Started Hardcore Ladder Char Last Night

l2k-Spec-Ops_X

Administrator
Staff member
The D2 Ladder reset recently, so l2k-Outsider started a Hardcore Ladder char. I decided to follow suit.

I didn't realize this until starting the game, but I don't think I've played Diablo II in 10 years. When I first logged in, it seemed a bit foreign, but after a day of playing, it's all come back to me.

Hardcore means if your character dies... that's the end. No saves, no going back, no re-dos. You have to start all over.

I died three times in the first night while getting my sea legs. The first time was my fault in regular game-play, but the last two times were because of issues with the mouse after alt-tabbing while playing in windowed mode, and accidentally hitting the Windows key at an inopportune time...

I stopped playing in windowed mode, and found out that my keyboard can turn off the Windows key during play.

Things are going much smoother, and now I"m a level 24 Hammerdin. I was being very careful with this character, up to last night. I was in a group with an assassin, and I was going into chaos sanctuary for the first time in ten years. There was only one close call with the sanctuary itself, when I got stuck in the middle of a mob, but I re-logged before biting the dust. However, the real tough part was when we got to Diablo... I almost died several times. It was a good thing that I had 90% fire resistance, thanks to my first unique find, Hotspur boots, and some other items. That saved my bacon, otherwise I'd be insta-killed as soon as Diablo's Red Lightning Hose hit me. It took us a while, and several teleports to buy more healing potions, but we sleighed the beast.

I'd say the Hotspur boots have been my best drop so far. Hopefully more good loot will soon follow!
 

l2k-Spec-Ops_X

Administrator
Staff member
Here's the stats on my Hotspurs

[parsehtml]<table style="background:#000; border: 1px solid #2F0600; text-align: center;"><tr><td style="background:#2F0600; height: 70px; padding: .25em;"><span style="color: #A59263; font-size: 1.4em; letter-spacing: .15em; margin: .25em; font-family: Georgia;">Hotspur</span><br /><span style="font-size: .9em;"><a href="/Boots_(Diablo_II)" title="Boots (Diablo II)">Boots</a></span></td></tr><tr style="height: .75em;"><td></td></tr><tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td><div class="center"><div class="floatnone">[/parsehtml]
Hotspur_(Diablo_II).gif
[parsehtml]</div></div></td></tr><tr><td><span style="color: #CCCCCC; font-size: .9em;">Defense: <span style="color: #4169E1;">10</span><br />
Kick Damage: 3 - 8<br />Minimum Strength: <span style="color: #CCCCCC;">-</span><br />
Durability: 12<br />
Level Requirement: 5<br /><br /><span style="color: #4169E1;">
Adds 3-6 Fire Damage</span><br /><span style="color: #4169E1;">
+19% Enhanced Defense</span><br /><span style="color: #4169E1;">
+6 Defense</span><br /><span style="color: #4169E1;">
+15 to Life</span><br /><span style="color: #4169E1;">
+15 to Maximum Fire Resist</span><br /><span style="color: #4169E1;">
+Fire Resist +45%</span><p><br /><span style="color: #4169E1;"></span></p></span></td></tr></table></div>[/parsehtml]
That plus this Crushflange allowed me to survive Diablo:

[parsehtml]<div style="vertical-align: top; display: inline-block; margin: .75em; &#123;&#123;&#123;style}}}"><table style="background:#000; border: 1px solid #2F0600; text-align: center;"><tr><td style="background:#2F0600; height: 70px; padding: .25em;"><span style="color: #A59263; font-size: 1.4em; letter-spacing: .15em; margin: .25em; font-family: Georgia;">Crushflange</span><br /><span style="font-size: .9em;"><a href="/Mace_(Diablo_II)" title="Mace (Diablo II)" class="mw-redirect">Mace</a></span></td></tr><tr style="height: .75em;"><td></td></tr><tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td><div class="center"><div class="floatnone">[/parsehtml]
Crushflange_%28Diablo_II%29.gif
[parsehtml]</div></div></td></tr><tr><td><span style="color: #CCCCCC; font-size: .9em;">1H Damage: <span style="color: #4169E1;">4 to (15-16)</span><br />Melee Range: 1<br />Attack Speed: <span style="color: #CCCCCC;">[0]</span><br />Minimum Strength: <span style="color: #CCCCCC;">27</span><br />Minimum Dexterity: <span style="color: #CCCCCC;">-</span><br />Durability: 60<br />Level Requirement: 9<br /><br /><span style="color: #4169E1;">+50-60% Enhanced Damage (varies)</span><br /><span style="color: #4169E1;">+50% Damage to Undead</span><br /><span style="color: #4169E1;">33% Chance of Crushing Blow</span><br /><span style="color: #4169E1;">Knockback</span><br /><span style="color: #4169E1;">Fire Resist +50%</span><br /><span style="color: #4169E1;">+15 to Strength</span><br /><span style="color: #4169E1;">+2 to Light Radius</span><p><br /><span style="color: #4169E1;">(Only Spawns In Patch 1.09 or later)</span></p></span></td></tr></table></div>[/parsehtml]
 
Last edited:

l2k-Spec-Ops_X

Administrator
Staff member
Felt like such a random death =(

I had just given a level 50 sorc a waypoint to Baal, and before I knew it, I was dead on the ground before I could hit my first healing pot. I was level 46.

Outy - looks like I'm going to need a rush, if you're still alive. =P
 
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