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Now that Diablo II: Resurrected Season 12 is in full swing, the early excitement is as intense as ever. There’s something special about starting fresh each season — rushing through Normal difficulty, gearing up with scraps, and praying for those early ladder-defining drops. This time around, the journey has been nothing short of chaotic, fun, and, of course, full of those classic D2 moments that make the game so addicting.

Starting Strong – The Poison Creeper Powerhouse

As always, the early playthrough with viewers brought plenty of hype. For this ladder reset, I decided to roll a Druid, one of the most flexible and fun classes in the game. While many go straight for the Fire Druid setup or rush into Wind builds, I kicked things off with something different — the Poison Creeper.

It’s an underrated skill that absolutely melts monsters in Normal difficulty. The early game experience was wild — just letting the creeper touch mobs and watching them dissolve as I ran away. The experience bar was popping non-stop. The best part? You barely have to lift a finger.

Of course, Poison Creeper only carries you so far. By the end of Normal, I transitioned into the tried-and-true Wind Druid, a powerhouse for early farming and survival into Nightmare and Hell.

Early Ladder Luck – Goldwraps, Dracul’s, and Waterwalks

No early ladder push is complete without a few noteworthy finds. Running Normal Baal for experience yielded one of my favorite early-game items — a Goldwrap belt. Not only does it help with survivability, but the added Magic Find makes it a fantastic D2R items for boosting drop chances later on.

Shortly after, a casual Baal wave run rewarded me with a huge upgrade — Dracul’s Grasp. These Vampirebone Gloves are a must-have for Smiter Paladins and early melee characters, making it a particularly hype pull for Day 2 of the season.

Then, during one of those late-night solo grinds off-stream, I stumbled on a nostalgic pair of Waterwalks. The +51 Life and Dexterity boost brought me right back to the glory days of early Diablo II ladder races, where every stat point felt like gold.

Building Up the Arsenal – Bases, Charms, and Merc Power

I also found a few gems that would make any D2 player smile. A Superior Paladin Shield rolled with +44 All Resistances and Enhanced Defense — an insanely good Spirit base that I almost missed because I didn’t realize how strong it was at first glance.

Then came an Ethereal Thresher with 4 open sockets — the kind of item you can trade for a small fortune early in the ladder. These are some of the most in-demand bases in the game, ideal for making Insight or Infinity for your mercenary.

Speaking of mercs, no ladder season is complete without the Malice runeword public service announcement. Every season, I make one for my Act II mercenary — it’s the perfect Diablo Clone killer thanks to its 100% Open Wounds, which stops his regeneration completely. Combine that with a Treachery and Insight setup, and your merc becomes an unstoppable machine.

Small Wins, Big Value – Crafting, Forges, and Lucky Rolls

Along the way, I crafted my go-to Caster Belt, which can roll up to 10% Faster Cast Rate. It’s not an Arach’s, but it’s a solid piece for any early-game caster setup.

Then came the Hellforge gauntlet — always one of the more exciting parts of the early season. Normal and Nightmare dropped some average runes (an Ort and an Io), but when I hit Hell, things took a hilarious turn. I accidentally hit my stream’s “End” button mid-fight and confused half my viewers — all while celebrating a Lem Rune drop. It might not sound exciting, but it’s perfect for making a Treachery, which my merc desperately needed.

The Big Drops – Arioc’s, Windhammers, and Cold Sundays

As the days rolled on, the real treasures started showing up. From Eldritch and Shenk, I pulled a legendary Ariat’s Face — one of the best Barbarian helms in the game and an early-season jackpot.

A few hours later, the RNG gods doubled down, granting not one but two Windhammers (unique Ogre Mauls). They might not be endgame items, but as a meme within the community and the channel, pulling two in under an hour felt like a blessing from the Diablo gods.

Then came the Sunder Charm grind. Running Terrorized Pindle, I finally scored a solid one — a -76% Cold Resist charm. Perfect for all those Blizzard Sorceresses dominating early ladder farming.

Experimenting with Builds – From Wind to Corpse Explosion

Once I had some gear assembled, I started experimenting with off-meta builds. That’s where my Corpse Explosion Summon Druid came in. It’s a weird hybrid build that uses Bonehew for Corpse Explosion charges while letting summoned wolves and bears handle the tanking.

It’s not exactly budget-friendly, but it’s ridiculously fun to play once it gets going. The ability to wipe screens with chain explosions is unmatched. Unfortunately, on budget gear, it struggles a bit, so I eventually swapped over to a Fury Druid — the true powerhouse for melee fans.

Final Thoughts – Another Season, Another Adventure

While I didn’t hit jackpot-tier luck this time around (no Griffon’s Eye or Tyrael’s Might… yet), the early part of Season 12 has been a blast. The Poison Creeper start was surprisingly strong, the drops have been solid, and the community energy around a fresh ladder is always incredible.

Whether it’s chasing early runes, building your dream merc setup, or experimenting with offbeat builds like the Corpse Explosion Druid, Diablo II: Resurrected Season 12 is shaping up to be another memorable run.