Want to get serious about Diablo II? Me too. But at first, I genuinely thought watching a few videos and following online guides would get me through the whole game. What happened? Nothing but pitfalls. Most tutorials cover stuff from over a decade ago—gear, skills, and monster strategies have changed completely. So I decided to figure it out myself, testing every single one of the five classes. After dying countless times, I finally figured out which playstyles actually work.
Witch Doctor: Don’t Just Master One Spell
I started with the Witch Doctor because everyone said she was the strongest. I read tons of guides, built a full frost-based gear set, and thought I was set. Then I hit Hell difficulty and encountered monsters immune to frost. I stood there casting spells, dealing zero damage, and got chased down and killed. Later, I switched to fire, only to face fire-resistant foes.Switching gear back and forth was such a hassle, I almost quit.
Finally, I realized relying on just one spell wasn’t enough. You need to master two: Lightning and Frost. That way, you can handle any monster. Especially the “Lightning Fury” skill—it clears minions super fast. That’s when I finally started surviving.
Paladin: That Hammer Isn’t Actually That Good
Many online hype the “Blessed Hammer” Paladin build, claiming it one-shots enemies. I built one myself, pouring all skill points into the hammer. The result? In tight spaces like corners or hallways, the hammer couldn’t swing properly and often missed. My mercenary was weak too—even Act 2 Skeletons could kill him. I had to tank everything solo, which was exhausting.
Later I switched to using “Smash” against bosses. It’s slower, but at least it never misses. Honestly though, the Paladin playstyle is too one-dimensional. Beyond boss fights, grinding mobs is just boring.
Barbarian: Gear Farming Takes Forever
I tried the Barbarian too—Whirlwind looks super cool. But reality? Without decent weapons, that skill can’t kill Hell-tier mobs. I farmed nearly 40 hours for one rune and got nothing. My mental health took a hit.
Later, I learned some practical tips:
- Before tackling Hell, return to Normal difficulty and farm Mephisto a few times to get resistance gear;
- Hiring mercenaries is crucial—the one with frost attacks in Act II can save your life;
- Save money and don’t skimp on potions; buying them when needed is cheaper than dying.
Necromancer: More minions? Useless.
I tried a summoning-focused Necromancer build, surrounded by a horde of skeletons—looked pretty badass. Then I ran into Duriel. Three seconds. Wiped. I stood there dumbfounded, seriously tempted to delete the game.
Later, I asked in a chat group and learned: minions alone are useless. You need to max out “Corpse Explosion” and “Reduce Enemy Defense.” Only then does the explosion actually hurt. Otherwise, you’re just throwing yourself away.
My Survival Tips
- Resistances matter: Fire, Ice, Lightning, Poison—each resistance must be at least 75, or any random mob can one-shot you;
- Stock up on magic wands: When facing mobs immune to one element, instantly switch to a wand with another element;
- Don’t waste time clearing mobs: Run away whenever possible early on—80% of mobs aren’t worth fighting, it’s a time sink;
- Always have teleportation ready: Before unlocking teleport skills, avoid rushing to distant areas—walking there will exhaust you.
I currently play a Lightning Witch build for its fast clearing speed. But honestly, this game is insanely gear-dependent. Many players breeze through it because they have top-tier gear from over a decade ago. For the average player, mastering it requires hundreds of hours of grinding—utterly exhausting.It took me two months to finally assemble a full set of rune affixes. After defeating the final boss, I actually felt bored.
This game isn’t unentertaining—it’s just too punishing. You’re not fighting monsters; you’re battling luck. So don’t put too much stock in online “ultimate builds”—many authors stopped playing ages ago. Experiment yourself, tweak your approach, and find what works for you. That’s the only way to truly stick with it.