Executioners
by Grasharnak, the Lord of the Executioners

Class: Warriors typical, Rogues less common
Tag: EXC

Introduction

The Executioners are a type of Viking variant. These Vikings, however, disdained the use of any other weapon other than the axe. They would go to battle unlike their Viking counterparts in full mail or ring mails; they would wield only a huge two-handed axe. These warriors soon left the Viking army and set up bands of warriors called Executioners. They got their name from the way their huge axes lopped of limbs, especially heads. They also understood the ways of magic to an extent, as a form of ranged attack to take out those who run from their fearsome axes. Soon they were well known for their feats had impressed even the bravest warriors, the power fullest mage, and the nimblest rogue. Soon the powerful muscle mages started to join the executioners and take part in the quest for the magic axes, if they found one of these powerful axes they could join and be trained to use the axe to it's full use. And it was the same with the rogues…

Rules

To become an executioner, when starting out you must wear no armour use no weapons other than fists. (A staff if you are a mage, but no spells may be cast from it.) And go into the church and you may not come out till a axe has been found. Any axe will do. Even a small axe may be used.

Items

Armour
Executions were the heaviest, strongest armour they can find.
They will use the highest ac armour they find, so awesome full plates are there greatest desire. They will never wear cloaks, robes, or rags. The minimum armour they will use is Studded Leather Armour. Executioners will never use +Magic armour. This includes Naj's light plate.

Helms
Any thing is allowed, but as soon as an Executioner finds a +Str helmet (or a very high ac one though +Str takes priority) he must wear that until he finds one that adds more strength or ac. A +Light Radius helm is a very bad thing to an executioner; he will never wear a +Light Radius helm. Strength will take priority over ac.

Jewelry
Executioners understand the need for good gems and amulets, so any jewelry may be used, except for Obsidian jewelry. Such Obsidian jewelry is supposed to be cursed and you will die instantly if you wear one. Strength and +To Hit jewels are very important as you need to hit so you will be able to cleave your foe's head off. +To Hit jewelry takes priority over other jewelry, so that you will be able to hit things.

Weapons
An Executioner may only use an axe.
A new warrior char may use his fists, mages may use a staff - as long as they don't use any of the spells in it until any axe has been found. Rogues also use their fists.

No swords, clubs, flails can be used. Some Executioners also use mighty mauls to crush opponent's heads. The only sword he will use is the Executioners Blade. If he finds this weapon, he may never use any other weapon again.

An Executioner may never use a bow or staff (save for starting Sorc EXC's). He has no use for such a weapon. If an enemy runs away, the executioner can just fire a firebolt in his back - arrows are the weapons of Archers, not Executioners! And leave the staves to the mages of this world. You can't achieve glory in battle with a long pointy stick!

Spells

An executioner has a rudimentary knowledge of the ways of magic, but he doesn't understand some of the most powerful magics. So an Executioner may not use the spells Blood Star, Bone Spirit, Fireball, Nova (scrolls), Inferno and Flame Wave.

Ranks

Junior Executioner
To become an executioner one must do a quest for a magic axe. Any axe that has a prefix or suffix (or both) will do. Once he or she has a suitable axe he becomes a Junior Executioner.

If you are so lucky as to find a unique axe, or maul, you may go straight to the rank of Master Axeman as you get so much respect from the other Executioners.

Executioner
To obtain the rank of Executioner, you must 6 unique monsters in the church. (You may kill the same on as many times as you want). You may if you wish also kill one's in the catacombs, as long as you kill 5 unique monsters. The Unique skeleton "Skullfire" Counts as 2 unique monsters, as he is a wielder of a bow! And no Executioner should have to face the shame of dying without seeing his enemy's eyes!

Master Axeman
To gain the rank of Master Axeman an Executioner must defeat the Butcher with only an axe or maul. Jewelry is allowed, but no armour (or helm) of any kind. Once the Butcher is dead, you may put your armour and helm back on. You can now research all spells up to level 4.

Expert Axeman
Now you must kill the King Leoric. You are allowed to use no spells, only healing pots and your axe. Once done, you may replace your armour and you must now find a warriors axe or any damage adding axe (e.g. jagged, of quality, etc.). You may also research all spells to level 5, and healing to level 6.

