Nethermentals
by Charis
with special thanks to Xswcz and her Maelstorm, "Minnow," who helped me playtest these variants along with Charis`Gothmog
Thanks to Gothmog (DSF-retiree), a champion of the Low AC Warrior

Class: Any
Tag:
Balrog = ROG
Maelstorm = STORM
Lich = LICH

Introduction
by LemmingofGlory

This is a collection of 3 variants that are not designed to be played legitimately. (Though it's probably possible by modifying the rules a bit here and there.) They're designed to be played with perhaps single player uniques, uniques in unnatural forms (e.g. Immolator ring), and perhaps even use a trainer to equip some of these unnatural items. This does not, however, mean that this variant is meant to be played in any cheating manner that you desire.

Due to the illegitimate nature of these variants, I'd recommend playing them as you would play a mod: Either in Single Player (where cheating doesn't matter), or in games with others who are playing Nethermentals. Treat it as a mod - an different version of the game - not designed to be played with non-Nethermental characters. (As a side note, I do not condone or recommend cheating on Battle.net at all.)

Should you choose to download any programs to assist you in playing this variant, neither I, Charis, nor Xswcz are responsible for anything that could happen to your computer as a result. Trainers may contain viruses, worms, or other harmful things. You have been warned.

And don't ask me where to find such programs either.

Remember, it is possible to play this variant legitimately, you just have to modify the rules a bit. I've done my best to provide an alternative rule for legitimate Nethermentals where an illegitimate rule or condition exists. One over-riding rule for legits: Once obtained, the Nethermental must have some form of elemental melee damage. For Balrogs this means using a fire damage item, and for Maelstorms it means using a lightning damage item. For Liches, you decide what it means.

-Lemming

Background

Through an event not well understood, spawn of Balrogs and Maelstorms have emerged in Tristram, and display unusual powers. As young they are not particularly powerful, but as they grown and gain experience, they may become formidable opponents. Together, these two and perhaps others are known as Nethermentals. There may even exist a third Nethermental, the Lich.

Rules

In their early years, they must master hand to hand combat, in combination with breath and elemental attacks. The 'approach' is key to attack, and is mastered in the "Fleet Quest."

Death is especially painful, and will often knockout a special attack form for the duration of the game. (Some items cannot be re-equipped without a trainer; optionally, or on special quests, can not do so in same game. Legits can ignore this part.)

Items

Armor
They don't wear much armor at all, no heavier than chain mail. Often they are topless, with their pounding heart visibly beating against their chest.

Jewelry in armor slot! This slot may not provide +dmg, rather fire/lning dmg or resists, and/or stat adjustments. (Legit Version: Wear light weigth resistance armor. Allowed suffixes are +Stat.)

Resistance
They share resistance traits with their ancestors.

Balrogs have NO lightning resist before they reach Hell difficulty, but maximum fire resistance from an early age.

Maelstroms have NO fire resists, but max res Magic/Lightning. They may get +res all from uniques only.

Liches have early max magic resist, but low resists for others.

Quests

1) Fleet Quest
To fight mages, Nethermentals learn early how to close distance with a foe while avoiding ranged attacks, and to slay their foe before they can land a blow. In this quest, lvls 1 and 2 of the church must be cleared without taking a single hit, then killing the Butcher. (Butcher is allowed to hit you during this fight.)

2) Knowledge Quest
Young Nethermentals must learn how to use their innate powers, and lacking parental guidance, must unlock the secrets by finding books. They must find a 'key book', Inferno for Balrogs, Lightning for Maelstorms, which will allow the use of +fire/+lning dmg weapons. When a second book or subsequent book is found, that spell should be learned as high as their magic will allow. It's supposed to be an innate power, which once unlocked, is quickly recovered. Besides if you wait too long, Inferno will again return to the realm of useless spells. (Receive such books as gifts, and borrow reading glasses to learn the spell levels.)

3) Elemental Quest
They must also learn how to deal fire and lightning dmg at all times, unaided or unhindered by a weapon. To gain this ability, they must clear the cats without returning to town, and die to an appropriate cave monster (Slayer/Guardian/Vortex or Red Storm/Storm Rider/Storm Lord/Maelstorm). (Deaths in caves are allowed and likely.) The Knowledge Quest must be completed before or during this quest. (This quest is not possible to be done legitimately as a Balrog, so use a crappy "of Flame" melee weapon and ignore the "weaponless" idea. Maelstorm can wear Sparking Mail to do this.)

