AxeNicely - 1.10 Tankazon

[icewind]

This is a guide for a Hardcore Tankazon that is viable in 1.10


Reasons for playing an Axeazon


And when all else fails,

Just pick up a good Axe and Whack away.


They are as close to the perfect weapon as you can get.


The balanced weight of it,

The smooth feel of the wood as your hand slids along its length.

The sharpness and clean cut of the blade as it finds its target.


That feeling of . . . . Oh Yeah,

(as the sound of the bone snapping under the weight of the mighty Axe).



What is the Axe Swing by AxeNicely?


I tend to think of the Axe swing as a poem. The critical opening phrase of this poem will always be the grip. In which the hands unite to form a single unit by the simple overlap of the little finger. Then lowly and slowly, the Axe head is lead back and pulled into position, not by the hands, but by the body, which turns away from the target shifting weight to the right side without shifting balance.


Tempo is everything, perfection unattainable, as the body now coils to the top of the swing,(pause) there’s a slight hesitation and a "nod to the Gods" {because she is fallible, perfection is unattainable} and now the weight begins shifting back to the left, pulled by the powers inside the earth. It’s alive, this swing, a living sculpture.


And down through contact, always down, striking the targetl crisply, with character, and a tuning fork goes off in your heart and your loins. Such a pure feeling is the well-struck Axe swing.


And the follow-through to finish, always on line. The reverse "C" of the golden bear……. Every finishing position is unique. That’s what the Axe swing’s all about.


It’s about getting control of your life and letting go at the same time.



There is only one other acceptable theory about Swinging an Axe….. "Grip it and Rip it!"




Such is the symphony of the Axe swing as told by AxeNicely


Sorry for the poetic Liberty of "Tin Cup"



Guardian AxeNicely Level 83


When the patch came out and 1.10 was finally playable I debated a ladder run with a speedazon and if I was up for nonstop playing to achieve a ranking. My work schedule was rather busy so I decided to have fun and not worry about trying to be on the ladder leader board.


I had been playing Axeazons in 1.09 having been inspired by dirtyharry2’s Celia whom I had played with many times. She looked kinda fun and I was really bored with the same builds over and over. I had made several Guardians in 1.09 and the excitement of the difficulty of 1.10 had me wondering if a melee build Zon would be viable in Hell.


I decide to build a melee Axeazon and one night in channel several of us were kicking around names for our new 1.10 characters and Malaclypse gave me several names including AxeNicely and thus when 1.10 patch came out several days later, AxeNicely was born.


From her first kill she was bare handed until she found her first axe and never used any other weapons besides Axes. She has no feel for a bow. She was off to a fairly fast and great start as she played through normal and nightmare difficulties pretty fast and with little to no problems.


The novelty of an Axeazon in channel and in games brought many friends and some strangers to give her any axes found in the new 1.10 games. Thanks for so gracious gifts as she has never wanted for weapons. She waited so long to finally get to use her end game weapons, # 1 Messerschmidt’s Reaver Champion Axe and # 2 Gimmershred Flying Axe with Moser’s Blessed Round Shield.


Here is her set up on the night she made Guardian.


Weapon # 1 set up: Messerschmidt's Reaver Champion Axe


Vital Statistics:

Strength: 198
Dexterity: 142
Vitality: 356
Energy: 40
Stamina: 628
Mana: 237
Def: 786

Attack Dam: 865-2376
Attack Rating: 4452

Hell Resists:

Fire 75
Cold 24
Lightning 75
Poison 75


Weapon # 2 set up: Gimmershred Flying Axe with Moser's Blessed Shield

Vital Statistics:

Strength: 183
Dexterity: 127
Vitality: 341
Energy: 25
Stamina: 613
Mana: 215
Def: 948

Attack Dam: 847-2478
Attack Rating: 3252

Hell Resists:

Fire 75
Cold 75
Lightning 75
Poison 75


AxeNicely's Gear

Head - Dread Crest Circlet

+2 Passives & Magic skills
+43% Enhanced Damage
+5 Minimum Damage
6% Mana Steal/Hit
All Resists – 15%
Damage reduced by 3

