Javazon:Is it really necisary 2 have a valkryie?

[RedPen]

javazons are extremely strong by themselves..and all the javazons godly javazons who are killing hell baal in ten hits dont have valkryies, so my question 2 you is: is it really neccesary for a javazon to have a valkryie?

thx :thumbsup:

[aman]

imo yes they are great tanks but i guess it could depend on the build

Aman

[RedPen]

depend on the build???
arent javazons pretty much cookie cutters?

[aman]

Hmmm

pure light javason
light fury/plague java
charged strike

Ok maybe it depends on other stuff like equip , skill playing that chara
but i like using them and think they are really good.

Aman

[RedPen]

im going with charged strike and lightning fury..like basically every1 else :lol:

guess so...hmmm lez see if anyone else wants 2 say something

thx 4 the feedback :thumbsup:

[bladesyz]

I don't like pure lightning javazons. Their only recourse against the hordes of LI in Hell is a one-point jab. Sure, their CS deals ungodly amounts of damage, but it needs:

1- fully synergized, leaving no room for other skills, and requires high level (90+)

2- lots of -% light res gear

3- only really useful in pvp or vs bosses.

Personally, I have no problem killing bosses with other builds. It's always the getting there that's harder than the bosses themselves.

[RedPen]

yah true...but i think im just gona go with no valkryie cuz im gona hav a merc whos using obidience, eth vampgaze, and fortitude :D

[reyla]

I am looking for an answer to this question as well. My Hardcore Amazon is level 57. I have max Charged Strike and max Lightning Fury. I have no points in Vlk yet and wondering if I should work on one. I am untwinked but finding decent stuff as I go. Duriel's Shell for example. My merc is dreadfully under geared still. Using a plain old Ethereal Pike and some rare plate mail.

So, work on a Valk or not?

[Omikron8]

Unless you want to jab for 10 centuries on each lightning immune enemy/boss in hell get a valk up to level 17+. A mercenary (even an act 5 mercenary who has much better FHR than an act 2 version) will get stunlocked by any decent hell pack of monsters and do a back flip as he hits the floor and dies.

[Valinorean]

Hello..

If you plan to venture in specific areas, like in the pit, cow lvl, or in co-operative games, then I wouldn't take it.. actually my 1.10 Lightning Zon had no merc, and she did well. In pvm.

Nice co-op characters would be convivtion paladin, or poison necromancer with lower resist, for example..

-Valinorean

[Omikron8]

Hello..

If you plan to venture in specific areas, like in the pit, cow lvl, or in co-operative games, then I wouldn't take it.. actually my 1.10 Lightning Zon had no merc, and she did well. In pvm.

Nice co-op characters would be convivtion paladin, or poison necromancer with lower resist, for example..

-Valinorean

which assumes that the people in these "co-op" games have more intelligence than that of a squirrel, which they often don't

[RedPen]

lol guys i already am going without a valkryie so watever, but for the hardcore guy use a valkryie 2 tank or ull freggin loose all ur stuff :lol:

[Pred]

Just tried a lightning javazon as first character in the new ladder season. Currently lvl 88, 20 in cs, lf, ls and 17 in valk. All prerequisites + 1 point in bow upto strafe (was gonna do a hybrid but my damage with a bow is so insanely crap compared to lightning i don't bother using one, or maybe i just need a better bow/equip). Putting the rest of my points in pierce since it's supposed to help vs bigger, tight groups (like cows).

These are my findings on companions:
Mercs: With a good weapon very useful in taking out lightning immunes (LI), don't count on him to tank though. I have a perfect upped shaftshop on him and he still dies in a few seconds sometimes (well so does the valk but not as much).
Take an act2 merc. Although you don't really need the auras, holy freeze is always a nice thing to have, or might in case you encounter lots of LI monsters and want your merc to kill faster.
Give this guy an insight (the highest rune is sol... cheap!), even in a crappy 4 socket scythe it's good enough for normal/nightmare (or infinity if u have the high runes). The meditation from insight gives you the opportunity to just totally forget about mana / regen / leech and concentrate on MF or something else more.
If you're lucky and find an ethereal elite polearm (i think cryptic axes are the best) with 4 sockets, with insight and might aura your merc can easily do 1800-4500 damage (well mine does). Since he does jab attacks that's more or less x3 as well i think. Either way it kills most LI, even bosses in a few hits.

Valk: great tank most of the time. Saves you the entire run/hit/run/hit repeat crap. You can just stand there throwing whatever you want while your valk keeps them busy. Just don't expect them to kill anything in hell in less than 20 seconds (even at lvl 17).

Decoy: Useful sometimes, especially in hell when you are, for example, in worldstone keep and don't wanna break your neck trying to find out if there are 20 gloams/black souls ahead. Also good for breaking enemy groups up, by casting one behind the group that is rushing towards you, half of them will stop to attack the decoy. I didn't put more than 1 point in it,

Merc / Valk is a great combination, but alone a merc will be rather useless since he'll die too fast, and a valk alone will give the monsters something to chew on however will not help much in taking out LI.

