[Gadgeteer Tom]

Yep, as my Madge and Monk develop magic - different instruments are more useful, and sometimes I equip to select more effective ones depending on resistances of the Foes...

The most overlooked ones for me were Renaissance Lute and Chaos Drone. I finally realizeed that the Lute delivered piles of Stamina, as well as fixing poison, fear, etc. And the Chaoe Drone affects all foes in earshot, quick confusion.

Turncoat can be annoying, especially if you need to use Heal All (cause then you heal the turncats also)

I can't get the Infernal Horn to do much damage, although with my bard's Music skill at 120 - these instruments are well above the levels you show in your list.

Spoil me - where'd you find a Soulful Sax (I couldn't take the one from Saxx even after he's dead) ?? [PM if it seems to be too much of a spoiler].

Also, without Vi, I have none in my Party who can cast Bless, and it DOES help...

And on ascension peak there's a very tough to hurt slime as well as (oh what the heck was it called - looks like a GIANT Scorcher, over 1000Hp) anyway, Armormelt can help - as well as walking up to those Demons that like to cast Deathcloud over and over to smack them with blades and staffs.