Super-twinking a low level bowazon

[droid]

Super-twinking a low level bowazon

One of my personal areas of study in D2 is trying to rush low level chars to 25 as fast as possible, without relying on the benevolence of high-level chars in Trist-Tomb-Cow games. I like to start a new char, dump the twinkiest gear I can on them and in their stash and see how quick I can solo my way up

Normally that just involves sticking Sigons set, Civerb's weapon, and Cathan ring and ammy with manald heal on any melee class and lettin them go to town...with a buttload of +3 Str LCs, any class can equip Sigons at L6 and benefit from its pwningtude.

However, for a Bowazon thats a different challenge, since you cant use Sigon Shield and thus breaks down the whole set...you could just use a javelin, I know, but work with the system for now

What gear would you go with? You can suggest a sequence of items, but keep in mind that the lower min level the better, and you're only really viable with random drops till L6-9 or so. Your final loadup has to be viable through A2, since I find Canyon of the Magi provides the best solo exp from 20-24 (everything is leechable, high monster density, easy to get to in Normal Baal games for higher playercount)

My first thoughts: Sigon Boots-Helmet (10% LL, AR), 6-socket Normal bow with 6xJewel of Wrath (+54 Max Damage at L11), Twitchthroe (IAS), Cleglaw Gloves (KB), Angelic ring+ammy (AR), Manald (ML). Anywhere you see an improvement there?

 

[tinncann25]

Re: Super-twinking a low level bowazon

Biggin's Bonnet
Defense: 17-19 (varies)(Base Defense: 3-5)
Required Level: 3
Durability: 12
+30% Enhanced Damage
+14 Defense
+30 To Attack Rating
+15 To Mana
+15 To Life
(Spawns In Any Patch)

Greyform
Defense: 28-31 (varies)(Base Defense: 8-11)
Required Level: 7
Required Strength: 12
Durability: 20
+20 Defense
5% Life Stolen Per Hit
Magic Damage Reduced By 3
Cold Resist 20%
Fire Resist 20%
+10 To Dexterity
(Spawns In Any Patch)

Hand of Broc
Defense: 14 (Base Defense: 2-3)
Required Level: 5
Durability: 12
+10-20% Enhanced Defense (varies)
+10 Defense
3% Life Stolen Per Hit
3% Mana Stolen Per Hit
Poison Resist +10%
+20 To Mana
(Only Spawns In Patch 1.09 or later)

Gorefoot
Defense: 20-21 (varies)(Base Defense: 5-6)
Required Level: 9
Required Strength: 18
Durability: 14
Assassin Kick Damage: 4-10
+20-30% Enhanced Defense (varies)
20% Faster Run/Walk
2% Mana Stolen Per Hit
Attacker Takes Damage of 2
+12 Defense
+2 To Leap (Barbarian Only)
(Only Spawns In Patch 1.09 or later

or

Cow Kings
Defense: 30-41 (varies)(Base Defense: 5-6)
Required Level: 13
Required Strength: 18
Durability: 14
Assassin Kick Damage: 4-10
+25-35 Defense (varies)
+30% Faster Run/Walk
Adds 25-35 Fire Damage
+20 To Dexterity
25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

Lenymo (then switch to nightsmoke)
Defense: 2
Required Level: 7
Durability: 12
8 Boxes
Regenerate Mana 30%
All Resistances +5
+15 To Mana
+1 To Light Radius
(Spawns In Any Patch)

Civerb's Icon (amulet)
Required Level: 9
Replenish Life +4
Regenerate Mana 40%


*What I look for is mana and leech, because early on those are very important.

 

[crawlingdeadman1]

Re: Super-twinking a low level bowazon

sigon sucks worse than phoenix in my book. deaths gloves and belt are all you need.

my usual twink gear (varies depending on character):
deaths set (hel sword and many charms)
angelic armor, ammy, ring
hsarus' boots, shield
cathans hat, ring

this set up gives tons of stats so that after you're at ~lvl12 you can take those tons of charms off and go w/o stat placement. this set up is also powerful enough to get you solo through act4 (slow in sanc though) and up to 24. i usually solo the appropriate area for my level in games made for other things, ie canyon of the magi in baal games or trist in cow games.

i have used this set up many times with great success as it is powerful enough to carry you well without placing skills. usually i put one into all my prereqs and use them to help out leveling, but you can go w/o skills for quite a while.

