Anything Goes D2 Lounge!
- Thread starter NorthDakota
- Start date
T72on1
Diabloii.Net Member
After the MFO and hitting 97 with my Sorc, I think it might be a good idea to also do something else in between in D2, next to countless CS runs needed to get to 98 and countless RoF runs to hit that Cham pattern. But what? Continue my other tournament character? Finish my HC characters (one of each class, Assassin, Sorc and Amazon finished (but Sorc dead), Druid and Necro in Hell, Barb and Paladin in early normal)? Do that oskill Sept that has been on my mind for so long now? Make the best mf character of each class in SC with the gear I have found with my Sorc, so I have plenty of choice in the next MFO / RFO? Edit: do some time traveling?
So many choices, so little time ...
So many choices, so little time ...
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NorthDakota
Diabloii.Net Member
I have been scouring the internet today about information about solo running a WW barb to 99. My current dual grief barb does a pretty good job at p1/8/3 runs except for the fact that baal takes forever to die. I only have 15% crushing blow from goreriders currently. I don't have steelrend (one of my last few grailers), so I'm using Laying of Hands which is great. My survivability is really good, and my kill speed is good, so I'm thinking I'd ditch my +warcry weapons on switch and get in some crushing blow weapons.
I'd like baal to go down as quickly as possible, so I was thinking I'd WW him down with dual kingslayer phaseblades. Is this like crazy overkill? that'd be 76% crushing blow and hitting WW breakpoints since they're 30% ias phaseblades. I'm worried about hitting baal, my character is low now at level 91 so that'll get better with time?
I have more questions, like how ignore target defense of grief affects my chances to hit baal or his minions, for example. How important is attack rating when using grief phaseblades? My chance to hit monsters is still below 95%, and switching highlords to metalgrid ups my chance to hit by roughly 5% depending. I don't see highlords as that beneficial, since its IAS doesn't affect WW, right? So basically I'm only getting +1 skills and deadly strike.
So I'll sum up my questions:
on a dual grief PB WW barb
I'd like baal to go down as quickly as possible, so I was thinking I'd WW him down with dual kingslayer phaseblades. Is this like crazy overkill? that'd be 76% crushing blow and hitting WW breakpoints since they're 30% ias phaseblades. I'm worried about hitting baal, my character is low now at level 91 so that'll get better with time?
I have more questions, like how ignore target defense of grief affects my chances to hit baal or his minions, for example. How important is attack rating when using grief phaseblades? My chance to hit monsters is still below 95%, and switching highlords to metalgrid ups my chance to hit by roughly 5% depending. I don't see highlords as that beneficial, since its IAS doesn't affect WW, right? So basically I'm only getting +1 skills and deadly strike.
So I'll sum up my questions:
on a dual grief PB WW barb
- What are some options for crushing blow on weapon switch for baal?
- How important is attack rating?
- Why use highlords over other options?
pharphis
Diabloii.Net Site Pal
Does ctc work for WW? I don't know how 1.13 works. If so, static field might be a useful option (dual crescent moon or stormlash + crescent moon) for taking 50% of his life very quickly. I'm doubtful it's better than very high CB though
ignore target defense only works on normal monsters (and minions) iirc. -%def helps vs everything (eth runes)
edit: is your merc using reaper's? If not, use lacerators on switch to proc amp dmg immediately then switch back to your normal setup.
ignore target defense only works on normal monsters (and minions) iirc. -%def helps vs everything (eth runes)
edit: is your merc using reaper's? If not, use lacerators on switch to proc amp dmg immediately then switch back to your normal setup.
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Gripphon
Diabloii.Net Member
LoH > Steelrends any time of day.
As for CB, just put Guilaume's Face. You'd have 50% along with goreriders. You definitely do not want to replace Griefs with some lolweapons just cuz of CB, 50% is enough to kill Baal fast. Unless you don't have Guilaume's Face for whatever reason.
