When is it worth it?

[Zenigma]

So I'm pretty close to having the final item to make one of my dream characters.
Here's the thing: I'm low on HRs. Very low. I have only made a couple runewords made with high runes. Grief and Enigma. (And Oath, I guess, if you consider Mal a HR).

As it is, I'm making an infinity-wielding charged boltress. I know that the infinity will likely see use solely on this character, but seeing as how charged bolt is my favorite sorceress skill, and possibly my favorite skill overall in Diablo 2 (definitely in my top three),

I realize that it's ultimately my decision, and I'm probably going to go through with it. Given that I'll play this character to death, it's likely that I'll find more than enough runes while running this character to make up for the immediate investment in her weapon.

I'm just wondering what my fellow SPF-ers think of this decision I'm likely to make.

(Oh, and I'm effectively a Sur rune away from the second Ber rune I need.)

 

[Jocular]

The only thing that may nag at you will be the fact that you finished your dream character. What else is there to do?!

Happened to me when I made Ice for my FA/guided bowazon. I had an existential breakdown, DII style.

Seeing as you love how a charged bolt sorc plays I don't think you'll have much regret. I say go for it!

 

[Zenigma]

It's one of my dream characters. Don't worry. I have plenty more ahead of me. And Double Dream zealot is going to take a while to gear.
Plus I have yet to regularly run Baal, and I think that's one of the characters I could enjoy doing that with.

 

[Pb_pal1]

Do it. There's nothing like successfully outfitting a char that you thought might never happen. The fact that you'll play her alot means you'll get tons of use out of the item, which is the whole point of making it. I can't think of a better candidate to sink your hard-earned HRs into than an all-time favourite.

Besides, if she's going to run Baal, I'm sure you'll see a few HRs along the way to stock back up.

What base are you planning on making it in, just out of curiosity?

 

[Zenigma]

Scythe, for the aesthetic. Possibly ethereal; I don't foresee myself using the charges on it.
Otherwise Voulge for low reqs

 

[Pb_pal1]

Awesome! My answer is even more of a resounding DO IT now. Style points through the roof.

 

[krischan]

As you are low on HRs, I don't think it's worth making with anything but an ethereal elite polearm. I would rather live with the additional investment in str and dex. A time will come when you are through with your charged boltress.

 

[NoisemakerArrow]

I agree. A char can be restatted. A runeword cannot.

 

[GooberGrape1]

I would split the difference and go 1.07 eth Thresher. Since you don't plan on hitting with it, you won't burn up the durability. It keeps with the Scythe visual effect. And it only costs 142 str and 108 dex. If you opt to wear Enigma as your sorc armor, that takes care of most of the strength req right there. Then you've got a viable merc polearm for nearly any build you can conceive. Honestly though, you WILL find more runes. So don't sweat it too terribly much, it's just a game.

 

[NoisemakerArrow]

And get Classic rings and boots, and Anni and Torch, and other stuff...

If you're playing 1.13, play 1.13.

 

[pharphis]

And get Classic rings and boots, and Anni and Torch, and other stuff...

If you're playing 1.13, play 1.13.

You often join in to say stuff like this but it doesn't really add to the conversation. If someone is already opposed to time travel, why would they need someone else's disagreement with it as well? Why would your feelings change theirs if they were fine with time travel?

 

[maareek]

While it's certainly your decision in the end, I'll put in a few thoughts based on what you've said.

Infinity is not a single build runeword. It's right at the top in terms of versatility: basically any build would be happy to have Infinity included. You might regret that you don't still have those runes available later, but you won't ever regret having Infinity - short of you deciding to do only trav runs with a barb for the rest of your d2 life, it won't sit on a shelf.

Putting it in a scythe invalidates everything I just said. If that's what you want, then fine, but why? For style? Sure, knock yourself out, as long as you remember that choosing style over convention involves compromise and therefore loss. In this case, it's a really big loss.

As far as style goes, I don't see why having the sorc wield the Infinity and having to scrounge to hit 105 fcr (I don't think Enigma is a viable choice for the Infinity weilding option as it requires a 20fcr amulet to hit 105 [25+20+20+20 from griffon's, arach's, gloves, rings] which is fine if you have a 2 sorc amulet with 20fcr; few do) would be more stylish than just going 200 fcr? I mean insane spam seems the point of a charged boltress and 200fcr expresses that much better. To be fair, this is getting down to a question of whether it's more "stylish" to have a char that looks like a sorceress doing sorceress things or to have a somewhat deranged looking lady spouting ball lightning while running around with probably illegally appropriated farm equipment. There are cogent arguments to be made on either side, I will allow.

Beyond issues of style, without running numbers I would expect a Crescent Moon wielding boltress to outperform the Infinity holding one, anyway, since the difference between -~55 lightning resist and -~75 lightning resist (I'm assuming Griffon's in both setups here. Without griffon's the whole thing seems to switch from "not optimal but probably fun and interesting" to "long on the complications, short on the returns" but even that can be enjoyable so meh) seems unlikely to be enough to make up for losing Spirit and whatever other flexibility you lose in your gear (setting up a build that is "good" at running Baal - who, in the spirit of full disclosure, is probably the worst target in the game for finding anything - is not trivial, even without restrictions.)

The point of these arguments being to then put the Infinity on the merc, at which point you would want it in an ethereal elite base, which is then prime to be used on future characters throughout time untold. You'll most likely find more high runes eventually, sure, but to me that seems like a stronger argument for investing the early ones in widely useful areas and using the later ones on singular operations. But your mileage may vary, for all above as far as that goes.

One last note: assuming you're going to use CtA/Spirit on switch the only issue with using a Thresher over a Scythe is the 108 dexterity requirement (assuming ethereal) which provides a bridge between "want to use Infinity on this sorc" and "having an Infinity that could actually be used on a merc for another character," if you're willing to spare those points. Obviously having access to Sparking GCs of Dexterity would make this even more enticing.

 

[GooberGrape1]

And get Classic rings and boots, and Anni and Torch, and other stuff...

If you're playing 1.13, play 1.13.

@NoisemakerArrow Anni and Torch are not accessible in Single Player via any Forum Approved Modifications (FAM). I'm sure you're aware of this, just wanted to reiterate in case anyone else was wondering.