Class: Any
Tag:
Balrog = ROG
Maelstorm = STORM
Lich = LICH
This is a collection of 3 variants that are not designed to be played legitimately. (Though it's probably possible by modifying the rules a bit here and there.) They're designed to be played with perhaps single player uniques, uniques in unnatural forms (e.g. Immolator ring), and perhaps even use a trainer to equip some of these unnatural items. This does not, however, mean that this variant is meant to be played in any cheating manner that you desire.
Due to the illegitimate nature of these variants, I'd recommend playing them as you would play a mod: Either in Single Player (where cheating doesn't matter), or in games with others who are playing Nethermentals. Treat it as a mod - an different version of the game - not designed to be played with non-Nethermental characters. (As a side note, I do not condone or recommend cheating on Battle.net at all.)
Should you choose to download any programs to assist you in playing this variant, neither I, Charis, nor Xswcz are responsible for anything that could happen to your computer as a result. Trainers may contain viruses, worms, or other harmful things. You have been warned.
And don't ask me where to find such programs either.
Remember, it is possible to play this variant legitimately, you just have to modify the rules a bit. I've done my best to provide an alternative rule for legitimate Nethermentals where an illegitimate rule or condition exists. One over-riding rule for legits: Once obtained, the Nethermental must have some form of elemental melee damage. For Balrogs this means using a fire damage item, and for Maelstorms it means using a lightning damage item. For Liches, you decide what it means.
-Lemming
Through an event not well understood, spawn of Balrogs and Maelstorms have emerged in Tristram, and display unusual powers. As young they are not particularly powerful, but as they grown and gain experience, they may become formidable opponents. Together, these two and perhaps others are known as Nethermentals. There may even exist a third Nethermental, the Lich.
In their early years, they must master hand to hand combat, in combination with breath and elemental attacks. The 'approach' is key to attack, and is mastered in the "Fleet Quest."
Death is especially painful, and will often knockout a special attack form for the duration of the game. (Some items cannot be re-equipped without a trainer; optionally, or on special quests, can not do so in same game. Legits can ignore this part.)
Armor
They don't wear much armor at all, no heavier than
chain mail. Often they are topless, with their
pounding heart visibly beating against their chest.
Jewelry in armor slot! This slot may not provide +dmg, rather fire/lning dmg or resists, and/or stat adjustments. (Legit Version: Wear light weigth resistance armor. Allowed suffixes are +Stat.)
Resistance
They share resistance traits with their ancestors.
Balrogs have NO lightning resist before they reach Hell difficulty, but maximum fire resistance from an early age.
Maelstroms have NO fire resists, but max res Magic/Lightning. They may get +res all from uniques only.
Liches have early max magic resist, but low resists for others.
1) Fleet Quest
To fight mages, Nethermentals learn
early how to close distance with a foe while avoiding
ranged attacks, and to slay their foe before they can
land a blow. In this quest, lvls 1 and 2 of the church
must be cleared without taking a single hit, then
killing the Butcher. (Butcher is allowed to hit you during this fight.)
2) Knowledge Quest
Young Nethermentals must learn how
to use their innate powers, and lacking parental guidance,
must unlock the secrets by finding books. They must find
a 'key book', Inferno for Balrogs, Lightning for Maelstorms,
which will allow the use of +fire/+lning dmg weapons.
When a second book or subsequent book is found, that spell
should be learned as high as their magic will allow. It's supposed to be an innate power,
which once unlocked, is quickly recovered. Besides if you
wait too long, Inferno will again return to the realm of
useless spells. (Receive such books as gifts, and borrow reading glasses to learn the spell levels.)
3) Elemental Quest
They must also learn how to deal
fire and lightning dmg at all times, unaided or
unhindered by a weapon. To gain this ability, they
must clear the cats without returning to town, and
die to an appropriate cave monster (Slayer/Guardian/Vortex
or Red Storm/Storm Rider/Storm Lord/Maelstorm). (Deaths
in caves are allowed and likely.) The Knowledge Quest
must be completed before or during this quest. (This quest is not possible to be done legitimately as a Balrog, so use a crappy "of Flame" melee weapon and ignore the "weaponless" idea. Maelstorm can wear Sparking Mail to do this.)
After this quest, they can wear a minor +fire or +lightning dmg item in a non-weapon slot. It is after the Mutagen quest that they can do the same with other (non-elemental dmg) items, although strive to keep a balanced character!! (Legits ignore this part.)
4) Territorial Quest
Until now, the Nethermentals have been
too weak to attract the attention of their kin, but the
time has come to challenge the leaders of their society
and prove their worth. They must take down, solo, each
boss of their kind, and clear a full level of each.
Rogs: Vortex Lords, Windspawn, 12, & Gorefeast, 13; Balrogs, Blackskull, 13.
Maels: Red Storm, Brokenstorm, 9; Storm Rider, Flayer, 10; the Maelstrom kingpin: Doomcloud, 13.
The Kingpin should be slain, if possible, after Diablo, for he is a more important foe. As a reward, the Nethermutant is crowned heir to the King of his kind, and receives a special helm. The helm is upgraded after this quest is repeated on Hell difficulty. Harlequin Crest is typical for Normal, and later Lightforge, or Veil of Steel. (Legit Reward: Overlord's Helm for normal, with Royal Circlet as a reward for Hell difficulty.)
