- Mar 14, 2020
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After my 7x7+2 and untwinked 99ers, there are still some builds I've wanted to make or rebuild with better gear. My Runeword Bonanza Sept provided an outlet for one Sept's worth, and the 2H Melee Sept is providing another. But there were still some longstanding builds on my to-do list that I wanted to get through and didn't fit into those projects. Hence, the Unfinished Business Sept, which has overtaken the 2H Melee Sept in terms of progress, with 5 of 7 complete and the sixth in Hell.
So I figured a Sept thread was warranted and would help provide motivation to finish this project up, as breaks for XP runs with my untwinked 99er Druid who is moving again. There aren't real rules for this Sept, except as per my usual, all characters will full clear A85 areas. Due to build and gear choices, some will drop to p1 in Hell, so no p-setting restriction here. Updates on the last two characters will be posted here, and Mat/Pat links for the others are below. A high-level summary of the build/gear concept for each class is below, with more detail on each (including impressions for completed characters) following that.
* * *
Amazon
Gear: Windforce, fun rare gloves and boots, razortail, Fortitude, Kira's, Atma's for amp, Harmony switch
I hadn't found Windforce during my 7x7+2, and never revisited the Windforce strafer once that item dropped. I had used as backup for my Ice Ice Maiden, but the real deal was fun to make from scratch and quest through. She was p5 through A4H, and dropped to p3 to finish. Very powerful, no deaths, and the merc also was sturdy with few deaths. Gear could have been min-maxed, but it was fun to use rares.
Assassin
Gear: Fleshripper, Dual Dream, Trang's gloves for poison % damage, otherwise standard kicker
This is another build I'd thought about making but didn't have gear during 7x7+2 to make happen. Mainly, the Fleshripper was missing. Yes, the lack of synergy for Dream Holy Shock is limiting, but dual Dream is very solid on its own, and fast DTalon with the lightning damage and crushing blow and other mods from weapon and boots is quite strong even without Infinity. The Confuse from Dreams is great crowd control to boot. I really enjoyed her, especially after several years of wondering how this build would turn out. Because I played her in an all ladies MP group, Infinity wasn't available, and she more than held her own. But once the Infinity merc was swapped in after Mat'ing, it was even more powerful as expected.
Barbarian
Gear: Last Wish/Beast, dual HotO switch, Cow King set, other gear to fill gaps
This was a really fun playthrough and a character that I am quite proud of. I love Cow King set, and it's my go-to twinking option for melee characters for Normal into NM. My 7x7 focused on using all Elite sets, so I didn't actually use this a set to build around end-game. Last Wish is a fun item to have and use, and worked well for my Runeword Bonanza Frenzier, and why not go with Beast to shift and get the aura on offhand? So the dual mammal build was born. As noted in the write up, Last Wish didn't work as well for him, with blind target overriding life tap, and the Phase Blade had limited damage. But at p1, it was very fun and engaging for the playthrough.
Druid
Gear: Standard Earthshifter Fury Druid, per Liquid_Evil's guide.
Meh? It was a pretty classic build, and centered around a cool item. But I'm definitely looking forward to the eTomby Fire Mauler in my 2H Melee Sept much more compared to this guy. So it was fun to tick this one off, but I was also happy to finish him up.
Necromancer
Gear: ? I'm pretty sure I have a nice 3 Bone Spear 2os wand with decent secondary mods, but I haven't checked carefully yet. But otherwise, I finally have a full backpack of Fungal GCs, which I didn't have for the Bone Necro in my 7x7. I'm hoping this one is stronger and can keep up at least a p3 setting through Hell.
This is a build I have wanted to revisit after my underwhelming experience during my 7x7. This was the only Necro Pat that I didn't thoroughly enjoy, and I had chalked it up to limited + skills. Hopefully the full skiller backpack and more experience with using Bone Prison effectively makes for a fun playthrough.
Paladin
Gear: Ice Bow, Dream helm, Razortail, CoH, Mara's, rare gloves and boots
I built the Ice in the Shadow Bow with this guy in mind. I'm hoping it's a fun playthrough, likely on p1 the whole way. My last ranger was abandoned due to tedium on single target and lack of crowd control, but I think the balance of offense and defense here will work well.
Sorceress
Gear: Griffon's, Fathom, Vipermagi, CtA Switch, +skill options and 117 FCR
She was not as much fun as I remembered from my experience with this build from the 7x7, even with stronger gear. I think also at this point that I don't find Sorcs as fun for playthroughs, due to ability to teleport through, and challenge of discipline not to do so. I definitely found myself moving quickly to finish her up, even needing to go back to complete full clears for A85 areas. But she went through on p5 the whole way, and was plenty powerful dual element Sorc.
