Back in those days we often talked about the best items in the game. Nothing has changed there. But when it came to the topic of the best one handed weapon there was no contest, no debate. Schaefer�s hammer was the original King of the one handed beat sticks.
Back then I dreamed of building the meanest, toughest level 99 Schaeferdin to ever exist. Here I am today, over ten years later, mission accomplished.
Out of a matter of sheer interest, a Screenshot of Maxamillian I took shortly after he reached level 98, Dated the 4th of may 2009!
I present to you, Maxamillian, level 99 Schaeferdin.
Strength 200/220
Dexterity 115/142
Vitality 260/280
Energy 15/15
Life 1,011/1,493
Stanima 416/456
Mana 151/191
Resistances 75/75/80/75
Zeal damage 2,530-6,450/3,017-7,563
Attack rating 10,373/14,375
Defence 3,006/27,054
Buffs = Demon limb level 23 enchant, Might merc aura and level 15 chilling armor from Fortitude.
+6 to Combat, + 9 to Offensive and +4 to Defensive skills.
Skills
20 points. Zeal, Holy Shield, Fanatism, Sacrifice.
19 points Defiance.
1 Points Smite, Holy Bolt, Charge, Blessed hammer, Might, Blessed Aim, Concentrate, Prayer, Cleansing, Vigor, Redemption.
The path to this day has been long and perilous indeed.
The Maxamillian you see here today was not the original character. The first version was built in V1.07-v1.09 before skill synergies where introduced. The original character had points spent in Holy shock instead of sacrifice/Defiance for weapon switch anti PI duties. At level 90 V1.10 was released and the original Maxamillian was retired and a new character was created. This is the character that you see here.
Pre V1.13 was not pleasant to a melee Baal runner. Oblivion knights and their Iron maiden curse would bring Maxamillian down on a regular basis. But fortunately, the curse was eliminated in V1.13 which coincided with the final levels when xp loss was the most costly. Maxamillian did not record one death in levels 97-99, mainly because of the iron maiden curse being taken from the oblivion knights.
To say that Maxamillian is near unkillable is very close to the truth. Over the years many items where equipped, tested and discarded. Years of play testing have gone into Maxamillian�s final gear with no expense spared in procuring any of it. Maxamillian is my ultimate creation, the pinnacle of all I know and have done in this game, my legacy.
Cow runs where a walk in the park (or is that field?) until the accidental death of the king. (Neeraj, Your fired!) The ancients on �players 8� was for giggles rather than an actual challenge. Lister and company was a speed bump and Baal a formality. With the Iron maiden curse gone, the biggest hurdle to achieving level 99 was the councillors Hydra�s which could kill the mercenary, Exploding dolls, Conviction or Fanatism aura�s which again, usually cost 50,000 gp once the fight was over.
Maxamillians Key to his survival was three basic things. A huge defence, 75% chance to block and 19% total life leech.
But the main obstacle became the time and monotony of the thousands of Baal runs rather than the actual foes.
Maxamillian�s biggest threat to his survival was to come from the later patches and the rune words which became the new �kings� of the one handed hitters such as the Grief Phase blade. The forums where abuzz with players talking about their griefalots. How powerful they where, how fast their Baal run times where. Was I a dinosaur in sticking with an old relic from ancient times?
I had to find out for myself. I acquired a Grief Phase blade in trade and built another zealot around the weapon and equipped him with the very best Griefalot items. Once he reached level 90, I started Baal running with the new upstart and compared his times to Maxamillian�s.
Oh dear.
They are right. The schaeferdin was a dinosaur. It was at that time I seriously considered giving up on Maxamillian the schaeferdin and transforming him into Maxamillian the Griefalot.
But then the game knowledge of Asmodeous kicked in. Hmmmm. Schaefer�s hammer on one weapon slot, Grief on the other. Weapon switch for the win.
The Baal runs that followed where pure and utter devastation. Slaughter. Schaefer�s static field took care of the first half of the battles then switching to grief�s devastating crushing blow to finish. The run times plummeted and where faster than the griefalot or schaeferdin could ever do alone.
I had stumbled upon perhaps the most devastating combo for a Zealot. Schaefer�s static field and Grief�s crushing blow. But could I be happy? Maxamillian was an Schaeferdin. Not a griefalot. Do I give in and become yet another cookie cutter griefalot or maintain my own unique and ancient build that I had dreamed of creating so many years ago?