Cleaver of Heads
To get the rank of Cleaver of Heads (CoH), you must kill Lazarus and his gang twice using a knight's axe or maul, or any unique axe or maul. You may if you can't find a knights axe/hammer or above, or a unique axe/hammer, you may use a +Strength, +To Hit, +Damage/+Damage% axe, or even a +To Hit%/+Damage% axe of lower quality than Knight's (e.g. "Fine," "Sharp," "Warrior's") so long as it has a suffix.

You may use any armour, but you must use +Strength jewelry when taking out Laz's gang.

You may also now research all spells to level 7 and healing to 10 you may not increase your spell levels anymore, unless it is done with an item.

Lord of the Executioners
To gain one of the highest ranks available to an Executioner, the rank of Lord of the Executioners (LoE), you must kill Diablo on normal difficulty between the levels of 25 and 30 with a damage/speed adding axe of whatever you want, or a unique axe. Also you must cut off the heads of 35 witches (hell spawn or snow witches), and to kill 20 of Diablo's Advocates. Before you carry out your next task you must give a gift to the maker of the axes, Griswold. The gift must be an axe of craftsmanship. You may use any means (other than cheating) to obtain this axe. Once you have sold this axe to Griswold you may carry on with your last quest…

Once you have completed this task, you must move onto the next difficulty level.

Ruler of the Axe
In Nightmare, kill Diablo once again with the best unique axe you can lay your hands on. And then you must kill Diablo on hell difficulty by using a lords/kings/knights/masters axe of haste/swiftness/speed, blood or carnage or a unique axe/maul. And then you have worked your way through the ranks to the awesome level of Ruler of the Axe (RoA for short), you have only one more thing to do to become the ultimate executioner… Beat me! Hahahahahaha! ;)

Tips

Axes. If it isn't an axe don't bother to look at it. If it turns out to be a Kings sword of Haste, you'll feel gutted that you can't use it. A good thing to do is to trade nice armours or other weapons with legit players you know for an axe. I have found that once people know about your variant they will generally help you, or if they have a good axe which is no good to them they offer it to you. People are your friends. Axes, I have found are dropped less than most other weapons and so it gets very boring if you can't find a nice axe. I did a swap with Dr. Disaster for a Kings axe of Vampires! Since I know he is legit, I took it, and gave him a Awesome Plate of Sorcery so he might start a MM one day. Never forget to check Griswold!

Pick up every armour, unless it is a cape robe or rags. Then just forget it and leave them. Once you head into hell and caves you will find nice armours are dropped a lot and you have quite a big choice. I use a awesome full plate of the ages (the only one I have ever found, not even my level 45 warrior found one!). Just take the greatest ac armour you find. But remember, strength adding armours kick out ac! I once had a good mail of titans. I did 150+ damage with my axe!

I have done a lot of duels with my Executioner. And of course the greatest axe for this purpose is a Strange Axe of Haste without a doubt, but you can duel with any axe you want. You really need a dex adding helm, armour, ring. And a to hit adding suffix is a must. Soldiers is the minimum really. I won my duels because of teleport and the fact my knights axe of slaying did so much damage each hit my opponent went flying and never got out of stun lock. With an axe, it only takes a few swings to kill other players. That is as long as you hit them.

Never stop to look at the scenery! Always keep moving, if you stop you are likely to be hit by witches or advocates or if you are in church/cats you will be hit by night clan archers or skell archers. In order to stop yourself from being hit by ranged attacks you must not stop. Explore the area you are fighting in before you take on witches and advocates. And other ranged attackers Find spots to hide behind and places to funnel melee attackers. If you can see only one ranged attacker, only one can get you. So you can pick them off with a spell. Since fireball isn't useable by you, you have to use firebolt and elemental. Firebolt isn't good but it will help. I rely on elemental against ranged attackers who aren't immune to fire attacks. Guardian is very helpful also.

Don't waste your time fighting where you don't really need to. If you are swarmed by monsters, teleport out and regroup. Find a spot to funnel the melee attackers. Use a spell like guardian and place it in front of you so you can have something hitting the monsters while your dealing with the ones attacking you.