So i do understand that it is very difficult to begin this game without help, and theres not always help available when you begin, so i thought it was time to bring back the beginners guide.
All basic information about game functionality, controls, and characters can be found here:
http://ladderslasher.d2jsp.org/Next lets go to some tldr information.
Hotkeys:
i opens your inventory
O opens item log in catacombs
P opens your proficiency
C opens your character screen
V opens your vault
F opens group list or find player screen
G returns you to map after a battle with monsters to continue exploring
W moves your character forward in rhe direction he is facing
A turns your character to face left
D turns your character to face right
S turns your character in a half spin
Q selects your action of choice as your weapon
E selects your action of choice as your main charm
R selects your action of choice as your acc charm
Space bar clears your screen of all pop ups
Ctrl + click attacks with your skill of choice. Skill will not work if it is a weapon skill and you have your charm selected or vice versa
Shift + click attacks with your skill of choice. Skill will not work if it is a weapon skill and you have your charm selected or vice versa
Alt + click attacks with your skill of choice. Skill will not work if it is a weapon skill and you have your charm selected or vice versa
Esc opens the preferences screen
Now that we know how to navigate inside the game lets learn how to be successful at it.
I will not be discussing classes and allocation of stat points and abilities because they are explained here:
http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=57524636&f=74Now how can we stop sucking so much without spending fg?
The answer is to start being smarter about the items we equip.
From the minute you start in the catacombs with no gear you should start looking for this gear:
Melee characters:
Weapons with:
+max life
+ enhanced effect
+ life per kill
Armors with:
+max life
+ enhanced effect
+ life per kill
+ dexterity
+ strength
Charms with:
+ max life
+ life per kill
+ dexterity
+ strength
Caster characters:
Weapons with:
+max life
+max mana
+ intelligence
+ heal mastery
+ mana per kill
Armors with:
+ max life
+ max mana
+ intelligence
+ heal mastery
+ mana per kill
Charms with:
+enhanced effect
+ max life
+ max mana
+ mana per kill
+ intelligence
Acc charms with:
Focused heal, heal, or wild heal only
+ enhanced effect
If you grab this gear as it is dropping you will find it will become much easier at lower levels.
The key is that you need to upgrade your tiers as often as possible, as such i will be listing the tiers in number and name and at what level you can hope to see them.
Tiers:
1 or rusted or splintered or tattered or patched
2 or copper or pine or cotton or rawhide
3 or bronze or elm or woolen or tanned
4 or iron or oak or linen or cured
5 or steel or ironwood or brocade or hard
6 or alloy or heartwood or silk or double cured
7 or fine alloy or runewood or gossamer or rigid
8 or mithril or stonewood or elvan or embossed
9 or sapphire or ebonwood or seamist or imbued
10 or adamantium or drywood or nightshade or runed
11 or diamond or darkwood or wyvernskin or enchanted
12 or diamond tempered or stonewood or silksteel or tempered
13 or titanium or angelwood or pixiesilk or encrested
14 or ultimanium or godwood or spiderthread or fine honed
Drop levels:
1 drops at level 1+
2 drops at level 3-4+
3 drops at level 8-9+
4 drops at level 13-14+
5 drops at level 18-19+
6 drops at level 23-24+
7 drops at level 28-29+
8 drops at level 33-34+
9 drops at level 38-39+
10 drops at level 43-44+
11 drops at level 48-49+
12 drops at level 53-54+
13 drops at level 58-59+
14 drops at level 63-64+
So now you know what gear to look for, what stats to look for, and what levels you can begin looking for the right gear.
One last suggestion, you do not have to do it all in 1 climb. If you get to level 20 and you still havent found much worthwhile gear, go to the login screen and reroll your character and breeze through the low levels again hoping to find some better drops the next time around.
Good luck slashing everyone and feel free to pm me with any questions.