The following guide is made for your benefit. It may be controversial, but it is still very accurate. If you see an error please pm me.




Index
[1]Introduction
[2]Important Item Mods
[3]Side Mods Explained
[4]Choosing a Character
[5]Choosing gear based on level.
[6]Catacombs
[7]Stat Points
[8]Well Bosses

Section 1
Introduction:
The purpose of this guide is to help everyone who is currently struggling with melee. There is not a guide for the rich or poor included, but guide for the average. If you have any questions about this, don't hesitate to pm me.

Section 2
Important Item Mods:
Enhanced Effect:
- On Weapons, increases the damage by the % listed
- On Armor, increases the defense by the % listed
- On Charms, increases the spell damage by the % listed

Strength:
- Increases physical damage (weapons)

Vitality:
- Adds to Max Life at level up
- Increases defensive properties of armor
- Items that give +Vitality do not increase your Life Points!

Life per Attack:
- Items can grant a + to Life and/or Magic per round. These items will heal you per combat round.
- The effectiveness of the heal is random 1 to your value, modified by the relative strength of the monster your are fighting.
- If you fight monsters of a lesser level than yourself, this heal factor is greatly deteriorated.

Life per Kill:
- The amount of life you can possibly gain after each kill.
- This is rumored to be capped at 150, but not confirmed by njaguar.

Life Steal:
- The amount of life you steal per combat round. This is based on the amount of damage you do.
- You cannot steal life the monster doesn't have.

Section 3
Side Mods Explained:
Critical Strike:
- A critical strike is a base x2 of your damage, ignoring the opponents defense (absorb)
- The actual modifier is based upon a base of x2 + dexterity modifiers.

Armor Pierce
- Gives you a % chance to ignore targets defense (damage absorption) when you score a physical attack.

Block
- Gives you a % chance to block a physical attack, which doubles your defense rating (damage absorption)

Critical Flux
- Gives you a % chance to ignore target dexterity when you score a critical strike. This works like Mind Numb, only for physical damage critical strikes.

Physical Damage Reduction
- Reduces all physical damage done to you by the % listed.

Magical Damage Reduction
- Reduces all magical damage done to you by the % listed.

Section 4
Choosing a Character:
Generally you should only melee with the Fighter or Barbarian. Once you have passed your masterquest and continue to climb the ladder, you should have a basic idea of what you should do: melee or cast.

Why not a rogue?
Unless you are one of the slasher gods Fighter and Barbarian will be much better. The rogue does not have the ability to wear a heavy plate, which is essential to melee.

Section 5
Choosing gear based on level:

First you want to choose your weapon. Gear and stats heavily rely on your weapon.
Axes:
- For axes you want to make sure you get all strength on your gear.

Swords/Clubs:
- For swords you want to make sure you get all dexterity on your gear.

Daggers/Staffs:
- With daggers and staffs both strength and dexterity will work. I suggest moving towards whichever one fits your budget best.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Stats will be listed in descending order, best to worst. Weapons are not listed because the only important mod is Enhanced Effect.

Levels 0-30
Armor:
- Defense
- Strength/Dexterity
- Life per Kill/Life per Attack
- Life Steal

Charm:
- Strength/Dexterity
- Life per Kill/Life per Attack
- Life Steal

Levels 30-71
You want to make sure you have one item with high lifesteal, and one with high strength or dexterity. Also having high defense is VERY important.
Armor:
- Defense
- Life Steal
- Strength/Dexterity
- Life per Kill

Charm:
- Strength/Dexterity
- Life Steal

Section 6
Catacombs:
One thing you should take note of:
- Life Regen, Mana Regen, Life Steal, Life per Hit, Life per Kill, Mana per Hit, and Mana per Kill are all blocked in the catacombs. You do not regen while in a group.

When in catacombs you should position yourself based on a combination of your life & defense: High - Front, Medium - Middle, Low - Back.

Section 7
Stat Points:
You want to make sure you base your stats on the weapon you use.
Axe:
- All Strength.

Sword:
- All Dexterity.

Dagger/Staff:
- Whichever one fits your gear best.

Mixing Stats:
- Mixing stats is not recommended unless you can at least hit 150 dex or strength at level 55.

Dexterity:
- Dexterity is rumored to have a few breakpoints. I have found 150 to be a good number to shoot for. For better crits at high levels I would suggest you put all of your points into Dexterity. This will allow you to beat monster's dexterity total allowing you to crit more and get higher critical hits.


Section 8
Well Bosses:
Being able to beat Well Bosses with a melee character is very difficult. Here are a few tips that may help you:

- You want to have a good amount of damage that is constant, swords are not recommended. Well bosses stats are much higher than regular bosses and because of this they will only allow you to hit with low rolls on your sword. Critical hits will be rare.
- Defense is VERY important. The more defense you have, the less damage they will do to you.
- Life steal is VERY important. Life steal will help you stay alive a lot longer.

Remember, the longer you fight a well boss, the better chance they will have to critical hit you.

Welling with a melee character is NOT recommended on hardcore. Don't even test it unless you have godly gear.

And there you have it ladies and gentleman! I have finally decided to finish my guide. If you have any questions or need advice, don't hesitate to pm me.

This post was edited by MyAddiction on Aug 4 2008 08:44pm

Nicly organized guide

Error: Life per Combat Round

Ditto

Dont agree with any of this.

Axes:
- For axes you want to make sure you get all strength on your gear.

Swords/Clubs:
- For swords you want to make sure you get all dexterity on your gear.

Daggers/Staffs:
- With daggers and staffs both strength and dexterity will work.

Section 7
Stat Points:
You want to make sure you base your stats on the weapon you use.
Axe:
- All Strength.

Sword:
- All Dexterity.

This doesnt make any sense

Yay, thanks for agreeing with me
Mixture is always better for both.

NICE WORK !!!

sorry but its not that helpfull. but good organized.

I didn't want to start any flaming, but you have no right to post what you just posted.

You haven't played in 30 days, and from what I hear, you haven't played in months. Therefore, you haven't even played when the changes were put in place.

Please do not comment when you do not know the new game mechanics.