So I figured a Sept thread was warranted and would help provide motivation to finish this project up, as breaks for XP runs with my untwinked 99er Druid who is moving again. There aren't real rules for this Sept, except as per my usual, all characters will full clear A85 areas. Due to build and gear choices, some will drop to p1 in Hell, so no p-setting restriction here. Updates on the last two characters will be posted here, and Mat/Pat links for the others are below. A high-level summary of the build/gear concept for each class is below, with more detail on each (including impressions for completed characters) following that.
- Amazon – Windforce Strafer with w Cold Faith Rogue (Matriarch Windforce, Level 86, 2/21/21)
- Assassin – Fleshripper Kicker with Dual Dreams (Matriarch Blade, Level 83, 10/2/21, MP)
- Barbarian – Cow King BarBearian with Last Wish and HF Infinity Merc (Patriarch Ursine_Bovine, Level 82, 4/2/21)
- Druid – Earthshifter Fury Druid with Reaper Might Merc (Patriarch Aldur, Level 86, 4/15/21)
- Necromancer – Bone Necro with Might Insight Merc (Patriarch McCoy, Level 84, 4/5/22)
- Paladin – Ice Ranger with Conviction Aura and Faith Rogue (Patriarch Craft, Level 81, 3/27/22)
- Sorceress – Chain Lightning/FO Sorc with Insight Merc (Matriarch MFO, Level 83, 10/9/21)
* * *
Amazon
Gear: Windforce, fun rare gloves and boots, razortail, Fortitude, Kira's, Atma's for amp, Harmony switch
I hadn't found Windforce during my 7x7+2, and never revisited the Windforce strafer once that item dropped. I had used as backup for my Ice Ice Maiden, but the real deal was fun to make from scratch and quest through. She was p5 through A4H, and dropped to p3 to finish. Very powerful, no deaths, and the merc also was sturdy with few deaths. Gear could have been min-maxed, but it was fun to use rares.
Assassin
Gear: Fleshripper, Dual Dream, Trang's gloves for poison % damage, otherwise standard kicker
This is another build I'd thought about making but didn't have gear during 7x7+2 to make happen. Mainly, the Fleshripper was missing. Yes, the lack of synergy for Dream Holy Shock is limiting, but dual Dream is very solid on its own, and fast DTalon with the lightning damage and crushing blow and other mods from weapon and boots is quite strong even without Infinity. The Confuse from Dreams is great crowd control to boot. I really enjoyed her, especially after several years of wondering how this build would turn out. Because I played her in an all ladies MP group, Infinity wasn't available, and she more than held her own. But once the Infinity merc was swapped in after Mat'ing, it was even more powerful as expected.
Barbarian
Gear: Last Wish/Beast, dual HotO switch, Cow King set, other gear to fill gaps
This was a really fun playthrough and a character that I am quite proud of. I love Cow King set, and it's my go-to twinking option for melee characters for Normal into NM. My 7x7 focused on using all Elite sets, so I didn't actually use this a set to build around end-game. Last Wish is a fun item to have and use, and worked well for my Runeword Bonanza Frenzier, and why not go with Beast to shift and get the aura on offhand? So the dual mammal build was born. As noted in the write up, Last Wish didn't work as well for him, with blind target overriding life tap, and the Phase Blade had limited damage. But at p1, it was very fun and engaging for the playthrough.
Druid
Gear: Standard Earthshifter Fury Druid, per Liquid_Evil's guide.
Meh? It was a pretty classic build, and centered around a cool item. But I'm definitely looking forward to the eTomby Fire Mauler in my 2H Melee Sept much more compared to this guy. So it was fun to tick this one off, but I was also happy to finish him up.
Necromancer
Gear: ? I'm pretty sure I have a nice 3 Bone Spear 2os wand with decent secondary mods, but I haven't checked carefully yet. But otherwise, I finally have a full backpack of Fungal GCs, which I didn't have for the Bone Necro in my 7x7. I'm hoping this one is stronger and can keep up at least a p3 setting through Hell.
This is a build I have wanted to revisit after my underwhelming experience during my 7x7. This was the only Necro Pat that I didn't thoroughly enjoy, and I had chalked it up to limited + skills. Hopefully the full skiller backpack and more experience with using Bone Prison effectively makes for a fun playthrough.
Paladin
Gear: Ice Bow, Dream helm, Razortail, CoH, Mara's, rare gloves and boots
I built the Ice in the Shadow Bow with this guy in mind. I'm hoping it's a fun playthrough, likely on p1 the whole way. My last ranger was abandoned due to tedium on single target and lack of crowd control, but I think the balance of offense and defense here will work well.
Sorceress
Gear: Griffon's, Fathom, Vipermagi, CtA Switch, +skill options and 117 FCR
She was not as much fun as I remembered from my experience with this build from the 7x7, even with stronger gear. I think also at this point that I don't find Sorcs as fun for playthroughs, due to ability to teleport through, and challenge of discipline not to do so. I definitely found myself moving quickly to finish her up, even needing to go back to complete full clears for A85 areas. But she went through on p5 the whole way, and was plenty powerful dual element Sorc.
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