Anyone else becoming discouraged?

[Voj]

I've just died in the first level of the black palace being level 29. I was a vanquisher and this has been my best attempt at HC-VH, I've only played HC-VH and still haven't beat the game. Still not sure about what has happened. A unique dragon has teleported me to his place??? I was dead before I do anything. I'm close to give up on VHHC. Wich is the best build to beat VH-HC? Was level 29 too few for the black palace? I really need some advice.

The most durable character to play vh hc is destroyer (in my experience). If you'll give it another try, make a destroyer that uses a shield and spectral echo. Max shadow armor as soon as possible (put a point in it whenever it allows you to), put 1 point in entropic aura, and have about 5 points in frost shield when you face ordrak (you can have 10, but you'll be sacrificing dps). Put 1 point in spectral echo and max critical strikes; after you maxed it, max spectral echo and finish off frost shield. Always look for armor and weapon upgrades at the vendor. Use 2 ranks of elemental protection.

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=5870#p61196 more there.

[Atropos]

Thanks for the advice. I will try a spectral echo destroyer. I have some unique swords and axes in my shared stash.

[angiras]

Bah, I am determined to make it with a Vanquisher. I am an old time Amazon lover on D2 Hardcore. Working on my 17th legitimate VHHC attempt today. Yup, that is 16 dead Vanquishers, the highest being level 28 before she bit the dust. Hehe, Ive got the first 25 levels down to a science now. The goblins with exploding ranged bombs are easy, just run away from them when they shoot. The Black Palace, on the other hand, is a bitch. Basically, if you get hit twice, you are dead, at least as a Vanquisher. I am beginning to think that the strategy which works so well for the first 25 levels, i.e., long range offense, is not applicable for the remaining levels, where much more defense is required. My goal this time is to build a very durable Vanquisher, probably using a pistol and shield. I dislike the short range on pistols, so I will be looking for other equipment that adds +meters to ranged weapons.

[Atropos]

Bah, I am determined to make it with a Vanquisher. I am an old time Amazon lover on D2 Hardcore. Working on my 17th legitimate VHHC attempt today. Yup, that is 16 dead Vanquishers, the highest being level 28 before she bit the dust. Hehe, Ive got the first 25 levels down to a science now. The goblins with exploding ranged bombs are easy, just run away from them when they shoot. The Black Palace, on the other hand, is a bitch. Basically, if you get hit twice, you are dead, at least as a Vanquisher. I am beginning to think that the strategy which works so well for the first 25 levels, i.e., long range offense, is not applicable for the remaining levels, where much more defense is required. My goal this time is to build a very durable Vanquisher, probably using a pistol and shield. I dislike the short range on pistols, so I will be looking for other equipment that adds +meters to ranged weapons.

I think there are 2 key areas: the molten prison and the black palace. For my next attemps I will ensure to have at least level 20 before the prison and level 32 before entering the black palace (where my last two toons died).

[angiras]

Yea, Atropos, the overleveling is a big key. Thats what I am doing this time also. For example, at level 27 I am running 12-25 maps. They still yeild decent xp and fame, but without much real threat, and I can almost run through them at full speed with Xploding Shot. Trying to build up some cash, equip, and gems. I am determined to kill Ordrak this time. I dont care if I am level 40 by the time I get to him...in fact higher the level the better. I dont want to have to reroll through another 28-30 levels to get another chance. Number seventeen is gonna be a charm...it has to, or I will smash my phone through my puter screen. So adding an extra 5-8 levels on this toon, to be safe, rather than sorry, is well worth the time.

Edit: Finally! I just beat Ordrak with my Vanquisher at level 35. It wasnt too bad, but I had to constantly chug health and mana potions. Now that that is done, its time to move onto an ironman challenge.

[entranced]

Edit: Finally! I just beat Ordrak with my Vanquisher at level 35. It wasnt too bad, but I had to constantly chug health and mana potions. Now that that is done, its time to move onto an ironman challenge.

Grats. You could also do the SV. There's more to HC than Ironman... Almost the only thing that seems to be talked about on the HC forum here is Ironman, that's perplexing. Are ppl that bored of the game already?

[angiras]

Thanks entranced. Yea, I decided to skip Ironman, and just continue on with my HC Vanq. She made it to level 12 of the SV before biting the bullet at clvl 46. I had thrown all caution to the winds, and was playing very aggressively, using Haste VI to run into the midst of a huge pack of mobs and blow them to bits with Exploding Arrow. A load of fun, but very dangerous. It caught up with her in the end...as expected. But otherwise Exploding Arrow, with its ability to kill mobs off screen before they even see you, is a bit OP. So I decided to jazz up the risk factor a bit.

[Atropos]

DOOOOOOOOOONE!!!!!
After more than 30 fails I have beaten Ordrak with a level 34 Exploding Shot Vanquisher.
Unfortunately she died when she enter into a phase portal in the first floor of the Shadow Vault.
Rest in peace, Aria IV.

[Nalfeshnee]

Great posts from everyone here.

I've been playing a non-HC VH Vanq for a while (just below level 30 now) to check out the lie of the land so to speak.

It's interesting, because the game really does "peak" at certain intervals and you need to be ready -- or you'll be dead.

My absolute all-time hates:

- The big white guys - those gigantic spooks in the dungeon levels. I have no idea what they are called since I am running away from them all the time. Lost count of the number of times they ended things for me. They appear - you run away - they appear next to you and that's it.
- The goblin hounds. You get three of those in a row and that's it, no matter what you try, it seems. I guess with an Alchemist and ember shield it might work better...
- Ditto for the blood disciples or what the hell they're called - the tall women things who charge you and "goblin hound" you to death - met after the level with Medusa (who is pretty easy herself, to be honest)

Apart from those three, though, all the rest of the monsters were pretty "normal" (I do find VH to be "about right" for Torchlight - the other modes are way too easy). Playing a Vanq with a full complement of traps basically means you can sit back and enjoy the show most of the time. Flechette is almost overpowered, really.