 

[DudSpud]

Re: Super-twinking a low level bowazon

*What I look for is mana and leech, because early on those are very important.

I play HC SP, and twinking low lvl characters is something I have more experience with than I wish...

For me, leech is the least of my worries because you do such crap damage physical to begin with, leech is less helpful. Second, because with most classes my main skills are in the upper lvl, I am never casting, so ML is irrelevant. Manald's is great, but I don't use it until I am heavily using skills.

The reason I am plain attacking all the time is that I use a series of gem-stuffed bows all the time. Usually 4 topazs for max damage, 1 sapph for the slow, and 1 ruby for bringing up the min. When the next one becomes available, I give the lower one to the bow merc. These are in Long bows to make them more universal, ie so I don't have to touch dex on my no-block sorcs. Casters get a Spirit crystal at 25 (2 skills, FCR, mana, vit, etc.), but you would only need that for Decoy.

Someone posted in the SP forum (I think) a series of gear based around 6os mauls and physical damage. I tried similar kits but couldn't get it to work to my satisfaction, and prefer the ranged approach in HC anyhow.

A necessity is +3 and +5 str lg charms to get the heavy stuff on. I usually like to save as many stat points as possible because I want to put the max in Vit as possible - HC doesn't leave much room for error. +2 str rings and ammy, +5's when they become lvl-available. This opens up str charm slots for damage charm. I usually go with ltng sm and grands, with at least some poison somewhere for the runners (cold is from bow, but more wouldn't hurt). Use whatever charms you have for the best damage output at your lvl.

I like Sigon's Gloves + 1 other piece for the 30% IAS and 10 str. The 10 % leech (better than the 8% from 2 Death's at same IAS) is gravy. The boots are speedy, armor is heavy but gives great defense for the lvl req.

AR at these lvls is not a concern for me as I run p8, so after the first few lvls, it is irrelevant as I am far over thier lvl. If you are closer to the mlvl, Sigon's helm should give a sufficient AR boost.

2 Cathan's pieces at lvl 11 for the 15-20 fire damage set bonus; always the ring for the 10 more str, meaning more damage charms (6% more leech is gravy). Second piece is usually the ammy for because of lack of better options. Bow merc gets Cathan's hat and armor for the same bonus when she reaches 11.

For a bowie, and usually for any other toon, I would go with 2 Iratha's including the belt (+5 min and 10 dex with a second piece). Second piece is usually the hat - the res is great at this lvl for the annoying beetles, though not really a requirement...

... because I do not really worry about the res at all. Iratha's hat is 30 FR and LR, Sigon's armor and boots are 30 LR and 40 CR, respectively. I find this to be sufficient even in HC p8 through early A3. There are two exceptions to this: poison with Andariel and cold with the Big Bug. I do not handle this with gear, rather I chug a bunch of the respective potions before battle - this boosts the appropriate res 50% for 30 secs for each potion chugged.

I get an A2 Defiance Merc when available and give him the biggest damage stick he can equip, using Sigon's hat and armor for the 10% leech. At 27, he gets an Insight stick, as much for the awesome damage as the Meditation.

A final benefit of customizing a start kit in this way is that it works on any starting character without having to dump too much into stats with the right charm/jewelry sets. Nothing in the game says an eventual whirler or zerker or meleesin has to begin their lives swinging at things.

Of course, your preferences and mileage may vary.

Good luck,
Mike

 

[tinncann25]

Re: Super-twinking a low level bowazon

I am curious where you find a 6 socketed bow at such an early level. Also you should realize that sure you do low damage, but you also have low health and mana pools. It all balances out.

 

[DudSpud]

Re: Super-twinking a low level bowazon

I am curious where you find a 6 socketed bow at such an early level. Also you should realize that sure you do low damage, but you also have low health and mana pools. It all balances out.

Hell, like every other twinker. Its 3os max in Norm, 4os in NM. I don't remember the socket limits based on ilvl, but I have yet to craft/Larzuk any bows. Like most (all?) twink gear, it is found at later lvls in later acts by other toons, then ATMA'ed / muled onto the twinkee.