After this quest, they can wear a minor +fire or +lightning dmg item in a non-weapon slot. It is after the Mutagen quest that they can do the same with other (non-elemental dmg) items, although strive to keep a balanced character!! (Legits ignore this part.)

4) Territorial Quest
Until now, the Nethermentals have been too weak to attract the attention of their kin, but the time has come to challenge the leaders of their society and prove their worth. They must take down, solo, each boss of their kind, and clear a full level of each.

Rogs: Vortex Lords, Windspawn, 12, & Gorefeast, 13; Balrogs, Blackskull, 13.
Maels: Red Storm, Brokenstorm, 9; Storm Rider, Flayer, 10; the Maelstrom kingpin: Doomcloud, 13.

The Kingpin should be slain, if possible, after Diablo, for he is a more important foe. As a reward, the Nethermutant is crowned heir to the King of his kind, and receives a special helm. The helm is upgraded after this quest is repeated on Hell difficulty. Harlequin Crest is typical for Normal, and later Lightforge, or Veil of Steel. (Legit Reward: Overlord's Helm for normal, with Royal Circlet as a reward for Hell difficulty.)

5) Ascension Quest
The link to their ancestral powers is strengthened when two bosses of the OPPOSITE type (e.g. Maelstrom bosses for Rog) are slain as well as Diablo, in a single NM diff game. (Bosses done solo, 'D' can be coop.) Second +fire dmg or fire resist item can be worn (where needed!) after this quest.

6) Mutagen Quest
A quest which unlocks a very powerful ability, to transmogrify a unique item into another shape. Details of this ability are scant, but storms have been known to wear Sparking Shields... Diablo must be defeat on Hell difficulty to unlock this power. (Legits ignore this part.)

7) Blazing Quest
The biological clock of Nethermentals dictates special days where their lust for glory and depth of power take on unusual proportions. Their spell level and light radius go through the roof, and they cast fireballs, charged bolts, and chain lightning with reckless abandon. (A DF, TC or similar in *each* slot, for at least +8 slvl. For Legits, obtain a TC, Naj Plate, and Dreamflange. Other slots should contain +Magic - not +All - items, ideally with +Mana prefix where possible.)

Nethermental Notes

Balrog

- The early quest for Inferno book, cats clear, and some unique item to sacrifice to give him fire dmg are key.
- Inferno is the perfect weapon at early stage, with Griswold's Edge for medium lvl (speed, knockback).
- Messy Reaver is nice at medium lvls, but low to hit may be awkward. At high lvls, combined with a lightforge helm for +25% to hit and whopping +150% will be nice.
- Get a high lvl Inferno early, before it's too useless.
- King of Balrogs aspires to the Lightforge Helm.
- A comparable outfit at high lvls: KSOV, Inferno Ring, Arkaine's Valor, HoS, Obs/Perf x2, Drag/Perf
- A more powerful outfit when on a rampage might be Messy Reaver Axe, CC ring, Gris Edge ring, Lightforge Helm

Maelstrom

- The early quest for Lightning book, cats clear, the use of a barefoot lightning kick are key.
- Light sabre is the perfect weapon at early stage, with Thundercall also a good choice.
- Schaefer's Hammer is potent 1-50 against non L-resists.
- Unlike the Rog, has a legit +lightning dmg armor, Sparking Mail.
- Storm Spire staff is not bad, but makes a better ring
- Charged Bolts are good at low clvl, and again at high slvls.
- King of Maelstroms would love a good Vampires item, and several single-player items. High slvl items can wreak havoc with CB and CL, and make a very long lightning bolt. As a rogue, a Merciless Thunder Bow would make sense too.
- A totally legit outfit at high lvls: KSOV, Sparking Mail, Obs/Zod x2, Drag/Zod, TC, Holy Defender.
- A few swaps... Veil of Steel or Scav Carapace helm, Sparking Mail ring
- A more powerful outfit: CC, Undead Crown, Light Sabre ring, Schaefer's ring, Arkaine

Lich

- Much less common, and with a purpose less understood, the lich is an undead sorcerer who aspires one day to wear the Undead Crown and have a monstrous spell lvl. He also relies on the spirit of Arkaine to protect him.
- He sucks life, experience and precious items from a skeletal knight in another realm. Play a single-player solo warrior, gain exp as he does, and import his good finds/buys, especially the undead crown. Note also that Adria shopping is as easy as "Reload."
- For quests, Holy Bolt and Mana Shield are key, Gharbad and Snotspill, Zhar the Mad. Lachdanan is the key enemy, and must be killed vicariously.

