingerprint: 0xe1178a03
Item Level: 12
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+3 to Fire Skills
Adds 5 - 30 Fire Damage
+3 to Inferno (Sorceress Only)
+3 to Warmth (Sorceress Only)
+3 to Fire Bolt (Sorceress Only)
+50 Defense (Based on Character Level)
Cold Resist +33%
+2 to Mana after each Kill
2 Sockets (2 used)
Socketed: Tir Rune
Socketed: Ral Rune
Tir Rune
Required Level: 13
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: +2 to Mana after each Kill
Armor: +2 to Mana after each Kill
Shields: +2 to Mana after each Kill
Ral Rune
Required Level: 19
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: Adds 5 - 30 Fire Damage
Armor: Fire Resist +30%
Shields: Fire Resist +35%
Plague Fringe
Light Belt
Defense: 5
Durability: 10 of 14
Required Level: 6
Fingerprint: 0xa88ddc6d
Item Level: 12
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+10% Faster Hit Recovery
+37% Enhanced Defense
Lightning Resist +5%
Poison Resist +8%
Poison Length Reduced by 25%
Attacker Takes Damage of 1
Heavy Gloves of Fortune
Heavy Gloves
Defense: 5
Durability: 13 of 14
Required Level: 12
Fingerprint: 0x4646713c
Item Level: 20
Version: Expansion 1.10+
24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Stone Blazer
Boots
Defense: 5
Durability: 8 of 12
Required Level: 14
Fingerprint: 0xefa435d7
Item Level: 24
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+10% Faster Run/Walk
+49% Enhanced Defense
+30 Maximum Stamina
Lightning Resist +27%
15% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Doom Mark
Amulet
Required Level: 9
Fingerprint: 0x15e6bae7
Item Level: 12
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+4 to Mana
Cold Resist +18%
Lightning Resist +9%
Half Freeze Duration
8% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Nagelring
Ring
Required Level: 7
Fingerprint: 0x543e8b93
Item Level: 14
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+75 to Attack Rating
Magic Damage Reduced by 3
Attacker Takes Damage of 3
29% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Nagelring
Ring
Required Level: 7
Fingerprint: 0x3c808215
Item Level: 12
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+63 to Attack Rating
Magic Damage Reduced by 3
Attacker Takes Damage of 3
27% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Gull
Dagger
One Hand Damage: 2 - 19
Durability: 16 of 16
Required Level: 4
Fingerprint: 0x3316bab8
Item Level: 8
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Adds 1 - 15 Damage
-5 to Mana
100% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Stealth
Quilted Armor
TalEth
Defense: 11
Durability: 13 of 20
Required Level: 17
Required Strength: 12
Fingerprint: 0xdb8e2f78
Item Level: 12
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+25% Faster Run/Walk
+25% Faster Cast Rate
+25% Faster Hit Recovery
+6 to Dexterity
Regenerate Mana 15%
+15 Maximum Stamina
Poison Resist +30%
Magic Damage Reduced by 3
2 Sockets (2 used)
Socketed: Tal Rune
Socketed: Eth Rune
Tal Rune
Required Level: 17
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: Adds 75 Poison Damage Over 5 Secs (125 Frames)
Armor: Poison Resist +30%
Shields: Poison Resist +35%
Eth Rune
Required Level: 15
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: -25% Target Defense
Armor: Regenerate Mana 15%
Shields: Regenerate Mana 15%
Totaling 323 MF on kill.