As for low mana, it is irrelevant as I don't cast anything (except maybe the occasional FNova on newbie sorcs) until the mid-20's, and leech wouldn't solve this even if I did.

As for the low life, I take my chances. In the 3 years since I went HC, I have yet to loose a toon twinked in the manner I discussed (jinx!) before they equip their "skill gear" after mid A3. It helps that the kit as described is ranged, I suppose, but few monsters last past 1 or 2 hits. Cold slows them, and I just back up and turn them into a pin cushon. Moreover, Sigon's armor and other armor pieces make me under 5-10% hittable by most.

For me, and I am guessing most twinkers, twinking at these lvls is all about damage. More damage = faster lvling. And if you are playing SC, a death here or there is meaningless at these lvls.

TehSpud

 

[Yogirat]

Re: Super-twinking a low level bowazon

This being twinked, you could burn a socket quest on one, I never have bothered to do that though. They drop in Hell, but who picks up socketed long bows in Hell?


I say six envy jewels in the bow, the rest of the gear, what CDM posted. Maybe a 3soc mask filled with envies instead of the Cathans mask.

Slow posting here, the only bow attacks I ever at such a low level is reg or magic. There isn't enough juice in these low level monsters to sustain a high mana usage skill well at this point, no matter how much leach you have.

 

[DudSpud]

Re: Super-twinking a low level bowazon

I say six envy jewels in the bow, the rest of the gear, what CDM posted. Maybe a 3soc mask filled with envies instead of the Cathans mask.

6 envies in the bow is 120 damage over 2 sec, my avg is 111/hit for the pgem version (lvl 18). While I get roughly 4 hits in 2 sec, you have the option, no the obligation, to move on to the next monster, meaning 4x120 over the same time. Pretty close.

Still, your method does seem better as the Envy bow is equipable from the start. Adding a 3os Envy helm helps both equally. Still, against anything you need to do more than 120 (180 with helm), ie bosses, the elemental gem'ed bow is faster. Keep the latter on switch, I guess.

As for CDM's suggestion, he had you swinging Death's Sword. Elemental bows top it at the pgem lvl, not before. So if you want to melee until lvl 18, this is a good option. Your method seems to top both of ours before lvl 18 from a purely damage/sec perspective.

Slow posting here, the only bow attacks I ever at such a low level is reg or magic. There isn't enough juice in these low level monsters to sustain a high mana usage skill well at this point, no matter how much leach you have.

This has absolutely been my experience.

Thanks,
TehSpud

 

[Yogirat]

Re: Super-twinking a low level bowazon

Puts on Yosemite Sam voice,


"I like envies cause they are so low down and dirty." :crazyeyes:
The level req and you can put them in other gear. I have a 3 envy breast plate that I have used on several low level toons this season.

 

[droid]

Re: Super-twinking a low level bowazon

Well the reason I initially thought +max jewels and not elemental damage (pgems or envy jewels) was because they dont leech....and with bowzons, you get access to Multishot fairly early on. Sink a couple points into it, and you have a nice spammable skill at low level for quickly wiping Trist or Canyon in p8 games, as long as you have high physical damage. They also wont benefit from those first couple pts in Crit Strike.

I also am kinda wondering why everyone's ignoring KB...it makes a big difference in my survivability with lowlevel bowzons that dont have Valk or a decently-tanking merc yet. Plus, the HST on Cleg's gloves works very nicely with a cold damage charm to keep even fast monsters from closing the gap on you while you knock them back.

Socketing your twink set pieces, of course, is an option too - though there's only really the one option for that, damage jewels (elemental or more +max), so its kinda a non-decision

 

[DH Amazon]

Re: Super-twinking a low level bowazon

I actually like to play those early lvls as those 1-24 goes so fast.
Listed items suits for all classes without using any skill points. So I only need one twinked gear for all my character classes.

