BorgonVile 35 Author Share Posted November 5 Well, I ultimately picked the better looking version. But I also changed the build and restarted with ee + alternate spells. Minions and hand are no longer the focus. And there's no invisibility either so I failed my mission of checking if it works the same in ee. 1 Link to comment
Sethi22 220 Share Posted November 6 (edited) No way! How dare you quit? Who will complete the important mission this way? Me? At least get to 25 Shadow Veil!!! Oh, you Indium Shamans... Edited November 6 by Sethi22 Link to comment
SLD 523 Share Posted November 6 40 minutes ago, Sethi22 said: At least get to 25 Shadow Veil!!! Oh, you Indium Shamans... He can't. Alternate Spells replaces Shadow Veil. Link to comment
Sethi22 220 Share Posted November 6 I know. Thats's why I said he shouldn't quit! This is preposterous!! 1 Link to comment
BorgonVile 35 Author Share Posted November 6 Heh, sorry about that. I just couldn't not take that minotaur buff. Now I got 2 full equipped skellies and a minotaur tanking and killing for me. And it's a good thing they do because ee+challenge mode is just cruel. I started silver but after lvl 10 just walking around makes me wish I started on bronze. Actually, I am switching to bronze for now. Too many close calls. I mean, bosses almost 1-shot me and I'm full vitality so far. It's unfortunate that alternate spells doesn't keep shadow veil in some form, I'd love to have it as a backup. I could probably mod it back in now that I think about it. Then I'd have the best of both worlds. I mean, I'm no longer playing pure ee either because I made sakkara half the size. But then I wouldn't be able to post a build and my experiences with it. Should I do it? Mod the shadow veil in? 1 Link to comment
Sethi22 220 Share Posted November 6 Just kidding of course, I wish you all the best on your alternate journey! Report anything interesting you find! I'll continue my hunt for Leaden Juggernauts to "help", I mean pester, and ask questions from! Link to comment
BorgonVile 35 Author Share Posted November 6 Oh I will, but so far the only interesting thing is my shadow warrior fearing for his life. This rarely ever happened in vanilla. 1 Link to comment
Sethi22 220 Share Posted November 6 (edited) That's exactly why I returned to the original game. (Well CMpatch.) I tried D2 Fallen once, but got massacred real early. I think I'm a bit too casual for these mods, but I'll try again both that and EE for the first time, I just have to figure out this mitigation thing SLD tried to teach me in vanilla. I never gave it much thought, I wanted to have as much life and shield as possible, that was my main idea. But it seems, there are other ways as well... Edited November 6 by Sethi22 Link to comment
Hooyaah 3,069 Popular Post Share Posted November 6 1 hour ago, Sethi22 said: That's exactly why I returned to the original game. (Well CMpatch.) I tried D2 Fallen once, but got massacred real early. I think I'm a bit too casual for these mods, but I'll try again both that and EE for the first time, I just have to figure out this mitigation thing SLD tried to teach me in vanilla. I never gave it much thought, I wanted to have as much life and shield as possible, that was my main idea. But it seems, there are other ways as well... Don't underestimate the power of defeating ones opponents before they can do any significant damage. Spell casters can do this if the build is proper and they have sufficient protection (specifically, Defensive Skills and Armor of all types). Few armor pieces, shields, and jewelry selections possess Damage Mitigation, "This is the way." 2 Link to comment
Sethi22 220 Share Posted November 6 (edited) 55 minutes ago, Hooyaah said: Don't underestimate the power of defeating ones opponents before they can do any significant damage. Thanks for the advice! Well, that's what I'm aiming for. It still seems to me, that you have to sacrifice too much for this mitigation business, I won't go for 100%. I'll try to find the balance somehow. But Vanilla is definitely the place to learn this, I think... Edited November 7 by Sethi22 Link to comment
Hooyaah 3,069 Popular Post Share Posted November 7 57 minutes ago, Sethi22 said: Thanks for the advice! Well, that's what I'm aiming for. It still seems to me, that you have to sacrifice too much for this mitigation business, I won't go for 100%. I'll try to find the balance somehow. But Vanilla is definitely the place to learn this, I think... It might seem a "lazy" build to have Shadow Veil as a permanent buff, but it's a great way to develop ones own personal S.W. Blacksmith to a high level. Skeletal Tower when properly developed is quite utilitarian. Later, I create a character just for shopping and purchase the jewelry that I need to boost damage and pendants to lower regeneration time to half. I save my chests by level (ranges 10-20, 30-40, and so forth) to reuse at will on a subsequent play-through. Find a character that you especially enjoy and save gear for subsequent games! 1 1 1 Link to comment
