Ok with the new ls nerf and everything, people are wondering how effective this "hybrid" build is going to be. I have decided to test it out and post my results. Seems like the people who use them now are reluctant to share actual numbers with people so I shall do it.

I'm on my first climb now, but basically my goal is to try out a few different stat builds to find wich one works best.

First off the gear will be the same for all of these tests. The character will also be the same, I'm using a sammy. Now none of this gear is mine, the daggers are nice at the med-high levels, but the plates are medicore and the charms are good. Basically my idea is to use melee gear and hard stat some intel. I'm going to test using the following stats.

First climb - 50 int
2nd - 60
3rd - 70
4th - 80
5th - All melee

Now for the gear.

Daggers

Rare bronze dagger
Damage: 24 to 43

+43% Enhanced Effect
+3 Life Regen

Rare iron dagger
Level Req: 5
Damage: 38 to 67

+67% Enhanced Effect
+1% Experience Gained

Arcane steel dagger
Level Req: 10
Damage: 50 to 88

+74% Enhanced Effect
+1 Magic Luck
+1 Critical Strike
+2% Mind Numb
+1% Magical Damage Reduction
+2% Heal Mastery

Angelic alloy dagger
Level Req: 15
Damage: 68 to 119

+96% Enhanced Effect
+184 Max Mana
+6 Mana Regen
+4% Critical Flux

Magical mithril dagger
Level Req: 25
Damage: 131 to 229

+136% Enhanced Effect

Mystical adamantium dagger
Level Req: 35
Damage: 174 to 304

+150% Enhanced Effect
+9 Mana Regen
+3% Magical Damage Reduction

Mythical tempered diamond dagger
Level Req: 45
Damage: 194 to 339

+179% Enhanced Effect
+5 Intelligence
+6 Critical Strike
+1 to 1 Life per Attack
+20% Heal Mastery

Mystical ultimanium dagger
Level Req: 55
Damage: 424 to 742

+186% Enhanced Effect
+4% Critical Flux
+2% Physical Damage Reduction

Armors

Mystical bronze chain mail
Defense: 9 to 23

+100 Max Mana
+1 to 30 Life per Kill
+2 Jubilance

Mystical steel plate mail
Level Req: 10
Defense: 15 to 46

+15 Strength
+1 to 3 Mana per Kill
+1% Physical Damage Reduction

Rare fine alloy plate mail
Level Req: 20
Defense: 20 to 60

+26 Strength
+2% Mana Syphon

Rare adamantium plate mail
Level Req: 35
Defense: 29 to 87

+34 Strength
+1 Mana Regen

Rare ultimanium chain mail
Level Req: 55
Defense: 43 to 107

+56 Strength
+1 to 4 Life per Kill


Charms

Magical fire III
Spell Damage: 13 to 35
Mana Cost: 25

+29 Dexterity

Rare ice IX
Level Req: 30
Spell Damage: 65 to 78
Mana Cost: 85

+40 Dexterity
+2% Experience Gained

Rare ice XIV
Level Req: 55
Spell Damage: 82 to 99
Mana Cost: 135

+50 Dexterity
+1 to 9 Life per Kill

Heal charms

Mystical heal V
Level Req: 10
Heals: 38 to 102
Mana Cost: 45

+76% Enhanced Effect
+69 Max Life
+1 Jubilance

Magical heal VI
Level Req: 15
Heals: 49 to 133
Mana Cost: 55

+90% Enhanced Effect

Angelic heal VIII
Level Req: 25
Heals: 79 to 213
Mana Cost: 75

+128% Enhanced Effect
+199 Max Life
+1 Critical Strike
+4% Quick Draw

Rare heal X
Level Req: 35
Heals: 91 to 242
Mana Cost: 95

+108% Enhanced Effect
+3% Magical Damage Reduction

Magical heal XI
Level Req: 40
Heals: 170 to 454
Mana Cost: 105

+140% Enhanced Effect

Mythical heal XII
Level Req: 45
Heals: 209 to 559
Mana Cost: 115

+171% Enhanced Effect
+45 Max Mana
+1 Magic Luck
+1 to 7 Life per Attack
+10% Block

Rare heal XIV
Level Req: 55
Heals: 211 to 564
Mana Cost: 135

+245% Enhanced Effect
+3% Glancing Blow

Ok I'm level 40 in the first climb so far using the 50 hard stat int build. Will post my results of this climb here in a few hours. Opinions are welcome so feel free to leave them.

