The Gnasher

The Gnasher is an early-game unique Hand Axe in Diablo 2 Resurrected that becomes available at level 5, making it one of the first unique weapons players can equip.

Early Game Utility

The Gnasher provides solid damage for Normal difficulty with +60-70% Enhanced Damage and valuable utility through 20% Chance of Crushing Blow and 50% Chance of Open Wounds. The Crushing Blow helps against tankier enemies by removing a percentage of their health per hit, while Open Wounds causes bleeding damage over time. The +8 to Strength bonus helps meet equipment requirements for other gear.

When to Use

This axe serves well from levels 5-15 for any melee character progressing through Act 1 and early Act 2 on Normal difficulty. The Open Wounds makes it particularly effective against regenerating enemies. However, once you reach level 15-20, you'll want to replace it with stronger weapons like runewords (Steel, Malice) or other unique finds that offer better damage and utility for Nightmare difficulty.