Mods for Hardcore? VHHC

[Rolfey]

Well, been playing for a few days now, enjoying the game.

What I could do with is suggestions for mods which aren't 'cheating' but perhaps fix skill bugs, stack potions, and generally enhance the game experience, without tampering with the core game, such that VHHC is as it should be!

Oh, I am playing a Vanquisher, level 19 atm still alive, any tips are welcome! I will try and level up one of each of the other classes as I progress. Oh, I haven't played the game 'softcore' past level 12, so I have no idea whats coming!

Thanks,

Rolfey

[Torchlover]

Easy respec mod. Although it makes gameplay easier I feel you should have respecs anyways. There are some good pet skins that make your cat or dog look cool. There are a few custom classes you could try as alternates.

[Nephyte]

Mods I like are the following:

Respec by Tiamat
Items Always Identified
Gold Sharing
Shaped Gems

[Rolfey]

Erm, not sure about the Respec thing, I actually liked the way in D2 you had to plan your build around a spec. It meant twinking was a must, but it also ment that when I had made an 'unconventional build' I could show it off in Hell mode

Whats does 'shaped gems' do?

Thanks

[Nephyte]

Shaped Gems makes the gems bigger (1.5x size which is very noticeable) and also makes each level of gem a different shape so you can easily tell which level they are. For instance, I think Dull Gems are always triangles, and Cracked Gems are Smaller Squares.

Respec is a personal choice because there is a lot of unknowns about how spell damage actually works on the alchemist boards and I'd like to help the community figure out whats going on a bit through testing myself on how to up our damage output. I've turned 180 on Gold Sharing because I'm playing Hardcore and I don't really mule anyways. No plans to use it in the future.

[Rolfey]

Thanks for the replies folks, I haven't got the Respec Mod yet, but got the others. I would consider Respec if I find out that something is broken I guess, then I wouldn't feel like such a HC cheat!

[FridgeMonster]

do you guys think using the skillsleech mod is cheating in VHHC?

[bla687]

I personally would feel like skillsleech is cheating, but that's me. It's not a huge cheat, but it definitely seems like it would make the game easier, though not significantly so. I've definitely seen far more imbalanced mods out there. A mod that I thought looked interesting, though I haven't really gotten around to experimenting with it much is recipes deluxe. It lets you combine more item types, like two spell scrolls of the same type and level giving that spell one level higher. I haven't really tried it enough to know how it affects the game balance though.

[drplote]

I've been using the 200 potion/scroll stack mod, the shadow armor block chance fix mod (so that the block chance doesn't end before the animation does, and so that recasting works), the loot border removal mod, and the 20+ maps mod (not that I've gotten to 20+ yet).

[keatoncoker]

Erm, not sure about the Respec thing, I actually liked the way in D2 you had to plan your build around a spec. It meant twinking was a must, but it also ment that when I had made an 'unconventional build' I could show it off in Hell mode

Whats does 'shaped gems' do?

Thanks

Newest patch of diablo 2 thats coming out allows for 3 respecs from doing the den of evil quests, one for normal, one for nm, and one for hell, then a cube recipe for it from item drops similar to keys in late game

[jdhayes]

Well, been playing for a few days now, enjoying the game.

What I could do with is suggestions for mods which aren't 'cheating' but perhaps fix skill bugs, stack potions, and generally enhance the game experience, without tampering with the core game

This seems like a nonsensical question to me. The bottom line is that if you believe that it is possible to "cheat" in a single player game, then any mod which is anything other than purely cosmetic is cheating. Stacking potions, for instance, changes a key limiting factor built into the game enabling you to collect more loot since less slots are given to potions. Respec is vastly cheating since it allows you to go with one build in the beginning which is optimized for early levels then later change that build optimized for higher levels. etc. etc.

If, like me, you don't particularly buy into the concept of cheating in a single player game, then use anything which doesn't ruin your enjoyment of the game by making it "too easy" and only you can decide what "too easy" is.

