Matriarch Yellow, Windforce Strafer

[Pb_pal]

Yellow is the fifth character to complete her journey in my Colour-Coded Sept. The sept is based around having one character class respresent each of the seven colours of the rainbow. Basically, all gear must adhere to the chosen colour, as well as skills where possible.

Two big factors led to Yellow being a Strafer. For one thing there are no 'yellow' skills (lightning skills are white), but most importantly of all; Windforce is dark yellow. Couple that with the fact that I've never made a Strafer before (I'm a Multi-shot kinda guy) and the decision was basically made for me. Even though there are a pile of really great Zon items in the Gold colours (Valk Wing, Eaglehorn, Eye of Etlich), she stuck to only Yellow items. First the stats and pictures, then some thoughts.


Stats
Name: Yellow
Class: Amazon
Experience: 782102253
Level: 81

Naked/Gear
Strength: 134/144
Dexterity: 167/173
Vitality: 179/179
Energy: 15/15
HP: 743/872
Mana: 125/319
Stamina: 308/338
Defense: 41/1337
AR: 805/835

Resists: 50/0/50/-30

Skills
Strafe: 20/28

Critical Strike: 20/20
Penetrate: 20/20
Pierce: 20/20
Decoy: 6/6

Only notable thing here would be no Valk. Partially to avoid D/A/E bugging, but also because I can't guarantee that her equipment would diplay as yellow. I missed her dearly.

Strafe dmg: ~2.3k (with Might)


Equipment
Helm: Trang's Guise (Ral)
Armour: Trang's Scales (Ral)
Gloves: Trang's Claws
Belt: Trang's Girth
Boots: Amber (37% LR) Greaves of Acceleration - No S/U Yellow boots, but I needed the LR so these were a great shop!
Amulet: Civerb's Icon
Rings: N/A - No S/U options, and I was too lazy to gamble for any relevant affixes.
Weapon: Windforce
Shield: N/A
Switch: N/A

Charms: 8x Fletcher's Skillers, resists/life for the remainder


Merc
Alhizeer - Might
Helm: Delerium
Body: CoH
Weapon: Reaper's

Spoiler: Full Dump

Name: Yellow
Class: Amazon
Experience: 782102253
Level: 81

Naked/Gear
Strength: 134/144
Dexterity: 167/173
Vitality: 179/179
Energy: 15/15
HP: 743/872
Mana: 125/319
Stamina: 308/338
Defense: 41/1337
AR: 805/835

Fire: 140/100/40
Cold: 90/50/-10
Lightning: 140/100/40
Poison: 60/20/-40

MF: 0 Block: 24
GF: 29
FR/W: 83
FHR: 25
IAS: 20
FCR: 20

Magic Arrow: 1/9
Fire Arrow: 0/0
Cold Arrow: 1/9
Multiple Shot: 1/9
Exploding Arrow: 0/0
Ice Arrow: 0/0
Guided Arrow: 1/9
Strafe: 20/28
Immolation Arrow: 0/0
Freezing Arrow: 0/0

Inner Sight: 1/1
Critical Strike: 20/20
Dodge: 0/0
Slow Missiles: 1/1
Avoid: 0/0
Penetrate: 20/20
Decoy: 6/6
Evade: 0/0
Valkyrie: 0/0
Pierce: 20/20

Jab: 0/0
Power Strike: 0/0
Poison Javelin: 0/0
Impale: 0/0
Lightning Bolt: 0/0
Charged Strike: 0/0
Plague Javelin: 0/0
Fend: 0/0
Lightning Strike: 0/0
Lightning Fury: 0/0

Fletcher's Grand Charm of Sustenance
Grand Charm
Required Level: 42
Fingerprint: 0xb5d1c9ef
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Bow and Crossbow Skills (Amazon Only)
+29 to Life

Fletcher's Grand Charm of Quality
Grand Charm
Required Level: 42
Fingerprint: 0x1464f71f
Item Level: 81
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Bow and Crossbow Skills (Amazon Only)
+2 to Maximum Damage

Fletcher's Grand Charm of Maiming
Grand Charm
Required Level: 63
Fingerprint: 0xe4dd1641
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Bow and Crossbow Skills (Amazon Only)
+4 to Maximum Damage

Fletcher's Grand Charm of Life
Grand Charm
Required Level: 42
Fingerprint: 0xdb611263
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Bow and Crossbow Skills (Amazon Only)
+17 to Life

Fletcher's Grand Charm of Life
Grand Charm
Required Level: 42
Fingerprint: 0x436ee65a
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Bow and Crossbow Skills (Amazon Only)
+11 to Life

Fletcher's Grand Charm of Greed
Grand Charm
Required Level: 42
Fingerprint: 0xa958db9a
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Bow and Crossbow Skills (Amazon Only)
29% Extra Gold from Monsters

Fletcher's Grand Charm
Grand Charm
Required Level: 42
Fingerprint: 0xe0ef629a
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Bow and Crossbow Skills (Amazon Only)

