Set item drop in Hell question

[vmxa]

I figure I may as well tap some of the knowledge here. I noticed that I have not seen a set item dropped since the first unique I killed in the Blood Moor. This was within minutes of going into Hell mode.

I am down to the Palace on the way to the Arcane Sanctum (act II) and was a bit surprised. I have seen many level bosses and even Andy drop next to nothing.

Countess and Smith did not evenn drop any rare/unique or much of anything.

Lots of massive battles like Maggot Lair, yield nothing. Some do not even drop a potion? Is it just that I only have one little MF ring?

I have forgone all the MF items as I figured I need the better punch. Will it get better or must I use more magic find?

[adeyke]

I figure I may as well tap some of the knowledge here. I noticed that I have not seen a set item dropped since the first unique I killed in the Blood Moor. This was within minutes of going into Hell mode.

I am down to the Palace on the way to the Arcane Sanctum (act II) and was a bit surprised. I have seen many level bosses and even Andy drop next to nothing.

Countess and Smith did not evenn drop any rare/unique or much of anything.

Lots of massive battles like Maggot Lair, yield nothing. Some do not even drop a potion? Is it just that I only have one little MF ring?

I have forgone all the MF items as I figured I need the better punch. Will it get better or must I use more magic find?
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First off, MF doesn't affect the base items or the number of drops in any way. So if a monster doesn't drop anything at all, it's not because of MF.

It's ironic that you specifically mention the Maggot Lair, since the maggot eggs and maggot young are among the (relatively) few monsters that will never drop anything. Generally speaking, any monster where you can get an infinite supply in a single game will give neither items nor experience.

Now, it's not at all unusual that you'll go some time without seeing set items. It's just chance. More MF will certainly help a bit, if you don't sacrifice your killing speed. For example, if you had 100% MF, you'd find 83% more set items than with 0% (less than 100% more due to diminishing returns). However, if that 100% MF gear means you'll cut your overall killing speed (i.e. monsters killed per time unit) in half, it'll actually make you find less set items over time.

This is more noticeable when the diminishing returns is harsher: From 400% MF to 500% MF, you get only 9% more set items. If, instead of the 100% MF gear, you wear something that increases your killing speed by 10%, that'd be better for set items over time.

[vmxa]

I am not sure if that is good news or bad, but thanks. I guess good, since I could only afford to punch up my MF a small amount. Even at using all my MF gear, it would not be over about 265%.

[whathuh]

Play with more people in the game. the nodrop chances decrease with more people actually in the game than without any. I've gotten one magic item from andariel once in a nm run. I was surprised, but she does have a large chance to drop nothing.

[vmxa]

Do you mean using "players n"? I was not too sure I could survive with that enabled. I am 5-10 levels below many of the monsters I am fighting, according to the charts.

Many of the dungeons are very perilous for my character, if as if often the case, I run into 6-10 monsters and they are cold immune and one other immunity.

[ldw]

Do you mean using "players n"? I was not too sure I could survive with that enabled. I am 5-10 levels below many of the monsters I am fighting, according to the charts.

Many of the dungeons are very perilous for my character, if as if often the case, I run into 6-10 monsters and they are cold immune and one other immunity.
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You could be somewhat cheesy and enable 'players n' to decrease the no-drop chance for a boss only just before the boss-area, e.g at stairs to Andariel's lair etc. (I think the effect is taken as you enter a new area).
This of course assumes you can kill the boss in 'players n' whatever n may be.

This also affects drops from chests. There is lots of chests in certain areas.
They may not drop that great but better a nice rare or somesuch than a no-drop roll.

If you character is too weak you may want to slum nightmare for a while to pick up items (unless you are playing all-clear-no-slums-allowed rules :) )

[lfd]

I think the effect is taken as you enter a new area
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Not quite. There's an active zone around the player, stretching a few screenwidths in the major compass directions around you. It's when this zone first reaches a monster that it is spawned with the additional life etc. that /players X causes.

Most named game areas are big enough that your active zone won't cover them; for instance, if you enter the durance of hate level 3 at /players 8, mephisto is too far away to be affected by it, and if you do /players 1 at the stairs, he'll be at 1-player stats when you get to him.