Diablo 2 Patch 1.13c

Apparently this came out a few weeks ago. I hadn't heard a thing.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Patch 1.13c -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A new Mystery has been revealed! * Adventurers of Sanctuary are hereby warned once again, that a new challenge awaits you. Within Diablo's Bosses, spanning across the world from the ancient Monastery Catacombs to the Throne of Destruction, is where you'll find what you seek... Major Bugs * Fixed an item dupe bug. * Video improvements for Intel Mac machines with OS 10.5 or greater. * Fixed an issue where some players could kill other players while in town ("TPPK"). * Fixed an issue where some players could disconnect other players when they had too many active states. * Fixed two issues where players could stack auras in an unintended way. Minor Bugs * Uber Mephisto now checks for both Uber Baal and Uber Diablo to be killed before spawning summoned minions (Before he would only check for Uber Baal). * The game will no longer stop and then restart the game music after the window loses and then regains focus. * Fixed an issue where the game window would minimize when running in windowed mode when it lost focus. * Fixed an issue where the game window wouldn't center properly when it was created. * Fangskin should now properly drop loot in Hell difficulty. * Fixed an issue where auras were not re-applied to your mercenary after it was resurrected. * Fixed an issue where if you had two items which provided auras to a mercenary and you unequipped one, the aura from the remaining item never became active. * Fixed an issue where the Paladin class runeword 'Principle' wasn't having all of its stats applied properly. * Fixed an issue where the Paladin's Charge ability would become locked out if Holy Shield faded while charging. * Fixed an issue where the Barbarian's Leap ability could become locked out if they were hit when they started to leap. Specific changes/improvements * Respecialization is now possible! Completing the 'Den of Evil' quest will now additionally reward 1 free respec which can be saved. Players who have already completed this quest should receive 1 free respec in Hell difficulty. * Increased the drop rate of high runes. * Support for blit scaling in windowed mode. The game can now be maximized to the largest 4:3 resolution supported (hooray widescreen users). * Some rare drop items now have an orange color. i.e. Runes and items required for Uber Tristam. * Modified the gold bank limit to be a flat cap not bound by level. * Removed the requirements to create a hardcore character. * Greatly reduced the explosion damage dealt by Fire Enchanted monsters. * Uber Mephisto and Uber Baal's summoned minions no longer give experience. * Removed Oblivion Knight's Iron Maiden curse. * Hellfire Torch Firestorm proc rate has been reduced to 5%. * Users can now toggle the display of text over the Health and Mana globes by clicking on the bottom area of each orb. * When creating a single player game, each difficulty button is now bound to a unique key: Normal 'R', Nightmare 'N', and Hell 'H'. * The 'Enter Chat' Button in the battle.net waiting room is now bound to the 'Enter' key. * Added the windows system buttons to the game window (MIN, MAX, CLOSE). * Added new command line parameter '-nofixaspect' which allows users to not fix the aspect ratio to 4:3 when maximizing in windowed mode. This lets the game 'stretch' to fill your monitor. * Added support for '-sndbkg' command line switch. This enables sound in background. * Added the following aliases for pre-existing command line options, '-nosound', '-window', and '-windowed'. Revised Skill balance for Player Character classes Amazon o Immolation Arrow - Increased radius of Explosion effect by 33% and Immolation effect by 50%. o Immolation Arrow - Explosion effect damage increased by 20%. o Immolation Arrow - Increased base duration by 33%. Assassin o Drgon Claw - Synergy receives 4% additional damage per point of Claw Mastery. o Dragon Talon - The bonus to Attack Rating per point has been increased to 35. o Shadow Master - Increased resistance range per point from 5-80 to 5-90. o Combo points awarded by combo moves now last 15 seconds, up from 9. Barbarian o Whirlwind - Reduced initial mana cost by 50%. o Masteries - Changed critical strike chance from 0-25 to 0-35. Paladin o Blessed Hammer - No longer ignores resistances of undead and demons. Druid o Werebear - Damage bonus increased by 15% across all ranks. o Werebear - Increased health by 25% and armor by 1% per point. o Shockwave - Synergy from Maul adds 5% damage per point. Necromancer o Blood Golem - Removed negative shared life effect (player no longer loses life when the golem takes damage). o Corpse Explosion - Increased base damage dealt from 60% - 100% to 70% - 120% of corpses health. o Poison Nova - Increased base damage by 15%. Sorceress o Firewall - Synergy receives 1% damage per point of Inferno and 4% per point of Warmth. o Blaze - Synergy receives 1% damage per point of Firewall and 4% per point of Warmth. o Hydra - Increased base damage by 15% per rank. o Hydra - Increased base speed of Hydra projectile. o Hydra - Reduced cooldown by 25%.

