The BEST 11 items to UPGRADE in Diablo 2 Resurrected 

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I've been playing this game off and on for 20 years and never new that upping a gold wrap gives it more potion slots. I've been using the 3 stack version this whole time. Thank you!

You forgot Moser's black circle. It adds a nice +8% to block for every character when upgrading. This was my go-to shield when playing on budget.

Great stuff. Should be noted that If you're running a basic unique like Chancies, Gtoes , Hotspurs, mages. It's always worth upping once. It costs a few runes from normal countes and a pgem. (Basically free) Chancies goes from like 27 to 65+ Def. Which may not seem like a ton but for hardcore characters every little bit helps! You can't mf when you're dead :)

Thanks so much! I never knew upgrading belts increased slots and I literally avoided using my gold wrap because it only had 3 rows but now I'm stoked I get to farm with it again!

I've been using dark glow diamond mail with an increase attack speed jewel and irathas set to put all my resistances up to 90% max on a barb. I like it.

Great video as always. Just upped my viper magi and got 1023 def!

I've always liked upping these items as I play through the game, waiting to replace gear: Lycander's Aim - can be upped to a GMB while you wait to get Windforce→Faith Goldstrike Arch - same as lycander's, decent bow most throw away that you could up until windforce/faith Jalal's Mane - much like Arreat's Face, has all the same benefits and problems Nightsmoke - decent belt for a while until end game: 10 all res, +20 mana, 50% dmg to mana

Appreciate these videos man, I look forward to sending your channel to anyone that is curious about more Diablo related content!!🙌🏽

An Upped Witchwild String can be a decent placeholder until the rng gods grace you with a WF. Its a little underpowered, but basically everything for a Bowazon is.

I really dont know how u dont have more subscribers with this top tier content... one of the best channels of diablo 2 on youtube :D. I really love ur content! keep it up!

I think there is a good argument to be made that Eth Upped Shaftstop is atleast 2nd BiS (after Fortitude) for a Cow Javazon Merc. Most of all you want your merc to live and Shaftstop does that very well in there, if there is almost no elemental damage going around.

I always upgrade my Magefists 1x to 71 Def. I upgrade items whenever I can, as long as I have the attributes for them. I think upgrading is underrated.

I can't believe I overlooked upping skins on my hammerdin. Fantastic video! One of my fav upgrades is steel driver to a thunder maul, -50% req and an equivalent cruel of swiftness mods. Great weapon overall

Bonesnap is also a great weapon to upgrade (once). The thing with a lot of the weapons is that the enhanced damage on weapons below "elite" tier is usually really low.

I think uppd Goldstrike would have been a good Bow option to upgrade. 200% bonus to attack rating would slam with multi arrow or straff. Great vid Bro you pretty much got it covered!👊🏻💯

Thanks a lot! Moments after I watched this video I dropped a near perfect ED% Eth Hone Sundan on HC. I upgraded this beast and it hits like a truck! 99-724 dmg.

Awesome video! Big like! 15% IAS Jewels in Shaftstop and Vgaze combined with a Thresher weapon will still give a decent overall attack speed. Could be cool :)

