-Diablo 2 Lord of Destruction Hurricane Druid Guide (1.11) -V1.0 (6/25/06) -By IR0NMA1DEN DISCLAIMER: This is property of IR0NMA1DEN (Ben Ferrara). This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. In plain English, this means that it is against the law for you to copy this guide. If you want to print it out, that's fine, but if you wish to use any part of it, please contact me to ask first. I will put my email address in the CONTACT ME section of this FAQ. ===================== - TABLE OF CONTENTS - ===================== I. Version History II. Purpose of the Guide III. Overview of a Hurricane Druid IV. Skills* A. Elemental B. Shape Shifting C. Summoning V. Attributes VI. Equipment A. Best Equipment B. Alternative Equipment VII. Inventory VIII. Mercenary IX. How to Use X. Contact Me XI. Credits/Thanks *The Skills section is based on my Single Player test character. None of his items or stats are impossible to get playing legitimately. None of his skills are higher than normally possible either. His Inventory is full of bugged small charms, but they are possible to get on the realms. I made him to have something to look at while writing this guide for quick reference. I. VERSION HISTORY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1.0 (6/25/06) Newly released. -=-=<>=-=- II. PURPOSE OF THE GUIDE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I'm writing this guide to help players understand and make a Hurricane Druid better. In it I will discuss proper equipment, which skills will be needed, and how the stat points should be distributed. -=-=<>=-=- III. OVERVIEW OF A HURRICANE DRUID ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Hurricane Druid (aka Wind/Windy/Ele Druid) is a Druid that uses the right side of the Elemental skill tree as his main attacks. This build gets very strong as you approach level 80-85. It's a versatile build that can be very efficient at both PvP (Player vs. Player) and PvM (Player vs. Monster). This is the only build that I have successfully taken down a fully developed, top of the line geared FoH (Fist of the Heavens) Paladin with. This build is great fun and if you decide to make one, this guide will help you along the way. -=-=<>=-=- IV. SKILLS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This build starts ot very slow with it's skills. You won't be very good in a fight until around level 70. You will mainly use the Elemental skill tree in this build, but Summons will come into play after you have finished what you need to do in the Elemental tree. DO NOT INVEST INTO SUMMONS UNTIL AFTER YOU COMPLETE THE ELEMENTAL SKILL TREE! If a skill is not listed here, that means no points will be invested into it. That having been said, let's get to work. A. Elemental <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> Elemental skills are your main focus. There's not much more I can say about this except a reminder NOT TO USE ANYTHING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THIS TREE! ================ - Arctic Blast - ================ Required Level: 6 Arctic Blast is the opposite version of the Sorceress spell Inferno. Instead of shooting a jet of fire, you'll shoot ice. This skill only need one point as a prerequisite. Skills Used: 1 ================= - Cyclone Armor - ================= Required Level: 12 Cyclone Armor is a great skill that will save you lots of pain. It absorbs Elemental damage. That means Fire, Cold, and Lightning attacks will not hurt you until they do enough damage to the Cyclone Armor to wear it off. Poison will still affect you. Max this skill last of all your Elemental skills. Skills Used: 20 =========== - Twister - =========== Required Level: 18 Twister is a pretty crappy skill. It shoots out three little cyclones that do pitiful damage and it moves so fast it doesn't hit an enemy more than once. Sad to say it, but this one needs to be maxed out. It synergizes with Tornado and Hurricane. Skills Used:20 =========== - Tornado - =========== Required Level: 24 Tornado is a great skill, and fortunately, it synergizes with Hurricane! That means that your two attack skills gain damage from each other. Plus it gains even more damage from Cyclone Armor and Twister. This