Yeah, dumb question. I parked the Grief PB and character and continued headlong with Maxamillian the Schaeferdin.
The experience with the grief did tell myself something however. Weapon switch, crushing blow. Hmmm, look at that, Stone crusher. The other Unique Legendary Mallet sporting a bucket load of Crushing blow. A Phase blade full of runes I couldn�t tolerate but another legendary mallet, that seemed so befitting. Stone crusher is in many ways, Schaefer�s Hammer�s brother, partner in crime, Ying to it�s Yang. It was combined with a Griswold�s shield full of Jewels of Fervor and I had my crushing blow weapon switch set up. It is no Grief Phase Blade, but the two Legendary Hammers combined to improve Maxamillian�s run times to respectable numbers.
The Equipment
No expense spared. No stone unturned in the quest for the best, strongest items for Maxamillian.
The collection of items spans all the D2 LoD versions, from the V1.07 damage charms to various v1.09 �expansion� items to current V1.10+ items. Some of them such as the Highlord�s amulet, Gore riders and Herald of Zakarum where transfered over from the original character.
Maxamillian�s original Schaefer�s hammer deserves a special mention as well.
Code:
Schaefer's Hammer
Legendary Mallet
'Ohm'
One-Hand Damage: 130 to 159
Required Strength: 189
Required Level: 79
Mace Class - Normal Attack Speed
Indestructible
Item Version: Expansion
Item Level: 90
Fingerprint: 0x76eb3d49
+50 to Life
+161% Enhanced Damage
Lightning Resist +75%
Adds 50-200 lightning damage
+1 to Light Radius
20% Increased Attack Speed
150% Damage to Undead
20% Chance to cast Level 10 Static Field on striking
+2 to Maximum Damage (Based on Character Level)
+8 to Attack Rating (Based on Character Level)
Socketed (1: 1 used)
Ohm Rune
Inserted into a Legendary Mallet
+50% Enhanced Damage
Required Level: 57
Item Version: Expansion
This Hammer was gained from Hakai No Tenshi, the creator of ATMA and socketed with an Ohm rune self found way back in v1.09d. I used this hammer for many years before a better hammer/socket was gained. But the original hammer has huge sentimental value, it�s something that I�ll never part with.
Maxamillian�s final equipment in full
Code:
Schaefer's Hammer
Legendary Mallet
One Hand Damage: 134 - 362
Indestructible
Fingerprint: 0x8aad11da
Version: Expansion 1.10+
20% Chance to cast level 10 Static Field on striking
Indestructible
+35% Increased Attack Speed
169% Enhanced Damage
+198 to Maximum Damage (Based on Character Level)
+792 to Attack Rating (Based on Character Level)
+150% Damage to Undead
Adds 50 - 200 Lightning Damage
+50 to Life
Lightning Resist +75%
+1 to Light Radius
1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Ruby Jewel of Fervor
Ruby Jewel of Fervor
Fingerprint: 0x511c5ae1
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+15% Increased Attack Speed
40% Enhanced Damage
Herald of Zakarum
Zakarum Shield
Defense: 556
Fingerprint: 0x7622d467
Version: Expansion
+2 to Combat Skills (Paladin Only)
+2 to Paladin Skill Levels
+15% Increased Attack Speed
+30% Faster Block Rate
30% Increased Chance of Blocking
+6 to Minimum Damage
20% Bonus to Attack Rating
+199% Enhanced Defense
+20 to Strength
+20 to Vitality
All Resistances +50
Required Level +7
1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Crimson Jewel of Fervor
Crimson Jewel of Fervor
Fingerprint: 0x6cc0a2a0
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+15% Increased Attack Speed
+6 to Minimum Damage
Fortitude
Lacquered Plate
ElSolDolLo
Defense: 1626
Fingerprint: 0xd9c8a846
20% Chance to cast level 15 Chilling Armor when struck
+25% Faster Cast Rate
300% Enhanced Damage
+200% Enhanced Defense
+15 Defense
+123 to Life (Based on Character Level)
Replenish Life +7
+5% to Maximum Lightning Resist
All Resistances +27
Damage Reduced by 7
12% Damage Taken Goes To Mana
+1 to Light Radius
4 Sockets (4 used)
Socketed: El Rune
Socketed: Sol Rune
Socketed: Dol Rune
Socketed: Lo Rune
El Rune
