d2jsp
Log InRegister
d2jsp Forums > Diablo II > Diablo 2: Resurrected > D2:R Discussion > Need Hc Assassin Advice Please.
123Next
Add Reply New Topic New Poll
Member
Posts: 8,337
Joined: Feb 17 2022
Gold: 7,913.00
Jun 24 2022 01:53am
Hey everyone, so this is my first ever assassin playthrough which I for whatever reason chose to do on HC Ladder like my other characters. I am having trouble deciding which build is best suited for me and am also having survivability issues ( obviously haven't died just can't take a hit very well) I would really appreciate any advice on which assassin build is going to be the most durable seeing as this is a HC character and advice about what gear I should be using.

Here is my current set-up.

Lightning sentry trapsin lvl 70

Upped perfect Vipermagi
Dual bartucs
Shako / vampire gaze
Laying of hands
Nats boots
String of Ears
Ravenfrost
Dual leech ring
Highlords
Anni
Lots of frw/ res charms ( I do have max resistances in hell)


I know I should probably be using chains of honor or something haven't picked a runeword armor yet because I'm not sure which build to go with.

She cannot take a hit very well and obviously I have issues dealing with lightning immunes.

Any advice on what the best assassin build for HC is and what gear to use and what level I should be at to safely progress though hell mode is very appreciated!

Thanks for reading!
Member
Posts: 1,427
Joined: May 31 2015
Gold: 10.00
Jun 24 2022 03:39am
Since ur saying ur new to assassins, and on hc,
The easiest solution is to use a stormshield first with the shako ur almost full at damage reduction.
Thundergods belt no other choice there.
What are you doing with the extra 35-40 skills now that the synergies changed?
One choice is fire blast for the immunes
Other is dragon talon
Other is just pump all utility skills like fade shadow master weapon block for when u switch to trap claws.
U can also use blade fury now that its improved to deal with immunes and leech.
No reason for the gloves ur using
Better trangouls or drakuls if u go melee on swap.
Dont waste a ber on a coh just go enigma
If ur worried about resists just use a silence phase
Highlords not usefull use a 2 assa 20 fcr amulet.
If u cant afford it even a 2skill 10 fcr resists is good.
When ur doing baalruns and chaos use fade even if u have full resists just in case low resist conviction.
Plan for 80-100 extra fire and lightning resists.
Are u going to use cta?
Also ur assassin shouldnt be hit actually.
Learn how to use mind blast.even with all perfect items dont expect to tank the toughest monsters like a barb or pala.
When u learn how to handle her u ll want to go the regular route
With 2 5-6 light sentry claws one of the can be that new runeword with cleansing. Main claw should have 40 ias and greater or runic talon.maxed fade.on hc id personaly not go to 105 fcr i cant lose thundergods.
Member
Posts: 3,035
Joined: May 24 2008
Gold: 240.07
Jun 24 2022 03:56am
I found getting 75% block to be a big help for my Kicksin builds.

