The Rockstopper Helm is also underrated. 10% Damage Reduction and decent Resistances, 30% Hit Recovery and a bonus to Vitality. That thing is great!

I'm playing a zealot pally on D2R and I saw a game where someone was selling a lightsabre for a pul rune. My nostalgia for my 8th grade LoD playing days kicked in (and I needed to upgrade my weapon) so I made the trade. I'm absolutely shocked how well it works. I was expecting it to just be a placeholder until I found some high runes but it's literally been a game changer. The magic and lightning damage can cut through immune to physical and the IAS, mana leach, and the incredible lightning absorb has allowed me to farm literally anywhere in the game. Trav runs, lower kurast, baal, etc. It's a Godsend for a zealot. This list is excellent and these items are a great way to take your character to the next level (both literally and metaphorically). I know rune words are king in this game but everything on your list can be bought for a fraction of the price and in the right hands is maybe one small step below BiS. I think some people can get discouraged after weeks of grinding and not finding those godly drops. They see videos and read guides that require players to have more high runes that most people will ever see and then think they're not playing the game right or will never enjoy their full potential. Using the items you've listed can do a lot to change their minds. I know I wrote a lot but I just wanted to pop in and praise your list and hopefully offer some encouraging words to anyone who was stuck in a rut like me. I encourage anyone struggling with the end game to try out some of these items. They're incredibly cheap and you'll notice a huge difference almost immediately. Again, great video dude (and sorry for the essay in your comment section)! I just randomly stumbled upon this video and I'm glad I did! You've got a new sub!

Well done, my friend!

Azurewrath used to be a crystal sword, back in the day. Then, they buffed it, likely due to its significance in Diablo lore. I would LOVE to see a buff to Shadowfang, too. For those that don't know, Izual wielded Azurewrath on his ill-fated assault on The Hellforge. This assault was intended to prevent the creation of the Shadowfang demon blade. It's criminal, and illogical, that the Shadowfang is so weak. Like, why would angels be worried about the creation of such a weak item?

I remember back in the day stacking shaft, v-gaze and string of ears for all that damage reduction was GG and then when we upgraded we would put the helm and armor on the merc. Man, that 8/8/15 .08 Vamp Gaze is nostalgic as hell, those were the days

I like that you are talking about out of meta stuff!!!! I've leveled with Zakarum's Hand with my pali and it was amazing!

I picked up an Azurewrath and a Lightsabre after seeing your Uber Frenzy barb video then realised that I needed to be 85, so I picked up a Doombringer in the meantime. My DPS skyrocketed, and Immune to physical uniques are not my nemesis any more. Thanks for the advices !

Love your content, sir! Recently almost gave up on my frenzy barb until I found your budget build recommendations. Made a few tweaks, got some of the weapons you recommended here, and have been having an absolute blast ever since! You’re one of the few people who talks about upgrading item quality and there’s so many fun ones that are overlooked. I used that blizzard sceptre until mid hell because it was so OP and didn’t even have it upgraded.

My exp so far and why uniques have been so much fun: Im used to legacy d2 where it's to easy to get rushed and hop in botted baal run games, levelling and finding gear has become way more meaningful to me, unique items have become so important in between big gear upgrades. Stashing them and using them on alts makes them even more important!

Head Striker is underrated and undervalued. Upped with a shael on a high lvl fanaticism zealot, it absolutely kills.

Fantastic list, takes me way back to when a few of these were highly sought after.

So glad to see Xitmus making vids again! He’s one of the original staple foods that held it down when it was just D2/LOD and small community holding on! Glad to see him and people like Cooley commenting and supporting!

Great content. I love that you upgrade the items in the cube. I just started aging hardcore in resurrected and would love if you did some hardcore specific content. There really is not much

This was awesome. So many of these I didn't expect some of the uses or value that you described. Please do more like this. Such as interesting unexpected uses of items. Like Demon Machine I thought was a junk item. But can be used to make a pretty cool enchantress. Also...I found an eth shaftstop and was just in the process of stashing it on a mule... think I'll up and use it 😀

Wow, you are like a Diablo lurking below the ground and then stunning us with brilliant concept video as a response from the past.