Required Level: 11
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Sol Rune
Required Level: 27
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Dol Rune
Required Level: 31
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Lo Rune
Required Level: 59
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Rune Circle
Ring
Fingerprint: 0xc4a08192
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+9 to Minimum Damage
+19 to Attack Rating
6% Mana stolen per hit
5% Life stolen per hit
Cold Resist +23%
Fire Resist +6%
Raven Frost
Ring
Fingerprint: 0x1ea0e0bf
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+213 to Attack Rating
Adds 15 - 45 Cold Damage Over 4 Secs (100 Frames)
+19 to Dexterity
+40 to Mana
Cold Absorb 20%
Cannot Be Frozen
Highlord's Wrath
Amulet
Fingerprint: 0xc74b732e
Version: Expansion
+1 to All Skills
+20% Increased Attack Speed
Adds 1 - 30 Lightning Damage
37% Deadly Strike (Based on Character Level)
Lightning Resist +35%
Attacker Takes Lightning Damage of 15
Stone Crusher
Legendary Mallet
One Hand Damage: 225 - 285
Fingerprint: 0x19a8e026
Version: Expansion 1.10+
350% Enhanced Damage
+11 to Maximum Damage
Damage +24
-25% Target Defense
+150% Damage to Undead
40% Chance of Crushing Blow
-100 to Monster Defense Per Hit
+28 to Strength
1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Ruby Jewel of Carnage
Fingerprint: 0xc2730a38
Version: Expansion 1.10+
36% Enhanced Damage
+11 to Maximum Damage
Griswold's Honor
Vortex Shield
Defense: 303
Chance to Block: 39
Fingerprint: 0xbaba9289
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+45% Increased Attack Speed
+65% Faster Block Rate
20% Increased Chance of Blocking
+137 to Attack Rating
+108 Defense
All Resistances +45
Lightning Resist +14%
3 Sockets (3 used)
Socketed: Argent Jewel of Fervor
Socketed: Silver Jewel of Fervor
Socketed: Camphor Jewel of Fervor
Argent Jewel of Fervor
Jewel
Fingerprint: 0x3b263d69
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+15% Increased Attack Speed
+78 to Attack Rating
Silver Jewel of Fervor
Jewel
Fingerprint: 0xf15e9683
Version: Expansion
+15% Increased Attack Speed
+59 to Attack Rating
Camphor Jewel of Fervor
Jewel
Fingerprint: 0x978c438a
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+15% Increased Attack Speed
Lightning Resist +14%
Crown of Ages
Corona
Defense: 396
Fingerprint: 0xdf09c2eb
Item Level: 99
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Indestructible
+1 to All Skills
+30% Increased Attack Speed
+30% Faster Hit Recovery
+50% Enhanced Defense
+147 Defense
Cold Resist +24%
All Resistances +27
Fire Resist +30%
Damage Reduced by 11%
2 Sockets (2 used)
Socketed: Ruby Jewel of Fervor
Socketed: Sapphire Jewel of Fervor
Ruby Jewel of Fervor
Jewel
Fingerprint: 0x8dcfa822
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+15% Increased Attack Speed
Fire Resist +30%
Sapphire Jewel of Fervor
Jewel
Fingerprint: 0xbf7810cb
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+15% Increased Attack Speed
Cold Resist +24%
String of Ears
Spiderweb Sash
Defense: 154
Fingerprint: 0x6436071f
Version: Expansion 1.10+
8% Life stolen per hit
+154% Enhanced Defense
+15 Defense
Damage Reduced by 14%
Magic Damage Reduced by 15
Required Level +7
+10 Maximum Durability
Dread Clutches
Sharkskin Gloves
Defense: 53
Fingerprint: 0x9bb66d94
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+20% Increased Attack Speed
6% Life stolen per hit
8% Chance of Crushing Blow
+34% Enhanced Defense
+8 to Dexterity
+20 to Life
Gore Rider
Myrmidon Greaves
Defense: 186
Fingerprint: 0x719ca5a7
Version: Expansion
+30% Faster Run/Walk
15% Chance of Crushing Blow
15% Deadly Strike
10% Chance of Open Wounds
+179% Enhanced Defense
+20 Maximum Stamina
Required Level +7
Requirements -25%
+10 Maximum Durability
Charms
Code:
Captain's Grand Charm of Vita
Fingerprint: 0xc5532d7c
Version: Expansion
+1 to Offensive Aura Skills (Paladin Only)
+43 to Life
Captain's Grand Charm of Sustenance
Fingerprint: 0x7b268b83
