I really like poisonmancers, so I never had any question about what I was going to do here, especially since this gave me a chance to try one without Death's Web, which I had never done before. Obviously the lack of that wand makes an enormous difference, in oh so many ways, but I expected to have a blast playing this guy regardless.
As a reminder: the rules for the sept are cookie cutters with gear "easily" obtainable from NM Mephisto. Easily in this case being arbitrarily set at 1:3000 odds at 0MF which translates to a little over 1:1000 at 250 MF. Low-level runewords are allowed, and I reserved the right to allow exceptions if I so chose.
The Character
Code:
Name: Poy_Zen
Class: Necromancer
Level: 86
Strength: 65/67
Dexterity: 25
Vitality: 405/447
Energy: 25/65
HP: 1173
Mana: 546
Fire: 96 (85)
Cold: 101 (75)
Lightning: 78 (75)
Poison: 46
MF: 0
FR/W: 55
FHR: 87 (6 frames)
FCR: 82 (10 frames)
Poison Nova damage: 3945-4199
The trip from start to Patriarch took 22 hours, 53 minutes, 15 seconds.
Skills:
Code:
Raise Skeleton, Poison Dagger, Poison Explosion, Poison Nova: 20 (26)
Skeleton Mastery: 4 (10)
Summon Resist, Corpse Explosion: 1 (7)
All Curses except Attract and Confuse: 1 (11)
Skeletons gave him a strong early strategy as well as a way of dealing with immunes later on. I've used the style before, and I like it a good bit for questing. Full on CE + Iron Golem is clearly better for Pit running, though.
Gear
Code:
Spirit
Broad Sword
TalThulOrtAmn
One Hand Damage: 7 - 14
Durability: 32 of 32
Required Level: 25
Required Strength: 48
Fingerprint: 0xb2c78034
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+2 to All Skills
+32% Faster Cast Rate
+55% Faster Hit Recovery
Adds 1 - 50 Lightning Damage
Adds 3 - 14 Cold Damage Over 3 Secs (75 Frames)
Adds 75 Poison Damage Over 5 Secs (125 Frames)
7% Life stolen per hit
+250 Defense vs. Missile
+22 to Vitality
+93 to Mana
+8 Magic Absorb
4 Sockets (4 used)
Homunculus
Hierophant Trophy
Defense: 190
Chance to Block: 52
Durability: 20 of 20
Required Level: 42
Required Strength: 58
Fingerprint: 0x86345ec2
Item Level: **
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+2 to Curses (Necromancer only)
+2 to Necromancer Skill Levels
+30% Faster Block Rate
40% Increased Chance of Blocking
+168% Enhanced Defense
+20 to Energy
Regenerate Mana 33%
All Resistances +59
+5 to Mana after each Kill
1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Perfect Diamond
Manald Heal
Ring
Required Level: 15
Fingerprint: 0x4efb6b3d
Item Level: **
Version: Expansion 1.10+
6% Mana stolen per hit
+20 to Life
Replenish Life +8
Regenerate Mana 20%
Manald Heal
Ring
Required Level: 15
Fingerprint: 0x107d7b1e
Item Level: **
Version: Expansion 1.10+
6% Mana stolen per hit
+20 to Life
Replenish Life +7
Regenerate Mana 20%
Peasant Crown
War Hat
Defense: 108
Durability: 12 of 12
Required Level: 28
Required Strength: 20
Fingerprint: 0x7182eb83
Item Level: **
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to All Skills
+15% Faster Run/Walk
+100% Enhanced Defense
+20 to Vitality
+20 to Energy
Replenish Life +8
Nightsmoke
Mesh Belt
Defense: 67
Durability: 16 of 16
Required Level: 30
Required Strength: 58
Fingerprint: 0x54327df5
Item Level: 60
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+45% Enhanced Defense
+15 Defense
+20 to Mana
All Resistances +10
Damage Reduced by 2
50% Damage Taken Goes To Mana
Required Level +5
Trang-Oul's Claws
Heavy Bracers
Defense: 74
Durability: 16 of 16
Required Level: 45
Required Strength: 58
Fingerprint: 0x2167c4ed
Item Level: **
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+2 to Curses (Necromancer only)
+20% Faster Cast Rate
+25% to Poison Skill Damage
+30 Defense
Cold Resist +30%
Natalya's Soul
Mesh Boots
Defense: 134
Durability: 66 of 116
Required Level: 25
Required Strength: 65
Fingerprint: 0x39b36fcb
Item Level: **
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+40% Faster Run/Walk
+97 Defense
Heal Stamina Plus (Based on Character Level) +21%
Cold Resist +25%
Lightning Resist +21%
+50 Maximum Durability
Nokozan Relic
Amulet
Required Level: 10
Fingerprint: 0x960aa295
Item Level: **
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+20% Faster Hit Recovery
Adds 3 - 6 Fire Damage
+10% to Maximum Fire Resist
Fire Resist +50%
+3 to Light Radius
Skin of the Vipermagi
Serpentskin Armor
Defense: 279
Durability: 23 of 24
Required Level: 29
Required Strength: 43
Fingerprint: 0xe31b431c
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to All Skills
+30% Faster Cast Rate
+120% Enhanced Defense
All Resistances +33
Magic Damage Reduced by 10
+2 to Mana after each Kill
1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Tir Rune
Spellsteel (on switch)
Bearded Axe
Two Hand Damage: 55 - 129
Durability: 35 of 35
Required Level: 39
Required Strength: 37
Fingerprint: 0xa468f75e
Item Level: **
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+10% Faster Cast Rate
165% Enhanced Damage
+100 to Mana
Regenerate Mana 25%
Magic Damage Reduced by 13
Level 12 Firestorm (60/60 Charges)
Level 10 Holy Bolt (100/100 Charges)
Level 3 Decrepify (30/30 Charges)
Level 1 Teleport (13/20 Charges)
Requirements -60%
My original planning started with using Arm of King Leoric, but it exceeded my rarity criterion and Spirit just worked better in the build.
