Aye, I've learned from my mistake and I'll take on the remaining Act 3 content as a Shadowstalker, because it's a fantastic career IMO. And as for Death Strike, yeah, I get you. I love the bow, but it seems to have served its purpose. I might replace it when I come across a good left hand weapon.
Anyways, here is a status update on my heroine in Act 3! I planned on doing a status update before that showed Yoimiya's current stats at the End of Act 2/Start of Act 3, but I didn't get the chance to, so that's like a missing episode right there if we were to imagine Yoimiya's journey as a movie or a TV show. Regardless, a LOT has happened.
-----HERO INFORMATION BELOW!-----
(ACT 3)
Name: Yoimiya "The Arena Champion" "The Chosen One"
Path: Rogue
Career: Shadowstalker (Abilities: Shadow Speed, Shadow Fury)
Health: 45
Stats: 14sp, 21br, 0ma, 0ar
Head: Total Eclipse (2sp 3br) vanish
Cloak: Gloom Shade (2sp 3br) steal
Gloves: Nightwalker Gloves (1sp 2br) nightwalker set [gut ripper]
Chest: Nightwalker Tunic (1sp 2br) nightwalker set [gut ripper]
Feet: Marsh Striders (2sp 2br) sideswipe
Main hand: Mortican's Scapel (dagger) (3sp 4br) disease
Left hand: Death Strike (bow) (1sp 3br) bull's eye
Talisman: Tiger's Heart (1sp) cat's speed
Necklace: Beetle-Shell Garland (1sp) charm
Ring: Lupine Lapis (1br) bleed
Ring: Finger of Fire (1br) sear
Other: Gold Detector () beep! beep!
-----HERO INFORMATION ABOVE!-----
New, shiny loot! I've recently completed the blue quest in Act 3, Against All Odds, and I love it! Disclaimer, however, my heroine's current equipment is NOT the same as the equipment she wore when she entered that quest.
Anywho, I like the last-stand type of feeling where your player character and four others struggle to keep the undead horde at bay so Lansbury can activate the Angel statue. I also liked how you control your allies in battle, while your player character doesn't join in unless your current ally dies. However, I've bent the rules to give Laine and co. a higher chance of survival:
1. Upon beginning the battle, my hero (Yoimiya) will activate her pre-combat abilities, which in this case, is the Bull's Eye from Death Strike, and also apply passive damage effects. I rationalized it as her spotting the fight between one of her allies and the enemy and providing aid with her bow before leaving it to her ally to win their battle.
2. If the ally's HP falls below 10, they fall back and my heroine tags in to finish the battle.
Despite the new conditions I've put in place, Witchfinder Gull was the only ally to fall in battle, so no special achievement in this playthrough. Oh well.
I don't think you can restart a quest after you complete or fail it, but I will break the rules and "restart" Waking the Dead since I never got to see the rest of the quest due to losing my first battle against the apprentice necromancer. I want to see what makes it epic, as Gilgamesh says, and maybe I can find some neat loot. My reasoning could be that most of Zul's forces left the necropolis, allowing Yoimiya and co. to sneak back in. Unlike her last visit, Yoimiya will be better prepared.
I'll post another status update once I finish most of Act 3's content.
Also, giving a shoutout to the Magmageddon reward weapon, Burning Heretic. It's a solid +3 speed, +3 brawn sword that served its purpose when my heroine wielded it. Not to mention, having Critical Strike alongside Gut Ripper felt very nice.