The 300% damage on fortitude is worth the Lo rune alone. All the other stats are just delicious icing on the cake.

These items were top tier before runewords.

9:00 -- just so you guys know, Moser's Blessed Circle is initially a ... *ROUND SHIELD...* ... ... so level requirement is *"ONLY" lvl 31...* .... Can be used much earlier than the upgraded "Luna" shown here with a lvl req of 52... :P .

Awesome vid bro, never even thought about some of these items!

Brilliant video! Thanks buddy... deserved video sponsor too.. keep it going.

I always enjoy everything you put up on your channel, try and post more D2 vids , you full of that sanctuary knowledge !

I just made a lawbringer for my frenzy barb and it had been a godsend! Azure blade would be a nice upgrade in damage when I get to 85!

I have a lot of characters, so I need good cheap Merc Armors. I use Duriels Shell on most of them. Cannot be Frozen, All Resistances, Strength. You can up it if you want. Pair it with a Tals Mask for a very good and cheap Merc.

I've had the lightsaber myself before :). Thanks for the video.

The content gets better and better my friend these hidden gems are great 👍 long live the great one!

Good seeing you again, X! Love the videos and 100 agree with lightsabre.

very helpful thanks bro !

Finally my Shaftstop, Swordguard and Mosers gets a mention. These were my core items on a budget concentrate+shield Barb before I could get Grief and COH/Fort/Enigma. Upgraded Shaftstop with an Um rune and Swordguard with a Shael rune. Plus a Rockstopper Sallet with another Um rune, string of ears, and an amulet with 18 all resists and "Life Everlasting" mod (25 damage reduction). He just tanks the damage even if cursed with amplify damage or decrepify. I got two variants of Mosers: One with two perfect diamonds and one with two Sol runes for 14 damage reduction. Switchable depending on which monster im facing. Charges of Lifetap on Marrowalk provide added survivability I believe the Vile Husk Tusk sword also deserves a mention. Particularly for that chance to cast amp damage and high poison damage. Perfect for a switchable weapon when you're a frenzy barb to deal with PI's or for a fast hitting barb merc while you farm for a Lawbringer sword. It also provides added bonus damage to undead depending on your level so you'll be one-hitting almost all of those annoying oblivion knights when you get to level 80

Doombringer is quite nice, yeah. Love finding it on a Hardcore barb.

appreciate this! great stuff

Azurewrath is very useful for killing Uber Baal on Barbarians and melee characters. It lets you kill his minions with ease due to Sanctuary aura. It doesn’t kill him very fast but if you’re struggling with him because of the minions, it will let you win.

Great video. Thanks.

Most of these were really good options before runes. I’ll admit that’s when I used to play back in the early days. Not best in slot I don’t think but really good. Used to see a lot of barbs using the phase blades and the doombringers. Shaftstop as well was highly desired.

Great video man!

Youre my favorite diablo content creator 💯 keep up the good work 👍

Great lists bro. If I find any of these items, I will keep it and use it😊

Well done indeed 👍. Thanks

vile husk swords upped to balrog blade is a nice undead damage setup.. Pindleskin runs with a pair of those on frenzy barb works pretty good

Great stuff, have a good week :)

Just couldn't find correct runes on my self found frenzy barb, but was surprised how well Gimmershred I found works in hell. Huge elemental damage, +30ias and indestructable because it's a throwing axe that you are using to melee with.

Great video thanks. Suggestion for the next video. Top 10 items worthy of upgrading.

Heaven's Light Mighty Scepter - +250-300% Enhanced Damage +20% Increased Attack Speed -33% Target Defense +3 to Light Radius +15-20 Life After Each Demon Kill 33% Chance of Crushing Blow Socketed (1-2) +2-3 to Paladin Skills My favorite underrated unique hands down. +3 light radius ftw.

Great video man! Maybe some more ppl will think that Diablo is not as black and white as Enigma and Grief and has quite some depth to it! 👍

thanks!

Something different and informative. Gotta love it.

06:40 -- one important thing you forgot to mention about Doombringer -- since it's Indestructible, you can use it even better (and *PREFERABLY* ) as ... _ETHEREAL_ !! :O .

