newbie amazon :)

[mememe]

Hi!
I just recently started playing and i was wondering if i could get some input on strategies for skillpoint-distribution and collecting better gear :)

1) SKILLPOINTS
I'm basing my amazon on the javelin-based skill - lightning fury. I have read many guides and forum posts and come up with something similar to:

JAVELIN
Lightning Fury - 20

PASSIVE
Pierce - 10+ (depending on how many +skill items i can find)
Valk - 1 (maybe more.. but i RARELY use it.. if i go for a stronger version ill try to get to 17)
Dodge, Avoid, Evade - roughly 5-6 points each..
Penetrate - Whatever i need to hit stuff :)
Critical strike - ~6

BOW
Haven't decided yet, spent points to guided arrow at the moment.

My question is "where should i go from here"? I was thinking of making something of a hybrid "javazon/bowazon".. Lightning Fury is amazing.. but so are many of the bow skills..

I was origionally thinking of Maxing "LF" and "strafe".. but then i heard about synergy-skills.. IE skills that boost a certain skill as you spend points in them. "LF" has 4 synergy skills and i would never be able to up them if i'm supposed to add some bow-damage as well..

To sum it up:
- Is it worth going "hybrid"?
- If i go hybrid, wich skill would be better, Guided arrow or Strafe.. or maybe Frozen Arrow?
- Are synergy-skills worth adding points into? I mean, 20 points in a synergy-skill would equal 20% added "LF"-dmg.. Do people spend those points?
- If i focus somewhat on synergy-skills.. which one would be better to start with?

2) GEAR QUESTION
This is my first character so i'm having a really hard time keeping up with mana and such.. what could one do to aquire some decent items? Is money-farming and gambling for some certain item a good idea.. or should i kill bosses? The problem is that killing bosses is really hard with my gear as my resists and hp are lacking :)

Thanks in anticipation,
mememe 45 amaon on europe :)

[stevep0520]

Hello!

I'm currently in the process of making an Amazon myself (my 1st in vers 1.10).

1st let me get to the equipment part of the equation.

You've got about 4 choices here:

1) Go out and find equipment as you play your 'Zon using Perfect topaz socketed helm/armor and anything with Magic Find for starting MF gear
2) Put the brakes on the Zon, play as a Necro Skellymancer and go find some items (the easiest player to start off with to go item hunting for w/o godly items)
3) trade for them (assuming you have something of trade value)
4) Use ATMA to mule existing items you have found to this Amazon

(I'm assuming you're starting from scratch w/ #1 and that you have ATMA for #2 and 4)

As for skillpoints/statpoints, you'll want to go something like this:

Str: Enough for items
Dex: As much as possible
Vit: As much as possible
Ene: ZERO (use mana leech items to get back lost mana)

Skills,

Your right on the money w/ Lightning Fury. Max that sucker. You'll be able to go through packs of enemies w/ no problems (except Lit Immunes)

BUT

don't worry about synergies for LF. 1% more damage isn't much bang for your buck (or euro, considering your continent of origin).

;-)

Valk is a pretty safe bet to max, as it's one hard-hitting tank.
2 pts apiece in dodge, evade, avoid
enough in Critical Strike for 50% critical strike (about 7)
1 in Slow Missles (great skill), Inner Sight, Decoy, Penetrate
about 6-7 in Pierce.
You'll also have 3 prereqs for LF to consider.

Now, from this point on you have a few options with what to do with your points:

1) You can go the Poison Route by Maxing Plague and Poison Javelin (viable)
2) You could go the Cold Route, by maxing Freezing Arrow and Ice Arrow-whichever increases FA damage. Don't worry about the synergy that increases Freeze time*.
3) You could go the Fire route-Maxing Immolation and Exploding Arrows (some people aren't a fan of this for whatever reason, but I see no problem w/ it. I'm doing it myself)
4) You could do the guided arrow OR multishot OR strafe physical route (Some swear by it, but with the advent of immunities, I would recommend having 3 sources of damage, w/ your bow providing the physical)

*You can increase the freeze time by equipping items that add cold damage or add freeze/chill time).

Anyhow, please keep in mind these are only suggestions and you can make your build however you like, as its YOUR build.

Enjoy!

[Omikron8]

Max Charged Strike (for single targets and bosses where fury does squat for you)

Max Lightning Fury

Get Pierce up to 66% at least so razortail can cover the rest (33% pierce)

One point in jab should be sufficient for leeching

17 Points in Valk after +skills (you need somethingo to keep monsters off your back and a merc can only hold his own so long in hell)

1 in dodge/avoid/evade (unless you are playing hardcore)

do what you wish with the rest of the pts

a common choice is to put it in power strike or lightning strike for more charged strike damage

[ConFusion]

To sum it up:
- Is it worth going "hybrid"?
- If i go hybrid, wich skill would be better, Guided arrow or Strafe.. or maybe Frozen Arrow?
- Are synergy-skills worth adding points into? I mean, 20 points in a synergy-skill would equal 20% added "LF"-dmg.. Do people spend those points?
- If i focus somewhat on synergy-skills.. which one would be better to start with?

2) GEAR QUESTION
This is my first character so i'm having a really hard time keeping up with mana and such.. what could one do to aquire some decent items? Is money-farming and gambling for some certain item a good idea.. or should i kill bosses? The problem is that killing bosses is really hard with my gear as my resists and hp are lacking :)

First off all: Great post to start with, unlike many others you're not a person like "HI IM NEW GIVE GUIDE PLZ". Good to know there's still hope. ;)

Concerning your questions: I think hybrids are certainly viable but never it's not more than 'a good option'. It isn't 'needed', it's just 'good'. Pure characters are also very viable and you do not lose your weapon switch with pure characters, usually, but you probably do not need that switch so soon for Call to Arms or Demon Limb, seeing your last lines.

If you are going hybrid, strafe and freezing arrow are more popular than guided arrow these days. Guided is actually only used for PvP these days. Choose whichever you like, it's all up to you.

Synergie skills are hardly worth their points for Lightning Fury, but if you choose to take Charged Strike you also gain a great boss-killer (and LF is a synergie for Charged Strike so it works both ways). Taking Charged Strike would also fix your problem with small monster packs or single monsters. The mana cost is far from high and the damage is huge. Really worth looking at if you're not going hybrid.

About items... magic finding can be quite boring. If you are playing on Softcore and therefor can risk a death, I'd say you'd go for Pindleskin Hell. With some tactics (test in nightmare!) you can avoid being hit yourself (which you should on helll, since his damage is enormeous in 1.10). In case you do not know: Pindleskin is easy to find (= quick runs) when you saved Anya. Just go through her Red Portal.

Other stuff to run: Shenk + Eldritch (Frigid Highlands waypoint), The Pit (cave in Tamoe Highlands - Outer Cloister Waypoint - watch out for lightning immune archers), The Countess (Black Marsh - high chance of mid-range runes, up to Ist), takes quite a while to find though.

I wouldn't bother myself with act-bosses if I were you. The chances of uniques might be higher but it'll probably take you way too much time to reach them in the first place.

[mememe]

Thanks a lot for all the great information folks. I feel a little like i've wasted a few poitns in the bow-tree when i saw the specs of charged strike. I was investing in the bow-tree to get a single-target killer.. but it seems like i don't need it. Welp, guess it's nice to have one point in strafe for lightning immunes or something.. could be decent if i ever find any +skill items :)

As for items, i'll be sure to test all the spots suggested.. and yes, i play hardcore.. :)

Thanks again!