Small update today.
I managed to get to level 45, still haven't died a single time; which kinda shows in itself this build is quite solid. The Octo went tentacle-less within a minute, although I had expected a hard fight, given he had a dark orange / near red ring.
Rest of the area was a piece of cake, the seraphim quest in Shum'zum was nice when doing a few Flaring Nova / Pelting Strikes combos in a row - Regen per hit FTW! - and although the ice monsters at the seraphim island were able to burn through my defences - and thus slowing my running speed down a lot! - even that area wasn't that hard. Nor was the quick side-step to that cave north of Bluetonburry in which you encounter those Highlander reference mini-bosses. Again, Regen per hit ftw, giving me the opportunity to do a few FN / PS combo's.
One thing I learned from this session is that picking Pulse over expanding as first modifier of FN was a very good choice. Yes, it does reduce the damage of a pulse; however since it sends out TWO pulses instead of one you still do about 50% more damage compared to the single pulse. Another reason it works so nicely, I picked Stun as another option, meaning all monsters in my direct vincinity are hit twice with magic damage, stunned and then turned into pork-chops, minced meat, sausages and t-bones stakes by the PS before the time of the stunning has expired.
Is it fair? Not at all.
Is it efficient? Most certainly is.
All in all, this means I have reached the Carnagh caves; probably the only location I dislike a lot. Those stone throwing monsters with their chance to stun you are anoying, but I can live with that. An AS / PS combe between them will finish most of them off pretty fast.
What I do hate about that area are the bugged young dragons. For some weird reason, the young dragons got an invisible barrier around them when they breathe in to release that fireball. Because of that you can't get to them and as a result you are always hit by said fireball.
Another thing I really hate is that they're all the sudden teleporting; or perhaps it's jumping / being knocked back; when you're fighting them; even if you don't have that knockback modifier in your gear. So the result is that you need to engage a young dragon twice, no matter how high your damage output is. In worst cases even trice.
Anyway, despite all that I managed to get to Loromir. And to do so I had the hardest fight so far: Xanthiar. It was a bit surprising for me, as the Octo was having the same level difference (10 levels) as that lizzard, yet the Octo went down pretty fast; while with Xanthiar I was drinking health potions faster as an alcoholic drinks beer in a "drink all you can" bar.
Then I realized the difference were the weapons. I fought the Octo using dual Sereish swords; both having 1.2%LL. And since that percentage is based upon the Maximum HP the opponent starts with, it's a lot when fighting bosses.
Xanthiar, however, was fought when using an Ysandrifa's Law and a Kaldur's axe. And the LL at the Ysandrifa's Law is a fixed number. I was able to increase it using a Demon's set amulet, but 1.2% LL is quite strong compared to 30-40-ish LL maximum.
Yet, Xanthiar went down - and so did my potions supply, but since I got a standard amount of 99 with me at all times, that wasn't too much of a problem - and I made it to Loromir. Soon (tm) I will venture through the rest of those caves, although I'm not looking forward to the fight with the Carnagh; as I will most likely have to use the same weapons again.
And to end it all: the victorious lady just after she had begun chopping that lizzard up:
Thorin