Ignore Target Defense does not affect unique monsters nor bosses, but it does give you 95% cth against minions and regular monsters. That means your AR is mostly (almost entirely) used just to get rid of Baal faster. I usually don't go over 6k AR myself, nor is usually that easy to do.
That's why HLW > Metalgrid, cuz AR is not something that will improve your killing of waves, while extra deadly strike will. I'm pretty confident that even against baal that extra deadly strike means more than extra AR if you already have like 5k or 6k. I'm not sure at how low AR would Metalgrid be better to have, but if you lack AR, you can use HLW against waves and then put Metalgrid instead of HLW for Baal. You do have 12 seconds before he withdraws in his room and it would cost you only 1 inventory place to carry HLW/Metalgrid combo.
I used Grief Zerkers, but principle is the same. Here is 1 vid of how I've done it.
As for CB, just put Guilaume's Face. You'd have 50% along with goreriders. You definitely do not want to replace Griefs with some lolweapons just cuz of CB, 50% is enough to kill Baal fast. Unless you don't have Guilaume's Face for whatever reason.
Ignore Target Defense does not affect unique monsters nor bosses, but it does give you 95% cth against minions and regular monsters. That means your AR is mostly (almost entirely) used just to get rid of Baal faster. I usually don't go over 6k AR myself, nor is usually that easy to do.
That's why HLW > Metalgrid, cuz AR is not something that will improve your killing of waves, while extra deadly strike will. I'm pretty confident that even against baal that extra deadly strike means more than extra AR if you already have like 5k or 6k. I'm not sure at how low AR would Metalgrid be better to have, but if you lack AR, you can use HLW against waves and then put Metalgrid instead of HLW for Baal. You do have 12 seconds before he withdraws in his room and it would cost you only 1 inventory place to carry HLW/Metalgrid combo.
I used Grief Zerkers, but principle is the same. Here is 1 vid of how I've done it.
NorthDakota
Diabloii.Net Member
Thanks for your replies.
@Gripphon About crushing blow - I'm using Arreat's right now. Unless I respec I won't have enough str/dex for other equipment, and my resists will be lower using guillame's so that's why I'm using it. I have thought about using guillame's before. Would you recommend I switch? I wouldn't replace grief with kingslayer, I would use kingslayer on switch for baal only. So grip, you're killing baal that quickly because of guillame's then? Is there any place I can see your full equipment on that character? What do you use on switch? Also thanks for your explanation about AR, metalgrid wouldn't be so important for me, then, it pushes me up to around 8k AR and if that's not necessary then I won't use it.
@pharphis Merc is using reaper's, glad's bane and ral'ed andys. I'm not set on that it's just always worked for my mercs. Tried other weapons, I just don't like other setups as much. I guess I'm not sure how important CBF is for baal runs, or I would switch to treachery.
@Gripphon About crushing blow - I'm using Arreat's right now. Unless I respec I won't have enough str/dex for other equipment, and my resists will be lower using guillame's so that's why I'm using it. I have thought about using guillame's before. Would you recommend I switch? I wouldn't replace grief with kingslayer, I would use kingslayer on switch for baal only. So grip, you're killing baal that quickly because of guillame's then? Is there any place I can see your full equipment on that character? What do you use on switch? Also thanks for your explanation about AR, metalgrid wouldn't be so important for me, then, it pushes me up to around 8k AR and if that's not necessary then I won't use it.
@pharphis Merc is using reaper's, glad's bane and ral'ed andys. I'm not set on that it's just always worked for my mercs. Tried other weapons, I just don't like other setups as much. I guess I'm not sure how important CBF is for baal runs, or I would switch to treachery.
Gripphon
Diabloii.Net Member
Equipment and build is listed here.
I use switch to boost mass mana and fcr to get to throne room comfortably and fast. By using some non-fcr switch, you would teleport like a grandpa.
I would recommend to get Guilaume's in instead of Arreat if you plan on running Baal. Crushing blow does indeed help to take down Baal faster. My killing speed is result of both big damage output and 50% crushing blow, I do have 1.07 stuff on my barb. But any dual Grief 50% CB barb should be able to take Baal down fastish (if you can call that "fastish" since it takes at least 20 seconds even for best equipped barbs).
