Diablo II FAQ/Walkthrough v0.04 Jonathan Fate Citadel Corporation <E-mail: citadel@adexec.com> Contents: 1. Version History 2. Introduction 3. Basic Gameplay 4. Character Analysis 5. Playing Tips 6. Quest Walkthroughs Appendices: 1. Skills, Spells and Magic 2. Magical Items - Prefixes and Suffixes 3. Mundane Items - Item Attributes 4. Rare Items 5. Uniques 6. Set Items 7. Magical Shrines and Fountains 8. Monster Tables Acknowledgements Legal/Contact Information ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Section 1 : Version History Version 0.04 - Dated 27th June 2000 ------------ As promised, I've added the weapons and armor tables this time. I have also completed the Shrines and Rare Items sections. The good news is I'm getting Diablo II on Thursday. Finally... Version 0.03 - Dated 24th June 2000 ------------ Added some unique weapons and armor listings, a few monster listings and amended some basic information in the list of enchantments on magic items. I also added a Set Items section to the growing Appendix. There should be another update pretty soon once I finish my research paper. When I do, I will put in the weapons and armor tables. Version 0.02 - Dated 22nd June 2000 ------------ Added information on the Stash in Section 5 under Playing Tips, and basic information on some prefixes, suffixes and pieces of equipment. I will put in some weapons listings, rares and uniques after sorting through my notes tomorrow. Version 0.01 - Dated 20th June 2000 ------------ Based on information garnered from the Diablo II Stress Test. This preliminary FAQ/Walkthrough contains a systematic guide to the first two quests in Act 1, as well as basic gameplay information. There will be more updates after Citadel Corporation receives the commercial version of Diablo II on the 29th of June. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Section 2 : Introduction Trouble brews in the wake of the Dark Wanderer... It is a year after the troubles in Tristram, yet the black wind howls as chaos descends upon the world. Five adventurers band together to stave the plague of evil, in a race against time to stop the second incarnation of Diablo from freeing his sinister brethren... Diablo II is the sequel to Blizzard's best selling adventure/RPG Diablo, released back in 1996. Like the original, the player assumes the role of a hero questing to defeat the evil Diablo, only this time, Diablo is joined by Baal and Mephisto, and an army of lesser demons, all eager to feast on your flesh. This FAQ/Walkthrough attempts to provide players with a simple yet comprehensive guide to the game, a detailed analysis of characters, quest walkthroughs and a slew of other information. Details, corrections and changes will be added as the game progresses. Check back for frequent updates at www.gamefaqs.com. If you have any CONSTRUCTIVE comments, suggestions, queries or information, kindly send them to me via e-mail at citadel@adexec.com. If you want to post this FAQ/Walkthrough at your website, please read the Legal Information section carefully before doing so. Citadel Corporation assumes that you agree to the terms stipulated in the Legal Information section upon receiving and processing your request and claims of ignorance will not be entertained. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Section 3 : Basic Gameplay "Much has changed since you left here my friend..." - Ogden, Tristram Innkeeper - Much has changed since the days of Diablo. The controls are much smoother, and the interface has been streamlined for convenience and ease of play. While playing the game, you can call up the HELP menu with the 'H' key. Basic Commands: C/A - Calls up the Status screen I/B - Calls up your Inventory Q - Calls up the Quests menu T - Opens the Skill Tree menu S - Opens the Skills Speed Bar R - Toggles Run/Walk Z - Show Minion/Hireling Portraits Ctrl - Hold down Ctrl to Run Shift - Hold down to Stand still Alt - Hold down to Show Item Tags F1-F8 - Skill Hotkeys 1-4 - Use Belt items Map Options: Tab/Mouse 3 - Open Automap F9 - Center Automap F10 - Fade Automap F11 - Show Party on Automap F12 - Show Names on Automap Multiplayer Options: These commands are useful only in multiplayer mode Enter - Chat Interface - Multiplayer P - Party screen - Multiplayer M - Message Log - Multiplayer Numeric Keypad 0 - "Help" 1 - "Follow me" 2 - "This is for you" 3 - "Thanks" 4 - "Sorry" 5 - "Bye" 6 - "Now you die!" Other Commands: Print Screen - Takes a Snapshot Space - Close all menus N - Clear messages Playing D2 ---------- The status bars and in-game interface have been upgraded. Use the 'H' key to open the HELP menu, cross referencing with the table below. Health Bulb - Your current Hit Point total Mana Bulb - Your current Mana total Left/Right Mouse Button Skill - Attacks mapped to your mouse buttons Belt - Belt items New Features: Run/Walk Toggle - Click to activate/deactivate Run function Experience Gauge - Graphic representation of your EXP total Stamina Gauge - Graphic representation of your Stamina total The Status Screen: The status screen remains largely unchanged, save for several minor additions and some fine tuning. Opening this screen with either buttons C or A presents you with character specific information. Name - Pretty self-explanatory Class - Character Class Level - Your current Experience Level (1-99) Experience - Your current Experience Point tally Next Level - Amount needed to gain a level Vital Statistics: These statistics determine how powerful your character is and are tied in with your character's chances of survival. You gain 5 points to allocate to these abilities everytime you gain a level. Use those points wisely and tailor your character to your preferred style of play. Strength - Affects