Merc used
Code:
Dimoak's Hew
Bardiche
Two Hand Damage: 2 - 54
Durability: 49 of 50
Required Level: 8
Required Strength: 40
Fingerprint: 0x10bc2da6
Item Level: 14
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+20% Increased Attack Speed
100% Enhanced Damage
-8 Defense
+15 to Dexterity
Dire Cloak
Leather Armor
Defense: 21
Durability: 24 of 24
Required Level: 18
Required Strength: 15
Fingerprint: 0xbfca6162
Item Level: 25
Version: Expansion 1.10+
10% Chance to cast level 3 Nova when struck
+19% Enhanced Defense
Cold Resist +13%
Poison Length Reduced by 50%
48% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
2 Sockets (2 used)
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Perfect Topaz
Required Level: 18
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: Adds 1 - 40 Lightning Damage
Armor: 24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Shields: Lightning Resist +40%
Perfect Topaz
Required Level: 18
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: Adds 1 - 40 Lightning Damage
Armor: 24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Shields: Lightning Resist +40%
Spirit Cowl
Skull Cap
Defense: 13
Durability: 9 of 18
Required Level: 4
Required Strength: 15
Fingerprint: 0x65b52a8b
Item Level: 8
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+10% Faster Hit Recovery
+15 to Attack Rating
+12% Enhanced Defense
Cold Resist +10%
Fire Resist +5%
+1 to Light Radius
But his gear is pretty much irrelevant since he rarely made a kill. But since it took me few seconds to check 2 shrines, I made that armor for him.
List of tc3 farmed with druid:
Code:
1 Pelta Lunata (Qlvl 3)
0 Rixot's Keen (Qlvl 3)
1 Biggin's Bonnet (Qlvl 4)
2 Felloak (Qlvl 4)
2 Gull (Qlvl 6)
0 The Gnasher (Qlvl 7)
2 Hotspur (Qlvl 7)
1 Hand of Broc (Qlvl 7)
1 Knell Striker (Qlvl 7)
1 Bane Ash (Qlvl 7)
0 Torch of Iro (Qlvl 7)
0 Greyform (Qlvl 10)
1 Lenymo (Qlvl 10)
0 Pluckeye (Qlvl 10)
0 Blinkbat's Form (Qlvl 16)
6 Arctic Furs (Qlvl 3)
14 Hsarus' Iron Fist (Qlvl 4)
14 Infernal Cranium (Qlvl 7)
1 Death's Hand (Qlvl 8)
1 Death's Guard (Qlvl 8)
0 Vidala's Ambush (Qlvl 19)
0 Sander's Paragon (Qlvl 20)
0 Tancred's Hobnails (Qlvl 27)
It is amazing I didn't manage to find a single Rixot's Keen. Too bad. Gnasher is also "easy to get" stuff I didn't manage to find. Also it was very hard to start running to not get set cap or buckler in first 10 minutes.
Martial Arts assassin
I wanted something different, so started tiger strike / dragon tail assassin. Did 4 hours 40 mins with her and found 2 items, both from Andy. But, I still made some gear for her, she is not empty handed.
Code:
Soul Casque
Skull Cap
Defense: 13
Durability: 18 of 18
Required Level: 18
Required Strength: 15
Fingerprint: 0x150e89c5
Item Level: 12
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+10% Faster Hit Recovery
+11% Enhanced Defense
+3 to Energy
Fire Resist +7%
48% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
2 Sockets (2 used)
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Totaling above 100 MF. Had 2 ptopazes ready for armor, but decided not to move further with her, I wasn't in a mood for something like that. And then I started next char.
Fire Trapper
I really wanted to see how she works at least once in pvm. I'm the only player who uses WoF assassins in pvp, so wanted to make a mark with such char in pvm too. This time I had much clearer goals and went to them more precisely than with druid. I had excellent shrine map, checking total 5 shrines before killing Rakanishu. I killed him from level 7 to 15 and shrined along the way. Took me 1 hour 44 min to complete ptopaz helm. Then I went to level up by killing stuff in halls of dead until level 24 which I reached after... 2 hours 40 mins. Decided to stick to my map to shrine armor and stuff more to use those shrines. After 4 hours 40 mins completed 3 ptopaz armor and 2 ptopaz armor for merc. Then I rolled maps to get something decent for Andy to find 2 Nagels. By having terrible experience with her with druid and not so great with MA assassin, I decided not to check further is she really that terrible target, or am I just unlucky. She dropped me set cap, something I already had multiple of during that time.
