When to face Diablo?

[internetdotcom]

I have a SP 1.10 MA/Shadow Disciplines assy, who is currently lvl 26, and just about to start act IV normal. The goal right now is to get at least to lvl 30 before facing Diablo. My stats are :

(with items ) :

59 str
54 dex
38 vit
base energy

39 saved

13 CM
1 BoS, shadow warrior, mind blast
1 in each prerequisite
2 FoF (eventual synergy for PS)
3 CoT (eventual synergy for PS)
1 BoI (wont put any more here, will just synergize the other 2)
1 TS
1 CS
182 life
78 mana
321 stamina

Resists :

Unsure. Fire is 50-something, lightning is REAL low, gotta get it up. Others are kinda low, except cold.

Equipment :

Nothing special. No uniques, and only set item I'm wearing is vidala's fetlock. Also have death's guard sash in stash for cannot be frozen.
How high clvl do you think I need to face Diablo? I have had a LOT of problems with andy, duriel, and meph so far.

Thanks all.

[Guest]

How much damage are you doing?

[Minionman]

If you didn't have problems with regular monsters, 30 should be fine for fighting diablo. Lower levels would also be fine if you don't need a level 30 skill for fighting diablo. Just bring a lot of potions/town portals, get those resists, and have plenty of time for the killing. There really isn't any reason to get extra levels for fighting diablo if you do fine against regular monsters.

If the character has trouble in general than get levels because it may need a level 30 skill or better equipment and diablo should wait.

[Bob the Beholder]

Why bother levelling up to 30? It is normal, after all. Just be sure to dodge his lightning breath, and don't go standing around in any pools of fire, and you'll be fine. Oughta take along quite a few potions, though.

[Rinnhart]

The safest and easiest way to kill diablo as an assassin (from my experience) is with bladefury. Spam shadows behind him and fury away.

BF's one of the best four point investment (that being BF and it's req's) I've found on any character.

[gimlisam]

Actually, I've been wondering the sme thing with my Dentist. He is level 27 right now, and has yet to do the Hellforge quest. Should I get some levels? He does 40-53 damage, iirc, with teeth, and is trying to boost his Bone Prison right now (level 2 with ~8 in synergies (mostly wall for added teeth damage.)) He has good, nay, great resists (for me), with the lowest (fire) at about 48%. Duriel was very hard for him, but meph seemed much easier, even though it took about the same amount of time, I would say. That said, is taking on Diablo soon a good idea, or should I try to gain some levels?

GimliSam

[Caaroid]

With a Dentist, a single point in Spirit will make a world of difference.

[internetdotcom]

How much damage are you doing?

Dont remember offhand (I'm at work right now), but I think , with elemental charms and everything, that my normal attack does an average of 70 or so)

[internetdotcom]

If you didn't have problems with regular monsters, 30 should be fine for fighting diablo.  Lower levels would also be fine if you don't need a level 30 skill for fighting diablo.  Just bring a lot of potions/town portals, get those resists, and have plenty of time for the killing.  There really isn't any reason to get extra levels for fighting diablo if you do fine against regular monsters.

    If the character has trouble in general than get levels because it may need a level 30 skill or better equipment and diablo should wait.

Hey there,

I've finally got my light resist from 0 to about 73, at the sacrifice of some run speed and a bit of fire res (fire is at about 55 atm). I have done ok against regular monsters, even packs, but have gotten my backside handed to me by andy, duriel, and meph.

[internetdotcom]

Why bother levelling up to 30?  It is normal, after all.  Just be sure to dodge his lightning breath, and don't go standing around in any pools of fire, and you'll be fine.  Oughta take along quite a few potions, though.

Really? Even considering all the problems I had against the other act bosses?

[internetdotcom]

The safest and easiest way to kill diablo as an assassin (from my experience) is with bladefury. Spam shadows behind him and fury away.

BF's one of the best four point investment (that being BF and it's req's) I've found on any character.

Wow, I cant believe the people raving about BF... One wonders why its not in more common use.

[Caaroid]

Wow, I cant believe the people raving about BF... One wonders why its not in more common use.

Maybe because it takes 15 sec to kill a zombie in act1 hell with it?

[Bob the Beholder]

Really?  Even considering all the problems I had against the other act bosses?

Well, the problem here is that most of Diablo's attacks are either weak, or easy to dodge.

Andariel, however, runs around like crazy, and does heavy poison damage. Duriel slows you down and moves fast, so his heavy damage attacks are hard to avoid. Mephisto's attacks, also, can be pretty hard to dodge. But Diablo's heavy damage attacks are mainly the lightning breath, which you won't get hit by if you react fast enough, and the firsestorm attack, which isn't too hard to sidestep.

His melee attack isn't too hard to deal with, if you've got decent life, and his fire nova is rarely worth noticing, if you've got a decent amount of fire restistance.

Granted, you will screw up and get hit occasionally, but, unless you have such pathetic life and resists that you get insta-killed, the lots of potions I suggested to bring can keep you going.

If you haven't fought Diablo, or haven't in a long time, then I'd be careful about it until you can get his attack patterns down, and can successfully dodge.

[Assur]

Well, the problem here is that most of Diablo's attacks are either weak, or easy to dodge.

