Diablo II

[Shadowstrike]

Anyone else play this game?

Here's a couple hints:

If you're stuck, can't get out without dying and don't mind losing a bit of progress, exit and come back. You will be automatically teleported to town (don't try this in Act IV)

For the Necromancer: Don't dump more then 3 or 4 points into raise skelton. Blood golems are amazing. Use corpse explosion, amplify damage, iron maiden and bone spear often. Build up bone spear, at level 4-5 it deals over 50 damage for 8 mana!

While fighting bosses, retreat as often as you need. Cast a TP as soon as you enter. Stay near the portal while fighting Duriel, his cold attacks make sure you can't get anywhere fast.

Comments, hints, etc. welcome. Post below.

[Shadowstrike]

Bump.

[Kinjiru]

Lots of great info to be had at: http://cgi.diabloii.net/dii/cgi-bin/...um/dcboard.cgi

To your Necro comments:
Don't add more than 1 point to Raise Skel. Invest them in Skel Mastery instead. You can easily survive to level 6 with out skels and at that point get a clay golem. With a clay golem at a couple of skel mages (level 12) you can easily last until level 18 when you get the blood golem.

So, why bother with Skel Mastery? Well, at level 30 you get Revive so you can raise up some slaughtered enemies. The more points in Skel Mastery, the longer your Revived guys will last.

Also, don't put more than a couple points in bone spear. Save em for bone spirit - it's much better since you can target specific enemies.

Lastly, don't rely on the Blood Golem/Iron Maiden combo. The next patch will likely tone that one WAY down.

[Shadowstrike]

Dunno about the Bone Spirit, it comes pretty late, not very likely to get more then 1 or 2 points into it without saving up beforehand.

I have always wondered how useful is Revive. If the effect was permanent, it would be great.

I must have wasted too many points on Raise Skeleton. I dumped in four (it looked good in the early going) and it is now useless.

I haven't really used Amplify Damage, Bone Armor or Iron Maiden too much, can anyone tell me if they are really useful? (well, IM is awesome against the bosses) Should I drop a few more points into it? (I'm level 26 so levels come pretty slowly now)

[Timexwatch]

quote: Originally posted by Shadowstrike on 08-07-2000 06:54 PM Dunno about the Bone Spirit, it comes pretty late, not very likely to get more then 1 or 2 points into it without saving up beforehand. I have always wondered how useful is Revive. If the effect was permanent, it would be great. I must have wasted too many points on Raise Skeleton. I dumped in four (it looked good in the early going) and it is now useless. I haven't really used Amplify Damage, Bone Armor or Iron Maiden too much, can anyone tell me if they are really useful? (well, IM is awesome against the bosses) Should I drop a few more points into it? (I'm level 26 so levels come pretty slowly now)

Don't bother putting much more than one or two points into the first three mentioned, go for a few levels in Corpse Explosion and Bone Spear. Bone Spear at about level 5 or 6 is usefull for knocking out fetishes and fetish shamens as well as groups of enemies.

The IM and Blood Golem combo is probably a bug, but right now it's a good strategy. The BG is tough and will save your ass if it was IM.

Don't put too many points into Iron Golem, because it really loses it's punch into later Acts.

Go for fire golem, golem mastery, skeleton mastery, IM, CE, amp damage and revive. That's how I have my nec so far.

[Kinjiru]

Revive can be an awesome thing. If you choose who you revive well. Choose casters and swarmers and you will get lots of mileage of of your new friends while they last.

I have 2 points in Amplify damage and it is helpful against stone skinners and bosses and super useful against the lightning enchanted guys. But mostly I stick with Iron Maiden, occasionally throwing in a Weaken if someone really strong is around.

I would also echo the thoughts on the Iron Golem. He is pretty decent at first, especially at level 2+ (thorns and all), but loses his punch later. Blood Golem will do just fine up until you get the Fire Golem. I think most people get the Iron Golem just because they are so damn TIRED of the Blood Golem, plus the BG is just plain ugly.

I am curious as to how many points you guys have in Bone Armor? I put 3 points in until I realized anything more than 1 point was probably not going to be helpful.

My usual assault force is Blood Golem and 3 skel mages ( put one point in it and get +2 from my grim wand), adding in liberal use of Bone Armour and Iron Maiden. For the real toughies I break out Revive and Amplify Damage and sometimes trade the Blood Golem for the Fire Golem.

I have only died three times since getting the Blood Golem and twice was to lag. And thre third was when I lost patience and tried to be a Melee Necro - not a good tactic...

[Shadowstrike]

You use Bone Armour??????? I just Bone Spear my enemies at a distance (right now 72-80 damage for 9.2 mana, level 8, really level 5 boosted by wand) and they never get though my Golem, skel mages (4) and cold merc (in Act III you can hire wizard mercenaries, the cold ones are useful)

[Kinjiru]

Bone armour is great. Here is why.

Let's say you catch a stray hit from a pack boss for 200 hp. Well, my Necros generally don't have 200 hp to begin with so that would be instant death.

However, if you have bone armor on, even at level one, then the first 30 hp damage goes to the bone armour not you. Now here is the best part... the other 170 hp damage does NOT roll over and hit you. Your armour is now gone, but you are still alive!

So, you are right in that nothing really should get through your minions and revives. But if something does manage to slip past them, bone armour can save your life.

[Timexwatch]

quote: Originally posted by Kinjiru on 08-09-2000 09:25 AM Bone armour is great. Here is why. Let's say you catch a stray hit from a pack boss for 200 hp. Well, my Necros generally don't have 200 hp to begin with so that would be instant death. However, if you have bone armor on, even at level one, then the first 30 hp damage goes to the bone armour not you. Now here is the best part... the other 170 hp damage does NOT roll over and hit you. Your armour is now gone, but you are still alive! So, you are right in that nothing really should get through your minions and revives. But if something does manage to slip past them, bone armour can save your life.

Only on lower levels. I stopped using it when I got to nightmere because the enemies hit pretty hard, even in act I.

[Makeo]

I usually wander around with just myself and my blood golem. Iron Maiden like crazy and the badguys kill themselves.
My bone spear is at level ten and packs quite a punch.
I have four points in bone armour. nearly all of them i put in there very early in the game

[Shadowstrike]

What level are you? I'm level 26 and i've only got 8 points into the spear (3 from a wand)

By the way, how do you get past the entrence of Trancivalwith all the Hierophants and Zealots/Night Lords?

[Timexwatch]

quote: Originally posted by Shadowstrike on 08-13-2000 10:49 AM What level are you? I'm level 26 and i've only got 8 points into the spear (3 from a wand) By the way, how do you get past the entrence of Trancivalwith all the Hierophants and Zealots/Night Lords?

CE, Blood Golems/Revives and Bone Spear. Take out the ones that heal the Zealots and cast the cold spells, and then let the zealots chase after you. Nail the first one with BS, then CE away.


Also, the 1.03 patch seemed to institute changes in CE and Iron Golem. The Golem now does a percentage of damage (~120, ~130, ~160...etc) instead of Thorns. I'll have to test this out to see if it makes the golem more effective. Also, the damn patch nerfed the CE to a degree. It's not nearly as fun or effective as it used to be...

[Makeo]

I'm level 31, with three of the spear points from a wand.

[Shadowstrike]

The problem is that the mage-type enemies are too far away, by the time I get to them, I can only kill one or 2 with the spear before all my minions are dead and can't find the others. Remarkably, it seems easier with Night Lords up front as opposed to Zealots.

[Makeo]

I think i need to learn the names of the bad guys to keep up with this conversation. I know I always go for the guys that can revive monsters first, otherwise the battle never ends.