your Damage potential Dexterity - Affects your Accuracy and Armor class Vitality - Affects your Hit Points Energy - Affects your Mana Other Information: Damage #1 - The amount of damage you inflict with your Button#1 attack Damage #2 - The amount of damage you inflict with your Button#2 attack Attack Rating #1 - Success rate of Button#1 attack Attack Rating #2 - Success rate of Button#2 attack The amount of damage inflicted and the attack rating depends on the attacks and skills mapped to your mouse buttons. Your damage potential is skill or weapon dependant and may be modified by Skill Levels or Strength. Your Attack rating with weapons is dependant on your base accuracy and dexterity rating. Defense - Your effective Armor Class Formerly known as Armor Class, the Defense rating affects your chances of avoiding an monster's attacks. The higher your Defense rating, the less likely your chances of being hit. Stamina - Your physical endurance A new feature, the Stamina score determines your rate of physical exertion. This score was probably incorporated because of the Run feature. It simulates the adrenalin rush and that added burst of energy. Running depletes your Stamina. Life - Your current and maximum Hit Points Mana - Your current and maximum Mana Resistances - Your defenses against magical attacks and the elements In Diablo II, there are four different types of elemental attacks - Fire, Cold, Lightning and Poison. Like Diablo, your resistances reduce the damage you suffer from these attacks by a certain percentage. Beware the new elements, as Cold is literally chilling and Poison is most insidious. Skill Trees: Another new feature in Diablo II, spells and spellbooks have been replaced by Class specific Skills. Each character class has three Skill Trees, with offensive, defensive and support abilities. To call up the Skill Tree menu, press 'T' The Skill Tree menu has three character specific sub menus, with a smattering of special Skills. When you gain a level, you gain a Skill Point, which can be allocated to a particular skill by clicking on the Tab, followed by the skill specific icon. A complete list of Character specific Skills, Mana costs and relevant information will be posted in Appendix I: Skills, Spells and Magic. Section 4 : Character Analysis Amazon ------ (this section pending) Barbarian --------- Strength: 30 Dexterity: 20 Vitality: 25 Energy: 10 Stamina: 91 Life: 55 Mana: 10 A master of weapons and armed combat, the Barbarian is an excellent character class for players who love melee and combat in close quarters. As a starting character, the Barbarian is versatile and adaptable to any situation. The Barbarian plays like the Warrior from Diablo, and his slew of Combat Skills, Masteries and War Cries make a deadly combination. The Barbarian starts out equipped with a Hand Axe and a Buckler, making him one of the best equipped characters in the game. With his exceptional Strength, he can easily take out lower leveled monsters with a swing or two. If you pump your first Skill Point into Axe Mastery, your damage and attack potential will increase exponentially, making you a force to be reckoned with. Necromancer ----------- (this section pending) Paladin ------- (this section pending) Sorceress --------- (this section pending) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Section 5 : Playing Tips This section contains some pieces of advice and tips on play. These simple observations will no doubt benefit players new to the world of Diablo II. Shopping Tips ------------- Blizzard has done away with the text based buying and selling menus, replacing it with an open graphical menu. You can hover your cursor over items to reveal relevant information and buying and selling is a simple mouse-click away. In the Rogue Encampment, there are three merchants, namely Gheed, Charsi and Akara. Gheed sells weapons and armor, much like Charsi the Smith, and Akara sells staves, wands and potions. Gheed also offers you a chance to Gamble, when you buy an unidentified magic item from him at an outrageous price. The risks are high, and you never know what you might get. Prices in Diablo II vary based on item quality, quantity and enchantments. Socketed items and throwing items always cost more, while basic items cost less. Use your discretion and buy items that suit your style of play. In general, there will be more than one merchant in town offering similar merchandise at different prices. In the Rogue Encampment, Gheed's items cost 10% more than those sold by either Charsi or Akara. Look for bargains wherever possible because money is scarce in Diablo II and items are pricier than they previously were. If you pick up items in the wild, attempt to repair them before selling them. This usually ensures that you get a better price. Similarly, sell off unnecessary Rings, Amulets and assorted magic items you find in the wild. These usually fetch a tidy profit and provide you with extra cash to spend on your shopping trips. Look for items with the Greed suffix and Fortuitous prefix. They increase your chances of obtaining gold and magical items in the wild. The returns are remarkably swift and infinitely useful. Repairing Items --------------- The costs for repair in Diablo II have risen exponentially and vary based on your equipment. However, if you are planning to sell off items you found in the wild, repairing them may be well worth the costs. An alternative would be to use weapons without durability like Javelin and Throwing Knives, Axes etc. They can stack together, occupying little space, and may be thrown as projectiles at distant foes. Equipped with items and/or Skills that add elemental damage to your blows, these weapons can be lethal in both melee and ranged combat. Your