LLD101

[Dao_Jones]

Pardon if this sounds overly dumb, but I'd just like a point clarified. I'm very interested in trying my hand at LLD, but I seem to be finding conflicting accounts of exactly what level defines "low level dueling". I see that your rules here are for roughly 30th level characters, but elsewhere I have seen a max of 9th (vlld, I guess it's called), and 18th.

I ask because I'd rather not build ten different characters spanning a range of levels, but instead focus on two or three llds that will be best suited to fighting in the most common "tier" (i.e. most frequent "level range"). Thanks in advance for your answers (and hopefully patience if this question has been asked many times before).

[VoicesLLD]

the most common tiers are 29-30, 18, and 9.

29 being most melee (except druids which are level 30, and smiters which are 28, and chargers which are 27.) and 30 being most casters/off the wall builds (warcry barb, bowadin, etc etc)

level 9s are usually tiger strike sins, sacadins, bash barbs, jabberzons, or smiters.

anything over level 9 is not hell rushed, or shouldnt be.

http://wirsz.phpwebhosting.com/LLDBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3667
http://wirsz.phpwebhosting.com/LLDBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1034

[Belarathon]

If yuo want 2-3 characters you can focus on, the most common levels I see in lld'ers are level 9's, level 18's, and level 30's. Level 9's are mostly assassin, amazon, barb, or pally. Level 18 are mostly all zeal pallies, level 30's are mostly sorc/necro or level 29 zealer/conc barb.

edit: oop, look slike voices is a faster typer

[Dao_Jones]

Thank you both. I guess what I'm looking for is the "category" that has:

1. The most varied opponents (I'd hate to keep fighting the same three builds),

2. The least amount of munchkin buffing (NM/Hell rushed, stacked with huge amounts of hard to get jewels),

3. The most fun! (I'd like it to be more about skill and having a good time, and not just about who can waste time finding all the "perfect" gear for a given build.)

So maybe I should build something using the Clan Honor rules (and join the channel), and keep a level 18 or 9 on the side... although I admit, making a good dueler at level 18 sounds like a cool challenge.

[VoicesLLD]

the easiest, most popular, and cheapest LLD you can make would be in the level 29-30 catagory. on top of that youll find the most duels in this catagory.

the second cheapest, and second easiest to find duels would be 18.

and then the most expensive and least easy to find duels would be level 9. most level 9 duelers make their character simply for the fact of making it, and trying to make it perfect. trying to get the most ar/life/defense/dmg as possible. and then when one comes along to duel, you can have the fun of trying to slaughter each other.

[B[x]]

yeah, vlld is all about making/planning the char. you spend very little effort dueling, most if it is just point and click and watch what your char can do.

[Jerkazoid]

this is very interesting bc i feel the exact opposite.

makign a competative lvl 30 takes most of the expensive hard to find gear.. and same with lvl 18's

+9 jewels can be found in areas with low levels and therefore less odds of other mods, so there easier to mf then +15's.i also feel ten +15 lc's are again easier then trying to pick up 40 +15' sc's.and finding vlld rares is not too bad when your search is limited within Normal andys TC's and low level gambling..

i find staying low level may limit your choices. but the avg gear should be easier to acculmulate..when u start getting into the perfection.. obviouly 10mana/15 life lc's cost alot but compared to a 10mana/15 life sc ?.
does +24 jewel cost same as vlld +14 jewel? i would say the market favors the higher gear as its in more demand by larger audience


as for affordable duelers
u can be semi compatative with the non +dmg builds like smiters and kickers.. they dont cost as much to make bc u cut out the +dmg gear liek charms and jewels. u must realize they will never be king of any mountain,, but they do function

[ThatGuy]

Yes, you are correct in the statistical view, but not in the psychological view. People who make 18-30 are always looking for bargain bin deals, with 15 maxers and twitchroe's (been so long, cant remember how to spell it). People who make level 9's are more focused on making the level 9's, and are willing to shell out the big bucks just for that extra 15 damage. Sure, 24 maxers are probably harder to find and relatively more expensive, but when people look at the price, they go "OMG SCREW THIS!" whereas you have the vets and their minis looking at a 14 max right next to it, and willing to pay double of what the 24 max was worth.

Yeah, maybe it's easier to get the stuff, but is it easy to keep up?

[Saeros]

like im still trying to find that blinkbats armor...

sigh, the quest continues..

[Fantasy]

Truly, i dont think u have to have the most expensive gear in lvl 9 dueling nor lvl 29-30 dueling. Sure, with most of the popular builds, u'd need nice max dmg jewels for lvl 9, or max/life charms for lvl 29 zealot/concer, or life/mana, rw/mana scs for lvl 30 casters. But besides that, u can have alot of fun building less expensive llders. (And Jerkazoid, I hope u dont mind me bringing u into this)You should look at Jerkazoid builds, and u'll see. He doesnt rely on any hard to find gear/charms at all. All his builds are mostly inexpensive, but not easy to build. It takes careful examination as well as planning out skills, stats, especially having diff. approach to dueling different classes. (And of course, I'm a huge fan of his work, cause he can duel as well as any of the "godly" equipped pk chars out there with just his simple gears)
Those builds can be kicker/smiter, or even lvl 30ish sorcs. For a lvl 9 kicker/smiter or lvl 28-29 of the same kind, u dont need much to start out with. Just plain life charms, and quite easy gear to find (well, if your a perfectionist, of course it'll take u more time and effort to get supa-dupa gear). Or even with a lvl 30 sorc/ele druid, etc, u pretty much can use plain life or mana charms and still have a fun character to duel with.
I guess my point is if u want to make a llder, dueling skill and well plans are what u need most, not always perfect or godly gear.

[Ender]

i think the cheapest build that is still very fun and good would be a caster. for instance, i have a level 30 wind druid (my lld pride and joy) who can often take out level 80+'s (i even have my own ear hall of fame ^.^). his gear isnt very expensive compared to some other builds. besides his sojs, the only things that take some time to get are his life charms, but with another char u would need something like max dmg jewels AND and inventory full of charms. even though my first lld was a lvl 18 zealot (surprise surprise), it wouldve been easier to just make this druid first.

my 3.6 cents

[xZephyrX]

All I have to add is DON'T make an amazon unless you do a lvl 9 jabber.... zons are hella expensive and not as competetive as most of the other classes. Much to my dismay!!!!!!!

[VoicesLLD]

make a zealot mel

[just shdw]

lvl 29 kick asns are imo the cheapest build, all their gear is easy to find, the only thing that u need to pay any effort to get are all the 15 life scs but u dont need 40 to be effective.

[Dao Jones]