The Unthrower

[Heat Miser]

I am experienced with a few characters in LOD v.1.10S; the slash, and the spell types.

Yet I am not drawn to the exploding potions nor the gas potions regardless of the character played.
Am I missing out on an effective ranged weapon?
Or are the tossable flasks a mere "when you lack a 2nd weapon set" kind of item?

I doubt I'll change anytime soon, but I'm interested in the experience of others to increase my D2 wisdom.

Thanks.

-= Heat Miser =-

[Zath]

There are only three effects that can stop monster heal regeneration:

1): Prevent Monster Heal

You must physically hit a monster with a weapon that has this mod in order for it to stick. This can be difficult to achieve and potentially dangerous if you happen to play a spell caster with low AR.

2): Open Wounds

You must physically hit a monster with a weapon that has this mod in order for it to stick, and you must re-hit said monster periodically to maintain the effect. This can be even more difficult and dangerous to apply than Prevent Monster Heal.

3): Poison

You can poison a monster with a skill, physical attack, or by using poison potions. Not every character has access to a poison skill, and if you choose to use a physical attack, you will face the same problems as Open Wounds does. On the other hand, there are many advantages in using poison potions. Not only do poison potions auto-hit without an AR check, they are also ranged and have an area of effect. If you play a Sorceress for example, you may wish to carry some poison potions with you so you can help your mercenary dispatch elemental immune monsters. If he cannot apply Prevent Monster Heal, Open Wounds, or poison by himself, the task of stopping monster health regeneration will lay in your hands, and your poison potions.

[Crystalion]

There are only three effects that can stop monster heal regeneration:

1): Prevent Monster Heal
You...

2): Open Wounds
You...

3): Poison
You...

This is a good explanation, and concise, but allow me muddy things up by adding...

Iron Golems, Valks, Shadow Masters (and warriors, if emulating your Venom) and Skeleton Mages of the poison variety are all capable of using some of these methods for "you" to stop monster regen. The Iron Golems, of course, can be made from an item with any of the three methods. Valks and Shadow Masters get rolled equipment, which could have any of the three methods.

In addition, Mind Blast, Conversion, Attract and Confuse all have the potential, in some cases, to cause poison (or poison from Spectral?) to be applied on monsters.

I may have forgotten something, but I think you can see that little in D2 is as simple as it first appears. :-)

p.s. in addition the implementation of the game frequently causes monsters to not be regenerating that "should". Typically once you harm these monsters again they do begin to regenerate. (Leaving zones so that monsters stop getting processed is a large part of triggering this effect).

[Crystalion]

I am not drawn to the exploding potions nor the gas potions regardless of the character played.
Am I missing out on an effective ranged weapon?

Yes, in limited cases. Indeed the reason potions were thrice nerfed is because they can be so good. (Nerf: clvl reqs; nerf: shops don't sell; nerf: repair doesn't replenish).

The damage of throwing potions does not scale well for use beyond normal difficulty. However, at the clvls required they are very good area effect damage "skills". Since you can still "repair" the potions by selling them to the shop and buying them back (now replenished) they are great as a twink item (or just dump $ on your twinkee and they can repair the potions they find themselves).

The Fulminating potions, no clvl req, are fantastic for letting act 1 mobs swarm you and then blowing them all up at once (this runs out of steam when the mobs start having greater than 12x5 HPs, since putting them into hit recovery is typically desired--and because if it takes more than half a stack of potions per swarm kill that isn't terribly convenient). However as you level better potions become usable.

Strangling Gas potions, clvl 6 req, are even better, as you can kill clouds of monsters chasing you with one well aimed toss, while never giving them the "swarm" opportunity to hit you. This is basically the "poor man's" poison javelin. Again, as you level, better potions become usable.

Offhand I'd say potions are definitely worth a look until you make at least clvl 18 (new skills). By time you are clvl 24 (imho, ymmv) their utility is pretty limited.

[Epi]

I may have forgotten something, but I think you can see that little in D2 is as simple as it first appears. :-)

Sure, you had forgotten the mercenary. :P

[Crystalion]

I may have forgotten something, but I think you can see that little in D2 is as simple as it first appears. :-)

Sure, you had forgotten the mercenary. :P

:D Ha ha! I had indeed. This brainlock probably has something to do with the fact that almost every time I run some test my first job is to go get my merc killed so they won't be a nuisance. :blink: