Ancients

[AndreasBerg.se]

I have level 65 (paladin), with an armour (def 980) + a lots of other good stuff. On the Normal level, I can easily beat the ancients (well, wasn't the hardest battle in the game), but now on Nightmare, they are impossible. It doesn't seems to matter if I gain more levels, they are still too hard (a couple of hits from the strongest one and I die). I've tried with a lots of full rev. potions, but they run out too fast. (I don't do enough damage to kill one of them)

And ideas? Any fixes in any patch? (I'm using 1.07)

[Taurean]

What kind of Paladin are you building, if you are specifying in anything? And it would be helpful if you told us all your gear =)

Ancients are pretty tough. You can look forward to meeting them in Hell ^_^

I suggest you download the latest patches (1.11). Pretty much everyone uses it nowadays. I don`t remember if you can use Mercenaries in 1.07, but i don`t think so. They help out quite a bit.

[AndreasBerg.se]

Not sure what you mean by "type of paladin"? You mean the way I develop it?
For example which skills I select, and how I share the points after each gained level?

I normally share my 5 points like this, 2, 2, 1, 0 (attack, def, health, mana)
Sometimes, 1,3,1,0 (defensive move)
20 points on Zeal (and the rest evenly shared over other skills)

I'm not at home for the moment, so I can't check my gear, but looks something like this:

(values = def)
Helmet = 270
Armour = 980
Belt = 50
Boots = 90
Shield = 150 (with many resistances, 66% lightning etc.)

Weapon = Some dagger, 36-88


I have hired a guy from Kurast, with ice-magic and his level is also 65. His gear:

Helmet = 200
Armour = 760
Shield = hmm... don't remember, but probably weaker than mine

Weapon = Sword, well, up too 100 (hmm... he has a stronger weapon than me???) :D

Well, I can try to download 1.11 and see if it fixes something.

[Taurean]

^_^ I`m not sure if you know of this yet, but poeple have started writing guides across the internet about every character, and how to build them\make the as strong as possible. With Paladins, you have several builds and they are considered the strongest character in most ways. Some builds are: Zealer, Smiter, Hammerdin, Auradin, Avenger .. Which all have different strenghts.

By looking at your stats, i`d say yours look most like a Zealer, since you`ve maxed that skill. Your Right-hand Skill should be lvl 20 Fanatisicm, and you should max Sacrifice since it has a synergy-bonus to Zeal, but that is only availible in the 1.11 patch.

Your gear i must say does`nt look like the best, or next best .. And Act 3 mercs are considered the weakest of them all. Act 2 mercs are considered the most useful.

Anyways, i hope this was of some help ^_^ I hope you decide to download latest patches. I`m sure there are some Paladin-experts that know how to make a 1.07 version Pala strong, but it`s a long time ago and you might be one a crash course with your Pala.... Meaning you might have to start over to really make one that can kill fast ;)

[AndreasBerg.se]

I've checked a few guides. According to the guides, I think there is things I could done better of course. Before I decide if I should start over from the very beginning or keep developing my current character (with patch 1.11), there is a few questions I want to ask:

1) I'm at lv 65 now, but which is the highest level? 99?
I think it will take a while to gain another 15-25 levels to correct
my "mistakes".

2) Sometimes, it doesn't feel like better gear or higher levels help much. Sometimes, I even seems weaker. Is it supposed to be like that, or could it be a bug? For example, I had an armour with 350 def, lv 55-60. Tried fighting the ancients, died in a couple of blows from the strongest one. No difference at all, now at lv 65, with a stronger armor (980)+some other better gear than before. I bet I could drop all gear, and get the same results... :D

3) You said my gear isn't the best. Well, that's what I managed to find (in shops, or by slaying enemies). How can I find better?

4) Is there any known problems a newer patch (1.11) could fix to help me in my situation? Any lists of all fixed problems from v1.07 to 1.11?

[AndreasBerg.se]

Hmm. I've been installing 1.11, but didn't solved my problem, and the game seems even harder than before. And Zeal works really bad now.

Is it better to start over from the beginning? (will require many more bottles of whiskey)

[Taurean]

Sorry, i`ve been missing this thread.

1) Highest level is 99, but i will assure you that getting to that lvl is a thing very few ppl does, because it take two weeks IF you play intensively, and doing consistent Baalruns in hell, with 8 players. And that is a hard thing to do, really.... because some games always crash and you must do other thing in between. So we`re looking at maybe a month.

Most players "leave" their players at lvl 85-92. That`s how i got it in any case.

2)If that is a bug, it`s something i have never read of, or heard of. One thing i`m thinking of, is that he might have the "Fire enchanted"-modifier, the one who kills you, and then armor does`nt matter... but Fire resist does. That`s just a thought though.

