You've corrupted me (and I think I like it)

[jiansonz]

You need more life early on, I think. My sorcs are fighting merc-helpers in the first two acts, and I pump Vita a lot.
'Steel' Flail and Bone Shield of Deflecting are standard gear in Act II. I take the STR and DEX needed to use the flail (41 and 35) and put nearly all the rest to Vita. I full clear on /players 8 so I face Duriel at level 28-29, with well over 200 life. But the absolute most important thing vs. Normal Duriel is to get the cold resist up. 35% on gear plus Thawing potions gets you to 85%, which makes Duriel far less scary. Thawing potion boost the merc as well, that helps him a lot. Also, both of you should chug those full juvies and greater healers you have saved for this fight.

 

[Pyrotechnician1]

Maybe we have different definitions of reasonable amount of time. Or different targets in mind. I'd think a stun whack whack whack stun whack whack whack strategy would be faster than spamming war cry (using damage weapon(s) instead of spirit).

Isn't that setup still dependent on the merc to kill efficiently in Hell? Finding an elite 4os polearm isn't guaranteed anytime soon. I don't have one for my SC characters yet.

In my mind, I'm only "counting" on playing through Hell with an Insight made in a normal weapon. Any build I choose will have that limitation.



Sorcs are out. I WILL die. Repeatedly. Until and unless I learn a HC playstyle. That means no teleport. It also means self found until I know I can do it.

I'm cool with a whites + runes route for my first character. Or goldfind + gamble. I need not MF for my first stab at an embarrassing death.

No one is forcing you to do HC obviously, I just do it because thats where the Multiplayer community is, I enjoy playing with others so its really a matter of choice. My first guardian was through multiplayer, and I went as far as I could untwinked comfortably and then got some gear from the others I was playing with to make it an easier transition.

In terms of trading or pvp the SC community is much larger in that respect as dying is of no penalty, so if you don't plan on joining us in some MP HC adventures you don't really need to switch over if you don't feel comfortable.

Finding a 4 os pole isn't necessary, you can take your chances cube socketing a plain or eth pole if you find one, its usually not extremely difficult to get one that way, although a partizan usually holds me over most of the time.

Play what you enjoy, thats what its all about.

 

[Goryani]

Deeded a barb in the Underground Passage. First group of mobs too. Got surrounded and ran out of mana to howl. Lulz.

You need more life early on, I think. My sorcs are fighting merc-helpers in the first two acts, and I pump Vita a lot.
'Steel' Flail and Bone Shield of Deflecting are standard gear in Act II. I take the STR and DEX needed to use the flail (41 and 35) and put nearly all the rest to Vita. I full clear on /players 8 so I face Duriel at level 28-29, with well over 200 life. But the absolute most important thing vs. Normal Duriel is to get the cold resist up. 35% on gear plus Thawing potions gets you to 85%, which makes Duriel far less scary. Thawing potion boost the merc as well, that helps him a lot. Also, both of you should chug those full juvies and greater healers you have saved for this fight.

I usually fight Duriel ~L20. Sometimes before L18. This was on ladder with no /players 8 command. And full rejuvies in normal? Just highlighting some of the many differences between my default methods and HC.

No one is forcing you to do HC obviously,
...
Play what you enjoy, thats what its all about.

Please don't think I'm complaining. I set out to do things I've never done and I'm doing things I've never done. I'm AM enjoying this. I don't know whether or not I'll keep at HC, but as long as I'm having fun, I will.

 

[jiansonz]

And full rejuvies in normal?

I save the small ones from the beginning. When I get the Horadric Cube I can usually cube enough full ones (3->1) to fill out 3 columns in a 3-row belt.

 

[FredOfErik]

Yay! If you want to let us (me at least) know, and you can get a stash of decent early game/twink stuff. Most of us have been playing and hoarding for a long time, so it's not a problem whatsoever.

On rejuvs: I usually make do with regular rejuvs through early normal but in late normal I switch over to a full belt of full rejuvs (unless I need to chunk a lot of blues). That being said I usually twink heavily, so surviving isn't much of an issue in normal. And people who have experienced the opposite in MP, shut up.

 

[Jcakes1]

If you are looking for advice on a first HC character (and don't want sorc or fishymancer). I'd suggest a trapsin, has decent defensive skills in CoS and MB, good resists from fade and a good summon (SM) if you choose to get him (I generally skip).