So this is a HUGE list, but I hope it will be helpful to those reading the comments for both budget and end-game builds as well as hopefully giving some insight towards other options for niche end-game builds. Be that for PVP or PVM. Enjoy! I stuck with just uniques, since set items would just make this list that much longer lol. I would also recommend always checking the required stats to use the upgraded base item before upgrading the item to ensure you or your merc can use it after you have up'd it. really sucks to have to grind out some levels before you can use the item(s) you just up'd. Armor : lots of options based on what you want to build your character/merc for. Budget and end-game. Rockfleece is an ok option for a single up, maybe two if you have the STR to spare. 10% dr is nothing to scoff at. -10% requirements, 100-130% ED +5 str. Great option for martial characters, good budget merc armor. Goldskin for a budget gold find build. 100% gold find, 35% all res, 120-150% Ed. Good base defense. Probably best suited to a budget barb. Skin of the Flayed one, especially if eth since it has repair mod. 150-190% ED, 5-7% LL, Replenish life 15-25, attacker takes damage 15. great budget melee armor. High defense potential. Spirit Forge with high +life per/level potential (1-123). buffable by BO. 120-160% ED, 2 open sockets so you can use an eth and zod it or drop um runes in for the lack of res. +15 Str. Que-hagen's is a great alternate option for Vmagi. Socket it with an Um rune to help make up for the no res. 140-160%ED, high defense potential with low STR requirement for casters. Black Hades, great option for mercs. 3 open sockets, 140-200% ED, 30-60% dmg to demons, 200-250 AR to demons, Half freeze duration. Eth + some ias/ed jewels makes a powerhouse merc. High strength requirement drawback though. might want -XX% requirements in sockets instead depending on how you choose to use. Gloves : not much to say here. A few options though for budget builds. Venomgrip is probably the best budget option to up here. 130-160% ED, tiny bit of CB (5%), 30% poison res, 5% max poison res, and 5% LL. Will get an ok return on defense for a reasonable STR requirement when up'd to elite gloves. Lavagout and Hellmouth are a couple options but all your really getting is a bit of extra defense in exchange for a high STR requirement. Only really useful in some niche builds. Likely best used on travincal farmers with high str. Helms : A few options for both casters and melee. Budget and endgame. Peasant Crown. not much to say about this one, its the budget shako, just adding some defense when upd. Rockstopper. Absolute beast when up'd for a melee build if your lacking on res, especially with good rolls and an um rune. Up it to add some extra defense. 160-220% ED really helps with the defense boost. 10% DR. 20-40% cold res, 20-50% fire res, 20-40% lightning res, 15 vitality, 30% FHR. just a solid helm. Great for a merc too if eth and up'd. Stealskull. 10% IAS/FHR, 30-50% MF 200-240% ED, and 5% dual leach. Great option to up for early melee mf builds. toss an um in to help with res. Great merc option when eth. Blackthorn's Face. Great budget option for lightning absorb (20), 180-220% ED, 15% lightning res. really good alternative or when paired with Tgods for ubers. Good merc option for ubers. Boots: just one here, mainly for min/max though. Silkweave is an uping option for casters but thats more for min/maxing your build. Weapons: some really good budget and endgame options. Axes The Gnasher makes a good up option for early barbs with its crushing blow and open wounds, 2 of them can wreck mobs when up'd. Butcher's Pupil is another option as well, especially if it's eth since its Indestructible and it comes with Deadly Strike, Open Wounds, and a decent Ias and ED (150-200%) Swords Ginther's Rift is a good option if you want to forego the need for berserk or other magical damage to overcome magic immunes. Headstriker would be a really good option as it has a static 150% ED, Max damage/lvl (+99 at max), Deadly Strike/lvl(max of 148%) , +15 Str. The Atlantean is a decent option for early zealers with the 50% AR boost, 200-250% ed and all the extra attributes (str, dex, etc. ) Hand of Blessed Light is another zealer option to up. 100% AR bonus, +2 paladin skills, 15% mana regen, 130-160% ED, 50% DMG to undead. Bows: some really good options here. For zon and non-zons alike. though Amazons would make the best use of them. Kuko Shakaku. Good budget fire bowazon option. Decent ed (150-180%), Piercing attack (50), +3 immolation arrow, +3 Bow and crossbow skills. socket with a good ed/ias jewel or sheal rune to help with the lack of IAS. Cliffkiller. Another bowazon option. 190-230% ed, adds (5-10)-(20-30) dmg, +2 amazon skills, +50 life, Knockback. As above, add a sheal or similar IAS to a socket to help with the lack of it. Goldstrike Arch. Probably the best option here for endgame short of windforce/faith, potentially better. Depending on stats rolled. 200-250% ed, 100-200% dmg to demons and undead, 50% IAS, 5% chance to cast level 7 FOH on striking, replenish life 12, 100-150% bonus AR. socket it with a dual leach jewel or ML rune to help with that and watch things melt. Same requirements as Windforce when up'd. Polearms: a few decent budget options for mercs. Blackleach Blade. 100-140% ED is ok, the max dmg/level is great here though. 1-123, 5% chance to cast level 5 weaken on striking, requirements -25% helps your merc use this early and offset the stats increase when up'd, and 8% LL helps them stay alive. Eth option is always a boon of course. socket with IAS rune/jewel to help that offset. Grim's Burning dead Grim Scythe. 140-180% ED, some fire damage, -50% targets defense, +20% enhanced defense, 200-250 AR, 45% fire res, requirements -50%!! great budget option for travincal farming merc. socket with sheal or ed/ias jewel to help offset the lack of IAS. Very low requirements when up'd. Shields: some good options for niche farming and budget builds Bverrit Keep is a decent option for farming travincal. 75% fire res, 80-120% ED, 5 STr. The Ward is another alternative option. 30-50% all res, 100% ED, 10 Str, 10% increased block chance Belts : a couple options for budget and endgame. Lenymo. Great option for ES sorc. 30% mana regen? yes please! 15 mana, all res 5 is meh otherwise. up it to elite for the extra pot slots. Bladebuckle. Decent budget option for melee. 30% FHR, 80-100% ED. 10 dex, 5 str. Up for more pot slots. Glooms Trap. alternative to Lenymo for ES sorcs or other casters and even melee. 15% max mana, 15% mana regen, 120-150% ED, 15 vitality, 5% ML. good budget option and useful in some endgame builds. Low str requirement when up'd (106).

