Refining my Pit-Strafer

[Espr]

Thanks to building up my WW barb giving me a WF, I knew what my next character was to be!

The build:
STR as close to base as possible (currently 35 before gear, 134 after)
DEX as much as possible (currently 370/421)
VIT 60 or so? (currently 80 before/after gear)
ENG base
(20 unspent points)

I'd say my health atm is fine for pits (bit more scary for other areas), as I've had only one death so far, 10 levels ago, getting one shot by a multi-shot mighted archer who telebombed me past my proper defenses of distance+meatshields. It was kind of awesome, seeing a teleporting unique do something useful with the ability.

20 strafe (4 prereq)
15 valk (6 prereq, decoy sees use)(17 with WF, 21 with harmony)
18+ Crital Strike
20 Penetrate
13+ Pierce

LCS (before might / after might)
Guided(3): 385-5077 // 461-6233
Strafe(22): 317-4241 // 374-5108

My current thought is to perhaps respec out of valk, partially to avoid DAE which are sometimes risks (mostly in it preventing me from leeching while strafelocked when it procs and kills strafe damage) and partially because a +6+2 valk (after rerolls to harmony) is probably good enough for pits. The freed up 18 points would go 9 to crit/pierce and 9 to decoy, with further points in decoy. Having a sturdier decoy would be very helpful, and the extra points there should give the valk sufficient HP to make up for it's lesser-in-quality gear. Is this sound, or crazy talk?

Andariel's Visage (rare jewel)

Spoiler

Doom Talisman
Jewel
Required Level: 37
Fingerprint: 0x5f21fa10
Item Level: 86
Version: Expansion 1.10+
27% Enhanced Damage
Adds 1 - 20 Lightning Damage
+8 to Dexterity
Fire Resist +30%
*thanks nulio!

Fortitute (@28% archon plate)
LoH
Gore Riders or ?? (see below)
Nosferatu's Coil

Windforce (15% IAS, 37% damage)
Harmony Bow (currently +2bow, +4 valk, will probably reroll in better base for +6 valk)

Atma's Scarab (someday to be replaced by 1.07 saracens, hopefully prismatic for style!)
Ravenfrost (19dex, 249AR vs 20dex 204AR?)
best dex/str Rare ring

Skull Circle
Ring
Required Level: 66
Fingerprint: 0x1070c61a
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+34 to Attack Rating
Adds 1 - 2 Fire Damage
+18 to Strength
+13 to Dexterity

My thought here is mostly more strength on gear means more dex in hard stats (and hopefully less str in inventory space). More dex is more ar/dmg and yummy, and then whatever else nice mods I can get. Affix calc says str maxes at 20 and dex at 15 in a single affix (weird that dex's 16-20 roll is listed as magic only but str's is not), and AR can get 100+ so there's obviously room for improvement here, but this is the best I have atm as far as a stat ring goes. Am I missing some obvious better alternative? And if not, are there affixes other than STR/DEX/min/max/AR that I should be keen on?

This set up lets me hit 80% IAS for the last WF breakpoint (hence nosferatu's coil over something like razortail). Fortitude (rather than enigma) because ama cast speeds are obnoxious, I want to avoid MF, and this character is intended to be less frenetic than a teleporting pit whirler/zerker; something I could play half dead and drunk.

I might go with a non-ama base for my harmony rerolling efforts, so that if I do get a really good roll, then at least it'd be available for other characters. OTOH a +3bow high roll would be shiny for my fishyzon.

Okay so for boots, I've thusfar gone for gorerider's mostly for the DS and OW, but there are some other options. Aside from maybe some sort of crazy 1.08 safety boots craft these are what I can think of:

Sander's
+40% Faster Run/Walk 
+100 to Attack Rating 
+5 to Strength 
+10 to Dexterity 
All good and useful things, though the AR will become less useful as I level.

Marrowalk
+20% Faster Run/Walk 
+2 to Skeleton Mastery (Necromancer Only) 
+191% Enhanced Defense 
+19 to Strength 
+17 to Dexterity 
Regenerate Mana 10% 
Heal Stamina Plus 10% 
Half Freeze Duration 
Level 33 Bone Prison (10/13 Charges) 
Level 12 Life Tap (3/10 Charges)
Poor FRW, but good amount of STR and DEX. Unlikely to ever bother using the charges, but it could be worth considering for non-leechables and/or uniques.

