Yes, you can use sets and be as competitive and as viable as those that spend tons of money on "top tier" "l33t" gear. Some would have you believe you can only compete with what "they" are selling. NOT! Below are different builds I have made with SETS and they are completely viable. They can be gotten for a fraction of the cost of "l33t" gear. Some set items can be upgraded using the Horadric Cube Recipes to go from Normal-Exceptional-Elite. All information can be seen on The Arreat Summit web site. I have only fully geared and tried 3 sets so far. Below is what I have come up with that I personally have tried, tested, and successfully used. There is NO absolute perfectly right recipe here anywhere!!!! There will be differences of opinions. But, then again, this is only based on building these character builds based on the sets available to their classes and my preferences. You will see I am very repetitive on socketing for Um Runes. The one thing I learned from playing HC is that you can NEVER have too much resistances! Keep in mind one very important fact ... when you reach Hell, you'll suffer a total of -100 to all resistances penalty. As such, the way I build my characters is that they will have 100+ in all resistances AFTER that penalty. Resistances are just as important as defense and max block. Plan well and survive better. I do not subscribe to the idiom of needing to teleport. Mainly because if I am teleporting past all of the mobs and their bosses, I am missing out on experience and drops. If I feel the need to teleport, I will get an item on weapon switch to teleport what times I need/want to. My opinion.

This post was edited by luciferus on Jun 20 2023 10:29am

NECROMANCER

Trang-Oul's Avatar Summoner Necromancer

This is a very strong summoner build that can go ANYWHERE in the game unsupported, even areas that even a Hammerdin cannot go.

Helm: Trang-Oul's Guise - Add one socket to the helm using Larzuk. Insert an Um Rune for resistances.
Armor: Trang-Oul's Scales - Can be upgraded from exceptional to elite. Add one socket it to it Using Larzuk. Insert an Um Rune for resistances.
Shield: Trang-Oul's Wing - Can be upgraded from exceptional to elite. Add one socket it to it Using Larzuk. Insert an Um Rune for resistances.
Belt: Trang-Oul's Girth
Gloves: Trang-Oul's Claws - Can be upgraded from exceptional to elite.

Other items to add to your inventory as you can gather them for this build:

Arm of King Leoric [Probably the best summoner wand out there ... the only downside is the bone wall it can cast if you are struck. It can trap you with an enemy]
Marrowwalk - +2, adds to Skeleton Mastery
Summoners amulet - +3 to summoning tree, and any other mods you can get with it
Summoning GC's - 7 x summon gc's
Torch
Anni
Rings - I personally like having 2 x SoJ's. for the +1 skills each. As a summoner, you do not melee, so will be somewhat safe.

Skills:

Summoning tree
20 - Skeleton Mastery, Raise Skeleton, Summon Resists [for your summons]
10 - Clay Golem
5 - Golem Mastery
1 - In each other skill in this tree.

Poison and Bone
1 - Teeth, Corpse Explosion, Bone Shield, & Bone Wall [CE will be great to have to help clear mobs & Bone Wall in case of emergency run away]

Curses
1 - Amplify Damage, Weaken, Iron Maiden, Terror, Life Tap, Decrepify, Lower Resist [Amp & Decrep will be the most used, sometimes lower resist] [Decrepify used with Clay Golem vs bosses is awesome. Baal is extremely slowed and does not cast his double]

The rest of the skill points you accumulate are to be spread at YOUR discretion. However you want your build to go. I like to max out Skel Mages as well. That way I have myself, 16 Skels, 16 Mages, Clay Golem, Mercenary, and about 22 Revives. that's 57 creatures in one spot! LMAO! Remember, even though there is only 1 point in some skills, all of your +skill enhancements [GC's, gear, etc] add to these.I have used this build for many years and have had no issues with it. Make it, tweak it, make it your own.

Mercenary

Act 2 Might Merc with Obedience. The aura helps your summons and obedience makes him kill better. Helm and armor are according to your preferrences and furthering the surviveability of your mercenary.

This post was edited by luciferus on Jun 20 2023 10:16am

Sorceress

Tal Rasha's Wrappings Frozen Orb/Fireball Sorceress

Helm: Tal Rasha's Horadric Crest - Can be upgraded from exception to elite. Add one socket from Larzuk. Insert an Um rune in it for resistances.
Armor: Tal Rasha's Guardianship - Socket with Larzuck. Add an Um Rune to it for resistances.
Belt: Tal Rasha's Fine-Spun Cloth - Can be upgraded from exceptional to elite.
Amulet: Tal Rasha's Adjudication
Weapon: Tal Rasha's Lidless Eye

Use a Spirit Shield for res' and skills.
Boots/rings are user preferrence.
torch
Anni
Magefist Gauntlets for mana and fire skills
3 x Fire Gc's
4 x Cold Gc's


Skills:

Cold Tree
1 - Ice Bolt, Frost Nova, Ice Blast, Glacial Spike, Blizzard, Cold Mastery
20 - Frozen Orb
Choose a cold armor skill you prefer & put a point into it.
*Add to synergies as you see fit.

