Diablo II: Lord of Destruction - Necromancer (Running Act 1)

[Beenman500]

for duriel, how feasably would it be to gewt our hands on a clay golem and iron maiden wand, also having a clay golem generally might be useful so if we have random spare points we could use that. anyway iron maiden for duriel will make it go considerably faster than using spells

[Zurreco]

Err, that will be a bit tricky.  Duriel will only take 200 damage per Golem killed (roughly 4 seconds), which means you have to use 20 Golems with IM on to kill duriel.  That's 300 mana plus 5 mana every 12 seconds, or 335 mana over 80 seconds.  It would probably be better to get a Weaken charged wand and just have the Golem tank while you pump Bone Spears and chug potions.

[suga]

I don't know how IM's damage is calculated when used against act bosses, but bone spear (126 - 142 damage with gears at level 18) worked far better. I felt it's almost twice as fast as IM.

[shoop]

I don't know how IM's damage is calculated when used against act bosses, but bone spear (126 - 142 damage with gears at level 18) worked far better. I felt it's almost twice as fast as IM.

Are you using IM or CE for Andy? Or both? I suppose it would be hard to make IM work vs Andy because of her poison attacks and relatively low physical damage?
If IM is out, then are you keeping the clay golem as a distraction?

[nubonamission]

Really looking forward to seeing this run! Best of luck

[suga]

I'll cast some CE on corpses around her first, then it'll be a mix of IM and teeth. Her physical damage is low but summoning (and hireling) takes 10 times more damage from act bosses, so it's more effective than it seems. I don't know if the damage is fully reflected when it was over the target's life though.

Thanks nubonamission.
I think general planning is nearly done. I must start map rolling.

[Beenman500]

would it be ok to say, nick sykos map. if he didnt mind ofc or at least something like that without breaking the rules?

[SkratMan]

I had mentioned something like this in a different D2 thread.  iirc, Siyko came up with two reasons why it's not such a hot idea:

1) Using the -seed command is essentially a game modification, just like a /players command. 
2) Again iirc, shrines become unmanip'able once the -seed command is used.  They become static and no longer change. 

[Zurreco]

Except it was determined that once your character makes the map with the seed function, disabling it makes randomization occur again.  Even still, the Sorc and the Necro have differing desires in the early and late game, so using the same map is pretty silly.

[xud9dab2]

Not to mention it would look pretty silly, 2 completely different runs having the exact same map

[suga]

I've uploaded the video to show you how Andy fight is going to look like. I switched +3 teeth wand to +1 clay golem and iron maiden wand at 0:20. Golem will die if I switched +1 golem wand after summoning (I totally forgot about it) so I couldn't cast +6 teeth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCxxoeax0xc

I discarded CE because it's more efficient to cast more IM and teeth than luring her onto the corpses, and I found out the damage of CE isn't that great, assuming only the fire damage was taken (for example, if I use Ghoul's corpse, it will do an average of 60.5*0.4*1.5=36.3 damage).

Now I'm thinking about whether or not to put one point to Clay Golem. Pros are I don't have to buy wand two times (+1 golem 3281 and +1 golem/IM 11383). +1 IM wand is 8037, so it saves 3281+11383-8037=6627 gold, then I don't have to do much of drop manipulations. And I can cast +6 teeth against Andy. Cons are slightly weak Teeth and Bone Spear. I'm leaning towards putting a point into it.

Edit:
I realized I have to have +1 golem on main +skill weapon or shield if I were to use him for a meat shield (not just for Andy) without putting a point into it. I think I'll just put a point into it.

[shoop]

I've uploaded the video to show you how Andy fight is going to look like. I switched +3 teeth wand to +1 clay golem and iron maiden wand at 0:20. Golem will die if I switched +1 golem wand after summoning (I totally forgot about it) so I couldn't cast +6 teeth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCxxoeax0xc

Thanks for the upload! I've got some more questions.

I discarded CE because it's more efficient to cast more IM and teeth than luring her onto the corpses, and I found out the damage of CE isn't that great, assuming only the fire damage was taken (for example, if I use Ghoul's corpse, it will do an average of 60.5*0.4*1.5=36.3 damage).

(a) Could you instead lure all monsters to a single spot where you kill them all? Then if you get Andy to just go to that one spot, you could CE like crazy, instead of having Andy follow you from corpse to corpse. I understand it might be hard to do with the fallen. Also, if I understand correctly, you're currently using IM only for Andy. So you could consider replacing your IM wand with a +1 or +2 CE and +1 amp damage wand/head instead, which would perhaps make CE viable against andy and which might be useful as switch gear later in the game. Not sure it would be as fast as IM/golem/teeth... what do you think?

(b) On the other hand, if CE really doesn't work against Andy, then are you still certain getting it early is worth it?

