bowazon build questions

[Magicbag]

I looking at creating my first serious bowazon build and I was wondering about a few things. Will biggin's bonnet apply its ED to the final damage output of the build? Same question for lionheart. If not, where does it get added in?
This helm chioce isn't mentioned in any bowazon guide I can find.

IAS .. I'd like some opinions on it. To a certain extent, a speedazon sacrifices a lot in terms of equipement choice. What cutoff would you shoot (ouch) for? I've read all the relevent spped literature. What is your IAS gear of choice?

I plan on using a more colorful bow variant, I want lots of pretty effects triggering. I'm planning on using Laying of hands (holy bolt) and Whichwild String (amp dam) any other suggestions for producing cool effects with decent gear? I'm considering lavagout.

Feel free to evaluate my build.. I'm using pure strafe with freezing arrow for crowd control. I'm currently lacking a knockback/fear/blind mechanic in favor of other mods (mainly damage) to what extent will this hamper my progress? I plan on hitting the 16 mark in crit shot and with my bow choice having a huge amount of deadly strike, I should be getting 2x damage every shot.

Thanks for the quick look at an old topic. I'm interested fun over all out damage in most cases.
-MB

[D-Dave]

IAS .. I'd like some opinions on it.  To a certain extent, a speedazon sacrifices a lot in terms of equipement choice.  What cutoff would you shoot (ouch) for?  I've read all the relevent spped literature.  What is your IAS gear of choice?

Well, as I am currently doing some nostalgic characters (1.03 style) I have a few bits about fast shooting.

As you will be using strafe as your main attack, imho, speed is rather important.

personaly i would go for a nice -10 bow maybe with some ias on it or a shael socketed (currently using a rare matriarchal [shaeled], not fancy damage wise [45-108 iirc], but good enough to bring you through the game)

the breakpoints for -10 bows are rather easy to reach without uber gear needs:

• [frames per normal attack] / [frames per Strafe attack (2.-end)] - [Amount of IAS needed for this speed]
  <>
  
• 12/3 - 0% IAS
  <>
  
• 11/3 - 8% IAS
  <>
  
• 10/3 - 22% IAS
  <>
  
• 9/3 - 42% IAS
  <>
  
• 9/2 - 60% IAS
  <>
  
• 8/2 - 75% IAS
  I know you can get even faster then that but i just can't remember the 7/2 breakpoint<>
  [st]
  
  I currently reached the 9/2 rig with 20% IAS from the Bow, 35% from Twitchthroe (with a 15% ias jewel) and 10% IAS from rare gloves. so all I need is a bow with 20% faster attack build in and socket it with a shael or a pair of 20% ias gloves and i will be on 8/2 which almost as fast as the realm synch can handle. Not much need of sacrificing needed (actualy only the armour slot is "sacrifical" imho), just a lot of patience gambeling for nice rare gloves (mine are currently almost optimal with +2 Passive skills, lightning and fire resist (28% and 29%) 3% mana and 3% life steal and 10% ias, try to beat that with a pair of uniques :P )
  
  BTW, if you are going all out on disco effects i'd recommend Goldstrike Arch with using freeze arrow, this fist of heavens realy makes you a true Discozon ;)
  
  On enhanced Damage items, if i recall correctly, it applies to base weapon damage (just like the enhanced damage on the weapon does)
  
  One last note, stay away from knockback/fear if you are in a party with melee fighters.
  It is
  • [a.]irritating for fighters when half dead monsters run away
    [b.]frustrating for them, having to run after those monsters
    [c.]not very effective to send your "tanks" after the monsters instead of holding the front line so your bum does not get spanked<>
    [st] and they will most likely comment in a "I'm not amused" way :ph34r: .

[Nicodemus Phaulkon]

And it's even mentioned on the front page at this very moment. Go figure.

Corwin Brute's Guide to the Bowazon. 85 pages of good reading on the very topic you've raised.

By the way: "Discozon"? *hears Elric's head explode*.

[kier]

I have made 5 amazons, and the only 1 left is a level 98 bowazon. Speed is the most important thing on cows pretty much. for an armour I'd use a 4 soc one with 4 15 ias jewels, or a griswold/hades armour with 3. Bow id go for buri, cruel, eagle or wf (the later ones are the better ones). You need to have a certain amount of leech, my ama uses a tal rasha's helm with a 15 ias jewel (amazing helms actualy, 10 duel leech, 15 res, life, etc).

Try and have knockback gloves, crafted ones can be nice ( i have 2 nice pairs. 1 has 2 to skills, 10 ias and knock back. The other has 20 ias, 3ll) and clegs are good. Pierce is important, some weapons have it as standed (the buri) but i think this just increases the chance. I use a razor tail and have a few skills in it.

This build is pretty good for cows, but if you change to pvm/mf/etc you need to give her better res/dr items.

Hope that's helped you a little,

kier

[Logic_X]

Don't forget silence bows.... +2 all skills, 20% ias/fhr, 75% resist all, blinds target (the fear effect is overriden by this), 200% ed, 30% mf, and 11% ml solves all your mana leech worries.......it's my favorite bow (prefer it even over all the "better" bows because it works ANYWHERE in the game) - I find crusaders to be my favorite (lower str req than hydra bows, same speed, same average damage).

