Tips for Creating a Spirit Sword Early in the Ladder

@Zalumon Thanks for the detailed breakdown of areas to avoid! Much appreciated.

@Zalumon Thank you for pointing this out. It seems I was working with an incorrect assumption that mLvl = aLvl. I agree with your notes and will edit my post as soon as possible.

@stratigery its nice that other people spend just as much if not more time than we do on diablo 2 so we can get everything fact-checked lol. It really does help everyone a lot though. The comments correcting my guides were the best ones, im a bit OCD and hate making mistakes, the smaller it is the worse i feel :O. lol

@stratigery Hey, thanks for updating! Please note that I just started playing D2 two weeks ago, so don't believe anything I say without double checking.

What I can say is that on my first playthrough, I was thrilled to find a

Crystal Sword in the Worldstone Keep lvl 2. But when I checked the monster level of the Greater Hell Spawn that dropped it, it was 41 . So I didn't dare to use my Lazurk quest to socket it, expecting 6 sockets.

I did however also find a

Broad Sword in the

Bloody Foothills. The area level is only level 24, but all monsters are 31 or higher. I was scared to use Lazurk because most guides say item level = area level, but others say item level = monster level, or are generally vague about the specifics.

But I really wanted that Spirit before fighting

Baal and thought - what the heck - I will put my theory to the test: I used Lazurk and it did indeed give me 4 sockets - happy moment And I successfully socketed the runes for Spirit (again double checking the order about a dozen times).

So based on this, I am rather confident that the item level is based on the monster level, and not the area (assuming it was dropped from a monster, and not a chest).

Zalumon wrote: 2 years ago

Please note that I just started playing D2 two weeks ago, so don't believe anything I say without double checking.

just started playing and already furiously researching before making decisions and correcting others guides. take my upvotes

@stratigery I checked your updated list and maybe it's worth to simplify.

Warning 1: Somewhere I read that chests can be area level minus 1. Stuff like that makes me think I am not qualified enough to make specific area recommendations.

Warning 2: Don't use chest drops (area level too complicated) or barricaded towers (level 15).

Secret Cow Level Normal: Safest and recommended place for both swords.

Act 4 Normal:

City of the Damned for both swords.

Crystal Sword:
- Most monster drops in Act 5 Normal, but make sure the monster level is not higher than 40: https://www.theamazonbasin.com/wiki/ind ... y_(Normal)

Broad Sword:
- Any monster drop in Act 5 Normal
- Any monster drop found in Nightmare & Hell


Explanations / Thoughts:
- Starting with Act 5 Normal, all monsters are level 26 or higher (but some area levels are less than 26, and barricaded towers are level 15)
- I don't even know if chests or towers can drop swords
- Help people decide for themselves by pointing them to the monster level list

BillyMaysed wrote: 2 years ago

just started playing and already furiously researching before making decisions and correcting others guides. take my upvotes

Thanks I did start with Diablo I when it came out though. But at that time I did not read a single guide I think.

@Zalumon have you seen my New Players Guide? would be interested to know what you think as a new player who does such research. I wanted it to be as inclusive as possible for anything you'd want to know as a new player or links to it.

@BillyMaysed I did, and I liked it very much! Main downside was that I only came across it here in your signature when researching Spirit . Would have been even more useful on day 1. I will gladly provide some feedback.

For anyone interested, here is the socket data: https://www.theamazonbasin.com/wiki/ind ... itle=Sword

Zalumon wrote: 2 years ago

For anyone interested, here is the socket data:

@Zalumon Thanks for the link man.

i took your input and stratigery's guide, added a bit of my own and got this:

Guide for Getting Spirit Sword & Shield

-The Spirit (

Tal +

Thul +

Ort +

Amn) Sword, and Shield, can be extremely effective for any caster class, the sword being the best starting item. It has high FCR, +Mana, +Vitality and x2 to skills among other affixes.
-When trying to use

Larzuk Socket quest (A5) or

Horadric Cube you have to use the correct item level of

Crystal Sword /

Broad Sword or you'll either get too few sockets or too many. This guide will show you the safe spots to find a sword with 4os or make 4 sockets.

Finding Runes for Spirit:

Tal &

Ort: Awarded for A5 Quest 2. (free the barbs)

Thul &

Amn: Countess (NM)

Cube Recipes:
3

Ith =

Tal
3

Ral =

Ort
3

Ort =

Thul
3

Thul + Chip-

Topaz =

Amn

Finding 4 socket Crystal/Broad Sword Bases:
-Pick up any White & Grey (superior) Crystal/Broad Swords you see in these areas to socket them with

Larzuk Quest or Cube.
-Use the

Horadric Cube on White bases only: (

Ral +

Amn +

Perfect Amethyst) (WARNING: has a 50% chance at 4os)

Best Place To Find Both Swords:
1.

Secret Cow Level (N): Best & Fastest area to farm
2.

City of the Damned in A4 (N)
Crystal Sword:
1. ^ & Most Mob drops in A5 (N), BUT make sure monster level is not higher than 40: AmazonBasin Mob Info
Broad Sword:
1. Any mob from A5 Normal except

Bloody Foothills &

Frigid Highlands
2. Any Mob Nightmare through Hell

Finding 4 socket Monarch for Spirit Shield:
-Usable lvl 54, strength required 156
1.

Secret Cow Level (H): best area to farm
2. Any mob in Hell but only in Hell.
note: for Paladins you can find 4os paladin-only shields that are usable at lvl 25.

Nice guide, unfortunately I didn't read it before. If I remember right I dropped my

Broad Sword with 4 OS pretty late in Nightmare or Hell Act I. It this isn't possible then I dropped some

Key gear in Hell Act I and died pretty easily at this time around.

Just want to point out that a

Long Sword also belongs in that category it's capped at 4 sockets so anyone you find in normal cows or later will get 4 sockets from

Larzuk.

It has some dex requirement but it's faster base speed makes it a choice for trapsins.

w00t, time to finally use this guide. haha

if you're lucky enough you can drop a

Crystal Sword from a boss pack of zombies in the false tombs(normal) that can be Larzuked. thats the earliest a high enough iLvl can drop. not sure about broad/long swords tho