Also remember that fcr doesn't affect how fast you can lay down traps, it is actually determined by attack speed.
Member
Posts: 1,427
Joined: May 31 2015
Gold: 10.00
Jun 24 2022 04:00am
Also keep lvling on baalruns nightmare so u can trade and wear the storm and a torch at 75.trade for 3-4 trap skillers
Dont go in hell duriel with the dual bartucks and no merc.
Be very defensive when u walk to mefisto use mind blast and ur shadow with the dolls.
Dont stay amplified when in durance.fade all the way.
Dont go to izual unless u have thundergods and overstack light resists.diablo should be easy the only problem will be ancients.
It more than one light immune tp to refresh them. Be cheesy and drop rejuve on the ground before u open them.
Fire blast and death sentry all the souls and beetles on the way to baal.
Use an act5 merc with guardian angels lawbringer phase blade and eth headstriker kiras or tal heml with um in guardian angels.
He ll protect u with the undeadknockback aura against dolls and souls and he ll kill way faster than act2.
If u use storm u can tank a simple doll explosion maybe two. Still dont risk it if its extra strong or u have amplify etc.
Member
Posts: 14,014
Joined: Feb 24 2018
Gold: 13,084.69
Jun 24 2022 05:03am
Actually, a trapsin doesn't need any damage reduction because you should be out of range most of the time. You're a ranged fighter with shadow warrior, merc and mind blast. Mind blast (hotkey that one) is really op so that's that. Use it. You need ias for trap laying speed (burst of speed instead of fade) and +skills for trap damage. When you're undergeared best course of action is to give your merc a reaper's tool. Decrepify helps with slowing down the mobs and enhances the physical portion of death sentry. Your aim should be to triangulate with LS and death sentry everything from around the corner without being surrounded. If you're surrounded without scouting, no amounts of damage reduction is going to help because you aren't a melee fighter. Cheap solution is a bartuc's and a jade talon primary. For second slot, you can shop any claw with +3 to LS. Max is +6 on magical claws. Cast then fade/BoS and shadow warrior/master with the primary set and set traps with the secondary.

Kicksin is another story, no way around a stormshield, string of ears, guilliamo's face and upped gores. She isn't a ladder starter material.

This post was edited by babun1024 on Jun 24 2022 05:06am
Member
Posts: 11,980
Joined: Jan 8 2022
Gold: 24,288.00
Jun 24 2022 05:13am
Whatever gear you end up using, the playstyle is important.

Ignore all the light immunes you can. The ones you cannot - let your merc kill them and corpse explode with death sentry. Merc should be wearing something standard, like eth elite insight, treachery, vgaze.

Max block is good in HC. I’d go for whitstan or stormshield.

Get a CTA. It’s cheap nowadays and makes a big difference.

Once you beat hell farm in places where there aren’t any light immunes until you have infinity on your merc.

This post was edited by kayko on Jun 24 2022 05:26am
Member
Posts: 8,337
Joined: Feb 17 2022
Gold: 7,913.00
Jun 24 2022 10:03am
Quote (matgreek111 @ Jun 24 2022 03:39am)
Since ur saying ur new to assassins, and on hc,
The easiest solution is to use a stormshield first with the shako ur almost full at damage reduction.
Thundergods belt no other choice there.
What are you doing with the extra 35-40 skills now that the synergies changed?
One choice is fire blast for the immunes
Other is dragon talon
Other is just pump all utility skills like fade shadow master weapon block for when u switch to trap claws.
U can also use blade fury now that its improved to deal with immunes and leech.
No reason for the gloves ur using
Better trangouls or drakuls if u go melee on swap.
Dont waste a ber on a coh just go enigma
If ur worried about resists just use a silence phase
Highlords not usefull use a 2 assa 20 fcr amulet.
If u cant afford it even a 2skill 10 fcr resists is good.
When ur doing baalruns and chaos use fade even if u have full resists just in case low resist conviction.
Plan for 80-100 extra fire and lightning resists.
Are u going to use cta?
Also ur assassin shouldnt be hit actually.
Learn how to use mind blast.even with all perfect items dont expect to tank the toughest monsters like a barb or pala.
When u learn how to handle her u ll want to go the regular route
With 2 5-6 light sentry claws one of the can be that new runeword with cleansing. Main claw should have 40 ias and greater or runic talon.maxed fade.on hc id personaly not go to 105 fcr i cant lose thundergods.