Javs or gemmed bow for lvls 1-14.
3socket helmet and armor with poison jools at lvl1.
Hsaru's boots, shield and belt at lvl3
Death's gloves+belt at lvl6
Cathan ring and helmet at lvl11
Angelic ring+amu+armor and better gemmed bow at lvl12
Cow king boots at lvl13 (or Treads of Cthon at lvl15)
Lots of fire grand charms and Raven Claw (flawless ruby) at lvl15
Twitchthroe (lightning resist jool) at lvl16
Raven claw (perfect ruby) at lvl18

About 100 fire damage from items+Raven Claw is fast group killer from 15... and no mana problems while using normal attack. Full game Andy/Duriel go down fast too, so its both fast group killer and fast boss killer too.

Lvls 1-15 in act1
Lvls 16-22 in act2
Lvls 22-24 in act3 (clearing travi temples/doing book Q/travi/meph)

Rogue merc as soon as possible, envy armor/helmet/gemmed bow for her too. She can keep those envy armor/helmet from 1-24 and I only give her better gemmed bow as she gets more lvls.


Whole arctic set is godly for lvls 2-14 too, with socketed armor/bow its quite easy to put on without using lots of charms. But after lvl15, Raven Claw is so much faster.

I also am kinda wondering why everyone's ignoring KB...it makes a big difference in my survivability with lowlevel bowzons that dont have Valk or a decently-tanking merc yet. Plus, the HST on Cleg's gloves works very nicely with a cold damage charm to keep even fast monsters from closing the gap on you while you knock them back.

Its usually one hit and kill, so KB is useless. You lose 30ias while using Cleg's. And after lvl12 (angelic items) monsters can't (or its very hard) kill you anymore.

 

[DudSpud]

Re: Super-twinking a low level bowazon

{good gear options given...}
Lvls 1-15 in act1
Lvls 16-22 in act2
Lvls 22-24 in act3 (clearing travi temples/doing book Q/travi/meph)

This I don't understand. Are you running past monsters? I ask because I do not do full clears, don't do Countess or Nihithak, and my lvling is more like:

A1: lvls 18-19
A2: lvls 24+
A3: lvl 27 BEFORE Kurast, usually 30 before Meph
A4: lvls in the mid 30's
A5: lvls 43-45 by the time I'm a Conqueror.

What gives?

Its usually one hit and kill, so KB is useless. You lose 30ias while using Cleg's. And after lvl12 (angelic items) monsters can't (or its very hard) kill you anymore.

Yeah, this is the main point. The kits outlined be me, DH, Yogi, and probably CDM are killing so fast with a regular attack that neither mana, KB, or excessive attention to defense or LL are a concern through the end of A2 (lvl 24-ish).

 

[DH Amazon]

Re: Super-twinking a low level bowazon

This I don't understand. Are you running past monsters? I ask because I do not do full clears, don't do Countess or Nihithak, and my lvling is more like:

A1: lvls 18-19
A2: lvls 24+
A3: lvl 27 BEFORE Kurast, usually 30 before Meph
A4: lvls in the mid 30's
A5: lvls 43-45 by the time I'm a Conqueror.

What gives? Yeah, this is the main point. The kits outlined be me, DH, Yogi, and probably CDM are killing so fast with a regular attack that neither mana, KB, or excessive attention to defense or LL are a concern through the end of A2 (lvl 24-ish).

Those lvls from each act varies a lot for me, main reason is bnet, as full games are sometimes hard to find.

I try to kill almost all, but in Bnet I can't choose full games, so some areas I solo, some I clear in 2-3 players games and some areas hopefully in full games. If Bnet had /p8 switch, then I would play in full games all the way. Its hard to get even 15 lvls in one Bnet game before its goes empty. I kill Duriel around lvl14-23 (Andy 11-19), with luck (Bnet games stays full) its near 23, but sometimes need to solo almost all, then its near 15. In solo games I run past monster a lot and do those missing levels later in full games, so Duri goes down in lvl14-16.

As good games are hard to find in bnet, I usually do something like this.
I want to do those lvl1-25 in five games, that is ideal for me. I need 2 private games to bring items in and to make sure that Qs (Q1 and Radament) are still available.
1st game:I start new lvl1 char in private game, do 5 min gaming (1st Q). Bring in those tweak items.
2nd game:Join in full game, play until I found andy wp.
3rd game:Solo andy and Radament Q in private game. Bring in new twinked items and remove old ones.
4th game:Try to find new full game and hopefully can do Duriel Q there.
Fifth game is backup, if still too low lvl after Duriel. Then some reruns, or act3 Q or something like that.