Will give further information as I find it.

So basically, there's a new item which is created when four other new items are transmuted in the cube. These four items drop from the act bosses in hell difficulty. Andariel and duriel drop the same one, and the other three each come from the three brothers. These have approximately 1/10 chance to drop (it's actually like 1/11 or 1/13 or something but whatever). As far as I know, the individual items do nothing, but when they're transmuted together they create an item that allows you to reset your skill points as if you hadn't ever spent any. In addition to this method of resetting skills, you can also reset your skills once for every time you do the Den of Evil quest (once per difficulty) by talking to Akara after-the-fact.

Oh, and there was a ladder reset.

As far as I know, the individual items do nothing, but when they're transmuted together they create an item that allows you to reset your skill points as if you hadn't ever spent any. In addition to this method of resetting skills, you can also reset your skills once for every time you do the Den of Evil quest (once per difficulty) by talking to Akara after-the-fact.

It's about time! People have been wanting them to do this for so long and years and years and years have gone by and now they finally do it! Good to hear Blizzard.. even if they make it in the form of a bunched together item-drop combination.

Unfortunately, they didn't deliver on the shared-stash that they said would be in this patch. There are a lot of fundamental things they should add/change, really, that on the surface don't seem like they would be that hard to implement. I mean, they claim they have a whole team working on Diablo stuff, even Diablo 2, however the amount of changes in this patch for the amount of time since the last patch is pretty lame. Oh well, though, hopefully it's because they're working on Diablo 3.

Oh well, though, hopefully it's because they're working on Diablo 3.

My thoughts exactly. I'm sure Diablo 3 will have everything that's always been wanted to help sell and keep the game relevant and fresh. This is just to keep Diablo 2 players that are still active in the game somewhat happy.

shared-stash

What exactly is this?

Essentially, make it where you don't have to mule items between characters on the same account. There would be a shared stash for your account. They also said they would increase the stash size.

So much for a content-patch.

Fuckers.

I wanted a new patch that came out with a bunch of new shit/monsters/runewords/quests to prepare for Diablo 3.

Blizzard has failed.

Yeah, the opening paragraph of the patch notes kinda pisses me off because it made me think there was some new sort of adventure (like uber trist and the various ubers). All they added content wise is 4 items that drop from already existing bosses and only serve to reset your skills. Granted, being able to reset your skills is cool, but it's kinda late to be adding something like that to the game. They should have added that in addition to something new.

Three words: World of Warcraft.

WoW's a fucking absurdity. Just a constant gear grind. Yuck, ugh, puke.

It isn't too bad if you don't play it to "be the best". I enjoy leveling characters, and doing dungeons. The gear is a nice bonus for me, but I'm not one of those people that is running dungeons just so I can get better gear. I find I enjoy the game more that way.

Kinda like how when I play Diablo 2 I play legit through the levels rather than just getting rushed. I end up finding most of the gear I need, or enough to trade for the gear I need (if I let myself do that, sometimes I don't.)

When you turn a game into work, it is just that, work. I don't play games to work.

yeah if you play the game to actually enjoy the game you can take a lot more from it through storylines and game content. They have dumbed it down to an extremely mind-numbing level, but it's still entertaining. They need to bring back legitimate world PVP.

The game is what you make it, basically. If it's nothing but a "constant gear grind" it's because you're making it that, in my opinion. Sometimes I like to just run around and see if I can find places I haven't been to before. Sometimes I like to go help lowbies do quests or something. Sometimes I like running dungeons and sometimes I like doing PVP. But in general, if I find that I'm not having fun doing something, I'll stop doing it and do something else.

But in general, if I find that I'm not having fun doing something, I'll stop doing it and do something else.

