Version 0.04 - Dated 27th June 2000
------------
As promised, I've added the weapons and armor tables this time. I have also
completed the Shrines and Rare Items sections. The good news is I'm getting
Diablo II on Thursday. Finally...
Version 0.03 - Dated 24th June 2000
------------
Added some unique weapons and armor listings, a few monster listings and
amended some basic information in the list of enchantments on magic items.
I also added a Set Items section to the growing Appendix. There should be
another update pretty soon once I finish my research paper. When I do, I
will put in the weapons and armor tables.
Version 0.02 - Dated 22nd June 2000
------------
Added information on the Stash in Section 5 under Playing Tips, and basic
information on some prefixes, suffixes and pieces of equipment. I will put
in some weapons listings, rares and uniques after sorting through my notes
tomorrow.
Version 0.01 - Dated 20th June 2000
------------
Based on information garnered from the Diablo II Stress Test. This
preliminary FAQ/Walkthrough contains a systematic guide to the first two
quests in Act 1, as well as basic gameplay information. There will be more
updates after Citadel Corporation receives the commercial version of
Diablo II on the 29th of June.
It is a year after the troubles in Tristram, yet the black wind howls as
chaos descends upon the world. Five adventurers band together to stave the
plague of evil, in a race against time to stop the second incarnation of
Diablo from freeing his sinister brethren...
Diablo II is the sequel to Blizzard's best selling adventure/RPG Diablo,
released back in 1996. Like the original, the player assumes the role of a
hero questing to defeat the evil Diablo, only this time, Diablo is joined
by Baal and Mephisto, and an army of lesser demons, all eager to feast on
your flesh.
This FAQ/Walkthrough attempts to provide players with a simple yet
comprehensive guide to the game, a detailed analysis of characters, quest
walkthroughs and a slew of other information. Details, corrections and
changes will be added as the game progresses. Check back for frequent
updates at www.gamefaqs.com.
If you have any CONSTRUCTIVE comments, suggestions, queries or information,
kindly send them to me via e-mail at citadel@adexec.com.
If you want to post this FAQ/Walkthrough at your website, please read the
Legal Information section carefully before doing so. Citadel Corporation
assumes that you agree to the terms stipulated in the Legal Information
section upon receiving and processing your request and claims of ignorance
will not be entertained.
"Much has changed since you left here my friend..."
- Ogden, Tristram Innkeeper -
Much has changed since the days of Diablo. The controls are much smoother,
and the interface has been streamlined for convenience and ease of play.
While playing the game, you can call up the HELP menu with the 'H' key.
Basic Commands:
C/A - Calls up the Status screen
I/B - Calls up your Inventory
Q - Calls up the Quests menu
T - Opens the Skill Tree menu
S - Opens the Skills Speed Bar
R - Toggles Run/Walk
Z - Show Minion/Hireling Portraits
Ctrl - Hold down Ctrl to Run
Shift - Hold down to Stand still
Alt - Hold down to Show Item Tags
F1-F8 - Skill Hotkeys
1-4 - Use Belt items
Map Options:
Tab/Mouse 3 - Open Automap
F9 - Center Automap
F10 - Fade Automap
F11 - Show Party on Automap
F12 - Show Names on Automap
Multiplayer Options:
These commands are useful only in multiplayer mode
Enter - Chat Interface - Multiplayer
P - Party screen - Multiplayer
M - Message Log - Multiplayer
Numeric Keypad
0 - "Help"
1 - "Follow me"
2 - "This is for you"
3 - "Thanks"
4 - "Sorry"
5 - "Bye"
6 - "Now you die!"
Other Commands:
Print Screen - Takes a Snapshot
Space - Close all menus
N - Clear messages
Playing D2
----------
The status bars and in-game interface have been upgraded.
Use the 'H' key to open the HELP menu, cross referencing with the table
below.
Health Bulb - Your current Hit Point total
Mana Bulb - Your current Mana total
Left/Right Mouse Button Skill - Attacks mapped to your mouse buttons
Belt - Belt items
New Features:
Run/Walk Toggle - Click to activate/deactivate Run function
Experience Gauge - Graphic representation of your EXP total
Stamina Gauge - Graphic representation of your Stamina total
The Status Screen:
The status screen remains largely unchanged, save for several minor
additions and some fine tuning. Opening this screen with either buttons
C or A presents you with character specific information.
Name - Pretty self-explanatory
Class - Character Class
Level - Your current Experience Level (1-99)
Experience - Your current Experience Point tally
Next Level - Amount needed to gain a level
Vital Statistics:
These statistics determine how powerful your character is and are tied in
with your character's chances of survival. You gain 5 points to allocate to
these abilities everytime you gain a level. Use those points wisely and
tailor your character to your preferred style of play.
