07-19-2004, 05:41 PM
Here's another guide for the "Miscellaneous Guides" section of Lurker Lounge, but since all guide submissions must first be posted as a thread, it's posted below.
This time I'm actually ENJOYING the "post it first" rule; this particular guide really does need "nitpicking." Any contributions you might have would be appreciated and may be posted to this thread. Please use the character format I've developed here. Corrections, too; I know that many of you are well-versed in this stuff.
Hopefully there will be some interesting contributions, and if Lurker Lounge enshrines this text as a manual they'll presumably incorporate everything into a final edit. If they do, I suggest that they provide a credit "byline" for contributors. Thanks, Lurker!
By the way, I confess that I don't know if a manual of this nature has already been done... Lurker Lounge has a huge archive that I haven't explored completely. Perhaps a poster to this thread can enlighten us as to whether they've seen something like this.
In addition to contribututions, general comments and critiques are, of course, welcome.
Thanks,
Alejack
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INCARNATION FOR DIABLO II
by Alejack
Contents:
1. Introduction
2. Builds
3. Afterword
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INTRODUCTION
This guide deals with creating "incarnations," that is, approximations of literary (and cinematic) characters for Diablo II.
There's no doubt that some of the greatest satisfaction in the game lies in creating a unique and personal character, but the character development tools allow for a good deal of variety, and there's certainly the possibility of builds based on characters we've all grown to know and love. For those of you that might wish to build a "legend," this guide may come in handy.
In order to approximate a literary character within DII, one must sometimes lose something, not gain something. For instance, to build Lawrence Watt-Evans' overman Garth, from the Lords of Dus series, you CAN'T add a warbeast, but you CAN lose "combat zeal." The overman didn't like killing everything in sight, so in order to faithfully play Garth, you must sometimes temper his actions. The upshot: Though some of the builds in this guide may require a handicap, either physically or attitudinally, whatever's lost is made up for in the satisfaction derived from building your literary character.
Other builds are just the opposite, requiring the careful cultivation of impressive attributes, a huge amount of strength or the like. Hercules, for instance, has twice as much strength as any of his other attributes. It is, after all, not easy becoming a legend.
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BUILDS
The premise here is that you can build anyone with the DII character development tools. Even yourself. Male, female, name, general statistical ratio. Are you the cerebral type? Or do you work out in a gym? It's obvious how you'd build an Arnold Schwarzenegger, but if you were to build a more typical kind of person, you'd need to set your eye to more subtle characteristics and perhaps even impose some handicap, as mentioned. Some literary characters wear no armor, for instance. If you were building yourself, you wouldn't impose that you wear no armor, because if you were actually in that world you'd put on the best you could find. But if you're attempting to build a Harry Potter, you may need to impose all kinds of rules in order to make him, well, Harry Potter-ish. A wand-using druid named Potter with no armor and a penchant for raven summoning, perhaps.
When DII creates a new character for you, the character begins with a set of Basic Stats. This is the game's way of suggesting to you the kind of person the character is. The barbarian's physically strong, the sorceress is intellectually sharp and so on. What we do when building a literary character is "massage" these Basic Stats into a ratio that represents the character we're trying to approximate. We also impose certain traits to help mold the character into an image of the literary legend under construction.
Note that when we talk about Basic Stats, we're looking at the kind of ratio that would be representative of the incarnation in his or her "prime." As the character progresses the stats will change of course, but the overall ratio is what we're concerned with. Similarly, the weapons specified are the preferred type for the character and aren't necessarily the only weapons that could be used, unless the build actually specifies the word "only." Robert E. Howard's Conan, for example, used a sword, but Conan also used large axes (at least in the comic books). If the character's weapon stipulates something like "Two-Handed Lightning Sword Only," as with Zeus, you'll just have to build up to the point of obtaining the stipulated item. In situations like this, just try to maintain the spirit of the build while it's in progress.
When advancing the Basic Stats, remember to preserve the ratio as the character progresses. Bring all stats up to the character's designated Basic Stats, then keep an eye on the lowest stat and the mathematical ratio of the other stats in relation to it. Conan's basic Energy stat, for instance, is 25. His Vitality is slightly more than twice that at 60. His Strength is almost four times that at 90. When his Energy reached 35, therefore, his Vitality would be around 85 and his Strength would be in the neighborhood of 125. Just use math. And don't sweat exactly which one to advance at any given moment. Just keep the ratio principle in the back of your mind and advance whichever one you need at the moment without throwing the ratio seriously out of whack.
Although the idea here is to create literary approximations, suggested names are included. There's satisfaction in playing a character named "Conan," but there's also satisfaction in approximating ones own "Conan," so feel free to use any of the suggested names or draw upon them as inspiration for creating your own "literary legend."
ALL CHARACTERS MENTIONED ARE THE SOLE PROPERTY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS. People quite often mention Conan or somebody in texts, but I wanted to point this out.
AEETES
* CLASSIC HERO! * - THE PROMETHEAN NECROMANCER!
It was King Aeetes (pronounced ee-AY-teez) of Colchis that intercepted Jason and the Argonauts after Jason slayed the Hydra. Aeetes had a helmet full of hydra's teeth and he sowed them on the ground before the Argonauts. From these awful seeds rose fearsome skeletal warriors... the rest is cinematic history and the birth of the classic necromantic mage.
Hero Class: Necromancer
Skills: All, Primarily Skeleton Summoning
Weapon: Any
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 70
Dexterity: 70
Vitality: 50
Energy: 60
Attitude:
Aeetes was a strong warrior in addition to his magic skills, so his strength and dexterity score ratios are considerable. Attitude: Bad. Skeletons: Plenty. Since he's a king, a crown would be appropriate headgear.
Suggested Names:
Aeetes, Hydrus, Harryhausen
ANUBIS
* CLASSIC HERO! * - THE PROMETHEAN DRUID!
Anubis, (pronounced uh-NOO-bihs) was an important god of the underworld among the ancient Egyptians. His main center of worship was at Kynopolis, which means Dog City in Greek. Because the dog, or jackal, was his sacred animal, Anubis is often represented in the form of a crouching dog or jackal. His functions were associated with those of Osiris, the chief god of the underworld, and with those of Thoth, another of Osiris' assistants. It was Anubis' duty to attend to the ritual preparation of bodies, to weigh the heart of every person on the scale of justice, and to judge a person's good and bad deeds on earth.
