Buff Lackluster Sets for Patch 2.5

General Discussion
29

Okay Tancred’s needs big changes. It being a level 20 set (I think) there is absolutely no reason to use it with current runewords and I’m not even talking about the 1.10 ones. The weapons and armor alone require way too many stats to use and the boots and ammy give a nice 30%frw and 78mf which is basically the only two pieces anyone would ever use. In classic you can gain the 78mf bonus from the armor and ammy and use some mf boots, but other than that they are still lackluster compared to other melee options.

I am the type of player that will take the time to stock up on low level items for new characters to try and experiment but I never once felt the need to use Tancred complete set on a barb or any other melee class over Death’s Cleglaw’s or Civerb’s.

Current
Tancred’s Skull
Bone Helm Defense: 33-36 (varies)
Required Level: 20
Required Strength: 25
Durability: 40
+10% Enhanced Damage
+40 to Attack Rating
All Resistances +10 (2 Items)

New
Tancred’s Skull
Bone Helm Defense: 33-36 (varies)
Required Level: 20
Required Strength: 25
Durability: 40
+10 to Strength
+40% Enhanced Damage
All Resistances +10 (2 Items)

Current
Tancred’s Spine
Full Plate Mail
Defense: 150-161 (varies)
Defense: (152-348) - (163-359) (varies) (Base Defense: 150-161)
Required Level: 20
Required Strength: 80
Durability: 70
+40 to Life
+15 to Strength

  • (2 Per Character Level) 2-198 Defense (Based On Character Level) (2 Items)

New
Tancred’s Spine
Full Plate Mail
Defense: 150-161 (varies)
Defense: (152-348) - (163-359) (varies) (Base Defense: 150-161)
Required Level: 20
Required Strength: 80
Durability: 70
+40 to Life
+15 to Strength

  • (2 Per Character Level) 2-198 Defense (Based On Character Level) (2 Items)
  • Attacker Takes Lightning Damage of 20 (3 Items)

Current
Tancred’s Hobnails
Boots
Defense: 2-3 (varies)
Required Level: 20
Durability: 12
Assassin Kick Damage: 3-8
Heal Stamina Plus 25%
+10 to Dexterity
30% Faster Run/Walk (2 Items)
+10 To Strength (3 Items)

New
Tancred’s Hobnails
Boots
Defense: 2-3 (varies)
Required Level: 20
Durability: 12
Assassin Kick Damage: 3-8
+10 to Vitality
+10 to Dexterity
30% Faster Run/Walk (2 Items)
+10 To Strength (3 Items)

Current
Tancred’s Crowbill
Military Pick
One-Hand Damage: 12 to 19 (15.5 Avg)
Required Level: 20
Required Strength: 49
Required Dexterity: 33
Durability 26
Base Weapon Speed: [-10]
+80% Enhanced Damage
+75 to Attack Rating
+20 To Mana (2 Items)
20% Increased Attack Speed (3 Items)

New
Tancred’s Crowbill
Military Pick
One-Hand Damage: 12 to 19 (15.5 Avg)
Required Level: 20
Required Strength: 49
Required Dexterity: 33
Durability 50
Base Weapon Speed: [-10]
+100% Enhanced Damage
Adds 1-60 Lightning Damage
+20 To Mana (2 Items)
30% Increased Attack Speed (3 Items)

Current
Tancred’s Weird
Amulet
Required Level: 20
Damage Reduced by 2
Magic Damage Reduced by 1
+78% Better Chance Of Getting Magic Items (2 Items)
+60 To Attack Rating (3 Items)

New
Tancred’s Weird
Amulet
Required Level: 20
Damage Reduced by 7
Magic Damage Reduced by 5
+78% Better Chance Of Getting Magic Items (2 Items)
+200 To Attack Rating (3 Items)

Current
Partial Set Bonus
+15 Lightning Damage (2 Items)
+5% Life Stolen Per Hit (3 Items)

Complete Set Bonus
+15 Lightning Damage
+5% Life Stolen Per Hit
Slows Targets by 35%
5% Mana Stolen Per Hit
All Resistances +10
75% Extra Gold From Monsters

New
Partial Set Bonus
+30 Lightning Damage (2 Items)
+5% Life Stolen Per Hit (3 Items)

Complete Set Bonus

  • (2 Per Character Level) 2-198 Maximum Lightning Damage (Based On Character Level)
    +30 Lightning Damage
    -15% To Enemy Lightning Resistance
    +5% Life Stolen Per Hit
    Slows Targets by 35%
    5% Mana Stolen Per Hit
    All Resistances +20
    300% Extra Gold From Monsters

This is off the top of my head I haven’t tested it or anything, but this is something I would appreciate as a type of example for a set update in the future. Of course there is always room to make it more powerful than what I have come up with and those changes would be welcome.

1 Like
30

True, but the gloves are BIS for certain ranged builds.

Slow + knockback is amazing when leveling a multi or strife Zon

1 Like
31

Agreed with Slomo, the gloves are unfortunately detrimental to melee usage (unless if you back stuff into a wall where it becomes useful for stunlock) but the knockback is quite useful for ranged builds like bowazons and throwbarbs, etc.