Gore Rider's
+30% Faster Run/Walk 
15% Chance of Crushing Blow 
15% Deadly Strike 
10% Chance of Open Wounds 
+166% Enhanced Defense 
+20 Maximum Stamina 
Requirements -25% 
+10 Maximum Durability
Decent FRW, DS and OW are not at all wasted, and even at half strength CB does something at least.

Lowest MF roll war trav's
+25% Faster Run/Walk 
Adds 15 - 25 Damage 
+166% Enhanced Defense 
+10 to Strength 
+10 to Vitality 
40% Slower Stamina Drain 
Attacker Takes Damage of 10 
33% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items 
+30 Maximum Durability
Meh FRW, str and vit very useful, as is the +dmg (which should then be multiplied by off weapon %dmg, correct?), the MF is actually a detriment, for this character, but I'm not sure exactly how detrimental it would end up being. (mostly after bases with this char)

Any suggestions/advice here?

My merc is currently a Might merc using:

Eth Vamp Gaze
Duriel's Shell
Eth BoneHew (shael, 15%IAS/21%ED)

My current thought, is that once I get a cham (and sur) to make either a doom or pride for him. Pride is probably best for this char as most of the time my merc is just standing around providing an aura, and when he is in the fray, hopefully might+concentration+EDvsDemons (assuming they stack) with provide enough ED% that vamp's leech is sufficient.

I'm also considering making a gloom (CtC dim vision) or gladiator's bane (less res, but more MDR/PDR). When I've got more levels and my merc is less reliant or DR% and MDR I'm considering Andy's to hit higher IAS breakpoints, as well. Particularly if I find a 30%FR/15IAS jewel. Thoughts? Suggestions?


Lastly charms:

I'm mostly using fine/sharp charms of strength, one or two of dex, and one grand sharp of inertia. I'm also currently using a row of resist charms, but I intend to either replace them with more damage charms or get rid of them for inv space once I'm done questing for the foreseeable future.

My current plan is to upgrade my Sharp LCs of Strength to 6max/30-40+AR/5str (and to replace a few of my worse fine SC of str with shap LC of str) to free me from needing so much str on other charms, allowing me to use more charms with dex/frw and maybe life or FHR suffixes. 1.07 maxxers, or FRW/maxxers become options once I have some levels and AR is less of an issue.

Full read-out of my current charms for those interested:

Spoiler

Sharp Large Charm of Strength
Large Charm
Required Level: 21
Fingerprint: 0xf8c2f976
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+6 to Maximum Damage
+27 to Attack Rating
+5 to Strength

Fine Small Charm of Strength
Small Charm
Required Level: 21
Fingerprint: 0xa3b295d3
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+2 to Maximum Damage
+17 to Attack Rating
+2 to Strength

Fine Small Charm of Strength
Small Charm
Required Level: 21
Fingerprint: 0x31a4cb5f
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Maximum Damage
+13 to Attack Rating
+2 to Strength

Steel Small Charm of Strength
Small Charm
Required Level: 49
Fingerprint: 0xb44ff579
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+33 to Attack Rating
+2 to Strength

Sharp Grand Charm of Dexterity
Grand Charm
Required Level: 21
Fingerprint: 0xba0b9259
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+8 to Maximum Damage
+60 to Attack Rating
+5 to Dexterity

Sharp Grand Charm of Inertia
Grand Charm
Required Level: 21
Fingerprint: 0xdcb1df3c
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+7% Faster Run/Walk
+9 to Maximum Damage
+74 to Attack Rating

Iron Small Charm of Strength
Small Charm
Required Level: 31
Fingerprint: 0x3ea4a991
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+22 to Attack Rating
+2 to Strength

Steel Large Charm of Strength
Large Charm
Required Level: 44
Fingerprint: 0xdf3e2cbc
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+70 to Attack Rating
+5 to Strength

Sharp Large Charm of Strength
Large Charm
Required Level: 21
Fingerprint: 0x28f67c58
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+4 to Maximum Damage
+46 to Attack Rating
+3 to Strength

Amber Small Charm of Life
Small Charm
Required Level: 32
Fingerprint: 0x3a64a8e3
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+7 to Life
Lightning Resist +11%

