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2

Description

Hello,

For any caster class, creating a Spirit Runeword sword has a huge impact on killing speed early in a Ladder season. The stats are amazing for the cheap cost, and the level requirement is absurd at 25. For my caster characters at the beginning of any Ladder season, one of my first main goals is creating a Spirit sword toward the end of normal difficulty or as early as possible in Nightmare difficulty.

Finding the Runes is usually straightforward.
Tal
and
Ort
runes will be awarded for completing Act 5 Quest 2.
Thul
and
Amn
runes are fairly common, and if you do not have them by the end of Normal difficulty, Act 1 Nightmare Countess runs can be a good way to find them. Keep in mind you can use cube recipes for upgrading runes to
Thul
and
Amn
if you find yourself with extra
Ort
runes.

Often times, finding the 4 socket base sword is the more difficult part of the process. Crystal Swords, Broad Swords, and Long Swords can all have 4 sockets, but Long Swords are often not a good option due to higher dexterity requirements, so I'll focus on Crystal Swords and Broad Swords. First and foremost, pick up all grey Crystal Swords and Broad Swords starting in Act 1 Nightmare difficulty to check for 4 sockets. Items cannot drop with 4 sockets in normal difficulty. Ethereal items are acceptable, because you'll never swing the sword.

If you gather the runes before you've found a 4 socket sword, you can use Act 5 Quest 1, the "
Larzuk
quest" to create a 4 socket sword from a normal or superior
Crystal Sword
or
Broad Sword
. Going this route will allow you to create a 4 socket sword in Normal difficulty, even though they cannot drop naturally until Nightmare difficulty. If you choose to use your
Larzuk
quest to add sockets to a sword for a Spirit, it is important to use a sword found in the correct area to ensure 4 sockets. If the item level is too low, it will result in 3 sockets, and if the item level is too high, it will result in 6 sockets (in the case of the
Crystal Sword
only).


To ensure 4 sockets in a
Crystal Sword
from the
Larzuk
quest, the item level must be between 26 and 40 (inclusive). Monsters in the following areas will drop Crystal Swords in this range:
Act and Difficulty Areas
Act 4 Normal Difficulty
City of the Damned
Act 5 Normal Difficulty
Arreat Plateau
,
Pit of Acheron
,
Crystalline Passage
,
Frozen River
,
Glacial Trail
,
Drifter Cavern
,
Frozen Tundra
,
Infernal Pit
,
Nihlathak's Temple
,
Halls of Anguish
,
Halls of Pain
,
Halls of Vaught
Secret Cow Level
Normal Difficulty
Act 1 Nightmare All areas up to and including the
Barracks
, except Tower Cellar levels 4 and 5
To ensure 4 sockets in a
Broad Sword
from the
Larzuk
quest, the item level must be 26 or above. Monsters in the following areas will drop Broad Swords in this range:
Act and Difficulty Areas
Act 4 Normal Difficulty
City of the Damned
Act 5 Normal Difficulty All areas except
Bloody Foothills
and
Frigid Highlands
Secret Cow Level
Normal Difficulty
All Acts Nightmare and Hell All areas
You can also use the Cube recipe to add sockets to a
Crystal Sword
or
Broad Sword
if you'd prefer to save your
Larzuk
quest. Using base swords found the areas described in the tables will provide a 50% chance of 4 sockets using the add sockets Cube recipe.

Hopefully these tables will be helpful as you search for your first Spirit in D2R. Please let me know if you have any questions, or if I've missed or mistaken any information.

Stratigery

EDIT: Thanks to @Zalumon for pointing out an issue with Monster levels in some areas. The lists above have been updated with these changes. Please let me know if this I adjusted correctly.
Description by BillyMaysed
5

Can be used to make Runewords:

7
Hello,

For any caster class, creating a Spirit Runeword sword has a huge impact on killing speed early in a Ladder season. The stats are amazing for the cheap cost, and the level requirement is absurd at 25. For my caster characters at the beginning of any Ladder season, one of my first main goals is creating a Spirit sword toward the end of normal difficulty or as early as possible in Nightmare difficulty.

Finding the Runes is usually straightforward.
Tal
and
Ort
runes will be awarded for completing Act 5 Quest 2.
Thul
and
Amn
runes are fairly common, and if you do not have them by the end of Normal difficulty, Act 1 Nightmare Countess runs can be a good way to find them. Keep in mind you can use cube recipes for upgrading runes to
Thul
and
Amn
if you find yourself with extra
Ort
runes.