[Diekruzen]

Well, been playing for a few days now, enjoying the game.
What I could do with is suggestions for mods which aren't 'cheating' but perhaps fix skill bugs, stack potions, and generally enhance the game experience, without tampering with the core game

This seems like a nonsensical question to me.(agree) The bottom line is that if you believe that it is possible to "cheat" in a single player game, then any mod which is anything other than purely cosmetic is cheating. Stacking potions, for instance, changes a key limiting factor built into the game enabling you to collect more loot since less slots are given to potions. Re spec is vastly cheating since it allows you to go with one build in the beginning which is optimized for early levels then later change that build optimized for higher levels. etc. etc.
If, like me, you don't particularly buy into the concept of cheating in a single player game, then use anything which doesn't ruin your enjoyment of the game by making it "too easy" and only you can decide what "too easy" is.

I agree, some mods make the game feel newer and more fun. I am sure all of us Diablo Vets and old school gamers or even the new school of hard core players can beat this game VHHC regardless and I will later this week with all 3 classes. The fact nothing chases you and you can pull- trail mobs alone is easy and I guess cheating( I would say) in a way. Though it is a game dynamic. I think some mods just make it more fun to play in HC and Normal. Still going to level 100 with only a few mods is still crazy. I do have potion stack and buff duration only because I find that to be the lamest of balancing issues in any game(Reason WOW had to fix that) time sink for cash. On HC I drop the enchanting no wipe mod because that will make life pretty easy. I wish they had a no healing mod..at least I have not seen one. I know that was a big thing in Diablo. NO potting at all or leaching.
I am a old fart and have been gaming decades and the one thing that keeps me gaming is Mods. Diablo 3, I will buy out of the greatness of D2 but If the Torchlight free MMO has moding. Not cheats like solid Maps that intergrate like NWN it will trump all. I myself am for balance which I feel most publisher never truly understand how to and If we can balance it as a community. That is Where Mods finally give us the Chance to not only voice our opion on a forum but make a change.

[COR]

My recomendations
Additional Gem Availability (don't let the name fool you, this is far from overpowered)
Always Identified Except Uniques (I like this better than "Always Identified" because its like Christmas presents, I see Mysterious in the name and I know I've gotten something special and can't wait to find out what it is!)
Better Balanced Sale Prices
Better Random Quest Rewards
Geomancy and Arithmancy: A Transmutation Overhaul
Ferret Pet (by Runic Games)(Why should you get denied content just because you bought it online.)
Gem Icon MOD (a must and I like it better than "Shaped Gems" because, well just because I suppose, Personal preference. their shape is already determined by their type, it just seems wrong to change that.)
New Stashes and Telekineticist (you might consider this a cheat mod but I'm a real organizer and a couple extra stashes just makes it easier for me, could do without the telekinetist, but the only other extra stash mod adds 19 more stashes!)
Pet Transmogrification Potions (Merchant Edition) (there is also a fishing version if you think buying them is wrong, but I go for the merchant one because of a bug where permanent fish wear off if you use a temp fish.)
Potions Stacksize Mod
Respec Mod (I prefer this to the "easy respec" mod because this one is actually balanced, this one only allows you to redo your skills not your stats and the potion actualy costs quite a bit. With "easy respec" you can cheat by reducing your unused stats to zero and gain extra points. I also like this one better, simply because it was made by Runic Games)
Small Font (I have Item tags on all the time so I need this in order to still see whats going on amongst a pile of items.)

This one kinda is a cheat mod but i still love it because it fits into the world so well: Spell Dealer

All of these are available through TorchLeech and I recommend anyone with mods to get it.

[dreamrider]

Er...the "semi-permanent permanent" transforms into monster pets is not a bug. It really is a feature (i.e. intended).
Witness that if you use the Catfish or Dogfish, THAT transform is permanent even after subsequent fish transforms wear off.
So the more fragile effect of the Giant Fish is by design; the devs want you to have to be careful of the health of your pet Ice Elemental, if you are going to insist on having one full-time.

dreamrider