Many animals appear in Egyptian mythology. The falcon and the scarab, or dung beetle, were two animals that symbolized the sun god, Ra. The Egyptians considered both the cat and the crocodile as divine.
This is rather interesting as concerns the druid. His ability to transform into a wolf is, of course, his most obvious connection to the Anubis character. But some of his abilities and special items are also provocative. The Oak Sage has the look of a sun spirit, the Hawk Helm could be considered similar to a falcon's head, and the Poison Creeper, Carrion Vine and so forth suggest a link to the aforementioned "underworld." And, of course, the strong Egyptian flavor of Lut Gholein practically cries out for an Egypt-based character such as this.
Hero Class: Druid
Skills: All
Weapon: Any
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): All
Basic Stats:
Strength: 90
Dexterity: 60
Vitality: 60
Energy: 90
Attitude:
Play this one for what he is; a powerful Egyptian God. He's most at home, obviously, in the desert regions of Lut Gholein, but will be a masterful character anywhere in the realms. In light of Anubis' connection to death rituals, it might be appropriate to equip him with a good scythe, the traditional symbol of the "grim reaper."
You can get psyched up for this character by watching one of the Brendan Frasier "mummy" movies, especially The Mummy Returns, which is generously packed with howling Anubis minions!
Suggested Names:
Anubis, Ra, Tut, Cheops
CIRCE
* CLASSIC HERO! * - THE PROMETHEAN SORCERESS!
Circe, (pronounced SUR-see), was a beautiful enchantress in Greek mythology and had the power to turn men into beasts. She lived on an island in the Mediterranean Sea. When Odysseus (Ulysses in Latin) landed on her island, Circe turned most of his men into pigs and drove them into a pigsty. But the god Hermes had given Odysseus a magic herb which protected him from Circe's power. Odysseus forced Circe to give his men their human form again. After that, Circe became friendly. She loved Odysseus and persuaded him to stay with her on the island for a year. When he prepared to leave, she warned him about the dangers that awaited him, and told him how to overcome them. For example, Circe told Odysseus that by plugging his sailors' ears with wax he could safely pass the island where the Sirens lived.
Hero Class: Sorceress
Skills: All
Weapon: Staff
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 30
Dexterity: 45
Vitality: 45
Energy: 70
Attitude:
The classic sorceress, best played straight. Lots of Energy and magic. Due to her Greek heritage, a favoring of lightning might be in order as an homage to the Greek thunder-god mythologies.
Suggested Names:
Circe, Seera, Syr
CONAN
* CLASSIC HERO! * - THE PROMETHEAN BARBARIAN!
Robert E. Howard is arguably the grand-daddy of sword-and-sorcery fiction. His Conan The Barbarian series is without doubt the genre's masterpiece.
Conan distrusted magic, placing his faith in good, solid steel. When looking at DII's barbarian skills, you'll notice that they consist of "Warcries," "Combat Masteries" and "Combat Skills." No magic, per se. Blizzard, it seems, originally patterned the barbarian, at least in spirit, after a character that eschewed magic. It can be argued that by disdaining to use magic items with your barbarian, you're actually in harmony with Blizzard in respecting the "barbarian ethic."
Hero Class: Barbarian
Skills: All
Weapon: Sword, No Magic
Armor: Any, No Magic
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): None
Basic Stats:
Strength: 90
Dexterity: 75
Vitality: 60
Energy: 25
Attitude:
Doesn't talk much except to yell "DIE!" Highly chivalrous, he'll vigorously protect his party and kill female foes only when absolutely necessary. That's a tall order because there are so many female foes. There's an NPC character that addresses this matter; if you find council from that character, you're then exempted from this ethical condition (but not until).
Suggested Names:
Conn, Coman, Amra
DRACULA
Created by Bram Stoker about a million years ago, this Transylvanian bloodsucker is well known to all.
Hero Class: Necromancer
Skills: All
Weapon: Wand, Staff or Dagger
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 30
Dexterity: 60
Vitality: 120
Energy: 70
Attitude:
Prefers any and all Life or Mana-steal items. Leans heavily on Curse skills. It may seem out of place that Dracula would wear armor, but after the big-screen treatment with Gary Oldman, anything goes. Check out that Vitality ratio!
Suggested Names:
Dragul, Nosferatus, Vlad
GANDALF
J.R.R. Tolkien's wizard from Lord Of The Rings is considered a modern classic. Here, he's represented with almost as much Energy as Merlin and slightly more Dexterity (he did a lot of footwork).
Hero Class: Necromancer
Skills: All
Weapon: Wand
Armor: None
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 40
Dexterity: 65
Vitality: 40
Energy: 80
Attitude:
Since he wears no armor, this character's sure to demonstrate to you just why Gandalf's quest was so tough.
The first ring you find in the game (or the one that Akara bestows, if that's the first) is considered his "One Ring Of Power," and he will wear this ring at all times. He may wear any other rings he finds thereafter on his other hand, but that first ring is a totem that he'll never take off.
Suggested Names:
Gardalf, Galendell, Alf
GARTH
The overman was created by Lawrence Watt-Evans for his wonderful Lords of Dus series. Garth is extremely intelligent and introspective, fearsome in battle and truly, in my estimation, the embodiment of the timber and attitude of DII's barbarian voice talent, David Jean Thomas.
Hero Class: Barbarian
Skills: All, Especially Sword Skill
Weapon: Powerful Magic Sword
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 80
Dexterity: 70
Vitality: 60
Energy: 80
Attitude:
Very articulate and careful, he'll think through any move painstakingly before rushing in. Doesn't like to kill unless he has to. This is the kind of character that would rush past everyone in Tristram, free Deckard Cain and then run back to the portal without ever getting in a fight. Since the game is carefully designed to "level up" your character through combat, you'll need to approach this "pacifist" technique with some discretion.
Get Garth the fiercest shrieking, flaming, lightning-bolt-spewing exploding sword you can find, to approximate Watt-Evans' Sword of Bheleu.
The Sword of Bheleu, by the way, was about a sword that was linked to the god Bheleu, and Garth's struggle with the god's influence through the artifact. All of this suggests Sets and the way they imbue the wearer with the powers of the Set's original legendary owner. This character, therefore, would be an ideal candidate to quest for a Set.
Another way to enhance the "powerful sword" motif is, of course, to greatly pump up his sword skill.
Suggested Names:
Arth, Barth, Carth, Farth, Larth...
HERCULES
The son of Zeus, this Roman hero was also known in Grecian mythology as Heracles.
