.. When you just can't manage to stay away :)

[Fragbait]

ninja troop

[[wcip]Angel]

I ran a search on google and got lots of hits, but none were D2-related. Would you mind explaining what this is?

Alternatively, could someone please post their account and help me mule? My character is almost full, and I want to play on :)

[Fragbait]

Hi [wcip]Angel,

Of course I will explain the loopback adapter, or at least will give my best in trying... :D
The loopback adapter of Windows XP can be installed manually over the 'install hardware' option of your system controls. This may take some time, 'cause it's kinda hard to find, but...
If you installed it, you can activate it or deactivate it. Once activated, it pretends that there is a tcp/ip network running ON your single pc (it kind of loops back like a loophole B) ). This can be used to get into one DiabloII or LoD multiplayer game that one of your computers users created (say user A), with another user of the same computer and the same ip (user B ). This can be achieved by clicking the 'logout' button on your startmenu, and choosing 'change user' (if you already have 2 different user accounts on the pc, otherwise you'll have to make a new one). Then choose user B and logon to windows. Start DiabloII and try to connect to the game user A is holding open. This works with the same character even (haven't tested it, but I believe it). Now you can get everything what lies on the floor with your second character. To lay some more things on the floor, you have to switch back to user A. This is basically the same as switching items from character to character with ATMA, I guess. Of course that's just one thing one can do with the loopback adapter, but I think it's the most common thing ;) .

This should help you when you're playing singleplayer or open. If you don't play open, this won't work, because the files aren't stored on your pc, of course. If you're playing closed, you may still need some good ol' friend to mule for you. Good luck!


Greetings, Fragbait

Edit: Argh, a B ) got to a B)...

[[wcip]Angel]

I probably should've mentioned I'm playing closed b.net. But thanks for the explanation.

Too bad I don't have any friends who still play the game .. :(

[Baajikiil]

I probably should've mentioned I'm playing closed b.net. But thanks for the explanation.

Well, if it was west HCL, I'd help out but I get the impression it is not. There are methods of self muling available on the realms.

The most tried and true is to simply make a private game. Burn it in for 5 minutes or so, then commence muling. B.net will keep the game open for a few minutes even if there is no player in it, as long as the game has been burned in for the first 5 minutes.

Now, this method is not completely fool proof, and *very rarely* your game will be gone when you try to come back, but it does the job fairly well. Also, be sure not to leave/enter the game too quickly(leave say 5 seconds between each join/leave) or Blizzard's bot detector will pick you up and temporarily ban you from B.net. I've had this happen to me twice, and boy did that teach me a lesson.

[[wcip]Angel]

It sounds a little too risky for me :) But thanks for the tip, anyway.

To the two people who PMed me: (You know who you are ;) )

I am replying here instead of PMing both of you individually. I hope that is alright. You shouldn't feel like you have to reply to this if you don't want to.

First off I just want to say "thank you" for volounteering to help a total stranger. I will of course reciprocate by doing the same for you, should you need it.

Seeing as I don't have any of you in my Trillian(MSN)-list, I think the best thing for me (and possibly for you as well) to do, is just add your accounts to my friends-list, and if I see you online, I'll ask if you're not too busy to help me out. If you are too busy, I'll just wait till you're done. Muling shouldn't take too long, so it shouldn't be too much of an inconvenience.

If you're interested, we could also do some trading while we're at it. I'm currently hoarding chipped gems. (I won't go into any details, as I am fully aware of the taboo on trading-talk on The Lounge, which I completely respect.)

Again, thank you very much. I will add you to my Friends-list the next time I play. (I play on the European realm, by the way.)

(I'm going to be a bit busy in the next fee weeks. I completed my essay on the European expansion between 1400-1600, but still have 2 essays and 3 exams left before june 4th, so I won't be able to play much; if at all, before then.)

Best regards

- [winzip]Angel

[[wcip]Angel]

Thanks again for helping me mule my stuff :)

I just completed Act 5 had level 33. I bought an act5 merc, but have not been able to acquire a decent sword yet. I think he's using tancred's armor (for life and defense).

I found out today that I can't summon both dire wolves and the grizzly simultaniously. Obviously, I should stick to one of them, but which one?

By the way, hurricane kicked donkey! I can't wait to get this thing up to lvl 35-40 and wreak havoc in the cow level.

Also, how are elemental druids as MF-characters? I gather they're not as good as sorcs, but they shouldn't be too dependent on the gear, should they?

