Tips
Ten characters is the max you can have at once, right? Wrong! This tip will show you have you can have an unlimited number
of mules - and take up only one character slot to boot.
Diablo's built in kill counter normally resets itself every time you shut the program down. Here's a tip that will allow
you to keep track of your total kills from game session to game session.
Tricks
Got an annoying player that you just don't want on your level? A carefully placed town portal can solve your problem!
Diablo is treated as a level 30 monster, meaning he can drop items just like any other enemy. Even though once he dies
characters can't move or anything, there is still a way to pick up his drop, and this will tell you how.
Turning around in the dungeons is simple enough, that is what holding shift is for. In town its a different story - not
one that many people know. Read on and learn a simple trick to impress your friends that not even "hackers" can duplicate.
Apparently, this knowledge is a closely gaurded secret, but what the hell, it's not like anyone reads this site anyways :)
Mules can get quite numerous and unorganized, especially if you are like me and keep anything remotely useful. By working with the save files, you can
organize and consolidate all your muled items on "one" character and keep your character selection screen neat.
In 1.09, character files are stored in the Diablo directory: single_#.sv and multi_#.sv with numbers from 0-9 for different characters. The character at the
bottom of the selection list starts with number 0 and it counts up from there. Make a new character to be your mule and determine its number based on its
location in the list (it should be largest number).
To make sure you have the correct multi_#.sv file in mind, you can move the file itself out of the diablo directory. Refresh the character list and the mule
should no longer be there. If you have the right file, move the file back. In the Diablo directory, create a directory (folder) that will hold all your mules.
In this directory you arrange your mules however you like, but I find that organizing them by item type is easiet (i.e. armor helm weapon bow staff, etc.).
Move all items of one specific type from your current mules to the mule just created. Once that is done, alt+tab to windows, and copy the multi_#.sv mule
character save to the directory you created for your mules. Rename the file to something that will let you know what it holds, such as "swords.sv" or
"light-armor.sv". Now that the mule is backed up, simply discard all the items it has in an empty game. Repeat the previous process for items of another type.
Once the mule is backed up, there should now be two mule save files in your mule directory. Once you are finished, all of your other mules should no longer
have items, and your mule directory will be filled with files like "armor.sv", "swords.sv", "bows.sv", "shields.sv" and so forth.
At this point, you can delete all your mules aside from the one you have recently created. The mule will be at the top of the list, which can be annoying, so
now we will move it to the very bottom. In order to do this, you will have to "free up" your bottom character slot: named multi_0.sv. To do this, first
delete the final mule - you will remake it again later. Now, rename each multi_#.sv file and increment the number by one (ignore multi_10.sv). "multi_4.sv"
becomes "multi_5.sv", "multi_3.sv" becomes "multi_4.sv", and so on, so that "multi_0.sv" becomes "multi_1.sv". Now, when you recreate the mule, it will
appear at the bottom of the character list and be saved as "multi_0.sv".
In order to "load" a specific mule, copy the mule from your mule directory back into the diablo directory and rename it to "multi_0.sv" (or whatever number
your mule happens to be). This can be done while Diablo is running - in the character screen, opening screen, or battle.net chat. It can not be done mid-game.
When placing/removing items on your mule, don't forget to back it up. After leaving the game, back up your mule save file to the mule directory with the
appropriate name.
That's all there is to it. Now you have as many organized mules that you will ever need, all accessible from the character at the bottom of your character selection list.
Diablo has a built in kill-counter that will total the number of kills per enemy for every diablo session. A session begins when Diablo runs, and ends when
it is shut down. As you may have noticed, new games within the same session will not reset the counter and kills from all games during a session will be added
together. In order for that count to contiue between mulitple sessions, you will need to take an advantage of a feature of single player.
Single player games save much more information than multiplayer characters. It saves the current state of your character, the status of prior levels, and
all the items on the ground. In addition, it saves the number of kills per enemy. Because of this, you can use a single player character to store your total kills
and then restore the kill counter when you start diablo. Create a single player called "kill_Counter" or something to that effect. This will be the save file the
kill counts will be stored in.
- Start Diablo, choose single player, and select "kill_Counter".
- Choose load game. This will load the total number of kills from previous Diablo sessions.
