Did a couple countess runs for a wep upgrade, could have gone malice but already had a 2os claymore handy and only needed like 2 runs for the runes.
So far my strategy has just been to keep rolling with what I find until I actually hit a challenge that I need to re-gear for. Which hasn't really happened yet in norm




First set item. Actually took a long time (Claw viper), feel like something usually drops before that.




Vipers weren't super scary. I'm sure they will be very scary in NM.

I'm definitely hoping to not have to S/E much this WT. But, I was getting reckless as everything has been relatively easy so far.
Charged into a bunch of mobs in arcane with only like 2 healing pots in belt. Couldn't sustain long enough to whack my way out and merc died so had to S/E.
Weak move I know, but hey, it's a no-respec charge/FOH WT.



Went back to kill Andy again on a game restart, Boot upgrade for now found in catas.




And Andy dropped this upgrade for my switch. Previously was using just a +max dmg jav.

Summoner drop. Eh, extra CR can't hurt before Durry.




I didn't think I was at all ready for Durry, but decided I'd just go ahead and pop it to get the staff out of my inventory and see how bad she was before I went back to re-gear a bit.




Surprisingly, she wasn't terrible and I ended up just killing her. I had to town once to revive merc, but other than that took her down just fine. My merc at this point was using a shopped blue spear w/ %CTC amp dmg, and when I brought him back from town he cast it on her on his first or second hit and my couple charges really chunked her down. He died but then she died a few charges later. Vigor (charge synergy) was helpful for dealing with the holy freeze.

Nothing useful from Durry. The battle axe was yellow with bad mods.




Entering act 3. I think I'll need to do some countess runs and get some better gear going here shortly. I'll plan to pause on the uploads here for now and catch up more later. Next set of posts should get us through the rest of norm as things start to get a lot more interesting/scary...

Best way to do stats IMO is to target which weapon/armor you're going to use then just prepare for that.

Act 3, here we go! Found this cool gift shop statuette right away, traded it to a sailor for a different statuette which I gave to a creepy pharmacist who broke it open and poured some dude's ashes out, then made them into a drink which I chugged to get stronger. Sounds right.




Eye, NBD. Stayed pretty far from spiders and charged/ran away while mere distracted. Sry these screens all from before the other poster had reminded me to click globes to show numbers.




First encounter with these dudes, they actually weren't terrible. Light res is pretty good at this point.

Went back to do some quick countess runs, needed a wep upgrade and found a 3os pike. Representative sample of an ok run:



Big boost to dmg. The open wounds is actually really useful too. Hopefully will be able to upgrade to something more useful before too long.



Nah. This game has been weirdly sparse in terms of set drops. Lots of yellows, normal amount of uniques, but this is like only the 3rd-5th set item I've seen at all. Weird. Good thing I'm not doing that set only WT.

Literally right after I take that screenshot complaining about set drops...




Flayer dungeon drops both of these within 1 hallway of each other. Not amazing but used together they are actually an upgrade for merc.




Ring upgrade for me, currently using this + angel

mmm brains




gambled this ammy upgrade. Previously was using like +4 resist all +mana or something




Heart

Flail. Trav wasn't too bad tbh. Had to revive merc once. Other than that I just lured them out 1-2 at a time and chargelocked them to death




Lvl 31 now, I am starting to skill into FOH. Didn't plan to hit all the prereqs so I could get it right at 30 since I figured I'd need a bit more charge/might to keep carrying me.
I feel like charge is powerful enough now w/ malice pike that I can spend skill points getting up to FOH and holy shock etc.
Here's a screen of my current switch (resists, yum) with that same yellow pilum - but will be FOH switch here in a little bit.




Had to go back for the tome, was too excited and ran straight through to trav. Extra stats nice. I'm mostly keeping somewhere between 15-30 unused stats on hand so I have flexibility with new equipment as it comes.