[Obi2Kenobi]

I found out today that I can't summon both dire wolves and the grizzly simultaniously. Obviously, I should stick to one of them, but which one?

My preference is Grizzly. However, since they synergize each other, you could use both, depending on the situation! :P

[[wcip]Angel]

But wouldn't that be wasteful? Shouldn't I concentrate on maxing Hurricane as well as some other fire-spell (so I can kill PICIs) instead of wasting them on summonables?

Question: How does the cow lvl work now? Is it still exploitable? I seem to remember you could take the cow level as many times you wanted as long as you didn't kill the king. Is that still true? Not that it matters much, I don't think I'll spend much time in the cow level, even though hurricane ripped through the veal like a hot knife through tender, oh-so tender, veal.

[Obi2Kenobi]

Definately no on the fire skill. They require many points to be able to have any effect in Hell/late nightmare. You should probably also keep your summons to a minimum of points, just saying you can chose between the two without feeling "wasteful".

And now, for my long article on the Cow Level (actually, it is my shortened version with only the relevant parts contained...):

There are, however, certain flags to determine if your character is prevented from ever making a cow level in a certain difficulty again (but you can still go through the Red Portal made by other players).
a ) You kill the Cow King.
or B ) Someone in the Cow Level (contrary to popular belief, it doesn't matter if s/he is partied with you or not) who has not already killed the King kills the King with you in the Cow Level. If the King killer has already killed the King in a previous game, you will still be able to make the Portal. If you are partied with a killer who hasn't killed the king, but you aren't in the Cow Level, you will still be able to make the Portal.

So you can take the portal however many times you want, there is only a restriction on making the cow level.

[[wcip]Angel]

Update:

I just killed off Duriel in Nightmare at level 49, and this is what I look like:
http://www.home.no/lzp/plan.jpg

As you can see, I've maxed out hurricane, and I'm building a hefty grizzly to tank for me. With all the Physical/Cold-immunes I'll be meeting in Hell, is really Tornado the way to go? I guess i have to, as I don't see any effective fire spells. Fissure takes too long and is more for crowds than a single PI/CI unique monster.

Also, what should I invest my 130 attribute points in? I had no problems completing act 2 with this set-up. I tend to die quite easily at the hands of scarabs and other lightning enchanted monsters, but that's because my resistance to that element is so low, and not necessarily due to low hp.

I don't do melee combat at all. I run around with my hurricane slowing monsters down while my barbarian and grizzly take care of them. I use tornado mostly for big crowds and for Cold immunes, where Hurricane is useless.

1. Tornado or fire skill?
2. Vitality, Dex or energy?'

Also, I'm using the lvl 30 spirit, not the lvl 18. As you can see, I haven't exactly been thrifty with my skill-allocation. I wasted too much on the fire tree as well as the dire wolves, not to mention the nonsensical choice of a spirit.

Tips, comments?

edit: Screw it! I'm in Travincal, with 150 attribute points un-used, and I'm getting my butt kicked! I'm spending it on vitality, and nobody can stop me!

[Obi2Kenobi]

Physical/Cold-immunes I'll be meeting in Hell, is really Tornado the way to go?

If you meet a Physical+Cold Immune monster, your in trouble. But better to be effective against all but the Ph+C immune than against all but anything Cold Immune (if you go fire, you probably won't do enough damage).

Also, I'm using the lvl 30 spirit, not the lvl 18. As you can see, I haven't exactly been thrifty with my skill-allocation. I wasted too much on the fire tree as well as the dire wolves, not to mention the nonsensical choice of a spirit.

You can still switch back to the Heart of Wolverine. It's better than Spirit of Barbs, even at a lower level.

Screw it! I'm in Travincal, with 150 attribute points un-used, and I'm getting my butt kicked! I'm spending it on vitality, and nobody can stop me!

I wasn't going to. ;) I would have chosen vitality as well. Although since I do play HC...

[[wcip]Angel]

A question about cubing:

I now have about 200 chipped gems.

At what lvl should I start cubing chipped gems and colossus blades/swords for the magical sword with random affixes + 3 empty sockets-thing?

[adeyke]

In 1.10, you only get 1-2 sockets, not 3. The chipped recipe also works on all (magic) weapons, not just swords.

If you do want to chippy colossus blades/swords, you can do so at any level. Your level doesn't have any effect whatsoever on the outcome of the recipe. Colossus blades/swords will always have a chance at cruel.