Untwinked Early Game Attack Rating Solutions?

[NorthDakota]

Hey guys,

I love melee characters and I like playing them through the game. My question for everyone is what is your go-to attack rating solution for the early game? By early game, I mean basically anything in normal, act 5 is usually the roughest, but including before then as well. I have a difficult time resisting the urge to twink a smidge and slap on Angelic ammy/ring or Sigons helmet 2-piece bonus.

I know you can just like pump dex of course, but I'm looking for your hot tips yall. Are there specific ways I can go about getting items that give AR early? Something to target gambling? I need your collective hot tips. I HATE MISSING.

-ND

 

[PhineasB]

Steel GCs are quite handy, and I often pair them with Sharp GCs for melee characters. I've never had AR/cth issues into late nightmare with that charm collection and Cow King's Set, even without Angelics jewelry. But I do often prioritize AR rare rings until I can equip Ravenfrost. I am questing a character through Normal now (A2 currently) and hoping to get her through A5 this weekend, so I may update with more specific on my other slots, which I can't recall offhand.

 

[Maltatai]

Rings can be useful early on in that regard, preferably combined with leeching or something too. Circlets as well. But for me the lack of damage has always been overshadowing the lack of hit rate in late normal. That is probably in large part due to me playing with a higher player setting and characters being overlevelled compared to their enemes by that point, but lacking the means to hack through the mountains of hit points quickly.

 

[little birdy]

Death’s set provides an AR boost if you happen to find it. The two piece Angelic set AR bonus is also very nice.

Keep all the AR charms you find along the way. ID all the blue rings you find and use the ones that have AR.

Socket your weapon with El runes or Amethysts.

There are other low level set and unique items that give AR if you can find or gamble them… Biggin’s Bonnet… Parts of Arctic Furs and Cleglaw’s set IIRC.

How often are you missing? IME you don’t need very much AR in Normal to hit things more often than not.

 

[NorthDakota]

Steel GCs are quite handy, and I often pair them with Sharp GCs for melee characters. I've never had AR/cth issues into late nightmare with that charm collection and Cow King's Set, even without Angelics jewelry. But I do often prioritize AR rare rings until I can equip Ravenfrost. I am questing a character through Normal now (A2 currently) and hoping to get her through A5 this weekend, so I may update with more specific on my other slots, which I can't recall offhand.

So are you saying you stop and farm quite a bit?

Rings can be useful early on in that regard, preferably combined with leeching or something too. Circlets as well. But for me the lack of damage has always been overshadowing the lack of hit rate in late normal. That is probably in large part due to me playing with a higher player setting and characters being overlevelled compared to their enemes by that point, but lacking the means to hack through the mountains of hit points quickly.

The replies got me thinking maybe my head is in the wrong place on this. I usually play through on /players 1, maybe stop and farm on /players 8 here or there for exp when it's convenient or necessary and efficient (like baals or something), and just play through the game until I mat/pat. So it's minimal farming, only when hitting barriers where I can't progress anymore. Usually damage is the barrier on a melee character, but for me it's usually early on around level 25 act 5 (or later hell), and gambling a good weapon usually sets me up. So generally I'm not overleveled which would also solve the issue early game.

So AR isn't a serious issue, it won't be a barrier. But I can't think of a quick solution to make it less annoying that takes a short enough amount of time to justify doing it besides "pump dex". Because if you stop and farm bosses for example, it takes time, and in that time you often could have made more progress towards the end by simply just continuing on.

Edit: okay the more I think about it the more I think this is a dumb question. the solution early game is easy enough - just pump dex. I don't know what I'm looking for besides that, usually you got enough stats to spare to have a decent health pool and invest into dex enough to hit reliably enough. Otherwise, blessed aim merc is probably going to be my "really mad about not hitting" solution.

Also, I hate that hit cap is 95% in this game. It drives me wild. Plus you miss for other reasons like being at the wrong angle just a little too far away from something or it's running away from you, and blocks from many enemies look/feel like you're missing so you feel like you're missing even more.

Edit 2: Literally just after making this post I had Angelics ring drop from a random skeleton in claw viper level 1 on the werewolf I'm casually playing through :/ Lets see if I can hit the ammy somewhere

 

[Arjan]

So are you saying you stop and farm quite a bit?


The replies got me thinking maybe my head is in the wrong place on this. I usually play through on /players 1, maybe stop and farm on /players 8 here or there for exp when it's convenient or necessary and efficient (like baals or something), and just play through the game until I mat/pat. So it's minimal farming, only when hitting barriers where I can't progress anymore. Usually damage is the barrier on a melee character, but for me it's usually early on around level 25 act 5 (or later hell), and gambling a good weapon usually sets me up. So generally I'm not overleveled which would also solve the issue early game.