Hero Class: Barbarian
Skills: All
Weapon: Two-Handed Sword
Armor: Any That Preserves The Red Sash
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 120
Dexterity: 65
Vitality: 60
Energy: 25
Attitude:
Jovial, brawling, the strongest character listed here. The strongest armor he can have is breastplate, which preserves the red sash. There are no limitations on magic, but he should probably have a lightning sword like his father, Zeus.
Suggested Names:
Hercules, Heracles, Heros
KLAATU
Finally, your big chance to play the game as an alien! Klaatu (pronounced klat-TOO) came from outer space to warn us of our human folly in the 1954 film, "The Day The Earth Stood Still." With him was the memorable robot, Gort. Here, we find our equivalent in a necromancer and his iron golem.
Hero Class: Necromancer
Skills: Iron Golem Only (When Available)
Weapon: Any
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 30
Dexterity: 30
Vitality: 45
Energy: 65
Attitude:
The choice to allow Klaatu to use any weapon is based upon a "when in Rome" sort of philosophy; it's considered that he showed up in the world of DII and as such uses the conventional tools of the times. His one great asset is his robot, Gort, the iron golem. Everything about this character is based upon creating the most powerful robot possible. It's not easy winning the game with just an iron golem going for you, so this is a pretty challenging character. You won't even be able to have an iron golem for a while, so you'll have to build up from one (non-mage) skeleton to a clay golem, then a blood golem and finally Gort (think of it as "building" him).
Gort had a sort of "heat ray" in his eyes, so the iron golem should be based on a fire-enchanted item.
Suggested Names:
Klaatu, Barada, Nikto
MALEFICENT
* CLASSIC HERO! * - THE PROMETHEAN ASSASSIN!
Maleficent (pronounced mal-uh-FISS-ent) trapped Sleeping Beauty into her extended nap in the classic Disney film of the same name. Virtually interchangeable with the jealous, apple-poisoning queen in Disney/Grimm's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, this character fits the black-clad persona of the Assassin perfectly.
Hero Class: Assassin
Skills: All
Weapon: Any
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 40
Dexterity: 50
Vitality: 50
Energy: 50
Attitude:
Selfish, determined to have it her way. Doesn't take any guff from anyone. Any and all poisoning and trapping tactics go when playing this character. When played as Snow White's queen, a crown would be a good choice of headwear.
Suggested Names:
Maleficent, Mala
MERLIN
The classic wizard, Merlin is derived from the British mythos of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
Merlin was a magician and prophet who was an adviser to Arthur. Various stories about Merlin appear in medieval literature. According to some narratives, Merlin educated Arthur as a youth. Merlin also helped establish the Round Table at which King Arthur's knights sat. He foresaw events of Arthur's reign, including the quest for the Holy Grail and the destruction of King Arthur's castle, Camelot. In addition, Merlin was said to have created the ancient British monument known as Stonehenge.
Hero Class: Necromancer
Skills: All
Weapon: Wand Only
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): All
Basic Stats:
Strength: 40
Dexterity: 50
Vitality: 40
Energy: 90
Attitude:
The necromancer is as close as you can get to Merlin within the available hero classes. Being who he is, he has access to all the magic the necromancer can muster and then some. As one of the Knights of the Round Table, at least honorarily, he's entitled to any armor he likes.
Suggested Names:
Merlin, Nilrem, Linmer
ROBIN HOOD
Robin Hood was a legendary English outlaw who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. He is the subject of countless ballads and stories, some dating as far back as the 1300's. He treated poor people kindly and fought the sheriff of Nottingham, a corrupt official who persecuted the poor. Robin Hood thus became a hero of the common people.
No one knows whether the character of Robin Hood was based on a real person. According to one scholar, Robin Hood was actually the Earl of Huntingdon, and his real name was Robert Fitzooth. However, many other scholars believe that Robin Hood is a fictitious character. The oldest written reference to Robin Hood appears in "The Vision of Piers Plowman," which is a long poem that was written about 1378. However, the earliest surviving stories of Robin Hood were ballads written a century later. The first detailed description of his activities was "The Lytell Geste of Robin Hood," about 1500. Also known as Robin of Locksley, Robin Hood appears as the character Locksley in "Ivanhoe," by the Scottish novelist Sir Walter Scott.
Hero Class: Druid
Skills: Summoning Only
Weapon: Bow (A sword may be allowed SOMETIMES, but mainly bow)
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): All
Basic Stats:
Strength: 40
Dexterity: 60
Vitality: 60
Energy: 25
Attitude:
When is a druid not a druid? When he's Robin Hood! The druid hero class was the closest class available for this build, and what we have is just sort of a guy in the wilderness with a bow. Robin Hood, of course, didn't summon animals. But since the druid has no merry men, he deserves some kind of break (of course, you could always hire ONE merry man). And when seeing the druid as Robin Hood, it's kind of cool to see a wolf or bear tagging along with him. No limitations on magic items, so it's suggested that the bow be a powerful one.
Suggested Names:
Robin, Sherwood, Fitzooth
SHEENA
* CLASSIC HERO! * - THE PROMETHEAN AMAZON!
If Burroughs' Tarzan is king of the jungle, Sheena is certainly queen. The amazon was made for this role; here we merely enhance the jungle theme.
Hero Class: Amazon
Skills: All
Weapon: Spear or Dagger
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any, Especially Skulls and Bone Items
Basic Stats:
Strength: 60
Dexterity: 65
Vitality: 50
Energy: 30
Attitude:
Full-on amazon. Bone shield and lots of skulls. Bone helm optional. Lots of socketing and juju with rune words and the like.
Suggested Names:
Ivory, Junga, Tigress
SINBAD
A personal favorite, Sinbad is the arabian, seafaring version of the barbarian. (I'd love to see a nautical expansion for Diablo II.)
Hero Class: Barbarian
Skills: All
Weapon: Two Sabres Only
Armor: Any Except For Helmets: Leather Cap or Circlet Only
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 65
Dexterity: 65
Vitality: 50
Energy: 30
Attitude:
Sinbad wears a leather cap or circlet only, magic, socketed, whatever, but no other kind of headgear. Two sabres (or cutlasses) round out his salty persona.
Suggested Names:
Sinbad, Piratus, Rigger
SIR LANCELOT
* CLASSIC HERO! * - THE PROMETHEAN PALADIN!
