hey all,

long post but just two questions...

I've got all the uber stuff this ladder (ber and forti and anni and whatnots) and lvl 90ish chars but I'm interested in running Nihlatak in hc with a lvl 83 sorc / mid-level gear. As a challenge.

So I lvl'ed a sorc and skilled it and did a test and nearly ripped on the first try, despite bo and... it wasn't snakes. So I need your inputs as this is hc and not much room for error.

In game most ppl answer you: "I don't go there, don't even have the wp", and I can understand that.

I read a lot about the infamous snake cloud and made my sorc with 85 psn res maxxed and lots of integer dmg reduction (3 x sol, nature's peace 10 dmg reduction, storm 7 dmg reduction, so 38 integer dmg reduction per frame... Plus storm and string of ears for 45% dmg reduction).

I think snakes and their poison clouds: should be ok.

I've got nature's peace (I've got Tyrael's Might too this ladder but that's not mid-level, not running Nihlatak with that).

But I had an issue with the exploding corpse, more like with the "suicide bombers". One hit, big dmg. Had to drink full rejuvs for I was nearly dead, several times, during the unique run I did so far.

What kind of dmg is CE? Is it purely fire? Something else? My fire resist ain't good (32%), so I'm fixing that now.

Thing is: I'm usually playing hc with max block, but this doesn't leave much hard stats points for life.

And here I don't think block / defense helps at all? Vs CE I mean?

So I'm wondering, for a pure key running sorc in hc, once again with mid-level gear and mid-lvl lvl, ain't it better to put zero points in dex and all in vita?

I have CTA and HOTO but I'm not going to use them on that one sorc, which really risks dying at Nihlatak.

But I do have a big bo barb on 2nd computer, so I've got the +140% life.

Basically these are my two questions:

max block or zero points in dex and full vita?

what kind of dmg is CE exactly? Nature's peace only works on corpse I killed myself, not my merc and not vs suicide bombers.


Worse thing is: I used to have an hc sorc running Nihlatak without trouble, but that was four years ago and didn't take any note. I don't remember the build at all: I know it wasn't crazy gear and I know I had zero issue. Zero rips, countless keys found.

Any help welcome.

This post was edited by MooMooFarmeress on Nov 9 2020 04:11am

Storm shield and +50 block

storm with sol +50 block I had previously and got hit hard.

I reskilled to 0 points in dex, so now I've got 1000 life, about 2400 life after bo barb's bo. Switched helm for 3 sox helm with ral-sol-sol. Res now 85 (95), 75, 75, 75. Integer dmg reduction: 38, dmg reduction: 49% (strom + string of ears).

Even when cursed and a corpse explodes it's much less scary. About ten runs so far: snakes/poison clouds not an issue. Corpse still potentially nasty but working on it.

I may switch my shit gloves for shitty venom grip to get 80% psn res instead of 75 and see.

Shit gear and so far so far now after the reskilling.

Nvm.

This post was edited by -joey- on Nov 9 2020 06:27am

Use Nature peace ring for the ce problem

Far from sufficient. Nihlathak still does CE with corpse from monsters killed my merc... I tried, in addition with Nature's peace on me, with Tyrael's Might on my merc (Tyrael's Might has that mod: "Slain monsters rest in peace", same Nature's peace): no more problems with CE.

I only play hc, so I coulnd't allow a single "bad" CE from a monster killed by my merc to ruin my day. CE problem solved.

And as snakes clouds where already a non-issue with my build now everything is cool : )

Found quite a few d-keys already.