So AR isn't a serious issue, it won't be a barrier. But I can't think of a quick solution to make it less annoying that takes a short enough amount of time to justify doing it besides "pump dex". Because if you stop and farm bosses for example, it takes time, and in that time you often could have made more progress towards the end by simply just continuing on.

I just finished my frenzy barb with full angelic awe on normal, p8 all the way single pass and full clears (most of the time). The thing with my built is only to see how far I can get with the angelic set’s full bonus active.

My barb was level 48 (give or take 1). So I could have maxed a lvl 24 skill or almost max a lvl 30 one (or neither if you make some sort of silly hybrid like I do now). Live is so much more easier when you are overleveled at the end of normal.

My barb at this point has 5k AR and never dropped below 95% cth throughout normal (this is with dual rings equipped) since I don’t do a lot of damage I need to hit as much and as fast as possible for my CB to do its magic.

Everyone should play the game how they like it. P1 with lvl 25 in act V is probably so much more difficult then p8 all the way I can understand why you wouldn’t want to change that. But it would help you with your problem I think

 

[little birdy]

‘Malice’ and ‘Steel’ are cheap rune words you can make early that give a bit an AR boost since they have El in them.

 

[NorthDakota]

P1 with lvl 25 in act V is probably so much more difficult then p8 all the way I can understand why you wouldn’t want to change that.

Yeah but p8 all the way takes like 10x longer. As it is now, I fire up a guy in the morning and I'm in act 5 in a 2-3 hours. Then I can just farm /p8 in act V for a bit before hitting NM and spend like 10x less time. It just feels like how the game was "intended" to be played, like things take an appropriate amount of time to kill, the pacing of progression and challenge feels just right. You pure /p8 players are masochists Funny thing is that I usually hit act 5 at level 24, so I have to stop and farm in act 4 for a few minutes to reach 25 so I can actually gain EXP in act 5

‘Malice’ and ‘Steel’ are cheap rune words you can make early that give a bit an AR boost since they have El in them.

Definitely use these on basically all my melee characters, farming countess briefly before moving on, basically like what speedrunners do, get tal eth, ith el eth or tir el and go. Maybe make a nadir as well for that mpk

 

[little birdy]

Yeah but p8 all the way takes like 10x longer. As it is now, I fire up a guy in the morning and I'm in act 5 in a 2-3 hours. Then I can just farm /p8 in act V for a bit before hitting NM and spend like 10x less time.

I sometimes take this approach too. Especially with characters that start out slow due to low damage with beginning self-found gear, or because of mana troubles trying to kill stuff on p8. Bump it up to p8 in Act V, or do some p8 Cow runs before NM, and you level up very quickly.

 

[coju]

Yeah, I’ve done p8 until hell for years! 24 by duriel was always the goal. (18 by Andy?)

I’ve since adjusted to do more p8 through den to get 5 or 6 then lower as I feel like it. The power curve feels right. P1 I wouldn’t feel like I have enough skill points.

 

[coju]

Yeah, I’ve done p8 until hell for years! 24 by duriel was always the goal. (18 by Andy?)

I’ve since adjusted to do more p8 through den to get 5 or 6 then lower as I feel like it. The power curve feels right. P1 I wouldn’t feel like I have enough skill points.

But i def p1 bosses

 

[little birdy]

Yeah, I’ve done p8 until hell for years! 24 by duriel was always the goal. (18 by Andy?)

I’ve since adjusted to do more p8 through den to get 5 or 6 then lower as I feel like it. The power curve feels right. P1 I wouldn’t feel like I have enough skill points.

When I came back to D2 at the release of D2:R, I decided I would play on Switch. At that time the console version didn’t have difficulty scaling available (or it was so hidden in the menu that I couldn’t find it! But I think it was patched in a few months after release…) Anyways, my first few Pats/Mats played the whole game on p1 because that’s all I could do, and I didn’t really mind it. Whether I go p1 all the way, or p8 through Normal / NM and then p1 through Hell, all my characters seem to finish the game somewhere around level 80. Doesn’t seem to matter much how I tweak the players setting; as long as I don’t skip any quests, I end up at the same place in the end.

