Pure Valk

[david]

Hi guys, I just got this game about a month ago and just finished normal with my hurricane druid. Well my friend was cowing me, and he used a valkyrie and it was awesome(mayb just b/c i'm a noob) but I was wondering, could an amazon max valk, decoy, and those like evade and stuff and make a super valk? And would it be any good?

I have many friends that are bored/quitting the game so I'm not to worried about getting items. If I did this would I go for +skills items? Should I raise block, or would higher vitality do me better? Thanks if you reply, I'm looking for a jack-around character, and maybe one that'll turn some heads :D

[librarian]

Heiho,

you can get a really tough Valk at sLvl17 or higher. At sLvl17 she gets a (rare) War Pike, her strongest possible base weapon.

Along with several 1.1x items of varying disgustingness you could push her along with an appropriate hireling with several Paladin aurae at once.
She still will be slow and erratically wandering.
Because you can't control which affices her weapon gets you'll have to recast her at least until she gets a black weapon (for black being usually the color indicating strong physical enhancements of weapons).
She still will need six seconds Casting Delay.

Personally I like having a strong and cheap Tank in front of me. The heavy thinking and fussing about making the Valk a real killing machine invested into any char would make this char a really _awesome_ killing machine.

[Zingydex]

To put it more bluntly, you're in for a world of frustration if you want to use Valk as your primary/only offense. Her detection range is pretty much the smallest of any minion in the game, which means she has to be almost on top of an enemy before she'll engage them. Yeah, she's tough, and at higher levels she packs a wallop, but her primary function is to keep monsters busy while the 'zon opens up with her real attacks.

[GriffonSpade]

To put it more bluntly, you're in for a world of frustration if you want to use Valk as your primary/only offense.  Her detection range is pretty much the smallest of any minion in the game, which means she has to be almost on top of an enemy before she'll engage them.  Yeah, she's tough, and at higher levels she packs a wallop, but her primary function is to keep monsters busy while the 'zon opens up with her real attacks.
[right][snapback]108760[/snapback][/right]

In other words get strafe AND valk. LoL. Sadly evade and the like pooter out after level 6 or so, so its essentially pointless to add more than like 5 points into them.

If you truly want a valk-zon, you'd probably want to either go with Beast or Passion.

You(weapons)-
Passion with additional +3 ALL skills will provide a 5 swing zeal and berserk.
Beast will provide a level 9 fanatacism aura
Call to Arms + Spirit shield backup will provide a decent battle orders and command to you and your minions

Merc(weapons)-
Harmony on act 1 merc will provide 10 vigor aura
Faith on act 1 merc will provide 12-15 fanatacism aura
Pride on act 2 nightmare offensive mercenary will add both might aura AND 16-20 concentration aura

Other-
Dragon armor/shield provides level 14 holy fire aura each(stackable?), (20% 18 venom when struck too)
Dream helmet/shield provides level 15 holy shock aura(stackable?)
Bramble armor provides 15-21 thorns aura

Basically, it'll be massively expensive to build a strong valk. Though I suppose if you could also manage to survive you could have a zealzon in there too lol.

[adeyke]

To answer the "stackable?", If you wear multiple items with the same aura, the slvls add.

[Zyr]

To put it more bluntly, you're in for a world of frustration if you want to use Valk as your primary/only offense.[right][snapback]108760[/snapback][/right]

That's a matter of perspective.

In the waning days of D2LoD v. 1.09, candlelight piloted a naked, weaponless Zon to Guardianship. A new adventurer steps out of Blood Moor and The Journeys of BlindJustis recount the details. In 1.10, Ned_Devine reached Matriarchy without a death behind his Amazing Valkyrie.

I took a pure Passive and Magic Zon to level 77 before losing her to a Conviction/LE Beetle boss in the Hell Maggot Lair during 1.10 ladder 2. (Actually, it was my impatience which killed her; the level 30 Valk had the boss down to about half his life, and would have finished the job in another minute or so, had I not peeked around the corner.) Unlike candlelight's and Ned_Devine's Zons, mine was armed, with a dagger and shield for act bosses and a Harmony bow. A Rogue with an Edge rune word bow made the Decoy a killer. I liked the basic build well enough that I'm rebuilding her this ladder; she's currently level 65, and about to take on the NM Ancients. Her maxed Decoy is level 28; Valk is currently cast at 30 and will be maxed at the next ding.

Her detection range is pretty much the smallest of any minion in the game, which means she has to be almost on top of an enemy before she'll engage them.  Yeah, she's tough, and at higher levels she packs a wallop, but her primary function is to keep monsters busy while the 'zon opens up with her real attacks.[right][snapback]108760[/snapback][/right]

I've discovered a key to overcoming the Valk's Artificial Stupidity: She's strongly inclined to protect the Decoy. Religiously scouting with Decoy results in the Valk spending much less time polishing her armor and much more time fighting.

While I'm thoroughly enjoying my P&M Daggerzon/Ranger, she won't be a fast killer in Hell with Normal Attack, though she'll be quicker than BlindJustis and AmaZingValk. Also, she has far less life than these ladies, due to the Str and Dex investments required to be effective with bow and dagger.

The Mage Spearazon build with maxed Decoy and Valk goes a long way toward solving both of these problems. With just enough Str and Dex to equip a Maiden Spear or Kelpie Snare, her Life orb can be huge, and her Decoy will be even tougher as a result. With maxed Charged Strike and Lightning Strike, she's a very fast killer against any critters who are not LI. Against LIs-- well, she's no worse off than BlindJustis and AmaZingValk. I lost a low Str/Dex Mage Spearie at level 60 a few weeks ago, due to a poorly placed Decoy. But she was looted, and she was so much fun that I may yet rebuild her this ladder.

For another take on the pure P&M Zon, you might be interested in KNomad's level 40 Valkyrie. (KNomad builds Sword/Shield Tankazons.)

It can be done. It can be fun. :)

[david]

thanks for all your help guys. i'm going to make her but currently i'm scrounging up items. wish me luck ;)