Classic Diablo Characters
written by LemmingofGlory
with much valuable input, ideas, and help from Charis, Foxbat_, Grarrrg, McFrugal
Class:
Barbarian = Warrior or Monk
Amazon = Rogue
Paladin = Warrior or Monk
Sorceress = Sorcerer
Tags:
CDW for the Warrior
CDM for the Monk
CDR for the Rogue
CDS for the Sorcerer
Introduction
CDCs are variants based on the 3 character classes of Diablo and the Monk of Hellfire. The goal of the variant is to make Diablo 2 gameplay more like Diablo 1, at least from the character's point of view.
Rules
For Barb CDW, no dual-weilding. Also, items that are two handed must always be used in two hands. (i.e. no using two-handed stuff in one hand)
For Pal CDM, staff, hand-to-hand, or wand/non-hammer gfx scepter must be used for combat. No other weapons are allowed. For Barb CDM, dual weild Wands is allowed. Wand + Shield is also allowed.
Axes are always two-handed, so using an Axe excludes use of a shield.
Mercenary Rules: "Classic Diablo Coop Partners"
Greiz mercenaries, Cold Arrow Rogues, and Cold Mages may not be used by CDCs.
Aside from that, Fire Arrow Rogues, Fire and Lightning Sorcerers, and Warriors (Act 1/3/5 mercs) may be used, but they must follow CDC rules. They're treated as cooperative partners. (And you don't have to worry about them being greedy, cheating, or PKing you. ;)
Classes
Fire Arrow Rogues, Fire Sorcerers, Lightning Sorcerers, and Barbarians (Warriors) may play by CDC rules.
Ignore statistic restrictions. Mercenary statistics cannot be regulated.
Spells
The CDC insists on using old D1 abilities to defeat Diablo, so none of these newfangled abilities will do! Also, the CDC refers to D2 skills as "spells."
Any prerequisite may be learned in order to get a useable higher level spell (such as learning Blaze to get Fire Wall). Reasons why some newer spells\skills are allowed and other notes on spells\skills are provided when necessary.
Classic Diablo Sorcerer
Fire Spells: Fire Bolt, Fire Ball, Inferno, Fire Wall, Slvl 15 Fire Ball (Meteor), Guardian (Hydra) Lightning Spells: Charged Bolt, Lightning, Chain Lightning, Nova Magic Spells: Mana (Energy) Shield, Telekinesis, Teleport, Flash (Static Field), Stone Curse (Bone Spirit) Miscellaneous: Warmth, Fire Mastery, Lighting Mastery, Magic Mastery (Cold Mastery)
Meteor was not originally allowed, but through playtesting I found that Fire Ball's damage just wasn't cutting it. The D1 Sorcerer had the obscenely powerful Fire Ball, afterall, so disallowing the heaviest-hitting fire spell in D2 would be like nerfing him.
Though Nova was not a learned spell in D1, the CDC may learn and use it. Nova is allowed to be learned because it can hit almost a whole room full of targets, much like the Chain Lightning of old. D2's Chain Lit is pathetic and can only hit up to 5 targets.
Flash is limited to slvl 1. This is to preserve Flash's tiny radius.
Warmth is allowed because mana used to be buyable, but now it is not. Warmth replaces Adria's always-full potion stock.
Masteries are allowed because the Sorc had uber spell power in D1, and so shall it be in D2.
Classic Diablo Rogue
Fire Spells: Fire Bolt (Fire Arrow), Fire Ball (Exploding Arrow), Fire Wall (Immolation Arrow) Lightning Spells: Lightning (Lightning Bolt), Chain Lightning (Lightning Fury) Magic Spells: Blood Star (Magic Arrow), Bone Spirit (Guided Arrow), Golem (Decoy/Valkyrie) Miscellaneous: Strafe, Critical Strike, Penetrate
Strafe is allowed vs small enemies only (Grotesque Wyrms, Fallens, Maggot Young, Fetishes) because they're highly irritating and deserve to be machine-gunned. Strafe is limited to slvl 1, however.
Both Valkryie and Decoy take the place of Golem. Only one Golem may be alive at one time, however. So your Valk must die before you can set up a Decoy. Also, Valk is limited to slvl 1 because in D1 Golem's hps were based on a player's mana, and Rogue's Golem hps are thus horribly low.
Javelins may be used soley for the purpose of casting Lightning and Chain Lightning. You may not melee with Javelins and you may not throw them normally. Non-magical javelin class weapons must be used for this.
Not all base bow types fire at the same speed, but they did in D1. To make up for the speed differences, Critical Strike is allowed.
Classic Diablo Warrior (Paladin)
Fighting: Shield Bash (Smite), Pseudo-Telekill (Charge), Melee-Range Blood Star (Sacrifice), Melee-Range Bone Spirit (Vengeance), Critical Hit (Might) Spells: Holy Bolt, Heal/Heal Other (Prayer) Miscellaneous: Cleansing, Meditation
Curses and Poison didn't exist in D1, so Cleansing is allowed to be rid of them.
Adria had an endless mana potion supply, so Meditation is allowed.
Might is Critical Hit, and is limited to slvl 7 (which doubles your physical damage).
