Diablo 2: The Brother (And Sister)hood of EoFF

[Tavrobel]

Fine.

#Os (item name) = an item with the number amount of sockets
SRL = SeeDRankLou
Mulley = Flying Mullet
Necro = Necromancer
GG = Giga Guess
gg = good game (1337.)
name/name = game name / game password
Gheed's = Gheed's Grand Fortune Charm
MF = Magic Find
D2 = Diablo 2
LoD = Lord of Destruction, the expansion of Diablo 2
mod = Modification, item ability
hr = High Rune, as in, a rare rune that is harder to find than the others

A unique item is an item whose name is in gold. Often, these items are better versions of their normal, white named counterparts, with a various multitude of modifications (buffs), that make the item better than what one might find normally. If something is a Gladius (a white named item, Sword), there is a Unique version of it with many abilities that make it better (in this case, Bloodletter Gladius). Requirements are often equal to, or lower.

And Elite item is another form of a white named item, except better. If one finds a Long Sword, there is another form of that item, except better, having higher requirements for a better quality weapon, and in this case, something called a Tusk Sword. Elite items also have their own, Unique forms.

A Rune is an item in which you insert your items with. After they have been placed, they cannot be removed, except by a special use, which, ironically, requires another rune. Runes have word values, and special modifications and benefits that they can add to an item. If you spell a Runeword correctly by placing Runes in the correct order, a large number of modifications will show up on the item, turning it both into a Unique item, and have the proper spelling. Some are more useful than others.

I liquefy them, and inject them straight into the spine, so it goes to the brain as fast as possible.

[Flying Mullet]

Cruise Control, check out the following site for more than you'd ever want to know about Diablo II:

http://battle.net/diablo2exp/

[Tavrobel]

The pursuit of information is of utmost importance, because knowledge is power!

[Cruise Control]

Whee! Level 25, Arcane Sanctuary. I have a perfect skull thanks to my Horadric Cube. And if I add all my bonuses up, a 56% chance of better magic items!
EDIT: Now a perfect Ruby too!

[Flying Mullet]

Just remember that a 56% MF means that the enemies drop will in multiplied by 1.56. i.e. if an enemy has a 2% chance of dropping a unique item, your 56% MF will give it a 3% chance of dropping a unique item. Also, MF starts to have diminishing returns past 400%, so if you have 600% it won't multiply the enemy's drop chance by 7, rather it will multiply it by something a little less, lik 6 or 6.2 (I'm guessing, I don't know what the exact forumla is when the MF starts to drop off). But overall, more MF is better.

[Tavrobel]

The formula isn't available, but if you go into the game's code, it can be calculated by using a very dilapidated form of Calculus. Or Algebra. Actually, it might be simple additions and subtraction.

Anyways, at 600, it begins to stay near x6. Even at maximum MF, 1187%, the rate is not much higher than 6.5. Unfortunately, your ability to find Magic items will stay at x11.67. Then again, these items can be sold for 35k, which is the same amount as a Amulet or Ring with Edge runeword Bow, and Gheed's in Act One.

[Flying Mullet]

I beat Andy and made it to Act 2 and bnet won't stop being laggy. Looks like a good stopping place for the night.

[Tavrobel]

Single Player games on Battle.net are usually laggy beyond words.

[Cruise Control]

Duriel is a bitch. Tips?

[SeeDRankLou]

Yes, Duriel is a bitch. However, he is killable.

I can't be very specific with my help because I don't know what kind of Paladin you are, so I'll just be general. There are two general ways to kill Duriel that I have experience in my time playing Diablo II.

1. Melee
If you are a melee character, you need to know one thing. Don't run. If you run, Duriel will attack you with a charge attack that you probably won't be fast enough to dodge with his Holy Freeze aura out. His charge attack is far more damaging than his normal attack. So just stay close to him and keep swinging. Get a belt with as many slots as available. Optimally, you want to fill them all with Full Rejuvination potions, but you will have had to been saving Rejuvination Potion from like the beginning in order to have that many right now (or have 12 or 16 normal gems). In any case, just keep attacking him. If you are using regular potions, use one if your HP gets half empty. He'll go down eventually. And an act I cold arrow merc doesn't hurt in this fight either.

2. Spellcaster
This method is more act II merc dependent. Have an act II merc with the prayer aura. Go into battle, again with as many potions as you can. Have the merc go up to Duriel and start attack. You stand in the back and cast your spells. Keep your right hand on the mouse, keep your left hand on Shift and 1-4. If you press Shift + 1 (representing the first column of potions, 2 for the second, etc etc.) this will give that potion to your merc instead of to you. So with this method, keep your merc alive, keep casting your spells, and Duriel will eventually go down.

In either case, cast a Scroll of Town Portal outside of Duriel's chamber, and give a few Thawing Potions to yourself and your merc to up your cold resist.

Or, just get one of us to kill Duriel for you. I can kill him in about five seconds on Normal with my SRLkungfu, and Tav can probably do the same. There's no shame is this, we promise.

[Cruise Control]

Melee. Thanks, I win. I plase an emphasis on my maxed out might ability. And resist elements. What type is that?

[SeeDRankLou]

You would fall under the Auradin category, for which there are many sub-categories. You would do well in a group (which is what auras are intended for). A lot of characters benefit from the Might aura: non-berserk Barbs, almost every Amazon, martial arts Assassins and her shadows, enchant-melee Sorcs, summoning Druids and Necros, werewolf/bear Druids, and a good 2/3's of Paladin builds.

Lots of people will like you, however if you stick with just the auras, as you go farther into the game you will start needing help from other players. Not a bad build, just probably not powerful enough to go solo after nightmare, which is true for many builds.

[Tavrobel]

With my new Last Wish runeword Phase Blade, JahMalJahSurJahBer, I can kill anything in less than a hit, if it is before Hell mode. Worry not about cheating. Is it considered cheating to trade an Um for a Last Wish? Of course not!

Cruise, you'll probably do well as a Smiter Paladin, a Paladin who invests 20 levels into Smite, or a Zeal Paladin (20 for Zeal). Resistances are ALWAYS a good thing, since in Nightmare, your resistances take a penalty, and in Hell, they take an even more severe penalty. As you progress further and further, enemies will begin using more and more elemantal damage, and even have immunities.

[SeeDRankLou]

Man, you can trade so well, you suck :-P

Last Wish:
6% Chance To Cast Level 11 Fade When Struck
10% Chance To Cast Level 18 Life Tap On Striking
20% Chance To Cast Level 20 Charged Bolt On Attack
Level 17 Might Aura When Equipped
+330-375% Enhanced Damage (varies)
Ignore Target's Defense
60-70% Chance of Crushing Blow (varies)
Prevent Monster Heal
Hit Blinds Target
+(0.5 per character level) 0.5-49.5% Chance of Getting Magic Items (Based on Character Level)

Wow, just wow. Especially for 3 Jahs.

[Flying Mullet]

Yeah, that takes a lot of good runes.

Well I'm at the end of Act 2 and Duriel punked me.

I think I'll go do some tomb runes and clean out Arcane to get some moneys and levels.