What do you know, Sir Lancelot was black! Well, no, but he is in Diablo II. The classic Knight In Shining Armor, he is indeed the promethean paladin.
Lancelot was a great knight in medieval legends of King Arthur's Round Table. Lancelot won fame for his bravery and skill in combat and was Arthur's favorite knight.
Hero Class: Paladin
Skills: All
Weapon: Sword
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 65
Dexterity: 55
Vitality: 50
Energy: 70
Attitude:
Note the high Energy score ratio; Sir Lancelot had a great deal of spritual energy (although his son, Sir Galahad, reputedly had more). Don't name him "Sir," though; let his title be bestowed by the program.
A note about Excalibur: Excalibur was the sword of King Arthur. There are two versions of how Arthur got the sword. In one version, which probably originated in Robert Boron's "Merlin," about 1200, Excalibur was embedded in a block of stone or in an anvil. Only the rightful heir to the throne of England could pull it out. Only Arthur succeeded, proving his right to be king. Another version of the legend is found in the "Suite du Merlin," about 1230. In it, Arthur received the sword and its valuable scabbard, which protected the bearer from injury, from the mysterious Lady of the Lake. She lived in a castle at the bottom of a magic lake. Just before Arthur died, he commanded a knight to throw Excalibur into the lake. When the knight did so, a hand rose from the water and pulled it down. The two versions of the legend are combined in Sir Thomas Malory's "Morte D'Arthur," 1470.
When supplying this character with his sword, it might be interesting to contrive an "Excalibur." How would you do it?
Suggested Names:
Lancelot, DanceALot, PranceALot :-)
TARZAN
When I read Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan Of The Apes, I was amazed at how fierce the character was. Here was one of the toughest, bloodiest, howlingest characters ever created. He made Conan look like a wimp!
There was some question as to whether Tarzan should be a Druid, since he summons the creatures of the land to his aid (and has a thing for vines). But in light of the above, a barbarian was the only hero type that could come close. (Plus, Tarzan's known for his "howl.")
Hero Class: Barbarian
Skills: All
Weapon: Dagger Only
Armor: Leather or Bone
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Skulls
Basic Stats:
Strength: 90
Dexterity: 90
Vitality: 75
Energy: 40
Attitude:
Until it's possible to obtain bone items, you're not going to have any armor except for leather. No shields or helms, just leather and a cap. Let's face it, this is going to make you mean. Burrough's Tarzan would just as soon kill anything as look at it, so this is fine.
The restrictions on magic are as follow: No magic dagger, but higher damage, socketed with skulls or these variations with a dirk is okay. Magic is okay in his leather armor or bone helm/shield. The only gem type that may be socketed is skulls. No jewelry, with one exception; he may have an amulet that brings extra gold from monsters, in respect of the "rich family" amulet in the movie "Greystoke: The Legend Of Tarzan" ("Fam-i-ly, Jahn! Fam-i-ly!").
Remember, even when you can get bone items, his body armor will still only be leather. KILL!!!
Suggested Names:
Zartan, Melvin, Heena, Bonzo
THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE
The Sorcerer's Apprentice was a delightful musical composition by Paul Dukas. Disney created a wonderful mythos around the piece, starring Mickey Mouse as the half-pint wizard. Though small and meek, this incarnation still provides some chuckles and might sharpen your deployment strategies concerning minions (hopefully you'll be better at it than Mickey was).
Hero Class: Necromancer
Skills: Skeletal Summoning Only
Weapon: Wand Only
Armor: None Except (Magical) Leather Cap
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any (Hey, he didn't mind that Wizard's Hat!)
Basic Stats:
Strength: 15
Dexterity: 25
Vitality: 15
Energy: 25
Attitude:
Tiny and weak, his whole strategy revolves around having his "stick men" work for him. No other skills allowed, including Golems.
This little fellow's Basic Stats are virtually the same as the necromancer's starting stats; as such, he's really "in his prime" when he first starts, a little nobody. The stats will increase, of course, so everything's gravy from here. Don't worry, he'll still be the vulnerable little guy, because he wears no armor.
Suggested Names:
Mickey
THE WOLFMAN
"Even a man that's pure in heart, and says his prayers by night, can become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms, and the autumn moon is bright."
So said Sir John Talbot, Gwen Conliffe and just about everyone else in Universal's "The Wolf Man," starring Lon Chaney Jr. as sad-eyed Larry Talbot, the poor guy that was cursed with lycanthropy. Although a rather modern character, he's certainly worth a mention.
Hero Class: Druid
Skills: Werewolf Only
Weapon: Any
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): All
Basic Stats:
Strength: 60
Dexterity: 60
Vitality: 50
Energy: 30
Attitude:
Larry Talbot was a pretty mild guy. Just like the druid! But when he turned into a wolf, he was genuinely scary. Just like the druid! Proper play for this character is to keep him polite and unassuming until he turns into a werewolf. Then go for Feral Rage, Rabies, Hunger and Fury.
By the way, there was much made of a silver-tipped walking stick in the movie; as such, you may want to equip this character with a good Staff.
Suggested Names:
Talbot, Lycos, Kessler
ZEUS
This Greek God is a very familiar figure, legendarily powerful. Only his son Hercules has more strength.
Hero Class: Barbarian
Skills: All
Weapon: Two-Handed Lightning Sword Only
Armor: Any That Preserves The Red Sash
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 110
Dexterity: 75
Vitality: 70
Energy: 65
Attitude:
Lightning, lightning, lightning! Lightning sword, lightning resistance, any items that have chances of producing lightning strikes. Go for a Great Helm along with the red sash to complete the perfect Zeus look.
Suggested Names:
Zeus, Odin, Olympus
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AFTERWORD
That's it! I hope you have fun with these. Obviously, any or all of these builds would make fine standard characters or interesting Hardcores. This has been a pretty educational project, and who knows? There are so many good legends out there, maybe I'll write a second edition.
A couple of side notes; I actually MET Conan The Barbarian! I met Arnold Schwarzenegger up in Aspen, Colorado. He told me he was very glad to meet me. I said the pleasure was mine. He offered me one of those little rasberry-shaped candies from those little round metal tins. We chatted. This was years ago, after Terminator 2, but long before he became "The Governator."
Side Note Number Two; I just have to mention that I'm SURE that's a sample of Paul McCartney counting "one" from Sgt. Pepper in the Spider Jungle soundtrack.
In conclusion, I'd like to say "Hi" to everyone at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire in California. Drop me a line! See you on Battle.Net and here on Lurker Lounge!
