Update on Stennis, the crafting-handicapped Nightmare 2H warrior.
Wellll, I don't think I'm going to achieve the less than 15 hours goal. I'm 8 hours in and still haven't started Templars. Not being able to craft gear is really slowing me down, paradoxically. You know, with crafting, I waste so much time mining metal and hunting leather, and then fiddling around at the forge, that I figured no crafting would be good for a speedrun.
But noooooo ...
(Long-winded whine about how much time I'm wasting ...)
So, anyway, enough complaining. Despite everything taking longer than I expected, I'm actually having a lot of fun. I decided on no gear crafting because I wanted more of a challenge, and I'm getting exactly what I bargained for. It's great to have long standing expectations turned on their heads. For example, when you loot a chest, dontcha hate getting common armor and weapon upgrades and even gold after a certain point, but love getting schematics? Well, I have exactly the opposite reaction.
Opens chest and rummages around.
Schematic for Superior Hunter Coat? Bah! (Tosses on the ground).
10 Everite? Useless!
1 Fade-Touched Ring Velvet (Hidden Blades x4)? I suppose I could sell that for 2 gold.
Disciple Staff Blade (Level 7)? Now you are talking! Come to Papa!
63 gold! YES!!!
Oh, and rift drops! I went on a rift closing spree trying to get some decent rings, but the RNG decided to troll me (again) and only dropped rings for skills nobody has. At least I can sell them, and I leveled up and got more practice doing battles where any hit is potentially fatal.
And that's the biggest change. My approach to combat has to be much more deliberate, much better planned. No running in and button mashing, that's a recipe for many reloads. Mobs have to be softened up first with grenades and ranged attacks. Knock back, stunning, freezing, shocking ... CC in general ... anything that slows down enemy damage output is critical. Evasion skills now get a prime spot in the 8 active slots.
If you are jaded and looking for a change, I recommend this handicap. All you need is a ton of patience.
It's all good!