LouB
Well-known member
Athena project final report
Alternate title: Bazhel creates a popcorn machine
After finishing Honor, my Fishyzon, I decided that I needed to make another Zon and try to teach myself not to go running into places. I had also discovered Mavina’s set and decided I wanted to use the set intentionally. Looking through all the Amazon guides I found a Mavina’s straferzon and got more interested. At the same time I finished reading Brad Thor’s book The Athena Project and got the following idea that I’m calling the Athena project.
It’s an all girl team, just the Valkyrie, decoy, rouge scout and Maeve the Zon.
Wear each piece of M’avina’s set as soon as possible.
Main skill Strafe, secondary skill frozen arrow
The Scout is also a cold skill scout
No second weapon
Magic finding of at least 200%
Minimum strength
Zero energy
Life around 1,000 Did I mention I blunder around a lot? I am not the glass cannon type!
Rest in Dex
Most of the guides don’t touch on how to actually take the most advantage of strafe or at most it is just a quick tip towards the end. I think the exception is Nightfish’s report on his stafeazon guardian. He makes it very clear that you don’t need to see a monster to kill it and thus really don’t need a Valkrie or decoy. In fact, the only reason he kept his moron, I mean merc, around was for the might aura. I have to agree with him you really don’t need them. However, my problem is I don’t have is patience or skill and therefore need a tank of some sort. First, I like to see what I am killing, which means I move into visual range before firing and blunder where I shouldn’t (anyone seeing a theme here?), but strafe is an extremely safe skill.
I found the Valkyrie very useful; of course I didn’t have the act 2 moron tagging along to be a meat shield either. Actually, I found the AI on the valkyrie to be far better than that of the moron. In fact, I find that the rogue can work very efficiently as the meat shield in open areas – position behind her and when she drops back you drop back.
Nightfish’s guides for both his Fishyzon and his strafezon vary from most other builds in that he doesn’t put any points into Dodge, Avoid or Evade while the other suggest anywhere between 1 and 7 in each. He is correct that D/A/E moves interrupt strafe firing and thus lower total damage. Of course if you want a Valkyrie you have to put a point in each which I did.
I did use strafe as the primary skill though freezing arrow had a lot more damage and was the real killer of the big guys. However, my mana pool was only 354 and the only leach I had was the 5% from the set which was more than enough to resupply strafe, but using freezing arrow would drain the bulb pretty quick. I also only had the 8% life leach and found that strafe did a much better job keeping my life bulb full.
I did socket the bow, diadem and armor. I put a Shael in the bow to reach 90IAS for the break points and a 39% and a 36% ED jewel in the armor and diadem.
Here is how Maeve finished up Hell
Level: 87
Naked/Gear
Strength: 88/128
Dexterity: 284/362
Vitality: 138/148
Energy: 15/15
HP: 636/858
Mana: 144/354
Stamina: 288/298
Defense: 71/1815
AR: strafe: 6534
Freezing arrow: 12404
Fire: 75
Cold: 74
Lightning: 75
Poison: 75
MF: 201
Block: 45
GF: 171
FR/W: 45
FHR: 35
IAS: 90
FCR: 0
Strafe: 20/26
Cold Arrow: 20/26
Freezing Arrow: 20/26
Critical Strike: 8/14
Penetrate: 4/10
Pierce: 4/10
Valkyrie: 11/17
Gear
With the full M’avina’s set that only leaves boots, rings and the amulet. A used War travelers to help get my MF over 200. For rings are a Raven Frost (+19 Dex and 220AR) and this little beauty
Beast Eye
Ring
Required Level: 65
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 84
Fingerprint: 0xfe7a1357
+14 to Dexterity
+40 to Life
+80 to Mana
+65 to Attack Rating
Fire Resist +28%
8% Life stolen per hit
Amulets- I’d never used Atma’s, but a number of the guides suggested it and I decided to give it a try for two reasons – the 20% bonus to AR and the ctc amp damage. People are right that even with all the arrows flying around that amp doesn’t always cast, but it does go off fairly consistently
Normal
As with many builds it was slow going initially, but as the levels increased it got easier and easier. Andy was about the only one that was difficult and took some time. The M’avina gloves went on at level 32 and the belt at 45. In order to put the set gloves on at level 32 it required pumping strength to 88. I hadn’t even thought about that and frankly the only reason I was able to is that I had not been spending the vast majority of my stat points as I leveled. Even at the end of Nightmare I still had 30 stat points to allocate. I actually could have used some strength charms and saved a couple of stat points, but didn’t bother. I completed normal and transitioned to Nightmare at level 48.
Nightmare
Act 1 and Act 2 continued to be very easy. Andy went down much easier than in normal, but Duriel took longer, cast Valkyrie in front of him, let him pound on the Valkyrie while hosing with a continuous stream of arrows from strafe until the Valkyrie was near death and repeat. I was actually proud of myself for getting through all of the tombs without running into a room without at least some scouting/clearing.
