The untwinked guide to goldfind and magic find

The untwinked guide to goldfind and magic find.
Original post by stardragon12-1-8-27-57-52 on the old forums (forumer).
Most formatting is lost.
-WolfieeifloW


I have noticed that people can sometimes having trouble finding gold early-game so I decided to write this guide to help those who need it.
Additionally, getting some MF% early on can help to get more uniques to you can make your own sooner.


What you may use gold for:
There are many uses for gold whiich you probably know but some of the more useful ones are
-ressurecting mercs
-repairing items
-making an honorific
-666666 gold or trial of greed

Alternative identification
Before you find cain you may have trouble getting gold to identify things with.
Luckily there is also an almost free method of identifying items
Any sort of cube recipe will unidentify your item for you.
Three cube recipes that are easily available to you early in act one:

-Re-roll recipe: rune+iitem=item re-rolled with diffrent stats
This will re-roll the item as identified. It will, however, re-roll the item with different stats than it had before, not that it matters.

-Lucky upgrade: 3xrunes+item=returns item with chance of added bonuses.
This will also identify your item, however it costs more than the previous recipe.
If you intended to try the lucky recipe you might as well do it before identifying it.

-Mystic orbs: item+mystic orb=item with added bonus
This will identify your item with the added bonus of the mystic orb.
Mystic orbs drop relatively plentiful in act one, making this the cheapest option for identification.
Note that it will increase the level reqiurement by 2 but usually level requirements are fairly low compared to your level so it shouldn't be a problem.


You'll also want to actually get some gold as well as free ID'ing

Selling
Selling things is an obvious way but to get the most out of it you can't just sell anything.
Superoir and rare items tend to sell for the most.
You can use one of the aforementioned cube recipes to identify the rare so you can sell it.
If an item rolls as low quality or normal you can cube them with a gem to increase their quality to superior. This is also a good way to get rid of unwanted gems that you won't ever need.

Finding:
Gold can also be found, dropped by monsters and chests
Open every chest you can see and you'll get some gold frequently.
The forgotten tower is a good place for getting gold. Other than the contesses level, there are also some chests that drop fairly large gold piles. They spawn in specific map formations, meaning that once you find one, you can go back to it later for more.
The two map formations they spawn in look like this:


The chest in the Hole level 2 always drops a shower of gold, as does the one at the end of the cathedral which is easily re-runnable via the inner cloister waypoint.

Gold find%:
The stat "increased gold from monsters(abbreviated as GF%) increases the size of the gold piles dropped by monsters. Needless to say, it is useful in terms of getting gold.
There is a runeword available earlygame which gives you plenty of GF% to keep you going for a while:

Summit
Level: 11
0-5 Jewels +El
Helms

(151 to 200)% Extra Gold from Monsters
Reduces all Vendor Prices (6 to 10)%
Requirements -15%

If you can get it by level 11 you won't have too much trouble with gold.
If you're lucky you can get a jewel early on with about 50% GF and some stats suitable for you're build.

Tir runes a re also a good way to get decent gold find. Making an honorific item results in max sockets so you can fit as much in as possible. Add in some GF% mystic orbs and you'll have plenty.

Mercenaries:
You can also make use of a feature of mercenaries to double your gold find.
Mercenaries inherit your GF% as well as their own. If you give them a summit runeword you can get an easy 400%GF in act one.
As a suggestion give you merc this bow runeword:

Banshee
Level: 13
0-5 Jewels +Tir
Bows

5% Chance to cast level 6 Hex on Striking
5% Chance to cast level 8 Charm when you Kill an Enemy
+(31 to 60)% Enhanced damage
20% Faster Run/Walk
+(1 per level) to Maximum Damage (Based on Character Level)
Adds 20-50 cold damage
Cold Absorb (11 to 15)%
75% Extra Gold from Monsters

As well as an additional 75%GF, it also adds plenty to their damage so you can sit back and let them kill with up to 475%GF

Uniques:
Here I'll list a few uniques that can help out with gold find.
If you come across one of them they'll certainly help:

Rabbit's Foot
Boots (1)
Defense: (6-10)
Durability: 29
Required Strength: 10
Required Level: 1

15% Faster Run/Walk
+(101 to 150) Maximum Stamina
(4 to 5)% Chance of Uninterruptable Attack
(101 to 150)% Extra Gold from Monsters
(16 to 25)% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Socketed: 1


The best gold find unique out there

The Watcher
Eagle Orb (1)
One-Hand Damage: 8 to 10
Durability: 14
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 1

+1 to All Skills
5% Faster Run/Walk
5% Faster Cast Rate
(41 to 70)% Extra Gold from Monsters
+1 to Light Radius
Socketed: 1
Can be found in the blood moor. Not too bad.

