Eth weapon durability loss by getting hit

Hi there, a question about Eth weapons: normally an Eth weapon loses durability as a normal weapon, does this also include by getting hit? Wanted to use a runeword on an Eth for my caster

No, weapons will not lose durability when used to cast a spell, regardless of you getting hit or not.
Now that weapon will have a chance to lose durability if you swing it for even a normal attack.

Like Knapp said, a weapon can only lose durability when being swung at an enemy. Skills that don't use the weapon (like sorceress spells) don't affect durability cause you're not swinging the weapon at the enemy. When hit by an enemy, only armor parts may lose durability, not the weapon.

Tip: If you don't have specific skill you that want to use on left click, then set left click to anything except normal attack, like the throw "skill". That means you can't accidentally take a swing at an enemy in the heat of the moment and risk losing durability (if you set it to "throw" then your character will just stand there and say "I can't do that!" if you accidentally left click a mob).

Just adding to the confirmation that ethereal weapons do not lose durability when you get hit. I was using an ethereal Blade Of Ali Baba for a week or two on my Sorceress as a weapon switch before killing bosses. It hasn't lost a single point of durability even when I died with it.

Nope. Weapons only lose durability when hitting; I think the chance is one in 25. Generally, this is with a melee attack (as bows/crossbows use ammunition, and throwing weapons use quantity), but there are some Edge cases, like Blade Shield and Smite (cause durability loss) and Dragon Talon, Dragon Tail, and Dragon Flight (don't cause durability loss).

When you get hit, the game checks for durability loss, and if it decides to reduce durability, it then selects from eligible slots (non-indestructible equipped non-weapon gear, no jewelry) to see which item loses a point. Missile attacks do not cause durability loss.

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to link to other forums, but you can Google 'basin wiki durability' for an in-depth explanation.

usually caster dont use Eth runeword.
Even if dur stay same, if that thing has charges, Eth wont recover.

there is no case that main equip and merc share Eth weapon.

Infinity
Nova sorc use Scythe non Eth
a2 merc use tresher
a5 a3 use Phase Blade/ Eth dim


some main sorc use Eth orb but that is no choice when you get a very good roll..

lectricpharaoh wrote: 5 months ago

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to link to other forums, but you can Google 'basin wiki durability' for an in-depth explanation

You’re free to link any D2 related forum, guide, wiki, etc. You’ll find lots of links to Amazon Basin, d2jsp (guides, not trades), Reddit, various D2 wiki sites, etc, sprinkled throughout the forum here.

ShadowHeart wrote: 5 months ago

You’re free to link any D2 related forum, guide, wiki, etc. You’ll find lots of links to Amazon Basin, d2jsp (guides, not trades), Reddit, various D2 wiki sites, etc, sprinkled throughout the forum here.

Okay, great. Thanks for the heads-up.

leox wrote: 5 months ago

usually caster dont use Eth runeword.
Even if dur stay same, if that thing has charges, Eth wont recover.

there is no case that main equip and merc share Eth weapon.

Infinity
Nova sorc use Scythe non Eth
a2 merc use tresher
a5 a3 use Phase Blade/ Eth dim


some main sorc use Eth orb but that is no choice when you get a very good roll..

Many do for style reasons.
If you don't want to use the charges, it's totally fine to use Eth weapons for casters.

Note that resell value may change due to that.