As I just acheived my goal of a sub 30 minute Normal Baal kill it is about time I provide a guide for how we run NG+, I would like to see more competition in this category and it is a really fun category.

NG+ or twinked is a really cool category that Ryuquezacotl came up with back in LoD. Our NG+ runs look a little different to how they were when Ryu was running them.

You can create your own gear at https://tools.harrogath.com/affixcalc.html# After creating the item you wish to use click "Save D2I" in the bottom left corner then use hero editor to put it onto a LoD character then copy the character into D2R save directory to put the item into the shared stash from in-game. Another hero editor you could use is: https://d2s.dschu012.dev/ I recommend using https://d2.maxroll.gg/d2planner/ to help plan your gear.

You can download the characters that I have run so far from https://github.com/SliveniusD2/NG-Files

If you are running this category, please check back regularly as these stashes are being maintained and updated relatively frequently.

We have access to the 3 shared stash tabs and can put any item into them that could legitimately occur in the game. This means that we can wear BIS gear on just about every slot at any stage during a run. This is however not always the best play.

For Normal runs we can rock BIS gear the entire run, when we do Hell runs stash space becomes limited. Careful consideration needs to be given to what gear you will use, is +1 skills worth 6 slots in the stash?

From level 24 we have access to a teleport staff, this signals that we will not walk another step this game. As such on all of my hell runs I have about 1 stash tab entirely filled with Ort runes and chipped gems to recharge the teleport staff without having to return to town. Since we are teleporting the entire game the best way to be fast is to stack FCR up to the highest breakpoint it is reasonable to hit. This means Caster belts, 20% FCR amulets and Circlets are almost mandatory to hit the fastest breakpoints.

We have to get to level 24 first however and there are some cool things to consider for getting there and a lot of your gear should be dedicated to getting you to 24 as fast as possible (most of the run is slowed down getting to 24, everything second not teleporting is wasted time). Things to consider: automods on items like paladin shields, Sorceress Orbs have no level requirements on normal and socketed items - meaning you can use an orb with +60 mana from level 1, or a targe with 65% ED and 121 AR from level 3. When these items are magical or rare they get item level requirements so you need to keep an eye on that and weigh up the value of the automod vs magical or rare mods.

Rare & magic jewels can be amazing and if you limit their level can give insane damage from level 3/6/9. Mechanics is a mod that should be on most of your gear - 2 slots for rare jewels is an extra 8 mods for the price of one mod. Sometimes on magic gear you should instead use "Larzuk socketed" gear for 2 sockets and 2 good mods (like +3 to a skill tree).

Notable mods required Character level:

Of the Magus (20FCR) - 21

Of the Apprentice (10FCR) - 3

Of Speed (30 FRW) - 29

Mechanics (2 sockets) - 7

+1 to a skill tree - 15

+1 to class skill levels - 22

+2 to a skill tree - 30

+3 to a skill tree (Magical items only) - 45

+2 to class skill levels - 67 (unlikely you will hit this, but paladin and zon might like this)

Please feel free to get in touch with me on discord or on my stream to bounce ideas around.