Stash ---------- Another new feature in Diablo II is the Personal Stash. Handy for holding surplus equipment and money, this treasure chest has 8x4 spaces for your items and can hold a large amount of gold. The last time I checked, it had a maximum capacity of 100000 GP. You can transfer items from your inventory to the Stash just as you would while buying and selling items. Survival Tips ------------- The aim of the game is to survive, and in Diablo II, survival is all the more difficult. Unlike Final Fantasy, where you have Healing spells like Cure and mana draining spells like Osmosis, characters in Diablo II have none of these abilities at their disposal. Taking unnecessary risks in the danger fraught realms of Diablo II is a risky and foolhardy endeavour. Always keep a constant supply of Potions in your belt pouch and a few spare in your inventory. They are handy for those occasions when you are swarmed by a horde of Unique monsters and their minions. Do not be stingy with potions as dying in Diablo II is expensive. Wherever possible, try not to engage monsters directly. It is easier to creep up behind a monster and kill it than to charge it up front. Some species such as the Gargantuan Beast are dangerous adversaries for starting characters and excel at close combat. Other measures might be called for in these situations. Use ranged weapons against opponents you are not confident of defeating in melee. Ranged weapons such as the Amazon's Javelin and Throwing Knives are easy to obtain in the wild and they make good alternatives in keep away games. They are also fantastic for assassinating stubborn magic users such as Fallen Shaman from afar. Using Skills ------------ Skills are a necessity in Diablo II. While Warriors could get by with a decent suit of armor and a King's Sword of Haste, only a foolish player would neglect to use the new skills at his disposal. Ranging from a simple magical Firebolt to the devastating Meteor, skills are handy for taking out Diablo's nasty legions. Use skills frequently. In the right context, skills can turn defeat into victory. Invest your skill points wisely, and you will find your life much easier. Go for passive support skills which boost your character's abilities, and invest in offensive/defensive skills only if you are certain you need them. Low cost ranged attacks are also useful as they are cheap and economical. Escaping -------- When all else fails, flee! Use the newly incorporated Run function to escape from your enemies. Beware though, as some monsters might give chase. Run if you are not confident of surviving a battle. If you are surrounded and there is little room, use a Town Portal spell. You may also find unexpected help in the guise of Amazon hirelings, Skeletal minions and NPCs such as Flavie. Gemlore ------- Another new addition to Diablo II is the socket system. Much like the Final Fantasy VII Materia system, gems can be socketed into weapons, shields and helms with gem slots. Doing so increases the potency of that particular piece of equipment and grants special powers or bonuses. Once socketed, a gem cannot be removed, so choose wisely. Socket gems into your weapons for additional attack capabilities, into shields for defensive bonuses and into helms for support abilities. There are Amethysts, Diamonds, Emeralds, Rubies, Sapphires, Skulls and Topaz, each possessing unique abilities and beneficial properties. Gems vary in quality and may be chipped, flawed, normal, flawless and perfect. You can upgrade the quality of gems by touching a Gem Shrine. Gaining Levels -------------- Killing monsters net you Experience Points and Levels. However, the higher your Level, the less Experience you gain from your kills. At higher Levels, experience awards from killing weak monsters might be meager or non-existant. When you gain a Level, your Life and Mana increase by 2, with additional increases from statistical bonuses. You also acquire a Skill Point to invest in your special Skills. If at all possible, try to keep your running experience total constant and stay at least two levels ahead of your opponents. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Section 6 : Quest Walkthroughs This section details the numerous quests and areas in the game, and some methods of completing them. Specific Quest locations are listed with a 'Q' in square brackets. Recommended Character Levels are also listed where applicable. The Rogue Encampment -------------------- You start out in the Rogue Encampment, together with the last remnants of the Sisters of the Sightless Eye. After talking with Warriv the Caravan Driver, wander around town. Speak with the other townsfolk, browse their wares and talk to Akara. She will instruct you to cleanse the Den of Evil. Talk to the other townsfolk about the Den of Evil to learn what's ahead, and head out of the Rogue Encampment when you are ready. The Blood Moor -------------- Situated just outside the Rogue Encampment, this moor is populated with Quill Rats, porcupine like beasts with a nasty projectile attack, and wandering Zombies. You may also encounter the occasional Fallen war band terrorising the countryside. Make short work of these monsters, and pick up any items they leave behind. Sell these items for money, and buy some Keys from Akara or Gheed. If you already have some keys, invest in either a Book of Town Portal or Identify. Keys are useful for opening locked treasure chests in the wild and in dungeon areas. Keep a steady supply of keys handy. Books are excellent for storing your Town Portal and Identify scrolls. Rather than keeping a messy inventory, you can stock up to twenty scrolls in a book. Try to keep one book of each type in your inventory if possible. There are several chests, loose