Are you an invincible wizard?

I remember the original warlords undead class had a vampiric ability which -if you had a strong enough fighting ability basically made your wizard invulnerable.

Wow I was good at that game, somebody bring 1999 back to me.

FTA: Blizzard recently shared its feeling that the current endgame model for the title wasn't sustainable, and explained that it was looking into ways to amend this.

Since they aren't going to rebuild the game from the ground up, I can only assume this means they're working on DLC.

I'm still waiting on some real life lawsuit to happen over this game and its RMAH.

Diablo3Sucks.com

I have to try this, I just started Act 1 Inferno with my Wizard and I am getting my ass kicked by Arcane Enchanted Jailer Vortex Desecrator mobs.

I haven't even gotten to the Skeleton King yet, it's really sad. Wizards are glass cannons.

My first character (monk) sailed through to Act 2 (where I'm currently farming) with no problem.

This is what I get for picking Barbarian as my primary character, getting to act one inferno, getting frustrated, and creating a wizard, then losing interest in the game halfway through nightmare. Having several Hardcore characters die on me didn't help.

I don't see why it needs a "sustainable" endgame, unless it's an MMO. A game built around a single player campaign like Diablo 3 ought to have an appropriately cinematic ending and then roll credits. Done. Make a million sequels if you must, or release a new, finite campaign (kind of the same idea as a sequel), but don't just drag one game on and on with a farming mechanic.

This could be a chance for economists to watch a market crash as technique makes obtaining items easier to the extent that no one looks toward the market for products anymore. It'll make for a preview of a world with functional molecular scale assemblers and 3d printers.

mainstreet62: I have to try this, I just started Act 1 Inferno with my Wizard and I am getting my ass kicked by Arcane Enchanted Jailer Vortex Desecrator mobs.

I haven't even gotten to the Skeleton King yet, it's really sad. Wizards are glass cannons.

My first character (monk) sailed through to Act 2 (where I'm currently farming) with no problem.

I'm having trouble on Belial Nightmare. I don't even want to contemplate Inferno. Should I be having so much trouble at 45 with Belial? I started a Barb and am trying to rush him up.

Ah well, off to the gold AH again. At least I hit 45, which means I can get level 55 weapons with Reduced level requirement 10 to help me off enemies.

quizzical: I don't see why it needs a "sustainable" endgame, unless it's an MMO.

This type of game is inherently a game that sustains itself on a grind. You really want to go farm up That Perfect Sword, so you grind for hours over a weekend. Then you want the armor, then you think you want a new toon so you need to get gear for them, etc. Without a carrot dangling in front of you, the grind is work rather than fun.

quizzical: A game built around a single player campaign like Diablo 3 ought to have an appropriately cinematic ending and then roll credits.

That's its biggest problem - it's not built around a single player campaign (in the traditional sense), but tries very hard to act like it is. They've tried to take what D2 evolved into after years of being played on bnet and make that the only way to play. The only people who like that style of play are people who REALLY liked doing pindleskin runs for 10 hours a day...and THOSE people's fun was undermined by the AH being a vastly better way to make money and loot.

Anyone who exploits these things ends up banned

mainstreet62: I have to try this, I just started Act 1 Inferno with my Wizard and I am getting my ass kicked by Arcane Enchanted Jailer Vortex Desecrator mobs.

I haven't even gotten to the Skeleton King yet, it's really sad. Wizards are glass cannons.

My first character (monk) sailed through to Act 2 (where I'm currently farming) with no problem.

I am about 1/2 way through Act 1 Inferno with my monk and I ran into a nightmarish, horde, arcane enchanted, fast group the other day. I was very glad I wasn't playing HC. Lots and lots of purple lines on the screen and no control over your character = death.

meat0918: I'm having trouble on Belial Nightmare. I don't even want to contemplate Inferno. Should I be having so much trouble at 45 with Belial? I started a Barb and am trying to rush him up.

I couldn't tell you, I've barely played Barb (up to level 15). I would check and see how good your damage reduction and/or resistances are. You're probably OK, Strength is your primary attribute, which increase armor. How high is your resistance? How much DPS do you do now?

Act 2 sucks for melee classes because of the desert hornets to begin with. Belial, isn't too difficult in Nightmare, just get your stats up with the AH. Strength and Resistance to All Elements (some crit% and crit damage helps) is what you need, along with a decent weapon with a socket.

Oh. My. God.

