Turns out, making it to the Troll Blacksmith with +0 gloves wasn't all that hard. There's always the bow and random wands.
Finished the ascent with one potion of healing left and no food except for a couple of hasty blandfruit which I forgot about all game.
Someone on Discord mentioned how good Aqua Brew is, and damn, it's amazing! I made it twice (16 uses) and ended the game with just a couple left. They have so much utility in so many situations. They're like baby Ethereal Chains sometimes: you can push yourself over 1-tile gaps and push enemies into chasms. Plus they break traps, and put yourself out when on fire.... kind of. I swear in used one right on my head, got pushed away, took several damage, and was still on fire. I had to take a step to put the fire out. They're also really good for putting distance between you and an enemy who's all up in your butt.
Satisfactory ๐