Which class + build is the best key hunter?

[:1]So, I would like to discuss which class + specific build would be the best to use when hunting for keys used to obtain organ parts.

I have experienced three types of characters that are pretty good at this.

When talking about and suggesting builds do not bother with prices, as an old d2jsp user I have built up a fair bit of coins.

I find running nilathak runs the fastest, since I can combine these runs with baal running. Since there's only 3 different types of maps for the nilathak WP you can easily know where you need to teleport without using cheats such as maphack, this makes nilathak runs perfect since you'll be done before the 2nd baal wave is dead. Then you just trade dest keys for the other keys, 1:2 or 1:3 ratio.

My favorite so far would be the corpse explosion necromancer. This requires a mercenary able to take a few hits since it will be the mercenary that kills the first and second monster. After the first monster is dead your corpse explosion will severely damage the rest making it possible for your merc to make a new corpse in no time at all. The second corpse will create a chain reaction and everything will die in seconds. Not as effective against the other key bosses though, but nilathak is by far the fastest key boss and the ratio against the other keys are nice due to the danger of facing nilathak.

I have also used a lightning sorc with a merc using infinity. This I would say is just as effective as the CE necromancer, except the times where the infinity does not manage to remove nilathak's lightning resistance. Both the necromancer and the sorc are able to fire away from a distance, which is nice when facing nilathak's super explosions.

Lastly and my least favorite would be the hammerdin. I run nilathak runs when I do baal runs, which I already said, and those games tend to be full. Maybe I messed up the build or something but I found that with so many enemies your HP will go down very fast. With hammers flying the way they do you actually need to get close to nilathak to kill him, which differs from the necro and sorc, so you do not want to stand far away chipping away at the minions one by one, then you will get overwhelmed by nilathak's explosions. I noticed it is hard to teleport right on top of nilathak and make the hammers hit right.

So, taking into consideration that I only run nilathak runs, which class and build would you recommend? A big plus for the hammerdin is that he is able to become a smiter with the easy use of a token, meaning you do not need a secondary uber killer.|||I found a PDR (50-60 or better) Concentrate barb with no merc very safe and fast. The PDR almost always negates the viper missles, and many other attacks too. Howl and leap your way to Nihlathak, cast battle cry, kill only Nihlathak, collect loot and move on. Fast and easy when you know the maps.|||Quote:








I found a PDR (50-60 or better) Concentrate barb with no merc very safe and fast. The PDR almost always negates the viper missles, and many other attacks too. Howl and leap your way to Nihlathak, cast battle cry, kill only Nihlathak, collect loot and move on. Fast and easy when you know the maps.




i use a similar barb, frenzy barb. leap on to nith and howl (for minions).

then frenzy nith to death.

note: i dont have DR/PDR except stringofears but very high (%30 i remember) lifeleech (no dracs)|||Quote:








note: i dont have DR/PDR except stringofears but very high (%30 i remember) lifeleech (no dracs)




You want integer PDR for the vipers. Gladiator's bane, that sort of thing.

I do nilithak (actually all keys) with a light sorc. It's very fast and safe with a nature's peace. Nature's peace would probably fix your survivability problem with the hammerdin too.

PS: script users can eat feces and die as far as I'm concerned.|||Quote:








i use a similar barb, frenzy barb. leap on to nith and howl (for minions).

then frenzy nith to death.

note: i dont have DR/PDR except stringofears but very high (%30 i remember) lifeleech (no dracs)




SoE had %DR and MDR for what it is worth.

Now that I'm more buff I'm using a Berserker. It only gets a little scary when I teleport into Nihlathak and multiple Vipers hit you with missiles before getting a chance to howl. You hear that crazy crackling sound, the merc usually dies and wipes out about half my HP.|||Quote:








You want integer PDR for the vipers. Gladiator's bane, that sort of thing.

I do nilithak (actually all keys) with a light sorc. It's very fast and safe with a nature's peace. Nature's peace would probably fix your survivability problem with the hammerdin too.

PS: script users can eat feces and die as far as I'm concerned.




Oh right, I had forgotten about that ring. One just gotta hope there's no pesky vipers around.


Quote:








SoE had %DR and MDR for what it is worth.

Now that I'm more buff I'm using a Berserker. It only gets a little scary when I teleport into Nihlathak and multiple Vipers hit you with missiles before getting a chance to howl. You hear that crazy crackling sound, the merc usually dies and wipes out about half my HP.




Yea I have done it with a berserker barb as well but I didn't particularly like it. Not very good in uber tristram either, unless you have filled your inventory with attack rating charms and have a blessed aim merc the uber bosses are going to do a pretty good job healing between the hits that don't miss. Yea that noise is really scary, especially with a weak character like sorc or necromancer :P|||Well a pvm light sorc would be the best build for key hunting. It has nice fcr even 8 frames of tele is good enough, good damage, and nice overall stats. But the downfall is that you will be at 2k life even if you have built it right with light lifers. Me I would make my light sorc vita without es and ts.

Yes I am still working on 20 stat torch and 20 stat anni for my sorc. For now I had to mess up the sorc a few points of str. But when I get my 20 staters, then I will respec it and stat it just right. Sometimes its not easy getting all the gear you wish for but I could get richer easily but it takes a lot of time to do all of that.

Make sure that you do not make 20 games per second or you will realm down. That is the main thing about key running. You can also go afk at times when you have to do something which will help drain down some time. Anyways good luck with your key running.|||I'm not sure a lightning sorceress would be the best possible choice for key hunting, but she'd definitely not be far behind the optimal and she's also be very viable in any other part of the game.

Arguably, a dual wizzy telebarb with some good weapon on switch and concentrate or frenzy could be faster, albeit not by much, and not as fast in other parts of the game.

Possibly a telestomping smiter could be very quick as well, given enough FCR, but he might have trouble hitting the right target if mobs are closely packed around it.|||With my hammerdin I generally can get through a Dkey run in 50 seconds. After BO I have over 3.3k hp. I also generally have a merc with insight and estone along. He often dies however 50k isn't really a big deal.

The key to not dieing (pun not intended) when killing Nith is to do it fast. You teleport onto his name, switch to conc and pump out some hammers. If you did not start hitting him (which sometimes does happen due too monsters blocking you from hitting him) then you can switch to redemption aura, get all you hp back, and then teleport onto him again and finish him off (which should be easy since he will no longer be surrounded by minions).

I also find that when I do die while killing him it is actually after he is dead and im not paying attention to my health when im looking at what dropped, the best way to avoid this is to switch to redemption aura and just pay more attention.