 

[Arjan]

Yeah but p8 all the way takes like 10x longer. As it is now, I fire up a guy in the morning and I'm in act 5 in a 2-3 hours. Then I can just farm /p8 in act V for a bit before hitting NM and spend like 10x less time. It just feels like how the game was "intended" to be played, like things take an appropriate amount of time to kill, the pacing of progression and challenge feels just right. You pure /p8 players are masochists Funny thing is that I usually hit act 5 at level 24, so I have to stop and farm in act 4 for a few minutes to reach 25 so I can actually gain EXP in act 5

Definitely use these on basically all my melee characters, farming countess briefly before moving on, basically like what speedrunners do, get tal eth, ith el eth or tir el and go. Maybe make a nadir as well for that mpk

You do have a point on pure p8 players being masochists… it does take a while to finish a game in normal and nightmare.

I must be more of a journey kinda guy then one who enjoys the place where that journey brings you

 

[PhineasB]

So are you saying you stop and farm quite a bit?

No, I'm saying I can't read, and completely missed the "untwinked" in the title But charms with AR and rings, a socketing with pDiamonds or Eth in weapons are approaches I've used in single-pass play, along with Blessed Aim merc. Right now my craft-only Pally is in A1 Hell, and those were the solutions I used for him. His bigger issue has been, as you noted, keeping enough raw damage on the weapon, and he's struggling on that front in Hell at p1.

 

[Vang]

One of the easiest options is choice of Mercenary: Act 1 is a bit unreliable, but Act 2 Blessed Aim, Act 3 Fire (Enchant), and Act 5 Battle Cry all provide enough until Late NM at least in terms of making you hit better.

As other stated, getting AR on a ring is pretty easy and with a bit of a bonus from any of those should leave you hitting in the 80% range quite easily. Also make sure you're out leveling your areas too as that is quite easy through normal and near the end of nightmare to make sure you hit% is high.

 

[Excalibur]

It's been a while since I played with a physical character from scratch so I can't remember how my AR was but I really don't see how it can be an issue in Normal. I am not quite sure if you are limiting yourself with rules and stuff but "abusing" the player settings is so rewarding.

Basically, start with Players 8 and just keep questing. Kill only minion packs along your way and your experience will rise drastically. Eventually, you will have more experience with less time invested. Normal can easily be done at P8. Just switch back on P1 or P3 if you feel you can't handle the upcoming area.

From your post it seems like you are under-leveled which plays a significant role in hitting. The bigger the level difference between you and the mobs the higher chances to hit them. Also, the physical skills usually provide enough AR so make sure to keep putting points instead of keeping them. And yeah, Hirelings on Normal can be stronger than your character. Make sure to add a hard hitting weapon and they will do all the dirty work.

 

[NorthDakota]

From your post it seems like you are under-leveled which plays a significant role in hitting.

I mean I guess maybe I'm underleveled but usually the goal is 25 by act 5 if I'm being efficient with my time. There are tons of things you can do, like overleveling, or farming, but why do that if you can get there quicker by just not doing that. It really isn't a problem so much, I guess I was just trying to see if anyone had any neat tricks they use early.

Lots of skills got a big bump to AR in 2.4 so it's less of an issue now as well I'm noticing as I'm playing classes through the game again.

 

[Skezla]

I don't use mercenaries and I play with rares only most of the time, so keep in mind I'm aware of more accessible solutions.... having said that;

My personal favorite is to gamble helms to get a decent rare with the Visionary prefix (1% increased AR per level). You can get it as early as level 20 but 29+ means that every helm can roll it.
All other gear slots tend to be much more demanding for what they roll, what is needed, etc. Helms offer a lot of flexibility.

 

[lizard]

I mean I guess maybe I'm underleveled but usually the goal is 25 by act 5 if I'm being efficient with my time. There are tons of things you can do, like overleveling, or farming, but why do that if you can get there quicker by just not doing that. It really isn't a problem so much, I guess I was just trying to see if anyone had any neat tricks they use early.

Lots of skills got a big bump to AR in 2.4 so it's less of an issue now as well I'm noticing as I'm playing classes through the game again.

monster level jumps from 26 to 29 from arreat plateau to crystal caverns and then increases to 43 in WSK. so 25 by start Act 5 is prob the minimum you should be, because you will get punished by the level penalty in the cth calculation, additionally i think A5 monster have relatively high defense, which hurts you further.
I always do a couple of Shenk/Eldritch runs on p8 when I hit A5 to gain some levels (mid 30s i would say) to get the overlevel bonus in the hit calc as @Excalibur said.

You can also check what speedrunners do, but I think they switch to caster builds once they hit A5, either singer as barb or hammers/elemental as pala druid.

 

[Foghorn Leghorn]

I always do a couple of Shenk/Eldritch runs on p8 when I hit A5 to gain some levels (mid 30s i would say) to get the overlevel bonus in the hit calc as @Excalibur said.

This is what I do as well. I rarely try to take on Normal Diablo before hitting level 30, but then again I'm a bit of a chicken that way because I play HC.