skill is actually going to do more damage than Hurricane but Hurricane is sustained damage. It's physical damage, so you don't have to worry about anything but a physical immune. Max it. Skill Used: 20 ============= - Hurricane - ============= Required Level: 30 This is you other main skill. It's kind of even with Tornado. It creates a circle of wind around you. This does cold damage. Unlike how Blessed Hammer circles, Hurricane follows you and doesn't break on walls. Max this out. Skills Used: 20 B. Shape Shifting <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> Shape Shifting skills are not used in this build. Enough said, end of story. C. Summoning <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> Summons are used as support for your Druid. You will spend the remainder of your skill points here after you finish your Elemental skills. ========= - Raven - ========= Required Level: 1 Summons up to 5 Ravens to attack enemies. Just a prerequisite to Summon Grizzly. Skills Used: 1 ================== - Poison Creeper - ================== Required Level: 1 Summons a living vine that poisons enemies from underground. Just put one and move on. Skills Used: 1 ============ - Oak Sage - ============ Required Level: 6 Summons a spirit that raises your life considerably. A very beneficial ghost to have haunt you, huh? Skills Used: As many as you can. =============== - Spirit Wolf - =============== Required Level: 6 Summons up to 5 Wolves to attack enemies. Just a prerequisite to Summon Grizzly. Skills Used: 1 ================ - Carrion Vine - ================ Summons a flesh eating worm that restores your life as it feeds. Useful to have. Put one point here and leave it. Skills Used: 1 ============= - Dire Wolf - ============= Required Level: 18 Summons up to 3 Wolves to attack enemies. Just a prerequisite to Summon Grizzly. Skills Used: 1 ================== - Summon Grizzly - ================== Required Level: 30 Summons a Grizzly Bear to attack enemies. This is a good summon that not only does good melee damage, but also has a lot of life. This makes it a good meat shield. That means it's good for taking damage for you. One point is needed. Skills Used: 1 -=-=<>=-=- V. ATTRIBUTES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Stats are desperately important to get right! Especially for this character. You will lack sufficient life if you add stats to something that doesn't need it. So please do this carefully. ============ - Strength - ============ You only need enough strength to wear your items. Using an Annihilus and a Hellfire Torch, you can add up to 40 Points without using points. The way I go about doing strength, I level up to 75 to use the Torch and Annihilus. That way, I gain up to 40 points in stats without using points. Then I look and see what I can put on after the boost. Some of it adds more strength. I put all that on til I can't put on anything else without using stat points. Then I add only enough to get the next lowest piece on til eventually I'm wearing all my stuff. This way leaves you more points for other more helpful stats. ============= - Dexterity - ============= You only need enough Dexterity to wear your items. You shouldn't need to add any points here, because the Torch and Annihilus add a lot of points. ============ - Vitality - ============ Add all other stat points here. The more life you have, the better. ========== - Energy - ========== Add nothing here. Your mana should be sufficient with your items and charms. -=-=<>=-=- VI. EQUIPMENT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Equipment can make or break your character. I'll put in here what you should be looking for. I will include a second equipment section that will be a less expensive alternative setup. Weapon 1 is to be used with Shield 1 and Weapon 2 goes with Shield 2. -=-=<>=-=- A. Best Equipment <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> ============ - Weapon 1 - ============ Heart of the Oak - Flail Ko + Vex + Pul + Thul +3 To All Skills +40% Faster Cast Rate +75% Damage To Demons +100 To Attack Rating Against Demons Adds 3-14 Cold Damage 7% Mana Stolen Per Hit +1 To Blizzard (Sorceress Only) +10 To Dexterity Replenish