Ladder or Normal? Whats your Style?

[Lord_Olf]

Hail Dyntheos,

for me, it's Ladder Hardcore. As for the reason... it's a combination of things, I guess.

I play solo most of the time, teaming up with a friend of mine one or two times a week. I don't play public games too much, so I don't have to be afraid of the PK you stumble about once in a while. So, that makes hardcore a viable choice, and knowing you character will be GONE if you don't pay attention to that MSLEB is just so much more thrilling to me. It's just more of a challenge; I have played a little Softcore shortly before 1.10, seen people dying like flies in Cow and other games, and just had to think: "What's the use? They aren't even trying..."

Now, no disrespect meant to the SC players, but I just like HC for the extra challenge. Even if I lost my first HC ladder pala to a bad connection at lvl 27... bad luck!

Granted, I could have the same style of playing via open, but it's nice to be able to trade, and since there are as yet (at least that's what I hope) no dupes and hacks on the ladder, this is fine with me. I'm not interested in 6 socket WF, but it was nice to get hold of that PSapphire and Amn Rune yesterday so that I could cube my weapon up from normal to exceptional.

Also, as far as I have seen it, when I play public once in a while, the team spirit is better than it used to be. People do not really know yet what to expect from certain monsters (how much damage they do, how they react etc.), so everyone is playing more careful and trying to support the other players. I had a great time playing with some Bone Wall necros and Meteor sorcs... I contribute this to 1.10 in general, but also to the (maybe just supposedly) added difficulty of Ladder play.

But I guess these are all more or less arguments HC contra SC...

Well, I guess maybe it's just the fact that there IS a ladder there that made me start a ladder character... but then again, what do I have to lose (aside from a few hours of sleep).

Aside from that, considering the arguments you mentioned: I can understand about the items, but I wanted to have a fresh start. Again, to each his own. And in six months, I guess one could up with two, maybe three or even more high-level characters and have good fun in the meantime. I have and had no intention of having an acc full of lvl 99 chars, in 1.09, all of mine got retired around 85.

As for the usual b.net player, you'll have that problem in every game, be it ladder, non-ladder, HC or SC, so it wouldn't be something that would make me chose on of those above the others. But as I said, I think the party play on HC ladder is better than anything I've seen before, so I have to respectfully disagree with you there.

For items, well, if all those players start running Meph, Baal, or whomever, what can you do? Again, it'll happen in ladder and in non-ladder.

So, I've got to come to and end here, I need to get some shopping done ;)

As I see it, there are not too many reasons for either style of play, the only two objective things that I see in favor of playing ladder are that

- party play seems to be better on HC Ladder
- Ladder seems to be more difficult

Aside from that, I guess it's just a matter of what you personally prefer, with not too many good arguments for either style.

Greeting,
Lord_Olf