D2R: Matriarch SoItBeginsAgain – Pure Trapper

TheNix

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Jun 23, 2003
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In loving memory of the Kicker/Trapper. She will be missed.


Matriarch SoItBeginsAgain, the Trapper

Level: 84

St – 99 (151)
Dx – 98 (163)
Vt – 288 (322)
En – 25 (27)

HP 1309
Mana 316

Damage:

L. Sentry: 1 – 4013
Fire Blast: 1642 – 1999
D. Sentry: 1 – 1876 + CE

Resists:

Fire: 75
Cold: 75
Ltning: 75
Poison: 75

Skills:

Fire Blast: 20 (29)
Shock Web: 20 (29)
L. Sentry: 20 (29)
D. Sentry: 20 (29)
CB Sentry: 11 (20)
Weapon Block: 1 (8 – 47% Block)
BoS & C. Mastery 1 (8)

Equipment:

Weapon 1:

2 x Bartuc’s Cut-Throat

Weapon 2:

Nada

“Um” Harlequin Crest
Skin of the Vipermagi
Rare Gloves with Resists
Natalya’s Soul
Verdungo’s Hearty Cord
Rare Ammy +2 Traps and Resists
Raven Frost & Rare Ring with Resists


Merc (Act 2 – Prayer)

Rockstopper
Shaftstop
“Insight” Cryptic Axe


Random musings:

The Trapper or the Hybrid Kicker/Trapper has been my go-to started build for a long time. I have nine or ten of Matriarchs under my belt. So, when I started D2R the first cab off the rack was going to be a hybrid kicker/trapper as usual. I had got her to the end of Nightmare, and I was terrorising NM Meph for items before going any further, then 2.4 patch dropped and everything changed. Not being able to use a finishing move without using a charging skill first killed my build stone dead. So, a pure trapper then, I thought. Well, here is one I prepared earlier (1.14) with the similar gear and the same plus to skills.

L. Sentry: 1 – 4343

Fire Blast: 1836 – 2235

D. Sentry: 1 – 1876 + CE

As you can see, the difference is not a lot of difference (about 8% for LS and 11% for FB), but it seemed to take forever to get anything done. The build was still as safe as ever, but I felt like I was stuck in low gear. The slower killing speed meant that my merc died a lot and that slowed me down even further. In the end, I couldn’t take it anymore and just skipped ahead and killed only what was necessary to finish the character. So, there it is, my all-time favourite character relegated to an “also ran”, for me at least.

Screenshot024.png
 
So, there it is, my all-time favourite character relegated to an “also ran”, for me at least.
:cry:

Before 2.4, my second favourite character to play was my Trapsin (very similar build to yours with maxed LS, DS, Fire Blast, other LS synergies, and some BoS). After 2.4, I noticed the slower killing speed too. The build still works, but it's slower and not as fun. I don't really play her anymore. It's a bummer.
 
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Nice write-up! Well, that's a bummer to hear! I hope we also hear of some builds that are *more* fun in the new patch than the old. But I'll keep in mind to try a kicker/trapper in 1.14 at some point.
 
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Infinity *makes* this character end-game.

As cheap as it sounds, I wouldn't even play my LS/DS trapper without Infinity on my merc.

"cheap" meaning as much overpowered gear as I could get, not "cheap" as in Infinity being cheap to make.

The main issue with my trapper end-game is really just flying around on players8 and then getting into trouble with some scary monster packs because i'm overconfident and the conviction aura only nominally breaks a Lightning immune monster thus making killing slower than normal.

otherwise, it's fairly pedestrian.

my unsolicited advice is to basically make it a priority to make Infinity doing LK runs or Trav runs or whatever and doing what it takes to cube up some Bers ... because, really, it's not "difficult" - it's just a time thing. Eventually you will get your Infinity and it absolutely opens up many builds and then D2r will be fun again.

Last night I popped a Ber rune from a normal chest on LK running my WW barb on players8. I already have an Infinity from way back. My current high rune stash is like 2 Bers, 2 Surs, Cham, Jah, buncha Los and Ohms, Vexs ... that's from basic brain-dead Pits, Chaos, LK running ... and then levelling up other characters.

So, it's possible. Maybe not everyone plays as much as me on my offtime (nothing to brag about ... you should really be living life rather than playing d2r but yeah lol)
 
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