I use switch to boost mass mana and fcr to get to throne room comfortably and fast. By using some non-fcr switch, you would teleport like a grandpa.
I would recommend to get Guilaume's in instead of Arreat if you plan on running Baal. Crushing blow does indeed help to take down Baal faster. My killing speed is result of both big damage output and 50% crushing blow, I do have 1.07 stuff on my barb. But any dual Grief 50% CB barb should be able to take Baal down fastish (if you can call that "fastish" since it takes at least 20 seconds even for best equipped barbs).
T72on1
Diabloii.Net Member
No. Unfortunately, because I could see some fun combinations there.
RadTang
Diabloii.Net Member
Now I've got a reason to at least punch myself brutally... listened to Kraftwerk while I was playing D2. Forgot to pick up my charms from the ground and S&E the game. Noticed it in ATMA. Lost probably the best charms... +11 to all res, +20% to fire and others... I will have to sacrifice a lot of MF to cover the resistances... and charms are shit like +1 hp, +1 ar, +0 dmg over 666 secs... all of the good ones dropped basically in the beginning to middle of normal difficulty...
helvete
Diabloii.Net Member
Eth yes.
EDIT: That was a reply to the 1.07 skullder question on the previous page...
About running baal, with regards to exp/time you should just skip him for a few levels. I think he becomes worthwhile around level 97 or something. Especially since he takes a while to kill.
That does dull down the run a little bit, though, so if you need to kill him to stay motivated (as I would have to), then by all means. I would probably just do the respec and use Guillaumes.
EDIT: That was a reply to the 1.07 skullder question on the previous page...
About running baal, with regards to exp/time you should just skip him for a few levels. I think he becomes worthwhile around level 97 or something. Especially since he takes a while to kill.
That does dull down the run a little bit, though, so if you need to kill him to stay motivated (as I would have to), then by all means. I would probably just do the respec and use Guillaumes.
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Smancer
Diabloii.Net Member
My sin is now level 80, and I am trying to get her to run trav on Players 3. She can do it, but it takes a while. I am however looking for ways to improve a bit.
She respec'ed to kick trapper.
She is using Rift war scepter with an Um'd SS.
Helm is Guil with an Um.
Drac's gloves,
Treachery Armor,
Saracen's Chance Ammy (literally the only thing I had I needed the resists).
Thundergod belt
double up'd goblin toes (Can't believe I don't have Gores yet)
A Raven ring, and a dwarf start for fire...
CTA and Spirit on switch
Inventory is a bit lack luster with some health and resist charms.
Merc is using a smoke runeword, insight, and vamp gaze. I have a betterbase insight waiting for him, but he sucks at strength.
Players 3 takes about 5 minutes :-( I think the fade procs slow me down, and when my merc dies my mana goes away.
She respec'ed to kick trapper.
She is using Rift war scepter with an Um'd SS.
Helm is Guil with an Um.
Drac's gloves,
Treachery Armor,
Saracen's Chance Ammy (literally the only thing I had I needed the resists).
Thundergod belt
double up'd goblin toes (Can't believe I don't have Gores yet)
A Raven ring, and a dwarf start for fire...
CTA and Spirit on switch
Inventory is a bit lack luster with some health and resist charms.
Merc is using a smoke runeword, insight, and vamp gaze. I have a betterbase insight waiting for him, but he sucks at strength.
Players 3 takes about 5 minutes :-( I think the fade procs slow me down, and when my merc dies my mana goes away.
NorthDakota
Diabloii.Net Member
LK finally hit me right. I haven't been able to play even an hour a day for the past week, finally got in two tonight. Last night I snagged 1 ohm. Tonight I got 3 (!) Ist, 1 Gul, 1 Vex, 1 Sur. And a couple assassin skillers. So weird I never find ists running LK on p7 then bam 3 in a row. Anyways, after I found that sur I was pretty done for the night. Heading to sleep 