• "Diablo II" and its expansion, "Lord of Destruction," offer a variety of weapons to suit the game's seven character classes, as well as different playing styles. Some weapons can be wielded by any character class but provide bonuses to skills for one particular class, and other weapons are tailor made for a class, and can't be equipped by other characters. Each basic weapon type has normal, exceptional and elite versions, with better weapons available at higher character levels and game difficulties.
  
  

Wands, Scepters, Staves and Orbs

• While magic users typically rely on spells in combat, melee weapons come in handy when they're surrounded by enemies. Wands, scepters and staves deal 50-percent additional damage to undead enemies and provide up to three skill boosts of one to three points for a chosen class: wands for necromancers, scepters for paladins and staves for sorceresses. Scepters and wands are one-handed weapons, while staves require two hands. Orbs, class-specific items, provide sorceresses with a one-handed weapon choice, and also include a boost to either mana points or life points.
  
  

Bows and Crossbows

• Ranged weapons like bows and crossbows allow characters to stay out of harm's way and attack enemies from a distance. The Amazon class favors these weapons, and some bows are class-specific and boost Amazon skills. These two-handed weapons require ammunition, arrows for bows and bolts for crossbows, which can be enchanted or coated in potions, in order to deal elemental or poison damage to enemies. Bows and crossbows don't have a durability rating, which means they won't wear out over time.
  
  

Axes and Swords

• These weapons come in one- and two-handed varieties, and can be equipped by all classes. The powerful barbarian can wield a two-handed sword in just one hand, allowing you to equip him with a shield or another weapon in the other. However, if a barbarian is equipped with two two-handed weapons, each weapon deals reduced damage.
  
  

Polearms and Spears

• These two-handed weapons have long handles, allowing the character to attack the enemy before it gets too close. Amazons are skilled with spears, which are lighter, but deal less damage than polearms.
  
  

Throwing Weapons

• Hand axes, daggers, knives, and javelins deal melee damage when they're equipped, but they're more effective as thrown weapons. The barbarian class is excellent with throwing axes, and it's the only class that can throw two weapons at once. The javelin is another weapon favored by Amazons.
  
  

Assassin Weapons

• Only assassin-class characters can equip the single-handed katar, claw and talon weapons, which sometimes feature boosts to assassin skills. Some assassin skills, like Dragon Claw and Claws of Thunder, can only be used when the character is equipped with claw-type weapons.