Diablo 2 - Twinking out Low Level Characters
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| Left: Inventory for a second level Act One merc. Right: Inventory for a first level Barb |
Most commonly, twinking is when our high-level character gives powerful items to our new low-level characters. We "twink-out" our new characters in order to give them a head start, alleviate the tedium of playing through pre-Hell modes, and greatly increase their rate of power progression and acquisition of wealth. We don't twink because we are looking for an initial challenge. We twink because we want Normal and Nightmare modes out of the way, done and dusted. Hell is where we want to be because that's where the challenge is.
Twinking is incredibly powerful. Any idiot can build a character in an optmized manner as it progresses, but it's the items that make all the difference in Diablo 2. It is the items that separate our builds. The godly builds were built and rebuilt around items that are progressively found; they are constantly being tweaked based on the items found. One godly magic or rare item is a build-changer.
Consider for example the following work-horse jewels:
If we acquire such jewels, it changes things for even high-level builds. We are always twinking, always optimizing...
I reckon that 99% of Battle.net players twink. Most people have multiple mules for this purpose. But it's also possible in single-player thanks to the PlugY mod. The PlugY mod allows you to share items and gold between characters by way of a shared stash. Every character has access to the shared stash. Thus, whatever items an 85th level character farms and shares, a 25th has access to, and vice versa.
But it's not like you can just give a first level character the Tal set. Most items have level requirements. You need to be 71st level in order to wear Tals. Still, you can work within level restrictions to great effect.
As this post will show, there is a world of difference between twinked and untwinked characters. First, in an attempt to illustrate this clearly, let's make a comparison.
As this post will show, there is a world of difference between twinked and untwinked characters. First, in an attempt to illustrate this clearly, let's make a comparison.
The First Level Twink
Here is a comparison that shows the power of twinking... let's take a look at how our untwinked first level Barb starts out:
Yep, that's how every barb starts out. With nothing more than handaxe and buckler. His damage is 3-7 and his defense is 9. Pretty pathetic, isn't it?
Now, let's take a look at how our twinked first level Barb can potentially start out:
As can plainly be seen, our damage has gone from a pathetic 3-7 to a whopping 308-323 over 2 secs. Defense has gone from 9 to 149. And this for a first level character that hasn't yet left the safety of the Rogue Encampment...
How is this achieved? The Strength charms allow us to equip the weapon, armor and shield from the outset, each of which is socketed with Jewels of Envy (easily transmuted in the Horadric Cube; you need only three pgems). JoE are damage over time socketable items with no level requirement. Once socketed, each JoE inflicts on-hit 20 poison damage over 2 secs. Now, our Crystal Sword sports six sockets each of which is fitted with a JoE. Thus, it inflicts on-hit 120 poison damage over 2 secs. Likewise, the armor, shield and helm are also JoE-socketed. This adds to our damage even though the jewel is not fitted into the weapon. Thus, our nice big poison damage total of 300 over 2 secs. Of course, this is not optimal but it more than does the job.
Wait, how did you get a Crystal Sword with six sockets? It was Nightmare-farmed and then Larzuk-socketed. Crystal Swords drop in Normal mode but only with a maximum of two sockets or the potential for two through Larzuk (and four towards the end of Normal).
For a stronger weapon, you could bejewel a five socket war scepter and use it a first level. While the Strength requirements are higher (requiring more charms), this would give you superior base damage (10-17 as opposed to 5-15) and +50% damage vs. undead but -20 poison (one less JoE), which is a winning trade-off.
Here is a bejeweled war scepter that can be wielded by third level characters:
Which is a godly wield for the first act.
Thus, conceivably, one could roll the following rare jewel:
• 20 poison over 2 secs
• -15% requirements
• 10% Enhanced Damage
• 30 Attack Rating
• 10 Life
Entirely unlikely ofc, but you can certainly get a good mix of mods going on rare jewels with minimal effort, and their stacking mods will put you over the top.