Strength - Affects your Damage potential
Dexterity - Affects your Accuracy and Armor class
Vitality - Affects your Hit Points
Energy - Affects your Mana
Other Information:
Damage #1 - The amount of damage you inflict with your Button#1 attack
Damage #2 - The amount of damage you inflict with your Button#2 attack
Attack Rating #1 - Success rate of Button#1 attack
Attack Rating #2 - Success rate of Button#2 attack
The amount of damage inflicted and the attack rating depends on the attacks
and skills mapped to your mouse buttons. Your damage potential is skill or
weapon dependant and may be modified by Skill Levels or Strength. Your
Attack rating with weapons is dependant on your base accuracy and dexterity
rating.
Defense - Your effective Armor Class
Formerly known as Armor Class, the Defense rating affects your chances of
avoiding an monster's attacks. The higher your Defense rating, the less
likely your chances of being hit.
Stamina - Your physical endurance
A new feature, the Stamina score determines your rate of physical exertion.
This score was probably incorporated because of the Run feature. It
simulates the adrenalin rush and that added burst of energy. Running
depletes your Stamina.
Life - Your current and maximum Hit Points
Mana - Your current and maximum Mana
Resistances - Your defenses against magical attacks and the elements
In Diablo II, there are four different types of elemental attacks - Fire,
Cold, Lightning and Poison. Like Diablo, your resistances reduce the damage
you suffer from these attacks by a certain percentage. Beware the new
elements, as Cold is literally chilling and Poison is most insidious.
Skill Trees:
Another new feature in Diablo II, spells and spellbooks have been replaced
by Class specific Skills. Each character class has three Skill Trees, with
offensive, defensive and support abilities.
To call up the Skill Tree menu, press 'T'
The Skill Tree menu has three character specific sub menus, with a
smattering of special Skills. When you gain a level, you gain a Skill
Point, which can be allocated to a particular skill by clicking on the
Tab, followed by the skill specific icon.
A complete list of Character specific Skills, Mana costs and relevant
information will be posted in Appendix I: Skills, Spells and Magic.
A master of weapons and armed combat, the Barbarian is an excellent
character class for players who love melee and combat in close quarters.
As a starting character, the Barbarian is versatile and adaptable to any
situation. The Barbarian plays like the Warrior from Diablo, and his slew
of Combat Skills, Masteries and War Cries make a deadly combination.
The Barbarian starts out equipped with a Hand Axe and a Buckler, making
him one of the best equipped characters in the game. With his exceptional
Strength, he can easily take out lower leveled monsters with a swing or
two. If you pump your first Skill Point into Axe Mastery, your damage and
attack potential will increase exponentially, making you a force to be
reckoned with.
This section contains some pieces of advice and tips on play. These simple
observations will no doubt benefit players new to the world of Diablo II.
Shopping Tips
-------------
Blizzard has done away with the text based buying and selling menus,
replacing it with an open graphical menu. You can hover your cursor over
items to reveal relevant information and buying and selling is a simple
mouse-click away.
In the Rogue Encampment, there are three merchants, namely Gheed, Charsi
and Akara. Gheed sells weapons and armor, much like Charsi the Smith, and
Akara sells staves, wands and potions.
Gheed also offers you a chance to Gamble, when you buy an unidentified
magic item from him at an outrageous price. The risks are high, and you
never know what you might get.
Prices in Diablo II vary based on item quality, quantity and enchantments.
Socketed items and throwing items always cost more, while basic items cost
less. Use your discretion and buy items that suit your style of play.
In general, there will be more than one merchant in town offering similar
merchandise at different prices. In the Rogue Encampment, Gheed's items
cost 10% more than those sold by either Charsi or Akara. Look for bargains
wherever possible because money is scarce in Diablo II and items are pricier
than they previously were.
If you pick up items in the wild, attempt to repair them before selling
them. This usually ensures that you get a better price. Similarly, sell off
unnecessary Rings, Amulets and assorted magic items you find in the wild.
These usually fetch a tidy profit and provide you with extra cash to spend
on your shopping trips.
Look for items with the Greed suffix and Fortuitous prefix. They increase
your chances of obtaining gold and magical items in the wild. The returns
are remarkably swift and infinitely useful.
Repairing Items
---------------
The costs for repair in Diablo II have risen exponentially and vary based
on your equipment. However, if you are planning to sell off items you found
in the wild, repairing them may be well worth the costs.
An alternative would be to use weapons without durability like Javelin and
Throwing Knives, Axes etc. They can stack together, occupying little space,
and may be thrown as projectiles at distant foes. Equipped with items
and/or Skills that add elemental damage to your blows, these weapons can be
lethal in both melee and ranged combat.
