A Mini Shrine Run

[dotPlaid]

Howdy.

My desktop pc ist kaput at the moment, so I'm writing this hello from my laptop. Turns out the laptop doesn't much like my Diablo disk, so after imaging it to my hdd, and addressing an odd sound issue, I'm patched and running amok.

I found (rather, the installer found) some old characters from a few years ago; among them a 37th level naked mage named dotBailey. I noticed that his Chain Lightning slvl was 11, which seemed a bit high on a cursory glance. My concern was confirmed in a NM/Hell game last night, when several gaps appeared in my attempt to take out some Lava Maws.

I decided that tonight I would use the Enchanted Shrine 'feature' re: CL. I started a Normal game and practiced my Teleporting skills seeking ESs on dlvls 1-8. Within a few levels I was seeking a better search algorithm than 'ok go over here now,' but I digress. I found a shrine on dlvl 2 or 3 of that first game, and opened my Spell Book to watch my CL slvl drop to 10. 12?! Crud. Still, it could've been worse than Tele'ing away with a slvl 13 Holy Bolt.

It wasn't until the Cats of the second game that I came across another, and soon the red-faced mage was sportin' a slvl 13 CL. Two more 'clears' of 1-8 and dotBailey, who would've been pleased as punch with slvl 7 or 8, had managed to max out his Chain Lightning. Now, four games was probably not enough to be considered a true shrine run, but still! Maybe if I turn the laptop over and play upside down the electrons will flow correctly and give me a freaking break....

Query: would it've been more productive to quit Diablo each game, rather than just make a new game? I know that the randomness increases with each dlvl entered, but I take that in the context of -within the same game.

I'm not giving up, though, heck no. But for the time being, I'll be dotBailey the Wallflower.

Cheers.
dotPlaid

[Urza-DSF]

If I remember this correctly, an Enchanted shrine spawned on dlvl1, or the first dlvl that you enter for that matter, will always hit CL because thats what its "set" to hit first because there is something strange with how the shrine spawns and it lacks a random tag. However, if an enchanted shrine is spawned on another dlvl on a tile that had been randomized on a previous dlvl, then the shrines effect is truly random. Thus, the more dlvl's you clear, the more of a chance that enchanted shrines that you encounter will hit a random spell.

I'm sure someone will post the exact wording as well, but this is just the basics as I can remember em.

[Nystul]

Query: would it've been more productive to quit Diablo each game, rather than just make a new game? I know that the randomness increases with each dlvl entered, but I take that in the context of -within the same game.


It would have been more productive, yes. You were trying to get a chunk of memory that Diablo uses as close to it's initial state (all 0s) as possible, and that state is created when you start up the program, not when you start a new game.

But, the cheesiness of the above process aside, if you are having problems controlling clvl 11 CL on level 13-15, to me that sounds more like a tactical problem than having too much of the spell. CL gapping should really only be a problem for characters who are telespamming it, doing experience runs in the church, cats, or caves. It never bothered me to have level 19 CL.

[Yogi_Baar]

But, the cheesiness of the above process aside, if you are having problems controlling clvl 11 CL on level 13-15, to me that sounds more like a tactical problem than having too much of the spell.  CL gapping should really only be a problem for characters who are telespamming it, doing experience runs in the church, cats, or caves.  It never bothered me to have level 19 CL.

Indeed. My sorcerer had slvl 19 CL as well, and as long as I positioned him in a corner or in front of a doorway before casting it, it was a very effective spell. If the enemies were all around him, the lightning streaks would go in all directions and it was almost useless.

dotPlaid, you might want to check out this CL analysis page. It has all the tips you should know when using CL.

Good luck.

[dotPlaid]

Howdy,

Thanks, Yogi_Baar, for the link - I'd skimmed that site some time ago while looking for something else and promptly forgot about it. I suspect it'll be much easier to become skilled in using high level CL than struggling to keep it a midlevel spell.

'Preciate all the input, lurkers.

Cheers.