Act 3, well here I got sloppy and died three times. Did I mention that blunder around a lot? I started running through the spider forest and ran right into a large group of flayers. The second time was to a bunch of bats that I ran into on the second level of the durance and the third was to a cursed Beem Sparkfist. It was about this time that I realize that my resistances were zero for cold and lightning. Mephisto was like Duriel fairly slow but easy.
Act 4, still running with zero lightening resistance the plains of despair turned up loaded with black souls. Rather than rerolling, I resorted to playing the way that I really intended to play. Nightfish is right, run a few feet and strafe if there is something off the screen but in range you know it and hit it before you can see it. The Valkyrie moves forward and if you want cast the decoy and the black souls attack them while you do all the killing. It was really very easy. However, for Diablo I increased my lightning immunity to 50. The sanctuary was easy to clear and while Diablo took a while and some running around, he was not that much trouble
Act 5 was a piece of cake and I transitioned to hell at level 75.
Hell
I started Hell at players 4, switched to 3 and then 1 during Act 1, not because it was too hard, it was just taking too long to kill things. It was actually a little too easy on player 1. Andy as usual took a while to kill, I was prepared for long battle with Duriel, but he went down very quickly as did Meph and Diablo. No gloam in Act 4. Diablo? I ran up to the bottom of his seal and just pumped him full of freezing arrows I only had to use about 5 purple pots and my lightning immunity was only 65. This was about the fastest I can ever remember taking him down.
Act 5 was also easy, that is until I had rotator cuff surgery and basically became a one armed player. You want a real challenge play with only one arm and a two button mouse. I was just starting the Ancient’s Way with no deaths. I was able to clear it one handed, but the ancients were too much and it was a quick death. I spent several days running the countess, the pit, AT, LK and even Diablo all of which I was able to usually do one handed. A good number of deaths later and 6 days after surgery I can move the keyboard around so that I can use 2 fingers of my hand. The ancients fell rather easily and the WSK was also a piece of cake, Baal himself took a long time to fall.
Finds
I don’t know what all this talk is about high runes being easier to find Hell countess dropped a Tal and after 3 runs I was up to a Shael, 15 runs later and I had a Dol. Tunnels not much more. Hell Forge an Io. #@% game gieb runes!
As far as sets and unique went not really anything of note a rising sun and a NAj’s light plate were about it.
The future
I have continued to run her and she can run anything in Hell without a lot of sweat. Running the pit, AT and countess on players 5 and LK at players 7. Still no really uber runes but have started to find a few good unique
Alternate title: Bazhel creates a popcorn machine
After finishing Honor, my Fishyzon, I decided that I needed to make another Zon and try to teach myself not to go running into places. I had also discovered Mavina’s set and decided I wanted to use the set intentionally. Looking through all the Amazon guides I found a Mavina’s straferzon and got more interested. At the same time I finished reading Brad Thor’s book The Athena Project and got the following idea that I’m calling the Athena project.
It’s an all girl team, just the Valkyrie, decoy, rouge scout and Maeve the Zon.
Wear each piece of M’avina’s set as soon as possible.
Main skill Strafe, secondary skill frozen arrow
The Scout is also a cold skill scout
No second weapon
Magic finding of at least 200%
Minimum strength
Zero energy
Life around 1,000 Did I mention I blunder around a lot? I am not the glass cannon type!
Rest in Dex
Most of the guides don’t touch on how to actually take the most advantage of strafe or at most it is just a quick tip towards the end. I think the exception is Nightfish’s report on his stafeazon guardian. He makes it very clear that you don’t need to see a monster to kill it and thus really don’t need a Valkrie or decoy. In fact, the only reason he kept his moron, I mean merc, around was for the might aura. I have to agree with him you really don’t need them. However, my problem is I don’t have is patience or skill and therefore need a tank of some sort. First, I like to see what I am killing, which means I move into visual range before firing and blunder where I shouldn’t (anyone seeing a theme here?), but strafe is an extremely safe skill.
I found the Valkyrie very useful; of course I didn’t have the act 2 moron tagging along to be a meat shield either. Actually, I found the AI on the valkyrie to be far better than that of the moron. In fact, I find that the rogue can work very efficiently as the meat shield in open areas – position behind her and when she drops back you drop back.
Nightfish’s guides for both his Fishyzon and his strafezon vary from most other builds in that he doesn’t put any points into Dodge, Avoid or Evade while the other suggest anywhere between 1 and 7 in each. He is correct that D/A/E moves interrupt strafe firing and thus lower total damage. Of course if you want a Valkyrie you have to put a point in each which I did.
I did use strafe as the primary skill though freezing arrow had a lot more damage and was the real killer of the big guys. However, my mana pool was only 354 and the only leach I had was the 5% from the set which was more than enough to resupply strafe, but using freezing arrow would drain the bulb pretty quick. I also only had the 8% life leach and found that strafe did a much better job keeping my life bulb full.