Thank you very much for all your advice I appreciate it. I know some of my gear is not appropriate it's just what I had already, I just started her yesterday. Also, would you recommend sticking with trapsin or is a different build better? I was reading about the Phoenix elemental build and that seemed kinda fun idk what I'll end up going with yet so any input there is appreciated. I do have a pair of dracs I was planning on using I just can't equip them yet btw.
Member
Posts: 8,337
Joined: Feb 17 2022
Gold: 7,913.00
Jun 24 2022 10:11am
Quote (babun1024 @ Jun 24 2022 05:03am)
Actually, a trapsin doesn't need any damage reduction because you should be out of range most of the time. You're a ranged fighter with shadow warrior, merc and mind blast. Mind blast (hotkey that one) is really op so that's that. Use it. You need ias for trap laying speed (burst of speed instead of fade) and +skills for trap damage. When you're undergeared best course of action is to give your merc a reaper's tool. Decrepify helps with slowing down the mobs and enhances the physical portion of death sentry. Your aim should be to triangulate with LS and death sentry everything from around the corner without being surrounded. If you're surrounded without scouting, no amounts of damage reduction is going to help because you aren't a melee fighter. Cheap solution is a bartuc's and a jade talon primary. For second slot, you can shop any claw with +3 to LS. Max is +6 on magical claws. Cast then fade/BoS and shadow warrior/master with the primary set and set traps with the secondary.

Kicksin is another story, no way around a stormshield, string of ears, guilliamo's face and upped gores. She isn't a ladder starter material.


Hey thanks for the advice! I am definitely still learning the play style with assassin it's very different than what I'm used to. ( Been playing barb mostly this ladder) but I don't get my self surrounded and an making use of the LS / DS skills and staying out of harms way for the most part. I haven't really got into using anything like mind blast or many other skills but I am using burst of speed.

I'm still not sold on this build I was hoping to hear what you guys think of some of the other assassin builds like Phoenix strike or kicksin or maybe even a whirlwind assassin that seemed kinda fun.

Thanks again for taking the time to write!
Member
Posts: 8,337
Joined: Feb 17 2022
Gold: 7,913.00
Jun 24 2022 10:14am
Quote (kayko @ Jun 24 2022 05:13am)
Whatever gear you end up using, the playstyle is important.

Ignore all the light immunes you can. The ones you cannot - let your merc kill them and corpse explode with death sentry. Merc should be wearing something standard, like eth elite insight, treachery, vgaze.

Max block is good in HC. I’d go for whitstan or stormshield.

Get a CTA. It’s cheap nowadays and makes a big difference.

Once you beat hell farm in places where there aren’t any light immunes until you have infinity on your merc.


Hey thanks for the advice! Yes the playstyle is definitely a big change for me so I'm still getting used to that. I just started her yesterday though so I'm sure I'll get used to it in time. I don't have a CTA right now but was planning on getting one today. Also I forgot to mention what my Merc is using but it's exactly what you recommended.

Mercenaries gear -
Eth superior Archon Plate Treachery 865 def I think?
Superior thresher insight
Eth vamp gaze

Member
Posts: 1,427
Joined: May 31 2015
Gold: 10.00
Jun 24 2022 02:28pm
Phoinix assa is very difficult on hc.ignore targets defence is crucial for her.combine phoinix with dragon claw it got a good boost in 2.4.
Its been years maybe more than 10 that i made one.if u get lucky with a good rare claw that has 2 assa3 phoinix be my guest make one 😎she needs a lot of skills in the equipment similar to a trapsin.
But lets say ur doing chaos runs are u gonna go melee to lord de seis or infector getting the Phoenix charges?builds like that work for guys that have 2 account with a high lvl bo barb etc.
U dont have to go all in for kicksin
Just max dragon talon while beeing primarily a trapper.
When u get to 85 lvl just use an azurath and nothing will be immune to u . Untill then u can use any fast weapon with crushing blow.
Lawbringer works too but works against deth sentry.plus u ll leech from the drakuls even from undead monsters.
Its a cool busy playstyle. While your traps do the majority of killing u can kick single out monsters for leeching.
Just dont try to kick extra strong extra fast frenzytaurus while amplified.
Right now i m hooked in a blade furysin i found a good rare eth cruel small crescent and she kills very fast. I switch to azurath for immunes. Shes very tanky with forti and storm.
Go Back To D2:R Discussion Topic List
123Next
Add Reply New Topic New Poll