The ancients are a pretty tough fight overall, so don`t loose hope if you keep dying. Those guides should help you on your way. If they don`t, post a thread in the "Technical Discussion"-thread and ask for help. You will get through ^_^

3)Alright, i admit that. It is`nt easy to find good gear. There are a few ways though. You must equip as much +% to Magic Find-gear as possible, without completely weakening yourself, and run earlier and easier bosses many many times over. That way you might get better gear, and then become stronger. You can also trade for gear. The third way is hoping you`ve been a good kid and hope someone gives you Free ;)

4) Not that i`m sure of. Monsters have different lvls of life, dmg and stuff.

Next Post:

If i ever get online the next few days, i will help you out. Either way, try to ask for help\Rush. Bringing a new character up would be far better than continuing on something that will never work properly .... sry but that`s how it is x) Let go of the old to make better progress, if it is needed.

[AndreasBerg.se]

Hmm... I have a shield with many different resistances against magic (lightning, cold, fire) + an amulet with all resistances, but not sure if the fire resistance is in total more than 40-50% perhaps. I've always been weak against lightning (hate lightning enchanted enemies), but fire enchanted guys also makes great damages sometimes. I have many perfect rubies in my chest, so maybe I could fix a good armour for this battle...?

[kwittstruck]

thing is in 1.07 you didnt have the synergies i dont think either, when you upgraded to 1.11 you might not have had the skills to synergise the zeal proprly if thats what your using. PvM i dont see what else you might be other then smite and or hammers. I would check your skills since the update for synergies an possibly you may have to rebuild. getting to lvl 60-70 isnt too time consuming really, even if you just play moderat. Ive had a zeal before and i chewed threw NM ancients like they were nothing. GL in the future fights.

[AndreasBerg.se]

You could check my character, if you download my save files, http://www.andreasberg.se/files/Andreas-D2.zip

[kwittstruck]

Yea after looking at your stats, i think you may need to rework your char, You really dont need 1 point in every aura for 1, and 2 i honestly dont know what exactly kind of build you were going for. only thing that tells me its a zeal is the maxed zeal itself. the rest is pretty much screwed up no offence of course. I recomment you check out the zealer on the palidin section giv you an idea :D

[Shallie]

If you've upgraded from 1.07 to 1.11 you won't stand a chance as you probably haven't spent points into the synergies. Synergies have become essential after they were integrated in the game.

I'd suggest you to read some guides to get an idea how chars should be built. Here are two Zealer guides: Zealot Guide (http://forums.diabloii.net/showthread.php?t=356928); Frost Zealot Guide (http://strategy.diabloii.net/news.php?id=542).

[AndreasBerg.se]

Well, about skills. Simply didn't know what I should spend all points on. I found Zeal useful and maxed that one. Haven't really needed any other skills, until now??? Of course, I die sometimes on some bosses, but in other fights I can return, return, return,.... sooner or later, the boss fall to the ground... :rolleyes:

This fight is different, because the ancients reset if I leave in some way. Just think it's strange, they wasn't so hard on the Normal level, but now on Nightmare.... :eek:

I've checked the Paladin - Zealer guide a little bit. I will try the ancients with a better shield (with much fire resistace), if that would help? If I fail, I'll start over from the beginning and follow this guide.

[kwittstruck]

To be honest i dont know how you would be able to even with a high shield, cause If you do manage to get to hell mode, with so many points used that you cant get back, your going to have some serious troubles.Honestly i dont know how your going to beat meph/diablo/baal in nm. And the ancients dont reset as you say, they regenerate their life that quickly, and even faster in hell...
GL

[Taurean]

The harsh words that we all mean to say is: Scrap your current Paladin, build a new one. And by all means: I`m sure you will find someone to rush you.

By the week i would have moved out to my new apartment, and i hope i`ve got the time to play a little. If we can hook up, i`ll see if i have a few free items for you and rush you a little ^_^

[AndreasBerg.se]

Well, the shield was just an idea. If my fire resistance is too low, then a socked shield with a couple of rubies could help a bit?

The thing is, I have no problems at all against the most enemies. But I take much damage against fire- and lightning enchanted guys (and one of the ancient guys, he makes some kind of spin attack = fire attribute???). Often, if I stay too close to a fire enchanted guy when I kill him, I lose much life.

Well, just wanted to give it a try, another few more hours, couldn't hurt?


I just find it strange that I could manage to get this far (without using other skills than Zeal), and suddenly, the ancients "put a stick in the wheel".

[Taurean]

Sry for not taking that into account. Yes, if you found a 4 socketed shield, or even a 3 socketed, and put P rubies into it, you would have a viable shield for reducing Fire damage excessively.

