I don't want to game to be too easy. Everyone is saying that there are all sorts of cold/fire builds that can easily beat the game. I may end up giving merc insight eventually, but not before I start to find myself in more danger.

Yeah definitely make an insight

It's always more fun to give yourself some challenges along the way. I know on another forum there are certain competitions/tournaments for people on single player.
It creates some more fun/excitement for such an old game like Diablo II.

Post more updates!

OK!

Stats & skills starting A2 NM are in the album: http://s1078.photobucket.com/albums/w486/d2thing/20120325/

I made insight in the staff to free up inv space:




I had saved this amulet before, and now I can use it instead of the +13 res all:




Dropped from a chest, so I can finally make rhyme!

I also decided to use the boots Andariel gave me because I lose resists with the staff now.



I had to stat some more Strength, and then glitch them on with a ring I saved.




Some light reading.

Then right after I burned my Hel and made rhyme in that bone shield , I found this!!!



RATS!

Another find... should I respec to enchant?




Then I wanted to craft a belt, because Sigons belt really doesn't offer much besides 16 boxes, and I had three Iths and also made another perf amethyst.



It took a long time to gamble a sharkskin.

nice

Regarding that its an untwinked sorc its easy compared to other sorcs, but that doesnt mean that it will be invincible or an auto-win.
P8/Hell will still give u some funny times

I will be extracting video, as this turned out way better than average!! Pretty psyched, although I really need cold res right now.

Some new merc armor:


Seriously, I need to do SOMETHING with all this crap I'm saving... Limiting inv space is a little more fun because it forces you to USE things more often

A GC upgrade, replaces a 25 mana.



Saved this, may be handy in Hell for more gear configurations. Replaces this one in stash: