Avenger - Single Pass P8 Hc Ssf - Topic

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Jul 10 2020 08:31pm

Act 3 was really fun (truthfully). It's slowly become one of my favorite acts after being my very least favorite. It's essentially traded spots with act 2. That doesn't mean it's safe. It remains one of the most dangerous acts (imo) for this sort of run. I spent the first 45 minutes of stream trying to shop a weapon with double the damage of my 31.5 damage "Steel" Dimensional blade. I bought several upgrades as they appeared and ultimately ended on a +8 max 250%ish War Scepter that gave roughly 50 weapon damage. I was going to keep shopping for better, but a stream raid had me decide I wouldn't punish the new viewers much longer.

So into Act 3 I went; And immediately started to be rewarded. My first minion pack coughed up a Lum. This guarantees that (if I need to make one) "Smoke" + Anya quest will negate the hell resistance debuff. The magic find was about to pay off though. A quick couple drops, peasant crown, bonesnap, chance guards (bumping me up to 125 MF), lidless.

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But the magic find wasn't done. I was planning on shopping again either after Act 4 or before Hell, but now I'm not sure I have to. Most of my temple doors were trapped with minion packs. Disused Fane (my first temple) was no exception. I was immediately rewarded with a Baezil's Vortex. This seems like a really appropriate weapon for an Avenger. It has decent BWS with 20% IAS to boot. It comes with 1-150 lightning damage (hell yes), and even 100 mana. Cain also rolled a decent (near max) 191% ED for me. I'm absolutely contemplating upping this baby and forgoing any hopes of an "Oath" if I see a Pul drop (come on hellforge!). As per usual, bosses give me next to nothing to write about.

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After finishing Act 3, I went and burned my normal imbue after whiffing on my NM belt today. It's okay enough, a small upgrade.
I really would like some more life somewhere in this build. PDR would not hurt either.. in fact it'd be very welcome:
Twitch Clip of a doll encounter in durance 2: https://clips.twitch.tv/ConsiderateTransparentSproutCeilingCat
This is the first run I've really struggled with dolls due to lack of hard CC (CoS, Howl, War Cry, Shockwave) or a massive life pool.

I also tried crafting gloves several times again and whiffed, although one was "okay" it has dual leech. I may replace chancies with it for act 4 just for some better sustainability. We'll see how I feel.

Here's where I ended up after the rather long stream today:

I'm very happy with my resistances and MF. Block is still way overcapped. I'm still nearly capped even when losing the 25% IBR and 10 dex from twitchthroe. However I can easily make up for that with a better paladin shield 55%+ block (and I hope to get some more ARes there too). I did drop some beefy FRes GCs but don't really need them atm. If I'm given the opportunity to make a "Treachery" I'll forgo the smoke in favor of the IAS and PDR from Fade, and plug in the gaps with some charms (although lightning charms are a bit lacking atm). I hope to improve slightly by the end of nightmare. I need to make an effort to improve my life total though. I don't really think I need to allocate much more into dexterity or strength so everything is going into vit for now.

edit: I forgot to add, my northern corner of travincal had over 15, perhaps even 20+ heirophants, tightly packed. 3 of which were champions. That was, by far, my hardest Trav map. It took a while to safely deal with all the zealots and cantors. Council proved easy as always even with the LECE.

Thanks for reading!

This post was edited by LogicalLynx on Jul 10 2020 08:41pm

LogicalLynx

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#22

Jul 11 2020 06:08pm

Some days just go perfectly. Today was one of those days.

I don't know who in my chat brought the luck, but talking about some drops minutes before they happen certainly makes a run feel magical. We started off with a quick wormskull - meh - but through it on the merc for some more leech. Then I dropped a 15% nagel - worse than my 24% magic find. We had a laugh. This did get chat talking about ravenfrost being pretty decent though. Who doesn't want cold absorb and cold damage (especially good on an Avenger).

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I kept telling chat that I "feel really good about getting our first Pul today" I had yet to drop a single Pul in any of my single pass runs. Mind you, I've found other interesting runes like Lem, Um, Ist, Mal and Lo. But generally we're often starved and get some terrible forges. This was not that day. If finding Baezil's yesterday wasn't good enough... this weapon is now godly:

Diablo wasn't so kind. But, seeing as I cannot roll Alacrity for shit on blood gloves, these will suffice for now. Finally to 9 FPA. I am probably going to burn my socket quest on my weapon for a shael so that I can replace my twitchthroe with a "smoke" for hell. It's not looking like I'll have early access to "Treachery".

