an assassin compendium: normal sets and set items

Basic Sets and Set Items

In normal difficulty level and Classic Diablo II, there are three complete and a couple of partial sets of particular interest to the bowazon — the highest level requirement of any of these is 20, well within the reach of any competent player. Because of the close level proximity of these sets, it's not realistic to expect to switch from one set to the next, as though there were some type progression among these sets. (This may have been the case before the expansion, but with the introduction of partial set bonuses, the bulk of set item dominance is based on their green set bonuses.)

There are three reasons for that normal sets lack hierarchy: the first is that all of the normal sets are equally useful, and a diligent player can expect to reach clvl-30 in any of these sets before having to upgrade to exceptional equipment. The second reason is that, overall, normal difficulty really isn't that difficult, and if anything, some of these sets are actually overpowered for their level requirement, giving the bowazon an edge she'd never be able to get from unique or rare items. The final reason is that all of these sets have different themes and aims, and no set is automatically "better" than the other.

For more information on sets, please refer to the Horadrim Library and the Set Items section of the Arreat Summit.

Iratha's Finery

The set bonuses of Iratha's Finery are: +50 defense, 20% faster run/walk, +15 dexterity, +10% to all maximum resistances, all resistances 20%. This set offers the highest resists of any set in the game. Personally, I love this set: incredible resists, great defense for its level, IAS, and a decent damage and dexterity bonus. For those who like to twink, this set can be successfully combined with the Cow King's Hide and Hooves for more resists, more dexterity, and speed. Iratha's Finery offers an open bow, boot, armor and two ring slots. The rlvl of this set is clvl-15.

A further write-up can be found at the Horadrim Library.

Iratha's Coil Crown: 25-45 defense, fire resist 30%, lightning resist 30%, rlvl-15. By itself, the Coil offers excellent resists for the bowazon. Socketing suggestions include low-level resist jewels or runes. With another piece of the set, Iratha's Coil gains +(2/clvl) defense.
Iratha's Collar Amulet: poison length reduced by 75%, poison resist 30%, rlvl-15. If you don't mind not using an Eye of Etlich, this is a great poison resist amulet for its level. With another piece of the set, Iratha's Collar gains 15% to all resists.
Iratha's Cord Heavy Belt: 31 defense, +25 defense, +5 minimum damage, rlvl-15. At any level, +5 minimum damage is an generous addition to the bowazon's damage. With another piece of the set, Iratha's Cord gains +10 dexterity, abnormally high for a belt with its level requirement.
Iratha's Cuff Light Gauntlets: 9-11 defense, half freeze duration, cold resist 30%, rlvl-15. These are excellent cold resist gloves for the level they're available. The Cuff and Coil are the best parts of this set for the bowazon as these two pieces give the most benefit — high resists and IAS — for the least amount of slots. With another piece of the set, Iratha's Cuff gains 20% increased attack speed.

Partial Set Bonuses

There are certain combinations of set items that could prove very beneficial to the bowazon; while certain pieces can prove somewhat useful (or of no use at all) on their own, it's only when they are combined with certain other pieces of their sets do they truly begin to shine.

Sigon's Complete Steel

The partial bonus for this normal set is: 10% life stolen per hit, +100 defense. Like's Death's set, but much better. This set can't be worn as soon as the clvl-6 requirement, but the bonuses it offers — IAS, %MF, life leech and scaling AR — are worth waiting for. Note that the 30% IAS and 10% life leech from Sigon's Gage and Sabot is unique: it's practically 10% IAS on boots.

Sigon's Gage Gauntlets: 12-15 defense, +20 attack rating, +10 strength, rlvl-6. Like all the pieces in this set, it's so-so by itself, but shines when its partial bonuses are taken into consideration. With another piece of the set, Sigon's Gage gains 30% increased attack speed.
Sigon's Sabot Greaves: 12-15 defense, 20% faster run/walk, cold resist 40%, rlvl-6. These boots have extremely high cold resist. With another piece of the set, Sigon's Sabots gains +50 attack rating; with two pieces, it gains a 50% better chance to find magic items. This is the only piece of the set to have more than one partial set bonus.
Sigon's Visor Great Helm: 55-60 defense, +25 defense, +30 mana, rlvl-6. With another piece of the set, Sigon's Visor gains +(8/clvl) attack rating.

