Building a character for Hell Mode and uber Tristram

[TheKingofKewl]

Hi. Its been many years since I've played this game and at that time I just played till I finished Hell mode. I never did get my torches and never had a powerful character to truly boast about.

I am looking to build a powerful and hopefully fun to play build that can take me to hell mode to conquer and beyond to get my beat uber Tristram.

I have been considering a zealot or trapper build. I love melee but not sure if I want to create a barbarian. But I am open to pretty much anything. A good build with maybe good mf to.

Problem is what build. I've seen frost zealots and lightning trappers and so many others. And you always have someone criticizing the build saying how can you build that without crushing blow or conviction or some other skill. Or your build is way too slow, on someone's that destroys everything without a swing but seems to linger.

So what are some preferred, tried and tested, strong and fast builds worth a go? And the skills and items needed for them.

Thanks for sharing :-)

[TheKingofKewl]

Went with a Zealot and made a barb to hold runes and a sorc I'm leveling now who will do countess runs.

I've heard Uber is not for the average player, for it can take years in legit play to get good enough and even than you usually need friends.

But I've heard that since 1.13 drop rates on medium-high runes were increased significantly. So here is hoping.

Hi. Its been many years since I've played this game and at that time I just played till I finished Hell mode. I never did get my torches and never had a powerful character to truly boast about.

I am looking to build a powerful and hopefully fun to play build that can take me to hell mode to conquer and beyond to get my beat uber Tristram.

I have been considering a zealot or trapper build. I love melee but not sure if I want to create a barbarian. But I am open to pretty much anything. A good build with maybe good mf to.

Problem is what build. I've seen frost zealots and lightning trappers and so many others. And you always have someone criticizing the build saying how can you build that without crushing blow or conviction or some other skill. Or your build is way too slow, on someone's that destroys everything without a swing but seems to linger.

So what are some preferred, tried and tested, strong and fast builds worth a go? And the skills and items needed for them.

Thanks for sharing :-)

[Hammerskjold]

It's been awhile so I'm rusty in my D2\LoD-ing.

From the last time I did play, in general uber trist builds don't always overlap with general Hell mode.

Smiters were\are popular for uber trist iirc, due to the specific conditions of Uber Tristram. IIRC, uber tristram conditions are hostile to magic\elemental AoE skill builds.

I've played various smiters, finished Hell mode with it, and he can be a great boss killer. He's pretty slow, if he's just using smite as a main attack for everything else that is non boss monsters though. I never pursued Uber Tristram myself however, since I was getting a bit burnt out on the game.

You might get more answers and feedback over at the Amazon Basin.

Good luck sir.

[TheKingofKewl]

Thanks Hammer. Pushed my sorceress up to level 65, she is CL & FO. I made her mostly to mf for my zealot and do nightmare countess runs. But I fear that even with increased rune drop rates this will take forever. I want to make Chains of Honor and a weapon. Either: Grief, Last Wish or Breathe of the Dying. (probably the second). Then my Paladin needs an excellent unique or runeword shield. By the time I get enough runes the ladder will probably be over. I've tried to find out what runewords are ladder only in 1.13.

[Hammerskjold]

Thanks Hammer. Pushed my sorceress up to level 65, she is CL & FO. I made her mostly to mf for my zealot and do nightmare countess runs. But I fear that even with increased rune drop rates this will take forever.

Yeah, even with the increased rate it's still from what I remembered, can be fairly dismal. Which was a step up I guess from really, really dismal, but that's not saying much.

I want to make Chains of Honor and a weapon. Either: Grief, Last Wish or Breathe of the Dying. (probably the second). Then my Paladin needs an excellent unique or runeword shield. By the time I get enough runes the ladder will probably be over. I've tried to find out what runewords are ladder only in 1.13.

Again just off my memory, and I will say the AB has much better guides then my off the cuff noggin recollection.

IIRC one or possibly all the uber boss has fast regen rate, so an item with 'Open Wound' to stop their regen is also favoured.

There was one poorman smiter write up that may or may not be of interest to you.

http://wiki.theamazonbasin.com/index.php...r_Tristram

I don't mean that 'use his guide, steam roll uber trist'. That write up is not really a guide, and to me it wasn't written as one. It does IMO, contain some interesting ideas in how to tackle uber tristram.