In case the advantage of this sort of twinking isn't clear, allow me to explain. With a setup like this, on /players1, you will be one-shotting/insta-killing pretty much everything as a result of the poison's potency. Even on /players8, you will be 1HKO'ing Bloodmoor/Den of Evil foes (/players 8 greatly increaes your rate of leveling). You simply hit the enemy and watch and wait as the poison damage rapidly depletes its hit point pool. Well, you don't watch and wait. You hit the next enemy. And the next. And the next, until the enemies are falling around you like leaves in autumn. It is hilarious - at least at first (this is srs business) - to hit the enemies, move on, and then hear them die off in the distance as you take on your next mob of hapless victims. Rinse repeat until retarded.
So yeah, as if we haven't gone full-retard already, give your Rogue Sister merc a similar twinking, and her bow damage goes from 1-4 to 229-241 over 2 secs. Ethereal armor will reduce the strength requirements and give her more defense, too.
Not bad armor for a second level scrub of a merc, is it. If she dies, shame on us. Ethereal bugged Light Plate would be even better, ofc. However, I can't eth bug the above-pictured ethereal armor because it is Superior.
How about rare rings, amulets, boots, gloves and belts at first level (iow, items we can't socket)? I think it's a waste of time farming or rolling them up. Why? Because they will quickly be swapped out for uniques and set items that are mentioned below. If you have them handy, that's fine though. You can get up to seven mods on rare rings and ammies, but they won't make much impact as items that can be worn by a first level character.
As mentioned at the start, this sort of twinking greatly enhances power progression and wealth accumulation. It benefits every character build, some more than others. Barbs, Zons, Pallies, Sins and other physical-based builds will get the most out of it, but spellcasters such as the Sorc can certainly benefit intially, and whenever that mana pool runs out. Just whack the enemy and it keels over.
For barbs and other physical-based damage dealers, who rely most heavily on their arms and armor, and whose skill-ups power physical-based damage and defense as they level, this setup doesn't start to feel weak until about Act Four. Not all classes will want to roll with the crystal sword or war scepter, ofc. 'Sins will wield socketed blade talons, poison necros will wield a socketed kris, Zons will want bows and spears. All these builds will progressively add uniques and set items.
Barbs for example: Sigons Gage gloves, Wrap belt and Sabot boots (for +30% IAS and 10% life steal). The Angelic Wings amulet and Angelic Halo amulet will combine to give a massive level-based boost to attack rating if you need it (both at 12th level). There are also the unique Nagel rings (7th lvl) and Nokozan amulet (10th). Then you have the Twitchthroe armor (16th), Mahim-Oak Curio amulet (25th) and Bloodletter swords (25th). But the big break comes at 29th level (around Act Five) when they open up Venom Grip gloves, Rattlecage armor, Undead Crown helm, String of Ears belt and Goblin Toe boots. Rockstopper comes at 31st. At least, these are the items I twink with because they're the ones I've found.
How about full Sigon? An easily farmable set through Nightmare Meph, and good for newbies due to its powerful bonus synergy affixes, this can work until about Act 3 but by then it should be dumped. If, by 29th level, you're flaunting a full sig setup, then what can I say, you're playing the game wrong and are going to feel it. I mean, if you have previously farmed the complete set then you've also got access to the above-listed uniques, too, which are much more powerful and also easier to farm through Nightmare Meph.
Anyway, you will tear through Normal with the above-listed items. Probably a fair bit of Nightmare as well. Then, you will have to upgrade, uptier, and possibly respec in order slay Baal and reach Hell mode.
On /players8, we need to slay 7 Blood Moor carvers to reach 2nd level, 12 to reach 3rd, 28 to reach 4th and 51 to reach fifth. Thus, it is important to always push on into new, higher level maps. It is also handy to know which enemy on a given map yields the most experience points. In the Blood Moor, that's zombies. Once we feel confident, we always ignore the mooks and beeline towards champions, berserkers, ghostlies, possesseds and super uniques culminating in Act Bosses. We always push on in order to maximize our experience gain for each click of the mouse button. Twinked characters can easily tank mobs as they run past them. Watch the xp bar. If it's not moving along in nice big chunks, fix that by pushing on.
Remember that the object of twinking is to save time and get through Normal and Nightmare with little fuss and bother. Don't go overboard in optimizing your twink: it entirely defeats the purpose if you're spending hours on twinking.
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