Help making initial decision between Jav and Bow

[ButrosButros]

Hi, Ive decided to start an amazon and cant decide between a Bowazon (multi/strafe) or light javazon. This character is going to be strictly PvM, and I would like to be able to do runs in the pits and hell later in the game. I already have a bit of high end equipment for both, so the gear is not an issue at all.

Jav's seem to be well suited for doing bosses and killing big groups of monsters with LF, but the damage from multizons in corridors and open areas cant be ignored either. I guess I'm just looking for advice on which character will be better suited for PVM in the later acts hell difficulty.

Thanks in advance,
Doug

[superdave]

what equipment do you have available? why not try a hybrid?

[ButrosButros]

Let me think off the top of my head:
For Bowazon:
Faith GMB
Fortitude Plate
Tal rashas helm
Razor belt
Amazon Hellfire torch
raven ring
cats eye
war travelers
LOH gloves

For Javazon:
Same as above plus
Titans
chains of honor
spirit monarch shield

Thats what I can think of off the top of my head - I was debating trying both builds simultaneously. I guess my goal is to be able to easilly walk through ACT IV and V , I know javs are great for cows but I'm not too worried there - which would make you think I'm leaning towards bowazon, but then I think about CS against bosses and the ability to take a few hits ...

Which one do you think does larger, more consistent damage (overall)>?

[SuperPinkRanger]

Let me think off the top of my head:
For Bowazon:
Faith GMB
Fortitude Plate
Tal rashas helm
Razor belt
Amazon Hellfire torch
raven ring
cats eye
war travelers
LOH gloves

For Javazon:
Same as above plus
Titans
chains of honor
spirit monarch shield

Thats what I can think of off the top of my head - I was debating trying both builds simultaneously. I guess my goal is to be able to easilly walk through ACT IV and V , I know javs are great for cows but I'm not too worried there - which would make you think I'm leaning towards bowazon, but then I think about CS against bosses and the ability to take a few hits ...

Which one do you think does larger, more consistent damage (overall)>?

javazon is great anywhere in hell...as long as u have an infinity merc along with u. if ur not worried about resists, enigma mite be more preferable, because i hate waiting 5 mins for my stupid merc to come and use its conviction aura on the monsters that are already beating down on me.

currently building a faith bowazon to compare which is better in hell, havent completely lvled it yet, but i must say my javazon kills pvm faster then any char i ever made. and bosses die so quickly u wonder if they were even alive to begin with

[Dacar92]

what equipment do you have available? why not try a hybrid?
Dave, is that you?

[superdave]

Dave, is that you?

do you mean the guy in my tar? caught me. :wink3:
or did you mean why am i suggesting a hybrid build instead of my favourite build...the strafer?

[plasmo]

A javazon will kill everything, from bosses (CS) to packs (LF), much faster. In fact, a properly-built javazon is easily the fastest killer in cows and almost the fastest for bosses (my lightning sorc is a little faster on Baal, but only by a second or two, and that could simply be due to charms). The only problem would be lightning immunes, which you could either run around, let your merc take care of, or use infinity on a merc.

[ButrosButros]

I decided to make both as well. My javazon is doing fine, but my bowazon is having problems at level 25. I cant find a good bow for the life of me, any advice on what to use/trade for so I can actally do some damage?

[Kijya]

I decided to make both as well. My javazon is doing fine, but my bowazon is having problems at level 25. I cant find a good bow for the life of me, any advice on what to use/trade for so I can actally do some damage?
Skysrike is just a cupple of baalruns away, and it'll work untill you can equip wws. For lower level I usually fill a 5 socketed ama +3 bow with some damage gems or jewels.

[Taidan]

i'd go with Bow. javelins cant be runeworded and there are only a few uniques

[SSoG]

1 point in Magic Arrow, Cold Arrow, Ice Arrow, Poison Javelin, Lightning Bolt, Plague Javelin (prereqs).
5-10 points in Multishot (depending on +skills from gear)
1 point in Guided Arrow and Freezing Arrow (1-point wonders)
20 points in Strafe
20 points in Lightning Fury
1 point in all passives
=63-68 total points, finishing up as early as clvl 52 and as late as clvl 57. Additional points in Pene (to get a good chance to hit while strafing), Pierce (ideally enough to get to ~slvl 8 or 9 after +skills to pair with Razortail for perfect pierce), D/A/E, Decoy, Valk, Multi, Fire Arrow (as a PI/LI solution), or Lightning Fury synergies (pretty low priority).

Strafe against small packs, bosses, and LIs, Lightning Fury against large packs and PIs. Problem solved.

[snotblood]

Let me think off the top of my head:
For Bowazon:
Faith GMB
Fortitude Plate
Tal rashas helm
Razor belt
Amazon Hellfire torch
raven ring
cats eye
war travelers
LOH gloves

For Javazon:
Same as above plus
Titans
chains of honor
spirit monarch shield

Thats what I can think of off the top of my head - I was debating trying both builds simultaneously. I guess my goal is to be able to easilly walk through ACT IV and V , I know javs are great for cows but I'm not too worried there - which would make you think I'm leaning towards bowazon, but then I think about CS against bosses and the ability to take a few hits ...

Which one do you think does larger, more consistent damage (overall)>?

For javs don't forget T-gods belt.

[ButrosButros]

Oops, Forgot the T-gods belt on the list, already have that. I'll check out Skysrike, my bow right now is only about 8-18 damage (long battle bow), so I'm severly handicapped and dont join party games because i'm all but useless.

[Bladewind]

Don't worry too much, just keep leeching. Most norm baal runners won't even notice your "contributions".

As for jav or bow i would say Jav !!

Max LS
Max CS
Max LF

Titans are dirt cheap for the lower ones and you will still do massive damage. I had about lvl15+ MS but i did not even bother to use it !