rock/boulders and hidden stashes in the wild which may provide some decent equipment or at least some junk to peddle off to the merchants. You may also find chests in houses and stables that litter the countryside. Some chests may be locked, so remember to bring some spare Keys with you. They may also be trapped, so listen out for the tell-tale creak. Clear out the Blood Moor before tackling the festering Den of Evil. Den of Evil [Q Lv 3] ----------- Somewhere in the Blood Moor, the Den of Evil awaits. A cave filled with evil Zombies and Fallen, this cave is the home to the dreaded unique CorpseFire. Exercise extreme caution while exploring this monster infested cave, as you may be swarmed by Fallen if you aren't. If possible, equip a projectile weapon before entering this location. CorpseFire can usually be found with his pack of souped up Zombie minions at a cross junction somewhere in the cave, or in an open cavern with several Fallen and their Shaman. Beware CorpseFire's Spectral Hit attack, and watch out for his minions. Use a projectile weapon or spell attack on CorpseFire and his pack of Zombie minions. Being slow moving monsters, they will probably fall before they even reach you. This greatly reduces your risks as opposed to facing them in melee and increases your chances of survival tenfold. Completing this quest and returning to Akara nets you 1 Skill Point. The Cold Plains [Lv 3] --------------- After completing the Den of Evil, speak with Kashya and she will ask you to kill Blood Raven at the Sisters' Burial Grounds. Talk to the other townsfolk, stock up on equipment and Health Potions before setting out. The Cold Plains lie just beyond the Blood Moor, guarded by the lone Rogue archer Flavie. The Cold Plains are the roving ground of corrupted Dark Hunters, Dark Spearwomen, Gargantuan Beasts and Fallen. These foes are much tougher than those of the Blood Moor, and it would be wise to exercise caution. Bishibosh, a powerful Fallen Shaman holds sway over the Cold Plains, together with a large clan of 20 or more Fallen. This vicious pack of monsters will prove to be a challenge for any starting player. Use projectile weapons or ranged skills to take out the Shamen before closing in to melee with the Fallen warriors. Killing Bishibosh usually nets you a magical or unique item and some decent experience rewards. Before entering the Sisters' Burial Grounds, you might want to pay a visit to the Caves in the Cold Plains to rack up some experience and grab a few items. Cold Caves [Lv 4] ---------- The Cave in the Cold Plains is split into two levels, a randomly generated first level and a second level that remains unchanged in every game. The Caves are populated by Dark Rangers, Fallen, Gargantuan Beasts, Skeletons and Hungry Dead. *Cave Level 1* The first level is fairly straightforward, and somewhat unremarkable. The only things you have to look out for are the two chambers filled with Fallen Shamen and Fallen warriors, and the roving boss pack of unique Dark Ranger Cold Crow. Explore this level in its entirety before proceeding to the tougher second level. *Cave Level 2* The map for this level remains the same in every game. It is a small cavern populated by two unique monsters, three Fallen Shamen and their followers, a few Skeletons, Hungry Dead and Dark Rangers. The first three monsters you encounter are three Fallen warriors, followed by either a unique boss pack down the steps or in the narrow passage to the left. I suggest clearing out the left section of this map before proceeding to the right, picking up the gold and treasure on the floor as you go along. When you are prepared, head down the first passage to the right of the steps, and blast the Fallen Shamen. Advance cautiously, killing Fallen until you reach the Gold Chest and the narrow passage in the corner. Opening the chest nets you either a few magical items, a set item or a unique. At this point, you might want to take a trip back to town before tackling the Sisters' Burial Grounds. Sisters' Burial Grounds [Q Lv 5] ----------------------- This location can be accessed from the Cold Plains, and as its name implies, is populated by a host of undead. Skeletons and Hungry Dead roam freely, and Blood Raven lurks in the center of this desecrated cemetery. Take out the undead monsters in the perimeter before entering the cemetery proper. Proceed with caution as Blood Raven is a dangerous adversary with a Fire Arrow attack and the ability to Raise Undead. If at all possible, make her your primary target, attacking at close range with a melee weapon. If you have a fast weapon, you can stun lock her before she retaliates. Taking her out will dispel the evil in this cemetery and lay all the walking dead to rest. You may wish to return now to Kashya to gain your first Rogue hireling, or explore the Crypt and Mausoleum within the cemetery. I would advice taking your Rogue hireling with you in your future jaunts, but that is entirely optional at this point. *The Crypt* A mini-dungeon where you can gain tons of items and experience, the Crypt is populated by undead monsters. It is a straightforward location with ample opportunities and treasure. Loot the undefiled graves, shatter barrels, grab items from weapon racks, armor stands and chests. There is a Gold Chest in the Crypt guarded by the skeleton BoneBreaker, an extra strong unique with magic resistance. Killing him of course constitutes a nice fat reward. *The Mausoleum* Like the Crypt, this mini-dungeon proves an excellent place to level up and pick up items. Populated by the same undead Skeletons and Hungry Dead, the Mausoleum is an easy location, and you should have no problems whatsoever. Remember to search the barrels, graves, coffins and chests for random items and supplies. