Shael + Strafe?

[shavenlunatic]

OK, building a strafe bowazon and I've got a hellrack.

Worth shaeling?

Also, there any breakpoints anywhere? How do the mechanics of IAS & Strafe work?

Any info much appreciated (but please put it in laymans terms as I'm not the sharpest tool :D )

Thanks

[adeyke]

The crossbow strafe breakpoints are here. There are some... oddities in them. Personally, I would stick with bows for strafe. Crossbows, especially the [10] speed variety are really sluggish.

[shavenlunatic]

The crossbow strafe breakpoints are here.  There are some... oddities in them.  Personally, I would stick with bows for strafe.  Crossbows, especially the [10] speed variety are really sluggish.

Thanks, I;ll have a good read of that tomorrow :)

I know bows are generally more reliably faster but I do like the elemental damage mods and high physical on this crossbow... thats why im pondering it. I'll feel like ive got half the IK set on and throwing the maul at people 10 per second :D

[adeyke]

I'll feel like ive got half the IK set on and throwing the maul at people 10 per second

The thing is that even at the fastest speed, crossbows hit only an average of 6.6 people per second ;).

[Raven Vale]

I Use Windforce with Hellrack as a weapon switch for PI's and wow , its like switching from a machine gun to firing arrows through treacle on a Video replay in slo-mo , it does the job but I personally could'nt cope with that as a main weapon . I think I would get swamped real quickly by mobs .

Take care

[Nicator]

Regardless of the damage -no missiles hits because targets memory-, some strafazons look for faster weapons to avoid strafe-lock. Hellrack is one of those xbows that really glue you to the floor for some time.

[shavenlunatic]

shavens verdict: Strafazons suck

Admittedly, viewing peoples advice, they may be a bit better with a faster bow, but she IS pathetic in Nightmare at clvl 70+, even doing the hefty damage of the hellrack with (ok.. speed taken into account even with the 2 shaels added) and fairly decent items, OK she doesnt come close to death but it takes a jolly good while to kill even Izual and all the surrounding peoples, I've had clvl 40s that can work more efficiently.

I've not tried a MS bowazon but I'm convinced that no matter how much they suck since 1.10 they gotta be better than straffe

In my limited and blinkered opinion, Javazons truly are the only viable amazon for someone of such very mediocre wealth such as myself.


P.S.

Thanks for all the advice, but I think this bowazon is cofirmed as marked for deletion :)

[adeyke]

shavens verdict: Strafazons suck

Eh. That conclusion is incorrect. The more correct conclusion would be that Hellrack is an awful strafe weapon. Like what we'd been saying.

Try it again with a decent-damage 9/2 or 8/2 bow. Then you might be able to make a valid conclusion.

[Smoketest]

I used a Hellrack before, and though it was nice from the elemental damage standpoint, my Shaeled M'avina's Caster (9/3 I think, I have 90% IAS) is much faster, and the best bow I have so far. With the full set, it does decent magic and cold damage, so is a nice alternative to Hellrack's elemental damage. I prevent monster regeneration with a 175 poison damage large charm. Mana leeching and PIs can still be a pain, but my merc's Reaper's Toll, with a 30% chance to cast level 1 Decrepify upon striking, usually takes care of that problem. I also use Frozen Arrow for crowd control, and it does wonders versus most of Baal's minions. Combined with 80+% pierce, it's nasty. Fast, mobbing monsters? Easily managed with a level 30 Valkyrie, supported by a strong Magic/Passives tree, that usually only dies from the bane of all meleers: Iron Maiden, but even that is quickly solved with a recasting of Valkyrie. Otherwise, she's like hiding behind a mountain. I also make generous use of Decoy. Since I suffer tons of lag online, this character is about as safe as I could afford to make her, while still being a decent killing machine. She never uses or needs Multishot, and only has one prerequisite point in it.