@sk8brdnick - imo the build you mention is far too biased on the L tree, which really needs no help to be effective, 20 LF is all you need. Also adding ChS means that the char is going to enter into melee range and this increases the importance of pdr and having good resists. I prefer to keep all my zon's as ranged chars, and so i can get by with no pdr, and very crappy resists.
@cracked sash - i made a thread on here about her as i wubbed her so much, if you search for the phrase "dexabrid" you will find it. It's a lot more balanced than the hybrid containing ChS, both your physical bow skill - strafe - and your elemental javelin skill - LF - are equally powerful and in most situations you can easily use whichever skill u feel like. To save you hunting it down here's a cut and paste which should help answer some of your questions:
"So onto some details:
Stats:
Str = base (if possible, otherwise as low as you can manage <-= it ended up being 49 str base - but i didn't bother use an enigma).
Dex = all
Vita = base <-= ofc this isn't vital, i just fancied it and i have never regretted it
Energy = base
Skills:
20 LF
20 Strafe
20 Penetrate*
17 Valk**
1 into each pre req and 1 into the rest of the passives.
*base penetrate is a possibility but I am too lazy to bother swapping out a Demon Limb every time I start a new game.
** I usually max Valk and decided to try her at slvl 17 for a change – more can be added here as desired. <-= which is what i did do
Equipment:
As this is not meant to be a guide I will simply list what to wear and why, and I may offer the occasional alternative. Feel free to wear what u want tho!
UWWS “ShaelShael†= DS *clvl, 40 res, Amp damage and 40IAS when sheal’d.
Shako “IAS†= I don’t want a low life base vita zon and +2 skills, 10 PDR, MF, and mana are always good.
Skullders “IAS†= She doesn’t have massive amounts of mf and this armour gives me about 1/3 of her total. Yes I know an Enigma here would solve the str issue, but I will never own an enigma as it’s over-rated pvp tosh, and yes I can easily afford one. Besides I need something I can put an IAS jewel in. <-= rofl, i sound like a complete arse, especially as i now own 4
(tho the IAS jewel bit remains true - and so she has kept the skullders)
Razortail = 15 dex and 33% pierce.
Laying of Hands = 20 IAS + huge boost vs demons.
Cat’s Eye = +25 dex +20 IAS
Ravenfrost = 20 dex, good AR, Damage and CBF.
Dual Leech ring = The only “hard†item to get as ideally you want dual leech + str. <-= i managed to trade for a very sexy 6/6 dual leech +16 str.
WT’s = +str +vita and + damage.
Titans = Obvious choice really.
Splendor = +skill, mf, +mana.
Anni = 20 stats where possible, but the higher the better. Not too vital if you go the Enigma route (shame on you).
Merc:
Gaze/Tals Mask/CoT
Shaftstop/Duriels/Lionheart/Duress
Reapers Toll
With this setup she can easily solo anywhere in the game because she has:
Speed: 110 IAS and 8/2 strafe
Versatility: 3 types of damage, Lightning, Physical and Magical plus Amp + Decrep to help remove PI.
Damage: 1-1000 LF for crowds, 700- 1100 strafe with ~90% of double damage, lvl 20 MA from UWWS.
Block: Due to massive dex she will have max block with any shield in LF mode.
Con’s
Have to wait until a high level to be able to wear full gear, either for Enigma or Anni, but levelling up is fairly easy, once you get to lvl 25 put on a Mahim-Oak for +10 str and a Twitchthroe then you can wear most items. <-= ofc if you don't try base str, then this is a moot point.
Ok my character:
“Jwhordan†lvl 79 Strafe/LF hybrid
Gear:
Shako “IASâ€
Skullders “IASâ€
Razortail
WT’s
Laying of Hands
Ravenfrost 20/238
Rare Ring: 6LL 7ML +16 str
Rare Amulet: +2 Amazon +max +min +dex – gives slightly less max but much more min than a Cat’s Eye, and the 9/2 strafe (86 IAS bp) is fast enough for me
Anni: 20/17/8
Skills (IN GEAR Javelin / Bow)
D/A/E = 10 / 7
Valk = 17 / 14
Pierce = 71%+33% / 63%+33%
Penetrate = 29 / 26
Crit Strike = NA / 49%
LF = 31 / NA
Strafe = NA / 26
7 Spare skill points already at clvl 79
Stats (Javelin / Bow / Base)
Str = 117 / 97 / 49
Dex = 481 / 461 / 401
Vita = 52 / 52 / 20
Energy = 47 / 37 / 15
Life = 709 / 709
Mana 338 / 323
I’ll say it again, she rocks and has done since lvl 42 (titans), I spend equal time in bow/jav mode depending on my mood, anyone with some Counterstike experience will understand, it’s like having an M4 instead of a pistol – both sides are just as deadly. LF a pack, waste most of them and mow the rest down with strafe or vice versa – Strafe a pack then when they have bunched about your minions toss a LF in to finish the job.
This isn’t as long as I planned it to be, but the general idea is there, and I’ll end by repeating that I don’t for one minute claim this is original, but it’s bloody effective and excellent fun."
Covers the skills & gear, if you want to read the discussion just search the thread out.
I'll boot up D2 and post her current stats as she is now 10 levels higher.
), but then you'll be in melee mode anyway - avoiding which was your main reason to not want ChS?