Easiest solo class/spec ?

[Gustaran]

I bought Diablo 2 on release day over 10 years ago and after stumbling over some reports on Sullla's site have recently purchased a bundle with D2 & LOD (I have actually never played the AddOn).

I remember playing Necromancer the first time, but my skeletons kept dying pretty quick. Can you guys give any advice on what's the easiest class if I just want to play through the game for old time's sake ? (Yeah, I know I could google, but it seems there have been some major changes with patches throughout the years and I like to rely on the opinion of the RB pros... )

[T-hawk]

First, make sure you're patched up to the latest. The game balance in the release version of LOD is unplayably horrible and atrocious. Patches 1.10 and up are much better. 1.13 is the latest. Just let the program connect to battle.net and it will automatically patch.

Are you looking to play through just Normal difficulty to experience the game, or through all three difficulty levels? There are many character builds that peak early and wreck Normal but run out of steam at the higher end. Conversely, most character builds strong enough for Hell difficulty rely on level-30 skills, which leaves you pretty slow and weak through most of normal difficulty, not reaching full power until level 50+.

Necromancer isn't too difficult in the current patch, and does peak early. The skeletons were drastically buffed in the 1.10 and later patches. Max your skill points in Raise Skeleton and Skeleton Mastery, and 1 in the following skills and prerequisites: Summon Resist, Corpse Explosion, Amplify Damage.

[Dr.Disaster]

I guess everyone would say go Necromancer with max (20) Raise Skeleton, max Skeleton Mastery and Summon Resist (6-12 inkl. any +skills). Then add Revives (1-3, let +skills do the rest), Amplify Damage + Decrepify (1-3 and +skills again on both), one of the Golems (Clay/Blood/Iron) + Golem Mastery (remaining points) and a Act 2 Mercenary supplying Prayer and later on Might aura.
Instead of pushing a Golem you could also add Corpse Explosion paired with a range-matched Amplify Damage curse for faster displosal of large packs.

T-hawk is basically right that most strong class builds use Level 30 skills. But that's nothing to be afraid off anymore because since 1.13 we have respecs - one free per difficulty - to play around.

[T-hawk]

(1-3, let +skills do the rest)

Just to point out that relying on +skills may not be such a great idea for a fresh untwinked playthrough. You can make a Lore runeword hat and shop a +2 Necromancer wand, but beyond that, skill bonuses aren't always so available. Your build is good though, especially I forgot about Clay Golem/Golem Mastery who is worth one skill point. He may die easily but you can just re-cast him.

For the same reason, I'd stay away from any class that needs a weapon to deal damage (barbarian, paladin, were-druid); the weapons that crop up in a single playthrough are much less strong than what can be found by dedicated high-level power-playing.

[Gustaran]

I am aiming mainly for normal mode. I had started with a Frost Sorceress but resterted with the Necromancer and I have the feeling I am twice as fast now, and need 1/10 of the potions... 8)

1. Any advise on stat allocation ? Right now I am pushing strength a bit so I can equip all gear and vitality. Do I need more energy ? And what about dex ?

2. Are there certain gems that are more important than others ? Or should I prefer skulls ?

3. I hired a mercenary, but strangely I can't equip her with everything I want, even if it's only a white item. A bow worked, but no success with the hat even though she meets the strength requirement...

[T-hawk]

A frost sorceress only picks up any power at level 20 after a few levels into Glacial Spike. Frost Nova guzzles too much mana and Ice Blast is slow hitting only a single target.

Stats - you have it right. A necromancer never needs dex or energy (pretty much nobody ever needs energy.) Strength enough to equip all the gear you want, somewhere between 60 and 120, then all the rest to vitality.

Gems - Sapphires and rubies can be useful for some extra mana or life. Diamonds in a shield or necromancer head for resistance. Forget skulls, the regen is way too slow to be worth anything.

Mercenary helm - Does it have a level requirement that the merc doesn't meet? But anyway, a skeleton necromancer is better off with a mercenary from Act II. They provide an aura to all your minions.

[Gustaran]

You guys were spot on, right now I am cruising through act 1 and the only thing I have to do is collect all the loot and resummon a skeleton every 10 minutes...

Mercenary helm - Does it have a level requirement that the merc doesn't meet? But anyway, a skeleton necromancer is better off with a mercenary from Act II. They provide an aura to all your minions.

It probably had, it's just as that it seems soon as I meet the level requirement it's not displayed on the itme anymore

I am not in act 2 yet and I feel that atm the huntress mercenary synergizes nicely with my skeletons and golems who tank all the damage, while the mercenary does ranged damage I am probably going to switch in act 2.
Is skeleton mage actually worth putting any points into ? Do I get additional skeletons as mages or is the total still the number in "raise skeleton" ?

[fire&ice]

I am not in act 2 yet and I feel that atm the huntress mercenary synergizes nicely with my skeletons and golems who tank all the damage, while the mercenary does ranged damage

I am probably going to switch in act 2.

Is skeleton mage actually worth putting any points into ?

Do I get additional skeletons as mages or is the total still the number in "raise skeleton" ?

lies

follow the force young padawan

not till raise skeleton and skeleton mastery are maxed

additional

[Dr.Disaster]

Is skeleton mage actually worth putting any points into ? Do I get additional skeletons as mages or is the total still the number in "raise skeleton" ?

The number of mages you can have depends on the number of points you put into the Skeleton Mage skill, similar to the Raise Skeleton skill.

The melee skeletons all do physical damage while the mages do 4 kinds of elemental damage: fire, cold, lightning and poison. To get access to Revives you need at least 1 point into Skeleton Mage anyway but i won't sink more points here. Reason: your curses can EITHER boost the melee skeleton's damage (Amplify Damage or Decrepify) OR boost skeleton mage damage (Lower Resistance).

Still the mages are not entirely useless, even at a low level. Those using cold and poison can slow monsters or keep them from regenerating life fast respectivly. Just unsummon those unwanted and resummon until you got the element you look for.

A word in advance: before facing Diablo at the end of act 4 make sure you have a Golem (Clay or Blood) that can tank and take some damage. The reason is that normal Diablo is about the worst enemy in the game for a young necro's skeleton army. He is able to deal so much damage that a whole skeleton army get's finished in seconds. In that case keep your Golem up and have any level of Iron Maiden Curse at hand.
BTW: this works for Duriel too

[T-hawk]

I might put 1 point in Skeleton Mage early. One cold mage (unsummon and resummon until you get a cold mage) is very useful for slowing dangerous bosses. Slowing from cold stacks on top of the slowing applied by Clay Golem. A poison mage to stop monster life regen is indispensable later on, but you won't run into the need in normal difficulty.

For Diablo (and all the act bosses), the best answer is a cold mage plus Clay Golem plus Decrepify curse. Each boss will take literally about five full seconds for a single swing.