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix I: Skills, Spells and Magic Character specific Skills are listed under the relevant sections, and mana cost is listed in square brackets where applicable. Amazon ------ (this section pending) Barbarian --------- *Combat Skills* Bash[2] - Powerful blow that increases the damage done to enemies and knocks them back. This skill gains +1 damage, +5% to hit and +5% damage bonus per level. *Combat Masteries* Axe Master - Passive - Improves Axe fighting skill Sword Master - Passive - Improves sword fighting skill Mace Mastery - Passive - Improves Mace fighting skill *Warcries* Howl[4] - Frightens nearby monsters Find Potion[2] - Targets corpses to find potions Necromancer ----------- (this section pending) Paladin ------- (this section pending) Sorceress --------- (this section pending) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix II: Magical Items - Prefixes and Suffixes This is a very brief list of magical enchantments on items I discovered in Diablo II. As the game progresses, this section will be updated and possibly reformatted for easier reference. Item Quality ------------ These non-magical modifiers affect the durability, resilience or strength of a piece of equipment. Crude/Cracked/Damaged/Low Quality - Reduces the potency of a piece of equipment. Affected components range from durability to damage or armor class. Superior - Increases the potency of a piece of equipment. Affected components range from durability to damage or armor class. Magical Modifiers ----------------- These modifiers are wholly magical in nature. Items so enchanted are listed in blue in your inventory and in the field. Some modifiers may have specific Character Level requirements, and vary from modifier to modifier. These will be listed in square brackets where applicable. Prefixes -------- Azure - +5-7% Cold Resistance Beryl - +6-9% Poison Resistance Bronze - +10-19 Attack Rating Brutal - Enhanced Damage Crimson - +5-8% Fire Resistance Deadly - Enhanced damage Devious - -1 to Magic Damage Fine - Enhanced Damage/+25-39% Attack Rating Fortuitous - +10-14% better chance of getting magical item Glimmering - +1 to Light Radius Glowing - +2 Light radius Iron - +21-39% to Attack Rating Jagged - Enhanced Damage Jade - +12-17% Poison resistance Lizard's - +1-4 mana Ocher - +5-9% Lightning Resistance Serpents - +14-17 to Mana Sharp - Enhanced Damage/+12-19 to Attack Rating Silver - +60-75% Attack Rating Snakes - +6-9 Mana Steel - +41-59% to Attack Rating Sturdy - Enhanced Defence Triumphant - +1 point mana after each kill Vicious - Enhanced damage Vulpine - 10% damage taken goes to mana Suffixes -------- Alacrity - Attack Rate Increase Apprentice - Fast Cast Rate Balance - Fast Hit Recovery Bat - Steals 5-7% mana per hit Bear - Knockback Blight - Adds 2-7 poison damage over 3 seconds Blocking - +10% chance to block Craftsmanship - +1 to max damage Dexterity - +1-3 Dexterity Energy - +1-4 Mana Excellence - +3 to minimum damage Flame - +1-5 Elemental Fire damage Frost - +1-3 Elemental Cold damage Glimmering - +1 Light radius Gore - +8 to damage Greed - +40-55% more gold from monsters Health - Damaged reduced by 1 Jackal - +1-4 Life Leech - 4-6% life stolen per hit Light - +1 Light Radius Maiming - +3 maximum damage Measure - +2 to minimum damage Puncturing - reduces monster defense 10-20 per hit Quality - +2 to max damage Readiness - Slight Attack Rate increase Remedy - reduces poison duration 25% Shock - +1-8 Elemental Lightning damage Stability - Fastest Hit Recovery Strength +1-3 Strength Thawing - Halves freeze duration Thorns - Attacker takes 1-3 damage Vileness - Prevents Monster Heal Warding - Magic damage reduced by 1 Worth - +1 to minimum damage ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix III: Mundane Items - Item Attributes This section archives the mundane and non-magical items common in Diablo II. Ranging from basic items like potions to arms and armor, the list will become more prolific as time passes. Potions ------- Apart from Health Potions, Mana Potions and Rejuvenation Potions, characters have the option of throwing choking vials of toxic vapor and jars of greek fire their opponents. All healing potions vary from Minor doses, to Light, Normal and Super strength shots. Health - Red ====== Replenishes Life by a set amount Mana - Blue ==== Replenishes Mana by a set amount Antidote - Black ======== Cures Poison status Rejuvenation - Purple ============ Replenishes 35% Life and Mana Stamina - White ======= Fills up your Stamina Gauge Thawing - Yellow ======= Cures Freeze or Chill status Chemical Weapons and Incendiaries --------------------------------- Some potions aren't meant for drinking. Instead, they can be equipped like projectile weapons and hurled into the ranks of enemies. Chemical weapons range from bottles of flaming Oil to vials of Rancid poison. Incendiary - Orange ========== This umbrella category covers all explosive potions that create fire based effects and damage, ranging in effect and damage potential. Oil - Inflicts light fire damage Fulminating - Inflicts moderate fire damage Exploding - Inflicts heavy fire damage Toxic - Green ===== This category covers debilitating Poison based potions, which vary in toxicity and efficacy. Rancid Potion - Inflicts light poison damage Choking Potion - Inflicts moderate poison damage Throwing Weapons ---------------- An interesting new class of weaponry, throwing weapons offer a steady source of projectile attacks for characters without ranged Skills, and decent damage potential to characters weak in melee. All throwing weapons are non-magical in nature, though there may be some variations in Item Quality. Throwing weapons - *Have no durability. They