Fact and Fiction

[Deadalready]

I've been playing Diablo 2 for a very long time, but although I've had dozens of high level characters I've never entered into the mythical upper tiers of 90+ characters or had many of the legendary runes and items.

I like to think I've had a fair taste of what's out there in Diablo but there's many times where I've heard boasts that just make my jaw drop.

So here's a thread where I'd like to hear people confirm a few of the things I've heard or disprove them, hopefully explaining *how* such things are possible.

(Additional rumours and questions welcome)

Boast 1: "10 thousand damage using a Lightning sorceress."
I've looked at the synergy lists and tried it out on D2Skills.com - Diablo 2 Skill Planner by Chippydip, Courtesy D2items.com but can't possibly see how such a thing is possible.

Boast 2: "25 thousand damage using a Hammerdin."
I have a moderately poor 84 level Paladin and have maxed skills in all the required synergies, butl I do about 5 thousand damage a hammer. Where the hell does the extra 20 thousand damage come from?

Boast 3: "My Sorc kills Bhaal with one Frozen Orb"
Again I have a maxed Frozen Orb sorceress from pre 1.11 but I can't see how Frozen Orb can possibly deal that kind of insane damage, especially with the pathetic synergies and spell improvements. My own Frozen Orb was about 399 a shard, not nearly enough to kill something in act 5 Nightmare.

Boast 4: "The Concentrator does the most melee damage in the game"
I've started a MF find Concentrator, he's still low level but still unlike other builds I've tried this claim seems pretty far fetched too.

[asweet]

Hammerdin

Fact or fiction reply: I have a level 91 hammerdin that does 13k damage. He would do much more if I had pally combat grand charms. But there way to expensive for this pally.

[Siberys]

The first three can pretty much be considered fact. It isn't all skills and synergies that boosts up the damage to an insane amount. Crafted items, sets, and uniques come into play here, where it's possible to get say a thousand percent bonus to lightning damage from equipment and then another two or three hundred percent from Charms.

Also, they could be cheating. If it's one thing D2 has, it's a LOT of cheats.

[Noober]

1. Lightning sorc damage goes upto about 1-48K.
2. Hammerdin max damage is about 18K
3. I think norm Baal might be possible
4. Charge >>>> Conc.

Obviously you'll be sacrificing your other stats to achive the first two. +25 or so skills is quite achievable (+13 from charms, +1 from CTA, +2/3 from helm, +2 from armour, +3/6 from weapon, +2/4 from shield, +1 from belt, +2 from rings, +2/3 from ammy).

The first two can go over 50K and 20K if you really go crazy IIRC.

[Deadalready]

Well... I suppose I'll go beat on some more monsters until I find all those skiller items.

Thanks for the info.

[the_bogan]

Best possible items? These are extracts from Brother Laz's post on the Phrozen Keep.

Frozen Orb?

· Weapon: +3 cold tree, +30% cold skill damage (Death's Fathom) with 1 Rainbow Facet.
· Shield: no modifiers (grey monarch) with 4 Rainbow Facets.
· Armor: no modifiers (grey dusk shroud) with 4 Rainbow Facets.
-or-
· Armor: +15% cold skill damage (Ormus' Robes) with 1 Rainbow Facet.
· Helm: +2 all skills, +15% cold skill damage (Nightwing's Veil) with 1 Rainbow Facet.
· Amulet: +3 cold tree (blue amulet).
· Ring: +1 all skills (SoJ, BKWB) x2.
· Belt: +1 all skills (Arachnid Web).
· Grand charms: +1 cold tree (blue charm) x9.
· Large charms: +3 all skills (Hellfire Torch).
· Small charms: +1 all skills (Annihilus).
· Other: +1 all skills (CtA), +2 all skills (shrine).
______
Level 50 frozen orb: 1,799-1,876 damage.

Damage with Arkaine's Valor with 1 Rainbow Facet: 1,736-1,809.


Lightning Bolt

· Weapon: +4 spear tree, +3 lightning bolt (Thunderstroke).
· Shield: no modifiers (gray monarch) with 4 Rainbow Facets.
· Armor: no modifiers (gray dusk shroud) with 4 Rainbow Facets.
· Helm: +1 all skills, +15% lightning skill damage (Griffon's Eye) with 1 Rainbow Facet.
· Amulet: +2 amazon skills (blue amulet).
· Ring: +1 all skills (SoJ, BKWB).
· Gloves: +3 spear tree (blue gloves).
· Belt: +1 all skills (Arachnid Mesh).
· Grand charms: +1 spear tree (blue charm) x9.
· Large charms: +3 all skills (Hellfire Torch).
· Small charms: +1 all skills (Annihilus).
· Other: +1 all skills (CtA), +2 all skills (shrine).
______
Level 48 lightning bolt: 5-14,340 total damage.