Fire enchanted monsters explode on death, and i am not really sure how it is calculated.

Absolutely ;) I give you credit for trying..

Here`s information on the three barbarians, and all monsters in d2:

http://www.battle.net/diablo2exp/monsters/act5-talic.shtml

[AndreasBerg.se]

I think my low fire resistance was the reason why I had some problems with one of Nihlathaks attacks. I'm looking for a good socketed shield (of course, never find one when I need it)...

[Taurean]

Nihlathaks Corpse Explosion, or any Necros CE for that matter, deals 50% Fire dmg and 50% Physical dmg. They deal quite a lot too, considering they deal 60-100% of the exploded monsters Max life. Actually it is one of the most feared monster skills in the game...

So how far in progress have you come towars killing the ancients .. ?

[AndreasBerg.se]

I found a shield (with 3 sockets, but very low def). Even if I put 3 perfect rubies in it (=120% fire resistance), my fire restiance = 75% ??? And my lightning resistance, can't be higher than 77%. If if take all gear off, all resistance values is negative (around -20)?

However, I still die too fast against the ancients. Not sure if upgrading to 1.11was smart (in my current situation), because the game is even harder now.


But I decided to start over from the beginning. According to the zealer guide, I should only add str to wear gear? Any suggestions about how to share the 5 points after each level? 0,2,3,0 or sometimes 1,2,2,0 ??? (str,dex,vit,mana)

[kwittstruck]

What i do and i found very useful, for the first few levels split it between dex and str evenly to wear the gear to be able to do some damage and defence. However once you get to an amount of your liking then only add str and dex enough for gear as needed, save up to 25 pts and only use that when needed for gear. Anything over 25pts drop in vitality. That should get you threw the game quite well without having to worry about leveling just to put pts in str. When you need the extra points just pull it out of the 25 reserved and build the reserve back up untill you reach 25 again. Keep in mind that str and dex for gear is also after + to str and dex is factered in too. For a pally most strength ive ever used was 100 and that was classic. in LOD i find a lot more +str items so not so much str is needed.
For dex i would still go for max block AFTER holy shield is applied, Please check the block calc i have for an estimate in dex for that. GL to your new build :D

[AndreasBerg.se]

Thanks for your help! :D

Yeah, I think I put too many points on str and dex on my old character. And only 91 pts on vitality (which was way too low... 180-200 would be better I think).

[Taurean]

=/ All those posts i`ve written and not a word of gratitude ^_^ I`m apalled.

J\k ^^

[AndreasBerg.se]

Thanks for your help! :)

(I'm sorry, I forgot... :( )

[Archerdoom]

Hmm, your weapon is extremely weak. If you have 1 point into each aura, put Zeal as your left click and Fanaticism on the right, for damage and speed.

Are you on single player or Bnet?

[AndreasBerg.se]

I'm a single player. Not sure what kind of stuff you guys find. Where do I find better stuff (and will there be any changes at that area now when I upgraded to 1.11?)?

[Taurean]

If you think Mephisto was a fair fight, my suggestion is to go back to him, and kill him over and over, until he drop better stuff... Diablo is a little far reached, and a little too strong as well, maybe.

It might sound tedious, but that`s how the game works, at least for the gear part.

You could download a program called ATMA, which allows you to store items you find, and trade them via other SP players. I`m not too sure how it works, but i know there are som very generous SP players on this very forum ;)

[AndreasBerg.se]

Ok, I will try when I make some more progress with my new character.

Thanks for your tip! :D

[kwittstruck]

I have atma, myself and it works wonders. Think of it as the mule pulling the whole convoy, theres no limit :D Also now that you have 1.11 I might suggest RRM/RWM which turns your runes red in color to stand out more and the RWM enables ladder only words for single player play.Ive got some ok gear for a paladin but nothing too godly yet, Im sure i can hook you up with something useful, just let me know when you get atma going. (check my sig for atma and mods)

[AndreasBerg.se]

Haven't tried ATMA yet, but can I move stuff there temporary? For example if I carry too much stuff and need more space?

Now when I started over from the beginning, I've found a lots of chipped gems (and it's a while until I get the cube). Just a few free squares... any suggestions? :D

[kwittstruck]

ATMA lol You can put whatever you want in atma, and take it back out when ever. You just cant have the game running when you put things in or take things out or it will mess up. So all you have to do is when your inventory/stash in game gets full. Find a suitable stopping point save and exit, open up atma, load your char, load or creat your stash, drop and drag, close both windows (char and stash) close atma, restart game and all changes made will be done. Fresh empty inventory/stash. well with the exception of anything you wanted to keep on hand :D Its a very useful program.

[AndreasBerg.se]

Wow! :)

That's exactly what I need! Thanks for the tip!