2020 Spring RFL Sign-Up and Running Thread: 1st Round

[WoRG]

OK, I finished my set, and well....it REALLY sucked!! My internet was down most of the weekend, and combined with COVID isolation, that made for LOTS of D2 time...I finished my 20 hours, without a single damned qualifier!!! Oh, I did get an Ist from Rakki's pack once while getting a leg, but that doesn't count....

Well, obviously, this cannot stand, so I sulked and fumed for a few days and started a new set today...

I ran in 1.07 with my MultiShot CB/Amp Zon... I really enjoy her, she's a lot of fun! She is slower than Furyzon, but also much safer, with MUCH less desyncing (important in an MP game...invisible cows suck!!) I check WAY too much stuff, and run in MP games (no static maps), so I'm nowhere near as fast as some of you guys, but she definitely slaughters a LOT of cows fast, and with a very high degree of safety (NO NDE's!!)

As for non-qualifying runes, my RNG trolled me pretty hard, dropping 9 Lems (the highest rune that is NOT a qualifier), plus the Ist from Rakanishu, and no Lums (amulet crafting rune in 1.07). Lots of trash runes dropped, and a fair number of crafting runes, but most of my crafts turned out mediocre at best. The one exception was when I got a Fal (greater weapon crafting rune) right after a few cows almost killed my stand-around toons while I was off running...I decided to craft one of their mercs a good weapon to help keep them safer. Well, the result was TOO good, with an rlvl thats way too high for him to use, due to the high lvl elemental prefixes on it:

Spoiler: Awesome Crafted Cryptic Axe

Note that base damage on 1.07 CA is 59 - 98...forwarded, damage goes up by almost 50%!​

​

Other great non-qualifiers were a maximal P&B/Vita skiller and a very nice lightning/Sustenance skiller, plus a shadow/FHR skiller, a couple nice circlets, and several nice mana charms...

Spoiler: Charms, etc. & readouts

​

Prefix 1176 Coronet of Life Everlasting
Defense: 33
Durability: 28 of 30
Required Level: 37
Item Version: Expansion
Item Level: 90
Fingerprint: 0x5f9b8b85
Damage Reduced by 20
+3 to Elemental Skills (Druid Only)

Prefix 1246 Coronet of the Whale
Defense: 36
Durability: 16 of 30
Required Level: 60
Item Version: Expansion
Item Level: 90
Fingerprint: 0x67af81e2
+98 to Life
+2 to Necromancer Skill Levels

Prefix 1250 Coronet of Luck
Defense: 38
Durability: 28 of 30
Required Level: 27
Item Version: Expansion
Item Level: 94
Fingerprint: 0x5cebfa68
35% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+2 to Sorceress Skill Levels

Superior Shadow Bow
Two-Hand Damage: 14 to 66
Required Dexterity: 195
Required Strength: 82
Required Level: 61
Bow Class - Normal Attack Speed
Item Version: Expansion
Item Level: 90
Fingerprint: 0x358d15ad
+15% Enhanced Damage
+3 to Attack Rating
Socketed (4: 0 used)

Prefix 1130 Grand Charm of Vita
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 83
Item Version: Expansion
Item Level: 94
Fingerprint: 0xe01dafa0
+45 to Life
+1 to Poison and Bone Skills (Necromancer Only)

Prefix 1118 Grand Charm of Sustenance
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 53
Item Version: Expansion
Item Level: 94
Fingerprint: 0xf15f0ab7
+33 to Life
+1 to Lightning Skills (Sorceress Only)

Prefix 1178 Grand Charm of Balance
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Item Version: Expansion
Item Level: 90
Fingerprint: 0xeae6b759
12% Faster Hit Recovery
+1 to Shadow Discipline Skills (Assassin Only)

Prefix 974 Large Charm of Maiming
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 40
Item Version: Expansion
Item Level: 94
Fingerprint: 0x48655f87
+32 to Mana
+12 to Maximum Damage

Prefix 978 Small Charm of Good Luck
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 33
Item Version: Expansion
Item Level: 93
Fingerprint: 0x263b126e
+17 to Mana
4% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

Prefix 978 Small Charm of Inertia
Keep in Inventory to Gain Bonus
Required Level: 27
Item Version: Expansion
Item Level: 90
Fingerprint: 0x7dd42011
+17 to Mana
3% Faster Run/Walk

WoRG

 

[Gripphon]

Lolwut? I got no quals so far in more than an hour, and that seems normal to me. (but then I guess I'm only about half the speed of ffs )

I'm trolling

 

[art_vandelay]

Ugh. My condolences. See that's why I don't really get all these ice and fire sorcs out there. Killing CK has to be a real danger. I'm happy with my enigma'ed (she barely ever teleports) cowzon because I won't have to face that.

Well you can actually get maps where you start out in the fort next to the CK. On those you don't have any cows next to the king at all so you only need to teleport away from him at the beginning and never return to that spot to be safe. On my map there were some cows next to the King and I usually drew some of them out and I guess one time I caught the king by accident

Also I wouldn't still be running Cows after 40 hours if I hadn't switched chars around, preserving my sanity and all...