I personally found high resist, 2 socket paladin shields to be great when made into a 'Rhyme' shield. Even a 4 socket high resist, plain white stuffed with perfect diamonds or resist fire\lightning perfect gems can be a life saver.

Then again I tend to play low ac high elemental resist chars, so my gears are nearly standardized. Every char I have tend to aim for 'Smoke' armour.
Melee chars tend to aim for a 'Crescent Moon' weapon, or 'Black', or 'Lawbringer'.

Good luck to you sir, you have more patience than me on even gearing up for an uber trist expedition.

[TheKingofKewl]

I'll take a look at the guide and see what I can do. Cause these countess runs aren't as profitable as I'd wish them to be. I don't think it was necessary to make these runes 1 in 2 million a chance to drop, that's ridiculous. And these ladder resets are frustrating cause they put pressure on playing obsessively if you want high end runewords, because some of the best are ladder only.

Thanks for the guide, I'm glad you sent it cause its either that or I'd end up having to buy a few high end runes cause I would never make it all in 6 months. I never liked the ladder, seems pointless (in my perspective, I mean to offense to people who enjoy it). Its just you get people playing 24 hour, friends taking over or people botting, so its abused. And the cost is pressure on the player who wants to play casual to average amount but wants to build special items over a lengthy period of time. The ladder resets and all your friends move on.

[Hammerskjold]

I'll take a look at the guide and see what I can do. Cause these countess runs aren't as profitable as I'd wish them to be. I don't think it was necessary to make these runes 1 in 2 million a chance to drop, that's ridiculous. And these ladder resets are frustrating cause they put pressure on playing obsessively if you want high end runewords, because some of the best are ladder only.

Yup. I wasn't a big fan of 'Ladder only, SP need not apply' to access the 'scluse' RW\contents.

Somewhere along the line of tweaks and patches, I think a big chunk of 'it's just a fun video game' got tossed out for me.

Anyhow, one thing I remembered that may or may not affect your Paladin. IIRC if your Conviction is higher than a monster's conviction aura, your char will override and cancel theirs. Uber Mephisto has Conviction IIRC, but I don't remember if your paladin can override his aura with just maxed natural Conviction, or you need a skill adder.

I've heard of some players using Salvation instead, I tend to prefer Conviction overall. But that's definitely an individual play style\choice thing.

And the cost is pressure on the player who wants to play casual to average amount but wants to build special items over a lengthy period of time. The ladder resets and all your friends move on.

Yep. I wonder sometimes if bliz painted themselves into a corner on that one. Too long, and dupes build up. Too short, and the few non-cheating players left are screwed.

Then again I'd consider myself in the very small minority of wishing to do away with the 'Ladder Only' restriction, and just release all contents for all modes.

That's probably not going to happen for various reasons already beaten to fine glue paste.

[TheKingofKewl]

The poor man's guide doesn't look like it uses conviction, just smite, holy shield and fanaticism I think. I can always reset my stats though :-) when time comes.

I'll take a look at the guide and see what I can do. Cause these countess runs aren't as profitable as I'd wish them to be. I don't think it was necessary to make these runes 1 in 2 million a chance to drop, that's ridiculous. And these ladder resets are frustrating cause they put pressure on playing obsessively if you want high end runewords, because some of the best are ladder only.

Yup. I wasn't a big fan of 'Ladder only, SP need not apply' to access the 'scluse' RW\contents.

Somewhere along the line of tweaks and patches, I think a big chunk of 'it's just a fun video game' got tossed out for me.

Anyhow, one thing I remembered that may or may not affect your Paladin. IIRC if your Conviction is higher than a monster's conviction aura, your char will override and cancel theirs. Uber Mephisto has Conviction IIRC, but I don't remember if your paladin can override his aura with just maxed natural Conviction, or you need a skill adder.

I've heard of some players using Salvation instead, I tend to prefer Conviction overall. But that's definitely an individual play style\choice thing.

And the cost is pressure on the player who wants to play casual to average amount but wants to build special items over a lengthy period of time. The ladder resets and all your friends move on.

Yep. I wonder sometimes if bliz painted themselves into a corner on that one. Too long, and dupes build up. Too short, and the few non-cheating players left are screwed.

Then again I'd consider myself in the very small minority of wishing to do away with the 'Ladder Only' restriction, and just release all contents for all modes.

That's probably not going to happen for various reasons already beaten to fine glue paste.