Often times, finding the 4 socket base sword is the more difficult part of the process. Crystal Swords, Broad Swords, and Long Swords can all have 4 sockets, but Long Swords are often not a good option due to higher dexterity requirements, so I'll focus on Crystal Swords and Broad Swords. First and foremost, pick up all grey Crystal Swords and Broad Swords starting in Act 1 Nightmare difficulty to check for 4 sockets. Items cannot drop with 4 sockets in normal difficulty. Ethereal items are acceptable, because you'll never swing the sword.

If you gather the runes before you've found a 4 socket sword, you can use Act 5 Quest 1, the "
Larzuk
quest" to create a 4 socket sword from a normal or superior
Crystal Sword
or
Broad Sword
. Going this route will allow you to create a 4 socket sword in Normal difficulty, even though they cannot drop naturally until Nightmare difficulty. If you choose to use your
Larzuk
quest to add sockets to a sword for a Spirit, it is important to use a sword found in the correct area to ensure 4 sockets. If the item level is too low, it will result in 3 sockets, and if the item level is too high, it will result in 6 sockets (in the case of the
Crystal Sword
only).


To ensure 4 sockets in a
Crystal Sword
from the
Larzuk
quest, the item level must be between 26 and 40 (inclusive). Monsters in the following areas will drop Crystal Swords in this range:
Act and Difficulty Areas
Act 4 Normal Difficulty
City of the Damned
Act 5 Normal Difficulty
Arreat Plateau
,
Pit of Acheron
,
Crystalline Passage
,
Frozen River
,
Glacial Trail
,
Drifter Cavern
,
Frozen Tundra
,
Infernal Pit
,
Nihlathak's Temple
,
Halls of Anguish
,
Halls of Pain
,
Halls of Vaught
Secret Cow Level
Normal Difficulty
Act 1 Nightmare All areas up to and including the
Barracks
, except Tower Cellar levels 4 and 5
To ensure 4 sockets in a
Broad Sword
from the
Larzuk
quest, the item level must be 26 or above. Monsters in the following areas will drop Broad Swords in this range:
Act and Difficulty Areas
Act 4 Normal Difficulty
City of the Damned
Act 5 Normal Difficulty All areas except
Bloody Foothills
and
Frigid Highlands
Secret Cow Level
Normal Difficulty
All Acts Nightmare and Hell All areas
You can also use the Cube recipe to add sockets to a
Crystal Sword
or
Broad Sword
if you'd prefer to save your
Larzuk
quest. Using base swords found the areas described in the tables will provide a 50% chance of 4 sockets using the add sockets Cube recipe.

Hopefully these tables will be helpful as you search for your first Spirit in D2R. Please let me know if you have any questions, or if I've missed or mistaken any information.

Stratigery

EDIT: Thanks to @Zalumon for pointing out an issue with Monster levels in some areas. The lists above have been updated with these changes. Please let me know if this I adjusted correctly.
7
User avatar

Teebling 6868Admin

Europe PC
What a fantastic and to-the-point guide Stratigery. This’ll be so useful for everyone when the game releases.

7
Very well written and detailed guide thank you so much for sharing it here.
7
User avatar

Dzik 51

Assassin Americas PC
Great guide, Spirit is absolutely ridiculous with how much it provides with so little investment. Every low-level caster should get this as soon as possible.
7

 Deleted User 632 0

 Guest
You can use this method to make Insight polearm (
Ral
+
Tir
+
Tal
+
Sol
) too. all polearms from these spots will get 4 sockets. except for
Bardiche
that can only get 3 sockets.
7
Hi there, was looking to build a Spirit for a hammerdin while leveling. Was looking for opinions on if it would be better to go for a
Crystal Sword
so I can hand it off to other characters later or put it into something like a
Heraldic Shield
for best block/res on the hdin.
7
User avatar

Khegan 402

Inktreader wrote: 3 years ago
Hi there, was looking to build a Spirit for a hammerdin while leveling. Was looking for opinions on if it would be better to go for a
Crystal Sword
so I can hand it off to other characters later or put it into something like a
Heraldic Shield
for best block/res on the hdin.
If you're focusing primarily on your Pally first, then I would suggest building a Spirit sword and shield for him. Afterwards, you can pass off your CS to another char whenever you get yourself a
Wizardspike
for Hell.
7
Khegan wrote: 3 years ago
Inktreader wrote: 3 years ago
Hi there, was looking to build a Spirit for a hammerdin while leveling. Was looking for opinions on if it would be better to go for a
Crystal Sword
so I can hand it off to other characters later or put it into something like a
Heraldic Shield
for best block/res on the hdin.
If you're focusing primarily on your Pally first, then I would suggest building a Spirit sword and shield for him. Afterwards, you can pass off your CS to another char whenever you get yourself a
Wizardspike
for Hell.
Not sure why it didn't occur to me that I could make both... lol. Seems like a decent idea. I think I will still plan to do CS first and then depending how I feel/what I would need to farm, maybe go for the shield as well, or just do like PDiamonds instead. Getting both with 4 OS with only one
Larzuk
might be tough...Thanks!
7
User avatar

Ran37 106

Sorceress Americas PC
Dude, excellent guide. Keep up the great work!