Shimmering Small Charm of Strength
Small Charm
Required Level: 25
Fingerprint: 0x3aa99e0e
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+2 to Strength
All Resistances +5

Fine Small Charm of the Glacier
Small Charm
Required Level: 25
Fingerprint: 0x2b02e388
Item Level: 86
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+3 to Maximum Damage
+20 to Attack Rating
Adds 3 - 6 Cold Damage Over 1 Secs (25 Frames)

Fine Small Charm of Strength
Small Charm
Required Level: 21
Fingerprint: 0x550731ec
Item Level: 49
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+3 to Maximum Damage
+17 to Attack Rating
+1 to Strength

Fine Small Charm of Strength
Small Charm
Required Level: 21
Fingerprint: 0x8cd83d24
Item Level: 47
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+3 to Maximum Damage
+20 to Attack Rating
+1 to Strength

Fine Small Charm of Strength
Small Charm
Required Level: 21
Fingerprint: 0xb386f34c
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+2 to Maximum Damage
+16 to Attack Rating
+1 to Strength

Ocher Small Charm of Vita
Small Charm
Required Level: 39
Fingerprint: 0x2181e713
Item Level: 87
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+20 to Life
Lightning Resist +7%

Coral Small Charm of Strength
Small Charm
Required Level: 20
Fingerprint: 0x210639c2
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+2 to Strength
Lightning Resist +8%

Fine Small Charm of Dexterity
Small Charm
Required Level: 21
Fingerprint: 0x4c9e2fa6
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+3 to Maximum Damage
+14 to Attack Rating
+2 to Dexterity

 

[zaphodbrx]

Few things..

I noticed that you don't have multi shot. That's not terrible, but honestly, multi shot kind of owns in pits- especially level 2. While windforce is kind of slow for MS, its still worth using. The 120 ias strafe breakpoint ( bugged ) with windforce, is worth getting as well, if you're going to focus on strafe.

While valkyrie and dodges are not required, they aren't that bad either. I'd say put 1 point in Valk and ~3-5 in each of the dodges. By the way, juggling valkyrie with harmony doesn't actually work. It disappears when you switch away from the harmony.

As for equipment, the Andariel's visage doesn't really do anything for you. I'd suggest getting 45 ias helm instead. Boots should be war travs for higher damage, razortail for belt and ring should have high dual leech.

Here's my bowazon video from a year ago, if that helps

 

[dave]

I have just made a WF zon as well. I have chosen a different approach with a rogue merc using Faith and focusing on multishot instead of strafe. I must say that firing WF at 7fpa is very effective and satisfying I can can very much recommend this if you have the runes for Faith - just remember not to make it in MB/GMB since rogues can't use those.

I'm using the following gear on my zon:
WF (shael)
Rare diadem (2sk/20frw/15ias/170ar/[email protected])
Lionheart (until I can make Fortitude)
Loh
War travs
Razortail
Cats eye
Raven
Rare ring (6ll/20str/[email protected] etc)

I would never consider any other belt than razortail for bowazons - the pierce is just too important. IAS can be made up for in other slots, pierce cannot.

Btw note that oskills are capped at +3 when used by the native char (ie. valkyrie on zon) so no use in rerolling your harmony.

 

[Espr]

The 120 ias strafe breakpoint ( bugged ) with windforce, is worth getting as well, if you're going to focus on strafe.

I thought the 2 frame breakpoints just made the animation play faster (while still leaving you locked for a time after, until the attack really finished) and nothing else? In any case, an additional 40% IAS is theoretically possible with valk+IASjewel and losing atma's for HLW or Cat's Eye.

While valkyrie and dodges are not required, they aren't that bad either. I'd say put 1 point in Valk and ~3-5 in each of the dodges. By the way, juggling valkyrie with harmony doesn't actually work. It disappears when you switch away from the harmony.

I didn't know that about harmony (or if I did I've long forgotten it), thank you! If the option is that clear cut, I think I'll have to stick with valk, if only because she helps keep my desert merc out of trouble, and she becomes more affordable when considering the single point option.

As for equipment, the Andariel's visage doesn't really do anything for you. I'd suggest getting 45 ias helm instead. Boots should be war travs for higher damage, razortail for belt and ring should have high dual leech.

