Trying to use a BOW-build

[auduron]

Hello All - I posted this in the DH Official forums, but it got overlooked due to the all of the Trading threads. Wanted to see if you guys had any advice/insight:



So I have gotten both a WD and a Barb to lvl 60. Beat Inferno Diablo on my Barb, and am on the last Q in act 4 with my WD (I just don't see the point in beating the game again - I made my WD my main MF/GF Char).

Anyway - I have now made my DH, however I wanted to try to "break the mold" and NOT use a 2h Xbow and stack Crit Damage. Instead, I wanted to try to use a Bow and go for more of a "balanced" build using IAS as well as some crit. However, it just seems so much easier if I go the Crit stacking route using a 2h xbow.

Any advice on how to make a BOW build work? Or is it just more of the same - stacking crit? If so, Then I might as well make a typical cookie-cutter 2h Xbow build. Don't get me wrong, my build/gear is working now - it just seems much much easier if I go with a 2hxbow

BTW - the only reason why I'm so set on using a bow, is b/c I had a bowazon in D2 =P. Plus, Everyone I see is using a 2h xbow. Also - I'm missing 3-4 pieces of my "main" gear set for my DH - as I currently farm act 2 with some MF.

http://us.battle.net/d3/en/profile/auduron-1798/

Any Suggestions?

[thefranklin]

The reason people use xbows is that they do more damage. Just searching the ah will show you that the highest dps numbers you get are from xbows. A good roll xbow will be 1400 dps, a good roll bow will be 1300 dps, therefore high damage xbows are usually cheaper. The second reason is that they do more damage per shot, and this helps people who use cluster arrow and spike traps, our (argueably) highest burst damage skills. One thing I like about bows is that the +15% damage from Archery is 10x better than 50% crit damage. So your dps with bows will be higher.

And you do have a pretty nice bow. I have not tried an attack speed build so I cannot comment further, but if you are farming act 2 with mf you can't be doing that bad. If you are serious about stacking attack speed I would think that dual wielding would be the way to go. Either way, you are still stacking the same things to do damage: Dex, crit chance, crit damage. You can't really escape that in this game.

How are you doing in act 2? Do you have to skip elite packs, what do you farm? I am curious as I run a tank hunter and farm act 2 and would like to hear how you are doing. I am always on the look out for a killer dual wield setup, which would play similar to what you are doing with your skills. Are you really getting a lot of use out of sharpshooter? I tried using Frost Arrow with Cull of the Weak and it worked quite well compared to Ball Lightning, but I had much lower damage.

[auduron]

Thanks for the input! Yeah I figured that damage (rather, mainly the crit damage) is the main reason why people use 2h xbows. Again, I just rather not follow the normal cookie-cutter builds - even though they are cookie-cutter for a reason.

I don't want to go all out IAS, I'd just rather have a more balanced build. Wouldn't want to mainly focus on 1 stat over the other. Ideally I would like to incorporate more procs in my gear. Stun, Freeze, etc along with IAS and some crit.

I'm actually doing good in act 2 tbh. Don't really skip elite packs too much - the ones that give me problems mainly are the Fast affix, i just have no time to get a shot off. The rest really aren't too too bad. Don't get me wrong I do have to skip packs from time to time but it's not a constant thing. Typical A2 run I start on Black Soulstone Q - go to Black Canyon Mines and farm backwards. Then on to Oasis, then Desolate sands for the 2 dungeons and finish it up with Kulle.

My "downfall" is that I actually like to play in Public games. Doing these runs alone gets very boring after a while.

I am getting good use out of SS. Mainly because my crit chance isn't too high (it's around 20%). If i get it up to about 30+ or so then I will consider switching it for something else (probably night stalker).

Will try FA and Cull to see how that goes.

[sneakytails]

Either way, you are still stacking the same things to do damage: Dex, crit chance, crit damage. You can't really escape that in this game.

Very true.

Hopefully long term we will see Jewels with resist all, crit chance, and crit damage to name a few modifiers. This will blow the doors wide open on gear choices and those 3 socket chest armors with only 2 good stats like dex and vitality will literally fly off the shelves. Experimentation and gear tinkering will become pure joy. (cant a guy dream?.....)

I am taking a middle of the road approach with my DH as well. I would love two good hand crossbows but the cost is out of the question. Right now I am just messing around and I have a Spike trap spammer set up right now just for giggles. Party play only though.

My early build had lots more IAS and the freezing arrow seemed to work a bit better against the fast packs, otherwise in my current state they are a real problem, freezing arrow just seems slow for some reason.

[Dethklok]

The reason people use xbows is that they do more damage. Just searching the ah will show you that the highest dps numbers you get are from xbows. A good roll xbow will be 1400 dps, a good roll bow will be 1300 dps, therefore high damage xbows are usually cheaper. The second reason is that they do more damage per shot, and this helps people who use cluster arrow and spike traps, our (argueably) highest burst damage skills. One thing I like about bows is that the +15% damage from Archery is 10x better than 50% crit damage. So your dps with bows will be higher.

This.

I figured that damage (rather, mainly the crit damage) is the main reason why people use 2h xbows.

Not this.

[Ziggis]

I absolutely REFUSE to mold to the cookie cutter build myself. Using a 1 hander with a quiver, tried 2, 1handers didn't, like the setup. I've tried a bow in my build just havent been able to get the 2.0+ IAS i'm currently looking for. I would advise (if possible!) 2.5 IAS, Cric hit % 40+, <150% cric dmg. Of course you need your all res vit and a dex stat 2k+, Personally I would use Tact Advantage, Archery, and Steady Aim or swap for a different passive. Tried experimenting with some different builds just haven't found something I like. Maybe it has to do with playing this one since end of NM. 1 Advantage to having 2.5 APS would be adding SS in the build and and really getting a few shots off with all 100% cric. here's a link to my DH, (ignore the wiz it was my starter and has since grown dusty) Here's the link to my DH although you can't see all my gear i swap some pieces out for dps over AR purposes and just different things in general, plus im trying to get 1k+ life regen into the build along with 35k+ hp and i'm thinking around 750 AR+ http://us.battle.net/d3/en/profile/Z.../hero/10129791 would look into a bow with the proper new EQ pieces for sure