Exactly. Why play any game if you aren't having fun? If you aren't having fun playing a game then you're working, and working for free.

It's almost impossible to not have to work in WoW. First the game is created to really open up at top level. Once you hit that top level it's impossible to keep progressing (ie. gear) by yourself, because the endgame is purely multiplayer. You NEED many other players to really do anything, besides getting rich. You can't join a guild because all the ones that are worthwhile are a bunch of elitist assholes. So you have to be as good as them to even get in. So where do you start!?... Don't even get me started on rolling a DPS toon either! If you can't tank or heal you're basically worthless..
Of course I'm generalizing, but I'm pretty sure all new players face this. It's very frustrating.

not to get off subject in this thread but:

It's almost impossible to not have to work in WoW. First the game is created to really open up at top level.

Yes, there are a lot of things available end-game, but there is still a plethora of content in the beginning, middle, and end of the game. You just have to explore as K_A mentioned and work around in maybe no-so conventional ways.

Once you hit that top level it's impossible to keep progressing (ie. gear) by yourself, because the endgame is purely multiplayer.

You can quest entirely 'til 70, given it may take a little longer, but even if you do manage to get end-game without any help you can still PVP/run instances with the dungeon finder and be paired with other random players accross several servers.

You NEED many other players to really do anything, besides getting rich. You can't join a guild because all the ones that are worthwhile are a bunch of elitist assholes.

Like what? You may need it to run end-game instances, but that's it. Like I just mentioned, the dungeon finder is great for anything from lvl (15?)-til end game. I've leveled a mage from 0-65 in basically two months playing fairly infrequently, and without any help from any higher end guilds, or players. I've already had a few end game characters, and it was not any more boring than it had before, if anything it is much easier to hit end game now as it was compared to before the influx of retards.

So you have to be as good as them to even get in. So where do you start!?... Don't even get me started on rolling a DPS toon either! If you can't tank or heal you're basically worthless..

Not true. You just sound like you've had some bad experiences or something. Maybe you could try finding some cool people throughout the game, and add them to your friends list. Find out when they play, use some 'social interaction' to make some friends to quest and level with. Form a guild with them. Just negatively bashing all aspects of the game is obviously going to give you that same effect.

Heh. Mmk dev. I know all the good points of the game. I LOVED leveling my first toon, a rogue to 80. It's just after I hit 80 it was awesome and a bit of a let down. Anyways, it's an amazing game no doubt.

So make another character, level through different zones, profit? I mean, you're saying you loved leveling your character but you were a bit let down by level 80. Sounds to me like you would enjoy making another character rather than continuing to play your rogue. The natural response to that will be, "but then I've wasted all of that time getting the rogue to 80 and I'm leveling another character when I could be making my already-level-80 character better!!!!11" But ultimately, all that matters right now is right now, and if you aren't having fun right now you should find a way to.

But seriously, I've leveled up 1~60 horde side 3-4 times and I've basically gone different routes each time. I still have yet to level an alliance character past 20 or so and have plenty of content to explore on that side when I choose to. The point is, the game has a lot more to offer than level 80 and level 80 content, and even then it offers everything up to raiding on a SILVER PLATTER. The dungeon finder is STUPIDLY easy to use and makes doing dungeons almost too easy. You can group with people from other servers, you teleport straight to the dungeon, you can teleport out and back in at any time if you need to buy/sell stuff, etc... If anything, Blizzard has made WoW incredibly accessible to the casual player now. With the exception of a few raid dungeons, there's nothing in the game I can't experience with little/no effort. I mean, I could go get on my character right now and do a level 80 heroic dungeon in less than 30 minutes and log off for the night if I wanted to.

80 be rogue, 80 be pala, 80 troll hunter, multiple lower levels. Even a 29 orc shammy twink... God he was OP... Nowomannocry I probably liked doing BG's the best w/ him. To bad they ruined twinking.

I will agree that that is one thing that Blizzard seems to do a lot of, is ruin fun. What harm are twinks, really? It is analogous to when they "fixed" wall-climbing so people couldn't explore "hidden" areas. There was absolutely no harm, and lots of people genuinely enjoyed simply exploring the game and trying to find new places. I see no reason for them to "fix" harmless things like that.