The enraged howls of the basement dwellers will be absolutely hilarious if they wind up rolling back people's games or banning accounts to undo this in an effort to protect their precious RMAH.

quizzical: unless it's an MMO

It's pretty clear at this point that it's meant to be a follow-up to World of Warcraft using the Diablo franchise. Sort of a closing of the circle as it were. Diablo 2 introduces the tiered/colored loot system and grind, WoW embraces and expands it and then it's melded back into the Diablo franchise with D3.

The basic system is nearly identical. I don't have a problem with them doing the always-online thing and the auction house and whatnot so they can accomplish that goal, but I think it's kind of shiatty they didn't just come out and say "this is an MMO and you should expect to play it like one". Pretending it was ever really meant to have any single player content at all is just dishonest.

I don't care if they want to do that, it clearly works for them, but not everyone wants to play a game like that and it's kind of shiatty they try and trick people into it by pretending to sell a single player game.

wildcardjack: This could be a chance for economists to watch a market crash as technique makes obtaining items easier to the extent that no one looks toward the market for products anymore. It'll make for a preview of a world with functional molecular scale assemblers and 3d printers.

Ugh, the legal fallout from that will make the removal of scarcity from the music and movie business seem like a quant little tiff.

Dazrin: mainstreet62: I have to try this, I just started Act 1 Inferno with my Wizard and I am getting my ass kicked by Arcane Enchanted Jailer Vortex Desecrator mobs.

I haven't even gotten to the Skeleton King yet, it's really sad. Wizards are glass cannons.

My first character (monk) sailed through to Act 2 (where I'm currently farming) with no problem.

I am about 1/2 way through Act 1 Inferno with my monk and I ran into a nightmarish, horde, arcane enchanted, fast group the other day. I was very glad I wasn't playing HC. Lots and lots of purple lines on the screen and no control over your character = death.

There are some straight up OBNOXIOUS affix combos in this game.

I think the worst I've ever come across is Fast/Fire Chain/Desecrator/Teleport on an already fast enemy, I think it was a mob of Soul Lashers. I wanted to place my fist through the monitor the 8th or 9th time I died to them.

Vegan Meat Popsicle: It's pretty clear at this point that it's meant to be a follow-up to World of Warcraft using the Diablo franchise.

Eh, I wouldn't even say that the game is THAT clear about what it wants to do. It really can't decide if it wants to be D2 1.0, D2 1.14, or World of Diablo, so it ends up doing a bit of each half-assedly.

mainstreet62: meat0918: I'm having trouble on Belial Nightmare. I don't even want to contemplate Inferno. Should I be having so much trouble at 45 with Belial? I started a Barb and am trying to rush him up.

I couldn't tell you, I've barely played Barb (up to level 15). I would check and see how good your damage reduction and/or resistances are. You're probably OK, Strength is your primary attribute, which increase armor. How high is your resistance? How much DPS do you do now?

Act 2 sucks for melee classes because of the desert hornets to begin with. Belial, isn't too difficult in Nightmare, just get your stats up with the AH. Strength and Resistance to All Elements (some crit% and crit damage helps) is what you need, along with a decent weapon with a socket.

I meant on my Wizard. Barb is only like level 9, I just started him last night.

The Wizard is 45. I've tried a few different things, but damn, I just get eaten alive. I'll check resistances. My wife just lol'ed at me and asked why I was dying so much, since she rarely dies on her monk.

Stuck on act 1 inferno with a wizard and barb. No interest in using this exploit. What fun is that? Hopefully the people using it find some good items this driving down the price of all items. Leveling a DH for now. Funnest class to play I think.

You had me at ... oh no offline play.

Actually just the fact a friend I met in WoW who works (construction of all things) then lives & breaths WoW who used to do the same with D2 and believed he would be doing the same with D3 is already back with WoW, says a lot regarding how crappy D3 is.

/puts on robe and invincible wizard hat

I'm SURE #2 has something to do with the Auction House. Or Ebay, whichever.

well, I know what I'm doing this afternoon....

mainstreet62: I have to try this, I just started Act 1 Inferno with my Wizard and I am getting my ass kicked by Arcane Enchanted Jailer Vortex Desecrator mobs.

I haven't even gotten to the Skeleton King yet, it's really sad. Wizards are glass cannons.

My first character (monk) sailed through to Act 2 (where I'm currently farming) with no problem.

What build are you? Teleport with the Illusionist passive saves your ass.

meat0918: mainstreet62: I have to try this, I just started Act 1 Inferno with my Wizard and I am getting my ass kicked by Arcane Enchanted Jailer Vortex Desecrator mobs.

