Request for a "Basic guide to Bases"

Hey all!

While being a veteran player of Diablo, there is one thing that always seems to elude me as far as information goes.
Bases.
Now I know of a few of them for sure and I keep a look out for those, but I feel like I might still just be passing up some gold drops without even knowing it all the time...

So what I would like to request is for someone more enlightened in the art of bases and runeword crafting, to make a list of all the most important/most valuable runeword bases, what they're used for, and where one might find them. I simply don't know enough about it to make one myself...
I did see the guide we have pinned by billymaysed called runewords and runes cheat sheet, but it didn't quite have the comprehensive list of bases I'm looking for.

The list certainly doesn't need *every* runeword base on there. If you're looking for the more niche ones it would be better to just look those up specifically. But the more popularly used ones that most people make at some point would be nice.

I was thinking of a format of something like this:


Name of item - Ethereal or not - how many sockets - What popular runewords are commonly made in it - Where to go hunting for one

so it would make a big table looking something like the three examples below:

Thresher - Yes - 4 sockets - Insight/Infinity - Hell cows

Thresher - Yes - 5 sockets - Obedience - Hell cows

Monarch - No - 4 sockets - Spirit - Hell cows


If whoever makes it would like to separate it further into groups of weapons, shields, armour, helmets that would be even better.
I don't know about everyone else, but I for one would find having something like this easily accessible to remind myself of what bases are actually good to be infinitely useful.

Thoughts?

The first thing that comes to my mind is the existence of guide videos such as this:



However, I do agree with your idea to have a typed/visual guide, and perhaps the best way to bring that about would be to have someone update a list with input from the community.

For me, I'm big on picking up bases for armor RWs as well as for bows, so I already know that any 4os elite bow will be good for Harmony, Faith, etc. 5os bow will only be able to install a CTA, 6os bow will only run BOTD or Silence. With community support, we can make this a reality.

make sure to link up with the item base number of max sockets that

Larzuk can give based on ilvl https://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Sockets

Note from admin: this page is known to have inaccurate values, do not reference it in written guides. Correct sockets by ilvl information is found here on diablo2.io on any Base item page.

I dont think a giant table is needed because there aren't that many bases to even consider.

Notes on bases:
1. A lot of runewords CAN use many bases but are a complete waste if made in a sub-optimal base or a base with way too high of strength and/or dexterity requirements. So for 99% of runewords, they only have 1-2 possible bases they should ever be put in.
2. Elite bases can only be found in Hell and the best place to find nearly all of them is the

Secret Cow Level. (

Berserker Axe - Pit, worldstone,

Mausoleum or maggot lair)
3. Bases are worth a lot more if they are superior and even more with max rolls

Weapon Bases:
2os

Wand - White (with x2-3

Bone Spear)
2os staff - Leaf (with x2-3 fire ball, buy from

Drognan A2 N)
3os

Phase Blade - Lawbringer, Fury or Crescent Moon
3os

Runic Talons - Chaos or Fury
3os

Flail - Black
4os Ethereal

Berserker Axe,

Cryptic Sword or

Silver-Edged Axe - Oath
4os

Phase Blade - Voice of Reason
4os

Crystal Sword or

Broad Sword - Spirit
4os

Flail - Heart of the Oak
4os

War Scepter - Rift
4os Ethereal

Thresher,

Great Poleaxe or

Cryptic Axe - Insight, Infinity or Pride
4os

Grand Matron Bow (x2-3 bow skills) - Faith, Brand, Harmony or Ice
4os

Blade Bow or

Great Bow - Faith, Brand, Harmony or Ice (For A1 Mercenary)
5os

Phase Blade - Grief
5os

Flail or

Crystal Sword - Call To Arms
5os

Thresher or

Giant Thresher- Obedience (Ethereal for merc)
5os

Berserker Axe - Grief, Beast, Doom or Death (Ethereal for death)
6os

Phase Blade - Last Wish
6os Ethereal

Berserker Axe,

Colossus Blade,

Hydra Bow or

Giant Thresher - Breath of the Dying

Armor Bases:
3os magic/rare Druid helm with x3

Tornado & x2 Druid Skills - PVM
3os magic

Tiara/

Diadem with +life or +Run Walk - PVP/PVM
3os

Demonhead or

Bone Visage - Dream or Delirium
3os

Archon Plate,

Mage Plate or

Dusk Shroud - Enigma, Duress, Dragon or Treachery (Ethereal for merc)
3os

Hyperion,

Monarch or

Blade Barrier - Dream, Sanctuary or Dragon
4os

Monarch - Spirit or Phoenix
4os magic jewlers

Monarch of deflecting (JMOD) - PVP
4os

Sacred Rondache/

Vortex Shield (with 40+ all res) - Exile or Phoenix
4os

Archon Plate,

Mage Plate or

Dusk Shroud - Bramble, Chains of Honor or Fortitude (any elite ethereal armor for merc)