Your Stash
----------
Another new feature in Diablo II is the Personal Stash. Handy for holding
surplus equipment and money, this treasure chest has 8x4 spaces for your
items and can hold a large amount of gold. The last time I checked, it had
a maximum capacity of 100000 GP. You can transfer items from your inventory
to the Stash just as you would while buying and selling items.
Survival Tips
-------------
The aim of the game is to survive, and in Diablo II, survival is all the
more difficult. Unlike Final Fantasy, where you have Healing spells like
Cure and mana draining spells like Osmosis, characters in Diablo II have
none of these abilities at their disposal. Taking unnecessary risks in the
danger fraught realms of Diablo II is a risky and foolhardy endeavour.
Always keep a constant supply of Potions in your belt pouch and a few spare
in your inventory. They are handy for those occasions when you are swarmed
by a horde of Unique monsters and their minions. Do not be stingy with
potions as dying in Diablo II is expensive.
Wherever possible, try not to engage monsters directly. It is easier to
creep up behind a monster and kill it than to charge it up front. Some
species such as the Gargantuan Beast are dangerous adversaries for starting
characters and excel at close combat. Other measures might be called for in
these situations.
Use ranged weapons against opponents you are not confident of defeating in
melee. Ranged weapons such as the Amazon's Javelin and Throwing Knives are
easy to obtain in the wild and they make good alternatives in keep away
games. They are also fantastic for assassinating stubborn magic users such
as Fallen Shaman from afar.
Using Skills
------------
Skills are a necessity in Diablo II. While Warriors could get by with a
decent suit of armor and a King's Sword of Haste, only a foolish player
would neglect to use the new skills at his disposal. Ranging from a simple
magical Firebolt to the devastating Meteor, skills are handy for taking out
Diablo's nasty legions.
Use skills frequently. In the right context, skills can turn defeat into
victory. Invest your skill points wisely, and you will find your life much
easier. Go for passive support skills which boost your character's
abilities, and invest in offensive/defensive skills only if you are certain
you need them. Low cost ranged attacks are also useful as they are cheap
and economical.
Escaping
--------
When all else fails, flee! Use the newly incorporated Run function to
escape from your enemies. Beware though, as some monsters might give chase.
Run if you are not confident of surviving a battle. If you are surrounded
and there is little room, use a Town Portal spell. You may also find
unexpected help in the guise of Amazon hirelings, Skeletal minions and NPCs
such as Flavie.
Gemlore
-------
Another new addition to Diablo II is the socket system. Much like the Final
Fantasy VII Materia system, gems can be socketed into weapons, shields and
helms with gem slots. Doing so increases the potency of that particular
piece of equipment and grants special powers or bonuses. Once socketed,
a gem cannot be removed, so choose wisely.
Socket gems into your weapons for additional attack capabilities, into
shields for defensive bonuses and into helms for support abilities. There
are Amethysts, Diamonds, Emeralds, Rubies, Sapphires, Skulls and Topaz,
each possessing unique abilities and beneficial properties. Gems vary in
quality and may be chipped, flawed, normal, flawless and perfect. You can
upgrade the quality of gems by touching a Gem Shrine.
Gaining Levels
--------------
Killing monsters net you Experience Points and Levels. However, the higher
your Level, the less Experience you gain from your kills. At higher Levels,
experience awards from killing weak monsters might be meager or non-existant.
When you gain a Level, your Life and Mana increase by 2, with additional
increases from statistical bonuses. You also acquire a Skill Point to
invest in your special Skills. If at all possible, try to keep your running
experience total constant and stay at least two levels ahead of your
opponents.
This section details the numerous quests and areas in the game, and some
methods of completing them. Specific Quest locations are listed with a 'Q'
in square brackets. Recommended Character Levels are also listed where
applicable.
The Rogue Encampment
--------------------
You start out in the Rogue Encampment, together with the last remnants of
the Sisters of the Sightless Eye. After talking with Warriv the Caravan
Driver, wander around town. Speak with the other townsfolk, browse their
wares and talk to Akara. She will instruct you to cleanse the Den of Evil.
Talk to the other townsfolk about the Den of Evil to learn what's ahead,
and head out of the Rogue Encampment when you are ready.
The Blood Moor
--------------
Situated just outside the Rogue Encampment, this moor is populated with
Quill Rats, porcupine like beasts with a nasty projectile attack, and
wandering Zombies. You may also encounter the occasional Fallen war band
terrorising the countryside. Make short work of these monsters, and pick up
any items they leave behind. Sell these items for money, and buy some Keys
from Akara or Gheed. If you already have some keys, invest in either a
Book of Town Portal or Identify.
Keys are useful for opening locked treasure chests in the wild and in
dungeon areas. Keep a steady supply of keys handy. Books are excellent
for storing your Town Portal and Identify scrolls. Rather than keeping a
messy inventory, you can stock up to twenty scrolls in a book. Try to keep
one book of each type in your inventory if possible.
