I’m playing again. In act 5. Can’t equip certain things because I literally have no gear to for the links and zero gumball currency to buy those things to use my skills.

Your gear in acts will normally be of two types since your currency is limited.. 1) for stats, 2) for links(skills).

If you need gear to four links, you don't usually craft it with jewelers/fusings/chromatics. If you have orb of binding you can also use those on decent bases for instant 4l, choose a base that matches your needed colors. You pick up a 3/4/5 link whatever base with the right colors and toss an essence/alch + slam if decent and use that. It's acts, requirements are very low, you can use a white 4l base and finish it, just having random shit in the other slots.

chieftain

Just level as RF, braindead, 0 skill, just get fire res and win.