Good Uniques at low level

[Saulot_Wildchild]

Hello, everyone! :)

Today I woke up and decided to start playing Diablo again. After months playing Diablo II, I decided to return to my roots :P

I named a Warrior, and started playing. 20~25 minutes later, I opened a chest at King Leoric's place and got a Thinking Cap :blink: ! My level: 8!

10 minutes later, I killed a Burning Dead and got a Constricting Ring :blink: ! My level: 10!

My question is: do low-level characters have good chances of getting nice Uniques or I just got lucky?

[!!SaLtMaN!!]

Heh, you just got really lucky, plus the unique: Thinking cap appears everywhere (I think), and the ring you found, I have only found once and forgot where I found it. It's like the Helm of Spirits can only be found in the dungeon, keep on playing, I hope you find one.

[Jane]

Well a thinking cap has a very low quality level (only 6) so it can be found early in the game.
Constricting rings is also pretty low in quality level.
That means that you can get them from low level monsters.

My personal experience would say that constricting rings are slightly more common.
I am no very good at calculating chances myself, but I think you got pretty lucky.
If you really want to know the exact chance you have to find a copy of Jarulf' guide...
As far as my knowledge of Jarulf's goed, the character level does not even enter the equation.
It just matters as to which parts of the dungeon you can enter and hence what level of monsters you can encounter and kill

correct m if I'm wrong here

you are referring to King Leoric's place, so i guess you are playing single player?

[--Pete]

Hi,

Jarulf's guide http://www.lurkerlounge.com/jarulf/ will pretty well tell you (with a little bit of work on your part) where items can fall. Thinking Cap and Constricting Ring are low level uniques, and so the odds of finding them early in the game are actually better (fewer things could drop) than later.

Now, the CR is a real nice cash item, but not really a great item. Das Regard has pretty well said all there is to say about it in http://www.lurkerlounge.com/diablo/strateg...dasregard.shtml

The Thinking Cap is basically a low cash item for a warrior. Now, if you were playing a mage and built that cap up with a few Hidden Shrines, then it *might* be worthwhile depending on your playing style.

And there really isn't much in the way of good uniques for the warrior. Some of then are worth keeping till something better comes along, some of them are kind of fun for certain playing styles, but overall magical items have them beat.

--Pete

[Hammerskjold]

>And there really isn't much in the way of good uniques for the warrior.

Yeah. About the only one that comes to my mind for MP is Royal Circlet. In SP Veil of Steel and the Undead Crown isn't bad.

[Kasreyn]

I took my BAR out on Bnet last night (he's 13 now, and I met a cool purist Rogue to play with ^_^), and tried to shop for better "white" gear (non-juju, that is). I was depressed by the lack of anything decent, and checked JG's info on Gris's basic items when I got offline.

Gads! I won't be able to buy a simple Chain Mail until I'm 22! Looks like I'll be relying on scavenging.

-Kasreyn

[Attika]

Depending upon your playing style, there are actually several very nice uniques that exist for the Warrior even at very low levels. Yes, magical items will eventually have them all beat, but if you are playing Ironman, LoL, or are simply playing ONE game straight through to Hell (and not playing Cats and Caves over and over for exp, drops, and cash), then you should be on the lookout for them.

(From your post it sounds like you are playing Single Player, so repeating middle levels would be pretty tedious seeing as you'd have to find the stairs again each and every time you start a new game, beginning at Church One.)

Blackoak Shield -- qlevel 4 -- drops very early, potentially in Church! This shield is +10 Dex, and what you as a single player Warrior are looking for in a shield is +dex for better blocking. Yes, having good AC is nice, but by the time you reach Diablo if you've played once straight through, your AC will be no better than naked against his attacks. Then it will be your blocking that saves you, my friend. Finding a shield with +Dex for a warrior is highly recommended.

Overlord's Helm -- qlevel 7 -- again drops early, as early as early Cats. Besides Gott (qlevel 21) and RC(qlevel 27!) this is the practically the best hat there is for a Warrior. The +15 Dex is hard to beat unless you do lots of shopping at Grismart, and the +20 Str makes for some major stunning power. Downside is the -20 magic, making it unwearable unless you find something/use attribute points to pump Magic to 20. It also has a low durability to, if you are playing IM. And it is quite rare, too.