Carmen Arvale
Studded Leather (1)
Defense: (65-164)
Durability: 45
Required Strength: 31
Required Level: 3

5% Chance to cast level 3 Gift of the Wild when you Kill an Enemy
(3 to 5)% Bonus to Buff/Debuff/Cold Skill Duration
+(31 to 60)% Enhanced Defense
Lightning Resist +(11 to 15)%
Cold Resist +(11 to 15)%
Poison Resist +(11 to 15)%
(101 to 150)% Extra Gold from Monsters
Socketed: 2
Decent gold find.
Aside from that, resists and GotW proc are helpful as well

Cornucopia
Horned Helm (1)
Defense: (60-103)
Durability: 47
(Barbarian Only)
Required Strength: 55
Required Level: 6

+(31 to 50)% Enhanced Defense
Replenish Life +(31 to 50)
(51 to 100)% Extra Gold from Monsters
(21 to 30)% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Reduces all Vendor Prices (3 to 5)%
Socketed: 2
Past tier 3 it becomes better that summit.

Gold Digger
Claws (1)
One-Hand Damage: (20-25) to (24-30)
Durability: 48
(Assassin Only)
Required Dexterity: 48
Required Level: 6

+(31 to 60)% Enhanced damage
Stun Attack
(3 to 5)% Chance of Crushing Blow
(101 to 150)% Extra Gold from Monsters
(21 to 30)% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+1 to Light Radius
Socketed: 1
Can be dual wielded or used with:

Black Sheep Wall
Totem Shield (1)
Defense: (36-82)
Durability: 56
(Assassin Only)
Required Dexterity: 44
Required Level: 6

1% Chance to cast level 1 Charm on Attack
100% Chance to cast level 12 Beacon when you Level-Up
+(21 to 40)% Enhanced Defense
Fire Resist +(11 to 15)%
Poison Resist +(11 to 15)%
(101 to 150)% Extra Gold from Monsters
+(1 to 2) to Light Radius
Socketed: 1



Mid-endgame goldfinding
The fastest way to get gold is to run the Island of the Sunless sea.
However, the easiest way is to pick up, ID and sell rare items.
Starting around act three terror, they start being worth the max value for each act.
It's not hard to do and it doesn't mean re-rolling your map each time you run out of gold.

Keep finding and selling rares and you shouldn't run out of gold too often for the rest of the game.

Vendor price reduction
Vendor price reduction is another way to save gold.
Rather than list all the items with it, I'll just provide a link.

Easy magic find

There are a few low level runewords that give a bit of MF%.

Pax Mystica
Level: 13
0-5 Jewels +Nef
Staves

+1 to All Skills
All Resists +(11 to 15)%
(21 to 25)% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Level 1 Blink (20 Charges)

Mostly known for the blink charges, the MF% is also pretty good for early on, and resists and +skills is a nice bonus. Most of my staff using characters use this for a while.

Rainbow
Level: 15
0-5 Jewels +Eth
Belts

+5 to Maximum Damage
+5% to Spell Damage
All Resists +(11 to 15)%
(11 to 15)% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+2 to Light Radius

MF% is not too bad, resists are also nice, most characters can find something useful in this

You can also use turquoises in your shields to get MF%.
Once you get to ~act 2, try and gamble a tier 2 bone shield, affix burn it, make it superior, add 3 sockets, put jewels in two and a turquoise in the other. That will give 4x gem effect, resulting in a fair bit of MF%.

Finding uniques

One of the most commonly farmed places for uniques is the sewers in act 2, the high elite density makes for frequent unique drops.
Another option it to go farm cog packs in act 1. On players 8 each cog frequently drops about 3 magic items, meaning a high drop chance for uniques from each pack. With a bit of MF% and players 8, you're pretty much guaranteed a unique per pack.
What I do is start at the black marsh, clear the Tamoe highlands, go to the outer cloister, clean that out, search the barracks, go throught the jails and clear the cathedral, then kill andariel for her guaranteed unique.
That run with about 100%MF can usually get me about 2 arcane crystals.

Act bosses are also good for uniques, Andariel and duriel always drop one, mephisto, diablo and Baal always drop 3-4 uniques.

Magic find uniques
It seems kind of pointless to list them since to make them you'll have the crystals to make other uniques, however, many of these I would happily use.

Icebird
Flying Knife (1)
Throw Damage: (15-20) to (18-23)
One-Hand Damage: (15-20) to (17-22)
Durability: 12
Required Dexterity: 53
Required Level: 4

1% Chance to cast level 2 Shackles of Ice on Striking
+(31 to 70)% Enhanced damage
Adds (21-25)-(36-65) cold damage
-(3 to 5)% to Enemy Cold Resistance
Cold Absorb (4 to 5)%
15% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Socketed: 1

Nice freezing proc

Mooncurse
Maiden Javelin (1)
Throw Damage: (18-22) to (82-111)
One-Hand Damage: (17-20) to (69-95)
Durability: 84
(Amazon Only)
Required Strength: 43
Required Dexterity: 87
Required Level: 10

5% Chance to cast level 4 Frog Prince when you Kill an Enemy
5% Chance to cast level 4 Banish when you Kill an Enemy
+(31 to 60)% Enhanced damage
+(41 to 60) to Maximum Damage
Adds (11-25)-(51-75) fire damage
Adds (11-25)-(51-75) cold damage
Cold Resist +(21 to 25)%
(21 to 30)% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Socketed: 1

Perfectly good javazon weapon here.

