Hall_Smaqd

Smaqd - Creeping Doom Druid †

Character Intro and Overview †

Smaqd ("smacked") was actually my second attempt at a creeping doom druid. This guy actually uses three different skills, Creeping Doom being his primary means of damage. It was also my second caster-type Druid (first after the restart) to beat Hell, but not the Domain as of yet. Sure, if I tweaked him out quite a bit more I could make it down Naraku a few levels, but am not sure about Domain area. But for a build like this it's doable.

Stats and Attributes †

Before adding Lunar Charm and druid-craft boots.

Level: 89

Strength: Added as little as possible. 65.
Dexterity: Should've been base. 30.
Vitality: Base (20).
Energy: Everything else.

Life before buffs: 1892
Life after buffs (before merc's Battle Command): 6392

Mana before buff: 1901
Mana after buff: 3328

Skills †

Creeping Doom: 20

Primary skill

Tornado: 25

Secondary skill

Acid Rain: 20

I try to have this one on at all times

Arctic Blast: 30

Synergy to Creeping Doom and Tornado

Sandstorm: last to max, I have a couple points in it.
If there were still some points to go, I'd use earth spikes.

Cow Balloon: 5 (for two Oak Sages.)
Oak Sage: 1

Without Oak, you'd probably need a lot of life to keep yourself from getting
killed elsewhere

Battle Orders: 7 (On weapon switch.)

Helps me, my merc, and my Oak Sages by raising life, and me by raising mana.

Equipment †

• Helm: Lunar Charm (Tiara) Big bundle of all resists, +% to magic skill damage, Slain Monsters RIP, +2 all skills. Forged +all skills..
• Gloves: Runefusion (Battle Gauntlets). Socketed with a Knowledgeable Jewel. Forged +1 all skills. I have two Ruby meldings on these gloves.
• Boots: Druid-craft boots. Forged +20% faster cast.
• Belt: Harness of the Gods (Plated Belt), socketed with a +16 All Res-forged Nexus Star. Forged +1 all skills.
• Armor: "Zenith" (Te N Chi Yo U) chain shirt. D-stoned +% to Life. To be honest, Insight (Mi Nu Ku Chi Ka Ra) will be better for you because of the Meditation on equip and +5 skills. But I don't have a Nu rune yet.
• Weapon: Starter's Shaman wand. +1 druid, +2 Elemental, 2 sockets. I used chipped frozen souls for a +6% magic skill damage boost. I d-stoned +% magic skill damage on this and forged +1 all skills.
• Shield: Rare shield with +9% DR, some MDR and resists, but I added sockets and put in two perfect diamonds for more +resists and such. I also forged +1 all skills.
• Ring1: Tab-rolled druid ring with +3 to Elemental skills. Forged +1 all skills.
• Ring2: Zodiac Band, forged +1 all skills.
• Amulet: Beads of the Guardian, socketed with a rare +1 Druid skills jewel (forged FCR) and forged +1 all skills.

1. 20% FCR forged Lothar's Will. +1 Druid-forged Perfect Cell and Yello Jello. "Harmony" (Wa Se I) veteran's charm for +30% life, +18% mana/FCR/FHR/DR.

With all equipment I have +101% FCR. To hit 9fpc, I need 125%.

Merc and Merc Equipment †

Act 5 Offensive Barb mercenary for the Ancients' Call skill whenever possible. Until he activates this on a magic immune, or if AC doesn't strip it, CD to stun and Tornado to wipe it out.

He is wearing the Barbarian N set. If I had the resources I'd upgrade it to the H set. I have a lifesteal ring and lifesteal amulet, along with a +1 all skills ring with 50% poison length reduction. I also gave him a Ya-forged Hands of the Assassin (Demonhide Gloves) socketed with a Ya rune for even more life steal.

Play style? †

Acid Rain does poison damage as well. I try to keep it active when I'm on the field. Creeping Doom works wonders if you're close to the target. A wide variety of monsters aren't magic immune in Nightmare, and most aren't in Hell except for Acts 2, 4 and 5. You might run into Wailing Beasts in Act 1 Hell which are magic immune.

I didn't get an item with + to Teleport, even though this skill can help you get out of trouble. If used improperly, it can get you INTO trouble.

Author thoughts †

There are plenty of gaps in this build that I want to fill up, but I actually got him to pass Hell quite decently. So I am currently using him to farm Worldstone Keep/Throne and Act 5 bosses to collect loot and green/gold/purple runes. I have a lot of fun with this build.

New, 11-6-11: I did some equipment updating and I have his Creeping Doom near 11K per missile. Lunar Charm works well and it even saves you from forging RIP on your weapon, since it is included on the helm. This opened up more areas for me to run, esp. areas that have revivers since they cannot resurrect monsters at peace.

thepsycho2 | Bastige