# Diablo 2 content patch next week **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 16, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654 "2010-03-16T15:11:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/241 "2010-08-18T05:12:26Z")
I got another anni this afternoon. At 17, 20, 8, it’s arguably the best that I’ve found (Except maybe for the 20, 14, 10 on my hammerdin, because he’s fine on resists, and I’d like to get him a couple more levels.) The wierd thing is that it seems to give my barb 24 to all resists. I didn’t really check when it was on my Druid, nor did I look closely when another anni was on my barb. One hypothesis is that it’s a “bugged” anni. The other hypothesis is that Natural Resistance works differently than you would expect… differently than Fade works for an assassin. NR is at lvl 6 (with a total of +5 to all skills) which says it give “Resistances: +44 percent”. It seems to me that, if the second hypothesis were correct, this would turn “20 to all resists” into 28.8 to all resists. I don’t really want to risk drop xferring to test this. Could I have a bugged anni? Or is this something with a barb? Also, do we have a barb torch? If so, could someone help me xfer it sometime this weekend? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/242 "2010-08-18T06:36:18Z")
Level 5 natural resistance gives 40 to all resists. Level 6 natural resistance gives 44 to all resists. So a +1 to skills will increase the barb’s resists by 4. This is the same way that Fade works. The +4 from the +skill, plus the +20 from the anni directly, adds up to the +24 you’re seeing. It sounds like you’re expecting Natural Resistance/Fade to do nothing on their own, but rather to increase the effectiveness of other sources of resistance. This is not the case: A naked character still gains benefit from Fade and/or Natural Resistance. A naked barbarian in Normal and without the Anya quests, with a level 6 NR, would have all resistances at 44. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/243 "2010-08-21T06:37:55Z")
It sounds like I’m an idiot who completely forgot about the +1 to all skills factor of the anni. I wish I could delete my last post. In an effort to make people forget about my previous post: I found an ethereal Shadow Killer Battle Cestus. I was going to toss it because we already have one, it doesn’t have any +skills, and it’s ethereal. But then I noticed that it’s Indestructible. So maybe it’s worth something. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/244 "2010-08-21T16:35:31Z")
Shadow Killer is one of those uniques that’s always ethereal and indestructible (it’s impossible for anything that’s indestructible to randomly be ethereal). It’s still not actually all that great, though. On the other hand, if you happen to find an ethereal one-handed weapon (claw or otherwise) that just plain has a ton of damage (ideal would be the Stonecrusher, unique legendary mallet), that just might be enough to get me back playing regularly, to re-create my bladethrower assassin. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/245 "2010-08-21T18:51:18Z")
Does it have to be a 1-handed weapon? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/246 "2010-08-21T23:36:11Z")
Yeah, two-handed weapons interact oddly with Blade Fury. From what I’ve heard, they don’t work well at all. ---
**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/247 "2010-08-22T00:10:13Z")
Hey C, does elemental damage transfer with Blade Fury? Or does it have to be physical? ETA: Woohoo! 900 posts! Only took me 9 years! At this rate I’ll hit 1k at the 10 year mark! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/248 "2010-08-22T05:06:30Z")
Blade Fury is pretty much the exact opposite of Smite. It depends on weapon damage but not on weapon speed, everything that adds to damage of any sort works with Blade Fury, it uses attack rating, it doesn’t gain much from +skills, and it’s ranged. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/249 "2010-08-24T02:32:59Z")
I just found an item that I’ve never heard of before. Blood Raven’s Charge Matriarchal Bow. The good thing is that it fires explosive arrows or bolts, gives +2 to B&C skills, gives lvl 5 revive, and does slightly more dmg than the demon machine. The problem is that it’s dex req is so high (187) that the enchantress is 73 short. I put it on her anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/250 "2010-08-24T03:04:28Z")
Matriarchal bow means amazon-only, and I can’t think of any reason an amazon would ever want to use it. Keep it for the stamp collection, or find some sucker who’s willing to trade something (pretty much anything) for it. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/251 "2010-08-24T06:50:40Z")
My merc now has 4,410 defense. I made an Eth Stone Kraken Shell for him that has 2390 def., 60% FHR, +300 def vs. missile, +16 to str and vit, and 15 to all resists. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/252 "2010-08-27T19:44:03Z")
I found a Heaven’s Light Mighty Scepter, with +2 to pally skills, 20% IAS, -33% Target Defense, 33% CB, and 2 sockets. Sounds good to a Smiter to me, but I don’t remember what he is using. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/253 "2010-08-27T19:52:58Z")
Smiter is currently using a Crushflange mace, so unless you really want the Knockback, 15 to STR, and 50% FR, the Heaven’s light would seem to be better. We’ve got some Um’s if we need to beef up the smiter’s resists. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/254 "2010-08-28T20:31:27Z")
Found an Ethereal Medusa’s Gaze Aegis, 629 to def. I wonder if the 100% chance to cast lvl 44 nova when you die works on a merc? I don’t see why not. What char would use a merc that could use this? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/255 "2010-08-28T22:07:43Z")
Heaven’s Light is definitely an upgrade for the smiter (it’s one of the top four smiter weapons). The only issue is the loss of fire resistance, but we can add a few charms or runes to make up for that if necessary. For the ethereal shield, the only mercs who can use shields are the A3 spellcasters, but there’s not much other reason to use them, and I can’t see that that shield is by itself a good enough justification. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/256 "2010-09-12T19:01:32Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > On the other hand, if you happen to find an ethereal one-handed weapon (claw or otherwise) that just plain has a ton of damage (ideal would be the Stonecrusher, unique legendary mallet), that just might be enough to get me back playing regularly, to re-create my bladethrower assassin. Best I’ve found so far is a 4Os Rune Master Ettin Axe – non-ethereal. 110 - 221 dmg. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/257 "2010-09-14T22:52:08Z")
I found an ethereal, 4os Berserker Axe (1H dmg 36 - 106). Looking at runewords, I found Famine, which is not cheap on the runes, but we might have them, and nobody else is using them. Famine 4 Socket Axes/Hammers Fal + Ohm + Ort + Jah +30% Increased Attack Speed +320-370% Enhanced Damage (varies) Ignore Target’s Defense Adds 180-200 Magic Damage Adds 50-200 Fire Damage Adds 51-250 Lightning Damage Adds 50-200 Cold Damage 12% Life Stolen Per Hit Prevent Monster Heal +10 To Strength ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/258 "2010-09-14T23:32:09Z")
I just traded 7 D keys for 7 H keys. Maybe I should have tried to get 3 for 2 or 4 for 3, but I just went straight up. We now have 9 D, 7 H, and 9 T. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/259 "2010-09-16T20:49:14Z")
Tuesday, September 14, 2010: The Diablo II ladder will be resetting on September 28, 2010… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654/260 "2010-09-16T20:56:53Z")
Is it just that we weren’t playing as much, or was that the shortest ladder season yet? I guess they’re trying to keep excitement high in preparation for Diablo III. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diablo-2-content-patch-next-week/532654.md?page=14)