5) Ascension Quest
The link to their ancestral powers
is strengthened when two bosses of the OPPOSITE type
(e.g. Maelstrom bosses for Rog) are slain as well as Diablo,
in a single NM diff game. (Bosses done solo, 'D' can be coop.)
Second +fire dmg or fire resist item can be worn
(where needed!) after this quest.
6) Mutagen Quest
A quest which unlocks a very powerful
ability, to transmogrify a unique item into another
shape. Details of this ability are scant, but storms have
been known to wear Sparking Shields... Diablo must be
defeat on Hell difficulty to unlock this power. (Legits ignore this part.)
7) Blazing Quest
The biological clock of Nethermentals dictates special
days where their lust for glory and depth of power take
on unusual proportions. Their spell level and light
radius go through the roof, and they cast fireballs,
charged bolts, and chain lightning with reckless abandon. (A DF, TC or similar in *each* slot, for at least +8 slvl. For Legits, obtain a TC, Naj Plate, and Dreamflange. Other slots should contain +Magic - not +All - items, ideally with +Mana prefix where possible.)
Balrog
Maelstrom
Lich
Fire Damage Uniques | ||
Inferno | Long Sword | 2-12 Fire Dmg, +75% Res Fire, +20 Mana, +30% Light |
Immolator | Long Staff | 4 Fire Dmg, +20% Res Fire, +10 Mana, -5 Vit |
Messerschmidt's Reaver | Great Axe | 2-12 Fire Dmg, +200% Dmg, +15 Dmg, +5 All, -50 Life |
Flamedart | Hunter's Bow | 1-6 Fire Dmg, 1-6 Fire Arrows, +40% Res Fire, +20% To Hit |
Lightforge (Single Player) |
Mace | 10-20 Fire Dmg, +150% Dmg, +25% To Hit, +8 All, +40% Light, Indes. |
Griswold's Edge (Single Player) |
Quest Item | 1-10 Fire Dmg, Fast Attack, +25% To Hit, Knockback, +20 Mana, -20 Life |
Fire Resist Uniques | ||
Demonspike Coat | Full Plate Mail | +50% Res Fire, -6 DFE, 100 AC, +10 Str, Indes. |
Dragon's Breach | Kite Shield | +25% Res Fire, 20 AC, +5 Str, Indes., -5 Mag |
Gonnagal's Dirk (Single Player) |
Dagger | +25% Res Fire, +4 Dmg, Fast Attack, -5 Dex |
Holy Defender | Large Shield | +20% Res Fire, -2 DFE, Fast Block, 15 AC, 96 Dur |
Ice Shank | Long Sword | +40% Res Fire, +5-10 Str (Varies) (Note: This item is disallowed. Balrogs don't like Ice.) |
Lightning Damage Uniques | ||
Lightsabre | Sabre | 1-10 Lit Dmg, +50% Res Lit, +20% To Hit, +20% Light |
Schaefer's Hammer | War Hammer | 1-50 Lit Dmg, +75% Res Lit, +30% To Hit, +50 Life, +10% Light, -100% Dmg |
Stormspire | War Staff | 2-8 Lit Dmg, +50% Res Lit, +10 Str, -10 Mag |
Thundercall | Composite Staff | 1-10 Lit Dmg, +30% Res Lit, 76 Lit Charges, +35% To Hit, +20% Light |
Sparking Mail | Chain Mail | 1-10 Lit Dmg, 30 AC |
Lightning Resistance Uniques | ||
Optic Amulet (Single Player) |
Quest Item | +20% Res Lit, +5 Mag, -1 DFE, +20% Light |
Scavenger's Carapace | Breast Plate | +40% Res Lit, -15 DFE, +5 Dex, -6 to -10 AC (varies) |
Stonecleaver | Broad Axe | +40% Lit Res, +50% Dmg, +20% To Hit, +30 Life |
Wisdom's Wrap | Robe | +25% Lit Res, 15 AC, +5 Mag, +10 Mana, -1 DFE |
Uniques from Another Realm (Single Player) |
||
Gonnagal's Dirk, Lightforge Optic Amulet, Griswold's Edge |
See above. | |
Bramble | Ring | +3 Dmg, +10 Mana, -2 All |
Crackrust | Mace | +15% Res All, +50% Dmg, +2 All, Indes., -1 Spells |
The Deflector | Buckler | +10% Res All, 7 AC, -20% Dmg, -5% To Hit |
The Mangler | Large Axe | +200% Dmg, -10 Mana, -5 Magic, -5 Dex |
Butcher's Cleaver | Quest Item | 4-24 Dmg, +10 Str, 10 Dur |
Arkaine's Valor | Quest Item | -3 DFE, Harmony, 25 AC, +10 Vit |
Veil of Steel | Quest Item | +50% Res All, +60% AC, +15 Str/Vit, -30 Mana, -20% Light |
Harlequin Crest | Quest Item | +7 Mana/Life, +2 All, -1 DFE, -3 AC |
Undead Crown | Quest Item | 0-12.5% Life Steal, 8 AC |
Empyrean Band | Quest Item | +2 All, Balance, Thieves, +20% Light |
Ring of Truth | Quest Item | +10% Res All, +10 Life, -1 DFE |
It would seem SC and SparkMail would make nice shields, and WisWrap a decent Turban; Stonecleaver a nice ring. (Legit: Ignore this part. ;)