Alejack
This time I'm actually ENJOYING the "post it first" rule; this particular guide really does need "nitpicking." Any contributions you might have would be appreciated and may be posted to this thread. Please use the character format I've developed here. Corrections, too; I know that many of you are well-versed in this stuff.
Hopefully there will be some interesting contributions, and if Lurker Lounge enshrines this text as a manual they'll presumably incorporate everything into a final edit. If they do, I suggest that they provide a credit "byline" for contributors. Thanks, Lurker!
By the way, I confess that I don't know if a manual of this nature has already been done... Lurker Lounge has a huge archive that I haven't explored completely. Perhaps a poster to this thread can enlighten us as to whether they've seen something like this.
In addition to contribututions, general comments and critiques are, of course, welcome.
Thanks,
Alejack
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INCARNATION FOR DIABLO II
by Alejack
Contents:
1. Introduction
2. Builds
3. Afterword
---
INTRODUCTION
This guide deals with creating "incarnations," that is, approximations of literary (and cinematic) characters for Diablo II.
There's no doubt that some of the greatest satisfaction in the game lies in creating a unique and personal character, but the character development tools allow for a good deal of variety, and there's certainly the possibility of builds based on characters we've all grown to know and love. For those of you that might wish to build a "legend," this guide may come in handy.
In order to approximate a literary character within DII, one must sometimes lose something, not gain something. For instance, to build Lawrence Watt-Evans' overman Garth, from the Lords of Dus series, you CAN'T add a warbeast, but you CAN lose "combat zeal." The overman didn't like killing everything in sight, so in order to faithfully play Garth, you must sometimes temper his actions. The upshot: Though some of the builds in this guide may require a handicap, either physically or attitudinally, whatever's lost is made up for in the satisfaction derived from building your literary character.
Other builds are just the opposite, requiring the careful cultivation of impressive attributes, a huge amount of strength or the like. Hercules, for instance, has twice as much strength as any of his other attributes. It is, after all, not easy becoming a legend.
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BUILDS
The premise here is that you can build anyone with the DII character development tools. Even yourself. Male, female, name, general statistical ratio. Are you the cerebral type? Or do you work out in a gym? It's obvious how you'd build an Arnold Schwarzenegger, but if you were to build a more typical kind of person, you'd need to set your eye to more subtle characteristics and perhaps even impose some handicap, as mentioned. Some literary characters wear no armor, for instance. If you were building yourself, you wouldn't impose that you wear no armor, because if you were actually in that world you'd put on the best you could find. But if you're attempting to build a Harry Potter, you may need to impose all kinds of rules in order to make him, well, Harry Potter-ish. A wand-using druid named Potter with no armor and a penchant for raven summoning, perhaps.
When DII creates a new character for you, the character begins with a set of Basic Stats. This is the game's way of suggesting to you the kind of person the character is. The barbarian's physically strong, the sorceress is intellectually sharp and so on. What we do when building a literary character is "massage" these Basic Stats into a ratio that represents the character we're trying to approximate. We also impose certain traits to help mold the character into an image of the literary legend under construction.
Note that when we talk about Basic Stats, we're looking at the kind of ratio that would be representative of the incarnation in his or her "prime." As the character progresses the stats will change of course, but the overall ratio is what we're concerned with. Similarly, the weapons specified are the preferred type for the character and aren't necessarily the only weapons that could be used, unless the build actually specifies the word "only." Robert E. Howard's Conan, for example, used a sword, but Conan also used large axes (at least in the comic books). If the character's weapon stipulates something like "Two-Handed Lightning Sword Only," as with Zeus, you'll just have to build up to the point of obtaining the stipulated item. In situations like this, just try to maintain the spirit of the build while it's in progress.
When advancing the Basic Stats, remember to preserve the ratio as the character progresses. Bring all stats up to the character's designated Basic Stats, then keep an eye on the lowest stat and the mathematical ratio of the other stats in relation to it. Conan's basic Energy stat, for instance, is 25. His Vitality is slightly more than twice that at 60. His Strength is almost four times that at 90. When his Energy reached 35, therefore, his Vitality would be around 85 and his Strength would be in the neighborhood of 125. Just use math. And don't sweat exactly which one to advance at any given moment. Just keep the ratio principle in the back of your mind and advance whichever one you need at the moment without throwing the ratio seriously out of whack.
Although the idea here is to create literary approximations, suggested names are included. There's satisfaction in playing a character named "Conan," but there's also satisfaction in approximating ones own "Conan," so feel free to use any of the suggested names or draw upon them as inspiration for creating your own "literary legend."
ALL CHARACTERS MENTIONED ARE THE SOLE PROPERTY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS. People quite often mention Conan or somebody in texts, but I wanted to point this out.
AEETES
* CLASSIC HERO! * - THE PROMETHEAN NECROMANCER!
It was King Aeetes (pronounced ee-AY-teez) of Colchis that intercepted Jason and the Argonauts after Jason slayed the Hydra. Aeetes had a helmet full of hydra's teeth and he sowed them on the ground before the Argonauts. From these awful seeds rose fearsome skeletal warriors... the rest is cinematic history and the birth of the classic necromantic mage.
Hero Class: Necromancer
Skills: All, Primarily Skeleton Summoning
Weapon: Any
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 70
Dexterity: 70
Vitality: 50
Energy: 60
Attitude:
Aeetes was a strong warrior in addition to his magic skills, so his strength and dexterity score ratios are considerable. Attitude: Bad. Skeletons: Plenty. Since he's a king, a crown would be appropriate headgear.
Suggested Names:
Aeetes, Hydrus, Harryhausen
ANUBIS
* CLASSIC HERO! * - THE PROMETHEAN DRUID!
Anubis, (pronounced uh-NOO-bihs) was an important god of the underworld among the ancient Egyptians. His main center of worship was at Kynopolis, which means Dog City in Greek. Because the dog, or jackal, was his sacred animal, Anubis is often represented in the form of a crouching dog or jackal. His functions were associated with those of Osiris, the chief god of the underworld, and with those of Thoth, another of Osiris' assistants. It was Anubis' duty to attend to the ritual preparation of bodies, to weigh the heart of every person on the scale of justice, and to judge a person's good and bad deeds on earth.
Many animals appear in Egyptian mythology. The falcon and the scarab, or dung beetle, were two animals that symbolized the sun god, Ra. The Egyptians considered both the cat and the crocodile as divine.
This is rather interesting as concerns the druid. His ability to transform into a wolf is, of course, his most obvious connection to the Anubis character. But some of his abilities and special items are also provocative. The Oak Sage has the look of a sun spirit, the Hawk Helm could be considered similar to a falcon's head, and the Poison Creeper, Carrion Vine and so forth suggest a link to the aforementioned "underworld." And, of course, the strong Egyptian flavor of Lut Gholein practically cries out for an Egypt-based character such as this.
Hero Class: Druid
Skills: All
Weapon: Any
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): All
Basic Stats:
Strength: 90
Dexterity: 60
Vitality: 60
Energy: 90
Attitude:
Play this one for what he is; a powerful Egyptian God. He's most at home, obviously, in the desert regions of Lut Gholein, but will be a masterful character anywhere in the realms. In light of Anubis' connection to death rituals, it might be appropriate to equip him with a good scythe, the traditional symbol of the "grim reaper."
You can get psyched up for this character by watching one of the Brendan Frasier "mummy" movies, especially The Mummy Returns, which is generously packed with howling Anubis minions!
Suggested Names:
Anubis, Ra, Tut, Cheops
CIRCE
* CLASSIC HERO! * - THE PROMETHEAN SORCERESS!
Circe, (pronounced SUR-see), was a beautiful enchantress in Greek mythology and had the power to turn men into beasts. She lived on an island in the Mediterranean Sea. When Odysseus (Ulysses in Latin) landed on her island, Circe turned most of his men into pigs and drove them into a pigsty. But the god Hermes had given Odysseus a magic herb which protected him from Circe's power. Odysseus forced Circe to give his men their human form again. After that, Circe became friendly. She loved Odysseus and persuaded him to stay with her on the island for a year. When he prepared to leave, she warned him about the dangers that awaited him, and told him how to overcome them. For example, Circe told Odysseus that by plugging his sailors' ears with wax he could safely pass the island where the Sirens lived.
Hero Class: Sorceress
Skills: All
Weapon: Staff
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 30
Dexterity: 45
Vitality: 45
Energy: 70
Attitude:
The classic sorceress, best played straight. Lots of Energy and magic. Due to her Greek heritage, a favoring of lightning might be in order as an homage to the Greek thunder-god mythologies.
Suggested Names:
Circe, Seera, Syr
CONAN
* CLASSIC HERO! * - THE PROMETHEAN BARBARIAN!
Robert E. Howard is arguably the grand-daddy of sword-and-sorcery fiction. His Conan The Barbarian series is without doubt the genre's masterpiece.
Conan distrusted magic, placing his faith in good, solid steel. When looking at DII's barbarian skills, you'll notice that they consist of "Warcries," "Combat Masteries" and "Combat Skills." No magic, per se. Blizzard, it seems, originally patterned the barbarian, at least in spirit, after a character that eschewed magic. It can be argued that by disdaining to use magic items with your barbarian, you're actually in harmony with Blizzard in respecting the "barbarian ethic."
Hero Class: Barbarian
Skills: All
Weapon: Sword, No Magic
Armor: Any, No Magic
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): None
Basic Stats:
Strength: 90
Dexterity: 75
Vitality: 60
Energy: 25
Attitude:
Doesn't talk much except to yell "DIE!" Highly chivalrous, he'll vigorously protect his party and kill female foes only when absolutely necessary. That's a tall order because there are so many female foes. There's an NPC character that addresses this matter; if you find council from that character, you're then exempted from this ethical condition (but not until).
Suggested Names:
Conn, Coman, Amra
DRACULA
Created by Bram Stoker about a million years ago, this Transylvanian bloodsucker is well known to all.
Hero Class: Necromancer
Skills: All
Weapon: Wand, Staff or Dagger
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 30
Dexterity: 60
Vitality: 120
Energy: 70
Attitude:
Prefers any and all Life or Mana-steal items. Leans heavily on Curse skills. It may seem out of place that Dracula would wear armor, but after the big-screen treatment with Gary Oldman, anything goes. Check out that Vitality ratio!
Suggested Names:
Dragul, Nosferatus, Vlad
GANDALF
J.R.R. Tolkien's wizard from Lord Of The Rings is considered a modern classic. Here, he's represented with almost as much Energy as Merlin and slightly more Dexterity (he did a lot of footwork).
Hero Class: Necromancer
Skills: All
Weapon: Wand
Armor: None
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 40
Dexterity: 65
Vitality: 40
Energy: 80
Attitude:
Since he wears no armor, this character's sure to demonstrate to you just why Gandalf's quest was so tough.
The first ring you find in the game (or the one that Akara bestows, if that's the first) is considered his "One Ring Of Power," and he will wear this ring at all times. He may wear any other rings he finds thereafter on his other hand, but that first ring is a totem that he'll never take off.
Suggested Names:
Gardalf, Galendell, Alf
GARTH
The overman was created by Lawrence Watt-Evans for his wonderful Lords of Dus series. Garth is extremely intelligent and introspective, fearsome in battle and truly, in my estimation, the embodiment of the timber and attitude of DII's barbarian voice talent, David Jean Thomas.
Hero Class: Barbarian
Skills: All, Especially Sword Skill
Weapon: Powerful Magic Sword
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 80
Dexterity: 70
Vitality: 60
Energy: 80
Attitude:
Very articulate and careful, he'll think through any move painstakingly before rushing in. Doesn't like to kill unless he has to. This is the kind of character that would rush past everyone in Tristram, free Deckard Cain and then run back to the portal without ever getting in a fight. Since the game is carefully designed to "level up" your character through combat, you'll need to approach this "pacifist" technique with some discretion.
Get Garth the fiercest shrieking, flaming, lightning-bolt-spewing exploding sword you can find, to approximate Watt-Evans' Sword of Bheleu.
The Sword of Bheleu, by the way, was about a sword that was linked to the god Bheleu, and Garth's struggle with the god's influence through the artifact. All of this suggests Sets and the way they imbue the wearer with the powers of the Set's original legendary owner. This character, therefore, would be an ideal candidate to quest for a Set.
Another way to enhance the "powerful sword" motif is, of course, to greatly pump up his sword skill.
Suggested Names:
Arth, Barth, Carth, Farth, Larth...
HERCULES
The son of Zeus, this Roman hero was also known in Grecian mythology as Heracles.