I haven't even gotten to the Skeleton King yet, it's really sad. Wizards are glass cannons.

My first character (monk) sailed through to Act 2 (where I'm currently farming) with no problem.

I'm having trouble on Belial Nightmare. I don't even want to contemplate Inferno. Should I be having so much trouble at 45 with Belial? I started a Barb and am trying to rush him up.

Ah well, off to the gold AH again. At least I hit 45, which means I can get level 55 weapons with Reduced level requirement 10 to help me off enemies.

Belial is HARD.

Put up a hydra, and focus on nothing but survival.

meat0918: The Wizard is 45. I've tried a few different things, but damn, I just get eaten alive. I'll check resistances. My wife just lol'ed at me and asked why I was dying so much, since she rarely dies on her monk.

Your resistance goes up 1 point for every 10 points of Intelligence, so you'll have a decent amount, but it may need to be augmented. With Monk, once I hit 400 resistance across the board, everything got significantly easier.

I just thought of something else. Do you use Diamond Skin? I highly recommend it.

I'm torn between the rune that absorbs the regular amount of damage for 8 seconds, or the one that absorbs the higher amount damage for 6 seconds. The cooldown on it is relatively fast, and you can use the passive skill that knocks one second off cooldowns on critical hit. It helps, especially since D3 characters (especially Wizards) are heavily reliant on their spells for offense.

So, I was bopping around the forums since the cowards, naturally, nuked any discussion of their screw-up, just like they always did with WoW and I came across a blue post:

We will be performing scheduled maintenance on Thursday, July 12th. Maintenance will begin at 9:00 AM PDT and conclude at approximately 1:00 PM PDT.

Does this imply that, like WoW, D3 has scheduled downtimes where you can't play for a few hours?

quizzical: I don't see why it needs a "sustainable" endgame, unless it's an MMO. A game built around a single player campaign like Diablo 3 ought to have an appropriately cinematic ending and then roll credits. Done. Make a million sequels if you must, or release a new, finite campaign (kind of the same idea as a sequel), but don't just drag one game on and on with a farming mechanic.

I think part of the problem with D3 is that Blizzard approached it like an MMO. They tried to "WoW-ize" the talent trees as much as possible, tried to make building characters easier and less time consuming, tried to put the focus on killing unique mobs for the best gear rather than bosses (thinking that would keep people interested and playing longer), the AH, set themselves up for expansions by limiting the level cap, etc. They learned a lot about creating an MMO from WoW, but then forgot that Diablo wasn't an MMO to begin with.

Dafatone: mainstreet62: I have to try this, I just started Act 1 Inferno with my Wizard and I am getting my ass kicked by Arcane Enchanted Jailer Vortex Desecrator mobs.

I haven't even gotten to the Skeleton King yet, it's really sad. Wizards are glass cannons.

My first character (monk) sailed through to Act 2 (where I'm currently farming) with no problem.

What build are you? Teleport with the Illusionist passive saves your ass.

Yeah, I think I have to tweak my build. I'm starting to realize that Wizards play almost exactly the opposite of Monks, and need to be far away from enemies to have any kind of effective offense. I think I'll swap out Frost Nova for Teleport.

This is my current build: Link

Vegan Meat Popsicle: t's pretty clear at this point that it's meant to be a follow-up to World of Warcraft using the Diablo franchise.

Ummmm no. Not even close.

Vegan Meat Popsicle: So, I was bopping around the forums since the cowards, naturally, nuked any discussion of their screw-up, just like they always did with WoW and I came across a blue post:


We will be performing scheduled maintenance on Thursday, July 12th. Maintenance will begin at 9:00 AM PDT and conclude at approximately 1:00 PM PDT.

Does this imply that, like WoW, D3 has scheduled downtimes where you can't play for a few hours?

Yes.

jayhawk88: They tried to "WoW-ize" the talent trees as much as possible, tried to make building characters easier and less time consuming

Eh, I honestly still think the skill system is pretty damn good. The biggest problem with it is that it costs replayability, which isn't reintroduced via other means elsewhere.

I had to google the video just to see what it was all about.

Video (with some NSFW language)

/don't have Diablo 3

EvilEgg: Yes.

lulz

Everything about this game is hilarious....

jst3p: Ummmm no. Not even close.

I might believe you, but the gameplay is the same, the loot system is the same, it's an online game you almost have to play with others unless you want to grind through the same old low-level kiddie crap again and again by yourself and there's an auction house you almost have to use to gear up for things until you "raid" with others and can get higher powered gear yourself.

