GUIDE FOR NEW PLAYERS

How to play on a private Diablo 2 server

C9Realm is a Polish private Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction 1.13c server. You play on your own legal copy of the game, and the first game is a few minutes away from downloading the launcher.

Download the launcher Create an account

What is a private Diablo 2 server?

It is a Battle.net realm run by a community instead of Blizzard. Characters, the ladder and trading live on our server, and the game works like classic closed Battle.net: create a character, host games, play with friends.

C9Realm adds its own rules: a stash shared by your account's characters, game scaling with .players 1-8, Terror Zones, a live Softcore and Hardcore ladder, an automatic Holy Grail and a character Armory. The full list of changes versus LoD is in C9Realm vs LoD.

The realm is Polish, but the launcher, the game client and this website all work in English.

What you need

Three things are enough to play on C9Realm:

Your own complete copy of Diablo II with the Lord of Destruction expansion, Polish or English. It may be older (1.12, 1.13c, 1.14b, 1.14d) or contain another mod's files.
A Windows 10 or 11 PC.
An e-mail address for your account.

We do not distribute the game itself, and you need no cracks or patchers: the launcher prepares everything from your installation.

STEP BY STEP

From installation to your first game

Create an account. On the account page enter your e-mail and confirm it with a one-time code. You get a main account and three utility accounts (name-1, name-2, name-3) for mules, Enchant or Battle Orders.
Download the launcher. Get the C9Realm installer only from the download page. If Windows shows an “unrecognized app” warning, click “More info”, check the name C9RealmInstaller.exe and choose “Run anyway”: it is a warning about a new file's reputation, not a threat detection.
Point it at your game folder. Choose your Diablo II installation and the PL or EN language. The launcher prepares a separate C9Realm copy: matching files come from your installation, the rest is restored from signed packages. Your original folder stays untouched.
Approve your computer. On first start the launcher opens your C9Realm profile with a one-time code; a new account approves the computer automatically once you enter the code from the e-mail.
Play. Start the game with the C9Realm shortcut. The realm is already set: choose Battle.net in the game and log in with your account. The game scales to a Full HD window; Ctrl+O opens the display settings, Alt+Enter toggles full screen.

Your first character

A few things worth knowing before your first game:

Create an Expansion (LoD) character; do not untick that option. Classic characters are not supported.
Softcore or Hardcore? In Hardcore a character has one life, and its death is posted to the #polegli channel on Discord.
Playing alone? Type .players 8 in the game: it scales as if eight players were present (more monster life, experience and drops), with no bots and no slots taken from friends.
A passworded game is hidden from the list; a friend joins by typing its name and password.
Several windows at once? Start the launcher again and log each window into a different account (main or -1, -2, -3).

Useful commands

Dot commands go into the in-game chat, exclamation commands to C9Bot. More: the C9Bot guide.

`.players 1-8`	game scaling (set by the game's creator)
`.players status`	requested and effective scaling
`.stack`	stacks runes, gems and scrolls
`.set home 1-5`	your character's starting town (act)
`.dps`	damage meter for the last 5 seconds
`/w *C9Bot !help`	C9Bot help in the lobby (replies by whisper)

COMMON QUESTIONS

Before you start

The five questions asked most often before the first game.

Do I need my own copy of Diablo II?

Yes. You need a legal, complete copy of Diablo II with the Lord of Destruction expansion, Polish or English. C9Realm does not distribute the game.

Will the launcher change my game installation?

No. The launcher creates a separate C9Realm copy, takes matching files from your installation and restores the rest from signed packages. Your original folder stays untouched.

Which Diablo II version do I need?

Any complete LoD installation, including 1.12, 1.13c, 1.14b or 1.14d, also with another mod's files. The launcher builds a 1.13c profile from it.

Can I play with friends or in several windows?

Yes. Friends join your games, and each extra window logs into a different account: the main one or one of the three utility accounts. Playing alone, use .players 8.

Is this Diablo II: Resurrected?

No. The realm runs Diablo II: Lord of Destruction 1.13c with Full HD scaling. The Resurrected world is described at d2r.c9realm.pl.

More answers are in the FAQ, and live help on our Discord.

What next?

Check the ladder, start collecting your Holy Grail, plan your route with the Terror Zones calendar and look up runewords.

Download the launcher FAQ