Gnarled Root (especially in Spiked Club form) -- qlevel 9 -- again drops early, often in early Cats. Although some may toss this weapon aside thinking it lacks, I'm telling you, it has "Diablo Killer" written all over it. It has +20% to hit -- something every warrior needs; is +10 Dex -- pumping your Dex up toward the "perfect block" range; and it does +300% damage, meaning you are going to be a stunning machine. Due to durability concerns, you might keep it in your backpack and break it out only for the Big Demon himself. The -10 to AC also precludes it from being your mob melee weapon of choice too.

Those are the top three I'd be on the lookout for for your warrior.

There are lots of others that also are nice -- Civerb's Cudgel, Celestial Star, Schaefer's Hammer, The Executioner's Blade, The Bonesaw, The Falcon's Talon. All of these, when wielded properly with other equipment, can put the kibosh on Diablo.

The Wicked Axe + Scavenger's Carapace is a nice combo also, but Scav's isn't really a low qlevel item (qlevel 13).

Finally, if you are indeed in single player, you should be getting the Undead Crown (a portable Blood Fountain!) and perhaps the Veil of Steel, both very nice items.

Your best chance to find Uniques comes from killing Boss/Unique monsters. Your character level does not matter. Read Jarulf's Guide for the skinny on that.

Good luck and good hunting.

Attika

PS If you are playing ONE game straight through to Diablo himself, your warrior will be clvl 25 when you face him. At that point if you have 110 dexterity due to add ons and such, then Diablo shouldn't be able to touch you (unless you try to do something silly like walk past him or cast a Firewall on him). Be on the lookout for jewelry items and armors that have +dex add ons -- you won't regret it!

[Kasreyn]

Wisdom's Wrap drops VERY early (the Butcher often drops it in my experience), and it's not a bad armor for a rogue or sorc under level 15.

It's the equivalent of Spider's Azure Studded Leather of Magic Health =P, which is a decent batch of abilities for a young sorc at least. After all, lightning resist is the one of the first ones you need in the game (Familiars), though Magic Resist helps against spitters and Bloodgutter's crew.

-Kasreyn

[Zyr]

Within minutes of reading this thread, playing a Rogue solo multiplayer, Leoric dropped a Thinking Cap-- my first ever. :)

A few hours later, playing a Warrior solo/multi, Pukerat (also on level 3) dropped _another_ Thinking Cap-- and just minutes after that, on level four, I got Aguinara's Hatchet and Flamedart (both firsts for me) from Pulsecrawler and Spineeater. :D

As a relatively new player, I'm grateful for Attika's insights into the usefulness of lower level Uniques. I've already been in situations where a spiked Gnarled Root and a Wicked Axe proved to be the perfect tools for the jobs at hand.

While I surely wouldn't want it to be my only weapon, Aguinara's Hatchet strikes me as a wonderful item for either a Warrior or Rogue to have in inventory.

--
Zyr

[Cytrex]

After all, lightning resist is the one of the first ones you need in the game (Familiars), though Magic Resist helps against spitters and Bloodgutter's crew.

... you wanted to say Blightfire, right?

[Cytrex]

While I surely wouldn't want it to be my only weapon, Aguinara's Hatchet strikes me as a wonderful item for either a Warrior or Rogue to have in inventory.

Heh, I personally find that only a sorceror would get some reasonable benefits from Aquinaras hatchet thanks to +1 spell levels. Seems quite useless for a warrior or a rogue . o O

[Meshuggah]

Uniqe helms seems to be what's hot for warriors...

Royal Circlet - needless to say..

Götterdämerung - Whopping AC of the zodiac. Melee levels and item recoveries... reading glasses..
(My tank mage sports an unidentified Gotter.. I accidentaly identified it and cussed out loud.. went down to dlvl 13, and snow witch boss immediatly gave me a new one :D )

Thinking cap - some extra fuzz for the chain lightning.. Very nice combined with NLP

Helm of Sprits - Never had one, but I hear it's very nice..