Life +20 Increase Maximum Mana 15% All Resistances +30-40 (varies) Level 4 Oak Sage (25 Charges) Level 14 Raven (60 Charges) +50% Damage To Undead ============ - Weapon 2 - ============ Call To Arms - Flail or Crystal Sword Amn + Ral + Mal + Ist +Ohm Works on: All Weapons +2 To All Skills +40% Increased Attack Speed +200-240% Enhanced Damage (varies) Adds 5-30 Fire Damage 7% Life Stolen Per Hit +1-6 To Battle Command +1-6 To Battle Orders +1-4 To Battle Cry Prevent Monster Heal Replenish Life +12 30% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items ============ - Shield 1 - ============ Spirit - Monarch (MADE ONLY ON LADDER) Tal + Thul + Ort + Amn +2 To All Skills +25-35% Faster Cast Rate +55% Faster Hit Recovery +250 Defense Vs. Missile +22 To Vitality +89-112 To Mana Cold Resist +35% Lightning Resist +35% Poison Resist +35% +3-8 Magic Absorb Attacker Takes Damage of 14 ============ - Shield 2 - ============ Spirit - Monarch (MADE ONLY ON LADDER) Tal + Thul + Ort + Amn +2 To All Skills +25-35% Faster Cast Rate +55% Faster Hit Recovery +250 Defense Vs. Missile +22 To Vitality +89-112 To Mana Cold Resist +35% Lightning Resist +35% Poison Resist +35% +3-8 Magic Absorb Attacker Takes Damage of 14 ========= - Armor - ========= Enigma - Dusk Shroud or Archon Plate Jah + Ith + Ber +2 To All Skills +45% Faster Run/Walk +1 To Teleport +750-775 Defense +0-74 To Strength (Based On Character Level) Increase Maximum Life 5% Damage Reduced By 8% +14 Life After Each Kill 15% Damage Taken Goes To Mana +1-99% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items (Based On Character Level) ========== - Helmet - ========== Nightwing's Veil - Spired Helm Defense: 218.5-352 (Base Defense: 114-159) Required Level: 67 Required Strength: 96 Durability: 40 +90-120% Enhanced Defense (varies) +2 To All Skills +8-15% To Cold Skill Damage (varies) +10-20 To Dexterity (varies) +5-9 Cold Absorb (varies) Half Freeze Duration Requirements -50% ========== - Gloves - ========== Magefist - Light Gauntlets Defense: 20.8-24.3 Required Level: 23 Required Strength: 45 Durability: 18 +20-30% Enhanced Defense +10 Defense +1 To Fire Skills 20% Faster Cast Rate Regenerate Mana 25% Adds 1-6 Fire Damage ========= - Boots - ========= Grim Spur - Chain Boots Defense: 9 Durability: 16 Required Strength: 30 Required Level: 41 +30% Faster Run/Walk +20% Faster Hit Recovery +19 Strength +45% Cold Resist +22% Lightning Resist +21% Poison Resist ========== - Ring 1 - ========== Stone of Jordan Required Level: 29 +1 To All Skill Levels Increase Maximum Mana 25% Adds 1-12 Lightning Damage +20 To Mana ========== - Ring 2 - ========== Stone of Jordan Required Level: 29 +1 To All Skill Levels Increase Maximum Mana 25% Adds 1-12 Lightning Damage +20 To Mana ========== - Amulet - ========== Mara's Kaleidoscope Required Level: 67 +2 To All Skill Levels All Resistances +20-30(varies) +5 To Energy +5 To Vitality +5 To Dexterity +5 To Strength ======== - Belt - ======== Arachnid's Mesh - Spiderweb Sash Defense: 119-138 (varies)(Base Defense: 55-62) Required Level: 80 Required Strength: 50 Durability: 12 +90-120% Enhanced Defense (varies) Slows Target By 10% +1 To All Skills +20% Faster Cast Rate Increases Maximum Mana 5% Level 3 Venom (11 Charges) B. Alternative Equipment <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> ============ - Weapon 1 - ============ Earthshaker - Battle Hammer One-Hand Damage: 100 To 165 (132.5 Avg) Required Level: 43 Required Strength: 100 Durability: 105 Base Weapon Speed: [20] +180% Enhanced Damage 150% Damage To Undead 5% Chance To Cast Level 7 Fissure On Attack 30% Increased Attack Speed Hit Blinds Target Knockback +3 To Elemental Skills (Druid Only) ============ - Weapon 2 - ============ Call To Arms - Flail or Crystal Sword Amn + Ral + Mal + Ist +Ohm Works on: All Weapons +2 To All Skills +40% Increased Attack Speed +200-240% Enhanced Damage (varies) Adds 5-30 Fire Damage 7% Life Stolen Per Hit +1-6 To Battle Command +1-6 To Battle Orders +1-4 To Battle Cry Prevent Monster Heal Replenish Life +12 30% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items ============ - Shield 1 - ============ Lidless Wall - Grim Shield Defense: 91.8-347.3 (varies)(Base