Item Notes

Fire Damage Uniques
Inferno | Long Sword | 2-12 Fire Dmg, +75% Res Fire, +20 Mana, +30% Light
Immolator | Long Staff | 4 Fire Dmg, +20% Res Fire, +10 Mana, -5 Vit
Messerschmidt's Reaver | Great Axe | 2-12 Fire Dmg, +200% Dmg, +15 Dmg, +5 All, -50 Life
Flamedart | Hunter's Bow | 1-6 Fire Dmg, 1-6 Fire Arrows, +40% Res Fire, +20% To Hit
Lightforge (Single Player) | Mace | 10-20 Fire Dmg, +150% Dmg, +25% To Hit, +8 All, +40% Light, Indes.
Griswold's Edge (Single Player) | Quest Item | 1-10 Fire Dmg, Fast Attack, +25% To Hit, Knockback, +20 Mana, -20 Life
Fire Resist Uniques
Demonspike Coat | Full Plate Mail | +50% Res Fire, -6 DFE, 100 AC, +10 Str, Indes.
Dragon's Breach | Kite Shield | +25% Res Fire, 20 AC, +5 Str, Indes., -5 Mag
Gonnagal's Dirk (Single Player) | Dagger | +25% Res Fire, +4 Dmg, Fast Attack, -5 Dex
Holy Defender | Large Shield | +20% Res Fire, -2 DFE, Fast Block, 15 AC, 96 Dur
Ice Shank | Long Sword | +40% Res Fire, +5-10 Str (Varies) (Note: This item is disallowed. Balrogs don't like Ice.)
Lightning Damage Uniques
Lightsabre | Sabre | 1-10 Lit Dmg, +50% Res Lit, +20% To Hit, +20% Light
Schaefer's Hammer | War Hammer | 1-50 Lit Dmg, +75% Res Lit, +30% To Hit, +50 Life, +10% Light, -100% Dmg
Stormspire | War Staff | 2-8 Lit Dmg, +50% Res Lit, +10 Str, -10 Mag
Thundercall | Composite Staff | 1-10 Lit Dmg, +30% Res Lit, 76 Lit Charges, +35% To Hit, +20% Light
Sparking Mail | Chain Mail | 1-10 Lit Dmg, 30 AC
Lightning Resistance Uniques
Optic Amulet (Single Player) | Quest Item | +20% Res Lit, +5 Mag, -1 DFE, +20% Light
Scavenger's Carapace | Breast Plate | +40% Res Lit, -15 DFE, +5 Dex, -6 to -10 AC (varies)
Stonecleaver | Broad Axe | +40% Lit Res, +50% Dmg, +20% To Hit, +30 Life
Wisdom's Wrap | Robe | +25% Lit Res, 15 AC, +5 Mag, +10 Mana, -1 DFE
Uniques from Another Realm (Single Player)
Gonnagal's Dirk, Lightforge Optic Amulet, Griswold's Edge | See above.
Bramble | Ring | +3 Dmg, +10 Mana, -2 All
Crackrust | Mace | +15% Res All, +50% Dmg, +2 All, Indes., -1 Spells
The Deflector | Buckler | +10% Res All, 7 AC, -20% Dmg, -5% To Hit
The Mangler | Large Axe | +200% Dmg, -10 Mana, -5 Magic, -5 Dex
Butcher's Cleaver | Quest Item | 4-24 Dmg, +10 Str, 10 Dur
Arkaine's Valor | Quest Item | -3 DFE, Harmony, 25 AC, +10 Vit
Veil of Steel | Quest Item | +50% Res All, +60% AC, +15 Str/Vit, -30 Mana, -20% Light
Harlequin Crest | Quest Item | +7 Mana/Life, +2 All, -1 DFE, -3 AC
Undead Crown | Quest Item | 0-12.5% Life Steal, 8 AC
Empyrean Band | Quest Item | +2 All, Balance, Thieves, +20% Light
Ring of Truth | Quest Item | +10% Res All, +10 Life, -1 DFE

It would seem SC and SparkMail would make nice shields, and WisWrap a decent Turban; Stonecleaver a nice ring. (Legit: Ignore this part. ;)