I can not understand why people don't use mercs or a valk (even just put 1 point in it). It's like getting 2 free party members without increasing monster difficulty.

@Valironean: you said you don't need a merc for the pit or cows. I can understand the cow thing; the only LI there are bosses.
But can you please tell me how you cope with the LI archers in the pit without a merc? The only thing i can think of is that you jab or whatever other skill that doesnt use lightning... which would all be rather low since you'd have spent all your points in lf, cs and/or ls. It's possible but not much point since a decent merc will do about 3-10 times as much non-lightning damage as you do...

[bowndancer]

The more meat shields you have the better. Hook up your merc with damage reduction and good resists and life leech and he shouldn't die unless its a bad pack of mobs. Decoy is very effective, I cast it on the edge of the screen and if any mobs near they pack together nice and neat like and then you can go to town on them. 1 point in valk wont give you and uber tank, but it would be good enough to kite some mobs if you get in trouble.

[drinkturps]

I got my Javazon to Guardian with Valkerie maxed last season. A superb tank which kept the merc alive. It worked for me. I also went the pure lightning route too. The Hell worldstone keep was tricky but was possible with a little patience.

[Valinorean]

@Valironean: you said you don't need a merc for the pit or cows. I can understand the cow thing; the only LI there are bosses.
But can you please tell me how you cope with the LI archers in the pit without a merc? The only thing i can think of is that you jab or whatever other skill that doesnt use lightning... which would all be rather low since you'd have spent all your points in lf, cs and/or ls. It's possible but not much point since a decent merc will do about 3-10 times as much non-lightning damage as you do...

Heyas,

Well, I meant without Valkyrie, sorry for that; forgot to take the pills again.

A friend of mine who uses javazons in the pit (without Infinity merc), kills the archers with merc and by throwing upgraded Titan's at them, other friend uses mercenary + windforce/uped buriza with lvl 1 guided arrow. Both seem to kill the archers fast enough.. They both used Reaper's Toll weapons on their mercs.

-Val

[ToadKiller]

..and all the godly javazons who are killing hell baal in ten hits dont have valkryies...

thx :thumbsup:


Well, 9 out of 10 times a pure lightning zon can't reach Hell Baal without help. And in an 8-player game, a high level valk is godly: almost nothing can kill her. And even if she does die, it's one click and you have super woman back, unlike a merc. Also unlike a merc, you can put your valk were you want her.

She's also player friendly: she tanks for other players as well as you. Toss her out there, and watch people follow her.

Lastly, she kills a lot more than you'd think, since she puts the final hit on creatures after you LF.


TK

[Wingspan]

Well, 9 out of 10 times a pure lightning zon can't reach Hell Baal without help. And in an 8-player game, a high level valk is godly: almost nothing can kill her. And even if she does die, it's one click and you have super woman back, unlike a merc. Also unlike a merc, you can put your valk were you want her.

She's also player friendly: she tanks for other players as well as you. Toss her out there, and watch people follow her.

Lastly, she kills a lot more than you'd think, since she puts the final hit on creatures after you LF.


TK

I completely agree on all points.

Another thing to consider is, where else woudl you put the points? More synergies? Well, with whatever you have you're probably doing fine, but a valk makes up for something you don't have, distractions. As mentioned, valk + merc + decoy = invincible. Even in some situations where the merc would normally die, the valk can take off heat while he finished the target. The fact that the valk gets all your passive bonuses also can't hurt.

[xxsteelxx]

Well, 9 out of 10 times a pure lightning zon can't reach Hell Baal without help. And in an 8-player game, a high level valk is godly: almost nothing can kill her. And even if she does die, it's one click and you have super woman back, unlike a merc. Also unlike a merc, you can put your valk were you want her.

She's also player friendly: she tanks for other players as well as you. Toss her out there, and watch people follow her.

Lastly, she kills a lot more than you'd think, since she puts the final hit on creatures after you LF.


TK

really?? i seem to remember running hell baal last ladder with my pure light zon . NO VALK. oh and in hardcore . The only problem u have is with souls in the throne room cause u just run past all the rest. Only problems in the throne room is if there is a nasty boss pack of souls then u just make ng , but most games i could do no prob with no close calls . It maybe took a min to clear out souls with jab and a good merc then everything else is a cake walk.

Im not suggesting doing this with anything but awsome gear ..... u must have stacked res incase u run into conviction(in hc)

cant remember my exact gear setup but it was somethin like this

um shako
coh
ss w/ -15%req/all res jewel
tgods
raven/ all res //dl ring
titans
ammy cant remember
gloves maybe laying of hand /...cant remember exactly
boots rares with frw///res//mf
cta//lidless for bo

5 java skill life gcs ....anni ...rest 18 - 20 life scs


might merc ....cant remember gear but ur merc must have alot of crushing blow.....
a good pick would also be a defience merc using stone...for tanking anything

[nightaswz]

im guessing for pvp no valk is needed?

[nicothemaster]

get a valk. they may seem useless now but if u solo the new ubers the valk will take the minions while u shred the bosses:)