You said yourself, once you defeat a boss, it gets easier the next time round. I took that onboard and decided to get efficient with my Synthesis goals. I plan to play SC for the challenges, but I'd rather use her now for levelling my HC witch and improve my chances in getting the achievements. My mistake last league was that I left the HC game too late. And I don't see the point of what some of my gamer pals plan to do, in grinding for the challenges in SC first. Because then you are exhausted from the grind and your mind has moved on. That is why Kaom killed me in your race, I did not even remember that act, or any others that followed. I actually thought he was new content!

The engine eternity levelling guides on youtube are fabulous, but you really need to practice and live the experience. Follow their guidance of what you need going in, but then it's time to practice avoiding the boss sequences and be ready for each phase. That is why I felt the SC Witch was good. It was part of the HC fun. I kinda see each HC boss arena to be a boxing match, and my SC witch is my training partner. I really live for HC for the boss fights. I can practice until I am ragged and win in SC, but it doesn't change how nervous I get when I go in with my HC witch. But the only difference is that I that I know I can get through it, if I concentrate. How easy she took them down gave me an indicator as to if I was ready for the boss or not. Anyway, you do know that you can re-fight a boss in softcore if you reset their zone right? So just see it as more Hardcore fun, the practicing. And once you get past, the next time you won't need to practice. I see it as shortcutting the experience of players who have played league after league for years. I've learnt so much as I analyse the fights, what I did wrong, what I could do better. To me, it is all part of the preparation of HC.

Who knows if I will ever be good enough to get on the podium, but I am determined to fast track my way to a half decent player. I was just chatting to a HC player this evening and he got me inspired to look closer at the algorithms...like I hate maths. This game is pushing all my boundaries. I still blame you!

As for Kitava Act 5, he really isn't hard. He is possibly the most mechanical fight of lot. I think we're just scared of him because he is so huge! But if you give yourself a chance to practice and go in with a heavy DPS strategy, you'll realize he is easy compared to Innocence whose fight is long and his spam of projectiles are deadly.

Chaos is the way to go, Matt. It was also you who told me this. I don't think I could go back to elemental spells now.