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I didn't take anymore screenshots for the day, but chat did ask me to keep going. So I did Act 5 up to Drifter's Cavern. My overworld maps were littered with undead archers (at least they die quickly). Crystalline Passage, Frozen River, and Glacial Trail had lots of snakes - including a cursed pack that nearly ripped me: https://clips.twitch.tv/PeacefulRepleteYakinikuBatChest

I've been really putting effort into my life pool. I've managed to find a 16 life sc, 18 life sc, 35 life gc, and shopped a 99 whale plated belt. I'm finally in the 4 digit club - trust me I needed it. Drifter's cavern had lady archers and abominables that weren't too scary, however an evil urn spawned a FELE afflicted - YIKES! That's where I ended for today. I had an easy checkpoint waypoint on frozen tundra and will pick up from there tomorrow.

Here is where I finished today's run:

Thanks for reading!

This post was edited by LogicalLynx on Jul 11 2020 06:14pm

LogicalLynx

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#23

Jul 12 2020 06:30pm

The game continues to surprise me. Pindleskin wasn't bad at all. Shortly into Nihlathak's temple we came across a Fire Enchanted+Cursed beetle; yuck! But the game was going to reward our struggles. We dropped a Lem!! I decided it wasn't going to be worth holding out for a better base and chucked a "Treachery" into my 200 def mesh armor. I did find a 34 ARes Superior Heraldic shield as well... and upgraded my rhyme for a measly +1 Ares +7 defense The game also trolled me with an RJOF - but not the one you'd hope for this run. I retired that as a victory prize though. The rest of temple 1 and 2 went smoothly, but of course I got snakes in temple 3; 75% block saved my life so much: https://clips.twitch.tv/SmoothTriumphantChamoisCharlieBitMe

I dropped a Fal in Ancient tunnels. I'm now hoping for a great 5os elite base for "Obediance". The Merc is going to be strong with the level 21 enchant and my conviction aura (also 40% CB and crazy ED). Things weren't all great though.. I had a hell of an Icy Cellar: Dolls, Souls, Witches. Amp on it's own is fine... but with dolls, gmtfo of there. Here's a ~9 min highlight (suggest watching on 2x): https://www.twitch.tv/videos/677978551

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Worldstone Keep didn't really leave much to write about. We had some knights, some zealots, some flesh spawners, but we moved smoothly enough. Baal's minion waves were very easy to contend with. I just smash face in nightmare. The PDR from treachery is a nice help as well. Baal dropped a rattlecage and lavagouts. Both went to immediate use. I'm happy to finally have crushing blow on the merc, and the fear (with holy freeze) also seems quite useful since I lack any hard CC. The lava gouts adding some enchant damage are nice as well.

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Cows were a joke. With my enchant + kuko shakaku + conviction aura and holy freeze, packs just melted. No drops of interest however.

Here are my gear and stats at the start of Hell. I have exactly 3 inventory space with all my charms. I'm hoping I find some ARes GC or SC or just some better SC %. I'm using quite a few low % rolled light and cold res charms that could consolidate my stats. These stats are without Fade. I'll let fade cap the extra lightning res and fire res I'm going to pick up now that I'm done maxing vengeance, as well as the missing cold. ALSO! I hit 75 before cows this time, so pretty good exp maps compared to previous runs.

Thanks for reading!

LogicalLynx

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#24

Jul 13 2020 06:22pm

Hell started off interesting. Besides the many FELEs I kept coming across, the majority of problematic packs were some combination of cursed, extra strong, and might: https://clips.twitch.tv/EnthusiasticAnimatedSnailBibleThump This really hindered clear speed. The merc was dying frequently with his terrible resists. After getting past the intial fallen minion pack in blood moor and testing my mettle the rest of the map was no big deal, even most of cold plains was okay despite there being multiple lancer/hunter packs that were the aforementioned physical-damage-scary affixes. I did drop quite a few uniques and set items. I got really excited to see an amulet drop in caves only for it to be another nokozan

However, I did drop an eth CV. I was planning (still am) on upgrading to obedience, but I figured it was worth a shot at rolling 4os for a better "Insight". This also meant 3x p.ammy'ing a great helm for the merc. I think it was worth despite not being a great roll: 16 medi 210 ED 2CS

Blood raven took some time compared to other runs. Lack of hard CC made this a bit to contend with, but I eventually got there.

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Maso and Crypt were scary because of the mlvl - also zombies are not to be trifled with (see previous clip); Quite a few affixes make them hit hard! I dropped a goldwrap here. I decided it wasn't worth dropping the safety belt and socketing my flail to hit 8fpa from 9fpa, so I retired it to the shared stash. I crafted quite a few safety rings ~7 rings. I did roll into some passable ones. The game also dropped a slightly higher ED Kuko Rakinishu was extra strong and mana burn. Tristram entrance had 2 had a nasty archer packs stacked on top of each other (one was cursed). There was also a might archer pack on top of Griswold.

