Hey there;
So I've been asking around about the subject ingame, but still can't get my head straight on the matter. Here's what I'm so confused about:
When I had the idea to jump back at HU I was prepared to take on parts of the game solo, so I thought I start a Rabies Druid. I always loved the playstyle it offers, and micromanagement of the creeper can result in relatively safe - but long - bossfights (it also makes the first half of normal difficulity a walk in the park). Apart from that, I remembered how helpful the revamped SoB was before with the added bonus absorbs. I've started other chars since then after finding others to team up with, but I still find him the most fine-tuned of them all (and highest level of course).
But even after I was assured I do nothing exceptionally wrong, something still seems to feel 'off'.
I'm level 81, and stuck momentarily at the end of Act IV. Nightmare. Beating Diablo with a party of intended level range is always a milestone in every game mode, and one of the most fun fights in the game (at least in my opinion), and the new monster res cap brings it to the square, as no character is completely useless anymore (*sigh* looking at you Fire Druid). Yet, my problem is not with Diablo, or the increased (?) difficulity of Nightmare (which is again, a very welcome addition).
As a loner most of the time, I enjoy going back to earlier areas magic finding, or completing optional areas and quests and fine-tuning my gear for the battles ahead (as it is a must). But I found that I'm struggling to survive even in parts of previous Acts to this day. And I'm not talking about bosses - even trahsmobs give me hard time in select few areas. And I figured after awhile, that basically elemental damage is simply overwhelming. And I started to work on it even more.. but to almost no effect.
So, some specifics: I worked up my resist to 250+ in every element, having 20-30% Magic/Phys res, and at least 15 absorb on all time with around 40-50 m/dr. Apart from that, I carry with me all the three absorb rings (max%) and one of each elemental themed armors and even customized shields to swap to at specific bossfights. I also have a 5k+ Hp pool (now putting points in shapechange, mostly for even more +hp) with additional Hp charms and almost all the gear a Rabies Druid can dream of at my level (I like to think that at least), providing a stable ~90k psn dmg in around 5.5secs. And yet, I can die in moments in places like Kurast/Travincal, or even earlier, elemental damage-heavy areas or bosses. One single lightning of a Cantor/Hierophant drains almost 1k Hp from me with the above setup. Thus, navigating in Durance or after River of Flame is almost an assured suicide. And to be honest, I have no idea what else can I try to do or find to be more resilient. Can't even imagine what will await for me in Hell..
Am I imagining things? Am I doing something really wrong? I've been around from time to time for most of the previous patches with some moderate success with my chars, and never had so much frustration keeping myself alive. How do you manage to do it?
Thanks for reading, any tips or advice is more than welcome.
_________________ -- t.
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