01-01-2004, 05:21 AM
Thanks to each of you for the fascinating insights! :)
I have to confess that, while I do a fair amount of cubing and do need chips, my primary interest was in finding an effective use for Kinemil's Awl. The sword dropped for me two or three times in 1.09, but my Paladins all had other builds and better weapons of the blunt variety. I tried one on a Barb merc, but was unimpressed.
ZyrChipFinder actually was conceived as a warehouse mule-- I was completely out of space, and needed to stash an Isenhart's helm and armor, a Cleglaw's sword, a Berserker axe, The Jade Tan Do, and an ethereal Culwen's Point-- most of these items found in a single Countess/The Pit run in NM. (The eth CP is going on my WoF Trapper's cold Iron Wolf when he reaches 29, along with a Lore circlet. Cold Iron Wolf with a Trapper? Don't ask...)
So, in a sense, ZCF was twinked, but he used only items he found himself until level 8, when he donned the Isenhart's gear. I intended to use the Cleglaw's sword as well, but he found a Superior Scepter with +1 to something irrelevant in the Den of Evil, and killed almost everything in one hit with it, so I saw no point in raising his strength enough to wield the Tooth.
I put the first skill point in Might, of course, and subsequent points into Resist Fire until level 6; after that, it was Holy Fire all the way. Bishibosh dropped Death's Hand-- awright!
ZCF had remarkably good luck finding chips in the early going; he had 20 by level 12. Pure coincidence, of course.
Conveniently, Elly, the faithful Fire Arrow Rogue, anounced "I feel much stronger now" for the third time (level 8) just as ZCF dinged 12. Major twinkage time: I transferred the Isenhart hat and body to Elly, and outfitted ZCF in Arctic Furs and Binding (+40% MF), Angelic Sickle, Wings, and 2*Halo (+1 all skills, +100% MF), and a two-Topaz Helm (+32% MF). (One may always hope to find a Gull in Normal, even in act 1, and I've already found a (poor, +17% MF) Nagelring in the Normal Act I Barracks on another character.)
Not only was ZCF s-l-o-w, but he had an amazing craving for Stamina Potions! When he reached 14, I gave him Vidala's Fetlock, solving both problems to my satisfaction. (No doubt he's still much slower than a teleporting sorc, but since he's looking at everything, instead of just listening for chips, that's OK with me.)
Andariel, of course, never knew what hit her. :D The fire-resistant Burning Dead in the Lut Gohlein Sewers weren't a problem. Beetles were a problem for poor Elly; she died several times in the clouds of Charged Bolts as ZCF killed them too quickly in the Far Oasis, Canyon of the Magi, and Tombs. Duriel, however, was a pushover.
ZCF met his match, though, in the Spider Cavern-- and lost, dying to Sszark The Burning and his mob of Flame Spiders. My fault! ZCF was using "found" shields: An ethereal Superior Rondache (21 def, 10% Resist All), and a plain Rondache (10 def, 9% Resist All) on the switch, matched with The Jade Tan Do. His fire resistance was only 20% with the Sickle and eth shield. It never even occurred to me to switch auras from Holy Fire to Resist Fire-- DOH! It DID occur to me to use the poisoned dagger when I went back, and Sszark and Co. were soon puddles on the cavern floor.
Strangeness in the Flayer Jungle: I found the Gidbinn, but the dagger never dropped. I think this was because I killed all the surrounding monsters before touching the Gidbinn. I'll have to go back... Oh, well, at least I have the waypoint...
ZCF dinged 23 about the time he and Elly dispatched Stormtree. After finding the Lower Kurast WP, I equipped him with Kinemil's Awl and-- since he was losing the +1 skills from the partial Angelic set anyway-- a Captain's Amulet of the Tiger (+1 Offensive Auras, +23 Life). This gave him slvl 25 Holy Fire (with 5 points in the Resist Fire synergy). The LCS showed his Attack damage as 372-485, with a Holy Fire aura doing 55-58 damage. I then started a new game and took the Stony Field WP.
Even though I knew what was supposed to happen, it was still laughing-out-loud hilarious to see it: All the monsters simply fell over dead when ZCF strolled by. The chips, though, weren't falling; contrary to his previous good luck, ZCF found only three chips in the Stony Field and Cold plains, and two of those were from chests. Taking the Black Marsh WP and headed for the Monastery, I reached Andariel quicker than I ever had before, and it was lots of fun. :)
MFing success for this project was so-so: Two Hsarus boots (always welcome!), a Cathan's ring (ditto!), and a lot of rares, including a series of decent bows for Elly, but no uniques.