Defense: 50-150) Required Level: 41 Required Strength: 58 Chance to Block: Pal: 50%, Ama/Asn/Bar: 45%, Dru/Nec/Sor: 40% Durability: 40 Paladin Smite Damage: 14 To 20 +80-130% Enhanced Defense(varies) +1 To All Skill Levels Increase Maximum Mana 10% 20% Faster Cast Rate +3-5 To Mana After Each Kill(varies) +10 To Energy +1 To Light Radius ============ - Shield 2 - ============ Lidless Wall - Grim Shield Defense: 91.8-347.3 (varies)(Base Defense: 50-150) Required Level: 41 Required Strength: 58 Chance to Block: Pal: 50%, Ama/Asn/Bar: 45%, Dru/Nec/Sor: 40% Durability: 40 Paladin Smite Damage: 14 To 20 +80-130% Enhanced Defense(varies) +1 To All Skill Levels Increase Maximum Mana 10% 20% Faster Cast Rate +3-5 To Mana After Each Kill(varies) +10 To Energy +1 To Light Radius ========= - Armor - ========= Skin of the Vipermagi - Serpentskin Armor Defense: 246.4-279.4 (varies)(Base Defense: 111-126) Required Level: 29 Required Strength: 43 Durability: 24 +120% Enhanced Defense +1 To All Skills 30% Faster Cast Rate Magic Damage Reduced By 9-13(varies) All Resistances +20-35(varies) ========== - Helmet - ========== Harlequin Crest - Shako Defense: 98-141 Required Level: 62 Required Strength: 50 Durability: 12 +2 To All Skills + (1.5 Per Character Level) 1.5-148.5 To Life (Based On Character Level) + (1.5 Per Character Level) 1.5-148.5 To Mana (Based On Character Level) Damage Reduced By 10% 50% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items +2 To Strength +2 To Dexterity +2 To Vitality +2 To Energy ========== - Gloves - ========== Magefist - Light Gauntlets Defense: 20.8-24.3 Required Level: 23 Required Strength: 45 Durability: 18 +20-30% Enhanced Defense +10 Defense +1 To Fire Skills 20% Faster Cast Rate Regenerate Mana 25% Adds 1-6 Fire Damage ========= - Boots - ========= Sandstorm Trek - Scarabshell Boots Defense: 158-178 (varies)(Base Defense 56-65) Required Level: 64 Required Strength: 91 Durability: 14 Assassin Kick Damage: 60-110 +140-170% Enhanced Defense (varies) +20% Faster Hit Recovery +20% Faster Run/Walk + (1 Per Character Level) +1-99 Maximum Stamina (Based On Character Level) +10-15 To Strength (varies) +10-15 To Vitality (varies) 50% Slower Stamina Drain Poison Resist +40-70% (varies) Repairs 1 Durability In 20 Seconds ========== - Ring 1 - ========== Any Ring with some of these mods. +Faster Cast Rate +Life +Mana +Resists (any) ========== - Ring 1 - ========== Any Ring with some of these mods. +Faster Cast Rate +Life +Mana +Resists (any) ========== - Amulet - ========== Highlord's Wrath - Amulet Required Level: 65 +1 To All Skill Levels 20% Increased Attack Speed + (0.375 Per Character Level) 0.375-37.125 % Deadly Strike (Based On Character Level) Lightning Resist +35% Adds 1-30 Lightning Damage Attacker Takes Lightning Damage Of 15 ======== - Belt - ======== Gloom's Trap - Mesh Belt Defense: 79.2-102.5 (varies)(Base Defense: 35-40) Required Level: 36 Required Strength: 58 Durability: 16 16 Boxes +120-150% Enhanced Defense(varies) 5% Mana Stolen Per Hit Increase Maximum Mana 15% Regenerate Mana 15% +15 To Vitality -3 To Light Radius -=-=<>=-=- VII. INVENTORY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The inventory is almost as important as your equipment. Your charms will give a nice boost to your damage and stats. I'm sure you'll enjoy it if you can manage to get all of this. With the remaining space, feel free to put whatever Small Charms you want. I suggest ones that give Life, Resistances, or Faster Hit Recovery. Annihilus - Small Charm Required Level: 70 +1 To All Skills +10-20 To All Attributes (varies) +10-20 To All Resistances (varies) +5-10% To Experience Gained (varies) Hellfire Torch - Large Charm Required level: 76 25% Chance of casting Lvl 10 Firestorm on striking (Uber Diablo's, not Druid) +3 to one character class's Skills (varies, eg.Paladin, Necromancer) +8 Light Radius +10-20 All Resistances (varies) +10-20 All Stats (varies) Lvl 30 Hydra Charges (10/10) Natural Grand Charm (x9)* +1 to Elemental Skill Levels (Druid Only) *Feel free to pay out the ass for +Life or +Fater Hit Recovery mods on these. I leave the choice up to you. -=-=<>=-=- VIII. MERCENARY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I