Just have fun...

I've seen more than a few posts with folks worrying over precise builds, gear choices, perfect bases for their runewords, bad rolls on their first runeword, choosing something other what's considered the best choice for a base, etc. (I've been one of those people more than a few times)

What I think is good to remember is that this is a game, and it exists for us to have fun playing it.

I'm not saying that folks shouldn't work the gear and characters stats out with a massive spreadsheet down to a perfect science if that's what makes you happy. Just don't spend all your time fretting or second guessing yourself on builds, choices you make for your gear, or if things don't come out just perfect. If you like your gear because it looks good on your character, but maybe isn't the best choice for a runeword base, that's great and be happy with your choice

If frustration has set in, for whatever reason, take a break and come back later, or come here and chat about it. This community is fantastic and made better by sharing our high and low moments together...and remember (at least some of the time) to just have fun!

Tey_Rossa wrote: 2 years ago

I've seen more than a few posts with folks worrying over precise builds, gear choices, perfect bases for their runewords, bad rolls on their first runeword, choosing something other what's considered the best choice for a base, etc. (I've been one of those people more than a few times)

What I think is good to remember is that this is a game, and it exists for us to have fun playing it.

I'm not saying that folks shouldn't work the gear and characters stats out with a massive spreadsheet down to a perfect science if that's what makes you happy. Just don't spend all your time fretting or second guessing yourself on builds, choices you make for your gear, or if things don't come out just perfect. If you like your gear because it looks good on your character, but maybe isn't the best choice for a runeword base, that's great and be happy with your choice

If frustration has set in, for whatever reason, take a break and come back later, or come here and chat about it. This community is fantastic and made better by sharing our high and low moments together...and remember (at least some of the time) to just have fun!

On the one hand, you are right. On the other hand, as one "YouTuber" on diablo said, "if you have bad equipment, you die, if good equipment, they die." And it's true. It's better to have something that will allow you to walk around locations relatively safely. Of course, it is better to approach this without

Fanaticism.

Moondew wrote: 2 years ago

On the one hand, you are right. On the other hand, as one "YouTuber" on diablo said, "if you have bad equipment, you die, if good equipment, they die." And it's true. It's better to have something that will allow you to walk around locations relatively safely. Of course, it is better to approach this without

Fanaticism.

Yes, I agree. Good equipment keeps you moving forward, and you can get loads of good starter and sometimes high quality pieces in public free drop games, fellow member free drop games here, etc.

From there, you keep on moving up. Find a decent base, ring, charm...keep it or trade it some runes, maybe even a HR. Perfection might be elusive, but if you're at least having fun, it'll be a lot more enjoyable a time in the long run.

Yes of course its a game and some people's version of "fun" is had by min/maxing and making sure you are facerolling demons at maximum efficiency. I love getting ultra immersed in a game and figuring out every tiny little detail to perfection. No need to hate on how someone else plays a game.

That being said, my favorite build is a summon druid. So i enjoy playing both ways.

Tey_Rossa wrote: 2 years ago

Moondew wrote: 2 years ago

On the one hand, you are right. On the other hand, as one "YouTuber" on diablo said, "if you have bad equipment, you die, if good equipment, they die." And it's true. It's better to have something that will allow you to walk around locations relatively safely. Of course, it is better to approach this without

Fanaticism.

Yes, I agree. Good equipment keeps you moving forward, and you can get loads of good starter and sometimes high quality pieces in public free drop games, fellow member free drop games here, etc.

From there, you keep on moving up. Find a decent base, ring, charm...keep it or trade it some runes, maybe even a HR. Perfection might be elusive, but if you're at least having fun, it'll be a lot more enjoyable a time in the long run.

To be honest, I like the assembly similar to "Chaos" at the beginning of character development - I distribute points as I am interested and as I want. I'm exploring new abilities and new combinations. I wear what I can just find. For me, the game is primarily a rest after work. But, one day there comes a moment when I have to reset the character's points and continue to build on the build - for me it's more like work: (if I don't do this, then on the complexity of "hell" I can usually barely get out of the gates of the city))

BillyMaysed wrote: 2 years ago

Yes of course its a game and some people's version of "fun" is had by min/maxing and making sure you are facerolling demons at maximum efficiency. I love getting ultra immersed in a game and figuring out every tiny little detail to perfection. No need to hate on how someone else plays a game.