Leaving out the obvious low level ones for Nadir, Steel, Malice, Stealth, Ancient's Pledge, Zephyr, Edge, strength, Honor, Peace, Smoke etc

annoynimous wrote: 2 years ago

make sure to link up with the item base number of max sockets that

Larzuk can give based on ilvl https://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Sockets

Good idea for sure.

BillyMaysed wrote: 2 years ago

I dont think a giant table is needed because there aren't that many bases to even consider. (possibly more with the new runewords for ladder?)

2os

Wand - White (with x2-3

Bone Spear)
2os staff - Leaf (with x2-3 fire ball) (buy from

Drognan A2 N)
3os

Phase Blade - Lawbringer
3os

Archon Plate or - Treachery or Crescent Moon
3os

Demonhead or

Bone Visage - Dream or Delirium
3os

Runic Talons - Chaos
3os

Archon Plate or

Dusk Shroud - Enigma
4os Ethereal

Berserker Axe - Oath
4os

Phase Blade - Voice of Reason
4os

Crystal Sword or

Broad Sword - Spirit
4os

Flail - Heart of the Oak
4os ethereal

Thresher or

Cryptic Axe - Insight, Infinity or Pride
4os

Monarch - Spirit
4os

Archon Plate or

Dusk Shroud - Bramble, Chains of Honor or Fortitude (ethereal for merc)
4os

Great Bow or

Blade Bow - Ice
5os

Phase Blade - Grief
5os

Flail or

Crystal Sword - Call To Arms
5os

Thresher - Obedience (ethereal for merc)
5os

Berserker Axe - Grief or Doom
6os

Phase Blade - Last Wish
6os ethereal

Berserker Axe or elite polearm - Breath of the Dying

But what I was thinking of was more for those of us who don't even know which ones are worth considering. For example, I've been playing this game for 20 years on and off. It wasn't until yesterday that I read about Berserker axes being a thing, and I hadn't even been looking twice at those. Hell I didn't even know where to find them since my farming is mostly cows, countess and

Mephisto. At first I thought people were referring to the berserker set. x)

While that list you've provided here is certainly helpful, and a great start, it is lacking in some information. such as where to best find the these things in most cases. (I also have no clue how "complete" it is, as, like I stated, I'm not the best at knowledge on bases.)

Misanthrilist wrote: 2 years ago

While that list you've provided here is certainly helpful, and a great start, it is lacking in some information. such as where to best find the these things in most cases. (I also have no clue how "complete" it is, as, like I stated, I'm not the best at knowledge on bases.)

elite bases can only drop in Hell, and the best place to find almost all bases for every difficulty is the

Secret Cow Level. 0 MF.

BillyMaysed wrote: 2 years ago

Misanthrilist wrote: 2 years ago

While that list you've provided here is certainly helpful, and a great start, it is lacking in some information. such as where to best find the these things in most cases. (I also have no clue how "complete" it is, as, like I stated, I'm not the best at knowledge on bases.)

elite bases can only drop in Hell, and the best place to find bases for every difficulty is the

Secret Cow Level. 0 MF.

While mostly true, I don't believe I've ever seen even a single

Berserker Axe in hell cows. Saw my first one after running Chaos for a bit yesterday. Kinda surprised me. Not sure if they drop in cows?
And it could also prove useful to know which difficulty to find the items you're looking for.

Edit: another example would be 4os flails, which are best farmed in normal cows if I recall correctly, due to their ilvl being perfect for 4os with

Larzuk quest there.

halflife wrote: 2 years ago

The first thing that comes to my mind is the existence of guide videos such as this:



However, I do agree with your idea to have a typed/visual guide, and perhaps the best way to bring that about would be to have someone update a list with input from the community.

For me, I'm big on picking up bases for armor RWs as well as for bows, so I already know that any 4os elite bow will be good for Harmony, Faith, etc. 5os bow will only be able to install a CTA, 6os bow will only run BOTD or Silence. With community support, we can make this a reality.