Great video

Thx for this list. At my opinion there are some more unique items underratet for instance: WitchWild String (upped), Goldstrike, Wizardspike, GiantSkull a.s.o.

I love using undead crown, rattlecage and a low insight on my merc to level. I will try out skin of the flayed one and gface over that set up.

Hotspurs also really good for doing something like travincal runs, if your character is taking a lot of damage from the hydras

One ive been using that never tried before is medusa gaze on my Java zon. Let hoards swarm me. Triggers lower resist then lightning fury away. On top of that merc has conviction so whatever is around me usually disintegrates. Replaced a light faceted storm shield with it. Happy with that because I survive without the damage reduce and it increases my clear speed overall. Which is what im looking for this zon is a rune finding machine.

Crainte Vomir uppd to Legend Sword. Also, my Headstriker Conquest Sword+Shael is doing some solid damage!!

very good list. 10/10.

Up'd duriels shell on my merc. Nice to have that cannot be frozen on him.

Good budget items. I used an Azurewrath on switch with a zealot and my main was a grief PB. The grief is probably 3X as fast at killing for stuff that isn't PI. The big thing about Fort is the 300% increased damage. It's not comparable to skin of the flayed one if you couple it with a high damage weapon. I've always loved Moser's. If Treachery armor didn't exist, I think Shaftstop would still be really popular.

One of my favorite underrated unique items is spellsteel. The decrep charges helped me keep my merc alive through hell ancients on some very unoptimal characters.

Solid list

eth shaftstop upgraded with a um rune (or a ber $) was one of my favorite merch armor back in the old game

Keep up the good work.

Never heard of Diablo Dex. Super cool app. Thanks, brother.

Nords tenderizer is a nice item that's easily overlooked

hotspurs are gg for hammerdins doing CS runs, the only ways you die are telestomping de seis or infector having conviction and it prevents random deaths from the latter if you're pushing 99

The leaf staff gives a defense bonus like the Swordguard - which is nice because they are both 2 handed weapons and kill a shield . LoL !

6:33 40% max life for frenzy, daaaamn

I'm missing the Rising Sun amulet on the list. Before you can afford fancy stuff like full Tal's etc., it's very helpful in Travincal or, when applying the moat trick, in Mephisto runs. Even at negative fire resists, you will be totally safe from the hydras of the councils and the firewalls of the bloodlords because of its numerical fire absorb. In fact, it will heal you and good fire res might be detrimental in that respect because resists are applied before absorb, leading to less fire damage coming through and being used for healing by fire absorption.

Well done

Good list. Few others I would add.., Of coarse due to Diablo's endless inventory options. Though good list.

Eth Black Hades (shadow plate) is also great for mercs; you can socket 3 15 ias/x% ed jewels, or whatever jewels you have lying around. Makes for a great poor-mans eth Fortitude.

Rockstopper, blackhorns are both nice items. Rockstopper for DR and resists, blackhorns for slow target, prevent monster heal and light absorb. Fleshrender it has some nice attributes, outshined by black runeword. Snowclash usually gets overlooked Lava Gout low chance for enchant thought. Guardian Angel for increased max resists and block rate. Um or 15 res all jewel would need to be put in it. The Ward but Moser's is better due to the 2 sockets.

I wish runewords were balanced just a little bit to bring rare/unique items back to the meta! Great video!

I've been having a heck of a time starting from scratch in D2R . Guess I should have started a sorceress first instead of the Bowazon . The Insight bow really helps out the poor people but still want to eventually get a faith . LoL !

The Ward, unique shield, 30-50 all res... I almost never see anyone use it, even though its one of the most common unique shields and an average 40 all res is amazing for cheap survivability on any character. plus using that on a 1st character you can use the runes from 2nd quest in harrogath to make a spirit sword instead, just need amn really. its a perfect combo sword and shield for caster.

