d2jsp
Log InRegister
d2jsp Forums > d2jsp > Ladder Slasher > Softcore Rogue Caster Guide
123Next
Add Reply New Topic New Poll
Retired Moderator
Posts: 48,074
Joined: Apr 27 2007
Gold: 30,356.06
Trader: Trusted
Aug 7 2008 12:51pm
This guide is to explain how I have built my rogue casters.
A Rogue Caster is a rogue type character that kills with melee for the first 35-40 levels then utilizes attacking with the charms at high levels.

This guide is divided into the following sections:
  • Common abbreviations used in this guide
  • Stat points
  • Gear levels 1-35 or 40
  • Gear levels 40+
  • Basic strategy
  • Well bosses

Common abbreviations used in this guide
ee - enhanced effect


Stat points
Put everything into intelligence, nothing else (unless you are on hardcore, but this guide is for softcore, sorry).

Gear levels 1-35 or 40
The reason I say to 35 or 40 is because the level at which you switch from melee to casting really depends on your gear. If you have a really good ee charm at lvl 35 along with intelligence gear, then start casting at 35. Otherwise wait till 40.

Lvl 1-10
  • Weapon - Get a level 0 weapon with the highest ee you can find/afford. I prefer daggers/axes/clubs. Switch to a level 5 weapon when you hit level 5 unless you are still killing monsters in 1-2 hits. Look for the best ee you can find/afford on the level 5 weapon as well. A good amount too look for is 40+ ee.
  • Armor - You want to look for at least one of the following 4 mods - life per attack (1-4+), life per kill (1-20+), max life (150+), strength (10+ minimum). Look for them in that order as well, life per attack is most important, strength is least.
  • charm - same as armor. Look for the same mods, in the same order.
lvl 11-20
  • Weapon - Same as before, get the highest ee you can. Make sure it's a lvl 10 weapon. At level 15, see if you are killing well. If not, get a lvl 15 weapon with good ee. A good amount to look for is 50+ ee.
  • Armor/charm - Look at which one has the higher life per attack or life per kill and keep that one. For the other, find something that has 15+ strength or 15+ dex.
lvl 21-35 or 40
  • Weapon - The same, as high of ee as you can afford. Upgrade every 5-10 levels as you feel necessary. A good amount to shoot for is 70 ee+.
  • Armor/charm - Try and get a combination of str/dex on your armor and charm. Get as much as you can. Upgrade at level 30 if you want to. A good amount to look for is a total of 30+ strength and 30+ dex.
  • Acc. Charm - We will now be using the accessories charm slot. Find a heal or focused heal, level 20, with as much ee as possible and put it in this slot. Upgrade this to a level 30 heal or focused heal with ee at level 30. A good amount of ee to look for is 75ee+
Gear lvl 35 or 40+
  • Weapon - You now want to find a weapon with as much intelligence as possible. A good amount to look for is 30+. Look to upgrade as much as possible every 10 levels or so.
  • Armor - You want to find an armor with as much intelligence as possible as well. Again, look for 30+. Look to upgrade as much as possible every 10 levels or so.
  • Charm - You are now going to attack with your charm, so you want to find one of the following charms with a good amount of ee: Earth, Ice, Fire, Wind, Lightning (this is my order of preference for these charms). A good amount of ee to look for is 100+. Keep in mind that ee goes down in effectiveness the further you level above the level of the charm so you are going to want to upgrade your charm every 5-10 levels. For example, a lvl 35 charm with 100 ee is about as effect @ lvl 45 as a 70 ee lvl 45 charm, so you would be better off finding a 100ee lvl 45 charm.
  • Acc. Charm - You will be using a heal or focused heal in this slot all the way to mq. Look for 100+ ee on your charm and upgrade it every 5-10 levels same as your attacking charm.
Regen Gear
Once you start casting you should invest in some mana regen gear. It will make your climb go much faster. Just try and find gear you can use with as much mana regen as possible.

Basic Strategy

Level 1-35 or 40
Bash bash bash. Just keep meleeing the monsters. Kill them as fast as you can. Once you hit level 20 and are using your heal charm kill as many monsters in a row as you can without dying, then go to town. Click on the arena again, switch the level of the monster to lvl 1 and engage. Switch to your heal charm and heal yourself full while the monster sits there and doesn't hit you. Then kill it and go fight monsters your level again. Repeat.

Level 40+
Kill as many monsters as you can until you run out of mana (you should run out of mana before you run out of life, if you are getting killed go to town and use the heal method described for lvl 1-35 or 40). Once you can't cast any more go to town and switch on your mana regen gear. Wait till your mana is full, then put on your casting gear and kill some more monsters.

