(I also don’t like respecs.) Two Major Exceptions I typically do not bother with quite that much planning in a character, so I leave myself a little cushion (either extra points in Str or Dex, or unspent points) until the end of the game when my gear is finalized. If you have all your gear ahead of time, you can spend some time with a calculator to figure out how much Strength and Dexterity you need, and just plug the rest in Vitality. This rule will optimally cover about 99% of all possible builds in Diablo II. Enough Dexterity to equip your weapon or achieve 75% blocking (Paladins should almost-always go for max block holy shield leaves no excuse).