My primary targets from the start were Rakanishu + Tristram + Coldcrow. Tristram was excellent map with 2-3 bosspacks near Grisword + champion pack. Still barely managed to find death set items. Also farmed countess to farm Zephyr bow to run faster so I can use ptopaz armor normally without switching with Stealth.
After like 9 hours or so Gull dropped. Excellent, having plenty of time farming with 300+ MF. Along the way I also collected chipped gems to cube wands and staves to sell for 10k gold in second town. Gambling didn't pay off and wasted over 1 hour on it total.
I find it really interesting that, despite developing character much much faster than druid and finding Gull faster and farming better with her, I barely managed to beat druid score. She found only 2 tc3 items more than Druid with who I wasted more time. Actually there was like only 2 hours to go, and I was at "only" 12 items farmed still without death items despite killing Rakanishu and Tristram the whole time. Statistically should have gotten multiple of those. And now it was dilemma, to go give Andy another shot and hope to score lucky, or to stick to my goal and hope to be lucky. I missed rare tc3 items from Coldcrow and I didn't think I'll get any. I didn't anyway, found short staff earlier. But, managed to find fastish both death items then switched to Andy for an hour. It was like ~60 Andy runs without single item from her and 5 additional Nagels. Last 35 or so mins was used to gamble like 800k gold without success. Actually did more gambling ofc earlier.
Trapper gear:
Code:
Mechanic's Cap of Balance
Cap
Defense: 3
Durability: 2 of 12
Required Level: 18
Fingerprint: 0x9c30bc0b
Item Level: 12
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+10% Faster Hit Recovery
48% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
2 Sockets (2 used)
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Gemmed Breast Plate
Breast Plate
Defense: 68
Durability: 41 of 50
Required Level: 18
Required Strength: 30
Fingerprint: 0xc0f5b949
Item Level: 20
Version: Expansion 1.10+
72% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
3 Sockets (3 used)
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Bone Shield
Small Shield
Defense: 13
Chance to Block: 0
Durability: 15 of 16
Required Level: 4
Required Strength: 22
Fingerprint: 0x7c984d53
Item Level: 8
Version: Expansion 1.10+
10% Chance to cast level 3 Charged Bolt when struck
+10% Faster Hit Recovery
+25% Enhanced Defense
Fire Resist +7%
Attacker Takes Damage of 1
+2 to Light Radius
Gull
Dagger
One Hand Damage: 2 - 19
Durability: 9 of 16
Required Level: 4
Fingerprint: 0xb43dd945
Item Level: 8
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Adds 1 - 15 Damage
-5 to Mana
100% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Zephyr
Short Bow
OrtEth
Two Hand Damage: 1 - 5
Durability: 14 of 20
Required Level: 21
Required Dexterity: 15
Fingerprint: 0xbb10d7ba
Item Level: 12
Version: Expansion 1.10+
7% Chance to cast level 1 Twister when struck
+25% Faster Run/Walk
+25% Increased Attack Speed
33% Enhanced Damage
-25% Target Defense
+66 to Attack Rating
Adds 1 - 50 Lightning Damage
+25 Defense
2 Sockets (2 used)
Socketed: Ort Rune
Socketed: Eth Rune
Shadow Strap
Belt
Defense: 7
Durability: 12 of 16
Required Level: 6
Required Strength: 25
Fingerprint: 0xf95a7465
Item Level: 17
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+10% Faster Hit Recovery
+32% Enhanced Defense
+1 to Strength
+10 to Life
+4 to Mana
Fire Resist +7%
Heavy Gloves of Fortune
Heavy Gloves
Defense: 6
Durability: 5 of 14
Required Level: 12
Fingerprint: 0x726dcf60
Item Level: 20
Version: Expansion 1.10+
25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Rune Track
Heavy Boots
Defense: 9
Durability: 12 of 14
Required Level: 16
Required Strength: 18
Fingerprint: 0xcfe5ef51
Item Level: 27
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+20% Faster Run/Walk
+10% Faster Hit Recovery
+36% Enhanced Defense
Lightning Resist +23%
Fire Resist +17%
Half Freeze Duration
Nagelring
Ring
Required Level: 7
Fingerprint: 0xff62fd04
Item Level: 12
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+59 to Attack Rating
Magic Damage Reduced by 3
Attacker Takes Damage of 3
28% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Nagelring
Ring
Required Level: 7
Fingerprint: 0x89786a68
Item Level: 12
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+71 to Attack Rating
Magic Damage Reduced by 3
Attacker Takes Damage of 3
28% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Raven Eye
Amulet
Required Level: 3
Fingerprint: 0x33967636
Item Level: 8
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+2 to Energy
+4 to Mana
Fire Resist +5%
10% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Totaling 311 MF.
