Well if you cant have artifacts how about
:
Shadow Brand, Fire Brand/Frost Brand(which resistances will help you/which AoE will damage enemies), Faithful, Charcoal Shield, Horror Helm, Hydra Skin Armour, Boots of quickness, Amulet of resilence?
Or you could just go less defensive with:
Shadow Brand, Fire Brand, Frost Brand, Faithful, Horror Helm, Jade Armour, Winged Shoes, Amulet of Resilence(6 AoE attacks per turn split between 2 squares
)
Or for hunting enemy SCs: 4xDuskdagger, Spirit Helm, Jade Armour, Flying Shoes, Elixer of Life/Ring of the warrior(only if the enemy has exceptional defence). 8 Attacks with 2+strength AN unresistable damage+a lightning bolt from your helm probably means any single enemy you face should die(even if they go first, fly up and kill you the elixer will bring you back and most SCs cant paralyze you). That build lacks the ability to take on armies due to its lack of survivability.