There are several chests, loose rock/boulders and hidden stashes in the
wild which may provide some decent equipment or at least some junk to
peddle off to the merchants. You may also find chests in houses and stables
that litter the countryside. Some chests may be locked, so remember to
bring some spare Keys with you. They may also be trapped, so listen out
for the tell-tale creak.
Clear out the Blood Moor before tackling the festering Den of Evil.
Den of Evil [Q Lv 3]
-----------
Somewhere in the Blood Moor, the Den of Evil awaits. A cave filled with evil
Zombies and Fallen, this cave is the home to the dreaded unique CorpseFire.
Exercise extreme caution while exploring this monster infested cave, as you
may be swarmed by Fallen if you aren't. If possible, equip a projectile
weapon before entering this location.
CorpseFire can usually be found with his pack of souped up Zombie minions
at a cross junction somewhere in the cave, or in an open cavern with
several Fallen and their Shaman. Beware CorpseFire's Spectral Hit attack,
and watch out for his minions.
Use a projectile weapon or spell attack on CorpseFire and his pack of
Zombie minions. Being slow moving monsters, they will probably fall
before they even reach you. This greatly reduces your risks as opposed
to facing them in melee and increases your chances of survival tenfold.
Completing this quest and returning to Akara nets you 1 Skill Point.
The Cold Plains [Lv 3]
---------------
After completing the Den of Evil, speak with Kashya and she will ask you to
kill Blood Raven at the Sisters' Burial Grounds. Talk to the other townsfolk,
stock up on equipment and Health Potions before setting out. The Cold Plains
lie just beyond the Blood Moor, guarded by the lone Rogue archer Flavie.
The Cold Plains are the roving ground of corrupted Dark Hunters, Dark
Spearwomen, Gargantuan Beasts and Fallen. These foes are much tougher than
those of the Blood Moor, and it would be wise to exercise caution.
Bishibosh, a powerful Fallen Shaman holds sway over the Cold Plains,
together with a large clan of 20 or more Fallen. This vicious pack of
monsters will prove to be a challenge for any starting player. Use
projectile weapons or ranged skills to take out the Shamen before closing
in to melee with the Fallen warriors. Killing Bishibosh usually nets you a
magical or unique item and some decent experience rewards.
Before entering the Sisters' Burial Grounds, you might want to pay a visit
to the Caves in the Cold Plains to rack up some experience and grab a few
items.
Cold Caves [Lv 4]
----------
The Cave in the Cold Plains is split into two levels, a randomly generated
first level and a second level that remains unchanged in every game. The
Caves are populated by Dark Rangers, Fallen, Gargantuan Beasts, Skeletons
and Hungry Dead.
*Cave Level 1*
The first level is fairly straightforward, and somewhat unremarkable. The
only things you have to look out for are the two chambers filled with Fallen
Shamen and Fallen warriors, and the roving boss pack of unique Dark Ranger
Cold Crow. Explore this level in its entirety before proceeding to the
tougher second level.
*Cave Level 2*
The map for this level remains the same in every game. It is a small cavern
populated by two unique monsters, three Fallen Shamen and their followers,
a few Skeletons, Hungry Dead and Dark Rangers. The first three monsters you
encounter are three Fallen warriors, followed by either a unique boss pack
down the steps or in the narrow passage to the left.
I suggest clearing out the left section of this map before proceeding to the
right, picking up the gold and treasure on the floor as you go along. When
you are prepared, head down the first passage to the right of the steps, and
blast the Fallen Shamen. Advance cautiously, killing Fallen until you reach
the Gold Chest and the narrow passage in the corner. Opening the chest nets
you either a few magical items, a set item or a unique.
At this point, you might want to take a trip back to town before tackling
the Sisters' Burial Grounds.
Sisters' Burial Grounds [Q Lv 5]
-----------------------
This location can be accessed from the Cold Plains, and as its name implies,
is populated by a host of undead. Skeletons and Hungry Dead roam freely, and
Blood Raven lurks in the center of this desecrated cemetery.
Take out the undead monsters in the perimeter before entering the cemetery
proper. Proceed with caution as Blood Raven is a dangerous adversary with a
Fire Arrow attack and the ability to Raise Undead. If at all possible, make
her your primary target, attacking at close range with a melee weapon. If
you have a fast weapon, you can stun lock her before she retaliates. Taking
her out will dispel the evil in this cemetery and lay all the walking dead
to rest.
You may wish to return now to Kashya to gain your first Rogue hireling, or
explore the Crypt and Mausoleum within the cemetery. I would advice taking
your Rogue hireling with you in your future jaunts, but that is entirely
optional at this point.
