Strafeazon Using WindForce: Viable in Hell?

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Hi folks,

Posted a while back *whining* about my under-powered bowazon's lousy
performance in Hell. Had used a build with maxed Magic Arrow as the
sole attack ... *Big Mistake* ... sigh. But we live and learn, heh.

My Frost Zealot just recently *persuaded* Baal to donate a Windforce
(nice of him, eh?). Want to retire\delete this *beat* MA Bowazon,
recycle her gear (*good* stuff from last ladder season) and slap the WF
on another bowazon.

Was thinking of building a Strafezon, but am not impressed with only
75% damage while in Strafe Mode.

Basic Build Parameters (at level 80):

Skills:

Prereqs - 1
Strafe - Max
Decoy - Max
Valk - Max
Critical Srike - 10
Penetrate - 10
Dodge, Evade, Avoid - Everything else

Stats: (Assumes *NO* Str\Dex Charms)

Str: 134 (Enough to equip WF)
Dex: 146
Vita: 135

Am not thrilled with the high Str requirement of the WF, suppose I
could socket it with a Hel rune; but am loathe to do so simply because
this bow is already socketed with a Shael! Will equip a Harmony on
the switch for those PITA physical immunes. Obviously the stats above
will be enhanced by gear and various charms.

Bottom line: Is this build viable in Hell? Or would I be wasting my
time ... again?

Comments, criticsm, suggestions?

 

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Pendraig wrote:

Just noted a typo:

<snip>

> Basic Build Parameters (at level 80):
>
> Skills:
>
> Prereqs - 1
> Strafe - Max
> Decoy - Max

* Maxing Decoy is NOT open for debate (heh). This char will *need* a
heavy tank; which is *exactly* what a fully synergized Valkarie is!
I've watched my MA Bowazon's Valk tank Baal's Minions (Lister and his
pals) many times *without* having to recast her *once*

> Valk - Max
> Critical Srike - 10
> Penetrate - 10

* WRONG! Should be Pierce - 10 ... Penetrate's AR boost is more
appropriate for melee 'Zons.

> Dodge, Evade, Avoid - Everything else

 

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Stephen van Ham wrote:
> "Pendraig" <noirawjh@yahoo.com>, in a display of leetness, fell down the
> stairs, tripped over an urn, and then threw a cracked sash at Baal...
>
> >> Skills:
>
> >> Prereqs - 1
> >> Strafe - Max
> >> Decoy - Max
>
> >* Maxing Decoy is NOT open for debate (heh).
>
> Don't post if you don't want debate. ;-)

Touche!

> >This char will *need* a
> >heavy tank; which is *exactly* what a fully synergized Valkarie is!
> >I've watched my MA Bowazon's Valk tank Baal's Minions (Lister and his
> >pals) many times *without* having to recast her *once*
>
> Yes, and I have a synergied Valk on a couple of tankazons and I agree, she's a
> brick. HOWEVER... I ALSO have non-synergised valks on various builds in the
> 15-20 point range and those do just fine. And by not having Freezing Arrow,
> you're relying on your valk to tank more than she actually needs to.

Point taken. My last bowazon *needed* a heavy tank due to her tragic
fire-power deficit in Hell ... distorted my thinking. So how 'bout
*10* points into Decoy and 10 points into Freezing Arrow? Make FA a
right click attack with Strafe as the primary?

 

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Pendraig wrote:


<snip>

Adjust stats based upon input received:

> Basic Build Parameters (at level 80):
>
> Skills:
>
> Prereqs - 1
> Strafe - Max (Primary\left click attack)

* Freezing Arrow - 10 (Secondary\right click attack)

> Decoy - 20

* Decoy - 10

> Valk - Max
> Critical Srike - 10
> Pierce - 10
> Dodge, Evade, Avoid - Everything else
>
> Comments, criticsm, suggestions?

 

[Guest]

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Pendraig wrote:

> Was thinking of building a Strafezon, but am not impressed with only
> 75% damage while in Strafe Mode.

With a WF it's not such an issue. I have a lvl 93 WF-toting SP bowazon,
and after a Demon Limb enchant and the merc's Might aura, her upper
Strafe damage is about 4,200 (I put an Enhanced Damage/IAS jewel in my
WF). But even if you don't have a Demon Limb, your damage is still
going to be up there, especially since your max damage scales with your
clvl.

> Stats: (Assumes *NO* Str\Dex Charms)
>
> Str: 134 (Enough to equip WF)
> Dex: 146
> Vita: 135
>
> Am not thrilled with the high Str requirement of the WF . . .

Yeah. It's a little silly given that a bowazon has no other use for
Str.

Even assuming no Str charms, don't forget that the WF has +10 to Str
built-in. This means that you can equip things that give you plusses to
Str until you get to 134, equip the WF, then take away equip, and as
long as you have 124 Str, you should be fine IIRC. Also consider things
like what you'll be wearing. My bowazon uses the Lionheart RW which
gives +25 to Str. She actually only has 110 base Str but with Lionheart
and the WF it's enough to equip the bow.

