Online in Diablo 2 refers to the interaction between players in the world of Sanctuary. Players can find information on various mechanics that are applied and guidelines for those who wish to play online with other players.
Online Information for Diablo 2
Party
You are able to join other players in a party, to play as a team cooperatively. The maximum number of players that will be able to play in a party is 8. It's not posible to join multiple parties.
Players in a party share experience and gold.
Experience Share
Players in the same party will share experience if they are within 2 screens and in the same level, this prevents gamers from farming experience by staying at a safe location while the rest of the teammates do all the work. The total experience earned form killing an enemy is increased by 35% when the experience is shared.
Gold Share
The obtained gold is divided between the members of the party. If the gold quantity can't be equally divided because gold works in whole numbers, the players collecting the gold will keep the remainder of the division. For example: If there are 3 members in the party, and a player collects 152 gold, the members will gain 50 gold each, but the one that collected the gold will keep the 2 gold of the remainder.
Quests
All quests in multiplayer work as well as in singleplayer.
Savegame
Your character's progress will be saved in Battle.net servers, as well as the visited waypoints and completed quests.
If you get a sudden disconnect for any reason, the game will remain for several minites giviing you a chance to return to the game. Otherwise the game is removed. If you die right before getting disconnected, your corpse will follow you from game to game allowing you to retrieve the items it contained.
Hardcore Mode
Hardcore mode challenges you to complete the game with only 1 life. If your character dies, it can no longer be used. Hardcore Characters cannot be resurrected by another Hardcore Character. Hardcore players' name is seen in a diifferent color in Battle.net. Hardcore players will also be ranked on a ladder, they will also remain on the ladder even after they die.
Corpse Looting
Hardcore players permits the designated characters to loot the corpse of your character after death. This decision on one hand can save your items if you are playing with a loyal partner that would retrieve your items quickly if you die and then give them back to you, even thou you will now have to start with a new character. On the other hand it can encourge someone to become hostile at you, because they can now get your items by defeating you. If you don't allow loot, and your character dies, your items will be lost forever.
Hostility
You can choose to be hostile or neutral against another player's character. By clicking on the Icon with two swords (Crossed or not). Hostility can only be declared once per minute.
Hostile
You can only harm other players or their monions when you are hostile. If you declare hostility on a player in a party, the whole party will become hostile. If you belong to the same party, this action will also exit you from the party.
- Hostile players' name will appear in Red.
Neutral
Neutral players also cannot damage one another. If two Neutral players are fighting against the same monster, the experience won't be shared, the experience will be gained by the one that made the final blow.
- Neutral players' name will appear in White.
Friendly
There is no friendly fire between members of a same party or if you are friendly with them.
- The name of the Members of your Party will appear in Green.
Exclusion
You can choose to exclude another player from chat. This blocks all incoming messages from them. And you whispered messages will only reach everyone in a group but the excluded one. You can click on the include button to stop excluding them.
Town Portal
Some town portal restrictions have been added in order to prevent players from rushing the game by skipping quests using portals made by other enemies. So it's not always possible to use a Town Portal, and if you are unable to use a portal, it means that you must complete a certain quest first.
Restrictions
- The Summoner quest must be completed to be able to take a Portal to Canyon of the Magi.
- The Tainted Sun quest must be completed to be able to take a Portal to Durance of Hate.
- The Rite of Passage quest must be completed to be able to take a Portal to Worldstone Keep.
- Baal must be defeated (In the corresponding difficulty) to be able to take a Red Portal to the Secret Cow Level.
