ACT FOUR

With Act Four secured, I sold the last dropped item and the rest of my extra potions. No mage plate had yet dropped, no cuirasses. Oh well. I had two light plates saved in town at the dock. I would gamble myself broke, trying to get a good armor or boot, then I would sell the hidurare uniques and imbue the two plates in Normal and Nightmare. That way I would still have my Hell imbue if a mage plate drops. After all, with just one act left to go before Astra is retired, it's now or never for those imbues. If I didn't have the light plates, I'd have bought breastplates from Fara. Fortunately, that wouldn't be necessary.

I carted Greyform, Hotspur, and Gorefoot to Lut Gholein. I netted almost 70k off the Meph drops, so I had close to 400k in total gold. That's a lot of moolah to blow on gambles of leather boots and quilted armors.

So I went on a shopping spree. I also took some shots at chain boots (wearing Treads, I had all three low end unique boots, might as well try for any high dur rares I can get).

100k down, nothing useful.

200k down, some "Close but no Cigar" boots and armors popped out. I also got two Arctic Furs and one Vidala's Ambush (yes I started gambling leather armors too).

300k down, still no luck. I haven't given up hope, but my chances are fading away.

Down to 40k left. This is not looking good. I keep trying anyway.

Whoa! JACKPOT.

Ah, just what I've been praying for! Fastest recovery and enough Fire Resist to carry me to max (barely).

That may look like a crappy item to you, but it's the missing piece for Astra, plugging the two MUST-HAVE holes in her config. With this armor now in hand, I sold the rare with the +mana, sold my Ruby wand I'd had since Normal, sold my junk Ruby rings I never chose to use, sold Hotspur and Gorefoot, but I kept Greyform. I never thought it would come to this, but I'll be using Greyform against Diablo. If I get there.

I went back to Kurast Docks for my two imbuables and the rest of my full rejuvs.

I saved, then started Normal and used that imbue. Saved, started Nightmare, used that imbue.

Yep there they are: Crap Imbue Number One and Crap Imbue Number Two. Oh well. I made back fifty grand, which is all the cash Astra has after handing almost half a million in gambling dough to Elzix.

Looks like Astra's final gear is set. I plan to make a straight run to Diablo, killing only what I must to get through safely. I've thought about going back to complete a full clear, but I have skipped more than the optional areas. I have skipped lots of little bits and pieces in too many places. So this will be it. My next gaming session will determine her final fate.

Can Astra become The Queen of Fire?