I agree with the items listed. People covered most the ones you left out. I think there is a whole other list of items that are extremely useful in mid-level/Nightmare areas. But it's easy to forget a throw barb because they aren't very strong anyway, but they won't even stand a chance without some Eth, upgraded Scalpers Francisca to Flying Axe, like Titans they replenish quantity. And I would mention Valk Wing and like others said the Goldstrike and Buriza

D2 has SOO MANY FEATURES it's insane. I played D2 LoD back in the day for YEARS...and i admit......i NEVER knew about upgrading items.

Great video Dbrunski! You are a god send to the D2 community. You and Llama are the two youtubers/streamers I watch for the best information. Thanks for doing all this.

I totally forgot to upgrade my Goblin Toes. Thanks for the reminder man :D

Great vid! just my 2 cents. I've always loved an eth upped Hone Sundan for an Act2 merc, especially if you are having weird MF luck or if you are mostly single player or self found. Over time you can build a Treachery Armor with 45IAS, up the HS and get the Ghost Spear version and shove 3xShaels in it and that makes the 105 breakpoint for 5.5. Get a helm with life leech and you're good to go. Or there's variations to the theme. Shael and Amn plus whatever else you want and a Guilliame's for the CB plus Treachery gets you the 65 breakpoint ... and so forth ...

I disagree with upping Arreat's Face. Mine had 346 Defense (+186% ED). When I upped it, it went to 368 but the strength requirement jumped up to 196 and level requirement to 72. All in all, not worth it.

It is worth mentioning that upgrading an item does not always grant you a higher defense: Items with +%Defense spawn with max base Def +1. If you upgrade the item, the base defense of the new item is not max+1 but it gets rerolled. So with a bad roll you can actually end up with a lower defense. Vampire Gaze is a very famous example: It spawns with 252 Def (Grim Helm max base def (125) + 1 + 100%Def) but if you upgrade it, the def range of Bone Visage (100-157) is rolled. Which means you can end up with a 200 Def upgraded Vgaze :) Same goes with Arreats Face, which is a real bummer due to 196 str req ^^

Eth and upped duriel’s shell has been pretty nice for the merc. 2250 def cap, but the other stats make up for it pretty well

Keep up the great work. I really like your content. Especially videos like this. For newer players it really helps. I also like your base videos, and Merc, buff videos. Please buff hydra blizzard.

Very good list of items man.

Great video I have been playing Diablo for a while now and also back in the OG days and I never knew you could do this. How did people ever figure out these ruin words and upgrades

2422 Shaftstop is one of the BiS armor choices for zealots in melee pvp. Extremely expensive armor! Three other excellent options are eth up’d Toothrow, Eth Up’d Black Hades and Eth Up’d Duriel’s Shell. Excellent armor choices!

I had no idea Kicksin damage was tied to the boot stats, I love that little detail. I remember in Skyrim the gloves impacted hand to hand damage, but since that game didn’t have a hand to hand tree (cause it sucks) I never used it. Oh yeah it needed a perk point in heavy armor or something to even be active.

Great point w the Shaftstop being paired w Gaze! True, it's hard to argue against Treachery and Fortitude; HOWEVER, my merc has died far less w this setup than the other 2. This is a situational setup tho. I use it w my Bramble summons Necro but not w my sorc or zon. Pride or Infinity pairs really well with it.