Spoiler

Don't trust Gripphon, he's lying!

 

[Gripphon]

Good old days when runes actually dropped.
Two fun facts connected to that tourney.

1. I found Cham right before that tournament on a map I borrowed from sorc to test paladin and had to leave it on the ground

Spoiler

2. I didn't find Cham in Travincal ever since, so for 5 years now

 

[Locohead]

2 hours so far, no quals and also nothing else of value. Even shut inside my house, I doubt my heart will be in this one. I need a little tasty crumb of SOMETHING to push me forward...

(edit - found a cold skiller. I guess that's something. Also died though... hopefully will still at least make a level up)
(edit -now found a Jav + FHR skiller for my runner. Well that's a bit of tasty cheese anyway.)

 

[Hutton]

I'm sure there must be a rational explanation (i.e. some sort of cognitive bias) as I'm basically certain this isn't how the game works but I could swear that my map has consistently and noticeably higher mob density on p5 than it does on p3...

 

[Luhkoh]

Since I finished my cow set and only wanted to do 1 set, I decided to level my sorc from 94-95 in chaos. Within like 30 min of playing yesterday:

Spoiler

I mean I'll take high runes anytime, but cmon.

 

[Arctodus]

Welp, I finished my first and only set. No beginners luck this time, because I got no qualifiers in my last 8h of running... So, I only got 3 and no heavyweights either. That's disheartening because my times were getting better and better. It was reasonable to expect a full set at least. Well, I think. I won't be participating in the "war of the Zods" like the top runners here, but still.

I won't be running another set, because I can see that my characters are not optimized for this area. I need to find Griffon's Eye to up the efficiency of my Blova. I think I have better chance at being competitive later. I'm seriously thinking of respecing my Frenzy barb into WW for Trav.

Anyway, here are the grailers and fun stuff these runs got me :

Spoiler: Stuff

...and my most prized drop :

Good luck to the rest of the participants !

 

[ffs]

Ran 3 hours with Fire Sorc on P7. Got only got ~155 cows per minute estimate based on rune drops. :/

Spoiler

Runs tracked: 87
Avg runes/run: 1.26
Avg run time: 120s
Runes/min: 0.63
P5 Cows/min: 154.27
P7 Cows/min: 136.37

Maybe her map is not that great after all, and a relatively small number of runs. Still the quantity of rune drops seems pretty unlucky, clearly she must be better than those number suggest. But on the other hand she does leave many cows alive in comparison to other top builds.. In any case won't get her to 190+ territory in this set, that's for sure.

Got 5 hours left and think I'll go Fissure Druid for a while after all. For him obviously the Ravenlore/Phoenix combo is appealing, but on P5 I found runs smoother (and a bit faster) with 163 FCR. Difference is small, but minimal MPK and LPK from Enigma is apparently enough for life/mana upkeep, whereas faster teleporting/herding seems to make up for loss in damage – at least on P5. Next thing to check is if Ravenlore/Phoenix on P7 is better than 163 FCR on P5. Some gameplay:

Using this:

Spoiler

faceted 2/20 circlet
1/19 FCR/92 mana craft amulet
Enigma
Hoto
Spirit
2x SoJ
Magefist
Arach
Silkweave

Such a shame about the +1 amulet. I have several 18+ and some 20 FCR for Druid, but none with +2 Druid/Elemental... :/

 

[NanoMist]

5 hours remaining in my first set, should be finished by this weekend. Maybe I'll start a 2nd set after, but I won't have time to finish it.

 

[CaseyJones]

Down to 6 hours left in my second set. Didn't expect to match the luck of my first but it looks like it may turn out better after all. I should manage to finish in the top 40 anyway

Also managed 1 of the 3 cow set pieces...maybe the last 6 hours will net me the other 2.

 

[PhineasB]

Nice to see the chatter and nice theory crafting / testing and videos. One week to go! Good luck to everyone still running.

 

[Babyhell]

No Griffon, even if i keep running my Zerker regularly, so no new cow set for me (wouldn't have the time to complete a new one).

May took my chances for two sets at Trav with blizzy sorc who is better geared than the zon. And her name is Tournamenteress, so it is her destiny after all

 

[art_vandelay]

I really hope I'm not the only one doing a third set I'm 5 hours into this set now with Java but I'll stop once she reaches 20 hours total (in this round), so about an hour left for her.

 

[ffs]

Speaking of Javazon, there was another nice blue find:



Only ever found one 15/3 before and used it on a mediocre Griffon's. This one will go into a shield along with facets – either HHG or some 4os Monarch, though I'm still hoping to find a good Jeweler's one... Maybe it's time to for some Monarch rolling, however small the odds are of getting something.

Other finds since half-way mark in 2nd set:

Spoiler

 

[EatSleepDiablov2]

@ffs . If you roll a JMoD, unicorns are real...