That's what I was thinking as well. The combined knowledge of the community could probably throw something like this together fairly easily. And it would be very helpful to those of us who are less knowledgeable on what to pick up. Which means more bases available on the market for all of us as well!

Misanthrilist wrote: 2 years ago

While mostly true, I don't believe I've ever seen even a single

Berserker Axe in hell cows. Saw my first one after running Chaos for a bit yesterday. Kinda surprised me. Not sure if they drop in cows?
And it could also prove useful to know which difficulty to find the items you're looking for.

i just looked up the drop rates and it *can* drop in the

Secret Cow Level but it does have a very tiny drop chance, so specifically for

Berserker Axe's you'll want to farm either the pit, worldstone,

Mausoleum or maggot lair.

Every other item is an elite base besides the low level ones like Leaf, which you buy from a vendor in normal, or Spirit. So pretty much everything else is Hell difficulty only and the rest of the bases will drop the quickest in cows.

The addition (in the sticky) of the possible use-cases for base item/socket combinations (or possible sockets and thus being an item that someone might want) might help out (with or without price indication), like after the more common once.

Could get very messy and filled with niche things ofc.

Although I do mis some more niche items in the price guide that are used for low(er) lvl pvp etc.
Which requires an extra run through the Price Check tool, which not everyone will do,

Misanthrilist wrote: 2 years ago

annoynimous wrote: 2 years ago

make sure to link up with the item base number of max sockets that

Larzuk can give based on ilvl https://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Sockets

Good idea for sure.

If anyone wants to add max sockets by ilvl data, remember that the wiki page linked is not accurate. When we were making the DB here we noticed that page specifically has mistakes in places.

For corrected values, use the data here on diablo2.io for max sockets by ilvl. You can see these values for any base item, and an indication of the min/max it can actually spawn with, rather than just theoretical data. Click

Archon Plate for example.

An addition to my previous post about possible use cases for base items, with or without sockets/ethereal mods, whicht might help out newer players, I agree to keep that information separate via links (temporarily external or not) to keep the sticky clean and readable.

Besides that, the sentance "Trade Value of All Items in Diablo 2 Resurrected: (Runes, Torches, Bases, Uber Keys, Charms, Jewels, Unique, Set & Magic Items)" could be confusing to newer players, presuming their stuff has no worth by not being listed.
If I'm uncertain about an item that is lacking in the sticky I use the Price Checker Tool/current and past trades but this might not be the case for everyone, which could result in stuff just not being available on the market as it's being

Charsi'd.

This could include things like items used in low(er) lvl PVP, leveling, collecting, etc, which are (less) sought after and.
I'm not suggesting to clutter the sticky with these items (and the extra work keeping it up to date) but having the Price Check tool (easily scrolled past) and/or item info resources a bit more prevalent might help new players deciding whethere or not to put things for sale and what to expect.

This might sound like catering to newer players a lot but I do hope we get a bunch of new people trying D2 if they haven't in the past .

Struikrover wrote: 2 years ago

Besides that, the sentance "Trade Value of All Items in Diablo 2 Resurrected: (Runes, Torches, Bases, Uber Keys, Charms, Jewels, Unique, Set & Magic Items)" could be confusing to newer players, presuming their stuff has no worth by not being listed.

Ya that makes sense, i just changed the sentence in the sticky Trade Value Guides to "all item types in diablo 2" and the price checker tool is mentioned in the notes section at the top, but i edited it to say "if your item isn't listed", made them numbered and moved it as point #2.

Struikrover wrote: 2 years ago

This might sound like catering to newer players a lot but I do hope we get a bunch of new people trying D2 if they haven't in the past .

by the looks of main blizz forum, this site and the diablo subreddits we definitely have a ton of new people playing D2. But i also hope even more keep coming and i hope the guides i have created help them a lot. Its the whole reason i made my New Players Guide and Runewords & Runes Cheat sheets at the beginning of launch

Yeah, skimmed over the new players guide but the rune cheat sheet is certainly bookmarked haha.

Nice resources to have.

BillyMaysed wrote: 2 years ago

Struikrover wrote: 2 years ago

This might sound like catering to newer players a lot but I do hope we get a bunch of new people trying D2 if they haven't in the past .

by the looks of main blizz forum, this site and the diablo subreddits we definitely have a ton of new people playing D2. But i also hope even more keep coming and i hope the guides i have created help them a lot. Its the whole reason i made my New Players Guide and Runewords & Runes Cheat sheets at the beginning of launch

We gotta support the newbies for sure so they decide to stick around!