I am happy to see you, still covering for Diablo 2. Is this the Resurrected version? Because I have been trying to actually figure out your channel name, and happy to finally having found you, and reSUB.

Nice man a part 2 would by cool

I didnt knew about the ripcracker i'll try it 😄👌🏻

Vipermagi is a must upgrade Defense increase: 270 to 950 Str req: irrelevant, since spirit 156 str req

Wow I did not know about the goldwrap up slots!

Super useful! Thanks

Steeldriver is my favorite item to find on melee character, up to carry through nm.

very infomative thank db

Happy to see the ribby on this list. I know you're a fan of the fury druid(same as me) and this is pretty much a must have. The only thing that even comes close to it is a tomb reaver and you lose that huge ed to demons!

I've been playing SSF maul werebear and I picked up a ribcracker. You have solidified my decision to up that. But I'm too poor and don't have the runes quite yet. But I got lucky and found an IK stone crusher in the meantime. The ribcracker also gives crazy defense stats to a werebear. Very cool item for werebear.

Bonesnap is my jam. Whenever I make a fury Druid I hunt for that maul. The ED, crushing blow, and resistances are amazing. It will carry me through Nightmare and into Hell easily.

Pretty comprehensive list. I'd add Nightsmoke, very nieche use, but many zerker barbs use it solve mana problems. I usually go Trang belt on my zerker builds, to avoid cold damage from Raven, but there are some crazy people out there, who do more than just mf runs on pure zerkers.

Vgaze wil be good as well and you even mention it in a combo with Shaft, but not actulaly include it. Overal, a nice video! Keep up the good work.

Now, how DID you get this social recluse out of his nest? hehe. I always love your guitar playing Arjen. Looking forward to this new Star One album, and I absolutely love the two first songs/videos you have released to date. Cheers!

Definitely a good selection. I like the Atlantean sword, duriel shell, or goldstrike bow. Mid lvl stuff

awesome very informative, question DB125 , is it ok to up the G face?

Great video. Thank you

I always liked an Upped Duriel's shell for my merc, especially an eth one.

Great video, I recently did a normal-hell run-through as a bowazon this weekend and got lots of value out of an upped rogues bow, was a great item to use until I could equip witchwild

thank you for this mr dbrunski

upped ice blink to balrog skin awesome freezes target 1500 def try it Dbrunski

I love eth upped duriel's shell for merc! High defense, life per level, 20 fire, 20 light, 20 poison, 50 cold res, 15 strength AND cannot be frozen! And 1os choice.

Good video idea!

Absolutely. Gotta upgrade that home sedan. 😁

I just found vipermagi armor today, I'll definitely upgrade it.

I’ve used an upped Rattlecage on mercs in the past. Decent budget option if you haven’t found the runes to make the more typical runeword armors yet. Socket that bad boy to give it some life leech and you’re viable all the way through hell.

Perfect timing with this video

I use Duress on all my melee characters. So upping my arreats was a no brainer for me. With Duress and Gore Riders I found that I had plenty of CB, CS, OW.

would have liked to see witchwild string on this list :)

Kinda wish they'd add upgrading set pieces like in some mods

Working on my Fury druid. Want to do ubers with him. Have a cryptic axe upped when i get to 84. The ribcracker is nice tho

LOL I tried upgrading Arreat's Face once and ended up with LOWER defense (352 vs. 361) for higher strength requirement. Since that was on single player I just nuked D2 before it would autosave (and thankfully I did it fast enough). :) Yea to Hone Sundan. Very underrated spear I got sometime in 2005. Now a backup weapon for my Hardcore Amazon. Now with Shael+Amn+Um. Yea to Vipermagi. 'Nuff said. I upgraded one of 2 I have (the other is kept as it was for the up and coming characters to wear while levelling). My own list of stuff to add: Buriza-do Kyanon. You get very high strength requirements but it's a weapon that shines, and max damage is levelling up - what's not to like? Lycander's Aim. I discovered it lately and my HC bowazon uses it to great effect. Duriel's Shell. The strength requirement doesn't go through the roof for once. Nightsmoke. One of only 3 belts to have + all resists and it's insane that it first becomes available at just level 20. Unless you're a barbarian you would probably want to stick to that for a while. There's also a boatload of "no-brainer" gear like String of Ears, Infernostride, Venom Grip etc. (Have you noticed how it all - plus the Vipermagi - becomes available at once, at level 29, and a character will not be the same after getting all this amazing gear, and more, available to them?) If I have the runes on hand, I upgrade these for extra defense too.