*The Crypt*
A mini-dungeon where you can gain tons of items and experience, the Crypt
is populated by undead monsters. It is a straightforward location with ample
opportunities and treasure. Loot the undefiled graves, shatter barrels, grab
items from weapon racks, armor stands and chests. There is a Gold Chest in
the Crypt guarded by the skeleton BoneBreaker, an extra strong unique with
magic resistance. Killing him of course constitutes a nice fat reward.
*The Mausoleum*
Like the Crypt, this mini-dungeon proves an excellent place to level up and
pick up items. Populated by the same undead Skeletons and Hungry Dead, the
Mausoleum is an easy location, and you should have no problems whatsoever.
Remember to search the barrels, graves, coffins and chests for random items
and supplies.
Character specific Skills are listed under the relevant sections, and mana
cost is listed in square brackets where applicable.
Amazon
------
(this section pending)
Barbarian
---------
*Combat Skills*
Bash[2] - Powerful blow that increases the damage done to enemies and
knocks them back. This skill gains +1 damage, +5% to hit and +5% damage
bonus per level.
Appendix II: Magical Items - Prefixes and Suffixes
This is a very brief list of magical enchantments on items I discovered in
Diablo II. As the game progresses, this section will be updated and possibly
reformatted for easier reference.
Item Quality
------------
These non-magical modifiers affect the durability, resilience or strength of
a piece of equipment.
Crude/Cracked/Damaged/Low Quality - Reduces the potency of a piece of
equipment. Affected components range from durability to damage or armor
class.
Superior - Increases the potency of a piece of equipment. Affected components
range from durability to damage or armor class.
Magical Modifiers
-----------------
These modifiers are wholly magical in nature. Items so enchanted are listed
in blue in your inventory and in the field. Some modifiers may have specific
Character Level requirements, and vary from modifier to modifier. These will
be listed in square brackets where applicable.
Prefixes
--------
Azure - +5-7% Cold Resistance
Beryl - +6-9% Poison Resistance
Bronze - +10-19 Attack Rating
Brutal - Enhanced Damage
Crimson - +5-8% Fire Resistance
Deadly - Enhanced damage
Devious - -1 to Magic Damage
Fine - Enhanced Damage/+25-39% Attack Rating
Fortuitous - +10-14% better chance of getting magical item
Glimmering - +1 to Light Radius
Glowing - +2 Light radius
Iron - +21-39% to Attack Rating
Jagged - Enhanced Damage
Jade - +12-17% Poison resistance
Lizard's - +1-4 mana
Ocher - +5-9% Lightning Resistance
Serpents - +14-17 to Mana
Sharp - Enhanced Damage/+12-19 to Attack Rating
Silver - +60-75% Attack Rating
Snakes - +6-9 Mana
Steel - +41-59% to Attack Rating
Sturdy - Enhanced Defence
Triumphant - +1 point mana after each kill
Vicious - Enhanced damage
Vulpine - 10% damage taken goes to mana
Suffixes
--------
Alacrity - Attack Rate Increase
Apprentice - Fast Cast Rate
Balance - Fast Hit Recovery
Bat - Steals 5-7% mana per hit
Bear - Knockback
Blight - Adds 2-7 poison damage over 3 seconds
Blocking - +10% chance to block
Craftsmanship - +1 to max damage
Dexterity - +1-3 Dexterity
Energy - +1-4 Mana
Excellence - +3 to minimum damage
Flame - +1-5 Elemental Fire damage
Frost - +1-3 Elemental Cold damage
Glimmering - +1 Light radius
Gore - +8 to damage
Greed - +40-55% more gold from monsters
Health - Damaged reduced by 1
Jackal - +1-4 Life
Leech - 4-6% life stolen per hit
Light - +1 Light Radius
Maiming - +3 maximum damage
Measure - +2 to minimum damage
Puncturing - reduces monster defense 10-20 per hit
Quality - +2 to max damage
Readiness - Slight Attack Rate increase
Remedy - reduces poison duration 25%
Shock - +1-8 Elemental Lightning damage
Stability - Fastest Hit Recovery
Strength +1-3 Strength
Thawing - Halves freeze duration
Thorns - Attacker takes 1-3 damage
Vileness - Prevents Monster Heal
Warding - Magic damage reduced by 1
Worth - +1 to minimum damage
Appendix III: Mundane Items - Item Attributes
This section archives the mundane and non-magical items common in Diablo II.
Ranging from basic items like potions to arms and armor, the list will
become more prolific as time passes.
Potions
-------
Apart from Health Potions, Mana Potions and Rejuvenation Potions, characters
have the option of throwing choking vials of toxic vapor and jars of greek
fire their opponents. All healing potions vary from Minor doses, to Light,
Normal and Super strength shots.