Although I am using this gear, ideally I would try to get the stats + int on the gear if possible. Seeing as you are a hybrid I would sacrafice a little bit on the melee mods for some more intel.

I have decided that upon completion of these tests I will be writing my second guide. So look out because it will be up and running in a few days.


A special thanks to FateOvNorns for making this test possible.

This post was edited by Massivelybored on Feb 18 2009 01:41pm

I am actually doing a 55 int hard statted build atm.

(Only meant to do 50..ended up putting 5 more than I meant)

So far it actually..is working out pretty well and I believe i'm around level 40 as well.

i'm just too tired lately to climb as quickly as I should so i'm glad you've decided to take on this job..makes things easier for me. Lol

Alright so heres the first update.

Fist climb went well for the most part. Was averaging around 25ish chains up to about 50.

50-65 was still smooth with no chain under 12.

65-66 was just useless was averaging 3-4 chains. The monsters were just kicking my ass.


Final stats were.

50int
120dex
132 str

Im gonna skip up to 70 intel for this next climb. Even with my 245ee heal at 55 was still only in the 400ish range for heals. I couldn't tell the differnce between melee and caster at 65 though. Every monster out there hit me for 300+dmg with the occasional 0-100, Biggest problem I had was There was no low dmg doing monsters to heal myself on. So gonna try again with a 70 intel climb.


Iso disscussion though!

Someone asked for the level times so ill post the time stamps on the next climb but 64-65 was my longest level and that was like 11 mins.

I averaged prolly 8 mins or so from 30-64ish

wanna try with robes and not use so gg items?

edit: well everyting its fine, just the lvl 55 heal its the really gg one

This post was edited by Hevial on Feb 19 2009 12:56pm

Well I'm using whats available to me, none of the daggers plates or dex charms are mine. Only things that are are the heals. I also have a friend testing same builds on a ninja and I will be posting his finds as he completes his climbs.

aight , its just that u got there a 245 lvl 55 heal.... and thats really not average for people who are willing to give a shot with hybrids :/, but its really nice to see this kind of test going on.

keep on sharing

Get with the Program. Melee/Caster.

All Points into Intell.

Melee 1-40 on Fighter/Sammy/Pally.

1-30/35 on Rogue.

Monk I do 1-25 since I have good charms.

And 1-30/35 on Ninja.

Most versatile Class in the game.

Use Swords and Staves. And if you are lucky and plan on Headhunter then get your ass axes.

This is my setup for Paladin. I go No-Regen up to Level 30 on Hardcore.

Weapons

Magical bronze sword
Damage: 7 to 78
+57% Enhanced Effect

Mystical iron sword
Level Req: 5
Damage: 11 to 112
+68% Enhanced Effect
+3 Intelligence
+1% Critical Flux

Mystical steel axe
Level Req: 10
Damage: 76 to 91
+89% Enhanced Effect
+2 Extra Item Slots
+3% Critical Flux

Mythical alloy axe
Level Req: 15
Damage: 85 to 102
+76% Enhanced Effect
+1 to 49 Life per Kill
+2% Magical Damage Reduction
-1% Mana Consumptio

Rare fine alloy sword
Level Req: 20
Damage: 24 to 245
+118% Enhanced Effect
+2 Magic Luck