Sigon's Shelter gothic plate can be added to this set, but it's really not necessary for anything but completion's sake.

Lesser Partial Set Bonuses

Lesser set bonuses (but by no means less important) that are useful to everyone include:

Angelic Raiment: Angelic Halo Ring + Angelic Wings Amulet. +(12/clvl) attack rating, +10 dexterity, +3 light radius, +95 life, 20% damage taken goes to mana, replenish life +6. Usable at clvl-12, this setup gives a bowazon one of the best AR/clvl bonuses in the game, and an always useful dexterity and life bonus. Another advantage to this set is that it can be worn with just about anything.
Death's Disguise: Death's Guard Sash + Death's Hand Leather Gloves. +20 defense, 30% increased attack speed, 8% life stolen per hit, cannot be frozen, cold resist 15%, fire resist 15%, lightning resist 15%, poison resist 65%, poison length reduced by 75%. For a low-level set with no strength requirements, the benefits this set combination offers are excellent. The 30% IAS and 8% life leech from this combo can be easily duplicated by some glove/belt combinations, but not at clvl-6.
Hsaru's Defense: Hsaru's Iron Stay Belt + Hsaru's Iron Heel Chain Boots. +(10/clvl) attack rating, +(2.5/clvl) defense rating, +20 life, 20% faster run/walk, attacker takes damage of 5, cold resist 20%, fire resist 25%. This rlvl-3 set is a little hefty for a low-level bowazon, but as soon as she gets the 30 strength needed to wear the chain boots, this is a wonderful combination: a high scaling AR bonus, decent resists and a good (for its level) bonus to life. Wearing this is the aforementioned Angelic Raiment combination would add +(22/clvl) AR.
Tancred's Battlegear: Tancred's Hobnails Boots + Tancred's Weird Amulet. +10 dexterity, +15 lightning damage, 78% better chance of getting magic items, 30% faster run/walk, damage reduced by 2, heal stamina +25%, magic damage reduced by 1. While the bonuses are nothing special, this combination offers a decent amount of dexterity and one of the highest %MF scores you can possibly get out of the amulet and boot slots combined for the level they can be used (clvl-20). If you add another piece of the set (like the bone helm), you'll gain 5% life leech.

Individual Set Items

Basic set items that are useful in and of themselves (that were not mentioned before) include:

Cleglaw's Pincers Chain Gloves: 8-9 defense, knockback, slows target by 25%, rlvl-4. Cheap, low-level and easy to find, these gloves possess two attributes are invaluable to a bowazon: they slow down a target and knock targets back. Of all the possible modifiers on gloves, these are among the best options for defense (courtesy of the knockback) and offense (due to slows target). The knockback isn't 100%, but when it works, it's nice to knock the targets into a wall to inflict near-infinite stun lock on them. Like the Holy Freeze aura, slows target cannot be resisted by anything. Slowing down a target with every hit will make any target an easy target and by combining knockback with efficient herding techniques (like using a minion as a wall or using crossfire), she can corral groups of targets in corners and walls and cream them with a flurry of attacks, resulting in a multiple knockback, stunlocking, slow down, along with any other non-elemental effects a bowazon has at the time.
Cathan's Seal Ring: 6% life stolen per hit, damage reduced by 2, rlvl-11. While it used to be easy to find a good life leech ring (pre-LOD), rings that leech up to 6% life per hit aren't available for the bowazon until clvl-40 or so. They are extremely easy to find, and for the beginner bowazon, this is an excellent option until something better comes along.
Civerb's Icon Amulet: replenish life +4, regenerate mana 40%, rlvl-9. This amulet has the highest amount of mana regen you'll be able to find for quite some time. If your bowazon uses high mana skills and not enough mana leech, this could be a viable solution until you can make up the difference elsewhere.