Misanthrilist wrote: 2 years ago

We gotta support the newbies for sure so they decide to stick around!

Oh for sure man, i made that list on the fly and edited it a bit already. It definitely has over 90% of the bases any player should ever consider. It's really only missing things like JMOD or the 3os

Tiara's with +life or RW, which are more niche. But what else do you think i should add or elaborate on? The list isn't super long so it didn't feel necessary, but should i separate them into Weapon/Armor categories and add what additional details?

I put this in my comment above but the reason why the table is so small is most runewords CAN use many bases, but are a complete waste if made in a sub-optimal base in most cases. So for 99% of runewords, they really only have 1-2 possible bases they should ever be put in. However, sometimes i feel like such a diablo 2 nerd that im "too close" to it and can't see what a brand new player would have the easiest time reading. A lot of people helped with my New Players Guide since there's a ton of details that seem "common sense" to me personally.

BillyMaysed wrote: 2 years ago

Misanthrilist wrote: 2 years ago

We gotta support the newbies for sure so they decide to stick around!

Oh for sure man, i made that list on the fly and edited it a bit already. It definitely has over 90% of the bases any player should ever consider. It's really only missing things like JMOD or the 3os

Tiara's with +life or RW, which are more niche. But what else do you think i should add or elaborate on? The list isn't super long so it didn't feel necessary, but should i separate them into Weapon/Armor categories and add what additional details?

I put this in my comment above but the reason why the table is so small is most runewords CAN use many bases, but are a complete waste if made in a sub-optimal base in most cases. So for 99% of runewords, they really only have 1-2 possible bases they should ever be put in. However, sometimes i feel like such a diablo 2 nerd that im "too close" to it and can't see what a brand new player would have the easiest time reading. A lot of people helped with my New Players Guide since there's a ton of details that seem "common sense" to me personally.

Well, as for anything to add, that would be difficult for me to say, since I wouldn't know. that's why I made this forum post, haha. ^^; The few ones I can think of are:

Sacred Rondache/

Vortex Shield with good all res (40+) for Exile,

Grand Matron Bow with +3 skills for bow runewords (I don't know the specific ones, I just know it's used for them), 3os

Flail for Black, 3os

Archon Plate/

Mage Plate for Duress. And possibly including

Mage Plate as an alternative for Enigma. I've seen plenty of people mentioning that for the lower str requirements.
Maybe the other folks on the forum can think of some others that are missing as well?

I'm absolutely fine with the list being fairly small as long as it includes all the frequently used bases. As you say, most runewords are made in specific bases for a reason, even if there may be alternatives to the most commonly used bases. (prime example being polearms. there's tons but people really only use

Thresher,

Giant Thresher, and the occasional

Cryptic Axe)

But, I do think it's certainly a bit poorly formatted currently when it comes to visual clarity.
I'd still say that my original format would be better (maybe some tweaking to the ethereal bit). And separating it into categories would help visibility for sure. At least weapons, armours, shields, helms. Bonus points for different weapon categories (polearms, swords, axes, maces, bows, wands/staves.)

If others here have suggestions or ideas as well, that'd be great. Like you say, sometimes it's easy to miss things by being too close to the issue.

Misanthrilist wrote: 2 years ago

But, I do think it's certainly a bit poorly formatted currently when it comes to visual clarity.
I'd still say that my original format would be better (maybe some tweaking to the ethereal bit). And separating it into categories would help visibility for sure. At least weapons, armours, shields, helms. Bonus points for different weapon categories (polearms, swords, axes, maces, bows, wands/staves.)

The armors section is half the size of the weapons already, so i dont see a need to separate it into even more sub sections unless it would serve some purpose. This is just a list of all the possible valuable/useful bases to look out for while farming and their specific use, why would it need to be separated into a bunch of sub sections when there's only a little over 20 rows of info? I'll keep adding to the list to make sure its complete as possible, so you're free to copy-paste the information around and reformat it to show me how exactly it would be better, seems to me like it would only make it unnecessarily long.

To put it into a nutshell regarding armor RW bases, any elite light armor that rolls 2,3,or 4 os is useful, and iirc, an

Eth 2os is good for that one RW that has autorepair, and

Eth 4os is good for a merc Fortitude. If you want to be picky, you can filter out armor that rolls low on the defense, but that would entail memorizing the defense values. I find so many Dusk Shrouds that I npc any that I find that roll less than 370 def, often I just

Charsi ones that are less than 400.