So the only discouraging thing really is the known dangers (as listed above - there may be others, I only got as far as the Black Palace so far) - and they are hard to get around.

I did spend far too much on attack with the Vanq though - she was doing great damage of 1500+ but her defence was letting the goblin hounds and disciples through much too easily.

I'll see where the Alchemist gets me. The Ember Shield + Shock seems insanely good to start with...

[entranced]

- The big white guys - those gigantic spooks in the dungeon levels. I have no idea what they are called since I am running away from them all the time. Lost count of the number of times they ended things for me. They appear - you run away - they appear next to you and that's it.

The spectres can be dangerous, they hit hard. The true danger with them tho is on bridges or other narrow paths. If you run too close to the pack and a spectre teleports behind you (champions anyway), you get trapped and you'll have a harrowing fight on your hands (unless you have Ember Phase). Friend of mine lost a char that way.

[TeyrnLoghain]

I dont know about you guys, but just to add to the discussion, alchs apparently just go splat when hit by the little dwarf beam robots, 3 of this beaming you and its a 1 shot, no matter the resistance. Or getting spammed by lizard archers in nice big groups lol.

[nermind]

Archers and similar monsters are something that shouldn't hurt you at all - 100% missile reflect (getting 2 items with 50% isn't hard, I've even enchanted rare shoulder armor to 70% reflect) is very well worth it (and I actually think it should be fixed somehow as ignoring so many monsters definitely feels wrong).

[Nalfeshnee]

Re archers - what's your Ember Shield like? It only blocks physical damage, I know, but I'm surprised it doesn't help. I haven't got an Alch that far yet, but I imagine with Blocking skill ++ up and Ember Shield it should be easy to drop damage from ranged attacks by a lot.

[TeyrnLoghain]

I really dont think ive gotten far enough to get that much ranged damage reflection, and Ember shield is fully ranked for my level, but they just shoot straight through it.

[nermind]

You can buy single items with 50% reflect at merchant even BEFORE level 5 (maybe even at level 1, haven't done dedicated shopping to test it). Those are quite rare though, but 30% is common.

[verkkopeli]

I just lost a HC-VH level 19 Vanguisher to a bug, which ails me to no end. Why? Because this had happened before. This time it was the Ice pillar of doom, which I quickly evaded, waited, listened, carefully walked back to where the pillar had struck so as to get a quick shot at the ice elemental before retreating again, and...BANG! My character died instantly, and there was nothing on the screen. I'd guess the game didn't erase the pillar but made an invisible thermonuclear landmine out of it instead.

I love the game but these things should be fixed sooner than later. It's a whole different thing dying because of my own stupidity or carelessness than because of something I can't help. I'll get back to Zangband soon, then I'll at least not feel like I've wasted my time when I lose my superduper character because of my own actions.

[Lepruk86]

Hey everyone. I purchased Torchlight around xmas this last year and have been having a blast with it.

I have a character around the clvl 30 mark but on Hard-HC and was finding it still too easy.

I made the move to VH HC and my God I am dying so quickly now >.<... best attempt has been a level 9 alchemist (pathetic I know) thing is I am really struggling to find decent enough gear to survive the early game. Brink takes ages to beat alone.

I have read around for some general advice (I am also experienced with HC runs; Have finished TQ + exp on all three difficulties HCed (self inflicted as that game doesn't have a HC option but i didn't die anyway) and Diablo 2 ofc).

But Torchlight just seems to escape me on what to do and how to start. I am going on the assumption that it is better to not get hit in the first place making the Vanq or alchemist probably the best chances of getting through it.

In Hard HC I mostly relied on Lore + a tonne of summon skills in order to help keep my main char up (had minions / golem / pet mastery + summoning spells) but the same trick doesn't seem to be nearly as affective here.

One thing I don't enjoy though is fishing; is this the way to get through HC VH though?

Anyway just to reply a little ON TOPIC yup I am nearing the give up point for VH HC atm... /cry xD (I am glad that it is genuinely brutal though; most games are too easy these days).

[Phanjam]

I've just died in the first level of the black palace being level 29. I was a vanquisher and this has been my best attempt at HC-VH, I've only played HC-VH and still haven't beat the game. Still not sure about what has happened. A unique dragon has teleported me to his place??? I was dead before I do anything. I'm close to give up on VHHC. Wich is the best build to beat VH-HC? Was level 29 too few for the black palace? I really need some advice.

Yes IMO level 29 is too low for the black palace! There was a good suggestion somewhere else on this thread (I think) to use a lot of the map scrolls for the low (lvl 10-20 I think) maps to ramp up your char-level beyond the dungeon levels you'll be fighting in.

[Sigmir]

Diablo had the same sort of oops-you-died moments.

The Gloams in particular I recall killing quite a few of my chars on hardcore since they could just about one shot you with an unblockable laser from outside your vision range.

[iful]

l29 first time vhhc vanq run = best done with full trapper build. super easy if you have Web spell -avoid being near ranged monsters, let your traps/pet/skeletons kill stuff while you chill as far away as possible-. If you are doing it on destro, go for skill spam, and max that 60% damage resist skill + build for %50 block rate = rather easy too but still aim for at least 400 poison/electric/ice resist. I wouldnt do it on alchemist, that class plays miserably but if you have to, go full summon build.