If I maxed out skeleton mastery and bone spear, added 1 point to all of bone spear's synergies, and put the rest into additional skeleton warriors and mages, would my damage output be too low to deal with hell mode?
I'm playing on Nightmare mode at level 45 now, and so far everything is working out. I think I put too many points into strength for this point in the game, so my vitality isn't as high as I would like, but I don't die often. My skeletons can do decent damage and take a few hits against everything but the end-of-chapter bosses, and my bone spear does something like 270-300 points of damage per hit. I just don't know if I can keep it up, because according to the above plan, my bone spear is as tough as it will ever be without better items.
Should I keep my skels the way they are and continue to pump bone spear's synergies, or can I keep going as planned?
Bone Spear+Skeleton necromancer
-
Crenshinibon
- Posts: 2665
- Joined: Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:35 pm
- Contact:
I personally think that you'd need to focus in one area. Three hundred damage is very little, considering that you could be doing a few thousand. While your summons to get beefed up with each difficulty, I think it's worth investing points in them for more damage, health and quantity.
Items that grand bonus to skills help a lot, but the ones that will help more than anything will have specified bonuses, to either a tree or a particular skill. Also, deciding your focus will give you insight as to where you should spend your points and what equipment you need to wear.
Items that grand bonus to skills help a lot, but the ones that will help more than anything will have specified bonuses, to either a tree or a particular skill. Also, deciding your focus will give you insight as to where you should spend your points and what equipment you need to wear.
“The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially.”
Thanks for answering.
My damage output seems to be adequate against Act II nightmare mode enemies, but that's only because I've been putting points into bone spear damage almost constantly since I gained enough levels to do so. It'd help if I had better items. My wand gives +2 to all my skills, but I've been using the same head since Act II normal, and all that does is give +2 to skeleton and a very weak clay golem.
I'll take your advice and focus on bone spear. I just hope my skeletons remain useful in hell mode. As long as they can at least serve as meat shields, I'll be OK with it. My merc has a +defense aura that seems to help.
BTW, are there any enemies that are immune to bone spear?
My damage output seems to be adequate against Act II nightmare mode enemies, but that's only because I've been putting points into bone spear damage almost constantly since I gained enough levels to do so. It'd help if I had better items. My wand gives +2 to all my skills, but I've been using the same head since Act II normal, and all that does is give +2 to skeleton and a very weak clay golem.
I'll take your advice and focus on bone spear. I just hope my skeletons remain useful in hell mode. As long as they can at least serve as meat shields, I'll be OK with it. My merc has a +defense aura that seems to help.
BTW, are there any enemies that are immune to bone spear?
-
Crenshinibon
- Posts: 2665
- Joined: Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:35 pm
- Contact:
There are certain unique monsters that are immune to magic.
Keep in mind that Bone Spear is great for killing multiple enemies at once. For single enemies, Bone Spirit is superior.
As for the skeletons, I wouldn't rely on them in Hell.
My Necromancer with some forty in Skeleton Mastery and thirty in each of the skeleton skills still has them die! Don't get me wrong, they are strong and will kill monsters while keeping you safe, just that you will find yourself resummoning them quite often.
Having said that, try focusing in the synergies of Bone Spear/Spirit to increase damage, as it seems that you're going bone Necromancer. You will need protection as you are going to be easy to get to.
Also, take a look at Teeth. I've seen some Necromancers massacre Baal's minions with that spell.
The good thing about a summoner though is that you don't really need any protection as you're always surrounded by your minions, not to mention that you have a backup against every single type of immunity as well.
I can recall a unique monster Finger Mage in the Chaos Sanctuary being immune to Magic as well.
If you're playing on Battle.net, try to trade for better equipment, it makes a lot of difference as during the later levels, your items separate you from everyone else.
Take advantage of Rune Words too. Some give a bonus to skills with easy to find runes.
Also, once you get to Hell, start gambling. It's very easy to score a +2 to Necromancer Skills or a +3 to Bone Skills circlet.
Ultimately you want your Gear to be something like this:
Wand: Boneshade
Helm: I'd go with the circlet, but it would leave you with a low defense, but hey, it's cheap. Really though, you want to aim for a Shako. It should cost you a high rune or two.
Shield: +3 to Necro skills Boneflame (or a Darkforce Spawn, though being a ladder item, it'll cost a pretty penny on non-ladder). Trang-oul's Wing is a cheap alternative.
Armor: Enigma (Jah + Ith + Ber) It gives you a bonus to skills and lets you teleport away from danger. You can always use Skulder's Ire which is significantly cheaper too.
Amulet: I'd try to find a +3 to Bone Skills Amulet.
Rings: If you're lucky, you'd get to use Stones of Jordan or Bul' Kathos Wedding Band, though chances are you'll use a Dwarf Star or Raven Frost.
Boots:Marrowalk will help your summons, though I don't think they'll be very useful at such a low level anyway.
Gloves: Trang-oul's if you're going to use curses to soften your enemies, otherwise, I'd go with a crafted set, customized to your needs.
Now, when you're higher level and have some nice items that you don't need, try to get yourself a Hellfire Torch charm. It'll help a lot with it's +3 to Necromancer skills.
Be careful though. There are countless players just waiting to trick you with similar looking items, drop games, and transfer tricks as well as duped items, which poof within a day or so, unless you "perm" them.
Keep in mind that Bone Spear is great for killing multiple enemies at once. For single enemies, Bone Spirit is superior.
As for the skeletons, I wouldn't rely on them in Hell.
My Necromancer with some forty in Skeleton Mastery and thirty in each of the skeleton skills still has them die! Don't get me wrong, they are strong and will kill monsters while keeping you safe, just that you will find yourself resummoning them quite often.
Having said that, try focusing in the synergies of Bone Spear/Spirit to increase damage, as it seems that you're going bone Necromancer. You will need protection as you are going to be easy to get to.
Also, take a look at Teeth. I've seen some Necromancers massacre Baal's minions with that spell.
The good thing about a summoner though is that you don't really need any protection as you're always surrounded by your minions, not to mention that you have a backup against every single type of immunity as well.
I can recall a unique monster Finger Mage in the Chaos Sanctuary being immune to Magic as well.
If you're playing on Battle.net, try to trade for better equipment, it makes a lot of difference as during the later levels, your items separate you from everyone else.
Take advantage of Rune Words too. Some give a bonus to skills with easy to find runes.
Also, once you get to Hell, start gambling. It's very easy to score a +2 to Necromancer Skills or a +3 to Bone Skills circlet.
Ultimately you want your Gear to be something like this:
Wand: Boneshade
Helm: I'd go with the circlet, but it would leave you with a low defense, but hey, it's cheap. Really though, you want to aim for a Shako. It should cost you a high rune or two.
Shield: +3 to Necro skills Boneflame (or a Darkforce Spawn, though being a ladder item, it'll cost a pretty penny on non-ladder). Trang-oul's Wing is a cheap alternative.
Armor: Enigma (Jah + Ith + Ber) It gives you a bonus to skills and lets you teleport away from danger. You can always use Skulder's Ire which is significantly cheaper too.
Amulet: I'd try to find a +3 to Bone Skills Amulet.
Rings: If you're lucky, you'd get to use Stones of Jordan or Bul' Kathos Wedding Band, though chances are you'll use a Dwarf Star or Raven Frost.
Boots:Marrowalk will help your summons, though I don't think they'll be very useful at such a low level anyway.
Gloves: Trang-oul's if you're going to use curses to soften your enemies, otherwise, I'd go with a crafted set, customized to your needs.
Now, when you're higher level and have some nice items that you don't need, try to get yourself a Hellfire Torch charm. It'll help a lot with it's +3 to Necromancer skills.
Be careful though. There are countless players just waiting to trick you with similar looking items, drop games, and transfer tricks as well as duped items, which poof within a day or so, unless you "perm" them.
“The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially.”
Thanks a ton!
Anything that ups skills is awesome to me. I have serious trouble finding good runes, though. Right now, the highest rune I have is Thul, and that's from combing 3 Ort runes, not finding it on the ground. A friend of mine loves to kill the Countess for runes, but she seems to only drop very low-level types. Is there any other sure-fire way to get them?
I'm not playing on Battle.net, because I kept hearing stories about all the cheaters and player killers on there. By PKer, I don't mean good natured player versus player matches, but people who backstab other players without notice. I've heard that some people do it while playing a mode where you couldn't respawn, which is just evil and wrong.
So I'm afraid to get involved. I wonder if I could even drop an item without someone stealing it. How bad is it, really?
If I try it out, could I somehow transfer my items or import my character? I'm playing on multiplayer with a friend, but I've heard you can't import characters from single player. I don't know about LAN.
I'm sorry if I sound needy . Thanks.