BorgonVile 35 Author Popular Post Share Posted November 10 Makes me wish shadow veil worked in alternate spells. Because I died twice at around lvl 30 so far. Challenge mode + superspawn are... well, a challenge. Moment of overconfidence and you roll a new char. And ranged enemies are way overpowered (funnily, didn't die to ranged even once). The only thing I can say with my limited experience here is that Sakkara was a good god pick. Can be used preemptively (no way to use god gifts in the middle of a fight here), lasts a long time and kills bosses and mobs both (ofc it's just silver). 2 Link to comment
Sethi22 220 Popular Post Share Posted November 11 (edited) 21 hours ago, BorgonVile said: The only thing I can say with my limited experience here is that Sakkara was a good god pick. Can be used preemptively (no way to use god gifts in the middle of a fight here), lasts a long time and kills bosses and mobs both (ofc it's just silver). Aha! There's my good advice then! I told you I would get one right once! Although I told you to choose it to fight it, not to help you, but still it turned out to be a good advice in the end! Edited November 11 by Sethi22 2 Link to comment
BorgonVile 35 Author Share Posted November 17 Finally got past the dead-zone which was the first 35 levels or so. Elites can still two-shot me but losing more than half my hp with one shot is very rare now. It didn't happen in the last 5 levels or so. Got Armor Lore, Toughness and Constitution up to 40 (unmodded) now so I am good on the defensive side. Gotta start pumping up concentration so that both, it and constitution hit 75 on 75. A little screenshot for anyone curious about my current stats. 1 Link to comment
SLD 523 Share Posted November 18 19 hours ago, BorgonVile said: A little screenshot for anyone curious about my current stats. Odd choice to take tactics lore, astral lore and especially hafted weapons, but no focus skills. Do the 2 summon skills have any mods that could be scaled with the lores at all? And what is hafted weapons for? 1 Link to comment
BorgonVile 35 Author Share Posted November 18 (edited) 1 hour ago, SLD said: Odd choice to take tactics lore, astral lore and especially hafted weapons, but no focus skills. Do the 2 summon skills have any mods that could be scaled with the lores at all? And what is hafted weapons for? Hafted is my final weapon of choice. But until about lvl 35 going melee was a death sentence. I could die to trashmobs in under a second. Three hits - maybe a crit or two - dead. Crits doing 2x the damage in ee+challenge. I could've picked it last but nvm that. Lore helps the summons - nether armor bonus (gold mod) scales in ee. The minotaur scales twice (two armor mods) with tactics lore. Astral lore also makes the spectral hand stronger by a lot and it helps with crits, which - again - are 2x the damage here (edit: I only use the hand as an occasional ranged attack - straight up melee and melee CA's are how I damage things). Rallied souls - not so much (I think it affects one unimportant mod). I maybe could've gotten Astral focus instead but I'll never know for sure who wins the Lore vs Focus here. Just to make sure this is clear: I get 5 defensive skills: Armor Lore, Toughness, Constitution, Combat Reflexes and Spell Resistance, so I couldn't be picky with focus skills. Edit: This is the final build (skill-wise) 1. Hafted Weapons 200 [1] 2. Tactics Lore 75 [9] 3. Astral Lore 75 [9] 4. Concentration 75 [75] 5. Armor Lore 75 [++] 6. Toughness 75 [++] 7. Constitution 200 [75] 8. Combat Reflexes 75 [1] 9. Spell Resistance 75 [1] 0. Blacksmith 1 [1] at 200 [at 75] Edited November 18 by BorgonVile Link to comment
SLD 523 Share Posted November 19 23 hours ago, BorgonVile said: and it helps with crits, which - again - are 2x the damage here That double damage is quite a bit misleading as it doesn't work on attribute damage. 23 hours ago, BorgonVile said: Lore helps the summons - nether armor bonus (gold mod) scales in ee. The minotaur scales twice (two armor mods) with tactics lore. So those skills only increase their armor. Doesn't sound very useful then. Especially compared to a Focus that allows higher levels. 23 hours ago, BorgonVile said: Edit: This is the final build (skill-wise) 1. Hafted Weapons 200 [1] 2. Tactics Lore 75 [9] 3. Astral Lore 75 [9] 4. Concentration 75 [75] 5. Armor Lore 75 [++] 6. Toughness 75 [++] 7. Constitution 200 [75] 8. Combat Reflexes 75 [1] 9. Spell Resistance 75 [1] 0. Blacksmith 1 [1] With the final 2 skills added, it looks even more insane to me now. Please keep telling us how it works out Link to comment