It also has a niche in BM (bad mannered) PvP if you want to be annoying. :stuck_out_tongue:

32

Certainly, and if the set was for a missile weapon set, I would not have suggested changing the gloves. Nor if it was a Unique.

But it’s a set with a sword in it. I don’t think a set should be made in such a way that that the pieces of the set don’t work together.

33

Staffmods Trang-Oul’s Wings for Poison Nova will raise the allround power level, think this one might actually to strong with a nerve in the allround department
Tal’s Lidless Eye will gain much strength, but I don’t think it will surpass any of the stronger builds.
Grisswold’s Honor will also become a lot stronger, but I don’t think it’ll outperform other shields in non-grisswold builds and Grisswold set is underperforming.
Though the combination with the Griss Redemption also gaining Ethereal and Staffmods might make more impact than expected (for people with enough wealth to buy strong jewels).

Besides this think this a good idea.

Removing Knockback is a very good idea, but with these buffs it will still do nothing in comparison with dual grief, like almost every other Barbarian build.
It would just surpass dual Oath if you have both ethereal, so if Grief gets nerved it would be interesting enough I guess.

The full set is good for a Poison Nova build and not much else, Poison Nova doesn’t really benefit from FCR.

Think fixing WW would be a better idea, they broke it now they should fix it.
As for IK I think that with the Ethereal Weapon and bones skills on the helm it might be quite decent already, this set in it’s current state is already usable.

Think this needs more, high end set with little to no performance, even if ethereal weapon it would be bad (no ed).

Would make it suck less :stuck_out_tongue:

Probably needs more to become good enough for its likely cost, but this should be a good start and if it still underperforms there’s always 2.6.

Still would be meh at best, you would use it to lvl 12 maybe when your to lazy to fix new gear :stuck_out_tongue:
It’s not mediocre now, its very bad.

Needs a full rework, just like Heaven’s Brethren a minor buff will not make it worth using accept for meme builds.

Would still be obliterated by Death’s Set, even with the bonus I’d not even combine these in favor of Angelic/Cathan.
Then again, better than nothing :stuck_out_tongue:

34

My Class Set ideas ← Figure I’d link my topic that I created a few months back and updated/tweaked quite a bit. I haven’t updated in about a month but that’s largely because I see no reason to do so at this time. I last updated it not long after 2.4.3 went live and the WW changes became apparent.

I do agree that the Faster Block rate on Griswold’s Honor seems rather useless given how often Holy Shield is utilized but what attribute to replace it with is up for discussion/debate. Perhaps Damage Mitigation in the realm of Damage reduced by 15-20 or Magic Damage reduced by 15-20(latter fits my Griswold set suggestions). However, I disagree with adding Staff Mods to Griswold’s Redemption(aka Scepter) because it simply doesn’t need it. What it does need is Faster Cast rate, which you add to the Shield and Chest Armor whereas I do so to the Scepter exclusively via Partial Set bonus. The set doesn’t need much in FCR either since you still have Gloves, Belt and Jewelry left to equip. If they added Apprentice/Magus Suffix to Jewels, it’d greatly help players hit higher FCR breakpoints.

1 Like
35

Hsarus’ Defense:

A level 3 set that actually isn’t that bad, but it just doesn’t really have anything to make you use it past Act 1. The shield is a little lack luster, maybe it could be buffed to make the set last through Act 2?

Option 1: Troll Option

1: Replace Damage Reduced By 2 on Hsarus’ Iron Fist (the shield) with +3 Smite. (Yes, as an O-skill, I called it the Troll Option you know)!

Would certainly fit the name of the Shield, is level appropriate, etc. Of course, this shield plus Black on weapon switch would probably become standard for any melee character hunting Ubers. Though to be fair, we already have that with Paladins. Is it so horrible that other Melee characters can access it?

Option 2: Okay I’ll be more serious

1: Replace Damage Reduced By 2 on Hsarus’ Iron Fist (the shield) with +15 Dexterity.

The shield still drops off rapidly, but it could have some niche uses for builds that need more stats to use certain weapons. A low level javazon for example might find this shield useful to upgrade weapons faster.

Hwanin’s Majesty:

Hwanin’s Majesty is another reference to Korean legends. Hwanin is the god of the Heavens, and Dangoon’s grandfather (from Heaven’s Brethren Set), so Lighting Damage is thematic. The primary problem with this set is the weapon is a Polearm and not a Spear, so the Amazon can’t use this with any of her Spear skills. It’s even more confusing because the Bill (the base of the weapon) is a European Polearm, while the Spear equivalent base is the Yari (the Japanese name for it, but those types of Spears were used in Korea too). I think someone made a mistake somewhere with this one. I’ll provide two options, one that changes the set bases, and one that continues with using the current bases (even though that limits this set to Barbarians, Druid Shapeshifters, and Charge Paladins). Regardless which way we go, this set also needs more Fire and Lightning resistances, since it needs to last through Nightmare and into early Hell.

