Few quick (hopefully) questions. They are probably noobylicious as I'm totally new to this game. I have a few, so please answer them clearly.

-Thanks!

-How do I reskill/restat my char without mods? I'd like to stay mod free for at least one run through of the game.
-How does duel wielding weapons affect skill casting... do all mods on both weapons apply?
-Does playing on different difficulties yield different results?
-WHATS THE BEST CLASS!!!!?

- You can't restat your character. Stats are permanent aside for the last 5 you pumped WHILE YOU HAVE THE CHARACTER SCREEN OPEN. Use your stats wisely. You can re-skill the last 3 skills you've invested, but that's about it. Otherwise it can't be done without mods. Runic took a truly oldschool approach and somehow I am okay with this.
- This question is slightly vague... You're talking about weapon modifiers when saying "mods"? In a game that uses modifications, you should specify you mean weapon modifiers... And yes, all modifiers do work when dual wielding.
- Different difficulties affect the following:
-- Mobs have more hp/hit harder, higher armor iirc. Champion packs have more mobs, I've seen somewhere, but somehow I didn't notice this myself.
-- You get less gold than on norm/casual.
-- I am playing hardcore elite now, and honestly, the game is damn satisfying.

- There is no "Best class". It depends on what you are going for. Dps? I would recommend outlander/embermage as they are ranged and can dish out serious damage. Outlander you can build with avoidance 1h/shield with skilled +dodge. Embermage you can build beefy with wand or 1h/shield... But ultimately it depends on what you will be playing. If you play softcore- meh, who cares? Build anything you like. If you're playing hardcore normal- it might be wise to look up a build or two, but effectively it's the same. It takes effort and carelessness to die in normal. Elite? You'll be cleaning out your shorts a lot and looking up guides. Cannon/shotgonne outlander works VERY well also. 2h mage I would not recommend though. A shield/wand is a must since you're a total glass cannon imho. If you're looking for melee dps, zerker, most obviously. If you're looking for a rather versatile (build-wise) tank, go Engineer (what I am playing right now). Shit is bananas when built right.

Heh thanks! The last question was a personal opinion question just to see what you guys think

I've been walking a few chars (ember/serker/engineer) through veteran difficulty. I guess my only question at this point is if there is any reason I should be doing this other than for shits and jollies. Does elite or hardcore make you lvl faster (possibly slower since you kill enemies slower)? Does a higher difficulty give you better drops or more gold?

thx