Well Bosses
Well bosses are much harder than regular monsters. To defeat them you will have to employ a combination of attacking and healing yourself, so be sure to get good at using the hotkeys to switch between your heal charm and your attacking charm.

The general strategy I use is I try and keep my life over half at all times. So I will attack the monster until my life is below half, then heal myself till it is over half, then attack again. Repeat until the monster is dead. If you run out of mana, run away. Once the monster is down to 1/4 of their life you can probably stop healing yourself unless they are hitting you for a lot of damage. You should be able to kill them faster than they kill you at that point.

Thanks for reading!

This is simply the methods I use to level and play my rogue casters. I hope you enjoyed the guide.

This post was edited by DoomOnYou on Aug 7 2008 12:53pm
Member
Posts: 7,331
Joined: Aug 23 2007
Gold: 0.00
Aug 7 2008 12:52pm
Thank you for the info.
Member
Posts: 9,410
Joined: Mar 6 2008
Gold: 615.56
Aug 7 2008 12:57pm
Can you tell me the advantage of going rogue caster over mage?

In HC, it seems worthwhile to get better armor and more life, but in SC I'm not sure I'd bother, since death isnt a big deal.
Member
Posts: 32,674
Joined: Apr 7 2008
Gold: 22.50
Aug 7 2008 12:57pm
Quote (bcmcknight77 @ Thu, 7 Aug 2008, 14:57)
Can you tell me the advantage of going rogue caster over mage?

In HC, it seems worthwhile to get better armor and more life, but in SC I'm not sure I'd bother, since death isnt a big deal.


HC the only caster that is safe is Fighter.

Great guide Daniel. wink.gif
Retired Moderator
Posts: 48,074
Joined: Apr 27 2007
Gold: 30,356.06
Trader: Trusted
Aug 7 2008 12:59pm
Quote (bcmcknight77 @ Thu, Aug 7 2008, 02:57pm)
Can you tell me the advantage of going rogue caster over mage?

In HC, it seems worthwhile to get better armor and more life, but in SC I'm not sure I'd bother, since death isnt a big deal.


not everyone can afford a 1-150 mana per kill item to be able to cast from low level tongue.gif

/e. cast w/o regen I should say smile.gif

This post was edited by DoomOnYou on Aug 7 2008 01:03pm
Member
Posts: 7,418
Joined: Jan 28 2007
Gold: 0.95
Aug 7 2008 01:24pm
Quote (MyAddiction @ Thu, Aug 7 2008, 02:57pm)
HC the only caster that is safe is Fighter.

Great guide Daniel. wink.gif


lol? only caster in hardcore is safe is fighters?

um no?

i can do 30 vita mage, and can do wells 10-71 easy and still be safe..

rouge casters are more life - defense but lacks mana, and still safe..

fighter caster for massive life - lacks mana is just pure gay happy.gif

fighter is built to be melee not caster happy.gif but its your preference
Member
Posts: 45,291
Joined: Dec 25 2006
Gold: 2,819.99
Aug 7 2008 01:25pm
At level 70, how much life and how much mana do you have?
Member
Posts: 32,674
Joined: Apr 7 2008
Gold: 22.50
Aug 7 2008 01:26pm
Quote (premonition @ Thu, 7 Aug 2008, 15:24)
lol? only caster in hardcore is safe is fighters?

um no?

i can do 30 vita mage, and can do wells 10-71 easy and still be safe..

rouge casters are more life - defense but lacks mana, and still safe..

fighter caster for massive life - lacks mana  is just pure gay happy.gif

fighter is built to be melee not caster happy.gif but its your preference


I hear you've died a couple times already on your magician?
Retired Moderator
Posts: 48,074
Joined: Apr 27 2007
Gold: 30,356.06
Trader: Trusted
Aug 7 2008 02:10pm
Quote (pikustan @ Thu, Aug 7 2008, 03:25pm)
At level 70, how much life and how much mana do you have?


I'm leveling up a rc right now, I'll let you know when I hit lvl 70. On my level 78 I have 2,765 life and 5,851 mana (I had a +6 mana potion though, so normally 5,845 mana)
Member
Posts: 14,223
Joined: Jan 14 2006
Gold: 3,148.95
Aug 7 2008 02:48pm
nice guide but
i go 1-25 melee and 26+ caster
maybe becouse i have arm with int + max mana and a decent charm
Go Back To Ladder Slasher Topic List
123Next
Add Reply New Topic New Poll