Hybrid 'Zon questions

[FrolfFreak]

Hybrid 'Zon questions

I've a new-born amazon by the name of Nell, whom i originally intended to build around LF, which by all reports is simply an amazing skill. One principle for me, though, is that i like all my characters to be as flexible as possible (i'd rather have them cover multiple damage types and be able to deal with everything instead of being 'godly' but be locked into one element type). So making her a hybrid of some kind seems necessary. Right now all i've got locked down is the following:

20 LF
20 CS
1 in jab
4 for LF and CS's other pre-req's
17+ Valk after plus skills (how many actual points would this be around?)
6 in the Passive/Magic tree for the one-point wonders and pre-req's
6/4/6 in Dodge/Avoid/Evade after plus skills (again, how many actual points?)

Now what? I was thinking strafe to give me good physical damage against mobs and single-targets alike? Strafe doesn't have to be spectacular at both, just good enough to be functional. I like builds that come into power early rather than late, so if maxing strafe will give me good coverage against mobs and single targets then i'm sold. I do have some good bows (windfall from the many giveaways here), so that's not a problem. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

-FF

 

[Muffassa]

why do you want to max charged strike?

The way I have always invisioned a hybrid is like this -
20 in LF
20 in cold arrow (the 1st cold ability)
20 in Freezing arrow (the last cold ability)
1 in guided arrow (boss killer)
rest in valk/prereq/passive

That gives you 3 types of damage - lightning, cold, and physical, with the flexability of 2 crowd killer skills, and a great boss killer (guided)

my reasoning is this - LF gets a 1% bonus from CS - hardly worth it. CS is a great boss killer, but you have to sit on them to attack - and your build is not ment to be a tank (that is valks job). Freezing Arrow and Guided will do a much better job on single targets than CS will - for this build.

Just my 2c

 

[FrolfFreak]

CS was there to provide a lightning-based boss-killing skill. But i see what you're saying, especially the value of staying with stand-off killing skills. How about this:

20 LF
20 Strafe (or Multishot)
17+ Valkyrie
1 Guided Arrow
1 FA (to freeze crowds and then let either LF or Strafe go to work)
4/6/4 Dodge/Avoid/Evade
1 in miscellaneous/pre-req's

I would like to keep physical as one of the main damage types to allow for good leeching. Is GA good enough with just one point and plus-skills to be a boss-killer?

-FF

 

[Dolph]

Im on my way questing a pindle/chaos sanc. runner that should look sometihng like this after completion:

20 Fa
20 CA
20 CS
20 LF
17 valk after + skills.

But with that I need alot of +skills so I dont need to exp her to 90++
but you get my point, and CS is far superior bosskiller in comparision to GA imo.

Oh, and the valk can still tank even if you stand right next to the boss, you just need to seee to so the boss starts attacking valk first.

 

[Muffassa]

CS was there to provide a lightning-based boss-killing skill. But i see what you're saying, especially the value of staying with stand-off killing skills. How about this:

20 LF
20 Strafe (or Multishot)
17+ Valkyrie
1 Guided Arrow
1 FA (to freeze crowds and then let either LF or Strafe go to work)
4/6/4 Dodge/Avoid/Evade
1 in miscellaneous/pre-req's

I would like to keep physical as one of the main damage types to allow for good leeching. Is GA good enough with just one point and plus-skills to be a boss-killer?

-FF

not bad - I would definatly do strafe over Multishot - a much better single target killer than Multishot. Make sure you stack up on Cold charms - FA will not freeze for very long at all in hell (don't do more than 1 in ice arrow - that synergy sucks)

the disadvantage of maxing strafe over FA is that you loose all the cold damage, so if you run into Lightning/Physical Immune (which you will in Hell) you won't have a very powerful 3rd attack. You will be left shooting a level 1 FA at them - 40-50 cold damage. You could always use the Burito - the cold damage from that kills decent and would work well with strafe (providing a similar effect to FA)

I would still go with fa over strafe, because LF will do a very similar job as strafe as far as covering multiple targets.

What bow are you planning on using? - I suggest either Burito or WhichWild String - both would handle pi/li pretty easily and would make your build much better.

 

[FrolfFreak]

I have both Buriza and Witchwild String, courtesy of some very generous folks here at the SPF (thank you, My_Immortal6 and Draxer). This being my first amazon ever, i was going to try out both and see what works better. Are there alterations to the build i should consider to maximize these bows' attributes?

-FF

 

[Muffassa]

witchwild can get the fastest strafe possible. It needs to be socketed with 2 shale runes, and there needs to be other IAS (increased attack speed) gear worn (im not sure how much IAS is needed - but it is a lot). In any case, that will get you a frick fast strafe shot . Also, it shoots magic arrows automagically, so that can be used against PI/LI. Also, it has a chance to cast Amp Damage, which can often remove the PI imunity (downgrading it to "Stone Skin" or something)

both the burito and wichwild have a dex req ~80, but buritos str req is 110 - quite high. If you are going with a heavy javiline (Demon's Arch for example) then the str won't be wasted, but if you are going to be using Titans (25 str req) then 110 for a burito is a ton. I would suggest building around your javiline, and then using a bow to match.