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Offensive Aura Skills (Paladin Only)
+34 to Life
Bloody Grand Charm of Sustenance
Fingerprint: 0x4b4fcbe7
GUID: 0xf881a340 0x180a7c0 0x0
Version: Expansion
+11 to Minimum Damage
+31 to Life
Captain's Grand Charm of Sustenance
Fingerprint: 0xbec70962
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Offensive Aura Skills (Paladin Only)
+24 to Life
Captain's Grand Charm of Sustenance
Fingerprint: 0x164a4da2
Version: Expansion
+1 to Offensive Aura Skills (Paladin Only)
+22 to Life
Captain's Grand Charm of Maiming
Fingerprint: 0x8ae43860
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Offensive Aura Skills (Paladin Only)
+4 to Maximum Damage
Jade Grand Charm of Maiming
Fingerprint: 0x7031eec0
GUID: 0xd9c5d994 0x25c19c 0x0
Version: Expansion
+18 to Maximum Damage
Poison Resist +26%
Sharp Large Charm of Balance
Fingerprint: 0xd0cee78c
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+8% Faster Hit Recovery
+5 to Maximum Damage
+48 to Attack Rating
Fine Small Charm of Balance
Fingerprint: 0x3bc6a7d6
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+5% Faster Hit Recovery
+3 to Maximum Damage
+20 to Attack Rating
Fine Small Charm of Sustenance
Fingerprint: 0x4f125255
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+3 to Maximum Damage
+20 to Attack Rating
+12 to Life
Fine Small Charm of Balance
Fingerprint: 0x2d6807be
Version: Expansion
+5% Faster Hit Recovery
+3 to Maximum Damage
+19 to Attack Rating
Russet Small Charm of Vita
Fingerprint: 0xc7674cef
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+18 to Life
Fire Resist +6%
Emerald Small Charm of Life
Fingerprint: 0x2f0b4506
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+9 to Life
Poison Resist +11%
Beryl Small Charm of Vita
Fingerprint: 0x83554e83
Version: Expansion
+16 to Life
Poison Resist +4%
Fine Small Charm of Vita
Fingerprint: 0x57666c4e
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+3 to Maximum Damage
+10 to Attack Rating
+20 to Life
Mercenary:
Code:
Name: Neeraj
Race: Desert Mercenary
Type: Off-Nightmare
Experience: 114103732
Level: 98
Dead?: false
Naked/Gear
Strength: 209/211
Dexterity: 169/171
HP: 2287/2435
Defense: 1671/3116
AR: 2066/2066
Fire: 176/136/76
Cold: 176/136/76
Lightning: 176/136/76
Poison: 176/136/76
The Gladiator's Bane
Wire Fleece
Defense: 1317
Fingerprint: 0x38800794
Version: Expansion
+30% Faster Hit Recovery
+163% Enhanced Defense
+50 Defense
Damage Reduced by 25
Magic Damage Reduced by 15
Cannot Be Frozen
Poison Length Reduced by 50%
Attacker Takes Damage of 20
+103 Maximum Durability
1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Sol Rune
Sol Rune
Required Level: 27
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Harlequin Crest
Shako
Defense: 128
Fingerprint: 0x86e9f21c
Version: Expansion
+2 to All Skills
All Stats +2
+148 to Life (Based on Character Level)
+148 to Mana (Based on Character Level)
All Resistances +14
Damage Reduced by 10%
50% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Scintillating Jewel
Scintillating Jewel
Fingerprint: 0xa9c09acc
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Cold Resist +14%
Lightning Resist +14%
Fire Resist +14%
Poison Resist +14%
The Reaper's Toll
Thresher
Two Hand Damage: 45 - 528
Fingerprint: 0x93236b84
Version: Expansion 1.10+
33% Chance to cast level 1 Decrepify on striking
275% Enhanced Damage
Ignore Target's Defense
Adds 4 - 44 Cold Damage Over 0 Secs (12 Frames)
12% Life stolen per hit
33% Deadly Strike
Requirements -25%
1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Ruby Jewel
Ruby Jewel
Fingerprint: 0xf8e22876
Version: Expansion 1.10+
36% Enhanced Damage
Magic Find
You�d expect after doing thousands of Baal runs, I would have found plenty of items? Well, not really.You see, Maxamillian had zero magic find. That�s right, zero. I am probably the only player who has taken a character to level 99 without a single percent of magic find. Am I insane you think?
