Nightmare mode is a big step up from Normal mode. Mob density is increased and the monsters are stronger, faster, and have more special abilities. Elemental resists are more important in Nightmare mode, too. Untwinked and under-leveled, Nightmare mode can feel like hitting a brickwall. But twinked and over-leveled as we are, it can actually feel easier than Normal at times. Nightmare is also less tedious in that we have +run/walk items as well as the Enigma runeword's Teleport at 65th.
You will note that I'm not covering merc twinking. tbqh, I couldn't be assed until Nightmare's end. With a build like this, mercs are irrelevant in Normal and Nightmare. Everything is just dying and even the Valkyrie summon just dicks around, running to the corpses of monsters that have already been slain. In Hell (to be covered in the next post), this will ofc change.
You will note that I'm not covering merc twinking. tbqh, I couldn't be assed until Nightmare's end. With a build like this, mercs are irrelevant in Normal and Nightmare. Everything is just dying and even the Valkyrie summon just dicks around, running to the corpses of monsters that have already been slain. In Hell (to be covered in the next post), this will ofc change.
Rummaging through my stash, I find a few items that I neglected to add in Normal mode. Shame on me.
42nd level: Lava Gout unique battle gauntlets for their +20% IAS and %-chance 10th level, 6 minute duration Enchant. This is a Hell-proof item along with Razortail.
50th: The Cat's Eye unique amulet for +30% IAS, +25 Dex and +30% run/walk. This is another Hell-proof item.
We have another good ammy at 50th, too: Crescent Moon for 14% mana steal. But at this point we have enough mana/life steal from our other sources.
The Andy drop. We're not concerned about Nightmare drops so much, but it's nice to net Skin of the Vipermagi.
Nightmare Duriel.
Strafe will punch holes into him, and bore a tunnel right through his guts.
Upon being summarily slain, he coughed up a Tal Rasha's Horadric Crest death mask. Update: Later, I found another one in Chaos, too.
At 66th, this will be our new headgear due to its life/mana leech.
59th: Fortitude runeword put into wire fleece armor. 300% enhanced damage, ftw. Nice +life, nice +resists.
En route to Mephisto, we encounter a super-unique who moves like the wind and is as tough as nails:
See that fiery swirl about me? That's Lava Gout's Enchant kicking in. Bad ass.
60th: Atma's Scarab. On-demand amplification? Sign me up. Amp is great with Strafe and Magic Arrow, but it's AoE is too small to be of much use with Multiple Shot. Not every arrow in the fan can trigger the amplification. Only the central couple of arrows. Still, this is a great, great proc.
Meph gets lined up in my sights, gets amplified by Atma's, and then his hitpoint pool gets chunks taken out of it with each volley of Strafe.
Meph drop:
63rd: Laying of Hands set bramble mitts for +350% damage against demons. Says it all. Yet another Hell-proof item.
Middling Hell Forge drop: Lum (37th). Nightmare Hell Forge can drop up to Um (47th).
65th. Epic itemization breakpoint: Faith in a hydra bow or Ice in a great bow.
Ice is fast-tracked onto my Act One cold-based Rogue Sister by first giving her a major strength boost through an ethereal Giant Skull bone visage.
Bowazon: Time to take out Diablo?
Rogue Sister: You bet.
Amplified and drilled. Awesome battle.
Drop was crap.
These are the two highest level unique ranged weapons that I have in my stash. 71st level Gut Siphon demon crossbow and 73rd level Windforce hydra bow.
However, they are underwhelming when up against Faith. I tested Gut Siphon's Slow Target by 25%, and it just wasn't worth having on-switch. otoh, Windforce can be Shael'd for +IAS. It's basically Hell-proof if your merc wields Faith. But merc with Ice and player with Faith is good enough for now.
Oh, here is another beast that one could work with if they wanted to: Hellcrack colossus crossbow with two sockets:
Nightmare minions of destruction. Note how I don't bother to move, and don't bother to summon the Valkyrie tank. Getting lazy, I guess. :P
Nightmare Baal. Again, the amplification - followed up by Strafe volleys from Faith - is what gets the job done.
Thus, just like Normal mode, Nightmare mode gets a new asshole ripped for it. We don't get cocky, though, because Hell mode is coming up.
75th level: We gained a full 25 levels in Nightmare mode:
For comparison, here we were at 50th:
Says it all.
Next up: Onwards to the real challenge: Hell mode Diablo 2.
Middling Hell Forge drop: Lum (37th). Nightmare Hell Forge can drop up to Um (47th).
65th. Epic itemization breakpoint: Faith in a hydra bow or Ice in a great bow.
Ice is fast-tracked onto my Act One cold-based Rogue Sister by first giving her a major strength boost through an ethereal Giant Skull bone visage.
Bowazon: Time to take out Diablo?
Rogue Sister: You bet.
Amplified and drilled. Awesome battle.
Drop was crap.
These are the two highest level unique ranged weapons that I have in my stash. 71st level Gut Siphon demon crossbow and 73rd level Windforce hydra bow.
However, they are underwhelming when up against Faith. I tested Gut Siphon's Slow Target by 25%, and it just wasn't worth having on-switch. otoh, Windforce can be Shael'd for +IAS. It's basically Hell-proof if your merc wields Faith. But merc with Ice and player with Faith is good enough for now.
Oh, here is another beast that one could work with if they wanted to: Hellcrack colossus crossbow with two sockets:
Nightmare minions of destruction. Note how I don't bother to move, and don't bother to summon the Valkyrie tank. Getting lazy, I guess. :P
Nightmare Baal. Again, the amplification - followed up by Strafe volleys from Faith - is what gets the job done.
Thus, just like Normal mode, Nightmare mode gets a new asshole ripped for it. We don't get cocky, though, because Hell mode is coming up.
75th level: We gained a full 25 levels in Nightmare mode:
For comparison, here we were at 50th:
Says it all.
Next up: Onwards to the real challenge: Hell mode Diablo 2.
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