The Hand of Trag'Oul
by LemmingofGlory

Class: Necromancer
Tag: None. Theme-fitting name would be nice.

Introduction

The Priests of Rathma worship the Bone Dragon Trag'Oul. Certain priests are hand-picked by Trag'Oul for special purposes. These priests do the bidding of the Bone Dragon, and are given the title of Hand of Trag'Oul.

Trag'Oul uses his priests for a number of purposes, such as performing sacrifices and assassinations. Hands of Trag'Oul are very highly trained in certain dark arts. They're taught to be as unseen and undetected as possible. Their ability to blend in with their surroundings is often uncanny.

* * *

When Trag'Oul learned of the Three's entrance into the mortal realm, he became enraged. The Prime Evils had no business in the land of the living; Trag'Oul's land. So he disguised some of his Hands as members of the mage clan Horadrim and sent them to infiltrate the organization. The Hands were successful, and together the Horadrim unwittingly worked with Hands of Trag'Oul to imprison three Prime Evils.

Centuries later, Trag'Oul receives word from Tristram, the town where Diablo is imprisoned, that the Lord of Terror is trying to escape. Before any of his Hands could make it to the small town, another message arrives that Diablo has been vanquished. Trag'Oul warns his informant to be wary of the days to come. The return message informs Trag'Oul that, should anarchy overcome Tristram, any Hands that attempt his rescue should keep their eyes open for a gibbet.

Trag'Oul sends out his most elite Hands in preparation for the days to come.

Rules

Taught to work alone, the Hands of Trag'Oul will never summon a minion of any sort (Skels, Golems, Revives, Mercenary). Should a mercenary be obtained (quest gift or hired), the Hand will have it executed (preferably by another player if clvl 9 or greater). In higher acts, the Hand can simply skip acts to be rid of the mercenary. Mercenaries cannot play as Hands of Trag'Oul.

Hands of Trag'Oul do not use healing potions of any sort. Red vials are blood drained from their victims, not a regenerative elixir. They may heal themselves at town healers, shrines/pools, and with rejuvenation potions (partial or full).

Elemental attackers are the worst enemy of the Bone Dragon Trag'Oul, who cannot be slain except by this kind of attack. The Hands of Trag'Oul are, like their master, particularly vulnerable to such attacks. Elemental enemies are particularly hated and should be slain when encountered.

Items

As always, if a normal basic item is allowed, the exceptional version is allowed as well.

Armor
Hands of Trag'Oul are free in their use of armors. Light armors are perfect for those who prefer speed and silence. Medium armors provide more protection at the expense of some movement and silence. Heavy armors greatly inhibit movement, but they're protective, noisy, and they remind Hands of the bony skeleton of Trag'Oul. Noisy armor is sometimes used because it has been found to terrify enemies. Hands move about almost invisibly, so any noise that they make has no apparent source. Those stalked by the Hands can draw but one conclusion: Ghost.

Helms
Helms worn by the Hand always keep their faces covered and always have horns. The Hand is to have little or no sense of self. His duty is to Trag'Oul.

Masks, Bone Helms, and Great Helms

Shield
The Hands of Trag'Oul never use a shield. They rely on the Shroud of Trag'Oul for protection.
If a Totem is found with +Poison/Bone Skills, +All Nec Skills, or +Poison Dagger it may be used.

Weapons
Dagger class only, including Throwable Dagger Class weapons.
Throwing potions are allowed if they're a poison gas type.

Enchantments
Hands have a particular fondness for equipment that combats the elements.

Hands will never use anything that provides fire elemental damage. Trag'Oul, being a Bone Dragon, cannot breath fire, and to use the element would be highly insulting to your master. (Therefore you may not insert Jewels which provide fire damage into anything, Ral runes into weapons, or Rubies into weapons.)

Unlike the insultingness of fire, Lightning has been known to stop the heart of enemies and is accepted. Cold is similarly enjoyed.

+Light Radius is looked down upon, though it is accepted if the Hand also uses -Light Radius to balance out (or eclipse) the +Light.

Uniques
Uniques are allowed if base type is allowed. In addition, Duskdeep, Coif of Glory, Duskdeep, and the Undead Crown are allowed.