That being said, my favorite build is a summon druid. So i enjoy playing both ways.

Haha, no worries, no hate here. Just a friendly hello to all with some thoughts on remembering to have fun, however that looks for each player

Hello All

My take on this is simple. I keep a word document where I record my various character plans, my mule inventory, etc. Each of these mini char sections contains the results of theorycrafting efforts I have made over time.

This has led over the years to much more powerful characters who get farther into the game (when I say farther, it should be noted that I am exclusively a hardcore player).

For an SC player, I get not wanting to think about it, but if you are the sort willing to play HC, you are probably also the sort to thrill just as keenly over the results of theorycrafting, when it leads to successful play, than over a lucky item find.

That's one of the reasons I enjoy D2 and always have. The game greatly rewards intelligent decisions, and since you cannot undo/redo skill decision on the fly, having a well thought out plan is more than just pragmatism, it's a success strategy. It's survival.

So, that's why I and others like me do it, but that's not the only reason. Being well rewarded for thoughtful decision making is fun. It's admittedly an old school trait, but I fervently hope Blizzard, now that D2r is out, does not wave it's mighty balance brush so heavily that what you do hardly matters. Modern gamers seem to have less of the kind of patience with theory that this game rewards and I very much want D2 to remain the old school masterpiece that it is, with some facelifts.

I should add though, in keeping with what I believe was the poster's theme - I have made decisions based on aesthetics. I have sacrificed 5% movement in order, for example, to wear a

Field Plate Stealth, over, say, a

Breast Plate, because I much prefer how it looks on a necro.

So, more than just numbers, definitely.

Inethil wrote: 2 years ago

I should add though, in keeping with what I believe was the poster's theme - I have made decisions based on aesthetics. I have sacrificed 5% movement in order, for example, to wear a

Field Plate Stealth, over, say, a

Breast Plate, because I much prefer how it looks on a necro.

So, more than just numbers, definitely.

I loved this example. I literally fretted over using a

Kraken Shell base for a Fortitude for my Barbarian for this same reason! 5% movement sacrificed, but those spiky horns sure look badass! ...and the defense numbers are half bad either

Exactly. You know what you want and you know what it is costing you. Sometimes aesthetics trump utility. As they should.

I spend most of my time (80%+) that involves Diablo, not actually playing, but doing research, learning and theory-crafting. It's how I approach games in general and why I prefer strategy games. D2 being a hack&slash means that players who are here for the spectacle and killing 'dem bad demons' also enjoy it. There's nothing wrong with that either, but if D2 began to cater to them, i.e. become more casual, I would quickly lose interest.

I'm the kind of player that plays games on their most difficult setting, not because I'm a great gamer, but because I like to be cognitively challenged.

Moondew wrote: 2 years ago

Tey_Rossa wrote: 2 years ago

I've seen more than a few posts with folks worrying over precise builds, gear choices, perfect bases for their runewords, bad rolls on their first runeword, choosing something other what's considered the best choice for a base, etc. (I've been one of those people more than a few times)

What I think is good to remember is that this is a game, and it exists for us to have fun playing it.

I'm not saying that folks shouldn't work the gear and characters stats out with a massive spreadsheet down to a perfect science if that's what makes you happy. Just don't spend all your time fretting or second guessing yourself on builds, choices you make for your gear, or if things don't come out just perfect. If you like your gear because it looks good on your character, but maybe isn't the best choice for a runeword base, that's great and be happy with your choice

If frustration has set in, for whatever reason, take a break and come back later, or come here and chat about it. This community is fantastic and made better by sharing our high and low moments together...and remember (at least some of the time) to just have fun!

On the one hand, you are right. On the other hand, as one "YouTuber" on diablo said, "if you have bad equipment, you die, if good equipment, they die." And it's true. It's better to have something that will allow you to walk around locations relatively safely. Of course, it is better to approach this without

Fanaticism.

if you're a summoner necro i would recommend you to approach with

Fanaticism tho, granted by a beautiful Beast

Concur with OP, have fun. That does involve playing one's own way, and usually involves gearing up to be able to faceroll enemies.