Hero Class: Barbarian
Skills: All
Weapon: Two-Handed Sword
Armor: Any That Preserves The Red Sash
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 120
Dexterity: 65
Vitality: 60
Energy: 25
Attitude:
Jovial, brawling, the strongest character listed here. The strongest armor he can have is breastplate, which preserves the red sash. There are no limitations on magic, but he should probably have a lightning sword like his father, Zeus.
Suggested Names:
Hercules, Heracles, Heros
KLAATU
Finally, your big chance to play the game as an alien! Klaatu (pronounced klat-TOO) came from outer space to warn us of our human folly in the 1954 film, "The Day The Earth Stood Still." With him was the memorable robot, Gort. Here, we find our equivalent in a necromancer and his iron golem.
Hero Class: Necromancer
Skills: Iron Golem Only (When Available)
Weapon: Any
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 30
Dexterity: 30
Vitality: 45
Energy: 65
Attitude:
The choice to allow Klaatu to use any weapon is based upon a "when in Rome" sort of philosophy; it's considered that he showed up in the world of DII and as such uses the conventional tools of the times. His one great asset is his robot, Gort, the iron golem. Everything about this character is based upon creating the most powerful robot possible. It's not easy winning the game with just an iron golem going for you, so this is a pretty challenging character. You won't even be able to have an iron golem for a while, so you'll have to build up from one (non-mage) skeleton to a clay golem, then a blood golem and finally Gort (think of it as "building" him).
Gort had a sort of "heat ray" in his eyes, so the iron golem should be based on a fire-enchanted item.
Suggested Names:
Klaatu, Barada, Nikto
MALEFICENT
* CLASSIC HERO! * - THE PROMETHEAN ASSASSIN!
Maleficent (pronounced mal-uh-FISS-ent) trapped Sleeping Beauty into her extended nap in the classic Disney film of the same name. Virtually interchangeable with the jealous, apple-poisoning queen in Disney/Grimm's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, this character fits the black-clad persona of the Assassin perfectly.
Hero Class: Assassin
Skills: All
Weapon: Any
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 40
Dexterity: 50
Vitality: 50
Energy: 50
Attitude:
Selfish, determined to have it her way. Doesn't take any guff from anyone. Any and all poisoning and trapping tactics go when playing this character. When played as Snow White's queen, a crown would be a good choice of headwear.
Suggested Names:
Maleficent, Mala
MERLIN
The classic wizard, Merlin is derived from the British mythos of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
Merlin was a magician and prophet who was an adviser to Arthur. Various stories about Merlin appear in medieval literature. According to some narratives, Merlin educated Arthur as a youth. Merlin also helped establish the Round Table at which King Arthur's knights sat. He foresaw events of Arthur's reign, including the quest for the Holy Grail and the destruction of King Arthur's castle, Camelot. In addition, Merlin was said to have created the ancient British monument known as Stonehenge.
Hero Class: Necromancer
Skills: All
Weapon: Wand Only
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): All
Basic Stats:
Strength: 40
Dexterity: 50
Vitality: 40
Energy: 90
Attitude:
The necromancer is as close as you can get to Merlin within the available hero classes. Being who he is, he has access to all the magic the necromancer can muster and then some. As one of the Knights of the Round Table, at least honorarily, he's entitled to any armor he likes.
Suggested Names:
Merlin, Nilrem, Linmer
ROBIN HOOD
Robin Hood was a legendary English outlaw who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. He is the subject of countless ballads and stories, some dating as far back as the 1300's. He treated poor people kindly and fought the sheriff of Nottingham, a corrupt official who persecuted the poor. Robin Hood thus became a hero of the common people.
No one knows whether the character of Robin Hood was based on a real person. According to one scholar, Robin Hood was actually the Earl of Huntingdon, and his real name was Robert Fitzooth. However, many other scholars believe that Robin Hood is a fictitious character. The oldest written reference to Robin Hood appears in "The Vision of Piers Plowman," which is a long poem that was written about 1378. However, the earliest surviving stories of Robin Hood were ballads written a century later. The first detailed description of his activities was "The Lytell Geste of Robin Hood," about 1500. Also known as Robin of Locksley, Robin Hood appears as the character Locksley in "Ivanhoe," by the Scottish novelist Sir Walter Scott.
Hero Class: Druid
Skills: Summoning Only
Weapon: Bow (A sword may be allowed SOMETIMES, but mainly bow)
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): All
Basic Stats:
Strength: 40
Dexterity: 60
Vitality: 60
Energy: 25
Attitude:
When is a druid not a druid? When he's Robin Hood! The druid hero class was the closest class available for this build, and what we have is just sort of a guy in the wilderness with a bow. Robin Hood, of course, didn't summon animals. But since the druid has no merry men, he deserves some kind of break (of course, you could always hire ONE merry man). And when seeing the druid as Robin Hood, it's kind of cool to see a wolf or bear tagging along with him. No limitations on magic items, so it's suggested that the bow be a powerful one.
Suggested Names:
Robin, Sherwood, Fitzooth
SHEENA
* CLASSIC HERO! * - THE PROMETHEAN AMAZON!
If Burroughs' Tarzan is king of the jungle, Sheena is certainly queen. The amazon was made for this role; here we merely enhance the jungle theme.
Hero Class: Amazon
Skills: All
Weapon: Spear or Dagger
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any, Especially Skulls and Bone Items
Basic Stats:
Strength: 60
Dexterity: 65
Vitality: 50
Energy: 30
Attitude:
Full-on amazon. Bone shield and lots of skulls. Bone helm optional. Lots of socketing and juju with rune words and the like.
Suggested Names:
Ivory, Junga, Tigress
SINBAD
A personal favorite, Sinbad is the arabian, seafaring version of the barbarian. (I'd love to see a nautical expansion for Diablo II.)
Hero Class: Barbarian
Skills: All
Weapon: Two Sabres Only
Armor: Any Except For Helmets: Leather Cap or Circlet Only
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 65
Dexterity: 65
Vitality: 50
Energy: 30
Attitude:
Sinbad wears a leather cap or circlet only, magic, socketed, whatever, but no other kind of headgear. Two sabres (or cutlasses) round out his salty persona.
Suggested Names:
Sinbad, Piratus, Rigger
SIR LANCELOT
* CLASSIC HERO! * - THE PROMETHEAN PALADIN!
What do you know, Sir Lancelot was black! Well, no, but he is in Diablo II. The classic Knight In Shining Armor, he is indeed the promethean paladin.