Option 1: Amazon Bait

1: Change the base item of Hwanin’s Justice from a Bill to a Yari. (This is roughly the equivalent, the other choice being the War Fork, but Yari is more proper East Asia flavor, and has similar attack speed, with roughly similar requirements).
2: Replace 10% Chance to Cast Level 3 Ice Blast on Hwanin’s Justice with 20% Chance to Cast Level 7 Ice Blast on Striking.
3: Add +3 Impale to Hwanin’s Justice. (fits with Indestructible)
4: Add two piece partial set bonus to Hwanin’s Justice of +3 Fend.
5: Add three piece partial set bonus to Hwanin’s Justice of +3 Lightning Strike.
6: Change the base item of Hwanin’s Splender (the helm) to a Crown instead of a Grand Crown. Set required level to 30. (Currently the level requirement of the helm is 10 higher than the rest of the set, this is because the base is the Exceptional version, this would bring the level requirements more into line with the other pieces of the set).
7: Add +10 Strength to Hwanin’s Splender.
8: Add +1% Attack Rating Per Character Level to Hwanin’s Splender.
9: Add a two piece partial set bonus to Hwanin’s Splender of 40% Lightning Resistance.
10: Add a three piece partial set bonus to Hwanin’s Splender 10% Chance to Cast level 5 Thunder Storm When Struck to Hwanin’s Splender.
11: Add +30 Strength to Hwanin’s Blessing (the belt).
12: Add 25% Faster Hit Recovery to Hwanin’s Blessing.
13: Add a two piece partial set bonus to Hwanin’s Blessing of 5% Mana Steal
14: Add a three piece partial set bonus to Hwanin’s Blessing of +20% Increased Attack Speed
15: Add +40% Fire Resistance to Hwanin’s Refuge (the body armor).
16: Add +15 Strength to Hwanin’s Refuge.
17: Add a two piece partial set bonus to Hwanin’s Refuge of 30% Faster Hit Recovery.
18: Add a three piece partial set bonus to Hwanin’s Blessing of +30% to All Resistances
19: Add +3 Lighting Mastery to the full set bonus. (Yes this is big for a Lightning Strike Amazon, but remember this is competing with an Infinity Spear, Infinity Spear still wins).

Option 2: Not for Amazons

1: Replace 10% Chance to Cast Level 3 Ice Blast on Hwanin’s Justice with 20% Chance to Cast Level 7 Ice Blast on Striking.
3: Add 30% Chance of Crushing Blow to Hwanin’s Justice
4: Add two piece partial set bonus to Hwanin’s Justice of 20% Chance of Casting Level 14 Chain Lightning on Striking.
5: Add three piece partial set bonus to Hwanin’s Justice of +3 Zeal.
7: Add 20% Increased Attack Speed to Hwanin’s Splender.
8: Add +1% Attack Rating Per Character Level to Hwanin’s Splender.
9: Add a two piece partial set bonus to Hwanin’s Splender of 40% Lightning Resistance.
10: Add a three piece partial set bonus to Hwanin’s Splender 10% Chance to Cast level 5 Thunder Storm When Struck to Hwanin’s Splender.
11: Add +30 Strength to Hwanin’s Blessing (the belt).
12: Add 25% Faster Hit Recovery to Hwanin’s Blessing.
13: Add a two piece partial set bonus to Hwanin’s Blessing of 5% Mana Steal
14: Add a three piece partial set bonus to Hwanin’s Blessing of +20% Increased Attack Speed
15: Add +40% Fire Resistance to Hwanin’s Refuge (the body armor).
16: Add +25% Increased Attack Speed to Hwanin’s Refuge.
17: Add a two piece partial set bonus to Hwanin’s Refuge of 30% Faster Hit Recovery.
18: Add a three piece partial set bonus to Hwanin’s Blessing of +30% to All Resistances
19: Add +3 Lighting Mastery to the full set bonus. (Not usable by an Amazon, but it helps with the Chance to Cast Spells, and maybe a Holy Shock Charge Paladin could get some use out of it).

There you go. I’d really prefer Option 1, since this set was clearly supposed to be for a Spearazon, but for some strange reason they made the weapon a Polearm instead of a Spear.

Immortal Kings:

Only thing really that needs to change here is to add Staff Mods to the helm. The question is what to add.

Option 1: Buff Helm

1: Add +3 Battle Orders to Immortal King’s Will (the helm).
2: Add +3 Battle Command to Immortal King’s Will.
3: Add +3 Frenzy to Immortal King’s Will.

You could use this helm to get access to Battle Command and Battle Orders without filling out the prerequisites. Similarly, you could use it for Frenzy to get access to the speed buff without having to fill out the prerequisites. (You’d have dual HotO on swap for you buffs anyway, also use them to get your frenzy buff, then switch back to the Maul for Whirlwind). It would make this one of the most flexible Barb helms helping lots of different builds.

Option 2: Singer Berserker Hybrid

1: Add +3 War Cry to Immortal King’s Will (the helm).
2: Add +3 Berserk to Immortal King’s Will.
3: Add +3 Frenzy to Immortal King’s Will.