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I'm feeling a little more confident after finishing today. I think progress will get a little bit better as my levels get higher (also the merc's level too). Here is the ending gear and stats:

Thanks for reading!

Ston3

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#25

Jul 13 2020 11:56pm

Well done so far sir

LogicalLynx

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#26

Jul 14 2020 06:52pm

Quote (Ston3 @ Jul 13 2020 10:56pm)

Well done so far sir

Thank you sir!

LogicalLynx

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#27

Jul 14 2020 07:02pm

Today I started in Black Marsh. I anticipated the last few high level zones (Tower, Hole, Pits) to be tough due to being higher level than me. They did not disappoint. The mob density alone proved challenging. Today could be summed up by one monster: Afflicted. These guys were everywhere. And despite having 83 lightning resistance, they really really hurt. I did however drop a Blackhorn's face. I didn't use it for today's run, but I am considering swapping to that.

Tower's hardest challenge was space and a repeatedly dying merc. At least I wasn't rewarded with a Tal rune like last run.

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The pits had a relatively easy second floor. Fortunately for me I did not spawn archers. Alas, no drops

The rest of the run was pretty plain. We dealt fine with most of the maps and packs that the game through our way. Pitspawn fouldog was right at the start of Jail 2 with a champion Clan pack. That was the most difficult pack post Pits. Lots of extra strong / cursed zombie packs in cata 3 were tempting fate as well.

Andy rewarded my struggle through Act 1 with an Um.

My dilema is now to either make Duress for the Merc (I'd prefer treachery) or perhaps Um the Blackhorn's I got to close the lightning gap between my lore and it. This also frees up quite a few inventory spaces - it May not be worth wasting the um as I could simply Ort or even Sol it. I only have my NM socket quest left but I do think I'll likely burn that on the blackhorn's at the start of tomorrow's stream. I'd love to hear thoughts. That said, I do not think waiting for a Crescent Moon base is worth it as it's also quite likely that a crescent would be weaker than my Upped Baezil's - as nice as static field is.

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Here's the final gear and stats. This is my 3rd time clearing Act 1 Hell on stream in the last 6 runs. 2 of those runs died in Act 1. The barb had finished Act 1 at or near lvl 83 (I forget) the Kicksin was nearly 83. However, on this Paladin I'm about half a million shy from leveling - a shame.

Thanks for reading!

Jorquandre

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#28

Jul 14 2020 07:54pm

Can't say I have any advice to you sir as I am just a drunken Amazon, but nonetheless good luck to you son.

LogicalLynx

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#29

Jul 15 2020 05:30pm

I started off socketing my Blackhorn's today. I decided to drop a Sol rune (I am the Sol god afterall) in it to keep it somewhat on par with the "Lore" it replaced. I do not mind giving up +Skills for this build, although this required investing a couple extra points into dexterity. I also had to give up 3 inventory slots to close the lightning resistance. It's really nice having 85 LRes with a flat 20 absorb. I heal off beetles constantly. I decided to give the merc duress as he benefits from the res, cb, and cold damage (with my conviction aura).

I knew going into today that Unravelers would be drive me full tilt, hence today's title being: "Unravel"ing today. I did not expect it to be as bad as it was though. My second floor started with a unique Unraveler pack immediately to my right (SW) and 2 unique unravelers to my left (NE) with an unraveler straight ahead. If that was not bad enough, by the time I made my way over to the 2 unique unravelers in the NE hallway, they were adjacent to another 3 unique unravelers in that room.. Did I mention 2 of these had might aura and one was cursed? If that wasn't enough there was also a mummy sarcophogus in the room.. Unravellers forever making my runs truly feel like "hell". I spent quite a while here bitching and moaning about all 5 uniques basically being in the same room with mummies, spear cats, and countless skeletons. I finally cleared that room only to have another unique unraveler in a mummy room

Fortunately my trek through halls of the dead was rewarded with a pul - would repeat I'm really hoping for a nice 4os eth 1h sword/axe/mace and a Mal rune now. Pretty sure an "Oath" makes this run more than "GG" but "EZ".

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Chat was really picking on me after HoD about maggot lair, but in my experience maggot lair really isn't all that bad on melee. The maggot young can be annoying, but our Kuko Shakaku got lots of use here. From wrecking hallways of swarms and beetles to just melting packs of younglings - I like making Anakin Skywalker jokes everytime I'm killing maggot younglings.

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I check pointed Lost City, and will pick up with Lost City and Ancient tunnels tomorrow. I'm hoping it won't take too long and I'll be able to clear all the way to Canyon of Magi. I do believe tombs will need an entire day.

Here is my ending gear/stats:

Thanks for reading!

This post was edited by LogicalLynx on Jul 15 2020 05:32pm

skate4fun

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#30

Jul 15 2020 07:45pm

Awesome thread so far! Keep up the good work.

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