are effectively indestructible. *Stack together. You can carry 75 Throwing Knives in small 1x2 slots. *Are versatile. They are useful in both ranged and/or melee combat. *Gain elemental damage from items that add damage bonuses. Axes ==== With a base damage potential much higher than most other throwing weapons, axes are one of the most powerful throwing weapons in Diablo II. 32 axes stack in 1x2 slots in your inventory. Throwing Axe Melee 4-7 Throw 8-12 Required 40 Dexterity Knives ====== Fast and deadly, the throwing knife is another excellent projectile weapon with diverse uses. Apart from its rate of fire, it also complements the Necromancer's Poison Dagger attack. Knives stack in 1x2 slots of 75. Throwing Knife Melee 2-3 Throw 4-9 Required 21 Dexterity Javelin ======= With a long melee reach and a powerful armor piercing drive, the Javelin is a decent weapon. It stacks in 60s in 1x3 slots. Javelin Melee 1-5 Throw 6-14 No Requirements Pilum Melee 4-9 Throw 7-20 Required 45 Dexterity Bows ---- Precursors of modern ammunition based weaponry, bows and crossbows formed the staple artillery and missile support of medieval combat. Bows in DII require ammunition, but this shouldn't pose a serious problem as quivers are easily obtainable. Bows - *Have no durability. *Require arrows or bolts to function. *Arrows stack in 1x2 slots of 250 and bolts stack in 1x2 slots of 150. Short Bow 1-4 Damage Required 15 Dexterity Hunter's Bow 2-6 Damage Required 19 Dexterity Long Bow 3-10 Damage Required 28 Dexterity Light Crossbow 6-9 Damage Required 21 Dexterity Required 27 Strength Melee Weapons ------------- This segment covers various types of close combat weapons, ranging from the adventurer's staple - the sword to weapons of mass destruction like axes and polearms. Most weapons may be socketed with gems to bolster their attack with elemental damage. Swords ====== Comprising a 32" to 47" blade and handle, swords were one of the most common pieces of medieval weaponry. Ranging from the sturdy footman's shortsword to the mounted cavalry falchion, swords offer decent damage without compromising speed or durability. Sabre 1-8 Damage 32 Durability Required 25 Strength Required 25 Dexterity Scimitar 2-7 Damage 24 Durability Required 21 Strength Short Sword 2-6 Damage 22 Durability No Requirements Daggers ======= Easily concealed yet quick and deadly, the dagger is the weapon of choice of assassins, rogues and the less savoury elements of society. While not as devastating as a sword, the dagger affords greater versatility with swift jabs and thrusts. Daggers are the only weapons that function with the deadly Poison Dagger skill. Dagger 1-4 Damage 16 Durability No Requirements Dirk 3-7 Damage 20 Durability Required 25 Dexterity Axes ==== Wielded with unsurpassed strength and fury, the axe strikes terror into the hearts of its victims. While slow to swing, axes inflict great and gaping wounds, dealing a swift yet painful death. Axe 3-11 Damage 24 Durability Required 26 Strength Hand Axe 3-6 Damage 28 Durability No Requirements Large Axe[2H] 6-13 Damage 30 Durability Required 35 Strength Bludgeons ========= A general category covering numerous variations of the club and mace class items, bludgeons range from the classic warhammer to the footman's flail. Swung with great force, bludgeons can shatter spine and bone, pulping the victim's body. All bludgeoning weapons inflict 150% damage against undead such as skeletons, zombies and animated constructs. Club 1-6 Damage 24 Durability No Requirements Spiked Club 5-6 Damage 36 Durability No Requirements Mace 3-10 Damage 60 Durability Required 27 Strength Spears and Polearms =================== Comprising a blade mounted on a long 5'- 8' haft, spears and polearms are devastating melee weapons. In the hands of an expert, these weapons are truly fearsome indeed. Unless otherwise stated, all spears and polearms are two-handed. Bardiche 1-25 Damage 50 Durability Required 40 Strength Spear 3-15 Damage 30 Durability No Requirements Trident 9-16 Damage 35 Durability Required 38 Strength Staves ====== Cut from the branches of ancient oaks and supple ash, staves serve as spell foci for the sorceress, heightening her magical prowess. While their damage potential isunimpressive, staves have decent range and provide whopping bonuses to the sorceress's dangerous spell attacks. Short Staff 1-5 Damage 20 Durability No Requirements Long Staff 2-8 Damage 30 Durability No Requirements Scepters ======== A regal gilded rod, the scepter is a mighty weapon in the hands of the holy paladin. Like the sorceress's stave and the necromancer's wand, the scepter boosts the paladin's magical abilities. Scepter 3-7 Damage 50 Durability Required 25 Strength Wands ===== Primarily the weapon of the necromancer, wands bolster his special skills and combat abilities, giving a substantial +1 to +3 skill level bonus. Like most other bludgeoning weapons, the wand inflicts 150% damage vs. undead. Wand 2-4 Damage 15 Durability No Requirements Yew Wand 2-8 Damage 15 Durability No Requirements Armor ----- This section covers various bits and pieces of armor, from padded coats and chainmail vests to shields, gloves, belts and boots. Crafted from thick cotton padding, rawhide or metal alloy, armor has seen considerable service in human history. From the earliest bronze crests of Greek Hoplites and Roman Legionnaires to the reinforced plate armor of 14th century Knights, it has served to protect the vital areas of combatants in numerous wars. May your armor serve you well as you traverse the world of Diablo II, and stand up to the blows of the nefarious Dark Lord. Padded Armor ============ Created from organic materials and sometimes reinforced with metal rivets, this class of armor is light and