BorgonVile 35 Author Share Posted November 19 Insanity keeps me farming goblins from the western Tyr-Lysia portal. Portal in, pick either of the 3 directions, kill everything, portal back and repeat. I got to level 50 now but despite all my defensive efforts, it is still dangerous out there. I got 1-hit for more than 50% hp again (by some archer). Which is weird because most enemies do only moderate amounts of damage. Don't get me wrong, the build is fun. But it is also very scary. About the summons: they are doing most of the killing right now. Eventually I just want them to tank but for now they are doing both. Also, minotaur is a lot less useful than I was hoping for. It's great when he stomps but most of the time he's waking or running around. Even with stomps included, I think he kills less than a single skeleton (of which I got 3). 1 Link to comment
BorgonVile 35 Author Popular Post Share Posted November 22 After 60 levels I finally feel about as safe as a lvl 1 character in vanilla. I'm honestly tired of leveling on goblins but it is - at least - safe. Still not past the wall, but at least I got the quest for it now. Constitution and Concentration are maxxed out. Together with Armor Lore they will hit 75 at 75. Can't wait for that mastery and my 3rd buff. I wonder if I should edit out the 1st post or make a new thread since the character has changed completely from what I started out with. What's the policy on that, anyone? 2 Link to comment
Sethi22 220 Popular Post Share Posted November 23 (edited) 7 hours ago, BorgonVile said: I wonder if I should edit out the 1st post or make a new thread since the character has changed completely from what I started out with. What's the policy on that, anyone? Of course not! The main thing is, that my good advice stays on the cover for everybody to see! Editing the original post or creating a new one could ruin that! Edited November 23 by Sethi22 2 Link to comment
Hooyaah 3,069 Popular Post Share Posted November 23 7 hours ago, BorgonVile said: I wonder if I should edit out the 1st post or make a new thread since the character has changed completely from what I started out with. What's the policy on that, anyone? Editing your first post could make subsequent posts by you and others confusing. Instead, when it's appropriate, you might prefer to end a thread by explaining what elements of your build didn't work out, and also why. Then, you could post a link to a new thread with a new and improved build, based on your previous experience. There is no shame in a person learning by trial and error, unless they continue to repeat the same mistakes. The best teachers are the ones who have gained expertise and can convey their results and experiences into concise and workable instructions which serve to benefit others. Certainly, what to do is important. Yet, why to do it in a specified manner is crucial for the full understanding of those under ones tutelage. "This is the way." 3 Link to comment
SLD 523 Share Posted November 23 7 hours ago, BorgonVile said: I wonder if I should edit out the 1st post or make a new thread since the character has changed completely from what I started out with. What's the policy on that, anyone? Keep everything as is. The journey is of at least equal importance as its final destination. 8 hours ago, BorgonVile said: I'm honestly tired of leveling on goblins but it is - at least - safe. That is a kobold not a goblin. 8 hours ago, BorgonVile said: After 60 levels I finally feel about as safe as a lvl 1 character in vanilla. I expect you to get utterly destroyed the moment you start fighting harder stuff. Hopefully I'm wrong 1 1 Link to comment
BorgonVile 35 Author Share Posted November 23 Alright, I'll keep it for now and make a new thread at lvl 75 if my toon is not yet dead. 16 hours ago, SLD said: I expect you to get utterly destroyed the moment you start fighting harder stuff. Hopefully I'm wrong You expectations were more or less correct. I spent a level fighting orcs and it was as if I've been hit by a -30 lvl debuff. Trash mobs are weak but some elites hit really hard. It is random too. Most are just fine but some hit for over 50% hp on a crit. I think I'll say on >kobolds< (yea, not gobbos) until mastery and then move on. To new heights or to well... eternal rest. 1 Link to comment
