To clarify, so this doesn't turn into another HOW CAN I GETS THE LEET ITEMZ? Thread, let me say again that this isn't about the optimal character, just one that will get the job done and be interesting. If I'm willing to do a fire/summon hybrid through Hell Baal, I might just be crazy enough to try a fire amazon, or a enchant/Frozen orb sorc, CB/DV/Clay Golem Necro with a rogue merc, or even *gasp* something truly crazy like a sacrifice pally or a kicker sin.
TL;DR - I'm looking for a build to go beat Baal in the face three times, and I'm open to suggestions, even if they're not super powerful, because their gear will suck.
Thanks for the suggestions!|||The last character I remember questing through the game with and really enjoying was my SP Hydra/Orb Sorc. She was slightly twinked, but would easily have been feasible in an untwinked situation imo.
I also took special care to play her as a hydra sorc, and only using Orb against fire immunes. The build was max Orb (before act 1 hell) 1 point in Cold Mastery, and the rest in Hydra and it's synergies (starting as soon as Hydra was available).
I guess she would be much like playing a trapper with Enigma really, but cheaper. Hydra could be used like a trap, to place ahead, or around corners, etc. Teleport for putting your merc in a strategically decent place. Orb as a back up for Fire Immunes. Both spells were are timed, so insight isn't required. Fireball is a synergy, so it can be pumped early to cut down on the tedious early levels before you get your main spell.
Crowds could sometimes be a problem, but nothing a little teleport retreat can't solve. And single targets literally melt vs 4 hydras. If you have the patience to shop an LR want for her switch, the damage really gets fun (especially in single target boss fights!).
That is all.
-hps|||hrm...I like the idea...I've always loved hydra. A hydra pure fire sorc was my first character in Hell (even though I had to MP her to get anywhere with all the immunes in A1 and my merc's crappy gear) Anyone else have an enjoyable character they'd like to share?|||cl orber is FUN FUN FUN. its like a xmas tree but without red and green colour =D|||Your combo of a Fire/summoner (hunter) is an excellent character who's both effective and fun.
I've had success walking this char through the game untwinked. I didnt do full clears, but I did make it a point of doing all quests/areas and getting all wps along the way, so most maps were essentially cleared. He was really self sufficient. The Ravens blinded most monsters provided you didnt run to fast ahead of them, solar creeper will essentially cover your mana needs for you.
I have one of these decked out as well, and out of the roughly 35 high level chars I'm currently up to, this is one that see's some of the most play. I wouldnt say he's my fastest killer, but he's very well rounded and enjoyable nevertheless. You cant argue with a level 44 fissure synergised, teamed up with level 45 grizzly while tele-stomping the meanies!
Just the summon portion alone is potent for solo'ing. I have a shockwave bear with maxed how, grizzly and dires. He uses nothing but Blue and white items (no unq's , sets, runewords, rares) and he holds his own even in hell. He's a little slow in play, but doable nevertheless. PI's are his bane.|||I will try that hydra/cold orb next, sounds like fun
. I never really take sorcs anywhere in HC, I usually end up dying to some mistake, my fault, or lag, probably not my fault.I am doing a lighting trap/kicker right now. Mostly Save the kicks for bosses and the occasional not dangerous Lightning immune. Mind blast everything. Faded all day. I can EASILY get 45-50% crushing blow by just switching to a black weapon/rhyme and using blood gloves, otherwise using like a spirit/rhyme or spirit/spirit or +traps&LS claw if I shop it from anya. 10% open wounds is more than enough from blood belt on act bosses. No venom unless it's from treachery if I collect it.
All I sacrifice is extra points into fire blast which is normally my left click with a lightning trap sin, or perhaps extra points into fade or a shadow warrior. Since kicks are only for bosses I don't even have to have that good of boots since I just want to crushing blow the act bosses and let the traps/merc finish off the job.|||That not a bad idea...I actually had one I was playing in SC, and I ended up doing the same thing. Just working on getting a CB on switch set, and focusing on traps. Cloak of Shadows is just that good. I prefer it to MB, tbh. converted enemies not taking damage from the first few DS explosions irritates me for some reason.
What I'm working on now is a bit of an insane project. I've got myself a (newly started, still clvl1) pure summon tree druid. I plan on maxing HoW, Grizzly, and Dire Wolves, along with at least 10 points in Spirit Wolves and Ravens. I lost one of these guys last night due to stupidity and the super bowl, but I'm looking forward to trying again.|||Most item-independant build I ever played (and I'm starting the 3rd incarnation soonish, last one died at lvl 45 entering the pit level 2 on NM to a rather nasty aura combo on the archers), is a straight kicker. Strenght claw + blood crafted gloves is 35% CB with 6 kicks/second means you make corpses soon. Corpse explosion from DS does the rest.
My last incarnation used a crushflange and blood gloves, levelled here from lvl 30 to 45 doing NM countess runs instead of the normal baal runs. Was waiting for a friend to join my pw game to mule so i took her to the Pit (it was near the WP). She didn't have the life for that :'-( .
The nicest thing about this character is that it deals damage calculated on the life of the monsters, not from your gear. Also, it's way easier finding decent boots compared to decent weaponry. Main drawback is mana problems, because you lay down a few DS, and you don't have the time to leech your mana bowl full before the whole mob is down. I actually had to socket the crushflange with a PSkull to partially solve this, but still had problems with this in Inside areas. Outside it's not that much of a problem because monsters are more spread out. An Insight on an Act2 merc immediately solved this problem though, still not impossible to get.
The build (with some adaptions from experiences learned):
Dragon Talon (18-20pts):
you'll need this at lvl 12 asap, max it later. Since this is untwinked, if you play claw/shield you might not want to invest the extra 2 points untill you're shure you've got +4 to the skill from gear. 18 will do just fine.