Either you are a Berserk Barb and you use it to get access to War Cry for Stun, or you use it as a Singer to get access to Berserk to deal with Physical Immunes. Really doesn’t fit with the set though.

Option 3: Whirlwind/Berserk

1: Add +3 Whirlwind to Immortal King’s Will (the helm).
2: Add +3 Berserk to Immortal King’s Will.
3: Add +3 War Cry to Immortal King’s Will.

Just allow to get higher on the two final Combat Skills used by the Barb that fit best with the set using a twohanded weapon. Use War Cry just for the stun effect in a few scenarios. This is probably the option I’d pick.

Isenhart’s Armory:

This needs more than just +1 Skills. It’s not bad… it’s just so bleh is the problem, it needs something to make it interesting and different from the other low level sets. I think the names of the various items should help giving them some pizazz. Probably looking to last through Normal, at least through Act 4. It already has good resistances; it mainly suffers from damage dropping off by the end of Normal.

1: Add +3 Holy Fire to Isenhart’s Lightbrand. (Yes, as an O-skill. That’s 12 to 30 Fire Damage, not going to break anything, and fits the name very well).
2: Add 25% Chance to Cast Level 3 Holy Bolt on Striking. (Another bit of pizzaz that fits the Lightbrand name to make this fun. That’s roughly 30 Holy Bolt damage to demons and undead, so it helps it stay damage worthy in Act 4).
3: Add 5% Mana Steal to Isenhart’s Lightbrand.
4: Add 20% Chance to Cast Level 8 Charged Bolt on Striking to Isenhart’s Lightbrand.
5: Add three piece partial set bonus to Isenhart’s Lightbrand of +25% Deadly Strike.
6: Add +10 Strength to Isenhart’s Case (the body armor).
7: Add 17% Faster Hit Recovery to Isenhart’s Case.
8: Add +60 Attack Rating to Isenhart’s Case.
9: Add two Open Sockets to Isenhart’s Case.
10: Add three piece partial set bonus to Isenhart’s Case of All Resistances +20%
11: Add +5 Strength to Isenhart’s Horns (the helm).
12: Add +3 to Thorns to Isenhart’s Horns. (Another piece of pizzaz that fits the names of “Horns” you can’t use it with Holy Fire, so it’s a bit of a trade off).
13: Add 10% Chance to Cast Level 1 Shout When Struck to Isenhart’s Horns.
14: Add 14% Faster Hit Recovery to Isenhart’s Horns.
15: Replace the two piece partial bonus of All Resistances +8 on Isenhart’s Horns with +10 to Attack Rating per Character Level.
16: Add three piece partial set bonus to Isenhart’s Horns of All Resistances +8
17: Add +3 Defiance to Isenhart’s Parry (the shield).
18: Add 30% Faster Block Rate and 20% Increased Chance of Blocking to Isenhart’s Parry
19: Add 20% Chance to Cast Level 1 Weaken When Struck to Isenhart’s Parry.
20: Add 17% Faster Hit Recovery to Isenhart’s Parry.
21: Add three piece partial set bonus to Isenhart’s Parry of 22% Faster Block Rate.

A lot of changes, but it’s mostly just pizzaz to make people have fun using it. More fundamentally it’s a defensive oriented set that doesn’t have big damage and instead focuses on triggering Chance to Cast. Most characters won’t use this set past Act 4 Normal. The exceptions are a Holy Fire Paladin might use this set through in early Nightmare if he hasn’t found something better yet; and an Enchant Sorceress who might use this through Nightmare.

2 Likes
36

M’avina’s Battle Hymn:

Definately needs a lot of help to reach the level of the other Class Sets. DarkHelmet’s Class Set Ideas for M’avina’s seem pretty good, so I think I’ll defer to his expertise.

Naj’s Ancient Wisdom:

Naj’s is almost there, but not quite. At Level 78 it is an end game set, and ought to be used by either a Fire Sorceress or a Fire Druid. It can’t even come close to competing in plus skills for a Fire Druid, so I guess it needs to compete in Faster Cast? Though still inferior to the alternatives, it should be possible to compete in that way.

1: Upgrade Naj’s Circlet to Naj’s Diadem, or at least Tiara. It’s so very out of sync with the rest of the set level requirements. Or at least increase the level requirement to match the bonuses, because it needs to have level 70 worthy bonuses to fit with the set.
2: Add +1 to All Skill to Naj’s Circlet.
3: Add 25% Faster Cast to Naj’s Circlet . (Yes, this could make it best in slot for some non-lightning casters that need to hit the highest break point. Good, give the Griffen Eye hunters some relief.)
4: Replace the 12% Chance to Cast Level 5 Chain Lighting on Naj’s Circlet with 12% Chance to Cast Level 10 Thunder Storm When Struck.
5: Replace the Adds 25-35 Fire Damage on Naj’s Circlet with +15 Dexterity
6: Add a two piece partial set bonus to Naj’s Circlet of Adds 25-35 Fire Damage.
7: Add a three piece partial set bonus to Naj’s Circlet of -20% Enemy Fire Resistance
8: Replace the Adds 4-65 Lightning Damage on Naj’s Puzzler (the staff) with +20 Strength
9: Add a two piece partial set bonus to Naj’s Puzzler of Adds 4-65 Lightning Damage.
10: Add a three piece partial set bonus to Naj’s Puzzler of All Resistances +30%
11: Add a two piece partial set bonus to Naj’s Light Plate of +30 Faster Cast.
12: Add a three piece partial set bonus to Naj’s Light Plate of +30% Faster Hit Recovery.
13: Remove the +20 Strength from the full set bonus.
14: Replace the +15 Dexterity on the full set bonus with +35% Faster Cast.