Lancelot was a great knight in medieval legends of King Arthur's Round Table. Lancelot won fame for his bravery and skill in combat and was Arthur's favorite knight.
Hero Class: Paladin
Skills: All
Weapon: Sword
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 65
Dexterity: 55
Vitality: 50
Energy: 70
Attitude:
Note the high Energy score ratio; Sir Lancelot had a great deal of spritual energy (although his son, Sir Galahad, reputedly had more). Don't name him "Sir," though; let his title be bestowed by the program.
A note about Excalibur: Excalibur was the sword of King Arthur. There are two versions of how Arthur got the sword. In one version, which probably originated in Robert Boron's "Merlin," about 1200, Excalibur was embedded in a block of stone or in an anvil. Only the rightful heir to the throne of England could pull it out. Only Arthur succeeded, proving his right to be king. Another version of the legend is found in the "Suite du Merlin," about 1230. In it, Arthur received the sword and its valuable scabbard, which protected the bearer from injury, from the mysterious Lady of the Lake. She lived in a castle at the bottom of a magic lake. Just before Arthur died, he commanded a knight to throw Excalibur into the lake. When the knight did so, a hand rose from the water and pulled it down. The two versions of the legend are combined in Sir Thomas Malory's "Morte D'Arthur," 1470.
When supplying this character with his sword, it might be interesting to contrive an "Excalibur." How would you do it?
Suggested Names:
Lancelot, DanceALot, PranceALot :-)
TARZAN
When I read Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan Of The Apes, I was amazed at how fierce the character was. Here was one of the toughest, bloodiest, howlingest characters ever created. He made Conan look like a wimp!
There was some question as to whether Tarzan should be a Druid, since he summons the creatures of the land to his aid (and has a thing for vines). But in light of the above, a barbarian was the only hero type that could come close. (Plus, Tarzan's known for his "howl.")
Hero Class: Barbarian
Skills: All
Weapon: Dagger Only
Armor: Leather or Bone
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Skulls
Basic Stats:
Strength: 90
Dexterity: 90
Vitality: 75
Energy: 40
Attitude:
Until it's possible to obtain bone items, you're not going to have any armor except for leather. No shields or helms, just leather and a cap. Let's face it, this is going to make you mean. Burrough's Tarzan would just as soon kill anything as look at it, so this is fine.
The restrictions on magic are as follow: No magic dagger, but higher damage, socketed with skulls or these variations with a dirk is okay. Magic is okay in his leather armor or bone helm/shield. The only gem type that may be socketed is skulls. No jewelry, with one exception; he may have an amulet that brings extra gold from monsters, in respect of the "rich family" amulet in the movie "Greystoke: The Legend Of Tarzan" ("Fam-i-ly, Jahn! Fam-i-ly!").
Remember, even when you can get bone items, his body armor will still only be leather. KILL!!!
Suggested Names:
Zartan, Melvin, Heena, Bonzo
THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE
The Sorcerer's Apprentice was a delightful musical composition by Paul Dukas. Disney created a wonderful mythos around the piece, starring Mickey Mouse as the half-pint wizard. Though small and meek, this incarnation still provides some chuckles and might sharpen your deployment strategies concerning minions (hopefully you'll be better at it than Mickey was).
Hero Class: Necromancer
Skills: Skeletal Summoning Only
Weapon: Wand Only
Armor: None Except (Magical) Leather Cap
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any (Hey, he didn't mind that Wizard's Hat!)
Basic Stats:
Strength: 15
Dexterity: 25
Vitality: 15
Energy: 25
Attitude:
Tiny and weak, his whole strategy revolves around having his "stick men" work for him. No other skills allowed, including Golems.
This little fellow's Basic Stats are virtually the same as the necromancer's starting stats; as such, he's really "in his prime" when he first starts, a little nobody. The stats will increase, of course, so everything's gravy from here. Don't worry, he'll still be the vulnerable little guy, because he wears no armor.
Suggested Names:
Mickey
THE WOLFMAN
"Even a man that's pure in heart, and says his prayers by night, can become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms, and the autumn moon is bright."
So said Sir John Talbot, Gwen Conliffe and just about everyone else in Universal's "The Wolf Man," starring Lon Chaney Jr. as sad-eyed Larry Talbot, the poor guy that was cursed with lycanthropy. Although a rather modern character, he's certainly worth a mention.
Hero Class: Druid
Skills: Werewolf Only
Weapon: Any
Armor: Any
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): All
Basic Stats:
Strength: 60
Dexterity: 60
Vitality: 50
Energy: 30
Attitude:
Larry Talbot was a pretty mild guy. Just like the druid! But when he turned into a wolf, he was genuinely scary. Just like the druid! Proper play for this character is to keep him polite and unassuming until he turns into a werewolf. Then go for Feral Rage, Rabies, Hunger and Fury.
By the way, there was much made of a silver-tipped walking stick in the movie; as such, you may want to equip this character with a good Staff.
Suggested Names:
Talbot, Lycos, Kessler
ZEUS
This Greek God is a very familiar figure, legendarily powerful. Only his son Hercules has more strength.
Hero Class: Barbarian
Skills: All
Weapon: Two-Handed Lightning Sword Only
Armor: Any That Preserves The Red Sash
Magic Items: (Rings, Amulet): Any
Basic Stats:
Strength: 110
Dexterity: 75
Vitality: 70
Energy: 65
Attitude:
Lightning, lightning, lightning! Lightning sword, lightning resistance, any items that have chances of producing lightning strikes. Go for a Great Helm along with the red sash to complete the perfect Zeus look.
Suggested Names:
Zeus, Odin, Olympus
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AFTERWORD
That's it! I hope you have fun with these. Obviously, any or all of these builds would make fine standard characters or interesting Hardcores. This has been a pretty educational project, and who knows? There are so many good legends out there, maybe I'll write a second edition.
A couple of side notes; I actually MET Conan The Barbarian! I met Arnold Schwarzenegger up in Aspen, Colorado. He told me he was very glad to meet me. I said the pleasure was mine. He offered me one of those little rasberry-shaped candies from those little round metal tins. We chatted. This was years ago, after Terminator 2, but long before he became "The Governator."
Side Note Number Two; I just have to mention that I'm SURE that's a sample of Paul McCartney counting "one" from Sgt. Pepper in the Spider Jungle soundtrack.
In conclusion, I'd like to say "Hi" to everyone at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire in California. Drop me a line! See you on Battle.Net and here on Lurker Lounge!
Alejack