Diablo 2 question

[KazikluBey]

It's not supposed to be difficult in act 1 on normal - that's what nightmare and, primarily, hell is for.

 

[magerette]

I'm on the last mission of Act 1 with my electric amazon. I'm playing the game as a complete-ist, so I think I'm a few levels head of the designers' intent, which might be why I'm finding the game pretty easy so far. The boss critters generally aren't that big a deal. The biggest challenge so far is actually mobs with range attacks.

Act 1 normal is indeed easy. In fact, normal is basically easy if you're reasonably careful. Avoiding getting mobbed by some of the really fast critters and one-hit killers like the Undead Stygian Dolls at the end of Act III may be the biggest difficulty for your Zon. And getting frozen.

Because I know you're a spreadsheet kind of guy--here's a little goodie that tells you what level you should be to reap the most experience possible in each Act and difficulty level.
Level Guide

So for Normal Act 2, looks like lvl 16-18.

I just hit Act V at lvl 34 so I'm in the ballpark. The first part of Act V is one of my least favorites--word of advice--max resistances are your friend. Those annoying little teleporting fire imps will hose you big time if you're running below 50%.

 

[dyze]

Act 1 normal is indeed easy. In fact, normal is basically easy if you're reasonably careful. Avoiding getting mobbed by some of the really fast critters and one-hit killers like the Undead Stygian Dolls at the end of Act III may be the biggest difficulty for your Zon. And getting frozen.

stygian dolls are indeed some nasty critters. however, on normal difficulty theyre not so dangerous, and definetily not one hit killers. also, if youre playing a javazon, they shouldnt pose a problem at all, since its only when they die that their corpse explosion triggers, and then only within melee range. hirelings doesnt seem to be especially bothered by them either, so no need to worry about that.

 

[magerette]

I seem to remember on some pretty good slaughter from the dolls on my early run throughs, before I had any decent equipment etc, but I had zero trouble from them this time around with my tweaked Ranger--in fact, he didn't drink a potion til Baal's minions. Somehow things changed pretty fast there.

Starting Nightmare later today and still enjoying the build. I just hope I haven't blown too many points in the peripheral stuff--I never am able to keep my points saved and end up assigning in haste and repenting at leisure.

 

[dteowner]

My amazon had her first dirt nap. Hit a Scarab Unique in the sand maggot tunnels and wasn't watching my life globe closely. Actually, I killed the unique and then got killed by one of her escort. For once, playing as a complete-ist paid off, since getting back to the corpse only took 2 simple battles (good since I didn't invest in new kit). Going by magerette's chart, I should be starting Act 3 with my level 19 lady, but I'm still working the Horadric Staff in Act 2. I am starting to see where those muling programs could be useful--I've just about filled up my stash with gems and runes (saving them all to run thru the Hor. Cube) and a few interesting items. Having an infinite stash and being able to pass those interesting items to different characters would be useful on occasion.

 

[magerette]

Those scarabs are one of the reasons you won't find me playing hardcore. They can pulse you to death pretty fast. Actually you're not doing bad at all to get that far w/out a death on your first run through with only the gear you've picked up along the way.

On the jewels--it's sooo hard for me to just sell them, (cuz they are sparkly things, my precious...)With ATMA, of course I have saved versions of all of them, but the ability to take little chipped glowy things and transmute them into bigger brighter sparklier things just suckers me in...

I can't remember if you ever played Titan Quest dte, but in Immortal Throne the caravan does the same thing as ATMA, only on a smaller scale and in-game. (ATMA is outside the game completely.) I think it's one of those ideas the devs would have included themselves if this hadn't been 1999.

 

[dyze]

I can't remember if you ever played Titan Quest dte, but in Immortal Throne the caravan does the same thing as ATMA, only on a smaller scale and in-game. (ATMA is outside the game completely.) I think it's one of those ideas the devs would have included themselves if this hadn't been 1999.

yeah, this is why i prefer PLUGY - In game endless personal and shared stash, plus lots of other goodies like being able to respec.

 

[dteowner]

Status report: Just started Act 3. I feel like I munchkin'd the Act 2 finale by portal-ing in and out a few times for a breath. The game didn't seem to care and it kept me from dying since there's not enough time to dig thru the backpack or refill the belt to keep the healing potions flowing during the battle. Another dirt nap collected in the Arcane Sanctuary (@%^@%^ ghoul lords), but no harm done.

The lightning amazon build page (from magerette's reference) mentions switching mercs by act. Seems like my archer merc that I've nursed along from the beginning does just fine, particularly since her range of vision is bigger than mine. I've referred to that build page a few times, but overall I've just been stuffing points where it makes sense.