Still not as good Faster Cast as you can get with HotO and Spirit, and leaves the Sorceress just barely able to reach the final breakpoint, but allows the Druid to get there relatively easily. This is probably the right place for this set, as while not the best for a Fire Caster, it’s probably 3rd or 4th best.

Orphan’s Call:

This set is interesting in that the various pieces aren’t that bad, but they just don’t work together as a set at all. Probably the main weakness is the shield, because it lacks Resistances. It’s very good at blocking and so can suit some Sorceresses, but it’s not really good enough for the melee character this set is designed for. The belt is also rather lackluster other than being dual leech, and even the gloves are weak considering the lack of resistances. Looking at the set as a whole, while parts of it are good for various melee characters, probably only a Javazon, and maybe a defense focused Fury Druid will work well for the entire set. Lack of resistances being the major issue. A minor issue is the +Strength being on the highest strength items instead of the lowest.

1: Add +15 Strength to Magnus’ Skin (the gloves).
2: Add 3 to Mana After Each Kill to Magnus’ Skin.
3: Replace Fire Resist +15% on Magnus’ Skin with Fire Resist +30%
4: Add two piece partial set bonus to Magnus’ Skin of Cold Resist +30%.
5: Add three piece partial set bonus to Magnus’ Skin of +15 Dexterity.
6: Add four piece partial set bonus to Magnus’ Skin of +2 to Javelin and Spear Skills.
(Note that all of these bonuses can roll on a decent rare set of gloves).
7: Add +15 Strength to Whitstan’s Guard (the shield).
8: Add All Resistances +20% to Whitstan’s Guard.
9: Replace Half Freeze Duration on Whitstan’s Guard with Cannot Be Frozen.
10: Add two piece partial set bonus to Whitstan’s Guard of 5 to Mana After Each Kill.
11: Add three piece partial set bonus to Whitstan’s Guard of +22% Faster Hit Recovery.
12: Add four piece partial set bonus to Whitstan’s Guard of +30% Faster Block Rate.
13: Add +15 Strength to Wilhelm’s Pride (the belt).
14: Add 24% Faster Hit Recovery to Wilhelm’s Pride.
15: Replace Cold Resist +10% on Wilhelm’s Pride with Lightning Resist +30%
16: Add two piece partial set bonus to Wilhelm’s Pride of Poison Resist +30%
17: Add three piece partial set bonus to Wilhelm’s Pride of +60 Life.
18: Add four piece partial set bonus to Wilhelm’s Pride of All Resistances +20%.
19: Add two piece partial set bonus to Guilluame’s Face of +1% Attack Ratting Per Character Level.
20: Add three piece partial set bonus to Guilluame’s Face of +10 Attack Rating Per Character Level.
21: Add four piece partial set bonus to Guilluame’s Face of +15 Dexterity.
22: Remove +20 Strength from full set bonus
23: Remove +10 Dexterity from full set bonus
24: Replace All Resistances +15% on full set bonus with All Resistances +45%

Belt is a lot better with that, and the shield is a lot better. But most of all the set bonuses are now at a point that this a very good set for a Javazon.

2 Likes
37

Tancred’s Battlegear:

Tancred’s needs a lot more than the suggested changes. It doesn’t need to just be good enough at level 20 (which is when you can first wear it) but needs to last for a good time afterwards, which means at least halfway through Nightmare. It needs at least 20 to 30 more All Resistances. Furthermore, look at the individual item bonuses, they are terrible compared to what you can get from rare items at level 20. +75 AR on the weapon? That’s a level 12 affix. The amulet is even worse. The set bonuses are nice, but that’s not enough to overcome the terrible individual bonuses. It also needs something to make it special compared to other sets, so let’s look at the name for some inspiration. Tancred is a Norman name, the most famous branch of the family conquered Sicily and became King. And the most famous of that branch was the crusader Tancred, Prince of Galilee. So, we are probably looking at a Paladin oriented set, but should be useable by a Barbarian or an Enchant Sorceress. One of the more famous stories about Tancred is how he offered sanctuary to a group during the sack of Jerusalem, and how he was angered when that sanctuary was violated. He was also one of the first to enter Jerusalem during the sack. Tancred means “well-thought” which to me suggests Concentration. The set also seems focused around defensive things like Slow Enemy, so maybe see if we can continue to build on that.