Trivial really, but it frees up more points for Dex/Vita.

The downside, of course, is that should you press "w" and perform a
weapon switch, you won't be able to equip the WF again until you repeat
the above procedure.

> Bottom line: Is this build viable in Hell? Or would I be wasting my
> time ... again?

My zon solos MF-ing areas (Pit, Tunnels) easier than my skelliemancer.
She never got past the Hell Ancients, and, thus, Baal, since I joined
the realms and never really went back to SP. She had Strafe maxed, and
lots of points in Freezing Arrow. And the nice thing with the WF is
that you're doing so much damage you can get away with very little life
and mana leech. She only has the 6% ML from the bow and my mana ball is
always full (unless I'm fighting unleechable critters of course).

My HC online bowazon paid a Gul for a WF back in 1.10. To me, it was
the best trade I ever made; I just love that bow.

Jill

 

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"Pendraig" <noirawjh@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1126218740.084937.195560@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
>
> Pendraig wrote:
>
> Just noted a typo:
>
> <snip>
>
>> Basic Build Parameters (at level 80):
>>
>> Skills:
>>
>> Prereqs - 1
>> Strafe - Max
>> Decoy - Max
>
> * Maxing Decoy is NOT open for debate (heh). This char will *need* a
> heavy tank; which is *exactly* what a fully synergized Valkarie is!
> I've watched my MA Bowazon's Valk tank Baal's Minions (Lister and his
> pals) many times *without* having to recast her *once*
>

Get knockback (and/or fear) and fast IAS and you wont ever need a tank.
I used to have a wf bowazon and it completely owned in hell, but that was
back in 1.09.
(char got deleted even though it said exipires in 30 days)

 

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Archived from groups: alt.games.diablo2 (More info?)

"Pendraig" <noirawjh@yahoo.com>, in a display of leetness, fell down the
stairs, tripped over an urn, and then threw a cracked sash at Baal...

>Was thinking of building a Strafezon, but am not impressed with only
>75% damage while in Strafe Mode.

>Basic Build Parameters (at level 80):

>Skills:

>Prereqs - 1
>Strafe - Max
>Decoy - Max
>Valk - Max
>Critical Srike - 10
>Penetrate - 10
>Dodge, Evade, Avoid - Everything else

Just a quickie response (others will write more later)

You need some points in Pierce, and some in Freezing Arrow would be nice also,
and less in Decoy. Maybe even just one point in Penetrate, and the
investment in Critical Strike can be toned back a little, depending on other
gear. Is Windforce ITD? I don't have the stats here in front of me.

And yes, a Stafeazon is viable with all manner of weapons, Windforce included.


--
Hamster-HC, level 19 Barbarian, West HCL
CombatTwit, level 13 Barbarian, SPF single-tree tournament

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.diablo2 (More info?)

"Pendraig" <noirawjh@yahoo.com>, in a display of leetness, fell down the
stairs, tripped over an urn, and then threw a cracked sash at Baal...

>> Skills:

>> Prereqs - 1
>> Strafe - Max
>> Decoy - Max

>* Maxing Decoy is NOT open for debate (heh).

Don't post if you don't want debate. ;-)

>This char will *need* a
>heavy tank; which is *exactly* what a fully synergized Valkarie is!
>I've watched my MA Bowazon's Valk tank Baal's Minions (Lister and his
>pals) many times *without* having to recast her *once*

Yes, and I have a synergied Valk on a couple of tankazons and I agree, she's a
brick. HOWEVER... I ALSO have non-synergised valks on various builds in the
15-20 point range and those do just fine. And by not having Freezing Arrow,
you're relying on your valk to tank more than she actually needs to.


--
Hamster-HC, level 19 Barbarian, West HCL
CombatTwit, level 13 Barbarian, SPF single-tree tournament

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.diablo2 (More info?)

"Pendraig" <noirawjh@yahoo.com>, in a display of leetness, fell down the
stairs, tripped over an urn, and then threw a cracked sash at Baal...

>> >This char will *need* a
>> >heavy tank; which is *exactly* what a fully synergized Valkarie is!
>> >I've watched my MA Bowazon's Valk tank Baal's Minions (Lister and his
>> >pals) many times *without* having to recast her *once*

>> Yes, and I have a synergied Valk on a couple of tankazons and I agree, she's a
>> brick. HOWEVER... I ALSO have non-synergised valks on various builds in the
>> 15-20 point range and those do just fine. And by not having Freezing Arrow,
>> you're relying on your valk to tank more than she actually needs to.

>Point taken. My last bowazon *needed* a heavy tank due to her tragic
>fire-power deficit in Hell ... distorted my thinking. So how 'bout
>*10* points into Decoy and 10 points into Freezing Arrow? Make FA a
>right click attack with Strafe as the primary?

Beaut!


--
Hamster-HC, level 19 Barbarian, West HCL
CombatTwit, level 13 Barbarian, SPF single-tree tournament