I did consider using my 1.07 valk (which would let me use razortail, without losing IAS), but thought the skills/strength/leech would be more worth it. In this case, it's effectively, 20%IAS +2 skills 36 DEX 27%ED 9%LL hat with poison resist of negligible importance.
To compare to the best high IAS helm I could think of (1.07 valk, unless circlets can get ias inherently?):

20% IAS 0%FRW 63% ED 180AR(base) 9%LL +2skills
30% IAS 30%FRW 49%ED 45AR(base) (9DEX)*
45%IAS 30%FRW 40%ED *
*with perfect jewels.

The second enables razor tail, which breaks even dex wise, and gains on max damage, at the additional cost of all current LL(12% after strafe's penalty). ~100AR (~70 gain) 5-7%LL(3-5% with strafe, down 7-9), 13-15DEX (loss of 16-18), and a gain of 5-12 skill points(98%-56% pierce) (assuming I'm remembering right and razortail is 33% pierce). Considering my current best ring options to fill that gap. Gained skill points could go into valk, MS, or decoy. As for mana leech, WF's mana leech has been more than sufficient, even with strafe's penalty.

For a net gain of:
-35AR
-7-9%LL (on strafe/multi)
-30-34%ED
-2 all skills(loss of 10%ED on strafe, 1-2%crit, 20%AR bonus, 3%pierce, 11/12/11% DAE, 2valk/decoy)
-70%PR (negligible)
-loss of venom charges(negligible).

-24%pierce to +18% pierce

+5-12skill
+10 max damage
+30% FRW (nice)
+30% FCR (~2frames, mostly only applies to decoy)
+30% FHR (3 frames, 4 with FHR SC, pretty nice)

Alternatively, a rare jewel with 30% ED, +9 STR, +9 DEX, and a good Pearl (or Diamond) roll would, with the support of the right sort of ring (100+ AR, 7%LL+, 20STR, 15DEX, etc...) would make a much more favourable comparison. I'm making a note of it as something to keep in mind as my wealth builds.

The third would allow 120% IAS, by dropping atma's for cat's eye or HLW, with nosferatu's coil.

CAT'S EYE

-55 AR(base)
-7% life leech(on strafe/multi)
-34% ED
-20% bonus AR
-CtC Amp ( can be somewhat mitigated my moving merc to decrep stick, except he's not in the fray 50% of the time )
-2 all skills(loss of 10%ED on strafe, 1-2%crit, 20%AR bonus, 3%pierce, 11/12/11% DAE, 2valk/decoy)
-145%PR (solved my antidote potion)
loss of venom charges(negligible).

+45% IAS (125% total)
+60% FRW (very nice)
+30% FCR (gain of ~2frames, mostly only applies to decoy)
+30% FHR (gain of 3 frames, 4 with FHR SC, pretty nice)

Highlord's Wrath

-180AR(base)
-7% LL (on strafe/multi)
-59% ED
-20% bonus AR
-CtC Amp ( can be somewhat mitigated my moving merc to decrep stick, except he's not in the fray 50% of the time )
-1 all skills(loss of 5%ED on strafe, 1%crit, 10%AR bonus, 1-2%pierce, 6/7/6% DAE, 1valk/decoy)
-145%PR (solved my antidote potion)
loss of venom charges(negligible).

+35%LR (negligible)
+33-34%% crit
+45% IAS (125% total)
+30% FRW (nice)
+30% FCR (gain of ~2frames, mostly only applies to decoy)
+30% FHR (gain of 3 frames, 4 with FHR SC, pretty nice)

Few things..

I noticed that you don't have multi shot. That's not terrible, but honestly, multi shot kind of owns in pits- especially level 2. While windforce is kind of slow for MS, its still worth using.

I have just made a WF zon as well. I have chosen a different approach with a rogue merc using Faith and focusing on multishot instead of strafe. I must say that firing WF at 7fpa is very effective and satisfying I can can very much recommend this if you have the runes for Faith - just remember not to make it in MB/GMB since rogues can't use those.

I have been considering multi-shot as well, both as a Strafe AND MS thing and as a MS instead of Strafe thing. Faith is unfortunately not an option for me atm, though it's tied for me atm with Dream for my next Jah, whenever it shows up. At the moment I'm leaning towards an either or situation, but I intended to take advantage of 1.13's respec options to try out MS as well, and see which I like better. As it is, I'm enjoying strafe enough that I'll likely just make another amazon so I can have my cake and eat it too.