1: Add Prevent Monster Heal to Tancred’s Crowbill (the axe)
2: Add +3 Axe Mastery to Tancred’s Crowbill
3: Add 7% Life Steal to Tancred’s Crowbill
4: Replace the +75 Attack Rating on Tancred’s Crowbill with +120 Attack Rating.
5: Replace the two piece partial set bonus of 20% Increased Attack Speed on Tancred’s Crowbill with +25% Increased Attack Speed.
6: Replace the three piece partial set bonus of +20 Mana on Tancred’s Crowbill with -30% Target Defense
7: Add a four piece partial set bonus to Tancred’s Crowbill of +5 Concentrate.
8: Add -30% Requirements to Tancred’s Spine (the body armor).
9: Add 20% Chance to Cast Level 6 Slow Missile When Struck to Tancred’s Spine.
10: Add 80% Enhanced Defense to Tancred’s Spine.
11: Replace +15 Strength on Tancred’s Spine with All Resistances +20%
12: Add three piece partial set bonus to Tancred’s Spine of 30% Faster Hit Recovery.
13: Add four piece partial set bonus to Tancred’s Spine of +3 Sanctuary.
14: Add 10% Faster Hit Recovery to Tancred’s Skull (the helm).
15: Add 1% Bonus to Attack Rating Per Character Level to Tancred’s Skull.
16: Replace 10% Enhanced Damage on Tancred’s Skull with 80% Enhanced Damage.
17: Add three piece partial set bonus to Tancred’s Skull of +15 Strength.
18: Add four piece partial set bonus to Tancred’s Skull of +3 Concentration.
19: Add All Resistances +10% to Tancred’s Weird (the amulet).
20: Add 50% Chance to Cast Level 4 Confuse When Struck to Tancred’s Weird.
21: Add +9 Strength to Tancred’s Weird
22: Add four piece partial set bonus to Tancred’s Weird of +14% Increased Attack Speed.
23: Add 80% Extra Gold From Monsters to Tancred’s Hobnails (the boots).
24: Add 25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items to Tancred’s Hobnails.
25: Add 20% Chance to Cast Level 6 Burst of Speed When Struck to Tancred’s Hobnails.
26: Add +0.5 Defense Per Character Level to Tancred’s Hobnails.
27: Add four piece partial set bonus to Tancred’s Hobnails of 20% Faster Hit Recovery.
28: Add +1 All Skills to the full set bonus.

There, that will be a fun set allowing a Paladin to mess around using Concentrate, or a Barbarian using Concentration Aura, or an Enchant Sorceress, who will probably like the defensive nature of the set. The IAS and FHR were carefully chosen to meet specific Paladin, Barbarian, and Sorceress breakpoints, since I think those are the three most likely characters to use this set. You end up with 20% All Resistances in Nightmare, so it should probably last through the first half of Nightmare for the Barb or Paladin, and maybe all the way for an Enchant Sorceress.

The Disciple:

Similar to the Oprhan’s Call set, the Disciple doesn’t seem to really gel as a set. It doesn’t help that the boots really aren’t that good, and the belt and body armor are lack luster. As Elite items at level 65 this set needs to be end game gear. It appears to be aimed at a combat class, but all the elite items with low strength requirements suggest either an Amazon or an Enchant Sorceress. The name Disciple seems to suggest a caster, either a Sorceress or a Paladin (with the glove, belt and amulet names leaning Paladin, and the body armor and boots leaning Sorceress). Thus, I’m going to lean towards a Elementalist Combat character, probably an Enchant Sorceress, but also viable for a Paladin or an Amazon.