I did socket the bow, diadem and armor. I put a Shael in the bow to reach 90IAS for the break points and a 39% and a 36% ED jewel in the armor and diadem.
Here is how Maeve finished up Hell
Level: 87
Naked/Gear
Strength: 88/128
Dexterity: 284/362
Vitality: 138/148
Energy: 15/15
HP: 636/858
Mana: 144/354
Stamina: 288/298
Defense: 71/1815
AR: strafe: 6534
Freezing arrow: 12404
Fire: 75
Cold: 74
Lightning: 75
Poison: 75
MF: 201
Block: 45
GF: 171
FR/W: 45
FHR: 35
IAS: 90
FCR: 0
Strafe: 20/26
Cold Arrow: 20/26
Freezing Arrow: 20/26
Critical Strike: 8/14
Penetrate: 4/10
Pierce: 4/10
Valkyrie: 11/17
Gear
With the full M’avina’s set that only leaves boots, rings and the amulet. A used War travelers to help get my MF over 200. For rings are a Raven Frost (+19 Dex and 220AR) and this little beauty
Beast Eye
Ring
Required Level: 65
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 84
Fingerprint: 0xfe7a1357
+14 to Dexterity
+40 to Life
+80 to Mana
+65 to Attack Rating
Fire Resist +28%
8% Life stolen per hit
Amulets- I’d never used Atma’s, but a number of the guides suggested it and I decided to give it a try for two reasons – the 20% bonus to AR and the ctc amp damage. People are right that even with all the arrows flying around that amp doesn’t always cast, but it does go off fairly consistently
Normal
As with many builds it was slow going initially, but as the levels increased it got easier and easier. Andy was about the only one that was difficult and took some time. The M’avina gloves went on at level 32 and the belt at 45. In order to put the set gloves on at level 32 it required pumping strength to 88. I hadn’t even thought about that and frankly the only reason I was able to is that I had not been spending the vast majority of my stat points as I leveled. Even at the end of Nightmare I still had 30 stat points to allocate. I actually could have used some strength charms and saved a couple of stat points, but didn’t bother. I completed normal and transitioned to Nightmare at level 48.
Nightmare
Act 1 and Act 2 continued to be very easy. Andy went down much easier than in normal, but Duriel took longer, cast Valkyrie in front of him, let him pound on the Valkyrie while hosing with a continuous stream of arrows from strafe until the Valkyrie was near death and repeat. I was actually proud of myself for getting through all of the tombs without running into a room without at least some scouting/clearing.
Act 3, well here I got sloppy and died three times. Did I mention that blunder around a lot? I started running through the spider forest and ran right into a large group of flayers. The second time was to a bunch of bats that I ran into on the second level of the durance and the third was to a cursed Beem Sparkfist. It was about this time that I realize that my resistances were zero for cold and lightning. Mephisto was like Duriel fairly slow but easy.
Act 4, still running with zero lightening resistance the plains of despair turned up loaded with black souls. Rather than rerolling, I resorted to playing the way that I really intended to play. Nightfish is right, run a few feet and strafe if there is something off the screen but in range you know it and hit it before you can see it. The Valkyrie moves forward and if you want cast the decoy and the black souls attack them while you do all the killing. It was really very easy. However, for Diablo I increased my lightning immunity to 50. The sanctuary was easy to clear and while Diablo took a while and some running around, he was not that much trouble
Act 5 was a piece of cake and I transitioned to hell at level 75.
Hell
I started Hell at players 4, switched to 3 and then 1 during Act 1, not because it was too hard, it was just taking too long to kill things. It was actually a little too easy on player 1. Andy as usual took a while to kill, I was prepared for long battle with Duriel, but he went down very quickly as did Meph and Diablo. No gloam in Act 4. Diablo? I ran up to the bottom of his seal and just pumped him full of freezing arrows I only had to use about 5 purple pots and my lightning immunity was only 65. This was about the fastest I can ever remember taking him down.
Act 5 was also easy, that is until I had rotator cuff surgery and basically became a one armed player. You want a real challenge play with only one arm and a two button mouse. I was just starting the Ancient’s Way with no deaths. I was able to clear it one handed, but the ancients were too much and it was a quick death. I spent several days running the countess, the pit, AT, LK and even Diablo all of which I was able to usually do one handed. A good number of deaths later and 6 days after surgery I can move the keyboard around so that I can use 2 fingers of my hand. The ancients fell rather easily and the WSK was also a piece of cake, Baal himself took a long time to fall.
Finds
I don’t know what all this talk is about high runes being easier to find Hell countess dropped a Tal and after 3 runs I was up to a Shael, 15 runs later and I had a Dol. Tunnels not much more. Hell Forge an Io. #@% game gieb runes!
As far as sets and unique went not really anything of note a rising sun and a NAj’s light plate were about it.
The future
I have continued to run her and she can run anything in Hell without a lot of sweat. Running the pit, AT and countess on players 5 and LK at players 7. Still no really uber runes but have started to find a few good unique