Classic Diablo Warrior (Barbarian)
Fighting: Teleport/Telekill (Leap/Leap Attack), Stunlock (Stun), Knockback (Bash), Critical Strike (Sword/Axe/Mace Mastery) Spells: Stone Curse (Battle Cry), Mana Shield (Battle Orders), Apocalypse (War Cry) Miscellaneous: No Stamina in D1 (Increased Stamina), Adria's Endless Potion Supply (Find Potion)
Apocalypse! 'Tis odd to see a Warrior using it, but why not? Hehe
Increased Stamina helps make stamina less of an issue, as it didn't even exist in D1.
Classic Diablo Monk (Paladin)
Fighting: Melee-Range Blood Star (Sacrifice), Melee-Range Bone Spirit (Vengeance), Monk's Insane Attack Speed (Zeal & Fanaticism), Monk's Natural AC Bonus (Defiance), Pseudo-Telekill (Charge), Spell Blocking (Resistance Auras) Spells: Holy Bolt, Healing/Heal Other (Prayer) Miscellaneous: Cleansing, Meditation
The Monk had great attack speeds, as represented by Zeal and Fanaticism.
The Monk had a natural AC bonus, as represented by Defiance.
In Hellfire, spells are blocked no matter what your resistances are. This is represented by Resist Fire/Lightning/Cold and Salvation auras.
Classic Diablo Monk (Barbarian)
Fighting: Teleport/Telekill (Leap/Leap Attack), Monk's Insane Attack Speed (Double Swing, Frenzy, Whirlwind), Monk's Staff Power (Mace Mastery), Stunlock (Stun), Knockback (Bash) Defensive Abilities: Spell Blocking (Natural Resistance), Monk's Armor Class Bonus (Iron Skin & Shout) Spells: Stone Curse (Battle Cry), Mana Shield (Battle Orders), Apocalypse (War Cry) Miscellaneous: No Stamina in D1 (Increased Stamina), Adria's Endless Potion Supply (Find Potion)
The Monk had great attack speeds, as represented by Double Swing, Frenzy, and Whirlwind.
The Monk had a natural AC bonus, as represented by Iron Skin and Shout.
In Hellfire, spells are blocked no matter what your resistances are. This is represented by Natural Resistance.
Statistics
The CDC insists that no matter how much training that you do, you just can't improve some things in short periods of time. CDC had max stats in D1 and so shall they be in D2! Because CDC has twice the leveling capacity in D2, CDC may have twice the maximum statistics.
Monk
Rogue
Sorcerer
Warrior
Strength
300
110
90
500
Magic (Energy)
160
140
500
100
Dexterity
300
500
170
120
Vitality
160
160
160
200
Items
No set items (save Civerb's Cudgel)
No gemmed items, socketed items, rune word items, or crafted items. In D1 people who made their own items did it with vileness! *cough* trainers *cough*
No Superior, Low Quality, Cracked, Crude, etc. items
No basic items with names that didn't appear in D1. For example, you can use a Great Axe but not a War Axe. Exceptional and Elite items are allowed if the normal type is allowed.
Fire Based Throwing Potions are allowed to anyone (Think of them as scrolls of Inferno, Fireball, and Flame Wave.). Javelin class weapons are allowed to CDR only. Other than that, no throwing weapons and no poison based throwing potions.
No Crossbow class, Polearm class, or Spear class weapons are allowed.
The CDM (Barbarian) may use Wands and Scepters to dual-wield. (The scepters with a hammer graphic when equipped may not be used for this.) He considers it a special type of staff. Other classes may not use Wands.
No Auric Shields, Primal Helms, or Ama-Only Bows/Javas/Spears may be used.
Staves with +Spell may be used. They are the new form of spell staff. If the Spell is unacceptable, however, it may not be used.
Charged items may be used only if the charges are on a staff and are acceptable charges for any CDC to use.
With unique items that grant a specific skill (e.g. +"Skill Name"), the skill - even if normally disallowed to the CDC - may be used.
Gloves and Boots may be used if they either correspond to the current armor or if they are lighter than the current armor. Light gloves\boots are worn with any type of armor. Chain are worn with medium and heavy. Plated are worn with heavy. Only light gloves or boots may be used if you're armorless.
You may put no more than 8 heal/mana/rejuv potions into a belt, but you may use any size belt. (Hint: Use the other spots for stamina, antidote, or thawing potions.)
Any type potion (health, mana, rejuv, stamina, antidote, thawing, life) may be used.
Any type of book may be used.
Magical Items
Enchantments that have effects that have no counterpart in D1 are disallowed. (e.g. +Life regeneration, monster flees, cold damage, poison damage, prevent monster heal)
Enchantments used must appear on items that they could appear on in D1. (e.g. Mana/Life steal rings are a no-no)
Rares may be used so long as the enchantments on them may be used. In D1, the most sought items were almost always magical or unique. In D2, highly-sought items are generally rares and some particular uniques. Thus, to preserve similar gameplay in that you can use sought-after items, rares are allowed.
Any item with the name of a D1 unique is considered to be unique and may be used even if other CDC restrictions would disallow it.
You may not use items that were hacked items in D1! (e.g. GPoWs) Unless, of course, you want to be a CDCC: Classic Diablo Cheated Character. ;)