1: Add -50 Requirements to Credendum (the belt).
2: Add 20% Chance to Cast Level 7 Fist of the Heavens on Striking to Credendum.
3: Add two piece partial set bonus to Credendum of 24% Faster Hit Recovery.
4: Add three piece partial set bonus to Credendum of +60 Life.
5: Add four piece partial set bonus to Credendum of +10 Attack Rating Per Character Level
6: Add five piece partial set bonus Credendum of -20% to Enemy Lightning Resistance
7: Add Fire Resist +30% to Rite of Passage (the boots)
8: Add 15% Chance to Cast Level 6 Meteor on Striking to Rite of Passage
9: Replace +25 Maximum Stamina on Rite of Passage with +10 Dexterity
10: Replace Half Freeze Duration on Rite of Passage with Cannot Be Frozen. (Alternatively, allow Half Freeze Duration to stack and thus become Cannot Be Frozen).
11: Upgrade Base of Rite of Passage to Wymhyde Boots (the Elite version). (This brings the boots in line with all the other parts of the set).
12: Add two piece partial set bonus to Rite of Passage of 22% Faster Hit Recovery.
13: Add three piece partial set bonus to Rite of Passage of +5 Mana After Each Kill.
14: Add four piece partial set bonus to Rite of Passage of +5 Attack Rating Per Character Level
15: Add five piece partial set bonus Rite of Passage of -20% to Enemy Fire Resistance
16: Add 24% Faster Hit Recovery to Dark Adherent (the body armor).
17: Add 5% Chance to Cast Level 20 Thunder Storm When Struck to Dark Adherent.
18: Replace 25% Chance to Cast Level 3 Nova When Struck on Dark Adherent with 25% Chance to Cast Level 22 Frost Nova on Striking. (Matches CtoC on the Runeword Ice).
19: Replace Fire Resist +24% on Dark Adherent with Cold Resist +50%
20: Add two piece partial set bonus to Dark Adherent of +40 to Mana
21: Add three piece partial set bonus to Dark Adherent of +5 Mana After Each Kill.
22: Add four piece partial set bonus to Dark Adherent of +1% Attack rating Per Character Level.
23: Add five piece partial set bonus Dark Adherent of +15% to Cold Skill Damage
24: Add +20 Strength to Telling of Beads (the amulet) and raise required level to 58.
25: Add +60 Life to Telling of Beads.
26: Replace Cold Resist +18% on Telling of Beads with Lightning Resist +50%.
27: Add two piece partial set bonus to Telling of Beads of Replenish Life 10.
28: Add three piece partial set bonus to Telling of Beads of +20 Dexterity.
29: Add four piece partial set bonus to Telling of Beads of +16% Faster Hit Recovery
30: Add five piece partial set bonus Telling of Beads of +20% Increased Attack Speed
31: Replace 10% Chance to Cast Level 3 Holy Bolt on Striking on Laying of Hands (the gloves) with 20% Chance to Cast Level 3 Holy Bolt on Striking
32: Add two piece partial set bonus to Laying of Hands of +10 Dexterity
33: Add three piece partial set bonus to Laying of Hands of Add 24 to 34 Poison Damage over 2 Seconds.
34: Add four piece partial set bonus to Laying of Hands of Level 4 Zeal (300 Charges).
35: Add five piece partial set bonus Laying of Hands of Level 4 Strafe (300 Charges).
36: Replace the +100 to Mana on the full set bonus with +100 to Life.

I’ve included the set bonus charges on the gloves in the expectation that repairing them without the set bonus won’t charge you for recharging them. Heck, I’d hope that you can recharge them just by removing the set bonus and then adding them back. If that doesn’t work then I guess you could just give O-skill +1 Zeal and O-skill +1 Strafe. Basically, this set favors either Frost/Fire Maiden, Enchant Sorceress, and maybe a FoH/Holy Shock Paladin. Might be best in slot for an Enchant Sorceress, but not for the others, though very competitive.

Vidala’s Rig:

A level 14 set with a bow. It should last halfway through Nightmare, so it needs a little better Lightning Resistance, and some pizzaz fitting names like “Ambush,” “Snare,” and “Barb.”

1: Add 17% Faster Hit Recovery to Vidala’s Ambush (the body armor).
2: Add 25% Chance to Cast Level 9 Dim Vision on Striking to Vidala’s Ambush.
3: Add 10% Life Steal to Vidala’s barb (the bow).
4: Add 20% Chance to Cast Level 9 Taunt on Striking to Vidala’s Barb.
5: Add three piece partial set bonus to Vidala’s Barb of 26% Increased Attack Speed
6: Add Lightning Resist +24% to Vidala’s Fetlock (the boots).
7: Add three piece partial set bonus to Vidala’s Fetlock of 15% Faster Hit Recovery.
8: Add 4% Mana Steal to Vidala’s Snare (the amulet).
9: Add 20% Chance to Cast Level 9 Shock Web on Striking to Vidala’s Snare.
10: Add three piece partial set bonus to Vidala’s Snare of +10 Strength.
11: Replace +10 Strength in full set bonus with +20 Mana.

There, that feels like a fun low level set. You hit things, and if they don’t freeze, they are taunted (reducing damage by 20%), while the pack around the target doesn’t see anything due to Dim Vision. Not sure if the Shock Web will work right, but if it doesn’t that can be removed. Thought I’d include it due to fitting the “Snare” name of the amulet.

I think that’s pretty much all the underpowered sets. That was fun.

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38

Not bad although I must point out that any changes you make to items that are of Normal/Exceptional tier will have ramifications should a player opt to upgrade them to their Elite base. Not to mention any suggestions for sets that are available on Classic Diablo. For example, take your suggestion for Milabrega. Milabrega is a Classic set so any changes you make to it will apply to those on Classic. Meaning the 200% Enhanced Defense, -50% Requirements and 40% FL Resistance on the Armor makes it better than Goldskin Unique(imo)

Yet for those on Expansion, that option to upgrade exists so 200% Enhanced Defense can mean anywhere from (487 x 3 = 1461) to (600 x 3 = 1800) Defense for Sacred Armor. That 200% ED is more than Tyreal’s Might or the rarest Sacred Armor in the game. Upgrading to Sacred Armor won’t be difficult because you add -50% requirements, cutting the Strength requirement to 116.

TLDR: I’d review the Classic sets

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39

Okay, I would be willing to do that, but is there a place I see the Classic Diablo items and make comparisons? I’m not familiar enough with the differences to do that in my head. It’s hard to compare things without something like D2Planner.