Lightning Tree
1 - Static Field [a must to reduce enemies hitpoints fast]
1 - Telekinesis, Teleport

Fire Tree
1 - Fireblt, Warmth, Inferno, Blaze, Firewall, Meteor, Fire Mastery
20 - Fireball
*add to synergies as you see fit

Mercenary
Here I like to use an act 2 Freezy Merc with Insight Polearm. A sorc can NEVR have too much mana. The freezy aura gives you that safe second or two when teleporting.

,.....as you add points to your synergies, you will find you won't really have any leftover points to disburse.

This post was edited by luciferus on Jun 20 2023 10:19am

Barbarian

Immortal King Whirlwind Barabarian

Helm: Immortal King's Will - Can be upgraded from Normal to Exceptional to Elite. Has 2 sockets in it. I placed 2 x Um Runes in it for resistances.
Armor: Immortal King's Soul Cage - Socket with Larzuck. Add an Um Rune to it for resistances.
Belt: Immortal King's Detail - Can be upgraded from Exceptional to Elite
Gloves: Immortal King's Forge - Can be upgraded from Exceptional to Elite
Boots: Immortal King's Pillar - Can be upgraded from Exceptional to Elite
Weapon: Immortal King's Stone Crusher - Has 2 sockets. I "recommend" 2 x Shael Runes for the speed of attack factor.

Amulet: the general consensus is hilords Wrath. +1 skills and attack rating.
Rings: the general consensus is 2 x Ravenfrosts for the attack rating. I have used 2 x SoJ's for the mana and +skills.
Torch
Anni
GC's: 7 x Mastery. Or can mix it up 4 or 5 Mastery, 1 or 2 Combat, & 1 Warcry
SC's: consensus is life/AR sc's. Most would say 3/20/20's, if you can afford tham.

Skills:

Warcries Tree
1 - Howl, Find Potion, Shout, Find Item, Battlecommand
20 - Battle Orders
* Some would say add extra points to Shout

Combat Masteries
1- Increased Stamina, Iron Skin, Increased Speed, Natural Resistances
20 - Mace Mastery
* Some would say to add extra points in various categories here ... The consensus in order of popularuty is: Iron Skin, Natural Resistances

Combat Skills Tree
1 - Bash, Leap, Stun, Leap Attack, Concentrate, & Beserk [for physical immunes]
20 - Whirlwind

.... the rest of any accumulated points to be added at your discretion.


Sidenote:

At level 77 I was able to take down Uber D alone.
At level 80 I was able to solo a Baal run. I had some trouble with the second wave and the 5th wave. I was able to beat Baal.

In this build, I used an act 1 cold bow mercenary to test it out. I only did this for fun and testing. Most recommend Act 5 Merc.
Insight bow [for the mana]
Bramble Armor for the Thorns aura.
Dream Helm for the level 15 Holy Shock Aura just for a little help in damages.

This post was edited by luciferus on Jun 20 2023 10:40am

Viable? Sure!
Competitive? Hell nah

Maybe I misused that word?

I hadn't intended it to be a "heads-up" type competitive type deal. I meant as in they can complete the game just as well and in a timely fashion.

Now this is all relative. If you are playing, leveling, farming all at the same time, sure. But, if you are only killing bosses, then that's a different story.

I wasn't trying to "down" "l33t" builds and/or gear. Only show that you do not have to have them to play, kill, get drops, level, etc ... not everyone can afford to get an implant to measure bigger, nor do some desire or need to.

Alternatives are always nice to have .... besides, as not being a botter, I have no need nor desire to rush to a boss and kill it 14.1 seconds to rush to the next one. I actually enjoy playing the game.

This post was edited by luciferus on Jun 20 2023 11:34am

Don’t have to be a botter or pay a penny to have good gear and playing the game fast and pushing the limits is a valid and imo more enjoyable and involved way to play the game since it requires you to learn the details behind the game mechanics in order to optimize you clear speeds (pvm) or matchup specific stats and strategies (pvp).

I enjoy p8 hc solo self found too so I’m no stranger to using whatever you can find/make and play slow careful so I get what you’re saying too as it’s also another fun way to play but I wouldn’t call it “actually playing the game” anymore than someone speed clearing or pvping.

Point taken ... sometimes just a little different viewpoints ... no offense intended.

have you tested the other sets as well? trang and tal were always known as being viable 'starters' to farm and when i played IK a couple of months ago i was impressed how well it is doing (melee without grief )
but what about griswold/natalya/mavina/aldur? which builds are possible with these to solo clear (without towning every few seconds to revive your merc, ofc)?