The Trap Assassin is a strong hardcore option in D2R given her inherent safety behind traps, mercenaries, and strong crowd control. While she might not have the health pool of a few of her counterparts, she comprises it together with her high natural damage reduction and resistance to fade. While dual claw with weapon block is viable, it's not recommended for Hardcore.

d2r ladder items

When farming, be sure that your fade and battle orders are up all the time. Resummon your shadow master when she perishes, and be sure that your mercenary survives. You will be able to reposition your squad with Enigma teleport plus they should provide you safety as you’re teleporting. Mindblast should prevent categories of mobs from having the ability to focus you down. Start fights with Lightning sentry (greater initial damage), and start Death sentry as you’ve accumulated some corpses (corpse explosion). Given your dual elemental damage threat (corpse explosion = fire and physical), you don't necessarily require a lightning Sunder, yet it's beneficial for clear speed if you're able to still cap out resistances.

Skills:

Traps: 20 Lightning Sentry, 20 Death Sentry, 20 Shock Web, and 20 Charged Bolt Sentry.

Shadow Discipline A prerequisite of 5 skills is needed for Shadow Discipline. Equip 1 Mindblast, 1 Shadow Warrior, 1 Shadow Master, and 1 Fade.

Maximize your lightning damage. You can opt into more points into mind blast for added safety and cc at the cost of 1 of your synergies. Shadow master is a superb decoy for damage, while some point in fade usually supplies you with capped DR and resistances with this suggested gear build.

Attributes

Strength ought to be enough for gear. Put enough dexterity to attain a 75% block rate with Shield Shield). Put the remaining points into Vitality. Energy ought to be kept robust.

Faster Cast Rate Breakpoints

Frame Per Cast: FCR needed (Bold = target)

16 Frames

0%

15 Frames

8%

14 Frames

16%

13 Frames

24%

12 Frames

42%

11 Frames

65%

10 Frames

102%

9 Frames

174%

Faster Hit Recovery Breakpoints

Frames for Hit Recovery: FHR needed (Bold = Target)

9 Frames

0%

8 Frames

7%

7 Frames

15%

6 Frames

27%

5 Frames

48%

4 Frames

86%

3 Frames

200%

Gear

Weapon - Heart from the Oak

This is the greatest option providing +3 to any or all skills, 40% FCR, along with a huge boost to resistance. The dexterity can help your max block and also, and you can summon an oak sage for any significant life boost.

Weapon / Shield Switch - Standard CTA and Spirit Monarch (given you're already investing the strength to equip storm shield).

Shield - Stormshield

Stormshield is a standard in Hardcore for a good reason. It boosts your Damage reduction hugely letting you easily cap out, in addition to resistances, defense along with a good block %.

Helmet - Shako

Another standard, because of the extra DR from Crown of Ages, isn't beneficial. Shako supplies a big boost alive and mana, in addition to +2 to any or all skills. Consider an Um (resistances) or Shael (FHR) based on your needs.

Amulet - Maras

Maras ought to be your visit, because of the +2 skills, and 30 to any or all resistances is both the best damage and defensive option. You can consider different things, just like a metal grid to have an Insight golem, in case your resistances happen to be capped and you're wanting to experiment.

Enigma body armor

+2 skills / DR / FRW and huge str to let you invest less str for storm shield, will make this the option even without teleport. Given teleport may be the most robust mobility ability hanging around, and essential for repositioning to safety, it ought to be prioritized. If you’re prepared to play slower and therefore are on a budget, you can consider other available choices, like Chains of Honour, Vipermagi as well as Templar Coat.

Ring 1

One ring slot ought to be saved for Raven frost to supply the “Cannot be Frozen” mod, which is essential for maintaining speed, mobility, and therefore survivability. The extra dexterity will even assist with achieving max block with less investment

Ring 2

Bul Kathos or Stone of Jordan is suitable for the +1 skills. Remember, extra points for your fade increase your resistances and DR so includes a defensive purpose. BK is suitable for the additional life mod.

Belt

Arachnids belt

An extra skill and 20 FCR are very good for that belt slot. Verdungos aren't necessarily given we ought to be over max DR. Thundergods can be considered for added lightning absorb if souls feel threatened, or if you’re attempting to mitigate a Sunder charm inside your inventory.

Gloves

Trang Gloves (20 FCR + 30 Cold resistances) or IAS gloves (additional trap laying speed) are the most useful option for this slot.

Boots

Treks make the perfect option, providing good FRW, FHR poison resistances, and 30 total attributes which are useful. Tri Res FHR boots will also be an option to create up for several lacking resistances.

Charms

For Anni and Torch, prioritize resistance if you're not capped in Hell. If you're running an infinity merc and therefore are not limited with lightning resistances, consider not managing lightning, Sunder. The rest of the inventory should concentrate on:

1. Ensuring you hit the specified FHR, ideally 86%

2. Ensuring you hit max resistances 75 all resistances in Hell

3. Maximizing Life

4. Maximizing Damage (+1 Skillers)

Mercenary

An ideal Mercenary setup could be an Act 2 Defiance Mercenary (Holy Freeze is anti-synergistic with Corpse explosion) wielding:

Weapon: Infinity (Conviction, breaking some lightning immunes, and boosting damage from both corpse explosion and lightning sentries)

Armour: Treachery (Huge defensive boosts for mercenary survivability, and matching mercenary fade)

Helmet: Vampire Gaze or Andariels for desirable life leech and defensive mods. Andariels ought to be ruled to mitigate its negative fire resistance if chosen.

If you need it, you can get d2 resurrected runes at a cheap price at MMOWTS with constant delivery along with a safe deal!