Dragon Tail (1 pt):
prereq
Dragon Flight (1 pt):
It's allmost like teleport. You can target this on a shadow too if no enemy is near.
Claw mastery (1pt):
prereq
Psychic hammer (1pt):
One point wonder skill. Knockback the boss, kill the minions, boss comes back to you through a heap of corpses blowing.
Cloak of shadows (1pt):
Your main crowd controll skill. DON'T put more than one point here, as you can cast only one of these at a time. Blinds and makes enemies easier to hit. Don't use this when partying with a Necro, you'll overwrite his curses.
Burst of Speed (1pt):
You need little or no IAS for this sin. Prereq, nice for traveling.
Fade (20pts):
Resists and damage reduction. Your playing untwinked, so this might be your only chance of getting some %DR. Enables you to go claw/claw if you want too (no shield means lower resists). (Pre)buff it if possible (I look for claws with +fade and +Shadow discipline).
Mind Blast (0~1 pt):
No points here means your Shadow Master will use it a lot less. Since I use CoS for crowd control and am not using any other traps than DS I don't find it has a use on this build, ymmv.
Venom (0~20 pts):
This one isn't worth a single point imho, maybe if you can prebuff it to a high level or if you have problems with immunes... Your kicks will be so fast the poison only triggers on half of your kicks. If using Venom I might consider getting a weapon that actually slows down my kicks enough so you apply venom every kick.
Shadow Warrior or Master (20pts to one, 1 point to the other):
I used a high level master, and 1 pt Shadow warrior to cast for dragon flight teleporting. I also use Shadow warrior around places with many ranged enemies for the extra cast of Cloak of Shadows (your warrior can cast CoS with it's own timer, meaning you can have 2 active at the same time. Early on you can have your shadow warrior cast your DS too (less stress on the blue ball). In my next incarnation I'm gonna go for max shadow warrior for the extra control it gives me.
Shock web, charged bolt centry, lightning sentry, blade sentinel (1pt):
prereqs
Fire blast (6~9 pts):
Gives some extra shots to your death sentry. Not too much here though, unless you want to have to turn back to unsummon them.
Blade Fury (1pt):
Nice to get chance to cast and CB in from a distance if you hit dangerous monsters.
Death sentry (10~20 points):
Stop once you're happy with the radius. At too high levels it can get risky, because it will attract enemies from off screen. You won't be able to cast cos at that time. Too many points here can kill you.
This is all that is required for reaching hell, where you'll need some way of dealing with physical immunes. You'll be around lvl 50~60. I got the first incarnation into hell, but lost it before being able to test too much in this department. Some things that might work:
- Lightning sentry lvl 20 (with the rest in prereqs):
This is what I'm gonna try. Gives a third element (your CE will be doing physical and fire), so it's quite nice. Also gives a synergy to death sentry.
- Venom:
It's also a possibility, not as good damage wise compared to Lightning sentry though, and it's a one by one killing kind of skill, so it'll be slow. It requires less skillpoints though, so if you also want claw block, this might be a better path.
- %chance to cast amp/decryp (or charges):
this is also an effective way of dealing with PIs, but item dependant. CE will be not very effective as you can't easily apply this to a big crowd. This does allow for even more skillpoints to be saved, and can also be a temporary solution if you're still raising your skills.
Most other options will need items, so not really doable if untwinked.|||That's a build I actually have started also...and I'm not opposed to popping blue pills, so an insight would be a luxury I could do without. I do have one question for that build...with most melee builds, I think I'd rather have either defiance (for the nice defense) or just go with a rogue merc with some form of open wounds. I think the -def provided by her insight is underrated (it's half the defense of all but a handful of hell mobs, and that's done before modifiers from auras or stone skin are applied...effectively solving most if not all AR issues).
I was just wondering what your opinion on mercs for that build would be. Especially if you have a maxed warrior/master for an extra bit of distraction, I'd think the rogue would be nice. Also, what did you do to keep your life bulb filled? I was thinking a cathan's ring would solve issues nicely...long as you have a semi-decent pair of boots. Thoughts?|||I used LL and the double healing from an insight prayer merc. LL was from blood crafted gloves, the Pskull in my crushflange and a rare ring with around 3% and AR. Problems with ranged attackers are usually covered by CoS from you (and your shadow warrior). Only problems are when entering a dungeon with ranged attackers (keep CoS hotkeyed up front, your shadow casts it faster than you can). They will get one shot in. I got done in by champion archers that picked up blessed aim and might, when entering the pit lvl 2 (the map layout put several mobs close together).
I used an Act 2 prayer merc (as mentioned). He had an ethereal insight warscythe, a lore helm and a rattlecage. This gives him extra lightning res, a high damage weapon, some CB, an extra skill for his jab and prayer aura, and the synergy from his prayer makes the meditation aura heal the same amount of hp prayer does, so it gives double healing to all in the party. I keep an insight ceacked voulge in stash for areas with IM. It's cheap and it works.
If I could kit out my dream merc for this build, it would be an act 3 ice merc though. Thinking double spirit, shako and Ormus robes (both with cold facets) should do the trick. All ethereal ofc
. Cold rogue with Ice rw bow, dream helm and Ormus robes should also be quite insane. A holy freeze act 2 merc with Kelpie snare, Eternity eth polearm or some other form of slow would also do wonders, with some cb or ow perhaps (upped eth rattlecage and guillaumes maybe)? Barb merc with a +3 to bash and stun delirium helmet, myth high def ethereal armour and eternity eth collossus blade or something,... OK, just lost myself for a second there. I'd go with the Act 3 Ice merc if I ever am rich enough to get him dual spirit, skin of the viper magi and a lore helm...
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