Fool's Crest - A regular helm of the whale would probably be nicer, but it takes a while before SQRT starts offering them, and 100 extra HP is very nice, especially if your resistances aren't up to par yet, and Attacker Takes 1-3 damage IS nice vs. IWs

Overlord's Helm - Nice helmet early on, -20mag aint too big a drawback for the young warrior.

[Kasreyn]

Yeah, it's Blightfire. Shoulda checked JG... =P

-Kasreyn

P.S. took Kas (yes, the retired one) out for a null modem Hell diff spin and picked up a Hellslayer, a Windy, and an Immolator. Talking of uniques... =P

[LemmingofGlory]

*points at avatar*

It wouldn't leave you out if it made a list of Iron Men. But when you make a list of useful low level uniques, and you callously leave it out. I thought better of you, Attika. I really did.

Excuse me while I go console it.

[o: *LEMMING* :o]

[Baal]

The TFoS.... Man, why do people pass it aside for the Demonspike Coats and others, the TFoS is all you ever need.

That is one Item I would love to see in Patch 1.10 for D2.
Although, the only problem I see, would be that Blizzard would crap on it and make it... just... eh.

Laters,
Baal.

[Draconis]

I so prefer a nice... anything compared to Torn Flesh of Souls. Your armor wasn't meant to talk to you-thats just the way it is.

[Kasreyn]

-Kasreyn

P.S. It's to the tune of "YMCA" by The Village People, if that helps. =P

[LemmingofGlory]

Hero, there's no need to feel down
I said, Hero, pick them rags off the ground
I said, Hero, 'cause you're in a new town
There's no need to be undapper

Hero, there're some rags you can use
I said, Hero, you'll have nothing to lose
You can wear 'em, and I'm sure you will find
That you feel so damn well-dressed.

It's fun to dress in the T.F.O.S.
It's fun to dress in the T.F.O.S.
They're infested with lice, for everyone to enjoy
Don't mind the smell now, boy.

It's fun to dress in the T.F.O.S.
It's fun to dress in the T.F.O.S.
You can't get it clean
It won't make a good meal
But you'll love the way you feel.

Hero, why don't you strut your stuff
I said, Hero, watch the ill-dressed flee in a huff
I said, Hero, don't you pick at the seams
It's an indestructible thing.

No man, does it all by himself
I said, Hero, put your plate on the shelf
And just leave it be, wear the T.F.O.S.
If you're hassled just confess

It's fun to dress in the T.F.O.S.
It's fun to dress in the T.F.O.S.
And if you forget, that silly codpiece
You can even air out your boys.

It's fun to dress in the T.F.O.S.
It's fun to dress in the T.F.O.S.
You can clear out a room
Yeah, with its stink of doom
It's never touched a loom

Hero, I was once in your shoes,
They were comfy, but I still had the blues
I felt, everyone wanted my ear
But now these rags protect my rear

Lemmin' came up to me on the street
and said, "Hero, wear this putrid sheet
It's a towel, called the T.F.O.S.
There's nothing better to save your ass"

It's fun to dress in the T.F.O.S.
It's fun to dress in the T.F.O.S.
They're everything, any armor aspires
And they don't burn if you set 'em on fire

T.F.O.S.
It's fun to dress in the T.F.O.S.
It's fun to dress in the T.F.O.S.
Hero, Hero, take the golden rags from the floor
Hero, Hero, with these rags you'll never get sore

T.F.O.S.
Just equip the T.F.O.S.
Hero, Hero, when your plate starts to rust
Hero, Hero, just remember these rags are no fuss

T.F.O.S.
T.F.O.S.
T.F.O.S.
T.F.O.S.

[Kasreyn]

[Applauds wildly!!]

Somehow I knew you wouldn't let me down, Lemming. ^_^

Brings back good memories, thanks. =)

-Kasreyn

[DeeBye]

T.F.O.S.
T.F.O.S.
T.F.O.S.
T.F.O.S.

You scare me, Lemmy.