Anything that ups skills is awesome to me. I have serious trouble finding good runes, though. Right now, the highest rune I have is Thul, and that's from combing 3 Ort runes, not finding it on the ground. A friend of mine loves to kill the Countess for runes, but she seems to only drop very low-level types. Is there any other sure-fire way to get them?
I'm not playing on Battle.net, because I kept hearing stories about all the cheaters and player killers on there. By PKer, I don't mean good natured player versus player matches, but people who backstab other players without notice. I've heard that some people do it while playing a mode where you couldn't respawn, which is just evil and wrong.
So I'm afraid to get involved. I wonder if I could even drop an item without someone stealing it. How bad is it, really?
If I try it out, could I somehow transfer my items or import my character? I'm playing on multiplayer with a friend, but I've heard you can't import characters from single player. I don't know about LAN.
I'm sorry if I sound needy
. Thanks.-
Crenshinibon
- Posts: 2665
- Joined: Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:35 pm
- Contact:
He must be talking about Hell Difficulty as three minibosses carry keys that let you fight the Uber version of the Prime Evils.
There is no sure fire way to get the runes as they are random.
Open Battle.net has a bunch of cheaters and that's the only one you can play in with your single player character.
Close Battle.net still has some, yes, but it's not nearly as bad. You just have to take precautions, such as know who you are trading with, what items are most likely duped and be informed on scams.
There are PKers, yes, but they can't do anything to you while you're level nine or lower and if you're in town. Also, you're not required to play Hardcore mode. It's optional. Only the truly dedicated play it.
For dropping items or organizing your inventory or transferring items, you'd do it with someone you can trust (a friend) or do it in a password protected game.
As nobody likes, I take the risky approach and go into a low level game, drop whatever equipment I need transferred in a nice hiding place in a higher act and quickly switch characters to pick everything up.
The reason I do this is because when doing it in a password protected game, you only have a limited amount of time (a minute or so) to return to it before it is erased.
I don't think it's that bad. While there are really unpleasant players around, there are some very nice and helpful people there too.
There is no sure fire way to get the runes as they are random.
Open Battle.net has a bunch of cheaters and that's the only one you can play in with your single player character.
Close Battle.net still has some, yes, but it's not nearly as bad. You just have to take precautions, such as know who you are trading with, what items are most likely duped and be informed on scams.
There are PKers, yes, but they can't do anything to you while you're level nine or lower and if you're in town. Also, you're not required to play Hardcore mode. It's optional. Only the truly dedicated play it.
For dropping items or organizing your inventory or transferring items, you'd do it with someone you can trust (a friend) or do it in a password protected game.
As nobody likes, I take the risky approach and go into a low level game, drop whatever equipment I need transferred in a nice hiding place in a higher act and quickly switch characters to pick everything up.
The reason I do this is because when doing it in a password protected game, you only have a limited amount of time (a minute or so) to return to it before it is erased.
I don't think it's that bad. While there are really unpleasant players around, there are some very nice and helpful people there too.
“The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially.”
The only reliable way to get runes are doing the hellforgequest repeatedly. The countess can give you good runes on hell difficulty, but it happens very rarely.Box Lump wrote:Thanks a ton!
Anything that ups skills is awesome to me. I have serious trouble finding good runes, though. Right now, the highest rune I have is Thul, and that's from combing 3 Ort runes, not finding it on the ground. A friend of mine loves to kill the Countess for runes, but she seems to only drop very low-level types. Is there any other sure-fire way to get them?
In general it's difficult to find runes, and what you are reporting seem quite normal. It will pick up a bit when you play a lot at hell difficulty though, but even there most of the runes you find will be low ones.
So, If you have the intention to play the game without cheating you shouldn't pay to much attention to equipment suggestions containing runes over gul-ohm, depending on the amount of work you are willing to do. The highest rune you can get from the hellforge is gul, and cubing above ohm is a lot of work. Actually, cubing to ohm is a lot of work as well, but after that it quickly becomes insane amounts of work.
Regarding battlnet play it depends on what you want to get out of it. I play on battlnet because I like the limitations of the ladder resets, and I like to play with a couple of friends. To have more runewords added is also nice. If you look around I'm sure you can find decent people to play with there as well, but unfortunatly you can't expect decent behaviour from anyone you don't know.
While others climb the mountains High, beneath the tree I love to lie
And watch the snails go whizzing by, It's foolish but it's fun
And watch the snails go whizzing by, It's foolish but it's fun