not at all cumbersome, offering excellent range of movement and average defense. Quilted Armor 8-10 Defense 20 Durability Required 12 Strength Leather Armor 13-16 Defense 24 Durability Required 15 Strength Hard Leather Armor 19-23 Defense 28 Durability Required 20 Strength Studded Leather Armor 29-33 Defense 32 Durability Required 27 Strength Mail Armor ========== Created from interlocking metal rings, cold forged and double jointed for extra strength, splinted plates or lamellar suits, chain based armor offers more protection than organic armor, but it is more restrictive and very much heavier. Ring Mail 43-47 Defense 40 Durability Required 36 Strength Plate Armor =========== Forged from the toughest reinforced steel plates and crafted to fit the contours of the body, plate armor is one of the most effective medieval armor types. Though heavy and cumbersome, the amount of protection it provides is unparallelled. Helms ===== Providing some small degree of head protection, a helm guards against blows that would otherwise incapacitate or kill the wearer. A helm, while optional makes a good investment for the intrepid adventurer. Helms may be socketed for support bonuses. Cap 4 Defense 12 Durability No Requirements Skull Cap 8-10 Defense 18 Durabilty Required 15 Strength Helm 15-17 Defense 24 Durability Required 26 Strength Shields ======= Carried in the off hand, a shield deflects melee and projectile attacks, and affords a decent amount of protection against potentially fatal blows. Shields may be socketed, offering additional elemental protection. Buckler 4-6 Defense 12 Durability 25% Chance to Block Require 12 Strength Small Shield 7-9 Defense 18 Durability 30% Chance to Block Required 22 Strength Large Shield 10-14 Defense 24 Durability 37% Chance to Block Required 34 Strength Boots ===== Every adventurer needs a decent pair of footwear. From supple calfskin travelling boots to heavy plated boots reinforced with rivets, boots kept the adventurer's feet dry and protected them from the hazards of the road. They serve in much the same way in Diablo II. Boots 2 Defense 12 Durability No Requirements Heavy Boots 5 Defense 14 Durability Required 18 Strength Chain Boots 8 Defense 16 Durability Required 30 Strength Gloves ====== As much a part of the adventurer's gear as a decent pair of travelling boots, gloves and gauntlets protected the fingers from the elements and weapon blows. Apart from offering a little extra defense, magically enhanced gloves also provide an edge in combat situations. Leather Gloves 1-3 Defense 12 Durability No Requirements Heavy Gloves 4-5 Defense 14 Durability No Requirements Chain Gloves 6-8 Defense 22 Durability Required 25 Strength Belts ===== Serving primarily as a storage device in Diablo II, the belt provides some small measure of protection and has numerous pouches for carrying healing potions and supplies. The holding capacity of individual belt types are listed in square brackets. Sash[8] 1-2 Defense 12 Durability No Requirements Light Belt[8] 3-4 Defense 14 Durability No Requirements Belt[12] 5-6 Defense 16 Durability Required 25 Strength ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix IV: Rare Items It is impossible to catalogue the Rare Items generated randomly by the game engine. Instead, this section is devoted to methods of classification and identification of Rare Items. Rares look very much like uniques, with fancy randomly generated names and a bright yellow ID tag. Like uniques, you can pick up rares anywhere, and they differ in quality. Unlike uniques, Rares have randomly determined modifiers, and possess from 3-6 magical abilities. Rares are in essence souped up magic items which may prove useful in more ways than one. Occasionally, you might chance upon a Rare item with better modifiers and abilities than a Unique, and you will get your first(or possibly second) rare after completing the "Tools of the Trade" quest in Act I. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix V: Uniques Uniques in Diablo II are essentially souped up magical weapons with extra modifiers and a really impressive name. Unlike Rare Items, which are now highlighted in yellow, uniques are highlighted in brown (ocher?). Uniques have no Character Level requirements. This list, like all others, will be greatly expanded in the near future. Arms ==== This umbrella section covers every weapon type, ranging from Axes and Bows to Swords and Halberds. Felloak(Spiked Club) 1-6 Damage 120 Durability 150% Damage to Undead *+60% Lightning Resist *+20% Fire Resist *+6-8 Fire Damage *Knockback Gull(Dagger) 2-19 Damage 80 Durability *-5 Mana *+1-15 Damage *50% better chance of getting magical items Rixot's Keen(Short Sword) 7-8 Damage 120 Durability *+25% Chance of Crushing Blow *+20% to Attack Rating *+2 to Light Radius *+25 Defense *+5 to Minimum Damage The Gnasher(Hand Axe) 3-6 Damage 140 Durability *20% chance of Crushing Blow *50% chance of Open Wounds *+30 to Attack Rating Armor ===== This section covers all body armor and shields. Other equipment like Belts, Boots, Gloves and Helms will be categorized loosely in the Accessories section. Accessories =========== This section covers all other equipment types. Like the previous sections, items are classified in alphabetical order. Hotspur(Boots) 2 Defense 60 Durability *+15% to Max Fire Resistance *+3-6 Fire Damage *+15 to Life Lenymo(Sash) 2 Defense 60 Durability *+1 Light Radius *Regenerate Mana 30% *All Resistances +5 *+15 Mana ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix VI: Set Items Sets are a special class of uniques, all loosely based on a theme or flavor. Highlighted in green, set items grant the abilities of uniques and a little more. If you equip a full set, you gain special set related