Diablo 1 on GOG?

[KingOfPain]

Rogue is down to level 15. Cabalists and their lightning blasts are a pain.

Yea, you got to do the zigzag

Good on T-hawk filling in the holes in my memory. I might have only played single players once or twice.

Observing and learning to deal with monster AI is a large part of the game. Every monsters have their strengths, but also have their weakness; and sometimes their strength is their weakness. A range attacker's strength is that it can attack you from afar, but it's weakness is also because it is a range attacker. A range attacker can't attack while they are running away from you - to maintain that range. And that range is....?

[haphazard1]

That is quite a picture. It does illustrate the concept nicely.

Part of my trouble was that I came down the stairs to 15, moved to the single exit of the small-ish room the stairway was in, and immediately found myself getting bombarded. The next chamber was quite large and open with no cover, and there were a lot of enemies in there. The situation got very bad very quickly, so I got out of there.

Going through the early areas again is a bit annoying (good to know that multiplayer would have the entrances to the later sections open), but I have found a bunch of magic books along the way. Nice to finally have some spells above level 2. And I have found a better helm, although the bar there was very low since I had just a plain helm with no properties at all.

Heading back to hell for a rematch....

[KingOfPain]

By now, your rogue should have the stats to give you an alternative against Diablo. If it hurt too much to be running from, and trying to make sticks fly at Diablo, then don't. If you can get the proper equipment, your rogue has the Dex to hit and block Diablo better than a worrier. Put yourself against a wall...
Diablo's attack spell is Apocalypse, and it is blockable

..... and Firewall

[haphazard1]

Interesting to know that Diablo's spell attack is blockable. My rogue in bow mode obviously does not normally use a shield, but I do have a decent one that I have kept along with a good one-hand melee weapon. DEX is up to about 130 with equipment.

My fire wall is only level 2, so I am not sure how much good it will do. I am also not sure exactly how to 'stack' fire walls. I did find a purifying spring on level 8, not far from the stairs down to 9 (and thus the alternate stairs back to town), so maybe a little casting practice is in order.

Is it common to dislike the caves levels more than hell? The enemies may be tougher in hell, but something about the layout and enemy draw in the caves has given me much more trouble than hell usually does.

[Nelphine]

Interesting to know that Diablo's spell attack is blockable. My rogue in bow mode obviously does not normally use a shield, but I do have a decent one that I have kept along with a good one-hand melee weapon. DEX is up to about 130 with equipment.

My fire wall is only level 2, so I am not sure how much good it will do. I am also not sure exactly how to 'stack' fire walls. I did find a purifying spring on level 8, not far from the stairs down to 9 (and thus the alternate stairs back to town), so maybe a little casting practice is in order.

Is it common to dislike the caves levels more than hell? The enemies may be tougher in hell, but something about the layout and enemy draw in the caves has given me much more trouble than hell usually does.

Personally, I enjoyed the caves more than hell - I like the more 'natural' layout. Hell is more predictable, and therefore, more similar to the catacombs. 

But original Diablo generally has one of the highest replayable map factors that I've ever encountered in a game. (Meaning, the map generation and enemy generation, as opposed to the actual characters abilities or the gameplay or the overall balance)

Also, I approve of your choice of the rogue. I've always hated casters in games (interestingly, in Diablo 2 my favorite character was a sorceress - Diablo 2 got a lot of things right) particularly because casters (like in original Diablo) tended to end up ridiculously overpowered.

Also I really enjoyed the quests in original Diablo (more than those in Diablo 2) and wish more of them were in multiplayer. So I've usually played single player (and the hellfire expansion) even though that has its own disadvantages as well.

[haphazard1]

The maps have felt very well done. I like the different styles in the four zones of the game, and the different challenges they present. (Even if I grumble about the caves. )

I have enjoyed the quests in single player -- they add interesting flavor to the game, along with varying the level of challenge from the 'standard' monster draws for the levels. The rewards can be useful for some of them, but do not seem too over-powered for when they become available.

The rogue seems like a decent balance: you have a good ranged attack and some magic, without being too fragile. The warrior has good toughness but is rather limited in ranged accuracy and magic. I have not tried the sorceror yet; I tend to start with the simplest or most durable character in most games as I learn the basics, and the warrior was both. Now that I have learned a bit I could probably keep a sorceror alive in the early game, but if I had started with one I think it would have been a very short game.

[KingOfPain]

This Might Help
[/url][url=http://www.realmsbeyond.net/diablo/cd.html]http://www.realmsbeyond.net/diablo/cd.html

Contain within:
A Study of Campfire - A guide to Firewall - KingOfPain
 It’s interesting to note that Firewall damage is not directly controlled by Slvl but Clvl. So, even if your Slvl stays the same your Firewall will do more damage per hit as you gain Clvl. If the monsters can be convinced to stay in the Firewall, they accumulate damage for the duration of the Firewall....

Caves: Monster AI and Layout Analysis - Cyrene

This Might Help

[haphazard1]

Thanks, KoP! Very useful info, especially about the effects of clvl and slvl. So I should be able to get decent damage from the fire wall, but it will not last all that long unless I manage to find another book to raise my slvl.

The Hell 101 article... Interesting to read about the higher level gear. Talk about legendary objects that my rogue has never seen anything remotely like.

[haphazard1]

My rogue is back in hell, fighting various knights and witches and vipers. The accumulated cash from the second run through the labyrinth has been converted into a bunch of elixirs (16, I think) for a nice boost in effectiveness. I am stun locking many enemies in hell this time, a vast improvement from the first attempt. Next will be level 15 and see if it goes better than before, or if another New Game pass through the labyrinth might be a better idea. Still a lot of improvement possible in stats and equipment.

[haphazard1]

Archbishop Lazarus and his crew have been slain, and my rogue has ventured through the portal to level 16. Lots of enemies to kill down here. Finally got some resistances, which has helped a fair bit. Even found one more book of Fire Wall for slvl 3, which should also help. Just not sure I am ready to face the big boss. Guess I have to try it and find out....