Armor - “Lionheart” Wire Fleece

+25 Strength
+20% Enhanced Damage
+15 Dex
+20 Vitality
+50 Life
+10 Energy
All Resists – 30%
Requirements – 15%

Belt - Verdungo’s Hearty Cord Mithril Coil

10% Faster Hit Recovery
+35 Vitality
+3% Replenish Life
+109 Max Stamina
Damage reduced by 13%

Gloves - Loath Clutches Heavy Gloves

+2 Passives & Magic skills
+20% Increased Attack Speed
+11 Strength
5% Lightning Resist

Boots - Sandstorm Trek Scarabshell Boots

20% Faster Run/Walk
20% Faster Hit Recovery
+11 Strength
+10 Vitality
+83 Max Stamina
50% Slower Stamina Drain
65% Poison Resist

Amulet - Grim Mark Amulet

+2 Passives & Magic skills
All Resists – 18%
Half Freeze Duration

Ring #1 - Raven Frost

Cannot Be Frozen
Cold Absorb 20%
+40 Mana
+15 Dex
+238 Attack Rating
+15 – 45 Cold Damage

Ring #2 - Shadow Master

7% Life Steal
2% Mana Steal
+22 Mana
+15 Strength
20% Lightning Resist
11% Poison Resist


Weapon # 1 Stats: Messerschmidt's Reaver Champion Axe

Level Requirement 70

Two Hand Damage 184 – 476

+200% Enhanced Damage
+7 Minimum Damage
+207 Enhanced Max Damage
100% Bonus Attack Rating
Adds 20 – 240 Fire Damage
+15 All Attributes
Adds 1 – 73 Lightning Damage
+20 Poison Dam. / Second


Weapon # 2 Stats: Gimmershred Flying Axe with Moser's Blessed Shield

Level Requirement 70

One Hand Damage 48 – 186
Throw Damage 43 – 189

+30% Increased Attack Speed
+187% Enhanced Damage
Adds 218 – 483 Fire Damage
Adds 29 – 501 Lightning Damage
Adds 176 – 397 Cold Damage

Moser's Blessed Shield


Level Requirement 70

Socketed with 2 Perfect Diamonds

62% Chance to Block
+30% Faster Blocking Rate
+25% Increased Chance to Block
63% All Resists


Gold at Level 83: 552998


The couple of pieces of gear worn most of the game and changed out in Act 4 Hell was:

Belt: String of Ears

6% Life Steal
Damaged reduced by 15%
Magic Damage reduced by 14

Ring: Bone Band Ring

+4 Max Damage
+10 Strength
Replenish Life +3
10% Cold Resist
22% Lightning Resist
19% Fire Resist
10% Poison Resist



Charms in Inventory

Edit - Note - I used no + skills charms on this character as I had none and did not feel like cubing them up.

Grand Charms:

All Resist 10%
Lightning Resist 15%
Fire Resist 23%
Fire Resist 20% +11 Life
7% FR/W w/add 9-24 Cold Damage

Large Charms:

All Resist 8%
Lightning Resist 5% w/+15 Life
Fire Resist 12%
+175 Poison Damage/6 Seconds w/+19 Life
1-5 Lightning Dam w/11% Fire Resist
Add 17-40 Fire Damage w/+4 Dex
1-33 Lit Dam w/6% Cold Resist

Small Charms:

Lightning Resist 11%
Lightning Resist 8%
+16 Life
Cold Resist 7%
Add 1-23 Lightning Dam
Add 7-11 Cold Damage w/+14 Life
Add 3-7 Cold Dam



Mercenary Act 2 Holy Freeze Gulzar Level 76

Stats:

Life: 1517
Strength: 195
Dex: 151


Merc’s Gear: Helm – Tal Rasha’s Horadric Crest Death Mask

10% Mana Steal/Hit
10% Life Steal/Hit
+60 Life
All Resists 15%
+30 Mana
+45 Defense

Armor – “Lionheart” Gothic Plate

+25 Strength
15% Dex
+50 Life
All Resists 30%
+20 Vitality
+10 Energy

Weapon Stats: Death Skewer Mancatcher “Shael”

+320% Enhanced Damage
20% IAS
+13 Enhanced Max Damage
+108 Attack Rating
+16 Mana
6% Life Steal
9% Mana Steal



Valkyrie

Life 2816
Level 26
Damage 625%
Attack Rating 1840
Defense Bonus 250%


Skill Point Distribution

This character only has Passives Skills with Inner sight and Decoy as her main ones used. This is to control crowds and reduce monster defense.

