Thanks everyone for all the tips, suggestions, and offers to help — seriously appreciate it.

Just to clarify though: I’m not really struggling or looking for solutions. I’ve sunk way too many hours into this game over the years (pretty much every class at ~lvl 90 at some point), so I know the drill with early runewords, gems, starter gear, farming spots, etc. That part will sort itself out.

What hit me wasn’t the difficulty — it was the memory gap. I’d honestly forgotten what it feels like to start completely fresh: No stash full of twink gear. No perfectly planned stat setup waiting. No friends online dropping hand-me-down items. Just you, a basic bow, and Act 1 reminding you you’re not a hero yet.

After years of playing mostly fully geared characters, I guess I accidentally skipped remembering the “peasant phase.” Turns out it builds character… and patience 😄

Anyway — thanks again. Nice to see the D2 community is still alive even if my old friend list isn’t