Can a strafer thrive with Goldstrike Arch?

[MrGohl]

I have a goldstrike arch with (shael) socketed and it was fun for bit, but about halfway thru Nightmare, i noticed i really wasn't hitting that hard..damage was very underwhelming. I had put 20 points into lightning fury, intending it as a backup skill for PI's, but with just any crappy random javellin, I'm doing MORE damage than my strafing with GS Arch!?

Is javazon just straight up superior to strafing? When i built this archer last time I had a WWS and it seemed to do much better. SHould I hold off strafing until i can get a WWS or a windforce? or am I doing something wrong?

Right now, my LF is more effective than my strafing and that just makes me so sad. Is strafing only viable with just a couple of bows?

My build:
20 strafe
20 Penetrate
4 Pierce

20 Lightning Fury
(intend on 20 in CS)

Im level 69 and have finished NM, but prob will level up to about 75 before hell. Gear is nothing special, just a few +skills.

Also I made a harmony bow, but in a crappy long bow, and its less impressive than Goldstrike arch.

Thanks for the input.

MrGohl

[KremBanan]

Goldstrike has some qualities, but remember its an exceptional bow. Upping it would help out..but for the runes invested(I belive a Pul is needed), you might as well go for a Windforce. Other bows to consider in late NM is Buriza and as you mentioned WWS. A cheap but good alternative is Eaglehorn.

[MrGohl]

Goldstrike has some qualities, but remember its an exceptional bow. Upping it would help out..but for the runes invested(I belive a Pul is needed), you might as well go for a Windforce. Other bows to consider in late NM is Buriza and as you mentioned WWS. A cheap but good alternative is Eaglehorn.

Thanks for the reply. Are you saying then that yes, you really only can do well strafing with these 4 bows? (Windforce, WWS, Buriza, Eaglehorn)?

I do have a PUL rune, would upgrading it make that much of a difference? you were suggesting trading the pul for windforce? I wish i could find a reliable place to trade, but I haven't so far :(

It sounds like youre saying basically I AM kinda screwed until I find a better bow? Or should i rebuild to Multishot build or just continue on with the LF javazon, since its kicking so much bootay (compared to strafe with Goldstrike).

If so, thats too bad, cause I really enjoy the strafe build, but its like I'm tickling the mobs to death it takes so long to drop them :)

Thanks for any suggestions,

MrGohl

[droid]

GSA just isnt meant to take you any further than early Hell mode by itself. Its a NM-level bow. Everyone's supposed to find a better weapon when they get to Hell difficulty.

By the time you're well into Hell mode, its time to "upgrade" the bow...either by directly upgrading it with the cube, or by moving up to a true endgame bow like Eaglehorn or Windforce. Both those bows are the same "flavor" as GSA (ie, heavy physical damage) but with higher base damage and more powerful physical mods...which means its better in the long run to move up to WF or Eaglehorn than to just upgrade your GSA. You can definitely get an Eaglehorn for your Pul (I have one if you're on US West Ladder), though WF may cost you a bit more, depending on your server.

You could also build a Harmony in a Great Bow or Blade Bow, those are the 2 fastest Elite-level bows. Harmony is decent in Hell, but its more of an elemental-heavy bow than a physical-heavy bow like GSA.

I have a hybrid LF/Strafezon and she works fine in Hell. Read the guides in this forum for hybridzons for advice about skill points and equipment.

[Crying Freeman]

You may probably get lucky and buy a WF with your Pul, but expect to get the lowest %mana leech roll. Not that it matters though.

Early this ladder I was looking for a 200% ED Lycander´s Aim, got one and upgraded it. I was quite surprised by the damage it does. It´s a Grand Matron the bow with the highest avg damage in the game, and it shows. After a while I got lucky and self-found a WF in a 8-players Baal run.

It blows away that Lycanders, but not by much. If you´re poor, so that you can´t make Faith, use that Pul to try to get a WF. Or make a Harmony, it´s a sweet budget bow too.