Health - Red
======
Replenishes Life by a set amount
Mana - Blue
====
Replenishes Mana by a set amount
Antidote - Black
========
Cures Poison status
Rejuvenation - Purple
============
Replenishes 35% Life and Mana
Stamina - White
=======
Fills up your Stamina Gauge
Thawing - Yellow
=======
Cures Freeze or Chill status
Chemical Weapons and Incendiaries
---------------------------------
Some potions aren't meant for drinking. Instead, they can be equipped like
projectile weapons and hurled into the ranks of enemies. Chemical weapons
range from bottles of flaming Oil to vials of Rancid poison.
Incendiary - Orange
==========
This umbrella category covers all explosive potions that create fire based
effects and damage, ranging in effect and damage potential.
Oil - Inflicts light fire damage
Fulminating - Inflicts moderate fire damage
Exploding - Inflicts heavy fire damage
Toxic - Green
=====
This category covers debilitating Poison based potions, which vary in
toxicity and efficacy.
Throwing Weapons
----------------
An interesting new class of weaponry, throwing weapons offer a steady source
of projectile attacks for characters without ranged Skills, and decent damage
potential to characters weak in melee.
All throwing weapons are non-magical in nature, though there may be some
variations in Item Quality.
Throwing weapons -
*Have no durability. They are effectively indestructible.
*Stack together. You can carry 75 Throwing Knives in small 1x2 slots.
*Are versatile. They are useful in both ranged and/or melee combat.
*Gain elemental damage from items that add damage bonuses.
Axes
====
With a base damage potential much higher than most other throwing weapons,
axes are one of the most powerful throwing weapons in Diablo II. 32 axes
stack in 1x2 slots in your inventory.
Knives
======
Fast and deadly, the throwing knife is another excellent projectile weapon
with diverse uses. Apart from its rate of fire, it also complements the
Necromancer's Poison Dagger attack. Knives stack in 1x2 slots of 75.
Javelin
=======
With a long melee reach and a powerful armor piercing drive, the Javelin is
a decent weapon. It stacks in 60s in 1x3 slots.
Javelin
Melee 1-5
Throw 6-14
No Requirements
Pilum
Melee 4-9
Throw 7-20
Required 45 Dexterity
Bows
----
Precursors of modern ammunition based weaponry, bows and crossbows formed
the staple artillery and missile support of medieval combat. Bows in DII
require ammunition, but this shouldn't pose a serious problem as quivers are
easily obtainable.
Bows -
*Have no durability.
*Require arrows or bolts to function.
*Arrows stack in 1x2 slots of 250 and bolts stack in 1x2 slots of 150.
Melee Weapons
-------------
This segment covers various types of close combat weapons, ranging from the
adventurer's staple - the sword to weapons of mass destruction like axes and
polearms. Most weapons may be socketed with gems to bolster their attack
with elemental damage.
Swords
======
Comprising a 32" to 47" blade and handle, swords were one of the most common
pieces of medieval weaponry. Ranging from the sturdy footman's shortsword to
the mounted cavalry falchion, swords offer decent damage without compromising
speed or durability.
Short Sword
2-6 Damage
22 Durability
No Requirements
Daggers
=======
Easily concealed yet quick and deadly, the dagger is the weapon of choice of
assassins, rogues and the less savoury elements of society. While not as
devastating as a sword, the dagger affords greater versatility with swift
jabs and thrusts. Daggers are the only weapons that function with the deadly
Poison Dagger skill.
Axes
====
Wielded with unsurpassed strength and fury, the axe strikes terror into the
hearts of its victims. While slow to swing, axes inflict great and gaping
wounds, dealing a swift yet painful death.
Large Axe[2H]
6-13 Damage
30 Durability
Required 35 Strength
Bludgeons
=========
A general category covering numerous variations of the club and mace class
items, bludgeons range from the classic warhammer to the footman's flail.
Swung with great force, bludgeons can shatter spine and bone, pulping the
victim's body. All bludgeoning weapons inflict 150% damage against undead
such as skeletons, zombies and animated constructs.
Club
1-6 Damage
24 Durability
No Requirements
Spiked Club
5-6 Damage
36 Durability
No Requirements
Spears and Polearms
===================
Comprising a blade mounted on a long 5'- 8' haft, spears and polearms are
devastating melee weapons. In the hands of an expert, these weapons are
truly fearsome indeed. Unless otherwise stated, all spears and polearms are
two-handed.
Staves
======
Cut from the branches of ancient oaks and supple ash, staves serve as spell
foci for the sorceress, heightening her magical prowess. While their damage
potential isunimpressive, staves have decent range and provide whopping
bonuses to the sorceress's dangerous spell attacks.
