Strafezon skill progression question

[Vorret]

Hi,

I've read this guide :
http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=240912
Very interesting , complete and helpfull but I have a question... where do you start ?

Is it better to start with the passive to get the valkyrie asap or go for strafe as soon as possible?
If it's strafe, would you get there, max it, then move on to the passive tree or put one point then move on... I'm a bit lost, I haven't played in a LONG time, I don't want someone to take me by the hand and level my char for me but I also don't want to **** it up since I just want to play for fun...

Thanks alot guys ! :)

[Dacar92]

I would place a couple in strafe then a couple in valk. You can save up several points by the time you get to strafe and valk. You should be able to place one in each for a few levels then get strafe maxed. Then get back to valk only after she starts dying. What other skills are you going to use? Freezing arrow?

[Vorret]

Hi...
Well I planned to use freezing arrow yes...

Also... is it normal that my dps is... like... REALLY BAD?
I have alot of trouble in act4 at the moment at lvl24 and when I saw alot I mean like... close to impossible when I had no trouble doing it at the same level with my necro.

I haven't found a bow better than that yet... should I attempt normal meph run to find something better? :

Demon loom
short battle bow
6-23
30% enchanced damage
+9 max dam
+6 poison dam over 3 sec
5% mana stolen per hit
+2 dex

I need help cuz right now, my Amazon suck bad lol

[Vorret]

LOL....
maybe meph is a bad idea it took me over 30 minutes to do 2 runs...
run around, hit guided arrow 2-3 times, dogde some attacks, lose hp, take mana pots, move around, 2-3 guided arrows, ooops... TP to town, buy new pots, back down... etc.

maybe I just suck or did I took a completly stupid build when you start with nothing ?

[Kijya]

Your bow is simply way to weak. Commonly bowzons are hard starting characters, without a good bow you'll need patience ... more then most sane players can muster.

They have a weakness at killing bosses, so I'd highly suggest not to run meph with a bowzon. They're more of a area clearer, once you have a decent bow ...

[tuxor]

Well, bowzons are usually decently equipment-heavy. If you don't have a decent bow, don't expect to do too much. Just try and find a nice magic/rare close to your current level, and if you're fighting a boss, with a strafezon, use strafe if you have it, until then, it will be hard to kill most monsters, let alone meph.

[Okant]

I'm in much the same predicament. I can not remember all my skills exactly, but I'll try to name what I can.
Level 35 using Edge short war bow.
Stats are, off the top of my head and possibly distorted by an item modifier:
STR:91
DEX:126
VIT:60
ENERGY: 16

Skills, again by best I can remember:
Javelin and Spears - 0

Passive:
Critical Strike: 3
Penetrate: 6
Pierce: 3
Dodge: 2
Avoid: 3
Evade: 2

Bows and Crossbows:
Magic Arrow: 2
Multiple Shot: 4
Guided Shot: 1
Strafe: 8

Anyway, I'm just wondering what progression should I go from here. I never thought about getting Freezing Arrow or Valkyrie, but is this highly suggested? I do play with friends and I was building myself as more of an AOE monster killer and then let them do more for the bosses while trying to toss in some decent damage. Any suggestions?

[Mimeaphone]

I'd leech baal until 40ish when you will be able to equip some of the more decent bows. At 40, you should buy a WWS/ buriza which are pretty cheap at around 8 pgems each and which should serve you well all through nightmare. Completely untwinked though...it might be very hard and time consuming to progress as zon isn't that great of a mfer unless she has decent gear.

@Okant: I'd put 1 in valk and then keep putting points in strafe until max. You won't need the valk survival until later. Also, if you have friends, you don't really need freezing for the crowd control but you will need another source of damage (non-physical) in hell so either go cold tree/ magic arrow or just get a cheap WWS.

[Okant]

Thanks for the info. I've just been slowly soloing up through NM Act 1 since I got dusted by all my buddies so... Anyway, they found me a Goldstrike Arch. Just trying to get up to 46 to use it now. I did get Valk and now I can't live without it. Been thinking of just getting 1 point in Freezing for some elemental, but mostly in Magic.

[sevencreature]

Once you can use a good bow (which GSA is), the NM will be (with the exception of Act bosses) quite pleasant experience, I would say :-) Higher Valkyrie would be handy for tanking Duriel (but since you can always party with some melee characters, it isn't problem you need to solve).

Don't forget to stack on some cold damage charms.