For me, no game before, or really since, D2 has captured the magic and feeling of being a god among insects. I open a tomb door to 20 baddies, a second and a few strafes later, all that is left is corpses, melting Ice, a whole bunch of garbage, and oooooh, a

Chipped Topaz. Nice!

I shake my nugget at the people paying extra high runes for a 1% better something, or trying to cut prices because something is 1% off from perfect. I get it, and I am a slave to the market, so I play along. But, I always wonder, "does it really matter"? Is that level of anal retentiveness showing up in game play? Does it really give you that much more noticeable results? Instead of agonizing over 100% perfect GG loadout, why not just enjoy the slaughter with effective but less than perfect gear?

In closing, to each their own, but try not to let the details overwhelm the positives and the main point of the game: Purging heretics and slaying demons.

Each to their own - some people with money get a huge rush from that perfect Jeweller's

Monarch of the Whale, some are happy to even find a

Harlequin Crest.

I guess this forum has a lot of theorycrafting and min maxing because that kind of informative discussion is encouraged and we're exposed to it more often than most players. I reckon most players had a good time, maybe beat Hell and died in HC at level 24, then moved on. Only us freaks remain

Teebling wrote: 2 years ago

Each to their own - some people with money get a huge rush from that perfect Jeweller's

Monarch of the Whale, some are happy to even find a

Harlequin Crest.

I guess this forum has a lot of theorycrafting and min maxing because that kind of informative discussion is encouraged and we're exposed to it more often than most players. I reckon most players had a good time, maybe beat Hell and died in HC at level 24, then moved on. Only us freaks remain

Well said, ain't nobody here but us chickens, devoted to our coop.

Teebling wrote: 2 years ago

maybe beat Hell and died in HC at level 24, then moved on. Only us freaks remain

I uh, I died in HC at level 12. I suck at this game. But, I'm still here!

Leaker416 wrote: 2 years ago

Concur with OP, have fun. That does involve playing one's own way, and usually involves gearing up to be able to faceroll enemies.

For me, no game before, or really since, D2 has captured the magic and feeling of being a god among insects. I open a tomb door to 20 baddies, a second and a few strafes later, all that is left is corpses, melting Ice, a whole bunch of garbage, and oooooh, a

Chipped Topaz. Nice!

I shake my nugget at the people paying extra high runes for a 1% better something, or trying to cut prices because something is 1% off from perfect. I get it, and I am a slave to the market, so I play along. But, I always wonder, "does it really matter"? Is that level of anal retentiveness showing up in game play? Does it really give you that much more noticeable results? Instead of agonizing over 100% perfect GG loadout, why not just enjoy the slaughter with effective but less than perfect gear?

In closing, to each their own, but try not to let the details overwhelm the positives and the main point of the game: Purging heretics and slaying demons.

I think you captured the original intent of my post nicely here. When I wrote it, I was in the place of having agonized over getting gear that was as close to 100% GG, worrying about runeword rolls, then came to the realization that I'd forgotten go have some fun and enjoy my new Death and Fortitude, admire how badass my armor looked even if it gave me a weight penalty.

The various individual perspectives have been great and insightful and I'm glad folks jumped in to discuss!

I think min max is more of a pvp thing, its kinda true for those obscure high end gears, pvm wise as long as you have that particular piece, roll isn't that important, even for cta, and those are too obsessive for a good Grief, no Grief is too bad going for pvm, just buy the cheapest you can and enjoy

Honestly, obsessing over that 1% roll on some rare piece is usually a softcore thing. In HC you just plan around best builds and the best gear you can get, with some aesthetic exceptions for some.

Striving toward numerical perfection makes more sense for those who are guaranteed to keep their gear through Death.

I fully agree with you. I've been playing diablo 2 for several hundred hours now, and I've never watched a single tutorial in all that time. I just like to understand the stats, the characteristics of weapons, armor, etc., without any help, for me the game brings maximum pleasure when I personally build the logic of actions in it. By the way, as for runewords, I decided to buy them at https://www.yesgamers.com/diablo-2/runewords, but again, I sat for a long time and chose what to buy, analyzing everything on my own. Maybe I will not assemble the most effective build, but at least I enjoyed the process of assembling it, and it will also look cool visually.