Upping Items in Diablo 2: A Guide to Exceptional and Elite Armor and Weapons

In Diablo 2, upgrading items is a crucial part of character progression. One of the ways to upgrade items is by converting them into their Exceptional and Elite counterparts. But what exactly happens when you do so? In this article, we'll explore the effects of upgrading items from Normal to Exceptional and then to Elite.

To begin with, both Exceptional and Elite armor pieces have higher Defense values compared to their Normal counterparts. Similarly, Exceptional and Elite weapons have higher Damage values. This is a significant improvement for players who rely on these items to survive in the game's challenging environments.

One of the most notable changes that occurs when upgrading an item from Normal to Exceptional or Elite is the increase in stat requirements. Both Exceptional and Elite armor pieces require higher level and stat requirements compared to their Normal counterparts. This means that players will need to invest more time and effort into leveling up their characters to equip these items.

The Vidala's Rig set, a low-level set meant for bow-wielding Amazons, was used as an example to test the effects of upgrading items. The results showed that Exceptional armor pieces had higher Defense values compared to Normal armor pieces, while Elite armor pieces had even higher Defense values.

Patch 2.4 introduces four new recipes for the Horadric Cube to upgrade Set armor and weapons from Normal to Exceptional and then from Exceptional to Elite. These recipes allow players to create powerful items that can help them overcome challenging foes and bosses.

In conclusion, upgrading items in Diablo 2 by converting them into their Exceptional and Elite counterparts is a crucial part of character progression. The benefits of doing so include higher Defense and Damage values, as well as increased stat requirements. With the introduction of new recipes for the Horadric Cube, players now have more options to create powerful items that can help them succeed in the game.

Diablo 2 upping items