let's talk claws

let's talk claws

I love playing assassins. Dual-claw Phoenix striking, dragon taloning assassins senting ice bolts everywhere.

Unlike all other classes, 'sins need there class-only item. so why don't they have more +to skills on them? I never seem to find socketed claws with + to skills. do these only occur on elite claws?

and runewords for claws bite. Malice? I have to take damage to get a runeword weapon? Pattern doesn't work (or does it now?) and it'll be a loooong while a before I can make a legit Chaos. Venom seems to be the only other option, but again, Mal makes this a tough one to get legit.

Am I just not picking up the right claws? do I need to check every single one that drops to check for + to skills? am I missing out on some great claw runeword? Bartuc's ig great for NM but lacks the punch needed to survive in Hell, but I'm reluctant to give it up because of the + to assassin skills. (and I'm not high enough lvl yet to even bother begging for, let alone finding, Nat's Mark).

Any suggestions?

 

http://www.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/normal/katars.shtml

This page, only some claws can have +skill.

I have this in my stash has some +skill so they can be found, yours if you want:

Cruel Feral Claws of the Vampire
One-Hand Damage: 86 to 208
Durability: 31 of 52
(Assassin Only)
Required Dexterity: 113
Required Strength: 113
Required Level: 58
Claw Class - Fast Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10 Expansion
Item Level: **
Fingerprint: 0x2e3ef98b
+294% Enhanced Damage
8% Mana stolen per hit
+2 to Wake of Inferno (Assassin Only)
+2 to Weapon Block (Assassin Only)

 

I agree, Assassins did get short-changed with runewords in this patch - who wouldn't want to make a BoTD claw??? Or Crescent Moon for the elemental attacks maybe?

Strength (Amn-Tir) may be another option, damage isn't great but it has Crushing Blow.

Of course, you could upgrade the Bartuc's if you had the runes to do so.

 

Chaos is indeed a nice rune word, but still no +skills. Upping Bartuc's is probably the best option, unless you can get your hands on FireLizard's.

 

Well, if you're Dragon Tailing, the biggest damage you'll do is the chargeup TS damage and the PS damage with your kick, and your claws basically become useful for charging up skills, effects, and +skills, for which Bartuc's is amazing. If you're looking for more damage, using Myrmidon Greaves will do it for you for sure.

I assume your build looks somewhat like this: 20TS/20DTail/20BoI/20PS and whatever's left in the support skills, claw block, and Shadow Master. If that's how you're going, there's no reason to not use either dual Bartuc's or Bartuc's + JT for the entire game. Could you post your build? We might be able to be more specifically constructive, then.

A note on Dragon Claw...although you don't use it, but for future knowledge. The chargeups only get applied to the first hit, not the second. It would be an amazing skill if they were, but they're not. I've heard that it's auto-hit or at least ITD on bosses, but that's completely unsubstantiated. If someone could shed some light on that, perhaps?

 

my bad - I meant Dragon Claw (which I listed as "talon" for some reason), not tail. I never kick. I never use traps.

part of the problem here is this is a leftover/upgrade 1.09 character, so she was created w/o thoughts of synergies, so skills are more spread out.
lvl 74
20 TS/5 PS/7 DC
20 CM/5 WB/5 Fade/7 SM

1 each in prereq's, venom, PH, CoS, MB

 

Dragon Claw is not auto-hit on anybody. For all I know it could be ITD on bosses, since ITD doesn't work on them. :scratch:

You're right about DC not applying charges to both claws. However one cool thing about it it that it gives you two chances to release. In other words, only one claw needs to connect to unleash your charge-ups.

 

They have the possibility of occurring on all the elite claws and some of the exceptionals. I can't remember which exceptionals for sure, although I do know they DON'T happen on the Quhab and Wrist Spike.

Keep in mind that Claws have double the chance of other class-specific items to drop. Also, unlike other class-specifics, they can be shopped and gambled.

And a quibble: Not all Assassins need claws...

 

Well, not all Assassins need claws, but if you're using an elemental chargeup, you do. Also, with the amazingness of claw block and the great speeds you can achieve with claws, there's no normal reason not to with a chargeup-release sin. That's almost certainly why the drop rate is higher than other class-specifics...but that's just splitting hairs. I love claws and wanted to write about them.

 

I love claws too. There's nothing better for splitting hairs...

 

+skills can appear on all Elite claws and all exceptionals, except the Quhab, Wrist Spike and Fascia.