Old meta for amazon was Gaze, Shaftstop, buriza. Those were the days

New to this but how do you upgrade? Is there a list somewhere that shows what you can upgrade and what to use to do it? I mean what runes and gem combos do you use? Random stuff or certain order?

Funny, I was thinking about what to upgrade today and this pops up

Just upped the old Duriels shell. Never thought of guardian angel for merc

My two favourite items to up is bonesnap crushing blow and insane damage for a non elite weapon. Gore riders if you are running a kick sin the -%requirement puts them at 156 str same as a monarch which your likely to have on switch for cta.

Early Ladder: upped Headstriker (battle sword) for frenzy Barbs or Zeal Pala

i used to have a fury druid back in the day that rocked a double upped and shael'd bonesnap .. just for the swag 😎

Would be nice to have a description in the item information after upgrading. Could have been implemented for resurrected

I like up'd Butchers Pupil for Zealots as well

Bonesnap for a WW-Barb is great, as long as you don't have sth else, or before you have the lvl for IK maul.

Hey I would like you to do a video on attack rating and defense. I know my survivability goes up when I put on higher defense gear but I want to know if I should be aiming for an amount in NM an amount in hell. Cause I remember I had a rich barb friend at school who had a super high Def barb and even tho he wasn't wearing a shield things could barely hit him. I'm just wondering if you could do a break down of this for us. Or just a this is how many time I get hit in nm/hell at 500/1000/2000/4000/8000/16000/maxed Def. Cause I know I overlook this stat when I first make it to hell.

Learned about the goldwrap after all these years... Sheeeeeesh!

I like to use sorc with maxblock and I use upped visceratuant for that. Its much better then putting all into life

I'm enjoying my upped eth scalper this ladder. Picked up a perfect one for super cheap, hits like a truck. Paired with an eth lacerator and things just melt.

This reminded me to up my eth shaftstop:p merc was fine without upping it but why notXD

Nice job on the thumbnail.

An upped Goldstrike Arch (Gothic Bow > Hydra Bow) is also a very good budget option for Bowazons. It has a lot of damage and IAS.

New video suggestion. How to keep your Merc alive in hell Trav.

I cannot wait for your Druid rebalancing video. Cheers from Poland.

Thanks man

When talking about Smite Damage on Shields, it might be in your best interest to display those items on a Paladin. That way you'll actually be able to show the Shield Damage in the mods. Same idea with showing off Boots on Assassins to show the Kick Damage on the Boots.

Great info

Eth Shaftstop with Eth Vamp Gaze is the goat for me personally. Fucking classic style. I love that set up so much.

Miss your d2 streams and updates

I found some perfect damage titans the other day. Really annoyed they didn't drop eth

Important to note with Ribcracker is that Stalagmite base is slower than Quarterstaff base. So if u up it, you have to consider that it's going to be slower.

My sorc wears an upper Vmagi. 998 defense, 34 res with a 15 res jewel in it

I wouldn't up an Arreat's face, cause I usually go for the str "bug", in which one item gives str to use another, then another, then another till u have a full setup with ZERO str points spent. One item I like a LOT is "Duriel's Shell", now that thing is a PERFECT candidate to be upped, specially if it's Ethereal, since it's gonna provide a LOT of good stats, such as resists and EVEN +15 str, which can be useful if u still don't have Andariel's Visage to equip any eventual weapons u may want ur merc to equip...

yesterday i got 3/20 java gloves, and 35/11 vipermagi (this will get upgraded when got a Lem)... can't belive my luck yesterday

Upping jacks up the reqs as well

I found a ribcracker the other day and I just tossed it because I didn't think it was worth anything. Not too big of a deal I guess since I don't plan on making a shifter druid.

Concernng Carrion Vine: What if it heals your minions and Merc, too? Right now, it only heals the Player himself. When talking about buffing the summons, Carrion Vine healing those summons would be a great improvement!

Witchwild String is supreme upgraded, the best Strafe bow 2nd only to Faith or maybe now Mist.

Found an eth jalals with only 4% off perf def. planning on upping zod at some point just cuz I think it’s cool

Great video