 

[ffs]

Doesn't need to be JMoD, but anything that helps and is an improvement over white Monarch... like -req, life, FHR, stats, eth/self-repair... Not even sure if I'd prefer blocking over some of those actually. But as of now, my best blue 4os Monarch has 3 magic dmg reduction.

 

[EatSleepDiablov2]

I wish you the very best of luck.

I pick up every blue Monarch I come across and have done so for years. I also rolled another 200-ish., but have never found or spawned the Jewelers prefix. I have even shopped Anya for hours for 4os wards. I think I did find one, once, but with no suffix. "Easier" to get the 3os variety (Gothic Shields of Deflection), which is what my cow-zon uses now.

If not readily apparent, this is a gripe intended for the Diablo gods. It is my second most sought after item and every little bit helps...

 

[CaseyJones]

Completed my second set. Very comparable finds to the first one
with a bit better qualifier luck.

This set completely at /players1 do to the smoothness of play, could have done a bit better if I picked only runes but soo much good stuff dropping

Total runes: 246 (11 qualifiers)
Small Charms: 102 (a couple +7 mf)
Grand Charms: 107 (pcomb +39 life, war cry +16 life,still no light gcs)
Cow King Set Pieces: 3xHide, 1xHooves,no horns

53 total set pieces (trangs helm,mavinas caster, complete naj set)
73 uniques: midling Nightwing's, 5 rings (2xmanald, 1xdwarfstar, 2xNatures Peace), saracens Chance ammy *grailer*, hotspurs *grailer*, eth Jalals
2 x Stormshield, 13 white monarchs (for twinking other chars )
A few readouts:

Spoiler

Nightwing's Veil
Spired Helm
Defense: 313
Durability: 26 of 40
Required Level: 67
Required Strength: 96
Fingerprint: 0x43c65424
Item Level: 81
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Unidentified
+2 to All Skills
+9% to Cold Skill Damage
+96% Enhanced Defense
+13 to Dexterity
+8 Cold Absorb
Half Freeze Duration
Requirements -50%


Blackhorn's Face
Death Mask
Defense: 390
Durability: 11 of 11
Required Level: 41
Required Strength: 45
Fingerprint: 0xc5c26d40
Item Level: 81
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Unidentified
Prevent Monster Heal
Slows Target by 20%
+200% Enhanced Defense
Lightning Resist +15%
+20 Lightning Absorb
Attacker Takes Lightning Damage of 25
Ethereal


Jalal's Mane
Totemic Mask
Defense: 404
Durability: 11 of 11
Required Level: 42
Required Strength: 55
Fingerprint: 0xaaf72e81
Item Level: 71
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Unidentified
+2 to Shape-Shifting Skills (Druid Only)
+2 to Druid Skill Levels
+30% Faster Hit Recovery
20% Bonus to Attack Rating
+173% Enhanced Defense
+20 to Strength
+20 to Energy
All Resistances +30
+5 to Mana after each Kill
Ethereal


Thundergod's Vigor
War Belt
Defense: 144
Durability: 16 of 24
Required Level: 47
Required Strength: 110
Fingerprint: 0xfdf4f042
Item Level: 81
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Unidentified
5% Chance to cast level 7 Fist of the Heavens when struck
Adds 1 - 50 Lightning Damage
+3 to Lightning Fury (Amazon Only)
+3 to Lightning Strike (Amazon Only)
+173% Enhanced Defense
+20 to Strength
+20 to Vitality
+10% to Maximum Lightning Resist
+20 Lightning Absorb

62 flawless amethyst (269 total FGems)
322 - Full juvies

4 socket bill for my self wield infinity I have planned

Picked up several more grailers during this set bringing my total to: -86
Here's a handful of screen caps:

Spoiler

My Stony Field double rune drop not nearly as impressive as @Luhkoh


After getting the Hide and Hoof, there were a couple RNG troll drops like this:


Eth boots anyone?


Gotta thin the herd for those...


Lots of drops, even at p1 but less clutter to deal with


Cow Kings Hide! *grailer*


TGods plus Ral? I'll take it!


Hotspurs! *grailer*


So very charming


Nightwings! *grailer*

All in all pretty satisfied with both sets...second set was slightly better and submitted! Good luck to anyone still makin hamburg

 

[Gripphon]

I decided to do 15 runs on p7 and p5 with necro to finally compare the two via xp method. I completely excluded xp from getting the leg so all xp is purely from cows.

p7 resulted in 470 cows per run due to xp, then I reduced 50 due to being minion xp (assumption, or guess if you will)
Result: 420 p7 cows per run
Average time: 137.06 s
p7 cows per minute: 183.86
p5 cows per minute equivalent: 207.4

p5 resulted in 461 cows per run due to xp, reducing 50 from that same as for p7
Result: 411 p5 cows per run
Average time: 125.7 s
p5 cows per minute: 196

These results are comparable to drop method between two player settings I got resulting in p7 being around 10 cows per minute ahead. This is however inside some statistical variance. I also don't think I can possibly kill more minions on p7 than on p5 giving it an xp edge. Either way, p7 might be theoretically stronger, but not enough to justify running it compared to much easier and equalishly efficient p5.