Short Staff
1-5 Damage
20 Durability
No Requirements
Long Staff
2-8 Damage
30 Durability
No Requirements
Scepters
========
A regal gilded rod, the scepter is a mighty weapon in the hands of the holy
paladin. Like the sorceress's stave and the necromancer's wand, the scepter
boosts the paladin's magical abilities.
Wands
=====
Primarily the weapon of the necromancer, wands bolster his special skills and
combat abilities, giving a substantial +1 to +3 skill level bonus. Like most
other bludgeoning weapons, the wand inflicts 150% damage vs. undead.
Wand
2-4 Damage
15 Durability
No Requirements
Yew Wand
2-8 Damage
15 Durability
No Requirements
Armor
-----
This section covers various bits and pieces of armor, from padded coats and
chainmail vests to shields, gloves, belts and boots.
Crafted from thick cotton padding, rawhide or metal alloy, armor has seen
considerable service in human history. From the earliest bronze crests of
Greek Hoplites and Roman Legionnaires to the reinforced plate armor of 14th
century Knights, it has served to protect the vital areas of combatants in
numerous wars. May your armor serve you well as you traverse the world of
Diablo II, and stand up to the blows of the nefarious Dark Lord.
Padded Armor
============
Created from organic materials and sometimes reinforced with metal rivets,
this class of armor is light and not at all cumbersome, offering excellent
range of movement and average defense.
Mail Armor
==========
Created from interlocking metal rings, cold forged and double jointed for
extra strength, splinted plates or lamellar suits, chain based armor offers
more protection than organic armor, but it is more restrictive and very much
heavier.
Ring Mail
43-47 Defense
40 Durability
Required 36 Strength
Plate Armor
===========
Forged from the toughest reinforced steel plates and crafted to fit the
contours of the body, plate armor is one of the most effective medieval
armor types. Though heavy and cumbersome, the amount of protection it
provides is unparallelled.
Helms
=====
Providing some small degree of head protection, a helm guards against blows
that would otherwise incapacitate or kill the wearer. A helm, while optional
makes a good investment for the intrepid adventurer. Helms may be socketed
for support bonuses.
Cap
4 Defense
12 Durability
No Requirements
Skull Cap
8-10 Defense
18 Durabilty
Required 15 Strength
Shields
=======
Carried in the off hand, a shield deflects melee and projectile attacks,
and affords a decent amount of protection against potentially fatal blows.
Shields may be socketed, offering additional elemental protection.
Small Shield
7-9 Defense
18 Durability
30% Chance to Block
Required 22 Strength
Large Shield
10-14 Defense
24 Durability
37% Chance to Block
Required 34 Strength
Boots
=====
Every adventurer needs a decent pair of footwear. From supple calfskin
travelling boots to heavy plated boots reinforced with rivets, boots kept
the adventurer's feet dry and protected them from the hazards of the road.
They serve in much the same way in Diablo II.
Boots
2 Defense
12 Durability
No Requirements
Heavy Boots
5 Defense
14 Durability
Required 18 Strength
Gloves
======
As much a part of the adventurer's gear as a decent pair of travelling boots,
gloves and gauntlets protected the fingers from the elements and weapon blows.
Apart from offering a little extra defense, magically enhanced gloves also
provide an edge in combat situations.
Leather Gloves
1-3 Defense
12 Durability
No Requirements
Heavy Gloves
4-5 Defense
14 Durability
No Requirements
Belts
=====
Serving primarily as a storage device in Diablo II, the belt provides some
small measure of protection and has numerous pouches for carrying healing
potions and supplies. The holding capacity of individual belt types are
listed in square brackets.
Sash[8]
1-2 Defense
12 Durability
No Requirements
Light Belt[8]
3-4 Defense
14 Durability
No Requirements
Appendix IV: Rare Items
It is impossible to catalogue the Rare Items generated randomly by the game
engine. Instead, this section is devoted to methods of classification and
identification of Rare Items.
Rares look very much like uniques, with fancy randomly generated names and
a bright yellow ID tag. Like uniques, you can pick up rares anywhere, and
they differ in quality.
Unlike uniques, Rares have randomly determined modifiers, and possess from
3-6 magical abilities. Rares are in essence souped up magic items which
may prove useful in more ways than one. Occasionally, you might chance upon
a Rare item with better modifiers and abilities than a Unique, and you will
get your first(or possibly second) rare after completing the "Tools of the
Trade" quest in Act I.
Appendix V: Uniques
Uniques in Diablo II are essentially souped up magical weapons with extra
modifiers and a really impressive name. Unlike Rare Items, which are now
highlighted in yellow, uniques are highlighted in brown (ocher?). Uniques
have no Character Level requirements. This list, like all others, will be
greatly expanded in the near future.
Arms
====
This umbrella section covers every weapon type, ranging from Axes and Bows
to Swords and Halberds.