Hope that helps!

 

[FrolfFreak]

Suppose i'm facing down Diablo with this amazon of mine. Will strafe shoot multiple arrows at him if he's the only enemy on screen?

-FF

 

[Muffassa]

yes
:buddies:

 

[Kronlin]

Just curious, but for a strafe-a-zon, would one point in Lightning Bolt be an effective, yet inexpensive way to deal with physical immunes?

 

[Shade]

Just curious, but for a strafe-a-zon, would one point in Lightning Bolt be an effective, yet inexpensive way to deal with physical immunes?

Not if it's anything like I remember it. You're better off with a 5 or 6 Ort-runed (or PTopazed) bow. Unless it's LI, in which case go 5-6 PRubies/Ral runes...

 

[TekkaZeroX]

At least for me, I would say that a maxed Charged Strike is a good thing. It is the only thing I have found that does a good job taking down Baal or big bosses.

 

[kresida]

I'm thinking of building a HybridZon for Hell runs as well..I was thinking of using LF for main attack and another main skill for LI monsters..From what I've seen in the posts, the popular options are FA or Strafe..I guess you need good high damage bows for these to work effectively? (which at the moment I do not have)..Comparing the two, which would have a higher damage independent of the bow you use? Seeing that CI/LI monsters are more common in hell than LI/PI, maybe physical damage is a better option?
Also, why doesn't anyone consider using on the switch a Spear class weapon with +20 Jab? It could give some nice leeching and high damage weapons are easier to find in this class from what I've seen..

 

[Gouda]

[/QUOTE]
Also, why doesn't anyone consider using on the switch a Spear class weapon with +20 Jab? It could give some nice leeching and high damage weapons are easier to find in this class from what I've seen..[/QUOTE]

Why put a spear on switch and lose valuable resist and blocking? I would put a high damage javelin on switch. On top of that I choose fend over jab, because of jab pitifull damage increase. It may attack faster, but a lvl 20 jab does about 1/3 of fend damage. I assumed a few +skills

lvl 22 jab: + 115% AR, 54% ED, 7,2 mana
lvl 22 fend: +250% AR, 280% ED, 5 mana

I am right now playing my Javazon in the triumvirate tourney. She has no problem surviving so far, but has only just arrived in Hell, so we'll see.
I have 17 valk, max (23)LF, and 11 fend, 10 CS, also about 9 points in pierce all after + skills. Offcourse the tourney rules allow only two skill trees to be used, so I had little choice, but it seems to work so far.

Have fun,

Gouda

 

[FrolfFreak]

There seems to be a bug with Fend, known simply as the Fend bug, where if any animation other than striking gets triggered in the middle of the fend cycle the rest of the attacks will miss. FOr example, if an archer shoots at you and either the hit or block animation comes on in the middle of fend-ing, all remaining fend strikes will miss. So i've heard from the Amazon forum.

-FF

 

[TekkaZeroX]

Just to add more to the flavor I am going to repost my own hybrid amazon in the form of the frost/fury maiden.

lvl. 92 Fury/Frost Maiden:

Skills:
17 Cold Arrow
17 Freeze Arrow
18 Valkyrie
18 Lightning Fury
18 Charged Strike
Rest in prerequisite and passive skills

Items:
Upgraded Lycander's Aim
Eth Titan's Revenge
Stormshield w/ Perfect Diamond
Griffon's Eye w/ Lightning Facet
Naj's Light Plate w/ Lightning Facet
Rare Gloves with 20% Increased Attack Speed and lots of resistance
Gore Rider
Thundergod's Vigor/Razortail
Bul-Kathos' Wedding Band x 2
Rare Amulet w/ +2 Amazon Skill Lvl and 8% mana steal

+1 Acrobatic Grand Charm

It does not have that much problems with the + skill levels and it can really do well in hell. I find the stat allocation with 1 in every passive to be just fine, especially pierce and critcal strike. The build also has some good flexibility. :thumbsup:

 

[FrolfFreak]

@ Tekka: how did your F/F maiden deal with CI/LI's?

For everyone: Does the valkyrie at lvl 17+ kill quickly enough that i can count on her as a good source of physical damage?

Thank you all for bearing with my lack of 'zon knowledge

-FF

 

[TekkaZeroX]

@ Tekka: how did your F/F maiden deal with CI/LI's?

For everyone: Does the valkyrie at lvl 17+ kill quickly enough that i can count on her as a good source of physical damage?-FF

My mercenary or valkyrie (with heavy + skill lvels) did a nice job of taking down CI/LIs. However, I did not meet too many of them at all, so they were not that much of a problem.

Also, the valkyrie can really tank very well lvl. 17+. To make her damage better, I usually equip my mercenary with Reaper's Toll.