Facing the bosses

[Tracker]

Facing the bosses

I have been away for 3 years and just got back into HC play. I am trying to plan out my character. Building a chart on what to do at each skill level/quest bonus.

At what levels should I be facing the Act bosses in Normal, Nightmare and Hell? Talking about normal play, with standard gear not rushed and not ebay'd.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Hp_Sauce]

Andy around 17
Duriel around 24
Meph around 28?
Diablo around 32?
Ancients around 35
Baal around 38-40
Baal runs until 42ish

NM Andy-Diablo... whatever, I donno.
NM Ancients 69ish
NM Baal around low 70's
Baal runs until 75-80ish

Hell Andy-Diablo... again, I donno.
Hell Ancients low 80's
Hell Baal low to middle 80's

This is all very much a guess. It depends so much on how big your party is, if you do complete clears, what type of character you're playing, or if you rush around like a maniac, and I'm sure others will have different opinions, but hopefully this will give you a bit of an idea.

Oh, and welcome back!
-hps

 

[Intolerance]

Are you playing completely solo? What character/build?

 

[MoUsE_WiZ]

Are you playing completely solo? What character/build?

Yeah that.

Rule of thumb I go by in NM/Hell is that if I can get to the boss I can, and should, kill it.
Normal though varies far too much on level of twinkedness, build, and if I'm in a group.

Hp's list looks about right as a vague general list for normal though... he apparently plays much slower than me through NM though, I stay in there till 75-78, but I start baaling at 50-60.

 

[Hp_Sauce]

Hp's list looks about right as a vague general list for normal though... he apparently plays much slower than me through NM though, I stay in there till 75-78, but I start baaling at 50-60.

An excellent example of why your question is actually a really hard one to answer. Everyone plays the game different.

Rule of thumb I go by in NM/Hell is that if I can get to the boss I can, and should, kill it.

An excellent rule of thumb! Hell, if all else fails and the boss turns out to be too hard, you can always just run away and try again later!

-hps

 

[Tracker]

Thanks!!

Ok...I knew when I asked it was going to be an (if x = then) question...should have been more specific in my intent and I apologize up front.

The chart I am making is to figure out when and where I am going to allocate skill and attribute points because I will only be playing like 1-2 days a week for a few hours each time. Don't want to forget that I already put points in VIT and it is STR's turn kinda thingy.

I have a pretty good plan, but totally forgot the free skill up's & attribute +'s in the game and I have not reached Diablo Normal yet.

So I am basically trying to figure out a VERY VERY vague and general "By the time I am X, I should be looking at trying "This" quest for the skill/Attribute bonus so I can build a general chart.

You have given me a great start to that and the "if you can get there, then they shouldn't be standing" concept is so very true (LOL...never thought of it that way...it was more of an "OMG I am gunna die")...just looking at when I should be there.

Also...is it still good to wait for 80 to do all three ancients quests?

Again thank you for the welcome back and the data/suggestions.

If it helps, I am planning on grouping, doing all quests, taking my time and playing a necro (summoner), barb (s/s WW), bowazon and an sorc (Orb/TS). In that order.

Again...won't hold anyone responsible if I get killed...probably be me learning to play and it is just a game.

 

[schkunk]

Also...is it still good to wait for 80 to do all three ancients quests?

You can't do that anymore, Ancients is required to get into the WSK.

 

[engrsd]

Hps list is a pretty good general rule of thumb. Personally with my summon necro, all I care about is doing norm duriel at 24 and baal at ~30. I hit NM around 45 and then hell around 75-80.

 

[HCKull]

A simple and safe rule of thumb is to spend 10 lvls in each act of normal and 5 lvls for each act of NM and hell. Also, don't go past the den in act 1 of NM and Hell without decent/max resists.

 

[squiggle]

Your lvl 10 when you move to Act 2 normal?
Good safe rule.


I generally start hell at lvl 60.

As that is when it seems exp to be good in act 1.

 

[dmoney]

wat i have been doing

i havent played for a year or two but started up once the ladder reset. I only play hc so here goes on wat i have been doing. Note that this is part speed leveling early on i guess sorta etc lol

do the den then trist runs till lvl 15..
do tombs till 24.. or cows 20-24
ancients
baal runs till 45-50
nm baal till 75-85 (once u reach hell, almost all pub games are gonna involve pkers so thats why u might want to level on nm baal as much as possible, if soloing then u can leave around 60 depending on build) pkers still present on nm but not as much

just have a friend or grp or someone help u beat the bosses. The basic goal for me is to avoid pkers as much as possible and to get as much exp as i can b4 moving on.

after reading more about wat exactly u were looking for.. id say hp's guide is a decent thing to follow. All i would say is to milk normal baal till about 50.. ull then be able to solo all of nm untill u get to nm baal. I would also do this for as long as u can watching out for pkers while u do it. build up ur resists and ull be able to solo most of hell. (watch out for stygian doll explosions in act 3 lol lost my 76 necro on one of these mofos :-( )

If ur soloing then it will depend on ur build but if ur clearing all the acts then u should be able to beat most bosses till somewehre in nm where u might need more resist gear. I always gamble or socket mine. ral + ort + tal helps for a lot of builds

hell mode is almost a necessity to solo unless ur one of the lucky ones to have a private grp as pkers are everywehre in pub games.

i currently have a 72 asn who im using for nm mf runs till i build up resists n have some friends there and a 50 sorc.

 

[Rekoc]

You can leave Norm baal at 40 and start NM, by the time you get to NM baal you should be lvl 60 or so, baal to 70 and start hell. MF nm baal for a while for decent gear in your late late 60's and early 70's solo and you will be all set for hell.