Got a dude who PMs me every year asking if I'll sell my slasher gear. I haven't played in years with no intention of doing so ever again. He can get bent.

HC just got reset. So those of you who were thinking about starting fresh, now is the time.

I may actually make a push to Paladin this Hardcore season. I've never played a Paladin before. I'm a Guardian for life. But I may just go for it this season. Only issue will be learning what a Samurai does. Hardcore is not the time to be experimenting with new character classes I don't know how to play. I think I played Samurai once many years ago on Softcore.

I just didn't like the limited weapon choices the Samurai has. But I can probably make due with a nice Level 25 Longsword with +107% EE that I use on my Guardian from Level 25 to 35. But I don't really use swords or daggers. It will be interesting if I make another character class. It would be brave of me to be risking it all on Hardcore. When it's all about comfort and playing what you're good at.

I always had a fantasy of going all the way and resetting the Hardcore season one day myself on Alchemist. But I'd rather reach Rank 30, 40 and 50 with Club Proficiency and Rank 30 or 40 with Heal Proficiency. So much more I can do really. And start to level up all the heavy weapons as well. Which I just started to do.

Now that I think about it. Just playing the Guardian is smarter for me to continue to do. It's what I'm good at. I have fun as well.

This post was edited by MADmartigan on Feb 9 2026 08:11pm

I like soloing on paladin too, and it’s way better than guardian. The only problem is I have to play samurai to unlock it. Your long sword should work, I think. I have a Lvl 50 battle axe with 55% EE and it works great up to Lvl 75. Too bad I can’t use this on samurai lol

I definitely took on more than I can chew. Trying to finish a climb with a Samurai for the first time. Soloing on Hardcore Ladder slasher with a beginner level 35 sword that I grossly overpaid for in the first place. No end-game sword. Somehow managed to reach Level 53. But the process is just so tedious and difficult.

I'm debating if it's worth trying to reach Level 73 to finish a Samurai climb and potentially dying while trying. Or just REROLL to a Guardian and have fun again. This is just too stressful right now. On the one hand I don't want to give up and will die trying. But I'll be devastated if that happens. But if I REROLL I feel like I gave up and that's worse than dying to me.

I've lost everything I had on D2jsp. All that's keeping me here is Hardcore Ladder Slasher. If I die I can finally breathe, relax and no more stress. One positive I guess. LOL. Either way I'm stuck right now. Only way to get out of it is to keep slowly grinding each level until I lose my mind. Or I get lucky and find a Level 50-55 sword with 50%+ EE. If I do finish this climb, unless I pass to play a Paladin for the first time, I do plan to make a Guardian on the new climb. If I can make it that far.

Bonus Event in progress for 3 days, 23 hours:
+15% Experience Gained
+60% More Warm Lights
+110% More Items From Chests
14x Glyphing Experience
-60% Teleport Traps

Interesting. I'm still stuck on my current Samurai solo climb on Hardcore. But I'm not giving up just yet. REROLL would be the easy way out.

Still trying to fight and claw my way for every inch until level 73 with a level 35 sword. It's impossible but it is what it is. Highly stressful at best.

That 15% xp is nice to help speed it up.

I can try to two-man it with you if that'd make it any easier for you. Provided I make it to 50 first ofc. I've been fixing all of my mules (since the ladder got reset, which reset all of them) but I'll start slashing on my Main soon.

Is this the diablo 2 expansion?

I played all night and finished a solo climb on my Hardcore Samurai for the first time.

So close to unlocking Paladin. Went middle key and door opened. But the right key exploded.
If I had went middle, left and right key I would've been playing a Paladin for the first time. Ah!!

Anyway. Back to Guardian for fun and no stress. Samurai looks like it can dominate with the right end-game gear.
I had gotten from Level 35 to 73 with a Level 35 sword with 72% EE. LOL. I wouldn't recommend doing that guys.
The stress it was causing me was insane. I thought I'd die but my healing ability gave me every chance to evade death.

I'm so thankful and happy for the experience. I got the most out of that overpriced sword. It was the little sword that could.
Never leveled a Sword before and I got halfway to Rank 3. Anyway now I want to level up some heavy weapons a little more.

I'd like to start swinging a Club again as that's what I'm the best at on Hardcore. Rank 27 Club with Rank 26 Heal charm. #1 for both proficiencies.