Blessed Hammer

· Weapon: +2 paladin skills, +3 blessed hammer, +3 concentration (blue sceptre).
· Shield: +2 paladin skills, +2 combat tree (Herald of Zakarum).
· Armor: +2 all skills (Principle, Enigma, CoH, Arkaine's Valor).
· Helm: +2 paladin skills (blue circlet or unique/runeword).
· Amulet: +2 paladin skills (blue amulet or unique).
· Ring: +1 all skills (SoJ, BKWB).
· Belt: +1 all skills (Arachnid Mesh).
· Grand charms: +1 combat tree (blue charm) x9.
· Large charms: +3 all skills (Hellfire Torch).
· Small charms: +1 all skills (Annihilus).
· Other: +1 all skills (CtA), +2 all skills (shrine).
______
Level 57 holy bolt/37 concentration: 19,267-19,384 damage.

Damage to undead: 28,900-29,076.

Poison Dagger

· Weapon: +5 poison dagger (Blackbog's Sharp) with 1 Rainbow Facet.
· Shield: +3 bone tree, +3 poison dagger (blue totem) with 2 Rainbow Facets.
· Armor: +50% poison skill damage (Bramble).
· Helm: +3 bone tree (blue circlet) with 2 Rainbow Facets.
· Amulet: +3 bone tree (blue amulet).
· Ring: +1 all skills (SoJ, BKWB).
· Gloves: +25% poison skill damage (Trang-Oul's Claws).
· Belt: +1 all skills (Arachnid Mesh).
· Grand charms: +1 bone tree (blue charm) x9.
· Large charms: +3 all skills (Hellfire Torch).
· Small charms: +1 all skills (Annihilus).
· Other: +1 all skills (CtA), +2 all skills (shrine).
______
Level 56 poison dagger: 100,742-102,600 damage over 24 seconds.

Rabies

· Weapon: +5 rabies (Plague Bearer) with 1 Rainbow Facet.
· Shield: no modifiers (gray monarch) with 4 Rainbow Facets.
· Armor: +50% poison skill damage (Bramble).
· Helm: +3 shapeshifting tree, +3 rabies (blue pelt) with 2 Rainbow Facets.
· Amulet: +3 shapeshifting tree (blue amulet).
· Ring: +1 all skills (SoJ, BKWB).
· Gloves: +25% poison skill damage (Trang-Oul's Claws).
· Belt: +1 all skills (Arachnid Mesh).
· Grand charms: +1 spear tree (blue charm) x9.
· Large charms: +3 all skills (Hellfire Torch).
· Small charms: +1 all skills (Annihilus).
· Other: +1 all skills (CtA), +2 all skills (shrine).
______
Level 53 rabies: 108,924-110,424 damage over 22.8 seconds.

[Deadalready]

Awesome Bogan, that's exactly the kind of information I'm looking for. Where did you find this stuff too?

[the_bogan]

I dabble in modding D2, so you tend to know each skills limitations/strengths a bit too well after a bit.

But that was part of a post on a modding site. the Phrozen Keep.

[Noober]

Do you have the number for poison jav? From memory that was the highest.

[the_bogan]

Poison Javelin

· Weapon: +4 spear tree (Thunderstroke).
· Shield: no modifiers (gray monarch) with 4 Rainbow Facets.
· Armor: +50% poison skill damage (Bramble).
· Helm: +2 all skills (many unique helms) with 1 Rainbow Facet.
· Amulet: +2 amazon skills (blue amulet).
· Ring: +1 all skills (SoJ, BKWB).
· Gloves: +25% poison skill damage (Trang-Oul's Claws).
· Belt: +1 all skills (Arachnid Mesh).
· Grand charms: +1 spear tree (blue charm) x9.
· Large charms: +3 all skills (Hellfire Torch).
· Small charms: +1 all skills (Annihilus).
· Other: +1 all skills (CtA), +2 all skills (shrine).
______
Level 47 poison javelin: 192,304 damage over 100 seconds.

Interestingly, past the final damage ramp breakpoint, the skill gains a larger bonus per level to minimum damage than to maximum damage, so at very high levels, the minimum damage actually overtakes the maximum damage.

Of course, the damage may be huge and it may kill anything in the game in one throw, but at less than 2K damage per second, you could be waiting a long time for it to happen.

[Noober]

· Amulet: +2 amazon skills (blue amulet).

Is that meant to be +3?

[AvatarOfLight]

Is that meant to be +3?

*throws a rock at Noober*