abilities and bonuses. Arctic Gear =========== Arctic Binding Arctic Furs Arctic Horn Arctic Mitts A set of arms and armor based loosely on the arctic, this set is excellent for starting characters. It has high defence, a good resistance bonus and likely some cold related abilities if the full set is assembled. So far, I have acquired the Furs. I will look into the other items as soon as possible. Arctic Furs(Quilted Armor) 50 Defense 40 Durability 12 Str Required *Enhanced Defense *All resistances +10% Hsaru's Defense =============== Hsaru's Iron Fist Hsaru's Iron Heel Hsaru's Iron Stay A set of defensive items, the Hsaru's set has several weak modifiers, which are quite lacklustre. Perhaps the extra bonuses garnered from a full set will make it more useful. Hsaru's Iron Fist(Buckler) 5 Defense 24 Durability Successful Blocking: 25% 12 Str Required *Damage Reduced by 2 *+10 to Strength Death's Disguise ================ Death's Guard Death's Hand Death's Touch A pretty unique item set based no doubt on the Death mythos, it provides some really useful resistance bonuses, and defenses against status attacks. I'm missing the Death's Touch, but if I find it, I will post it up along with the special Set bonuses. Death's Hand(Gloves) 2 Defense 24 Durability *Poison length reduced by 75% *Poison resist 50% Death's Guard(Sash) 22 Defense 24 Durability Fast hit recovery +20 to Armor Class ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix VII: Magical Shrines and Fountains Found in practically every other area, shrines are now easy to find and no longer suffer from the cryptic clue syndrome that plagued the ones in the first installment. With an easily identifiable icon hovering over them and simple, straight-forward ID tags, you no longer need to worry about unseen bonuses or modifiers. Shrines ======= Unless specifically stated, all Shrine bonuses are temporary and are usually good for a single use. Armor[Shield Icon] Increases your Defensive Rating. Combat[Crossed Swords] Boosts attack damage and to-hit. Experience[Pennant] Doubles kill experience. Explosive[Obelisk] Inflicts Fire damage, dispenses 6-8 Exploding Potions. Fire[Obelisk] Casts Immolation. Fire Resist[Fiery Orb] Fire Resistance=Max. Gem[Glittering Obelisk] Drops a chipped gem or upgrade a random gem in your inventory. Health[Red Pool] Replenishes Life. Lightning Resistance[Lightning Bolt] Lightning Resistance=Max. Mana Recharge-[Blue Orb] Doubles mana regeneration rate. Monster[Skull Tipped Spire] Turns a nearby monster into a unique. Poison[Obelisk] Inflicts Poison damage, dispenses 6-8 Poison Potions. Poison Resistance[Wet Orb] Poison Resistance=Max. Portal[Obelisk] Casts Town Portal. Refilling[Obelisk] Restores Life and Mana. Skill[Gloved Hand] Increases Skill levels. Stamina[Winged Sandal] Maxes out your Stamina gauge, halts stamina drain. Wells ===== Meriting class of its own, wells are unique in the sense that they can refill themselves frequently, and can be used and abused infinitely. A refreshing drink restores as much life as a normal Health Potion, and you can return to one of these watering holes at any future time for another drink. Make full use of wells if you run into monsters or if you find your Life total running low. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix VIII: Monster Tables Since random unique monsters are generated from a name and ability database, it defeats the purpose of listing all of them. This section however, is devoted to [Q]uest or [A]rea specific unique monsters, and will eventually include battle strategies. CorpseFire [Q/Den of Evil] Zombie Spectral Hit Bishibosh [A/Cold Plains] Fallen Shaman Magic Resistant Fire Enchanted Attacks with Firebolt Revives Fallen Shamen ColdCrow [A/Cold Caves Level 1] Dark Ranger Area specific Cold Enchanted Attacks with Arrows BloodRaven [Q/Sisters' Burial Grounds] Dark Ranger Quest specific Attacks with Fire Arrows Raises undead BoneBreaker [A/Sisters' Crypt] Skeleton Area specific Extra Strong Magic Resistant ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Acknowledgements I would like to express my sincere thanks to: Ben RockySFR (twt01942@mbox2.singnet.com.sg) for downloading the Diablo II Stress Test and being such a helpful play tester ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Legal Information ----------------- This is a private work in progress not endorsed by Blizzard or its parent company, and in no way should it be inferred that this FAQ/Walkthrough is officially sanctioned by Blizzard in any way. Blizzard is the sole owner of Diablo II, and possesses all rights and privileges of ownership. Citadel Corporation, being the sole owner of this FAQ/Walkthrough is not affiliated to Blizzard and should not be inferred as such. As sole owner of this FAQ/Walkthrough, Citadel Corporation reserves the right to change, amend or otherwise revoke the content of this document without prior notice. This FAQ/Walkthrough may only be posted at GameFAQs at www.gamefaqs.com, unless parties obtain express written permission from Citadel Corporation. In the event of unauthorised dissemination and/or distribution of this document for personal gain or profit, Citadel Corporation reserves the rights of sole ownership to sue for plagiarism and intellectual theft under international copyright laws. Non-compliance may result in civil litigation and court action. 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If you need to contact the author of this FAQ/Walkthrough for any reason apart from those listed above, please direct your e-mail to Jonathan Fate at jmfate@xoommail.com. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- This FAQ/Walkthrough was updated 27th of June 2000 Copyright© Jonathan Fate/Citadel Corporation 2000