LF/Strafe Hybrid Question

[phaemoor]

Hi Guys.

I have a lvl 72 PvM LF/Strafe Zon with max LF and 1 point in Strafe so far. I am deciding wether to max strafe or leave at 1 + skills, and also if I should cram remaining points in penetrate? Or instead of putting more than 1 point in penetrate should I use a bow that ignores target defence like eagle horn? She has been made for cows/pit/shenk/eldritch/andy/pindy runs. Forgot to mention this is ladder and my items are pretty rank at the moment, but just got titans and rare mat bow that does poor dmg.

thanks in advance
Coy

[phool]

I consider reaching the 'attacks up to 10 targets' (lvl 6) mark essential; further improvement makes relatively little difference, especially if you've already got a fair bit of ed. A might merc has a greater impact on damage. How many plus skills are you expecting to have, and what is your current distribution?

[DudSpud]

As for LF, last time I ran my LF/strafe hybrid in cows, LF was at slvl 30 (20 LF, +4 Titans, +1 shield, +2 all zon circlet, +3 full Disciple set). This worked great in a 3 player cows game with a pierce about 70%.

Now, as for strafe. The +%ED from strafe is negligble as you note because it is off-weapon ED that is added to dex and might +%ED, so it doesn't change the value very much. Moreover, the AR bonus of strafe is bugged and so doesn't work.

One way I have begun thinking about strafe is less as a means of dealing physical damge and more as a means of dealing spell effects, such as KB, slow, freeze, OW (additive, I think, unlike poison which resets - though the poison from Venom (on the new armor word Treachery) only last 10 frames or so), etc, maybe even CB, because, though the damaged is halved at range, with strafe you could apply it often enough to be effective.

So what lvl of strafe? The max number of arrows is never greater than 10, but the min is 2+slvl/4. The min is only checked when there are less than that number of monsters about. So level 4 strafe is only 3 arrows. If you a reasonable 9/2 strafe, thats 13 frames for 3 arrows (4.33 frames/arrow), while an slvl 24 (my current slvl) strafe is 23 frames for 8 arrows (2.66 frames/arrow). Looked at another way, its 23 frames for 8 arrows at slvl 24, or 28+ frames for 8 arrows at slvl 4. Still, tons of points in strafe doesn't really seem worth it, does it? I max it mainly because I play my LF/strafers as rangers, so not much D/A/E needed, and where else am I going to put the points? How about pierce for the LF and a few extra in penetrate for the 95% chance to hit?

Your question makes me wonder. Please let me know what you decide, and how it works out for you.

DudSpud

[phaemoor]

Thanks for the replies.

Well, so far, still one point in strafe using lycanders with titans/rhyme on switch, thats the best gear I can afford right now till I MF some more. The strafe isnt very good doing max damage of about 500-600. Only 1 point in penetrate. I have about +5 skills all up at the moment, and at lvl 79, I have about 8 skill points left unspent because I honestly don't know where they would be best spent. I find I am relying on my maxed valk who seems indestructible and my merc to kill LI's, my strafe just softens them up. If I get an atmas scarab that will help even more.

Cheers
Coy