- Ran37
7
Thanks a lot man for the tips!

How to know the exact ilvl for an item ?
So what about the Shield version ?

"Hello, my friend. Stay awhile and listen..."
7
User avatar

Khegan 402

CletusVII wrote: 3 years ago
Thanks a lot man for the tips!
So what about the Shield version ?
For Paladins, you can use the same info from this guide to make one (e.g. iLvl 28
Heraldic Shield
can drop in Normal Cows), but it doesn't work for other classes because the only non-Paladin shields that roll 4 sockets are Elite grade.

Edit: Ah, I missed your other question. Unless the devs add iLvls as a part of item tooltips, then the only way to know the level is to remember where the item spawned and search from there. If, for example, an item dropped from a regular monster, then it's usually iLvl = Monster Level.

Here's a guide I made that may provide a better explanation: forums/a-guide-to-basic-terms-of-item-g ... t8350.html
7
Khegan wrote: 3 years ago
CletusVII wrote: 3 years ago
Thanks a lot man for the tips!
So what about the Shield version ?
For Paladins, you can use the same info from this guide to make one (e.g. iLvl 28
Heraldic Shield
can drop in Normal Cows), but it doesn't work for other classes because the only non-Paladin shields that roll 4 sockets are Elite grade.

Edit: Ah, I missed your other question. Unless the devs add iLvls as a part of item tooltips, then the only way to know the level is to remember where the item spawned and search from there. If, for example, an item dropped from a regular monster, then it's usually iLvl = Monster Level.

Here's a guide I made that may provide a better explanation: forums/a-guide-to-basic-terms-of-item-g ... t8350.html
Thanks a lot for your answers.
I asked this 'cause I fail twice with a
Crystal Sword
(6os)...

"Hello, my friend. Stay awhile and listen..."
7
Hi,

I have a 3 socketed
Crystal Sword
but not sure where I picked it up from. If I do that lazruk quest on it, will it turn into a 4 socketed sword?

Thanks!
7
Dumbledore wrote: 3 years ago
Hi,

I have a 3 socketed
Crystal Sword
but not sure where I picked it up from. If I do that lazruk quest on it, will it turn into a 4 socketed sword?

Thanks!
No, you can't use
Larzuk
's reward on an item that has existing sockets
7
I haven't had luck finding a 4os
Heraldic Shield
from cows yet. Is it recommended to use less or more MF to find bases? More or less players?

I'm playing online so might be able to trade if anyone has found one!
7
User avatar

Stormlash 356Moderator

Paladin Europe PC
@Inktreader The more players the better, the less MF the better.

Image
7
I'd like to point out that, "Items cannot drop with 4 sockets in normal difficulty. " is incorrect and it can drop as early as Act2 normal from specific mobs. (However, not worth farming for imo.)

Mr Llama has done a video on it. =)

Great post though <3
7
User avatar

Gozdew 109

Sorceress Europe PC
Thank you for this guide! As I'm leveling as a
Nova
/static sorc I picked up a
Crystal Sword
from normal cows and socketed it with
Larzuk
's reward since I had already found the runes.
7
User avatar

BillyMaysed 2260Moderator

Sorceress Americas PC
amazing work @stratigery , I've referenced this guide at least 3-4 times already! i was terrified of wasting my socket quest lol.

7
I tried to understand your area suggestions by looking at the monster and area levels on Amazon Basin:

Area levels:
https://www.theamazonbasin.com/wiki/ind ... itle=Act_4
https://www.theamazonbasin.com/wiki/ind ... itle=Act_5

Monster levels:
https://www.theamazonbasin.com/wiki/ind ... y_(Normal)
https://www.theamazonbasin.com/wiki/ind ... y_(Normal)

Based on that data and under the assumption that ilvl = mlvl for monster drops and ilvl = area lvl for chests (are these assumptions correct?), it seems to me that:

- Act 4 is not safe to farm (chance for mlvl 24)
- Act 5
Frigid Highlands
is not safe to farm (area lvl 25)
- Act 5 Worldstone Keep lvl 1 and 2 not safe to farm (mlvl 41 + 42 possible)

I would say these areas are safe to farm for crystal/
Broad Sword
bases in item level range 26-40:
- Normal Cow level
- Normal Act 4
City of the Damned
only
- Normal Act 5
Arreat Plateau
until
Arreat Summit
9

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