I would never consider any other belt than razortail for bowazons - the pierce is just too important. IAS can be made up for in other slots, pierce cannot.

With both of you giving such a strong endorsement of both razortail and war trav's (more or less expected, but making me doubt the rhetoric I used to talk myself out of using it), I'm going to have to a) get over the 30-33% MF on a low roll of trav's and just accept it and move on (lol) and b) experiment with razortail and cat's eye (or HLW). It makes sense, for pits where I don't need amp to help break some immunities to see if the benefits of the other two compare favourably with a not-entirely-consistent-but-almost-so amplify damage.

Btw note that oskills are capped at +3 when used by the native char (ie. valkyrie on zon) so no use in rerolling your harmony.

Thank you! I had forgotten that.[/QUOTE]

So conclusions for now, respec some points out of pierce and use razor tail, war trav's and either cat's eye or highlord's. Extra points to go into decoy, valk or DAE for safety. Not really sure which. Decoy would be nice for valk hp, and a more sturdy decoy against crazy archer packs. Valk would be nice to unlock some more rare gear for her. And DAE in some fashion would help for those situations I get myself into trouble.

And long term gear goals for the character:
Rare Jewel 30% ED, +9 STR, +9 DEX, and a good Pearl (or Diamond)
Rare Ring 100+ AR, 7%LL, 20STR, 15DEX, etc...
and/or some sort of crazy circlet.

And thank you for the help.

 

[zaphodbrx]

For windforce you need

90 ias for last multi shot breakpoint
120 ias for bugged strafe breakpoint

Can be achieved by

WF with dmg/ias jewel: 35
45 ias helm
Cat's eye: 20
LoH: 20
Total: 120

(remaining slots - fortitude, razortail etc. no ias )

45 ias helm can be achieved by sticking a fervor jewel in M'avina's Tenet. You can try something more fancy, but not required.
Cat's eye is better than highlords for bowas because they already have crit and dex and frw bonus is very suitable. You'll lose the amp from atma's though.

Stick reapers on merc to proc decrep. Won't do much but way better than bonehews.

 

[Espr]

The speed calc says hydra bows reach 5/3/7 "further ias useless" at 80%? In either case with this new set up I've 95%. Edit: I'm dumb, you said multi-shot.

I came to the same conclusion about cat's eye. I did some damage calcs, and the DS from highlord's is, as you said, made less effective because of the very high levels of crit bowazons are capable of; but also because of the 3/4th's weapon damage of multishot and strafe.

I noted a difference of about 300 average damage vs demons, and 200 average damage vs everything else (an effective increased chance of proccing crit OR DS of about 10%), which, frankly is almost certainly made up for by the FRW on cat's eye.

And yes, I tossed a reapers on my merc as well. While it's much less consistently up than amp from atma's in general, it is fairly consistent/reasonable with the groups that I really want it on (namely stoneskin'd uniques, especially skellies, where the loss of amp is felt keenly).

Incidentally, if I max valk and use a prebuff amulet I can give her a rare tiara; with just strafe anyway. Don't think that'll be a reasonable use of skill points if I decide on going MS+strafe.

 

[pharphis]

decrep makes a huge difference. Either decrep from reaper's or atma's amulet.. I wouldn't bother with both because amp would be immediately overwritten... I'm in the boat that thinks if you're running pits, you may as well use something like cat's eye because frw is soooo important (and dex iirc)

 

[Espr]

With some digging, I believe I've figured out how the bugged breakpoints work.

Essentially the 50% EIAS breakpoint (120% with hydra bow), reduces the frames of the first arrow in strafe to 4, resulting in a server side attack at 4/3/7. The 58% EIAS breakpoint brings down the last arrow, resulting in 4/3/6. Where the bug comes in is that client side the middle arrows appear at 2 frames but execute server side at 3 frames, resulting in the sequence ending earlier visually, and leaving the player unable to move until the sequence finishes server side.

However, when using strafe consecutively, when the sequence has ended client side (bugged 2 frames) the next strafe sequence will be started by interrupting the current sequence, dropping the last couple arrows, and crucially, eliminating the slowest (7 or 6 frames) last arrow resulting in less frames per arrow overall.

Assuming that information is up-to-date/correct then I can see why the next breakpoint would be attractive.