Inner Sight – level 26

Reduce Enemy Defense -1255
Duration 108 sec

Decoy – level 8 45 Seconds
Slow Missile – level 7 48 seconds
Critical Strike – level 16 65% Chance
Penetrate – level 26 +285% to Attack Rating
Dodge – level 14 52% (Max gain available)
Avoid – level 12 58% (1% gain for each point added)
Evade – level 13 51% (1% gain for each point added)
Valkerie - level 26


AxeNicely is a blast to play! I probably would have left the game had it not been for finding The Amazon Basin, some friends to play with, and a character not in the “cookie cutter” mold that is so common.


In Hardcore there are many frustrations with Battle Net, doing something that will cause your own death and a rebuild, or enjoying the learning process that happens as you learn the game dynamics and tactics that is Hardcore. The chances taken weighed against a possible death is part of the excitement of this style of play.


This journey to Guardian was a long one in that there were several rebuilds, Dec 22, 03 brought the first death in Nightmare in Act 4 at level 42. This was a death to my being tired and Hitting an IM Boss in the Chaos Sanctuary. Instant Death


The second was at level 72 around the first week of March. It was in a great fight in Hell Act 5 in the last run to kill Baal. There were 3 necros, and a Druid, along with several zons when while doing The Throne Rooms Minions the last one, Lister caused severe lag. I died just as Lister went down, again with IM, CU, and another mod. I don’t think this was an IM death though.


The third rebuild started in March and in this one after about the first week of leveling was when I connected up with Russtovich’s Javazon, Guinness-Girl and we decided to run our gals together and only play the character when we both were on. This pact made to either make it to Guardian or both die trying.


Russ’s schedule was the main factor on when we played as his work schedule shifts time every week and his wife’s schedule of being in town and having time together when she is home. We knew it would be a long adventure but both of us enjoyed the company and gladly accepted the challenge. Soon Malaclypse joined us with his melee sorceress, Grim-Mal and again the pact made and our adventure continued.


Each time we played there were others who joined for that night or for the several nights’ games in each session of our wacky schedule. As time went on most of the West Nightly Hardcore players at one time or another had a character close enough to play with us in whatever difficulty we were in. It was a time of friendships made and expanded. There was no rush to finish, some nights if one was more tired (usually me) we may have sat in channel or in a game in town talking or telling jokes. The time spent had nothing to do really with the game, only a goal set for reference. It was truly a group of “friends playing with friends” and many played with us along the way.



It was a fun time and the accomplishment of what makes this such a great place.


Thanks to all for your help and company along the way, it was fun getting to play with you sharing an adventure.



To Mal, I am glad one of our trio can at least get a sorceress over level 30, she is a great one and a fun companion. I really had a blast.


Russ, little did I know or realize at the time when we started playing in Hardcore together long ago that my little Amazon with a club, scared to ask anyone for gear until I could find a bow would eventually become a melee Amazon with an Axe. Both of us have come a long way since then. I have enjoyed the games together, the funny whisper’s back and forth, and the friendship that has developed. Thank you mate for all your friendship as you truly exemplify the ideals of The Amazon Basin.

Edit - I have been asked several times if this would be a viable character in softcore play. I would say that it should work and point distribution could be somewhat different without all of the points going into Vitality. It would play almost the same but with more Dex earlier in the build the killing would probably be faster.

Brian - "Spear of Light" has been playing a softcore Axeazon successfully for awhile now and he would be a good person to gain additional insight into this fun character.


Ice