ZyrChipFinder's future is unclear: There are a lot of Paladin possibilities I want to explore, on ZCF and his older brother Zyrylyon, who's currently level 21, with one point in each Combat Skill and Offensive Aura available to him, Vigor and prereq, and five unspent skill points. (Zyrylyon is very nicely equipped for his level. With the complete Death set and Steelclash set up for Zeal and Concentration, Bloodrise and Swordback Hold set up for Sacrifice and Concentration on the switch, Stealth Gothic Plate, Duskdeep, and rare FRW boots, he's simply devastating. But then, isn't that the point of a twinked character?)
I'd really, really like to find a four-socket scepter with +3 Holy Shock, into which I'd of course put Holy Thunder for +6 Hshock. I'm sitting on a four-socket War Scepter with +1 Conversion-- I may just put Holy Thunder into that, as Eth, Ral, Ort and Tal aren't exactly unobtanium. It seems to me that maxed Holy Shock and Holy Fire, with heavy investment in their synergies, might make an effective two-element Paladin. Discuss?
Also, I'm sitting on a couple of potentially powerful chilling weapons: Sureshrill Frost and Aldur's Rhythm. Holy Freeze might make a better second elemental attack for ZCF than Holy Shock. Discuss?
I also want to explore the Missionary possibilities of Conversion and Thorns using the Skewer of Krintiz, which Ignores Target Defense. (I know there are more powerful ITD weapons, but the Skewer is what I have, OK?)
At some point I'm sure ZyrChipFinder will play Ranger using the family Hellclap. (I know Raven Claw and the Kuko are more effective with Holy Fire because of the area damage from Exploding Arrow, but Hellclap (upgraded and socketed) is what I have, OK?)
Occhidiangela, your Lucretiazon is simply sick-- I love it! :D I have a young bowazon who'd be perfect to try it, and at level 21 she is able to equip The Jade Tan Do (180 poison damage by itself) on the switch, for potentially 300 points of right-click autoattack poison damage goodness...
I'm deeply grateful for all the feedback, insights, and suggestions-- please keep them coming! :)
I have to confess that, while I do a fair amount of cubing and do need chips, my primary interest was in finding an effective use for Kinemil's Awl. The sword dropped for me two or three times in 1.09, but my Paladins all had other builds and better weapons of the blunt variety. I tried one on a Barb merc, but was unimpressed.
ZyrChipFinder actually was conceived as a warehouse mule-- I was completely out of space, and needed to stash an Isenhart's helm and armor, a Cleglaw's sword, a Berserker axe, The Jade Tan Do, and an ethereal Culwen's Point-- most of these items found in a single Countess/The Pit run in NM. (The eth CP is going on my WoF Trapper's cold Iron Wolf when he reaches 29, along with a Lore circlet. Cold Iron Wolf with a Trapper? Don't ask...)
So, in a sense, ZCF was twinked, but he used only items he found himself until level 8, when he donned the Isenhart's gear. I intended to use the Cleglaw's sword as well, but he found a Superior Scepter with +1 to something irrelevant in the Den of Evil, and killed almost everything in one hit with it, so I saw no point in raising his strength enough to wield the Tooth.
I put the first skill point in Might, of course, and subsequent points into Resist Fire until level 6; after that, it was Holy Fire all the way. Bishibosh dropped Death's Hand-- awright!
ZCF had remarkably good luck finding chips in the early going; he had 20 by level 12. Pure coincidence, of course.
Conveniently, Elly, the faithful Fire Arrow Rogue, anounced "I feel much stronger now" for the third time (level 8) just as ZCF dinged 12. Major twinkage time: I transferred the Isenhart hat and body to Elly, and outfitted ZCF in Arctic Furs and Binding (+40% MF), Angelic Sickle, Wings, and 2*Halo (+1 all skills, +100% MF), and a two-Topaz Helm (+32% MF). (One may always hope to find a Gull in Normal, even in act 1, and I've already found a (poor, +17% MF) Nagelring in the Normal Act I Barracks on another character.)
Not only was ZCF s-l-o-w, but he had an amazing craving for Stamina Potions! When he reached 14, I gave him Vidala's Fetlock, solving both problems to my satisfaction. (No doubt he's still much slower than a teleporting sorc, but since he's looking at everything, instead of just listening for chips, that's OK with me.)
