We are truly sick.
Monster and Devo, you are an inspiration to us all. We are not worthy. Keep the tales, tips, and trivia coming.
Yes, until I get a new computer, please just keep talking about this game! Its so sad that I feel the need to vicariously live through other people’s computer lives…
The only character that I have actually finished the game with IS the barbarian… And Diablo was a nightmare with only a sword… 
Anybody else figure out the <ALT> key? It shows tags for all items sitting on the ground, and clicking on the TAG while holding the <ALT> key causes your character to run over and pick up that item, even across the screen. Makes cleaning up VERY quick…
O
vidi vici veni!
Okay, yeah, I haven’t finished the game yet. Too much time spent screwing around with different characters, too much time spent trying to actually maintain a relationship with my girlfriend. But still, I’ve got some advice for new players, old players, and especially for people looking to create a Barbarian.
*Magic items come in crescending waves.
What I mean by that is- when you start an act, you rarely see magic items, and what few you see are rarely powerful. As you progress through the act, though, magic items become more common and tend to be more powerful. But once you start the next act, you go back to fewer and less powerful magic items. Now, in general, the magic items in one Act are more powerful than the magic items in the previous Act (especially since they tend to be better overall items). But if you’re low on magic items or cash, your best bet is to progress through much of the Act, then go through one of the later dungeons over and over again, because once you move to the next Act, the amount of items you see will once again get rare and their power will be weak.
*As the save scheme abuses you, so should you abuse the save scheme.
When you save the game, the monsters in each area and dungeon reset. Likewise, though, the treasures and shrines reset. Use this to your advantage. If you’re having trouble with a certain level, save, reload, and then go back to earlier areas and kick some ass for the experience and possible magic items. And if you find a dungeon or area that has lots of good possible-magic items sites (i.e., dungeon-end chests or named monsters), hit it over and over again until you feel truly blessed in your equipment. (The Ancient Sanctuary in Act II is great for this; I was generally able to pick up two to three rare/set items in each pass. I went through it three total times, and by the end I had a rare, set, or unique item in each slot. This made the final dungeon/battle really easy. I think I used two health potions in kicking Duriel’s ass.)
*Money changes every thing.
Lots of money is always good. If the regular merchants don’t offer goods to your liking, consider Gambling. In general, it takes about four Gambles to actually get a rare or set item (still haven’t gotten any uniques), but if you know what you’re looking for (say, you still haven’t found a decent shield, or if you’ve looked at the various Set Lists on the web and know you need a buckler to complete your current Set) it’s generally worthwhile. 'Sides, what else are you going to do with that cash?
*Gems can be useful. Occasionally, and if used correctly.
Quite frankly, for all the hooplah I’ve seen regarding Gems and Socketed Items, they really aren’t all that great. I have yet to see a Socketed weapon which has more potential than a regular magic item. Generally, the bonuses you get from the gems just don’t compare to regular magic items you can buy.
There are three exceptions, though:
Skulls should always go into a socketed helmet, where they provide solid regen of health and a good boost to mana recovery (never put skulls into weapons; it’s pretty easy to find regular magic weapons which offer even better bonuses in mana or health steal. For example, my current Barbarian had, by the middle of Act II, one sword which stole 10% health and one which stole 11% mana. You’d need about 5 chipped skulls to achieve that. And both swords have attack bonuses.)
Topazes should always go into a helmet. Bonuses to find magic items also seem to make it more likely that you find good magic items. But skulls still take priority in a helmet.
Diamonds should always go into a shield, if you use a shield. A bonus which adds to all resistances is nothing to sneeze at.
Every other type of gem should be sold.
Sorry, I realize there are millions of diablo2 help boards out there, but I have one quick question for you Diablo killers. How do you find the big D. I used the hellforge to destroy the soulstone, and am now supposed to kill Diablo, but I can’t find him, I’ve been wandering around Hell for a week and can’t find any sanctum.
Tell me about it, i’ve been wandering around hell for 25 years, and I can’t find anything either…
Damn, I hate it when I acidently set up a joke for someone else, usually I catch things like that before I submit.
…hehe… sorry wolfy, I couldn’t resist. I’m still on ActII’s first quest, so I can’t help ya there. Stick around, someone will help soon I’m sure.
Are you in the river of flame yet?
O
Wolfie,
Right near the hellforge you should have no trouble finding an angel. Past that angel is a series of switchbacks, and at the end of those is the Arcane Sanctuary. Kill everything in the sanctuary, then trip the five seals, kill the uniques and minions that appear, and Viola! Diablo says " Not even death can save you from me!", and the battle is on! The angel is marked by a white “X” on the automap. Have fun!
I’ve been playing for a while, and I’ve beaten Diablo on Normal w/ a lev. 27 barbarian, and now I’m going through the game again with a Paladin. I have just one question…What’s with Natalya in Kurast? After Act III, she disappears. And she doesn’t do anything but talk to you, and tell you you’re gonna fail the quest that you’re doing. (Maybe she just doesnt like me)
Oh, and has anyone here gotten an unique armor called the Iceblink from Duriel? If so, I’ll trade a lot for it on BN.
So glad you asked!
Natalya is the lead in to the expansion.
She mentions that she is a hunter of corrupted sorcerers. Can you think of a more sorrupted sorcerer than Baal? She follows him to the north after you beat Mephie.
In the text file with all the conversations, there is a convo with her that got cut where she tells you what is happening. In the bit where it tells what they’re to say when you revisit that act, it just says “Nothing here! She’s Disappeared to Act V!”
So, the Expansion will add an extra act, and is supposed to add two new classes, the Druid and the Assassin. (Natalya is an Assassin. Ormus is probably a Druid. You can lern this from Cain if you talk to him enough.) All I know of regarding the plot is that it takes place to the north. My guess is you go get the last soulstone and finish things.
Both me and my roommate have found Iceblink. Both of us gave it to our Barbarians 
Truly a magnificent piece of armor. My barbarian switched for a while to some armor that had a defense of 250+. It didn’t take long for him to switch back. It’s only got about a 94 defense, but he’s an unstoppable killing machine with it (and, in the end, he winds up taking a lot less damage then he did with the super-armor)!
Can you only get it from Duriel, or can you get it elsewhere? (Thanks for the info Poet)
Ah, come on. Someone has to know this! =) You all probably do…you’re just too busy killing the minions of Hell that you take time out to check the boards…oh well…Back to Kurast…
How do you give an object from one character over to another? does this have to be done in open B-net somehow?
I’m Lvl 21, ActII, ArcaneSanctuary quest… tough as nails for me right now with my necro.
Come on, soul…after giving you several good quality gems, an amulet, and 50,000 gold, you don’t know how to trade? Whilst on bnet, click on someone and it will open the trade dialogue. That simple.
I’m talking about trading one of my characters vs. another of my characters. I keep hearing reference to people giving something they’ve gotten to another of their own characters…
You either do it on a network or B.Net, with someone you really trust. You the item that you want to go to your other character to the other person, then log off and come back to the same game as the character you want the item to go to, then the other person gives it back.