And to end out Ladder Season V...

At about 8:15 p.m. tonight :

http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/a...la_Killyou.jpg

Solo, in Hardcore Hell. All items self-found... including her lovely ethereal Titan's! (PS: Sheila got her Thundergod's two days ago, e.g. with less than a week before Ladder reset, when my Barbarian kicked over a basket in Lower Kurast. Par for the course I'd say... )

The trip down to the Throne and Chamber was mostly uneventful, despite almost everything being lightening immune and a lot of things being immune to both my main attacks. Luckily I didn't get Frenzytaurs or dolls, although the Souls gave me fits - problem here is that when there are OKs hiding around corners, I can't fall back on the standard "Slow Missiles and Jab" routine. And Lister was fun, too, no really nasty mods but he had Extra Strong, Cold Enchanted, Spectral Hit and Teleport; it was real fun when he popped up next to me and took a nice cold bite out of me... ouch!

I have to admit that Baal's Mana Rift wave did cause me some serious grief... I guess I had forgotten how fast it can drain you if (like this character) you have a relatively small blue pool to start with, and your merc doesn't have Insight (he had an average, non-upgraded Meat Scraper for the OW and MF)... I also had one h*ll of a time keeping track of which Baal had the first letter of his name just a tiny bit to the right, it's challenging doing this while you are simultaneously trying to rejuve your merc, drink blue potions and stay alive yourself.

However a Lower Resist wand on switch, synergized Charged Strike and a lot of trips back to Harrogath (only one of which was to resurrect the merc... most of the TPs were used to replenish mana pots), did the trick. Baal didn't drop anything worthwhile, but Venatar did drop a midrange Rune Master... anyone know what to put in it?

Anyway... a good way to end a Ladder, that is, "one you can walk away from". Sheila will now join the rest of my non-Ladder Hardcore Hell characters, having more than earned her retirement.

On to Ladder Season VI! (It is the sixth one... isn't it? Or am I really that senile?)

Cheers

Mr. Bill|||Well congratulations mate. I personally love taking Javazons through untwinked. It seems to me that they are one of those that never really get's old.