Merc gear:
Code:
Gemmed Superior Cap
Superior Cap
Defense: 6
Durability: 12 of 12
Required Level: 18
Fingerprint: 0xd39e4469
Item Level: 12
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+7% Enhanced Defense
48% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
2 Sockets (2 used)
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Gale Shroud
Leather Armor
Defense: 17
Durability: 24 of 24
Required Level: 13
Required Strength: 15
Fingerprint: 0x33b10180
Item Level: 21
Version: Expansion 1.10+
10% Chance to cast level 3 Charged Bolt when struck
+24% Faster Hit Recovery
Lightning Resist +9%
Attacker Takes Damage of 2
26% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
2 Sockets (2 used)
Socketed: Flawed Topaz
Socketed: Flawed Topaz
Razortine
Trident
Two Hand Damage: 13 - 21
Durability: 29 of 35
Required Level: 12
Required Strength: 38
Required Dexterity: 24
Fingerprint: 0x7878b45b
Item Level: 17
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+30% Increased Attack Speed
46% Enhanced Damage
-50% Target Defense
Slows Target by 25%
+15 to Strength
+8 to Dexterity
Some screenshots:
List of tc3 items found
Code:
2 Pelta Lunata (Qlvl 3)
4 Rixot's Keen (Qlvl 3)
1 Biggin's Bonnet (Qlvl 4)
2 Felloak (Qlvl 4)
1 Gull (Qlvl 6)
3 The Gnasher (Qlvl 7)
3 Hotspur (Qlvl 7)
1 Hand of Broc (Qlvl 7)
0 Knell Striker (Qlvl 7)
1 Bane Ash (Qlvl 7)
0 Torch of Iro (Qlvl 7)
0 Greyform (Qlvl 10)
0 Lenymo (Qlvl 10)
0 Pluckeye (Qlvl 10)
0 Blinkbat's Form (Qlvl 16)
13 Arctic Furs (Qlvl 3)
12 Hsarus' Iron Fist (Qlvl 4)
8 Infernal Cranium (Qlvl 7)
1 Death's Hand (Qlvl 8)
1 Death's Guard (Qlvl 8)
0 Vidala's Ambush (Qlvl 19)
0 Sander's Paragon (Qlvl 20)
0 Tancred's Hobnails (Qlvl 27)
What I notice is how much more centered my drops are in comparison to other participants. I thought I'd see 10+ those set items all over the place. It also has to do with me more focusing outside Andy where less items can drop.
As an upgrades for the next time, I'm not really sure what to change except to give Andy another shot. Though I don't promise I wouldn't start to ignore her again if she again drops me less than 1 item per hour like it was now the case. Gear wise it is possible to roll better boots... I didn't use MF boots cause I value frw more, especially by having over 300 MF already.
That's it from me. It turned out to be quite interesting event. Unlike on other events, here I could easily play much since all I did was hold mouse down. Perhaps cya on next event.