So... yea, I have to say it sure looks like it is.

Vegan Meat Popsicle: So, I was bopping around the forums since the cowards, naturally, nuked any discussion of their screw-up, just like they always did with WoW and I came across a blue post:


We will be performing scheduled maintenance on Thursday, July 12th. Maintenance will begin at 9:00 AM PDT and conclude at approximately 1:00 PM PDT.

Does this imply that, like WoW, D3 has scheduled downtimes where you can't play for a few hours?

Yes and unlike WoW it happens several times a week. This game is such a pile of crap, but to Blizzard's credit they did refund my money with no hassle.

Vegan Meat Popsicle: So, I was bopping around the forums since the cowards, naturally, nuked any discussion of their screw-up, just like they always did with WoW and I came across a blue post:


We will be performing scheduled maintenance on Thursday, July 12th. Maintenance will begin at 9:00 AM PDT and conclude at approximately 1:00 PM PDT.

Does this imply that, like WoW, D3 has scheduled downtimes where you can't play for a few hours?

Yes there is scheduled maintenance time each week for like 6 hours or so but usually that has been in the wee hours of Tuesday morning or something (IIRC), not sure how often they stick to that though since obviously the time you quoted is different.

Also, anyone having trouble on inferno that's normal, it can be hard. My best advice would be to swallow your pride and accept doing lower DPS and concentrate on survivability (especially with barbs). That means gearing your passives toward surviving as well as having skills that heal/buff you and trying to get as much resistances/armor/life/life on hit as possible probably at the expense of str/dex/int and crit chance/crit damage. For example my barb was doing like 47k DPS unbuffed and I was having a great time in Act 1 Inferno but Act 2 was a pain...switched up gear a little bit to get resists up around 750-900 and switch passives over to Superstition and Juggernaut and the health globe one and now I can tank Act 2 pretty decently even all the way down to like 25k DPS or so and really you could get by with even less damage as long as you can tank. Act 3 will be crazy though and you need even more resists and life on hit/life steal.

On the other hand, if you are having any significant trouble before Inferno you probably never played D2 or if you did remained extremely noobish the whole time but that's ok. It just seems like D2 players know the deal and know the kind of gear they need, not that you absolutely have to have played it. It is fine to die every now and then on Hell or even NM but you should not get stuck there. Just remember that resists, vitality and life on hit are equally important if not more important than damage.

Vegan Meat Popsicle: jst3p: Ummmm no. Not even close.

I might believe you, but the gameplay is the same, the loot system is the same, it's an online game you almost have to play with others unless you want to grind through the same old low-level kiddie crap again and again by yourself and there's an auction house you almost have to use to gear up for things until you "raid" with others and can get higher powered gear yourself.

So... yea, I have to say it sure looks like it is.

Easy assumption to make for someone who doesn't play. They stole some elements but it is still an ARPG, not even close to an MMO. Trust me, I have actually played both.

Gee..more farkers talking about how hard Diablo 3 is for them...

try getting better at gaming.

Then you'll realize the massive flaws in this game.

sirgarr02: Gee..more farkers talking about how hard Diablo 3 is for them...

try getting better at gaming.

Then you'll realize the massive flaws in this game.

I don't know where you're getting flaws from. The major flaw of the game can be summed up in one word: Items.

Do I, as a Wizard, really need an ilvl 63 Wand that has 250 Strength and does 140 DPS?

No.

We really need better items. I can't tell you how many times I've found yellow rings and amulets, gotten excited, and then seen that all they offer is like, +10 dexterity. What a letdown.

I cannot wait for the wailing and gnashing of teeth when Blizzard drops the ban hammer on all of these fools who rush out and use the exploit and strip them of their real money they made while doing said exploits.

Vegan Meat Popsicle: I might believe you, but the gameplay is the same

Not really. MMOs' gameplay revolves around an objective of sorts - quests, raiding, PvP, etc. While you may kill monsters, they (or direct results of killing grindable monsters) are not the end goal. In D3, killing monsters for what they drop is the end goal. MMOs also tend to have an auto-attack of sorts that D3 is missing. Though MMOs are starting to shift away from that mindset (TERA, Guild Wars 2, etc), that's because they're borrowing from the ARPG genre to try to twist the standard MMO formula.

There's very, very little that's the "same" in gameplay that isn't the same in almost any game.

