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KramutiFeel free to split this topic, I've already been having trouble constructing a list of v1.8 and v1.9 suggestions because I just can't find where folks put their comments. Seems a shame to lose lots of decent ideas.
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AngelI'd agree that good use of FOrb can yield more damage than IBolt. FOrb has a cast delay, but since your sorc would probably be on the run anyways (there are still counters in v1.7, but they're usually 5%onStruck), the cast delay might not be important.
I consider an item a trophy when it serves to show that you overcame some challenge. If players don't feel like collecting trophies then they could consider starting a new character, perhaps a build they haven't tried before.
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Minu566PCreeper - The early game is pretty easy in general, especially for poison skills (their main draw back is supposed to be that they take longer to deal the same amount of damage (good for Kiting strats, terrible for Tanking strats)). Tanking A1Norm is pretty trivial (ReplenishHP or PDR/MDR alone should work). By about A3Norm most skills are working as intended.
A1 to A2 BPrisons - These monsters count as level 50 in Norm (In NM and Hell, non-boss monsters are always the level of their area regardless of their level in the files), so I could see where a fresh character could struggle with them. Consider using Leap, LeapAttack, or Teleport to ignore them. They count as Undead, so HBolt and perhaps Sanctuary would do very well. My Merc and I usually get out well within a minute, so explore options to see what works best (you only have to break 1 of the 4 Prison sides (i.e. RegularAttack works better than Zeal or DoubleSwing), they're weak to PhysDamage). Folks are welcome to remove this feature in v1.9, but since the prisons are non hostile yet add an interesting play experience, I kept them for v1.7. I'm glad you've only rarely encountered them, they are spawned only by enemy archers onStrike (more details in the Monprops webpage).
Wake of Fire - Yup, this is a bug, thank you for pointing it out. I've made a note of it for when things get worked on again. WoFire is a level 6 skill in terms of its balancing, so it's the skill tab position that is incorrect (a hard change for me due to lack of software and experience editing D2's graphics).
HShock - I'd agree the HolyAuras make quick work of the early game (they're level 6, so you could probably get them before leaving BMoor when monsters are still level 1-2). As Angel mentioned, the defensive Resist auras max at level 10. There are other skills with a reduced max level, often that occurs when I was worried folks would accidentally click and waste a point, or when I was unable to make the skill more meaningful (Howl and BattleCommand max at level 1, Teleport at level 10; I was tempted to reduce the max level of most curses). I wanted the Resist auras to have a meaningful improvement per level (at least 1%), so they must have a reduced max to remain
easily balanced.
RightClick skills - You probably meant Left click. I'd agree that there are some skills that don't work well on left click, such as auras (they shouldn't be left-clickable in v1.7). I haven't experienced any other troubles myself, but I know that some skills on left-click require you to hold down the shift key to cast them (otherwise you'd walk to the location instead). During Testing, I was asked to make more skills left-clickable and saw no reason to refuse the request. If you find that feature isn't working well for you for some skill then stick with the traditional options.
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TsumeDoes Soulmancer set's hat really have two capital 'S's? Silly stuff indeed, sorry I never thought to check. For jewels, the IAS mods are free, they occur on every jewel affix (feel free to confirm via the Affix webpages), most mods that aren't especially practical (i.e. not %ED and %IAS) have some minor free mods like FHRecovery and FBRate to make them more practical. There are several uniques with a single charge of something to synergy-bug some skill on the item. It's certainly possible for players to use those items and bug their own skills, but I'm pretty sure there aren't any significant exploits (those charges don't increase damage much if at all). In some cases, the charge is there just so that a proc'd summon survives (e.g. Herald of Zak shield, Kethryes'sFlight bow). I'd agree that there's lots of potential for confusion, but questions get answered and things get clear.
I'd agree that Soulmancer produced an excellent base game in HU, but he also made mistakes. 'Member when HU had huge amounts of CrushingBlow because Soulmancer didn't know what that mod did? That correction was made, folks learned a lot, and we moved on. After a dozen revisions, most folks agreed that HU was doing really well.
I made changes to v1.3 because I'd played it enough to be bored with it, so for me v1.7 was designed purely to change things and make it take a long time for me to exhaust the possibilities. PureRage was interested in using my files for his additions because my files are relatively clean and contain some improvements to make future modding much easier and less error prone.
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CoryWhichever way forward you choose, I don't mind lending a hand. I don't remember all of v1.3's issues, but I recall enough that might help me search faster than you. Some details are in this
thread.
Please let me know which v1.7 builds you had in mind for being poor/irrelevant in
this thread, I've been looking for a build to play at reset, but I don't want to choose one of the strong ones because I'm looking for something more interesting.