Felloak(Spiked Club)
1-6 Damage
120 Durability
150% Damage to Undead
*+60% Lightning Resist
*+20% Fire Resist
*+6-8 Fire Damage
*Knockback
Gull(Dagger)
2-19 Damage
80 Durability
*-5 Mana
*+1-15 Damage
*50% better chance of getting magical items
Rixot's Keen(Short Sword)
7-8 Damage
120 Durability
*+25% Chance of Crushing Blow
*+20% to Attack Rating
*+2 to Light Radius
*+25 Defense
*+5 to Minimum Damage
The Gnasher(Hand Axe)
3-6 Damage
140 Durability
*20% chance of Crushing Blow
*50% chance of Open Wounds
*+30 to Attack Rating
Armor
=====
This section covers all body armor and shields. Other equipment like Belts,
Boots, Gloves and Helms will be categorized loosely in the Accessories
section.
Accessories
===========
This section covers all other equipment types. Like the previous sections,
items are classified in alphabetical order.
Hotspur(Boots)
2 Defense
60 Durability
*+15% to Max Fire Resistance
*+3-6 Fire Damage
*+15 to Life
Lenymo(Sash)
2 Defense
60 Durability
*+1 Light Radius
*Regenerate Mana 30%
*All Resistances +5
*+15 Mana
Appendix VI: Set Items
Sets are a special class of uniques, all loosely based on a theme or flavor.
Highlighted in green, set items grant the abilities of uniques and a little
more. If you equip a full set, you gain special set related abilities and
bonuses.
A set of arms and armor based loosely on the arctic, this set is excellent
for starting characters. It has high defence, a good resistance bonus and
likely some cold related abilities if the full set is assembled.
So far, I have acquired the Furs. I will look into the other items as soon
as possible.
Hsaru's Defense
===============
Hsaru's Iron Fist
Hsaru's Iron Heel
Hsaru's Iron Stay
A set of defensive items, the Hsaru's set has several weak modifiers, which
are quite lacklustre. Perhaps the extra bonuses garnered from a full set
will make it more useful.
Hsaru's Iron Fist(Buckler)
5 Defense
24 Durability
Successful Blocking: 25%
12 Str Required
*Damage Reduced by 2
*+10 to Strength
Death's Disguise
================
Death's Guard
Death's Hand
Death's Touch
A pretty unique item set based no doubt on the Death mythos, it provides
some really useful resistance bonuses, and defenses against status attacks.
I'm missing the Death's Touch, but if I find it, I will post it up along
with the special Set bonuses.
Appendix VII: Magical Shrines and Fountains
Found in practically every other area, shrines are now easy to find and no
longer suffer from the cryptic clue syndrome that plagued the ones in the
first installment. With an easily identifiable icon hovering over them and
simple, straight-forward ID tags, you no longer need to worry about unseen
bonuses or modifiers.
Shrines
=======
Unless specifically stated, all Shrine bonuses are temporary and are usually
good for a single use.
Armor[Shield Icon]
Increases your Defensive Rating.
Combat[Crossed Swords]
Boosts attack damage and to-hit.
Experience[Pennant]
Doubles kill experience.
Explosive[Obelisk]
Inflicts Fire damage, dispenses 6-8 Exploding Potions.
Fire[Obelisk]
Casts Immolation.
Fire Resist[Fiery Orb]
Fire Resistance=Max.
Gem[Glittering Obelisk]
Drops a chipped gem or upgrade a random gem in your inventory.
Stamina[Winged Sandal]
Maxes out your Stamina gauge, halts stamina drain.
Wells
=====
Meriting class of its own, wells are unique in the sense that they can
refill themselves frequently, and can be used and abused infinitely.
A refreshing drink restores as much life as a normal Health Potion, and you
can return to one of these watering holes at any future time for another
drink.
Make full use of wells if you run into monsters or if you find your Life
total running low.
Appendix VIII: Monster Tables
Since random unique monsters are generated from a name and ability database,
it defeats the purpose of listing all of them. This section however, is
devoted to [Q]uest or [A]rea specific unique monsters, and will eventually
include battle strategies.
CorpseFire [Q/Den of Evil]
Zombie
Spectral Hit
Bishibosh [A/Cold Plains]
Fallen Shaman
Magic Resistant
Fire Enchanted
Attacks with Firebolt
Revives Fallen Shamen
ColdCrow [A/Cold Caves Level 1]
Dark Ranger
Area specific
Cold Enchanted
Attacks with Arrows
BloodRaven [Q/Sisters' Burial Grounds]
Dark Ranger
Quest specific
Attacks with Fire Arrows
Raises undead
BoneBreaker [A/Sisters' Crypt]
Skeleton
Area specific
Extra Strong
Magic Resistant
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