Vegan Meat Popsicle: the loot system is the same

Not at all. The biggest immediate difference is bound items. In an MMO, there are significant sets of loot that you generally need to earn via accomplishment. Killing a boss, skinning every bears, etc. You can't go and buy a top-tier sword from the auction hall. D3 encourages simply buying your gear.

The only thing that's really vaguely similar is the idea of 'tiers' of items providing stronger benefits. D3 again differs greatly in that its items have randomized stats, as opposed to an MMO where the 'best sword' is best because it has a specific statline.

Vegan Meat Popsicle: it's an online game you almost have to play with others unless you want to grind through the same old low-level kiddie crap again and again by yourself

Yes, you have to play with others unless you want to play by yourself. Very profound.

sprawl15: Vegan Meat Popsicle: it's an online game you almost have to play with others unless you want to grind through the same old low-level kiddie crap again and again by yourself

Yes, you have to play with others unless you want to play by yourself. Very profound.

More to the point, all content can be cleared solo. And you have a chance for any item in the game to drop. People generally group because it increases loot drop, not because they have to in order to proceed. (Some people do need help, but they are bad or not patient enough to farm for loot.)

Vegan Meat Popsicle, at a casual glance they may look similar but you couldn't be more wrong.

sprawl15: Yes, you have to play with others unless you want to play by yourself. Very profound.

Considering you had to ignore half the words in the sentence to make your "point" about it, you'll excuse me if I just assume the rest of your post is just as shiat.

Vegan Meat Popsicle: sprawl15: Yes, you have to play with others unless you want to play by yourself. Very profound.

Considering you had to ignore half the words in the sentence to make your "point" about it, you'll excuse me if I just assume the rest of your post is just as shiat.

If you want to continue to look and be ignorant, feel free. But his points are spot on.

Vegan Meat Popsicle: sprawl15: Yes, you have to play with others unless you want to play by yourself. Very profound.

Considering you had to ignore half the words in the sentence to make your "point" about it, you'll excuse me if I just assume the rest of your post is just as shiat.

Hey sprawl, are we being trolled?

mainstreet62: sirgarr02: Gee..more farkers talking about how hard Diablo 3 is for them...

try getting better at gaming.

Then you'll realize the massive flaws in this game.

I don't know where you're getting flaws from. The major flaw of the game can be summed up in one word: Items.

Do I, as a Wizard, really need an ilvl 63 Wand that has 250 Strength and does 140 DPS?

No.

We really need better items. I can't tell you how many times I've found yellow rings and amulets, gotten excited, and then seen that all they offer is like, +10 dexterity. What a letdown.

Exactly. But the rumor mill is that Blizzard tweaks drop rates and stats to objects to drive people to the AH and RMAH. I'm really getting tired of this game and all of my friends have moved on to other games. Lag while going solo is frustrating. And I get a lot of lag. Plus I feel like a fool for trying crafting at all. It's all about the gold farming to get stuff in the AHs.

M Bison: I cannot wait for the wailing and gnashing of teeth when Blizzard drops the ban hammer on all of these fools who rush out and use the exploit and strip them of their real money they made while doing said exploits.

Bans perhaps, but they can't take real money away. Good luck in court if they even attempted such a thing.

mainstreet62: Dafatone: mainstreet62: I have to try this, I just started Act 1 Inferno with my Wizard and I am getting my ass kicked by Arcane Enchanted Jailer Vortex Desecrator mobs.

I haven't even gotten to the Skeleton King yet, it's really sad. Wizards are glass cannons.

My first character (monk) sailed through to Act 2 (where I'm currently farming) with no problem.

What build are you? Teleport with the Illusionist passive saves your ass.

Yeah, I think I have to tweak my build. I'm starting to realize that Wizards play almost exactly the opposite of Monks, and need to be far away from enemies to have any kind of effective offense. I think I'll swap out Frost Nova for Teleport.

This is my current build: Link

That looks like a fun build, but come Inferno, you're gonna get beat up way too much.

The basic build I went with was:

Magic Missile (seeker)
Blizzard (whichever the lower AP cost rune was)
Diamond Skin (crystal shell)
Teleport (wormhole, but a few options work)
Hydra (venom)
Energy Armor (prismatic or force armor)

All survivability. Blizzard and hydra can be thrown up and then you spend all your time staying alive. Pretty boring, I know. Other builds work (I'm currently in a critical mass build that's a lot of fun). But teleport's pretty much a must, I think. Otherwise, you're doomed if you get jailed or walled.