When I started d2r I went into a free item game and saw a shaftstop on the ground. Blew my mind dude. I quit retail when 1.10 released (played private servers ever since) so shaft was an elite pvp item in my brain

Some nice picks there. As for Azurewrath and Lighsabre, both can of course work but having used both mutiple times on a zealer, the problem is the annoying knockback on Azurewrath (and still broken? Sanctuary dmg) and low physical dmg on both (even if you curse the monsters, the physical dmg is just not great and the elemental/magic while nice, is not super noticeable, IMHO). The absorb on the sabre due to the way it works, I find, cannot compete with Tgods sadly.

I’ve missed your videos man, you are my favorite Diablo 2 KZfaqr by far

Arkaines Valor (Unique balrok skin)! Its amazing budget item for LfuryAma and/or TrapAssasin

That act 5 Barb merc is alot of fun too and can dual wield phase blades - grief and crescent moon is pretty fun but last wish and grief would be ideal ...

The Rising Sun because of Fire Absorb per level. I underrated the rising sun for years and now I‘m wearing it with all my Travi killers and they don’t get lots of damage - fire absorb with 10-0 Fire Resi heals your character

Before watching the video I am predicting that rock stopper will be on this list. That little helm is a beast. Aww man guessed wrong haha.

Hotspurs are incredible. Also Kelpie Snare is super good vs bosses on your merc.

ty

is guardian angel underrated? I use an upped GA with -15 reguirement/29 lightning res jewel on my paladin and its amazing!

Flayer one. Was an interesting thing. I always though trash, but seems decent mercy armor

You must highlight rising sun amulet. That is one piece that is "bugged" right now and makes you immune to fire

Moser shield and guradian angel with 200 max def are verry underrated. And vortex shield from griswold set that shield is Op put 3 pdiamond on it.

Ignores targets defense is far from removing invulnerability. It simply give amazing increase in hit chance.

Does azurewrath break phys immune even if you get a low roll on the sanctuary aura?

Upgraded Hone sundan yari with 3 shael or 15 ias Ed jewels. Kelpie Snare Fuscina perfectly disables bosses. Rockstopper sallet for mercenary.

Duriel Shell Up it and put a Pul in. 1400 Def. AR and cannot be frozen

Azurewrath is my favourite item in the game. I hope it stays a secret and stays cheap because it's a real beast!

Ignore Target Defense does not do the same as sanctuary aura. Sanctuary Aura still accounts the defense of undead, but for the damage calculation, the physical resistance will be ignored. Ignore Target Defense sets the target's defense to zero, providing an almost guaranteed hit (95%), but for damage calculation, physical resistance will be applied.

5:12 -- *"Ignore Target's Defence" -- this works similar to Sanctuary Aura, in that it completely removes monsters' defence...* Wait... you said earlier in the section about Azurewrath that Sanctuary Aura... *Removes Undead monster's **_PHYSICAL RESISTANCE_** ...* ..... *NOT their **_DEFENCE_* ... ? :D .

Nice

i love Bloodfist/The Gnasher/Rixot's Keen/Crushflange are the best item in the game for start chars. totaly underrated are Raven Claw, Kuko Shakaku and Demon Machine how can do craisy things with Enchantress or Fireaura-Pala. i also love Deathcleaver, Lightsaber, Doombringer, the Grandfather and Windforce. i dont like runewords but i love Uniques, i only use runwords on Armor (but only on char not on Merc) because the unique Armors are not good in Diablo 2 and you put it in the Armor you like most (Skin), for merc i love useing Kiras and Gardian Angel Cambo or Shaftstoper with Rockstopper/Crown of Ages. i hope after the next updates the ather mercs get buffed so more nice combos are doable.

omg i love you xtimus

Diablo Dex is so amazing. I've landed *so* many trades bc of it! I never enjoyed using the forums. Shrug. I appreciated your list of uniques: •Skin of the Flayed One, one of the few body armors that gives LS. •Infernostrides are great, too, for the fire res and max res. •You had a couple additions I hadn't thought of 👍 •One of the few uniques I *love* for my Barb is Leviathan. I got a 25% dr for a pul rune through DIABLO DEX. That's insane! Great vid, brother.

nice chair man!

this is some very plain good content!

stealskull, fleshripper, and carin shard are some other super underrated gear that’s endgame viable

crushflange has saved my bacon sooooo many times and most people just trash it or vendor it. the fire res is huge