Rift Run - Levels 27 to 29

Note: A Purest Challenge is not to twink any character, use paragon points, or use any outside help and progress in Hardcore.  Inspired by a post on d2jsp by Bubonic.  I chose to start at Expert difficulty and do Bounties (RNG selected) and Rift runs. 


The Rift started in Act IV.  Mob density was average, but the bar was over 70% when I entered the second Rift portal.  Ugh.  It's Pandemonium.  Have I mentioned that this area is not my favorite because there isn't room to maneuver.

Well it is not like I was going to stop the Rift and say "F-it".  The meter was at 99% and I run into an elite pack near stairs.  Crap.  I am worried that I'll kill one of the elite's minions and the Rift Guardian will spawn.  Worse, the elite affix is mortar.  It'd be just my luck to trigger the Guardian and a bunch of bombs exploding all around me.

But it doesn't happen.  I wipe away the elites and the Guardian doesn't appear.  The next white monster I kill makes the world tremble and the air weep blood.  It's a clone of the Act IV Keywarden - What's His Face.

This was a really annoying fight; it almost killed me.  Do you see those circles?  It rains ice and causes DOT.  I had to wait until the circles disappear before I could close in and DPS him down a little.  Templar was doing great, he could stay in the circles without a problem.  Me on the other hand, I see red numbers ticking away my life.  Wham - wham - wham - dash out - rinse and repeat.  The icing on the cake is that the Guardian kept debuffing me as well.  Ouch and double ouch.  Bastard.

Okay, I get the Guardian's health bar lower than the picture below.  I decide to use Falling Sword to issue a coup de grace!

Whoops!!  I Falling Sword on him.  He's still alive.  I'm standing in overlapping circles.  Uh oh.  My health starts draining rapidly, falling sword on cool down and it's time to pot.  I run off the circles, heading towards a gate.  Red numbers still flashing over my character and my potion is on cool down.  I wonder if I'm dead as the Templar kills the Guardian.  I laugh when the orange beam appears.

I go back to retrieve my loot.

Nice!  Another upgrade!

It was time to get a new weapon.  So I try another flail.  It's my opinion the Crusader and Flail are linked and should be used if at all possible.

Oh heck yes, I get real lucky and a nice flail.  I drop Amethyst gems in the chest to make up for the loss in Vitality.  I end up -600 health when all the gems are upgraded and socketed.

End of session stats.

End Gold: 140,475

DPS: 585.71

Toughness: 12,774