Very Hard Hardcore

I'm going to be attempting this on my next character. Does anyone have advice for which class and spec would give me the best chances? Thanks

[Soodle]

Give your pet Heal all, give yourself a healing spell, and make sure every item increases your defence. Oh, and its easier to do this with a retired character helping you.

[Hithlain]

How does a retire character can help us?

[Poodle]

Originally Posted by Hithlain

How does a retire character can help us?

Your new character gets a bonus fame level ("Hey, wasn't your father the mighty Slayer of Ordrak?") so you have an extra skill point to use at the start. Your previous character can also hand down one of their items to your new character which gets a free enchant and lower usage requirements, so you are better equipped earlier. These can make a big difference to your chances of survival - a definite plus when playing in hardcore mode!

I would also suggest a ranged weapon of some sort. for me it cuts out melee enemies as they can't get near to do any damage. That just leaves the spell-casters and a few others.

Also, put some items in the shared stash box in torchlight, you can collect the stuff in an easy or normal character and then your very hard character can use it when necessary.

[chibi_charon]

Originally Posted by Poodle

Your new character gets a bonus fame level ("Hey, wasn't your father the mighty Slayer of Ordrak?") so you have an extra skill point to use at the start. Your previous character can also hand down one of their items to your new character which gets a free enchant and lower usage requirements, so you are better equipped earlier. These can make a big difference to your chances of survival - a definite plus when playing in hardcore mode!

It's +1 fame for each ancestor. A nice early boost.

Heirlooms themselves gain an enchantment and lose 1 level to all requirements. So if the item required:#

Level 14
Magic 21
Defence 32

It would then be:

Level 13
Magic 20
Defence 31

As you enchant an item there is an increasing chance of ruining it. So once you enchant an item to the point where you don't want to risk breaking it, that's the time to heirloom. Heirlooming has no disenchantment chance.

To see the power of heirlooming...

This is a necklace I stuck in over 30 enchantment shrines then heirloomed three times.
(well, that's it at the second heirloom stage)

Here's my stats without the heirloom:

http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97839355-4.jpg

And here's my stats once I equip it:

http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97839382-4.jpg

(It's the trollkiller pendant. Nice huh?)

Rings, trinkets and shields make the best heirlooms as by default those items are generally rubbish. Plus pets can wear rings and trinkets, making them even more valuable.

To make an heirloom. Find a good unique ring or trinket. Something with a good starting enchantment. My necklace had +20% melee damage. That's awesome. It helps if it's already wearable at a low level. For example, my ring I'm working on is wearable at level 8. So once it's heirloomed 7 times it will be wearable at level 1! Take it with you everywhere for two or three characters, shoving it into every enchantment shrine you find. Once you daren't risk another shrine, just hand it down. An item can be heirloomed up to ten times (it takes the name of the original owner).
Eventually it's one of the most powerful pieces of gear you own.


As for the guy going very hard hardcore! :O
Man you brave. I would suggest a destroyer, for obvious reasons. Pump all your points into strength, deviating only to be able to wear your best gear. IE, if you have a weapon that requires say, 10 magic, then sling some points in magic. But don't go overboard. Especially on dex which is useless to you.

Don't dual wield! Instead, find yourself a shield like this and enchant/heirloom it.
http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97813672-4.jpg

Spend all your money on potions and drink them constantly. :P
Wait until you kill Medea before doing Hatch quests. The monsters will be high enough then to drop Grand potions. Saves you buying them. As you hit the black palace you'll notice the mobs there still dropping super potions. Use them. Save the grands for Ordrak.

And ummm, don't die. And good luck.

Thank you everyone.

[chibi_charon]

Actually. I slightly misworded. An heirloom doesn't gain an additional enchantment. It improves all existing enchantments.

so if your item gave +2 str and +40 elec resist it would increase to say +3 str, +48 elec resist. Or something. Thus, the more enchantments the item has before you heirloom it, the better. Which is why you want to shove it in shrines first to give it more things to improve.