Gold Digger
Claws (1)
One-Hand Damage: (20-25) to (24-30)
Durability: 48
(Assassin Only)
Required Dexterity: 48
Required Level: 6

+(31 to 60)% Enhanced damage
Stun Attack: (11 to 15) frames
(3 to 5)% Chance of Crushing Blow
(101 to 150)% Extra Gold from Monsters
(21 to 30)% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+1 to Light Radius
Socketed: 1

Both gold find and MF% in one weapon. You can even keep it on switch for opening chests.

The Square Peg
Wand (1)
One-Hand Damage: 1 to 9
Durability: 12
(Necromancer Only)
Required Level: 1

+(2 to 5) to Strength
+(2 to 5) to Dexterity
+(2 to 5) to Vitality
Damage Reduced by (1 to 2)
Total Character Defense Plus (3 to 5)%
(16 to 25)% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Socketed: 1

Decent MF% but not much to be said about the rest of the stats.

Dragonstone
Jared's Stone (1)
One-Hand Damage: 14 to 18
Durability: 78
(Sorceress Only)
Required Dexterity: 25
Required Level: 10

+(21 to 30) Energy Factor to Spell Damage
1% Chance to cast level 2 Blast Wave when Attacked
+1 to Sorceress Skill Levels
15% Faster Cast Rate
(0.1875 per level)% to Fire Spell Damage (Based on Character Level)
Fire Absorb (4 to 5)%
+(6 to 15) Life after each Kill
(21 to 25)% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Socketed: 1

Pretty good.

Shroud Royal
Full Plate Mail (1)
Defense: (260-652)
Durability: 105
Required Strength: 91
Required Level: 11

+(1 to 2) to Vanquish
(3 to 5)% Bonus to All Attributes
+(61 to 100)% Enhanced Defense
Damage Reduced by (7 to 10)
(26 to 50)% Extra Gold from Monsters
(16 to 20)% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Socketed: 2


Wheel of Fortune
Large Shield (1)
Defense: (61-116)
Durability: 52
Required Strength: 22
Required Dexterity: 45
Required Level: 4

1% Chance to cast level 9 Ice Whirl on Attack
+(3 to 5)% to Cold Spell Damage
+(7 to 10) to Strength
+(7 to 10) to Dexterity
(8 to 10)% Chance of Uninterruptable Attack
(31 to 50)% Extra Gold from Monsters
(16 to 25)% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Socketed: 1


Rabbit's Foot
Boots (1)
Defense: (6-10)
Durability: 29
Required Strength: 10
Required Level: 1

15% Faster Run/Walk
+(101 to 150) Maximum Stamina
(4 to 5)% Chance of Uninterruptable Attack
(101 to 150)% Extra Gold from Monsters
(16 to 25)% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Socketed: 1

Also good for GF%

Golden Fleece
Bull Shield (1)
Defense: (33-81)
Durability: 31
(Barbarian Only)
Required Strength: 10
Required Dexterity: 23
Required Level: 3

25% Chance to cast level 2 Arrow when Struck by a Missile
+1 to Barbarian Skill Levels
+(21 to 50)% Enhanced Defense
+(11 to 15) to Strength
Increase Maximum Life (3 to 5)%
+(31 to 50)% Damage when using a Healing Potion
Lightning Resist +(11 to 15)%
(21 to 30)% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Socketed: 1
Not too bad actually.

Cornucopia
Horned Helm (1)
Defense: (60-103)
Durability: 47
(Barbarian Only)
Required Strength: 55
Required Level: 6

+(31 to 50)% Enhanced Defense
Replenish Life +(31 to 50)
(51 to 100)% Extra Gold from Monsters
(21 to 30)% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Reduces all Vendor Prices (3 to 5)%
Socketed: 2


Serenthia's Disguise
Gambeson (1)
Defense: (67-170)
Durability: 44
(Sorceress Only)
Required Dexterity: 25
Required Level: 3

2% Chance to cast level 3 Charm when Attacked
+(3 to 5)% Bonus to Energy Factor
+(61 to 100)% Enhanced Defense
Magic Damage Reduced by (3 to 5)
+(11 to 25) Mana when Struck by an Enemy
(31 to 50)% Extra Gold from Monsters
(11 to 15)% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Socketed: 2

Conclusion
If you have any suggestion/questions post them here.
Any comments/feedback are welcome.

Credits:
cdawg0616(suggested honorifics+tir runes)
stingray(reminded about gold diggers, which reminded me about black sheep wall)
Shinobi(trial of greed)