Charms
Code:
Serpent's Grand Charm of Life
Grand Charm
Required Level: 41
Fingerprint: 0xa8bf8778
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+12 to Life
+55 to Mana
Serpent's Small Charm of Burning
Small Charm
Required Level: 40
Fingerprint: 0x606c1fe4
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Adds 3 - 6 Fire Damage
+17 to Mana
Snake's Small Charm of Sustenance
Small Charm
Required Level: 24
Fingerprint: 0xa4311463
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+12 to Life
+12 to Mana
Serpent's Grand Charm of Balance
Grand Charm
Required Level: 41
Fingerprint: 0xddf9f0bb
Item Level: **
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+12% Faster Hit Recovery
+58 to Mana
Shimmering Grand Charm
Grand Charm
Required Level: 27
Fingerprint: 0xd229a880
Item Level: **
Version: Expansion 1.10+
All Resistances +14
Serpent's Small Charm of Sustenance
Small Charm
Required Level: 40
Fingerprint: 0x7c225f73
Item Level: 82
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+13 to Life
+16 to Mana
Amber Small Charm of Strength
Small Charm
Required Level: 32
Fingerprint: 0xda370647
Item Level: 84
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+2 to Strength
Lightning Resist +11%
Neeraj, Might Mercenary
Code:
Hone Sundan
Yari
Two Hand Damage: 106 - 215
Durability: 28 of 28
Required Level: 37
Required Strength: 101
Fingerprint: 0xd5fbe4da
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+40% Increased Attack Speed
197% Enhanced Damage
Adds 20 - 40 Damage
7% Life stolen per hit
45% Chance of Crushing Blow
Repairs 1 Durability in 10 Seconds
3 Sockets (3 used)
Socketed: Shael Rune
Socketed: Shael Rune
Socketed: Amn Rune
Duriel's Shell
Cuirass
Defense: 663
Durability: 38 of 150
Required Level: 41
Required Strength: 65
Fingerprint: 0x5d039965
Item Level: 86
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+174% Enhanced Defense
+107 Defense (Based on Character Level)
+15 to Strength
+86 to Life (Based on Character Level)
Cold Resist +30%
All Resistances +20
Cannot Be Frozen
+100 Maximum Durability
Guillaume's Face
Winged Helm
Defense: 217
Durability: 40 of 40
Required Level: 34
Required Strength: 115
Fingerprint: 0xb5fa83ca
Item Level: 87
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+30% Faster Hit Recovery
35% Chance of Crushing Blow
15% Deadly Strike
+120% Enhanced Defense
+15 to Strength
Playthrough
As I said he started out mostly like a fishymancer, so it took awhile for poison nova to take center stage. That said, by the end of Nightmare it had taken over as the primary damage dealer. I leveled up to 85 in the Pits, partially because that would let Radament's quest reward complete the build so I could do the rest of the game at full strength, but mostly I was just having fun. I did most of the runs on p5, but I tried some at p7, as well, with times of 7-8 minutes for p5 and ~12 for p7. The p7 runs felt really rough, and most of them I ended up having to TP out to ress the merc and pick up more skeletons at some point.
As far as notable points, there weren't many as I quested through Hell at p1, p3 for Act bosses, and he's pretty damn strong for that. I did see a set of
champ wasp nests, which is always nice. The only difficult area I ran into was Hell Frozen River, which spawned with witches, gloams (poison immune) and ghosts (poison immune.) A bosspack of ghosts spawned near the stairs and tore through my minions. After a quick trip back to town to resurrect the merc and regroup, I decided to try to tele-run through the area, but ended up S&Eing after emptying the belt of rejuvs. The new roll included no poison immunes and proved no problem. Beyond that, WSK level 3 had a pair of Frenzytaur bosspacks waiting in the room next to the stairs. Amp and Fanaticism were present, and again the whole crew of minions were struck down, but a TP out and a second attempt won the day. Fanatic Ventar was handled by the merc + CE, with no huge issues.
Finds
Forges: Hel/Hel
-Biggin’s Bonnet in Normal Flayer Jungle
-The 16mana/13life SC he’s using.
-14ED 4os Great Bow in the Den of Evil
-+3/-4 cold/level facet in the Pits
-A horribly rolled (25/8) Andariel’s in the Pits
-An eth 0os Berserker Axe in the Pits
-The Amber of Strength SC he’s using.
Deaths
Nope. To be fair, though, he most likely would have died in the Frozen River if I hadn't S&Eed, if you want to count that as a death. A few other close calls, such as taking a prowling dead charge to the face while amped in the Glacial Trail or an arrow from a CE/cursed archer in the Pits, but he never went belly up. I didn't teleport all that much but I'm still quite surprised that when I did (such as in the Maggot Lair, Arcane Sanctuary, Durance, and Frozen River) I didn't end up in hairier situations.
Thanks for reading! I had written an awful and awkward sign-off involving the puns of "skill a ton" and "poise in" but decided to spare you. Allow me to speak my apology by way of
kpop.