 

HBeachBabe, your build is definitely not cookie-cutter 1.10 as you mentioned. How's your killing speed? You may want to pump PS and one synergy now (CoT is a nice one). If you want I can look through my stash and see what I have. Unfortunately I don't have much in the way of high damage with +Skills claws. I have high damage and I have high +skills, kind of like that beer add about rich and smooth, has one not both. I do have some good +3 MA gloves/+3 MA circlets and maybe an amulet or two. Let me know if any of those will help (if so, i'll need an email address).

 

in 1.09 my killing speed was pretty good. in 1.10 it's slower as I have to rely much more on CoS and MB as she is basically a glass cannon with all her points in str/dex. I also use my Act 1 normal merc still with a Kuku Shakaku (sp?) and Duriels Shell and she kills pretty efficinetly with help from my Shadow. Once a pack has been softened up, I can go in and kick butt (well, claw butt actually), primarily using Ice bolt charges combined with TS. The TS kills most things in a couple hits, and the ice bolts freeze everything else allowing the rogue to pick them off.

NM was not too difficult, but Hell has been very challenging. I actually have +2 MA heavy gloves which I have been reluctant to give up because of the + to skills, despite having a def of only 5 and no other mods. Have a +1 'sin skills crafted blood amulet with good mods (I'm on set right now so I don't have the exacts here), Bartuc's, and Nat's boots, helm & armor. I prebuff my SM (and the initial Fade & venom) with a +3 to Shadow skills helm. I just got a Jade Talon, but haven't had it long enough to evaluate it.

So far, it just seems hard to find good claws to upgrade to stay alive in hell. Having a viable MB is essential now since I can't just wade into a pack without them getting softened up first.

 

One option to keep yourself much safer is to use Cloak of Shadows all the time. Keeping all normal monsters blinded, giving yourself a Def bonus and giving them a Def debuff is completely worthwhile, even if the darkening is pretty annoying. My 1.09 'sin couldn't survive in 1.10 hell until I started using CoS constantly. I've got a 281% ED/40% IAS rare hatchet hands if you want to try them. Drop me an email if you're interested and I'll send them over. (j-kurtin(at)northwestern(dot)edu)

 

email is [email protected] and I'm not good enough at this game to be above accepting handouts, especially for my favorite character class.

I know what you mean about CoS. I never used it in 1.09, going exclusively with MB for ranged attackers, then wading into battle, but in 1.10 that is certain death. I need to retrain my fingers on the hotkeys to use CoS efficiently now in conjuction with MB. hopefully I'll figure it out soon. dying all the time sucks.

 

I was gambling on Cronets and a couple came up that you might be intersted in.

1: Kenshi's Coronet of the Sentinel
Defense: 39
Durability: 30 of 30
Required Level: 45
Item Version: 1.10 Expansion
Item Level: 60
Fingerprint: 0x8fd4fe6b
Magic Damage Reduced by 2
+3 to Martial Art Skills (Assassin Only)

2: Rune Crest
Coronet
Defense: 34
Durability: 30 of 30
Required Level: 39
Item Version: 1.10 Expansion
Item Level: 55
Fingerprint: 0xafd5b388
+14 to Dexterity
Lightning Resist +13%
+21 poison damage over 4 seconds
+1 to Assassin Skill Levels
Repairs 1 durability in 33 seconds


Let me know if ya interested.

 

it's hard not to love +3 to MA skills, but #2 could be upgraded and thus provide more use in the long run. what are you looking for in return?

 

Check your PM, and I have these two for you. (finally found a place to dump all my assassin stuff )

Spirit Circlet
Diadem
Defense: 59
Durability: 16 of 20
Required Level: 64
Item Version: 1.10 Expansion
Item Level: 86
Fingerprint: 0x3de0e80e
Fire Resist +28%
Lightning Resist +13%
Cold Resist +13%
Poison Resist +13%
3% Life stolen per hit
41% Extra Gold from Monsters
Poison Length Reduced by 50%
+2 to Shadow Discipline Skills (Assassin Only)

Witch-hunter's Tiara of the Wraith
Defense: 42
Durability: 25 of 25
Required Level: 67
Item Version: 1.10 Expansion
Item Level: 96
Fingerprint: 0x67e0b57d
5% Mana stolen per hit
+2 to Assassin Skill Levels

 

I dunno. If you want them you can just have them. I won't use them. But if you don't want handout let me know what you have and we'll trade.

 

as I have mentioned before, I am not good enough at this game to be above accepting handouts. This assassin is my first every character I've stuck with into Hell. I usually get bored somewhere in mid-nightmare and retire/delete the character.

However, if there is anything i have that you could use, I'd happily pass it along. I've gotten so much help from this community I just want to be able to offer something in return. Even if it's just a "player to be named later" (i.e. a nice item found in Hell level once I find some) I still am pretty unclear on the economy of items around here though. what would these helms be worth?