will not bother mentioning anything about the other Mercenary types in this FAQ. I despise the use of Rogues, IronWolves, and Barbarian Mercenaries. None of them actually support you aside from fighting a little bit. So I'll put in my 2 cents about the Desert Mercenary. The Desert Mercenary from Act 2 is a Spear/Polearm User. He also comes with a Paladin Aura. Get the Nightmare Defensive Mercenary. He has Holy Freeze for his aura. This cuts through even immunity to chill your enemies. I got my idea on the armor and weapon choices from a fellow FAQ writer for Diablo II, Kirbix. He writes very thorough and informative guides. Check them out one of these days at GameFAQs.com. I suggest upgrading the Guardian Angel into a Hellforge Plate. This can only be done on Ladder, but we have a few on Non-Ladder. ========== - Weapon - ========== Infinity - Ethereal Cryptic Axe Ber + Mal + Ber + Ist 50% Chance To Cast Level 20 Chain Lightning When You Kill An Enemy Level 12 Conviction Aura When Equipped +35% Faster Run/Walk +255-325% Enhanced Damage -(45-55)% To Enemy Lightning Resistance 40% Chance of Crushing Blow Prevent Monster Heal 0.5 To Vitality (Per Character Level) 30% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items Level 21 Cyclone Armor (30 Charges) ========= - Armor - ========= Guardian Angel - Templar Coat Defense: 708.4-825 (varies)(Base Defense: 252-274) Required Level: 45 Required Strength: 118 Durability: 60 +180-200% Enhanced Defense(varies) +20% Increased Chance Of Blocking +30% Faster Block Rate + (2.5 Per Character Level) 2.5-247.5 To Attack Rating Against Demons (Based On Character Level) +1 To Paladin Skill Levels +4 To Light Radius 15% To Maximum Poison Resist 15% To Maximum Cold Resist 15% To Maximum Lightning Resist 15% To Maximum Fire Resist ========== - Helmet - ========== Andariel's Visage - Demonhead (Ladder Only) Defense: 310-387 (varies)(Base Defense: 101-154) Required Level: 83 Required Strength: 102 Durability: 20 +100-150% Enhanced Defense (varies) +2 To All Skills 20% Increased Attack Speed 8-10% Life Stolen Per Hit (varies) +25-30 To Strength (varies) +10% To Maximum Poison Resist Fire Resist -30% Poison Resist +70% 15% Chance To Cast Level 15 Poison Nova When Struck Level 3 Venom (20 charges) -=-=<>=-=- IX. HOW TO USE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For almost any fight, cast Battle Command. Then switch back to your Weapon and Shield 1 and Summon your Grizzly, your Oak Sage, and your Carrion Vine. Then cast Cyclone Armor. Switch back to Weapon/Shield 2 and recast Battle Command, followed by Battle Orders. Make sure your Mercenary, Grizzly and Oak Sage got it. Switch back to Weapon/Shield 1 and cast Hurricane. Then stand back a little bit from your enemies so that the Hurricane is hitting them while your Mercenary and Summons are fighting it. Cast Tornado at the enemy/enemies like mad until they die. I will put a list of my preferred Skill Hotkeys here. The left click skill should not have a hotkey. You don't need to change it. Left Click - Tornado F1 - Hurricane F2 - Teleport F3 - Cyclone Armor F4 - Battle Command F5 - Battle Orders F6 - Oak Sage F7 - Summon Grizzly F8 - Carrion Vine F9 - Raven (Optional. I don't use them.) -=-=<>=-=- X. CONTACT ME ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you wish to comment on any of this material or you still have questions, feel free to email me. Keep in mind that ALL hate mail will be deleted. Don't waste your time even writing it. If you seriously have the time on your hands to write me a hate mail, I suggest getting a job or something. If you wish to use any of this guide, please contact me to ask permission and please credit me in the event that I grant that permission. Thank you. Email: FinalFantasyO_o@msn.com -=-=<>=-=- XI. CREDITS/THANKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GameFAQs.com for posting my guides. ExarKunnn for the stats on the Non-Ladder Runewords. BCD for some of the stats on the Unique items. Sir Alex for some of the stats on the Unique items. Kirbix for the stats on the Hellfire Torch. DeckardCain for the stats on the Ladder Runewords. Blizzard for making the game. My little brother for getting me into the game.