After I get that lvl25, I skip areas a lot, but that also depends which char I use. With some chars, I want to start nmare before lvl30 and with some chars near lvl40.
Usually its around lvl33 when I start nmare. Twinked char is then good enough to do full game act1 quite easily. Some classes need couple more lvls, some can do it couple lvls before.

And in Hell, good starting lvl is 50-55 for some classes and some classes need lvl70 or more. Hell is so easy for twinked sorc, so they usually are lvl62 when Baal does down. Other classes need more lvls, as you can't skip areas like sorc can.

 

[PFSS]

Re: Super-twinking a low level bowazon

Starting:

Levels 1 - 3
Khalims Flail on Players 8 will get you to Level 3 very very quickly, no other gear is really required between Level 1 and 3

Levels 3 - 9
Weapon: Khalims with Hunters Bow (4 + Max Jewels, Level 3) on Switch
Armor: 3 Socket armor with Level 3 Maxers
Shield: 3 socket with Level 3 maxers
Helm: 3 socket with Level 3 maxers
Deaths Belt + Gloves at 6

At level 9 put the above bow, armor and mask on your Act 1 Merc who will then kill pretty quickly.

Level 9 - 18:
Weapon: Switch bow to choice crammed with +9 Maxers
Armor: 3 Socket armor with +9 Maxers
Shield: 3 socket with +9 maxers, Khalims on switch
Helm: 3 socket with +9 maxers

Angelic at 12
Cow King Boots at 13

Replace all Jeweled gear with +15 maxers at 18, though depending on mana I sometimes put a 3 tir helmet on a character so I can spam spells/skills.

 

[MuffinMan]

Re: Super-twinking a low level bowazon

The Raven claw kicks *** when paired with fire damage gear as DH Amazon pionted out. Cheap and very effective.

1-2 fire damage small charms costs like nothing (not to hard to find either), and a full inventory of those puppies gives every explosion an additional 40-80fire damage.

As for full games, try duel games :wink:
They tend to stay full longer (at least on EuScNL)

 

[D jr]

Re: Super-twinking a low level bowazon

I am running 4 games (spread over 2 pcs) so i use a chantress for dmg and always have a 4 player game. Death's belt+gloves, a hunters bow, Hsurus's boots, Biggin's, Arctic fur and some +3 str and +3 dex charms are what i use first.
At level 6 i put 1 point in multi shot
At level 15 i get items from the mule that is sitting in game already: 5 socketed sup stag bow +3 skills Tir/Tir/Tir/fl amethyst/fl amathyst, Cow king's boots, two rare rings, full Iratha's set and also a few mana/7% FRW gcs and a handfull 5 str large charms to replace the +3 str charms. Also i already transfer stealth light plate and sander's boots so i can equip right away when i hit the lvl req. The low lvl items that i don't need anymore i transfer back to mule 1.
--> Iratha's is great, 65@/+10 to max resists/25 dex/20 FRW/20 IAS
--> another bunch of FRW from boots/stealth and charms. I focus on moving fast, i 1hit everything because of massive ench damage. Mana is never an issue because of the 6 mama per kill from my bow.

My chantress gives me the waypoints i need to make everything go smooth so i level so fast its almost like dingdingding. Fastest way to level IMO but yes, it includes a high lvl chantress

 

[DudSpud]

Re: Super-twinking a low level bowazon

Those lvls from each act varies a lot for me, main reason is bnet, as full games are sometimes hard to find.

Well that explains it - I am SP and am always at p8 through NM.

And in Hell, good starting lvl is 50-55 for some classes and some classes need lvl70 or more. Hell is so easy for twinked sorc, so they usually are lvl62 when Baal does down. Other classes need more lvls, as you can't skip areas like sorc can.

If I tried to run even my most twinked-out Sorcs in Hell at lvl 50 I think I would get squashed like a bug. Being HC, I am not about to set foot in the Hell Rogue's Camp under 75, preferably 79-80ish.

TehSpud