I mean, you compare Milabrega’s Robe to Tyreal’s Might, but Tyreal’s is not a very good piece of equipment. It might be super rare but it’s not used is it? Why not? Because it’s not designed for the characters that might want to wear it. With -100 Requirements and +30 Strength you’d think low strength characters would want to use it. Like say a Sorceress, or maybe an Assassin or an Amazon. But those character’s want +Skills, Faster Cast, or Increased Attack Speed, and Tyreal’s doesn’t have any of that. It has Slain Monster’s Rest in Peace which makes it a no go for the Necromancer. It’s not just about high stats, it’s about effects that work well together and fit specific need of specific builds.

Compare Templar’s Might which has up to 220% Enhanced Defense on Sacred Armor. It also has +2 to Offensive Auras, yet I don’t hear of Paladins trying to get this armor. If you gave Templar’s Might -50% Requirements, some Paladins might start wearing it, but not many. Why? Because it lacks resistances. A lot of unique items lack viability because of these oversights. But even if you add resistances, it would still be on the weak side - at least in LoD.

I don’t know enough about Classic Diablo to say if Goldskin is the right comparison, but honestly I’d probably prefer Goldskin’s +35% to All Resistances over Milabrega’s Robe of Fire and Lightning +40% in a comparison of the body armor only. I’d only pick Milabrega’s ahead of Goldskin because of the set bonuses.

That said, looking at a little more closely, you’re right that the +40% Fire and Lightning Resistances is a little too much. I did it to match the 40% Cold Resist on the helm, but I’d should have checked the affix’s available on Rare items (that’s what I usually did) which suggest that +30% is more correct. I’d make that edit.

I was also probably irritated by just how bad the current Milabrega’s Robe is. I mean, really, Attacker Takes Damage of 3 and Damage Reduced by 2 for a level 17 body armor?

It’s hard not to see that and think: “This needs significant buffing.”

40

I like your suggestion for Isenhart’s Armory, with full set equipped, Lightbrand would have chance to cast holy bolts. Updated OP.

This is also a solid suggestion for adding a bonus to all resistances for the full set equipped. Updated OP.

41

Classic Diablo is limited to Normal tier items, including Sets and Uniques. Arreat Summit has all the Diablo 2 info you’ll need, although it’s so old that it’s not maintained or secure(lacks the “s” in https)

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42

I get this is a theory crafting thread, but in my experience:

This set is excellent for farming Nihlathak.

This set easily crushes all of hell on /p3 and even takes out ubers no problem with 1 point on Concentrate.

This set easily gets a paladin, druid and barbarian to hell.

This set easily get a barbarian to hell.

This set easily gets a barbarian and druid through hell.

This set easily gets a barbarian, druid and paladin to hell.

These sets easily get a sorc to hell.

These sets easily get a necro to and through hell.

These sets easily get an Amazon to hell

These sets easily get a paladin, barb and druid to hell.

This set is so good I used it to get a melee sorc through hell on /p8

This set is epic and has a fun little secret pertaining to the barbarian!

This set is epic.

I love this set. I’ve even used it on a ww barbarian farming experience in chaos and throne.

This set is easily used to get through hell.

Fun set combined with BK set.

43

It’s mainly for mercenary use. Sazabi’s set is now very popular for Act 5 mercs, so the ethereal full set would be even more valuable. An ethereal Hwannin’s Justice would actually be a nice merc weapon or even really good for a Fury Druid or WW Barb. Those are examples for ethereal set items shifting the meta and making some of them viable wihtout the need of tweaking their stats.

44

I’ll have to respectfully disagree with you on this one. Berserker’s Arsenal is complete garbage, not even worthy to pick up and sell to Charsi.

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45

Yes, I understand that people want it for Merc use. However, still super against sets rolling as eth. Too much rng to collect the darned things, then the chance to roll eth, bricking them from character use for a handful of Merc weapons and a tal helm.

46

That’s fine, but I have done it several times. Add to it The Gnasher and Sig belt, gloves, boots, a couple of Nagels and Eye of Etlich and it flies with frenzy.

47

Yeah, if you have all those other good things can you get to Hell, sure.

But you know what? Gnasher, Sig gloves, helm, and boots with Eye of Etlich does just as well without Berserker’s and leaves your 2nd weapon and body armor open for better things.

You’re arguing that if we use other better sets and better items, that then Berserker’s becomes viable. That’s a silly measurement method. You can use those other better items, and then replace Berserker’s set to get even better results.

You’re not proving that the Berserker’s Set is good as is, all you are proving is that Sigon’s is such a great set with good partial set bonuses that you can use it to prop up the underpowered Berserker’s.

48

I’m not arguing anything, I’m saying it’s been my experience that the set works very well. I don’t use the set other than to level a character using the set. I do it with all the sets once every few years. My Berserker Set mule is character lvl 75 and was leveled that high using the set. I like the set, and I don’t struggle with it, but I respect you do. Again, the set isn’t the problem, it’s the player using it.