- Choose new game to stop playing with "kill_Counter" and return to the character selection list.
- At this point, just play normally with whatever characters you want. The built in kill counter will start counting kills from the number you have
loaded up.
- Before shutting down Diablo, choose single player, and select "kill_Counter" again.
- Choose new game (not load game). Choosing load game would reload the kills from before and effectively erase all the kills gained during the current session.
- Choose save game. This will save the total number of kills and now they can later be reloaded.
- Exit Diablo.
The steps are specific, but essentially amount to simply loading the number of total kills when you start diablo, and saving the updated number before you close diablo.
Town portals can be placed in front of the stairs to new levels which will block a character from using them. When the player goes to click on the stairs,
the cursor will instead land on the TP:
It is hard to describe the right tile (there are two), but playing around just a bit should allow you to find it
with ease.
If you are having trouble getting it right every time, a well placed pile of gold can help.
A TP can be placed like this to block the stairs on any level, chruch through hell, even to block 15. Simply play around a bit to find the right tiles for
each area, church, catacombs, caves and hell. A TP can be placed over the seal on level 15 if cast on the tile at the very bottom of the seal. It
should cover up the middle of the seal.
Bypassing a TP Block
There is a special tile you will walk to when clicking on the stairs that will load the next level. In order to pass a TP block in hell, you will need to
stand on that "hotspot" without needing to click on the stairs. To do this, look to the screenshot to the left. The arrow is the path you will want your
character to walk. This path leads directly over the hotspot (the one halfway hidden by the TP at the tip of the transparent spike). When you walk onto that
tile, hold shift+attack. This will stop your character from walking and he will do a melee attack (or fire an arrow). As soon as the attack is finished,
you will start to load the next level!
Getting past a TP block in areas other than hell is a bit different. Once the TP is created, it is not possible to get down because you can not walk to the
hotspot. So how do you get down after making the block? You don't. While standing on a hotspot, you will not go down to the next level if you are currently
walking, attacking, or casting spells... The trick to setting up a TP block and also getting down to the next level relys on that fact.
1. Click on the stairs down with your town portal spell ready.
2. Just as you walk onto the hotspot, cast town portal on the tile that will result in a TP block (see screenshot).
3. If done correctly, after casting you will go down a level, and the TP will remain behind you blocking the stairs.
It can be difficult to get the right spot in these cases since you are walking. Dropping a pile of gold as a target is even more helpful than before. It's
quite easy to highlight the gold as you are walking. Simply casting town portal on that gold will make sure the TP gets created on the right tile.
As Diablo is in his death scene, your character is unable to move, attack, or cast spells. You are still able to drink potions, open your inventory, character
screen, or spellbook. Interestingly enough, you are also able to use your cursor - meaning you can heal other, place a tp (from scroll), indentify items,
and use telekinesis. Because you can't cast spells as diablo dies, however, it requires that you already casted the spell before he died. To grab Diablo's drop
you need to kill him after having cast telekinesis and waiting there with the cursor active. Once he dies, you can see if he drops anything and pick up
anything he does with your spell.
Obviously, you can not attack while the telekinesis cursor is active, so he will need to be killed by other means, such as firewall, golem, or a co-op partner.
If you don't have room for what he drops, you'll lose your chance too. Keep in mind that you can not drink potions while the telekinesis cursor is active.
Generally if you are playing solo a good way to use this trick is to stand in front of a wall and cast firewalls under Diablo's feet in front of you. Max
your AC and blocking if possible so Diablo has a small chance to connect. If he does hit you enough that you need to drink a pot, quickly use telekinesis on
Diablo and cast it again as you drink. The spell will knock him back out of the damaing firewalls and give you enough time to cast a spell.
Ah, I love stopping into Ogden's for a swig of ale before a nightmarish joyride in the depths of hell!
There are two spells that you can use in town: heal and heal other. Cast either when the cursor is in the direction you want to face (think fireball). Now,
simply remove either your armor, shield, or weapon and replace it. This will cause Diablo to load character graphics from the CD. Instead of loading the
image facing your current direction, it will load the one facing in the "direction" you cast heal/heal other. Remember! It seems that this is a closely guarded
secret, so don't tell anyone how you did it, not even if they offer you an obsidian jewel of the zodiac!
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