Griswold's Assistant
by Heidi

Class: Warrior, Rogue
Tag: GA

Introduction

Did you ever wonder where Griswold gets all the junk he tries to sell? Well, he's gotta get this crap wholesale somewhere. Some jerk is going into the dungeons, getting this stuff, and then flooding the market with it. This jerk is you.

Job Description

Having recently become employed by Griswold, he gives you a rundown of what he'll expect of you.

Griswold: Well, what can i do for ya!
Assistant: Morning; I'm your new assistant.

Griswold: Ah, nice to meet ya! So ya wanna work for me? I'll tell ya, there's riches to be made in the dungeons!
Assistant: That's why I'm here: To collect a fortune. Don't know much about the job, so tell me what to do.

Griswold: Go into the dungeons and bring me every item ya find that I can sell, basic or enchanted. I'll pay ya 25% of the retail price! Any gold ya find on the way you can keep.
Assistant: Wow, that's a deal. I'll bring as much as I can.

Griswold: Whatever you're carrying while you're down there, ya can use, but once ya come back to me ya gotta sell me everything ya have. But i know ya need fightin' gear, and you can't buy anything from me, so instead I'll loan ya one each of the most expensive items ya find. One helm, one shield, one weapon, one set of armor, two rings and an amulet. Each time ya come to me, ya gotta keep the most pricey item in each category, whether ya want it or not. I don't know myself what true applicable value is, so i guess the higher the cost, the better the item. If ya end up with seven items all resistant to lightning for example, too bad! That's the way it goes! Ha! If ya want a blunt to kill skeletons but the sword sells for more, that's tough. I need stock for my shop.
Assistant: That's a generous offer; I'll do it!

Griswold: As a melee fighter, if ya wanna carry a bow for back-up fightin', that's yer business; but remember, the more gear ya bring me, the more money you'll make! But as an archer, ya could use a bow for main combat if ya wish. Just know this: Carrying a bow is a waste of pack space, and that space could make you more money! Remember, you wanna save as much gold as ya can. Your goal is to amass 200,000 coins. If ya wanna leave it laying around town for the lag gremlins to steal, that's your business. If not, keep it safe in inventory, but ya lose pack space.
Oh, and if some other hero in town has gold or items, don't be acceptin' gifts; ya should earn yer own keep.
We don't like thieves in Tristram, either.
Any questions, lad?

Assistant: I may be greedy for money, but I will work for it.
I do have some experience with metal. If i need to repair items, should I? Or should I let you do that?
Griswold: Lower durability doesn't change resale price, so ya can if ya must. I'll even repair the items I loan ya, but that'll cost ya; I don't work for free ya know.

Assistant: What about jewelry, boss. You don't sell them, so what do I do with them?
Griswold: I'll buy 'em from ya, son. I sneak 'em out the back entrance and sell them on the Blacksmith Market (single player games)! Where'd ya think they went?

Assistant: What about magical items? Do you want them identified or unidentified
Griswold: I'll buy magical items even if they're not identified, but you'll usually make more money if ya can tell me what they do. You can use a scroll to find out, or you can pay Cain to tell ya. Cain? He's standin' right over there behind ya! But be warned, if ya waste 100 coins on a cursed item, too bad! That's business.

Assistant: I'll get to a level that pays well and just keep milking it.
Griswold: I want better and better gear, son. Don't be cheating me. If you gotta leave work, keep track of which level ya cleared last, and then return to it. You can hack your way back to it by using whatever you're allowed to use, but ya can't keep any gold or sell me any items that ya found on your way there. There's 16 levels to be had; don't just linger on one and flood my shop with too much junk just to make yerself money.

Assistant: Sorry, boss, I didn't mean to sound so selfish. I'll make a note of where i stopped, then return to that level. Say, what about unique items, boss?
Griswold: Bah! I hate 'em! I can't resell them, so don't bring me any. In fact, if I catch ya carrying one, you're fired!

Assistant: Got that, boss: No uniques ever. What about the shrines, boss?
Griswold: Eh? I don't know. They don't cost any gold, so use them all. What the heck! Shrines, Goat Shrines, Cauldrons, Pools... use what ya like! Hey, now, wait a minute. I recall a shrine or two that's no good for ya. The Shrine of Murphy and the Mendicant's Shrine (in Hellfire) can take yer money, so be careful around 'em!

