Are the Tomes Worth It in Diablo 2? A Comprehensive Guide
Yes, absolutely! Tomes are unequivocally essential in Diablo 2 and are not just “worth it,” but rather mandatory for efficient gameplay. Specifically, the Tome of Town Portal and the Tome of Identify are fundamental tools that dramatically streamline your experience. They allow you to carry far more scrolls, which are vital for frequent travel and item identification, thus saving valuable inventory space and time. Without them, your journeys through Sanctuary would be far more cumbersome, making inventory management a constant struggle. In short, tomes are not optional – they are a cornerstone of Diablo 2 gameplay.
The Essential Tomes: Town Portal and Identify
Tome of Town Portal
The Tome of Town Portal is your fast track back to town, a crucial feature in Diablo 2. Unlike many games where fast travel is limited, this tome allows you to create a portal from virtually anywhere back to the nearest town. This provides quick access to vendors, stash, and healing, essential when your character is battered or you have a full inventory. The ability to escape a difficult situation or quickly return to town to sell off loot and purchase supplies drastically improves your gameplay flow. Moreover, once you use the Town Portal to return to the dungeon, your portal remains open so you don’t have to waste another scroll.
Tome of Identify
The Tome of Identify is equally invaluable. In Diablo 2, many items you find are unidentified, their stats and properties concealed. To use them, you must use a Scroll of Identify. The Tome allows you to store up to 20 scrolls, saving 18 valuable inventory spaces that would be required if you carried scrolls individually. This frees up considerable room for potions, charms, and other necessities. Having a constantly refilled Tome of Identify means you can readily assess the items you’ve gathered and equip the best pieces, avoiding the frustration of holding on to an unknown piece of gear for long periods.
Why Tomes are Critical for Efficient Gameplay
The efficiency tomes offer is unparalleled. Without them, you’d be constantly backtracking to town, and identifying items would be a cumbersome process. The benefits extend beyond simple convenience:
- Inventory Management: Instead of juggling numerous loose scrolls, tomes neatly consolidate these vital items, creating significant space for looting and adventuring.
- Time Savings: Quickly returning to town via Town Portals saves vast amounts of time, and quickly identifying new equipment is extremely helpful and avoids the frustration of inventory management.
- Strategic Advantage: Having a Town Portal ready at a moment’s notice lets you escape dangerous situations, take care of your character and loot then get back to battle quickly.
- Economic Stability: Quickly selling off unwanted items, then returning to adventuring keeps the gold flowing which allows you to buy better items.
Managing Your Tomes
Managing your tomes is simple, but there are some key points to keep in mind:
- Initial Purchase: You can purchase the Tome of Town Portal and the Tome of Identify from vendors in the early acts of the game. Akara, the vendor in Act 1 is the first place you will likely acquire these items.
- Initial Stock: Each tome comes with 3 scrolls, so you can use them immediately.
- Refilling: Scrolls are not automatically added to tomes from your inventory, you must manually drag the scrolls onto the tome to refill it.
- Capacity: Each tome can hold a maximum of 20 scrolls.
Beyond the Basics: Tomes in Diablo 2
While the Tome of Town Portal and the Tome of Identify are the most important, it is important to consider other “tome” type items in Diablo 2. Certain items known as the “Ashen Tomes” can be sold for Doubloons to a specific faction, and are obtained from special chests in the game. These aren’t as essential for regular gameplay, but offer additional rewards for players who are looking to maximize their profit.
Related Frequently Asked Questions
1. Where can I buy Tomes?
You can purchase the Tome of Town Portal and the Tome of Identify from most vendors in the game, particularly in the early Acts. In Act 1, Akara in the Rogue Encampment sells both tomes.
2. How do I use a Tome?
To use a tome, right-click on it. For the Tome of Identify, an arrow will appear, allowing you to select an item to identify. For the Tome of Town Portal, a portal will open at your location for you to travel back to town.
3. What happens when a Tome runs out of scrolls?
If a tome runs out of scrolls, it becomes unusable. You must manually add more scrolls to it from your inventory.
4. Do Town Portals close?
Town portals remain open until the player who created it uses it to return from town. If more than one player creates a town portal, they can keep portals open indefinitely by alternating their use.
5. Do Scrolls automatically go into Tomes?
No, scrolls must be manually dragged into tomes to refill them.
6. Is it worth it to carry individual scrolls?
No, it is highly recommended to use tomes to carry your scrolls. It saves significant inventory space compared to carrying individual scrolls.
7. What is the Horadric Cube?
The Horadric Cube is a unique inventory item with its own 4×4 grid that can also hold a variety of items and is also used in powerful crafting recipes. It further increases the amount of loot you can carry.
8. What are “Ashen Tomes” and what do they do?
Ashen Tomes are special items that can be found in Ashen Chests and are sold to the Bilge Rats or the Reaper’s Bones for Doubloons and reputation. These are not used for magic or traveling, but are used for the economy system.
9. Can I sell my Tomes?
You cannot sell the Tome of Town Portal or the Tome of Identify back to vendors. Once purchased, they are permanent inventory items.
10. What is the Horadric Scroll?
The Horadric Scroll initiates a quest involving Deckard Cain, who can translate it and give you the ability to craft items.
11. Where can I get more Scrolls?
Scrolls can be obtained from vendors, or by looting in dungeons.
12. How much space do Tomes save?
Each tome saves 18 inventory spaces, the difference between carrying 20 scrolls individually or consolidated into a tome.
13. Can I use someone else’s Town Portal?
Yes, any player can use any Town Portal in the game. It’s a great way for a party to quickly return to town together.
14. Are Tomes just for scrolls?
The Tome of Town Portal and the Tome of Identify are solely for storing scrolls. Other ‘tomes’ like the Ashen Tomes have different uses as mentioned above.
15. Do these tomes function differently in Diablo 2 Resurrected?
No, the function and usage of tomes remain the same in Diablo 2 Resurrected as in the original Diablo 2.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Tome of Town Portal and Tome of Identify are indispensable items in Diablo 2. They are not merely convenient, but essential for efficient gameplay. They save time, space, and significantly enhance your ability to explore the dark world of Sanctuary. Always make sure you purchase them early and keep them well stocked for a much smoother Diablo 2 experience.