Nokozan Relic, Hotspur, Magefist, and Blinkbat's Form are never used. Other uniques which provide Fire damage are also disallowed, as are any Rune Word items which do so as well.

Sets
Cleglaw was the offspring of Trag'Oul. He was a powerful Bone Dragon, though that did not prevent him from being slain by Baal in the early years of the Sin War. His tooth, claw, and pincers were returned to Trag'Oul, who then enchanted them so to preserve the Cleglaw's memory. These items are legendary to the Hands. The pincers add a remarkable potency to any melee attack, the tooth adds a powerful physical attack, and the claw protects the Hand. However, the claw can only protect the Hand if the full power of Cleglaw is in force. (Must use Tooth and Pincers to use Claw.)

Said to have belonged to the very first of Trag'Oul's Hands, Iratha's Finery is an excellent protective quartet. Legend has it that Iratha's death brought so much sadness to Trag'Oul that he disallowed the use of any helm that did not completely cover the face. The Dragon could not afford to ever again be so attached to one of his minions... unless, of course, it was Iratha. (Iratha's set is highly prized.)

Another particularly prized set of items is the one which bears the name of Trag'Oul himself! (Though the modern spelling of his name has changed to "Trang'Oul.")

Other set items are allowed if the base type is allowed.

Shrines

Hands of Trag'Oul may use any shrine. However, they'll only use an individual well once. Every good assassin poisons a well to ensure the death of any who might use it after he does.

Skills

Hands of Trag'Oul are well-trained in the art of assassination. They often slay enemies with a mystical poison known as the Claw of Trag'Oul (Poison Dagger), the Talon of Trag'Oul (Bone Spear), and the Teeth of Trag'Oul (Teeth). The mere presence of a Hand of Trag'Oul sometimes disrupts the dead, causing an explosion to issue forth and fog the air (Poison Explosion).
Poison Dagger/Explosion, Bone Spear, Teeth are allowed.

The protective Shroud of Trag'Oul (commonly "Bone Armor") both protects the Hands and hides them from prying eyes. Enemies that physically attack the Hand will instead damage the Shroud. Hands treasure this protection for it allows them to sneak in, deal damage, and sneak out unscathed.
Hands are encouraged to learn and use Bone Armor or risk aneurysm.

Hands, in times of dire need, are able to summon a Wall of Bone to impede their foes. They're also able to entrap enemies within the Cage of Trag'Oul (Bone Prison) and watch them die of poisoning.
Bone Wall and Bone Prison are allowed.

Hands are taught how to exploit enemy weaknesses. These exploits are known as Amplify Damage, Lower Resistance, Weakness, Life Tap, and Decrepify. They can also Blind and Terrify enemies (Dim Vision & Terror).
All of the Curse Tree (save Confuse, Attract, and Iron Maiden) are allowed.

Quests

1) Claw of Trag'Oul
When you first enter the Rogue Encampment, sell your 4 minor healing potions and your wand. You may not heal in any way shape or form (save level ups; excluded forms of healing during this phase are wells/shrines/Pallies shooting HBolts at you/rejuv potions) until this quest is completed. Also, you may not use Akara until this quest is completed (as she will heal you).

Blood Drive
Trag'Oul requires blood. Search the wilds for creatures and drain their blood into vials (any type healing potion). Once you have filled half of your inventory with blood flasks, you may perform the sacrifice.

Sacrifice
Trag'Oul requires the sacrifice of Blood Raven. Slay her, and when she has fallen drop all of your blood vials upon the ground. Should you die during this or a previous part of this quest, you must make sure Blood Raven dies and then do the following Sacrifice... or leave the ranks of Trag'Oul.

Sacrifice 2
This Sacrifice is done if you failed the Sacrifice of Blood Raven, but it is not necessary if you deathlessly vanquished Blood Raven.

Deathlessly, you must sacrifice both Bishibosh, Rakanishu, and reach the Stony Field waypoint.

Reward
The Claw of Trag'Oul is presented to you: Poison Dagger. You may use it at will.

The name "Trag'Oul" as used in this variant is the correct name of the variant character despite what you may have read on Arreat Summit. :P