noob question about PIs and bowazons

[Fragbate]

Forgive my noobness, but I recently came back to D2 after being away since before 1.10. It all feels new to me again. :)

I'm thinking about making a multi / strafe bowazon, but one thing I don't understand from what I've read is how they handle physical immune mobs.

Do they use FA or one of the fire arrow skills?

Also I see references to using WWS or Atma's Scarab for the Amp Damage. Does this cut through physical immunity?

Thanks in advance!

[PhatTrumpet]

Amp does break physical immunities. It reduces a target's physical resistance by 100%, which only works at 1/5 effectiveness when something's immune, so as long as the target has less than 120% physical resistance Amp will break that immunity.

The other bonus of using WWS is that when fired with normal attack it actually fires level 20 Magic Arrow, which converts some of your physical damage to magic damage.

Another option is to stick a Reaper's Toll on your Might Merc. It has chance to cast Decrepify which can also break physical immunities, just not as effectively as Amp.

If you'd rather go the elemental route, Freezing Arrow tends to require a heavy skill point investment to be effective. A less skill-intensive option would be to make the 'Harmony' runeword in a fast base bow (ideally Matriarchal Bow, or Great Bow if you think you might use it on a Rogue Merc later on) and keep it on your weapon switch for prebuffing Valkyrie and dealing with phys immunes.

[Jackson]

I think the "amplify damage" method would be best, especially if you plan on being a non-elemental zon.

Atmas scarab, or a wand..

[PhatTrumpet]

Wands can't spawn with charges of Amp; Gavel of Pain is the only item in the game with charges of Amp.