A couple people mentioned leveling much easier at the start of the game (ie getting to level 9 by the end of the initial section of Broken Valley, rather than 7), and finding much better equipment from the smith and from loot.
A +40 damage bonus seems rather excessive, though. In D2:ED my final weapons had a comparable bonus, found/looted after level 30.
damage: 44-73
+39 melee damage
+29 magic damage
damage: 61-75
+39 melee damage
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