Max block?

[Rygor]

Max block?

A friend and I were talking about this earlier and couldn't decide.

Is it worth it to max block in HC? That's a lot of points to spend into dex that could be going into vitality to keep you alive. Then again, if you could block everything (or 75% of things) you wouldn't really even take any damage.

Opinions?

 

[reyla]

The answer depends on what class and variant you are playing. Please supply those details.

 

[Rygor]

Oh, sorry.

He's playing a wind druid, and I'm making a static/tele/blizzard sorc. Or possibly a hammerdin.

But I'm also wondering in general if its best to max block with most builds, and I'm talking PvM here not for PvP.

 

[Rawis]

Yea, I'd say it's best to max in most builds.

I made a summoner necro after the reset to MF some stuff for my upcoming sorc and already I miss the blocking so much.

I'd never make a sorc without max block in HC. Summoner is an exception.

As for the Druid, if he is taking Hurricane, he will be standing in the middle of mob packs, so blocking is very needed.

As for spending lots of stat points to Dex, you can always add your health with charms pretty easily.

 

[Barrynor]

with a hammerdin there's no excuse not to make him max block. even a tower shield of deflecting with 5 pts in holy shield will net you a 95% start, so getting to max block doesnt cost much dex, and you'll still run at 1500 life.

as for tele sorcs, its a personal choice... I had a sorc without max block and with 1 hard point in tk, but she was 1400 life/1300 mana and had a lot of FHR and 8 frame, plus, I am tha roxxor. *giggles* I'd go maxblock if I were you.

and the druid... that depends on playstyle. i rarely used block even on windies.

 

[RoXoR]

no i r teh roxor ^_^
anyway i concur w/ cute n cudly. If you are lookin to get a ss on ur windy uc an go ahead and max block, mine hit a high fcr bp so i went spirit w/o block. moser and whitstan's(sp?) are good shields to max block on a buget too. Hammerdins, i always get a nice spirit shield and max block.

 

[Rygor]

As for the Druid, if he is taking Hurricane, he will be standing in the middle of mob packs, so blocking is very needed.

I think he is taking that route, but he said he was going to be using tornadoes as his main attack or something for more damage?

But thanks, I think I will TRY to max block and see how it goes. To be honest I have never maxed block before .. so hopefully it goes well!

 

[PhatTrumpet]

Aiming Tornadoes from a distance can be tricky, so it's usually easiest to go max block and get up in monsters' faces.

As a Blizz Sorc I'd highly recommend going max block. It'll make Meph runs a piece o' cake.

 

[Rygor]

Aiming Tornadoes from a distance can be tricky, so it's usually easiest to go max block and get up in monsters' faces.

As a Blizz Sorc I'd highly recommend going max block. It'll make Meph runs a piece o' cake.

I know most people dont do this, but since I dont really have any equipment and my playing time is kinda limited, I was thinking of making my sorc build like this:

10-20 Static (so my wind druid buddy can kill everything easily and since I don't really have the + skills equipment to pump it up)
10-20 Teleport (making it cheap and easy to teleport to mf)

but from here I get confused. What should I go with as an attack spell, if I'm pumping static and teleport which I know most people dont do?

I was considering Blizzard, because I can just cast 1 or 2 of those and static from a mile away to stay safely alive. But I'm not sure..

 

[Socialism]

Keep in mind that Static Field in Expansion only goes to ~50% in Hell mode. Classic Diablo 2, however, runs them all the way to sliver-age. Since you're talking about max block, I assume you're playing expansion. So yes, a maxxed static field is not advised.

Lots of efficiency-minded folks pump Teleport. There are some (rare) HC oriented builds in the sorceress forum that you might want to take a look at...

 

[Lord Penguin]

Static is not gunna help much in hell. I wouldnt put that many in it.

 

[Rygor]

Thanks. I just came across your Sorceress write in fact, Socialism! I'm reading it right now. Hopefully it will help me out some. I wasn't aware that static field only took hell down to 50%, so I'm glad you brought that up for me!

My main concern might be mfing Nightmare only - for a little while. I'm not really a HC expierenced d2 player .. especially in hell difficulty.

*edit*

So I may just leave 10 in static now..

 

[Barrynor]

Newskool twinkiesorc:

Max Static
1 pt in teleport (or more if it strikes your fancy, but I'd run a lot since you also need mana for other things... Teleport only in emergencies at start )
1 pt ES
Max Ice Bolt
Max Frozen Orb
Sink some 10 pts into Cold Mastery.

Cold Immumes are going to be a weak spot, but you cannot have them all... just get an Act 2 Holy Freeze Merc.

 

[KramMIlle]

if you plan to use a shield that's easier to max block (ex. stormshield or whistans), then yes. if not, then your answer would vary.

 

[Barrynor]

I seriously doubt you'd plan anything so early in the ladder. I know I would not. 2 socket Pdaimond BSOD all the way ^_^

 

[Rygor]

Yeah I'm no GOTTA PLAN EVERY THING SO MY CHARACTER IS MATHMATICALLY PERFECT!!! kinda guy, I just play the game & have fun .. so I probably wont come across a Stormshield or Whistans early.

 

[Barrynor]

Now that's my kind of player

 

[Rygor]

So now I got that hammerdin to level 50 , he hasn't came close to dying once. I have about 200 vit and I think 60ish dex. Should I start pumping dex now to get a decent block % ? I'm thinking maybe 50% block since I'm not an uber-twinked out dude. Or should I just continue to pump vitality? His life is at 900 right now thanks to spirit

 

[Socialism]

Most things in this game die ridiculously easily to the crazy whacking mallets of the
hammerdin. You won't really feel the need for max block (and thus high dexterity)
until much later in the game. Right now, you're probably walking your way through
nightmare - piece of cake with a character that has maybe 1 or 2 monsters immune
to his attacks.

Keep ~75-100 stat points available for your endgame shield (whenever you find
something you wanna keep; some +2 rare paladin shield with resists or something...
or, even better, a 4 socket paladin shield Spirit with 45 base all resists).

Don't rush to put points in; you're already able to kill stuff blindfolded.

 

[tutata]

Hmm is 216 dex for a win druid and a sorc to mutch for max block?