I didn't buy Titan Quest because, until obsessing on Dungeon Siege 2 last year and recently reflecting a bit on what games I've enjoyed and which ones have been "meh", I didn't think this sort of game was my cup of tea. I'm not sure if D2 is going to drag me in or not (I don't like the way these aRPG games do saves), but I'm still having fun at this point. I could see where this game becomes a permanent hard drive resident though, like Puzzle Quest, where it's good to jump in at any time, play for an hour/evening/day, and then go back to something else.

 

[magerette]

The lightning amazon build page (from magerette's reference) mentions switching mercs by act. Seems like my archer merc that I've nursed along from the beginning does just fine, particularly since her range of vision is bigger than mine. I've referred to that build page a few times, but overall I've just been stuffing points where it makes sense.

I like the rogue mercenary for normal. She's probably got the best AI of any of them, and a cold arrow rogue is a lot of help in slowing down the throngs. Once you hit nightmare, she's less effective as you really start hurting for crowd control. Depending on your build, usually the nightmare Act 2 defensive(Holy Freeze)merc is the most all around useful, as his aura slows almost everything on the screen and with a good rig, he can tank fairly well.

RE: Titan Quest--it's the closest to playing a modernized D2 as any of the clones have come. The skill system is particularly well done. My only problem with it is the hordes and hordes of unvarying monster spawns. There doesn't seem to be nearly as much variety in types of enemies so you basically never really have to change tactics, just plow your way through. For some reason it just seems more repetitive. However, it's well worth a bargain bin price if you need an arpg fix.

...I could see where this game becomes a permanent hard drive resident though, like Puzzle Quest, where it's good to jump in at any time, play for an hour/evening/day, and then go back to something else.

I find it hard to go back, probably due to playing to the burn-out point. I hadn't even installed this game on my latest computer because I thought I'd never play it again---sort of like Keith Richards saying he's through with drugs, I guess.

 

[Maylander]

Entering act 3? Prepare.. to be annoyed! Piffpiffpiffpiff "hey, those guys do nearly no damage.. hey wait, come back here.. oh, there's more.. and there's more, and there's.. ".

 

[magerette]

Arggh. Well, I did indeed screw up my Ranger by frittering away too many points(about 12) in non-relevant skills. From experience I know that there's no way I can probably make it through the end of Nightmare without any one skill maxed, and for an effective elemental Ranger, I really need at lease four skills close to maxed, sooo...it's startover time and this time no Fist of the Heavens--curse the guide I read for promoting it, as it's utterly inadequate as a back-up.

To distract me from my woes, I'm playing around with a necromancer--never taken one very far, and having found some uber gear for one with the poor failed ranger, it seems only logical to try it out.

 

[chamr]

To distract me from my woes, I'm playing around with a necromancer--never taken one very far, and having found some uber gear for one with the poor failed ranger, it seems only logical to try it out.

Ah.... my first character and the one I took the furthest into NM. Good fun, that one is, imo...

 

[magerette]

Ah.... my first character and the one I took the furthest into NM. Good fun, that one is, imo...

It's definitely a different play style. It's messing with my WASP worth ethic, tho, just standing back and letting the skellies do all the work.

 

[chamr]

It's messing with my WASP worth ethic, tho, just standing back and letting the skellies do all the work.

:lol:

The Diablo 2 Necromancer is the most well implemented manager/general/pet class I've ever played. But, of course, if that ain't your style, you're not going to like it no matter how well it's done.

 

[dyze]

:lol:

The Diablo 2 Necromancer is the most well implemented manager/general/pet class I've ever played. But, of course, if that ain't your style, you're not going to like it no matter how well it's done.

yeah too bad he isnt going to be in d3

 

[woges]

Well... the Necro might turn up in an expansion.

 

[magerette]

Interesting link. I'd like to see them dust off the old classes and use them, but I think adding new ones is also a good thing.

@chamr--getting more used to Wicked_Lester. Getting quite comfortable with just collecting the loot and looking evil.

 

[dyze]

Well... the Necro might turn up in an expansion.

yeah.. i think its unlikely tho, since the witch doctor basicly seem to use quite necromancer like skills, curses, summon zombies etc..

 

[chamr]

@chamr--getting more used to Wicked_Lester. Getting quite comfortable with just collecting the loot and looking evil.

:lol:

Don't forget to laugh derisively at your opponents ("You dare to think you can touch me!?" followed by a curse upon them) and alternatively berate and coddle your minions. ("Idiot! Why did I bother to raise you from the dead!" followed soon by "Yes, my faithful servants. Smother and crush them as I command...")

 

[gaboru93]

Hello everyone I was thinking these days to try diablo 2 as I hear it's a very nice game. But I was thinking.... can I play diablo 2 without playing diablo 1? Will it spoil the fun or something? I was afraid to read this thread fully as I was afraid of spoilers!