Hi

For me Diablo is the toughest boss, I have no difficulty in handling other act bosses, except sometimes Duriel in normal, but there you can self-rush yourself :rolleyes:

There is a reason people go on about Meph- and Baalruns, but not about Diabloruns! It's to dangerous if you play HC :ph34r:

good karma

[internetdotcom]

Actually, I've been wondering the sme thing with my Dentist.  He is level 27 right now, and has yet to do the Hellforge quest.  Should I get some levels?  He does 40-53 damage, iirc, with teeth, and is trying to boost his Bone Prison right now (level 2 with ~8 in synergies (mostly wall for added teeth damage.))  He has good, nay, great resists (for me), with the lowest (fire) at about 48%.  Duriel was very hard for him, but meph seemed much easier, even though it took about the same amount of time, I would say.  That said, is taking on Diablo soon a good idea, or should I try to gain some levels?

GimliSam

By dentist I assume you are talking about a necro with teeth? In my opinion, I think your damage is a bit low. You may want to get to 30 so you can use bone spirit.

So yeah, I agree with Caaroid about spirit.

[internetdotcom]

Maybe because it takes 15 sec to kill a zombie in act1 hell with it?

So you wouldnt use BF beyond Normal then?

[Caaroid]

So you wouldnt use BF beyond Normal then?

Well. I got a PVP kicker. Even though it takes him to kill a zombie 15 sec with BF, it takes longer to kill him with kicks :P

Funny thing. She is my only character who can take down D2X without a problem, but she cannot clear the den by herself (that's where I usually spawn him).

[internetdotcom]

Well, the problem here is that most of Diablo's attacks are either weak, or easy to dodge.

Andariel, however, runs around like crazy, and does heavy poison damage.  Duriel slows you down and moves fast, so his heavy damage attacks are hard to avoid.  Mephisto's attacks, also, can be pretty hard to dodge.  But Diablo's heavy damage attacks are mainly the lightning breath, which you won't get hit by if you react fast enough, and the firsestorm attack, which isn't too hard to sidestep.

His melee attack isn't too hard to deal with, if you've got decent life, and his fire nova is rarely worth noticing, if you've got a decent amount of fire restistance. 

Granted, you will screw up and get hit occasionally, but, unless you have such pathetic life and resists that you get insta-killed, the lots of potions I suggested to bring can keep you going.

If you haven't fought Diablo, or haven't in a long time, then I'd be careful about it until you can get his attack patterns down, and can successfully dodge.

Hmm, when I think of diablo, weak is usually not the first thing that comes to mind. LOL

Do you find meph extra fast too? He seems a lot faster than I remember him in 1.09. Hopefully I can dodge his attacks, especially if I cant raise my fire resist higher than it is without sacrificing lightning resist. He doesnt have a poison or cold attack does he? His melee attack may be the worst, but does cold work on him? When I fought Izual, I thought he was immune to cold, but no, I was able to slow him right down. Took a while to kill him because of all his hit points, but it was easy, never needed a potion. I dont think D will be that easy. Would you use tiger strike on him for the extra damage? Or cobra for the leech?

[Bob the Beholder]

Well, the problem here is that most of Diablo's attacks are either weak, or easy to dodge.

Hi

For me Diablo is the toughest boss, I have no difficulty in handling other act bosses, except sometimes Duriel in normal, but there you can self-rush yourself :rolleyes:

There is a reason people go on about Meph- and Baalruns, but not about Diabloruns! It's to dangerous if you play HC :ph34r:

good karma

Yes, Diablo is hard. But unless you're horrifically underleveled (under about 23, maybe), and have no resistances, then he's still not too hard to handle.

Personally, Mephisto's the hardest for me. Well, with ranged characters at least. This is because I find it extremely difficult to dodge his cold orb. It's kind of fast, you know. But, Diablo's attacks are much slower and easier to handle. If he does the lightning breath, then you just have to catch the animation he does beforehand, and start running circles around him; it'll pass just behind you. And with the heavy-damage firsestorm, you just get out of the way. It's not like it's hard to see it coming.

The only attack of consequence that leaves is his cold touch, and that's only dangerous because it makes it harder to dodge his other attacks. Even with this one, you can just run like hell, and hide somewhere until it wears off. And that's only in the extreme circumstance that you can't just deal with the cold in-battle until it stops.

Yes, Diablo is hard, but like I said, he's one of the easiest of the bosses to survive, once you get his attack patterns down, and you know when to run where to minimize your damage.

Though, I had a bit of trouble with him just yesterday. It was a blaze/meteor sorceress. :) I couldn't tell where his firestorm was, because most of the screen was covered in flames. I still pulled it off without a death.

[internetdotcom]

Well, the problem here is that most of Diablo's attacks are either weak, or easy to dodge.

Hi

For me Diablo is the toughest boss, I have no difficulty in handling other act bosses, except sometimes Duriel in normal, but there you can self-rush yourself :rolleyes:

There is a reason people go on about Meph- and Baalruns, but not about Diabloruns! It's to dangerous if you play HC :ph34r:

good karma

I dont play HC, but I think getting to D is as hard if not harder than D himself, all those bosses... *groan*