Path of Exile free to play in about six hours.

[shoju]

You've thought a lot more about this than I have so I won't be very much help with most of your questions. My planning has been pretty much "cold witch", "do I have a slot for that cool gem?" and "does stuff die?". For the tree, I generally save a handful of points and then try to find a line that points toward some special node. I focus on damage then mana and then life, with a little dex and str for gear. For equipment, I do check vendors for pieces, especially upgrading jewelry, but it has mostly been stuff I pick up that gives me better boost and still has the needed slots and links for my gems. Otherwise I leave any white items and vendor any unused blues and up to turn into orbs to buy anything I do come across. I have not tried trading with others but I never did in other games either so I probably won't.

It's part of my problem. If I'm going to play something, I want to make sure that I'm "Doing it right". And part of the problem is, there just aren't a "load" of resources out there yet for POE.

I like the idea I'm going for with my character. I hope it works. I'm thinking very much of a Death Knight in his idea. Life Leech, Life on Hit, and what not, makes me think of the current tanking idea for Blood Dk's.

As far as gear, I REALLY like the skills I have going right now, which makes me very hesitant. If I ditch the mace, and go with the 2 sowrds, I lose out on Ground Slam, and Leap Slam, as they both require Maces of Staves. I might be able to use other gems I have, and replace them, but I thoroughly enjoy running around AoEing things down, with the slams, Infernal smashings, and a little bit of frost. As long as I don't get stupid, I've chain pulled entire dungeons so far (Chamber of Sins Level 1, and the Spider Hole) without stopping. It was good times. I then went through about 8 portal scrolls ferrying all my loot out, but it was good times.