No. When you have been playing this game for as long as I have, needing to find items has long become a distant memory. If I want something, I open my stashes. Not there? Gee, must be on one of my other characters. And if I don�t actually own something that I need, well, there is plenty of items to offer in trade for them. You reach a point in a game like Diablo 2/LoD where it is no longer about finding items, but actually playing characters. That�s what my Schaeferdin was all about to me.
Maxamillian was all about the fight. The battle, The Paladin standing face to face with evil with hammer in hand and shield in the other. He didn�t need to find things and he didn�t need his killing power undermined by magic find. I have other characters for finding items if I ever needed to.
But even so, even without any magic find, the items where still there to be found. Most are distant memories as they where left where they landed. But some I did pick up, the most recent was this;
Code:
Death's Fathom
Dimensional Shard
One-Hand Damage: 30 to 53
Durability: 49 of 50
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 73
Orb Class - Slow Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 88
Fingerprint: 0x8e5a0c3c
Fire Resist +29%
Lightning Resist +40%
+3 to Sorceress Skill Levels
20% Faster Cast Rate
+26% to Cold Skill Damage
So I guess even without magic find, you can still find items worth keeping, just not very often.
The latest game version did give an excellent benefit to a paladin with no magic find. Runes. I guess on average, one rune per 5 runs or so and a major rune about every couple of hundred runs. Yeah, my rune stash are now bulging as a result.
The future
So, is there another 99�er on the cards then? Well erm, I won�t say no. If I do embark on this crazy journey again it will be with a telewalker loaded with magic find I guess. There are still 3 or 4 items missing from my v1.10+ grail so that is a project that could result in another 99�er. Who knows.
Maxamillian is still in for some more play time. One of those items is the cow boots and while the Hell difficulty cow king is dead, Nightmare is the best place to find cow king items. I�ll dumb the damage down with magic find and sack Neeraj.
Funnily enough, I miss the earlier acts, 1-4 and gee, even act 5 outside of the final waypoint�..
I have a couple of unfinished characters (I think) in the bowels of my character selection screen and even a couple of more builds I�d like to try. Some time ago, blizzard introduced a couple of new fangled characters, a big hairy dog and a girl with some cutlery? I have only vague memories about them, been that long since I�ve looked at the character creation screen!
So I think I will take a bit of a break from D2 for a while. Hey, I got a couple of xbox games I bought long ago I�ve been meaning to play, Mass Effect 1 & 2. Then I think I�ll be back and ponder what rune word items I could make with all the runes Maxamillian has found and have a shot at those last items.
Diablo 2/LoD. You can take a break, but you can never leave!|||Huge congratulations. Great write-up. What an achievement. A real labor of love...|||Quote:
Diablo 2/LoD. You can take a break, but you can never leave!
Truth.
Nice writeup and nice 99er!
I'm really glad you stuck with the schnouzer hammer. I know it means a lot more to you than it did me just reading about it!
Welcome back to d2 for the time it took to get to 99, have fun trying to play those new graphical games! With the 3d and the liquid movements and the solid dialog. Overrated.|||Well done, congratulations! It's great to see a carefully and completely optimized character and plan come to fruition so nicely.|||This was such a long time coming Asmodeous, huge congrats!!! Makes me wish I still had my lvl 93 WW assassin Sneaky-Barren (Still on the race to 99 list, ranked #79!) but alas I lost her on a hard drive years ago. Maxamillian's story reminds me so much of sneaky-barren, an underpowered melee build that I played mainly cause it's insanely fun, and no one can beat the style points.
With the nerf to oblivion nights, the ease of access to high runes and the inspiring story of Maxamillian maybe I can make 1 last desperate attempt at a lvl 99 melee assassin before D3. My hat off to you Asmodeous, you're a huge inspiration and one of the reasons I'm still playing this game after all these years.|||*slow claps*|||gg-yo! 890|||Pure Diablo 2 Spirit in this one. I hereby rename thee Awesomodeous.|||Quote:
Pure Diablo 2 Spirit in this one. I hereby rename thee Awesomodeous.
Exactly.
|||Very impressive Asmo, I particularly like the fact there is no CtA.Congratulations on being the second true melee (i.e. physical damage) char to 99.
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