Andariel, of course, never knew what hit her. :D The fire-resistant Burning Dead in the Lut Gohlein Sewers weren't a problem. Beetles were a problem for poor Elly; she died several times in the clouds of Charged Bolts as ZCF killed them too quickly in the Far Oasis, Canyon of the Magi, and Tombs. Duriel, however, was a pushover.
ZCF met his match, though, in the Spider Cavern-- and lost, dying to Sszark The Burning and his mob of Flame Spiders. My fault! ZCF was using "found" shields: An ethereal Superior Rondache (21 def, 10% Resist All), and a plain Rondache (10 def, 9% Resist All) on the switch, matched with The Jade Tan Do. His fire resistance was only 20% with the Sickle and eth shield. It never even occurred to me to switch auras from Holy Fire to Resist Fire-- DOH! It DID occur to me to use the poisoned dagger when I went back, and Sszark and Co. were soon puddles on the cavern floor.
Strangeness in the Flayer Jungle: I found the Gidbinn, but the dagger never dropped. I think this was because I killed all the surrounding monsters before touching the Gidbinn. I'll have to go back... Oh, well, at least I have the waypoint...
ZCF dinged 23 about the time he and Elly dispatched Stormtree. After finding the Lower Kurast WP, I equipped him with Kinemil's Awl and-- since he was losing the +1 skills from the partial Angelic set anyway-- a Captain's Amulet of the Tiger (+1 Offensive Auras, +23 Life). This gave him slvl 25 Holy Fire (with 5 points in the Resist Fire synergy). The LCS showed his Attack damage as 372-485, with a Holy Fire aura doing 55-58 damage. I then started a new game and took the Stony Field WP.
Even though I knew what was supposed to happen, it was still laughing-out-loud hilarious to see it: All the monsters simply fell over dead when ZCF strolled by. The chips, though, weren't falling; contrary to his previous good luck, ZCF found only three chips in the Stony Field and Cold plains, and two of those were from chests. Taking the Black Marsh WP and headed for the Monastery, I reached Andariel quicker than I ever had before, and it was lots of fun. :)
MFing success for this project was so-so: Two Hsarus boots (always welcome!), a Cathan's ring (ditto!), and a lot of rares, including a series of decent bows for Elly, but no uniques.
ZyrChipFinder's future is unclear: There are a lot of Paladin possibilities I want to explore, on ZCF and his older brother Zyrylyon, who's currently level 21, with one point in each Combat Skill and Offensive Aura available to him, Vigor and prereq, and five unspent skill points. (Zyrylyon is very nicely equipped for his level. With the complete Death set and Steelclash set up for Zeal and Concentration, Bloodrise and Swordback Hold set up for Sacrifice and Concentration on the switch, Stealth Gothic Plate, Duskdeep, and rare FRW boots, he's simply devastating. But then, isn't that the point of a twinked character?)
I'd really, really like to find a four-socket scepter with +3 Holy Shock, into which I'd of course put Holy Thunder for +6 Hshock. I'm sitting on a four-socket War Scepter with +1 Conversion-- I may just put Holy Thunder into that, as Eth, Ral, Ort and Tal aren't exactly unobtanium. It seems to me that maxed Holy Shock and Holy Fire, with heavy investment in their synergies, might make an effective two-element Paladin. Discuss?
Also, I'm sitting on a couple of potentially powerful chilling weapons: Sureshrill Frost and Aldur's Rhythm. Holy Freeze might make a better second elemental attack for ZCF than Holy Shock. Discuss?
I also want to explore the Missionary possibilities of Conversion and Thorns using the Skewer of Krintiz, which Ignores Target Defense. (I know there are more powerful ITD weapons, but the Skewer is what I have, OK?)
At some point I'm sure ZyrChipFinder will play Ranger using the family Hellclap. (I know Raven Claw and the Kuko are more effective with Holy Fire because of the area damage from Exploding Arrow, but Hellclap (upgraded and socketed) is what I have, OK?)
Occhidiangela, your Lucretiazon is simply sick-- I love it! :D I have a young bowazon who'd be perfect to try it, and at level 21 she is able to equip The Jade Tan Do (180 poison damage by itself) on the switch, for potentially 300 points of right-click autoattack poison damage goodness...
I'm deeply grateful for all the feedback, insights, and suggestions-- please keep them coming! :)
Zyr