Assistant: Free blessings, you're smart, boss. I heard there's a witch near town that also buys items.
Griswold: Ya workin' for me now, son. Magic? Bah. I catch ya carrying that stuff instead of stock and you'll be lookin' for a new job. Believe me, there's more money in weaponry than magic. Look at my shop! Brand new roof, downtown location, even next door to the tavern; I'm makin' a good living here. What's the witch have? Some old shack on the poor side of the river. Stick with me, son. Ya can use scrolls, potions, read books, and use staves if you can handle 'em, but don't be wastin' my time and yours by walkin' over there.

Assistant: True, she is down and out all right, and it is a long, annoying walk. What about level up points, boss?
Griswold: I'm gonna be loanin' ya some expensive gear, so ya better have the strength and dexterity to use them. Conserve your points, then use them when ya need them. If you can read a book with the gear, do it, but don't waste any points on magic. Ya wanna be a book worm or a fighter?

Assistant: What's this i hear about your competition?
Griswold: Wirt? Bah, are ya listenin' to me? Ya wanna be rich, so don't be bothered by that overpriced scam artist. I'm loanin' ya my most costly items anyway.

Assistant: i think that explains the job, boss. Let's get started!
Griswold: One more thing, come here, I'll whisper this to ya... Now, there's a place where there's even more gold, but ya gotta pay the gods to get there. It's gonna cost alot, but it's worth it. The riches there are even greater. It's called the Land of Nightmares... and it'll cost ya 200,000 gold coins to get there. Once you've reached level 20 and collected that much gold, ya can keep going, or just retire. But if ya go onward, ya just might earn that one priceless item that no money can buy...

Assistant: Woooooah.... Wow, what's that, boss?
Griswold: It's called... the Second Dot. And there's even a Third to be had! To get at that, obviously it'll cost another 200,000 clams.

Assistant: I see... What if I clear all 16 levels and don't earn 200,000 clams?
Griswold: I don't actually know how much is down there- maybe Jarulf knows. But if ya get to the end and need a bit more, I'll buy some more gear ya find on levels 13 or lower.

Assistant: I can hardly wait to get started, boss!
Griswold: I think that should cover everything. So get goin'! We got work to do!

Rules

This section is a non-dialogue version of the above rules.

Griswold's Assistant may not repeat levels. Should he have to stop during a game, he must take note of the last level he was on. In the next game he must fight his way back to that level (from the nearest entrance from town). Along the way he may use any item that he finds, but these may only be used until the next time he goes to town. Items found this way may not be sold to Griswold. Gold found this way may not be kept.

You may repair at Griswold but you may buy nothing from him.

You will never buy from Wirt.

You may not go to Adria to sell items, though you may buy things from her.

Items

Everything should be hauled up to Griswold (if he can sell it). After all, your goal is to reach 200,000 gold.

When going to town, the items that you keep are the most expensive items that you've found in that category. While in the dungeon, however, you may use whatever you've found except for things that Griswold would fire you for using. (Staves, Uniques)

You take inventory of all of your helms, rings, armors, and amulets. The most expensive Helm that you have found goes on your head and the rest are sold off to Griswold. Repeat this for Amor and Amulets. For rings, keep the two most expensive rings.

Weaponry is treated this way as well (should you choose to use weapons). For one-handed weapons, you must keep the most expensive weapon no matter what type it is (sword/mace). If you choose to use a shield with this setup (or as a weapon), you must keep the most expensive shield. For bows, you keep the most expensive bow. For two-handed weapons (Mauls, Two-Handed Swords, Great Swords, Axes), you must keep the most expensive of those. But, in normal Diablo, Griswold would never let his assistants use Staves.

If you're a meleer, you may also keep a spare bow around, but it must be the most expensive bow that you've found.

Uniques
Never ever use uniques, or you're fired!

Shrines

Griswold encourages you to use shrines. The weaker your mana is, the more dependant you are on items... and the more money Griswold makes.

Quests

1) Difficulty Progression
In Normal Difficulty, amass 200,000 gold from levels 1-16. Do not repeat levels unless you come up short of the sum. Should you come up short of the sum, you may replay levels 13-16. When you amass 200,000 gold and you're clvl 20+, you may pay to enter Nightmare Difficulty.

In Nightmare Difficulty, you must again amass 200,000 gold. Once that is done and you are clvl 30+, you may pay to enter Hell Difficulty.