Now I'm thinking about whether or not to put one point to Clay Golem. Pros are I don't have to buy wand two times (+1 golem 3281 and +1 golem/IM 11383). +1 IM wand is 8037, so it saves 3281+11383-8037=6627 gold, then I don't have to do much of drop manipulations. And I can cast +6 teeth against Andy. Cons are slightly weak Teeth and Bone Spear. I'm leaning towards putting a point into it.

I don't understand why you'd need the first clay golem wand. Do you use the golem before Andy? Why not just a single +1clay golem, +1IM wand? Regardless, I think you're right that it's better to invest a skill point.

I realized I have to have +1 golem on main +skill weapon or shield if I were to use him for a meat shield (not just for Andy) without putting a point into it. I think I'll just put a point into it.

Even worse: even when you would have it on your main weapon, your golem would die if you'd switch weapons to cast IM or confuse!

Are you planning to put the point in clay golem just before you reach andy? Seems to make most sense.

[suga]

(a) Could you instead lure all monsters to a single spot where you kill them all? Then if you get Andy to just go to that one spot, you could CE like crazy, instead of having Andy follow you from corpse to corpse. I understand it might be hard to do with the fallen. Also, if I understand correctly, you're currently using IM only for Andy. So you could consider replacing your IM wand with a +1 or +2 CE and +1 amp damage wand/head instead, which would perhaps make CE viable against andy and which might be useful as switch gear later in the game. Not sure it would be as fast as IM/golem/teeth... what do you think?

I want the randomness of the Andy segment as minimum as possible since I have to do it over and over again for 20frw boots. That's why I don't want to bother with manipulating and luring monsters. And as I said, It's really easy to miss CE with the small radius, and +1 or +2 to CE doesn't help. I'd use CE if it shaves 20 seconds or so off, but I think it's already fast enough with teeth and IM.

(b) On the other hand, if CE really doesn't work against Andy, then are you still certain getting it early is worth it?

I don't understand why you'd need the first clay golem wand. Do you use the golem before Andy? Why not just a single +1clay golem, +1IM wand? Regardless, I think you're right that it's better to invest a skill point.

Are you planning to put the point in clay golem just before you reach andy? Seems to make most sense.

You made a valid point. I think I don't need clay golem in act one except for Andy since I can stun-lock everything with teeth and kill them even before they touch me. I also found out it's easier to just cast a few more teeth to kill an unique rather than using CE on minions corpses. So I think I'll get golem just before Andy and CE at level 17 (just for prerequisite).

[Zurreco]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCxxoeax0xc

I think this proves that IM and CG is a pretty slow method of killing Andy, actually.  IM isn't getting the full damage potential because a lot of the golem's life is getting destroyed by the poison before Andy uses her melee.  The constant recasting and potion drinking takes a lot of time that could be spent doing damage.  You didn't really get enough Teeth in there to make it work for you, since the golems were dead too quickly to rely on them.  Getting a wand with CG, and amp is going to be better because you can slow with the golem, lure here to corpses, park her again, and start detonating like crazy.

(for example, if I use Ghoul's corpse, it will do an average of 60.5*0.4*1.5=36.3 damage).

Err, wouldn't this be avg health*avg CE*resist mod?  Average CE is 80% (60%-100%) and CE damage is modified as 50% physical and 75% fire (-50% fire res), so 125% total mod.  60.5*0.8*1.25=60.5  With Amp, physical gets doubled and you get 60.5*0.8*1.75=84.7.  You're really underestimating CE and Amp, unless there is some modifier here than I'm not aware of with bosses.

Now I'm thinking about whether or not to put one point to Clay Golem. Pros are I don't have to buy wand two times (+1 golem 3281 and +1 golem/IM 11383). +1 IM wand is 8037, so it saves 3281+11383-8037=6627 gold, then I don't have to do much of drop manipulations. And I can cast +6 teeth against Andy. Cons are slightly weak Teeth and Bone Spear. I'm leaning towards putting a point into it.

I really think it's a waste of a point.  Firstly, you can get either a shield or a wand with golem pretty easily.  You don't even have to buy them: lots of A1 mobs will drop decent heads and wands.  You can also imbue a rad wand or helm if you needed to.   Secondly, having a weaker Teeth or Bone Spear is going to bite you in the ass later, since your golem will only ever be able to return 200% of his base life back as damage with IM, making the returns paltry in the endgame.  In battles of attrition, that 15 mana for 200 damage would be better used as a synergized BS.  I can understand the desire to have a golem, but spending a point is a big waste when you could just get a partial bonus from an item.

[lag]

Just wondering... couldn't you use the 'aim further on the screen by opening up a tab' thing to make the teeth bunch up closer? Might help in killing Andy quicker.