[Logic_X]

While Tommi's is more accurate (this one isn't terribly innacurate....usually only 1-2 damage off due to rounding points in the full formula) - this one's quicker and easier for everyday use (although if you were gonna list damages in a guide I would DEFINITELY use his formula for the more accurate results):



Fundamental Formulas:
[(Base Weapon Damage * Ethereal Modifier)*(%ed on weapon + 1)+Magical ED Modifier + Min|Max boost on weapon)]

To Find how much a rune/jewel will add to a weapon (only applies to on weapon runes/jewels):
[(Base Weapon Damage * Ethereal Modifier)*(%ed on rune/jewel)+Min|Max Boost on weapon)]
This is added on seperate to innate bonuses.

All of above added together = Weapon Display Damage.

Final damage Formula (%ed from biggin's bonnet is included here - so is %ed from skills):
[(Weapon Display Damage)+(Non-Weapon +Min|Max)]*(Stat Modifier + %ed non-weapon & skills + 1)* special modifier+[elemental damage * (elemental modifier+1)]

convert all %s to decimals for these formulas. (ie 250% = 2.5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Definitions:

Base Weapon Damage: Damage on the weapon type before any modification.
Ethereal Modifier: Modifier from something being ethereal or non ethereal.
Non-ethereal item = 1
Ethereal item = 1.5

%ed on weapon: "% enhanced damage" on weapon in question.

Magical ED modifier: if the weapon has an ED modifier on it or not (jewels, runes, gems, etc. do not count towards this, only affixes on the weapon itself)
Object with ED% = +1
Object w/o ED% = +0

+min|max on weapon: +minimum damage or +maximum damage on weapon through an affix.

Superior: %ed mod does not effect the base weapon damage until the "*%ed on weapon" stage of the first formula.

Special Modifier: Effect that will alter damage on striking (IE critical strike, multishot, hunger,etc.)
1 for Normal Hit
2 for Critical Hit
.75 for Multishot
.25 for Hunger

Elemental Modifier: Modifier on elemental damage from all sources in attack.
0 for Normal Attack
-.25 for Multishot
%enhanced damage from sorceress masteries effect this too (ie 50 fire damage w/ a 100% fire mastery would result in 100 fire damage from weapon)

Stat modifiers: The bonus from stats for a specific type of weapon.
Standard Melee: Strength/100
Bows: Dexterity/100
Heavy Hammers (Legendary Mallet, Thunder Maul, Ogre Maul): (1.1*strength)/100
Amazon Class Spears: (0.8 * strength + 0.5* dexterity)/100
Claws, Daggers, and thrown weapons[Strength + Dexterity]*.75)/100

%ed non-weapon & skills: cumulative ed% from non-weapon sources, %ed to demon/undead/animal is also applied here (no matter the source).

non-weapon +min|max: +minimum or +maximum or adds #-# damage from non-weapon sources.

[edit: made it easier to read definitions]

[Magicbag]

Thanks for all the great replies!
I'm currently building my discozon (thanks for coining that).

Here's my setup:
Helm- Coif of Glory
Body- Craw Caw (open wounds)
Weap- Witchwild String or Goldstrike arch
Gloves- Laying of Hands, Lavagout, or Hellmouth
Boots- Infernostride is looking interesting (even though I hope not to be hit much the blaze is cool and the fire damage will show up)
Amulet- 1.08 Sacren's Chance
Ring 1+2- Rares with good resists, MF, and/or when struck abilities
Belt - Goldwrap (sadly no belt disco that I can find)

I am missing knockback and fear from generally available effects. I could use howltusk instead of coif.

I'm unable to find any prefix or suffix info on Set/runeword/rares/magics/crafted that would have "on striking" effects. Does anyone know of any? Or have a list of such items?
-MB

[kier]

Yeah, but the runes in silence could buy a better weapon.

THIS IS NOT A TRADE THING SO PLEASE DONT NUKE IT!!

Thanks :P

Kier

[Logic_X]

Silence is my weapon of choice :)


Where Cruels are the bloody Meat Cleavers
and Elite uniques are the sterling silver set of knives you set out on special occassions
silences are the complete set of your favorite knives - they're not the prettiest or the most efficent at cutting stuff, but you know them well, and they server you well.

</chef reference>

[D-Dave]

By the way:&nbsp; "Discozon"?&nbsp; *hears Elric's head explode*.

By the way: "Discozon"... ah yikes, I just had to quote that, didn't I...

Stop, I hear the sound of an incoming missile.....great now my head will explode :ph34r:

[kier]

True, I borrowed one once, but there damage isn't that good, no way near a uni. I'll keep with my cleavers :P

[Rudishoes]

If you like the Witchwild string, consider the fabulous HunkyDory's Witch Wild String Guide.

Good luck.

-Rudi

[Dozer]

Hey, do you mind posting the (+)10 strafe info, or at least a link to where you got it so I don't have to be asking these silly questions?