Rare mithril axe
Level Req: 25
Damage: 137 to 165
+114% Enhanced Effect
+23 Strength

Rare ebonwood club
Level Req: 30
Damage: 69 to 314
+141% Enhanced Effect
+25 Max Life

Armors

Mystical bronze chain mail
Defense: 9 to 22
+8 Strength
+1 Mana Regen
+1 to 29 Life per Kill

Mystical steel chain mail
Level Req: 10
Defense: 15 to 38
+19 Strength
+5 Dexterity
+1 to 10 Life per Attack

Mystical fine alloy chain mail
Level Req: 20
Defense: 21 to 54
+20 Strength
+1 to 14 Life per Attack
+1% Critical Flux

Rare mithril chain mail
Level Req: 25
Defense: 24 to 62
+34 Dexterity
+2% Critical Flux

Charms

Rare lightning II
Spell Damage: 2 to 25
Mana Cost: 15
+9 Strength
+1 to 20 Life per Kill

Angelic fire V
Level Req: 10
Spell Damage: 15 to 42
Mana Cost: 45
+7% Experience Gained
+1 Extra Item Slots
+1 to 8 Life per Attack
+1% Block

Mystical wind VI
Level Req: 15
Spell Damage: 12 to 56
Mana Cost: 55
+22 Strength
+6% Experience Gained
+1 to 45 Life per Kill

Rare ice IX
Level Req: 30
Spell Damage: 47 to 56
Mana Cost: 85
+34 Strength
+1% Mana Skin

Mystical wild heal X
Level Req: 35
Heals: 13 to 130
Mana Cost: 95
+38 Strength
+380 Max Mana
+1 Extra Item Slots

Heal Charms I Use While Leveling Melee

105 EE 20 Reg Heal

Mystical heal VIII
Level Req: 25
Heals: 52 to 140
Mana Cost: 75
+109% Enhanced Effect
+268 Max Life
+2 Critical Strike

Angelic wild heal X
Level Req: 35
Heals: 36 to 361
Mana Cost: 95
+178% Enhanced Effect
+64 Max Life
+4% Block
+1% Mana Syphon

40-71 Casting

42 Int Sword or 30 Int Dagger and 61 Int 55 Axe

35 Lighting w/ 178 EE and 178 EE 55 Lighting

44 Int 35 Robe and 54 Int 55 Chain

I understand that my Melee/Caster setup is very impressive and may be hard to match. But it is hard work of collecting what I know I need for Melee Casters. And most play softcore and most of these items would not be hard. Some of my EE weapons are extremely nice but it is ez for softcore.

Melee/Caster is the past and the future. Plus, the gear is readily more available then Hybrid Melee. The only disadvantage is Catacomb Effectiveness with this build. And at high levels a paladin can still be a nice healer.

@ lance, I have tried your melee/caster build and frankly I hated it. I couldn't stand the difference between casting with a mage then casting with a monk. That and it was slow leveling. I can guarantee you, your not doing 8 min levels with a sammy caster at any level , nor are you getting anywhere near the chains I'm achieving. Longer chains = more drops(noticeable difference between soloing on my mage and soloing on the sammy) and more exp as your mcc gets up there.



Yep but to be completely honest. With the 50 int build the 245 ee was completely useless. It healed for the same as my 45 heal did with 171.

But I see what your saying.

I will be starting a 70 int climb here in a second so will post the results when I finish

I Get 12-15 Min Levels 40-71 Casting on Sammy. I do solid 10 Minutes on Paladin. And I could even go faster if my buddies wanted to hook me up with shrines.

And this class is extremely Versatile.

You have to have High Int gear for monk. I don't even use high on Softcore. But Casting on monk is way better then meleeing it.

You can talk about melee all you want. But I can climb just as fast as you.

And as far as drops. The difference of exp is not going to be different. You may get a little bit more but I kill a monster in 3 seconds while it takes you 6+ per one. And drops are reallly all luck.