There aren't many games harder to pick up than Diablo 2: Resurrected. After an opening cinematic, no guide helps players through. No tips pop up on the screen. No tutorial walks through designing a build. NPCs don't tell players where to go or give specific markers. It's a hardcore game for hardcore gamers.
That doesn't mean that amateurs can't learn to become hardcore. Diablo 2: Resurrected is fun enough to break through this initial brick wall for and will teach gamers lessons they can use for life. Here are a few tips for new players that will help soften the blow.
10 Pick Playstyle Over Class
The best build for every class isn't always what is expected. The Paladin plays more like a caster than a tank, as does the Assassin. The Druid can be more of a tank than a caster. The Barbarian is a better support than a primary damage-dealer.
Some of these deficiencies can be leveled off with the best late-game Runewords, but it's probably better to decide on an ideal playstyle and then pick a class instead of trying to make a class fit. They're all good classes, but they're good for different players.
9 Use A Skill Calculator
It's hard to envision at the beginning of character creation exactly which skills can be the best during the endgame for any class, but a calculator will certainly help bridge the divide. This does more than just give players a template of how to level up.
This will also tell players how skills change once they are leveled. Some damage abilities don't actually do more damage with more points, rather, the radius or duration of the effect will increase. Players shouldn't be afraid to customize somebody else's calculations, but at least it gives them a good idea of where to start.
8 Build For The Late Game
There are some things to buy from the Act 1 merchants that set up the player for success, but the most important investments are the ones that work as well at level 99 as they do at level 1. Farming builds are fine for a few acts, but any build is fine during this time.
The builds that work best are the ones that work late. Since players will spend most of their time in the latter stages of leveling, skills and equipment should be selected based on what will work best during that timeframe, not gimmicky skills that are basically trivial by level 20.
7 Establish Defenses
Not every character can lifesteal like a Druid or block like a Paladin or evade like an Amazon, but each character does have to have as much defense as their class will allow. Any build that doesn't have the maximum amount of 75% magic resistance isn't worth a whole lot.
Vendors in the city offer some goods that can help with defense, but the bulk of these defenses need to be baked right into the build. Each class will have a different form of ideal defense, but they all have ideals to abide by. Taking a punch is a necessary prerequisite to beating the game.
6 Hire And Equip A Mercenary
It's easy to dismiss the freebie mercenary from Act 1 that follows along with the main character until she inevitably dies. Not having one might seem like a fire idea going forward because it saves a few gold coins. But doing so is missing out on the character's full potential.
Getting the most out of mercenaries is as much a part of a character build as selecting skills. The mercenary can be equipped with items that provide auras, buffs, and debuffs. The Act 2 Desert Mercenary, specifically, has a passive aura to take advantage of.
5 Have Two Damage Sources
In Act 1, players won't likely run into a single creature with a resistance or immunity to a damage source. By the end of the game, they'll be regularly running into enemies with two resistances or immunities. Diversification is the key.
Players should be prepared to competently do damage with at least two different sources. Whether it's adding fire to the Assassin's melee weapons or a Sorceress' staff that packs a punch, it's not good enough to merely hope that these monsters won't have immunity to the main character's best move. They will, so prepare for it.
4 Read Elite Descriptions
Veterans to the game don't die on bosses. Though the bosses are challenging, they are predictable. With the right gear, strategy, and equipment, beating these bosses becomes second nature. No, what kills the best players are the elite opponents.
Why is this? Because they can have a mix of so many different buffs and debuffs. Always be sure to read the enemy description the instant an oddly-colored monster enters the screen. It will reveal their strengths and new abilities, allowing players to exploit a weakness or make a tactical retreat.
3 Stash Backup Gear
Hand-in-hand with knowing when to run from an elite mob is knowing when to come back. There's plenty of room in the stash back at camp, use it to store items that give bonuses that normal gear doesn't provide. For example, Act 1 boss Andariel does a lot of poison damage. Having a set of poison-reducing gear is a smart move.
Archers should have a set of bows capable of physical and magical damage. Equipment that blocks or reduced physical and magical attacks is a great idea. Porting to down and changing gear is cheap. Dying is not.
2 Gamble, Don't Buy
Ordinarily, the house wins in gambling, which is probably true in Diablo 2: Resurrected, but when all the house "wins" is gold, then it's not all that risky. And the upside is way better than simply buying a piece of gear that might be a slight and temporary upgrade.
By gambling, players have the chance to get the best equipment in the game, including legendary sets and unique items which will never appear under normal purchase options. Yes, it's often a bunch of terrible gear, but this is as good as the odds get at completing a set or finding that unique drop.
1 Craft At Max Level
By using the Horadric Cube and Runewords, players can make the best gear in the game; gear so good that it doesn't even drop. It can be tempting to pour these resources in early on, but remember that gear scales based on character level.
Hold off until level 99 to make any high-level Runewords unless obtaining a truly excessive amount of runes. After that, though, most players recognize that Runeword armor and weapons are the best in the game, so craft away!
Diablo 2: Resurrected was released on September 23rd, 2021, and is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.