Level with Power! Die Die Diablo!

On 01/27/2015 at 01:16 AM by KnightDriver

Anybody know that Manowar song Kill with Power? It's a silly song from a silly rock group, but that's what I was singing while playing Diablo III today. It was appropriate though, as Mark and I trounced enemy after enemy with explosions of swordplay and magic.

I first played Diablo III solo in Nightmare Mode on Hard difficulty however. I finished all the dialog in Act II and then did all of them in Act III. I was trying to level at the same time, but it wasn't going too quickly until I hit Act III. Then I was moving up levels a lot faster because there are a lot more baddies in Act III.

diablowizard

I put the Demon symbol on my banner that you get for reaching level 50.

About 3/4 the way through the main quest in Act III, I hit level 50, and was able to move on to Hell Mode. I teamed up with Mark. He's a level 60 Barbarian with four additional Paragon levels and has finished all the Modes in the game. He'd have to play on Hard difficulty if he was to play with me though - no more Easy. Hard difficulty seems to be the sweet spot in this game. It's just hard enough to make you have to pay attention to every encounter, and bosses give you a good long fight. However, I discovered that the game does seem to scale to the highest level player, just like in Borderlands, because when my friend Mark joined up, the baddies were very hard for me. I had to watch my health closely or get killed. I also had to stay back and do ranged attacks, just like I wanted to all along. It made for an agreeable co-op experience. Mark could forge ahead and smack things down, and I could hang back and shoot lightning or rain down snow. It wasn't perfect though, because I am definitely underpowered in this arrangement, and some items I find now are too high level for me to use. The up side is that I'm power leveling. I was doing a level an hour once we started co-op.

diablobarbarian

Mark's Barbarian reminds me of a friend's Desinty character..

I'd say this game gets better and better as it gets harder. You see new and unique enemies and new dungeons appear in the levels. You unlock new skills too. It was fun to switch them all around trying to get the best combination of attacks. The kill animations change too depending on what you use on them. For example, if I use an exploding missile, they explode, but if I use a slashing spell, they get dismembered. Mark's Barbarian sometimes makes enemies burst in to explosions of blood and gore with heads flying everywhere. . . Wait, I said "sometimes". No, it's all the time.

So, with Mark in the lead, we will probably run through Hell and Inferno mode next week, and I'll pick up the last story dialogs in Act IV. Then I'll look at the achievments again and see what's left to do. I think the hardest one is going to be getting all the boss related challenges. Each boss has to be beaten under certain conditions, and some of them are wacky like: beating them wearing no equipment (there's a funny picture featuring a merkin for that challenge), punching Diablo, and letting your follower get the killing blow. They should be fun though.

As Enduring Bias, a Sentinel in John Shirley's new Halo book, Halo: Broken Circle, would say, "Happy algorithms!"

Matt Snee Staff Writer

01/27/2015 at 08:37 AM

nothing like a good explosion sword.

sounds like you're having a good time. Ah, co-op games. I wish there were more.

KnightDriver

01/28/2015 at 01:38 AM

There seems to be just enough to keep me and my friend Mark busy. I have Gears of War Judgment in reserve if we finish Diablo III.

Super Step Contributing Writer

01/27/2015 at 11:19 AM

I see effeminate Harland Williams got himself a new suit.

01/28/2015 at 01:42 AM

After complaining a lot that I hadn't found any new equipment in a long time, I suddendly came across better armor, a new weapon, and a helm. I wish I could find better boots. I can't dye the ones I have some other color. Some items are like that and can't be changed.

Nicoleb1989

01/28/2015 at 06:37 PM

I recently completed my first play through of the game and now see why the game is more enjoyed for its continously replay ability than for ya know story. The ending sucked....I'm talking cliffhanger and stupid all in one. I finished it on normal and am now working thru hard mode. My wizard character is I believe a lvl 51 right now. I'm wondering if more expansions will be released or if they are just gonna wait to do the next in the series.

01/29/2015 at 01:07 AM

Yea, I don't think anyone is playing Diablo for the story; although, I did want to listen to every bit of dialog in the game anyway. It's my way.

Oh joy! We have the same class and level right now. I'm a level 51 Wizard too!

The one expansion is in The Ultimate Evil Edition of the game. It's probably the only one they'll make but it adds significantly to the game: new modes, higher level cap, new missions and new crafting skills. I want to get it the second I'm finished with the main game. Hopefully it'll be $20 or under by then.

01/29/2015 at 11:12 AM

It might Add that but act/story wise it's only one whole extra act. I was hopeing for at least 2 but sadly it's short. I'm collecting the dialog as well, that definitely adds to the lore of the game. It's also a shame that one of the services added in the expansion I love is only in that one act. Anywho don't buy the expansion for more then 20. The only way I say spend more is if ur making the jump to next Gen and want it on one of those consoles.

I didn't even think of that when I made my Wizard, freaking awesome!

01/29/2015 at 04:33 PM

Too bad it's so short. Still, I'll be happy with the level cap raised to 70 and such achievements to get as getting all the characters to level 70. I want to try them out and see what abilities they have.

VisuaLIES

01/29/2015 at 11:30 PM

I am currently using a Wizard around level 55 or 56 right now, with 74 odd paragon points that I earned with my lvl. 70 Demon Hunter. I don't think my build is very efficient, as I sometimes get my ass handed to me by groups of tougher enemies, even with the paragon points I've accumulated (I'm playing on Master but sometimes switch to Expert when I get too frustrated). I just started researching how to combine skills and weapon/armor combos to be more effective, rather than just slapping on whatever piece of equipment has the highest numbers on it lol. I can see it getting very time consuming, even moreso than it already currently is. I definitely like the Demon Hunter more than the Wizard, but maybe I'm not using this character correctly.

01/30/2015 at 03:17 AM

There seem to be a lot of things you can do with the skills. I only just noticed by accident how one skill can change another one when used at the same time. I need to get more specific with my equipment as well. You can choose for items that boost your arcane energy and power. Then there's the gems. It's a lot to think about.

NSonic79

02/06/2015 at 11:37 PM

everytime I read this diablo III posts, I keep getting flashbacks of your exploits when you were playing Borderlands. makes me wonder how the game mecahnics to both games could share other simlilar themes besides having a great co-op mode.

02/09/2015 at 02:19 AM

When you get right down to it, they are very, very similar: you chase loot, scrutinize equipment stats to figure out which is best, blast everything in your way into great gory chunks, and do it with friends. Yes, one is a FPS and the other an isometric view brawler, but the differences end there.

PixlBit