I desperately need a spirit right now and a spirit would help a lot so obviously I need a monarch but I’m only half way through act 1 hell and things are rough.
Monarchs don’t drop in nightmare. If you are able, run The Pits in act 1. Go to the Outer Cloister waypoint and backtrack through the Tamoe Highland. One of the paths will lead to The Pits, which is a level 85 area where it is possible to drop a Monarch shield, along with almost any other item in the game. Monster immunities are fire, lightning and cold.
Another Act 1 level 85 area is the Mausoleum in the Burial Grounds. Monsters are Lightning immune. It’s just a bit more annoying to get to than The Pits.
2 Likes
Isn’t odd for someone who “always used Shako and Andies on their merc” to not know where to find a monarch and to struggle in act 1 hell?
2 Likes
Monarch Spirit may be a good upgrade for sure, but if you are struggling in Hell already, I am not sure that Monarch alone will solve that problem.
If you want some help, you may want to tell us what you are building and what other items you currently have. We can help you figure out what other upgrades to get.
Edit: You can have a good starter build without monarch that can farm Andy/Meph and a couple of Lvl 85 areas.
I haven’t tested it, but shouldn’t they technically drop in NM TZ’s now with the level cap on those being 73/74 on champ/uniques? With Monarch being a iLvl 72.
Or are they still restricted by item typage? Never spent enough time in NM TZ’s to check tbh.
If you’re pc NL SC online I’ll give you a white monarch, you’ll have to punch holes in it though.
Great point I bet you are right! Maybe Zax’s guide will clarify?
You can also make a spirit in a crystal sword after you finished normal, will help as well 
1 Like
According to drop calculator https://maxroll.gg/d2/d2-drop-calculator#d1;p7,1;item=base,uit,1 is seems possible that monarch drops on Nightmare, however much higher chances are on Hell, Burial Grounds + Crypt + Mausoleum.
Why are you creating a million threads over basic stuff and not recognizing you’re getting spoonfed the answers over and over?
Notice how the only three areas are Matrons Den, Forgotten Sands and Furnace of Pain, which all three are areas for the Pandemonium Event. For some reason Maxroll drop calc includes the Pandemonium areas in normal and nightmare, likely because of the area level.
2 Likes
I don’t think Maxroll’s calc has the right drops for TZs to begin with. TBH they have a lot of stuff wrong in general, and pretty much stopped working on it for D4 stuff. Beats me why.
So I dunno if I’d 100% trust their drop calc either. Unless they’ve updated it pretty sure someone made a video not all that long ago showing why it was off.
I’ll just point out that equipment that champions and uniques drop is at least magic, so you won’t get monarchs for runewords from those (aside from maybe bosses and super-uniques that have special drop calculations).
I’m a lvl 72 bone spear/corpse explosion necro with a white wand, stealth, lore, ancients pledge, some unique boots and a manald heal for noteworthy items. I need some better/more resistance charms or on one of my other pieces.
you have about a 1 in 7000 chance to drop a monarch from any mob in hell pretty much.
Clear easy act 1 content.
Are you some keyboard forum warrior out to set right the injustices of the world? Im not sure how whether or not I ask for help here affects your life in any way. How about you let me do what I want and you can just stay away. You’re not that guy.
you did not mention a helmet. maybe put some runes/gems in a multisocket helmet if you want resistances?
Not a keyboard warrior, just a d2r parent who ran out of spoons
1 Like
…
…
missed it
still, if you need certain res for an area, my proposal could make sense. especially since you only sacrifice +1skills (the other stats are not really valuable imo besides lr)
OP is looking to make a specific shield that has less resistances than the one they are currently using. OP wants the extra +2 to skills, huge mana buff, more FCR and the beefy FHR and Defence vs Missiles Spirit shield provides. All of Lore’s affixes are valuable when playing SSF.