last minute help with zon

[SaphiraZ]

so im making a javazon and my gear looks like this:

griff (15ias jewel)
cats eye
eth titans (plan to up it)
coh
spirit
rare gloves with 2java/20ias
raven
tgods
rare dual leech
marrowalks (20 str)
anni/torch

planning to get a faith bow for swap

so my question is...should i do 1 point in magic arrow->multi->guided->strafe, or 20 points strafe? what is the main purpose of strafe for a javazon? just to take out LI? is maxing it instead of a LF/CS synergy worth it?

also i plan on putting only up to 159 dex to use up titans, but maybe i should add a little more for bow damage and block?

As far as passive skills go im thinking right now to skip d/a/e and valk and just put 1 point in crit/pene/pierce. Ive never played a zon before so input on passives would be nice.

also, any overall pointers on improving this build would be nice.

thanks for reading

[zarirazz]

i don't have an infinity merc for my bow/jav hybrid, so strafing is pretty much to kill LI.

since you're using faith, you can pretty much skimp on bow skills and 1pt in penetrate is good enough.

but since you're wearing t-gods, more points needed in pierce to fully utilise lightning fury. or wear razortail instead.

depending on playstyle, getting a valk to lvl 17.

so i guess, majority of skillpoints would still go to your lightning skills=)

EDIT: or wear fort + gore rider and jab the LI buggers to death. no bow skills needed=P

[NASE]

what is the main purpose of strafe for a javazon?

there isn't a main purpose. Most javazon's don't even matter having a bow on switch. Simply max out lightning damage, get conviction for extra damage and li. Jab those few you can't kill to dead or let merc or party take care of it.

If you take a faith bow on switch. You plan on hybriding, this means that you will get a decent second attack that should be a good second attack. Not just a one point jab, I don't call that hybriding.
This means that you need as much dex as possible. Perhaps even going with a less block shield with more res, some take spirit and have max block. This makes dex usefull for bow and java side. Getting the needed ias to hit the wanted breakpoint. Certainly if you take gbm, you need ias. Gloves with skills/ias and highlords come to mind as very vaible option, knockback on those gloves if possible. Perhaps even going with a might merc - what else?. And getting a decent lvl of attack. One point strafe or multi is possible, though multi needs to get to about lvl 10-15 if you want to use this often, and strafe might deserve more points. Though think about it, maxing strafe is usefull but is the benefit after slvl 6 (?) worth it?

P.S. there are people that have though about this more. Check the guide in the sticky (windtitan IIRC) and perhaps search for some examples. I though crawlingdeadman posted his build somewhere around here.

[crawlingdeadman]

it's in my sig. i second not using tgods and using razortail instead. if you're going mostly jav with very little bow then definitely use a mat faith. i'd just keep with a jav LI option like demon's arch+ tiamat's rebuke instead of just a few into the bow tree. you're better off with a full on hybrid or just using nase's suggestions of merc and jab.

[SaphiraZ]

ok thanks for the help guys, i guess ill just scrap the bow idea all together. I do plan on getting infinity merc eventually (just blew all my runes on griffs) and im pretty sure jab w/ eth titans should be sufficient to kill those pesky LI.

one more noob question. I know there are several threads about LF and pierce but maybe someone can just give me an easy answer on how many points to invest in pierce?

[spOOkzz]

If ... you are planning on doing WSK / CS runs, and come upon a pack of doom knights mixed in with lightning immune burning souls ... how are you going to "Jab them to death" ????

If you have IM cast on you, as usually happens, then one jab ... and you are history.

Having a bow on switch is a good idea for situations like this one. You can continue to throw your Valk and decoy into the pack to divert their attention while you spam arrows into them using multi or strafe.

Your merc will be pretty useless unless it is an Act 1 bowie or Act 3 merc, as anything else will be dead from IM ...

Real situations like this in gameplay happen all the time, and you may as well be prepared for it.

Making your CS Zon more versatile just takes some thought and planning.:thumbsup:


S.

[peterpaulrubens]

one more noob question. I know there are several threads about LF and pierce but maybe someone can just give me an easy answer on how many points to invest in pierce?

You need level 9 AFTER +skills, and then wear Razortail.

If you don't wear Razortail, then you want Pierce as high as possible. How many points you pull away from synergies is up to you. I've gotten away with 1 point + skills and no Razortail though. LF still kills well.

But really... wear Razortail. LF's power lies in Piercing.

As for your weapon switch/hybriding idea... meh. I'd put a point in Guided Arrow just to have it for really dangerous situations, especially if you can squeeze some KB into your setup. If you're set on not using a bow, then keep a wand with Lower Res charges on it, or something with Dim Vision charges on it. A merc with a Delirium would go a long way as well.