Fletcher's Grand Charm
Grand Charm
Required Level: 42
Fingerprint: 0xa846249e
Item Level: 81
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Bow and Crossbow Skills (Amazon Only)

Key
Fingerprint: 0x7495dbd3
Item Level: 6
Version: Expansion 1.10+

Ruby Small Charm
Small Charm
Required Level: 32
Fingerprint: 0x4deea5de
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Fire Resist +10%

Ruby Small Charm
Small Charm
Required Level: 32
Fingerprint: 0x303bad80
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Fire Resist +10%

Amber Small Charm
Small Charm
Required Level: 32
Fingerprint: 0xc2193837
Item Level: 88
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Lightning Resist +11%

Ruby Small Charm
Small Charm
Required Level: 32
Fingerprint: 0xaa072a13
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Fire Resist +10%

Ruby Small Charm of Incineration
Small Charm
Required Level: 37
Fingerprint: 0x5fd10b0e
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Adds 7 - 9 Fire Damage
Fire Resist +10%

Amber Small Charm of Flame
Small Charm
Required Level: 32
Fingerprint: 0xa78d6e47
Item Level: 88
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Adds 1 - 2 Fire Damage
Lightning Resist +11%

Amber Small Charm of Dexterity
Small Charm
Required Level: 32
Fingerprint: 0x2a3b2089
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Dexterity
Lightning Resist +11%

Ruby Small Charm of Inertia
Small Charm
Required Level: 32
Fingerprint: 0x96b030e5
Item Level: 88
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+3% Faster Run/Walk
Fire Resist +11%

Garnet Small Charm of Life
Small Charm
Required Level: 20
Fingerprint: 0x30535f89
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+6 to Life
Fire Resist +9%

Tome of Town Portal
Fingerprint: 0x156e797b
Item Level: 6
Version: Expansion 1.10+

Horadric Cube
Fingerprint: 0x3ebe897
Item Level: 13
Version: Expansion 1.10+

Trang-Oul's Guise
Bone Visage
Defense: 203
Durability: 37 of 40
Required Level: 65
Required Strength: 106
Fingerprint: 0x4c16d7a5
Item Level: 88
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+25% Faster Hit Recovery
+94 Defense
Replenish Life +5
+150 to Mana
Fire Resist +30%
Attacker Takes Damage of 20
1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Ral Rune

(2 items): Regenerate Mana 15%
(3 items): Regenerate Mana 15%
(4 items): Regenerate Mana 15%

Ral Rune
Required Level: 19
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: Adds 5 - 30 Fire Damage
Armor: Fire Resist +30%
Shields: Fire Resist +35%

Civerb's Icon
Amulet
Required Level: 9
Fingerprint: 0xe6788cf5
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenish Life +4
Regenerate Mana 40%
Set (2 items): Cold Resist +25%
Set (3 items): +25 Defense


Trang-Oul's Scales
Chaos Armor
Defense: 857
Durability: 67 of 70
Required Level: 49
Required Strength: 12
Fingerprint: 0x9fcc95b
Item Level: 88
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+2 to Summoning Skills (Necromancer Only)
+40% Faster Run/Walk
+150% Enhanced Defense
+100 Defense vs. Missile
Fire Resist +30%
Poison Resist +40%
Requirements -40%
Set (3 items): Lightning Resist +50%
Set (5 items): Damage Reduced by 25%
1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Ral Rune

(2 items): Regenerate Mana 15%
(3 items): Regenerate Mana 15%
(4 items): Regenerate Mana 15%

Ral Rune
Required Level: 19
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: Adds 5 - 30 Fire Damage
Armor: Fire Resist +30%
Shields: Fire Resist +35%

Trang-Oul's Girth
Troll Belt
Defense: 153
Durability: 16 of 18
Required Level: 62
Required Strength: 12
Fingerprint: 0x81535bee
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+90 Defense
+66 to Life
Replenish Life +5
+44 to Mana
+30 Maximum Stamina
Cannot Be Frozen
Requirements -40%
Set (3 items): Cold Resist +40%

(2 items): Regenerate Mana 15%
(3 items): Regenerate Mana 15%
(4 items): Regenerate Mana 15%

Amber Greaves of Acceleration
Greaves
Defense: 14
Durability: 24 of 24
Required Level: 43
Required Strength: 70
Fingerprint: 0xa86c6aed
Item Level: 87
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+40% Faster Run/Walk
Lightning Resist +37%

Trang-Oul's Claws
Heavy Bracers
Defense: 67
Durability: 14 of 16
Required Level: 45
Required Strength: 58
Fingerprint: 0xc665eb13
Item Level: 81
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+2 to Curses (Necromancer only)
+20% Faster Cast Rate
+25% to Poison Skill Damage
+30 Defense
Cold Resist +30%

(2 items): Regenerate Mana 15%
(3 items): Regenerate Mana 15%
(4 items): Regenerate Mana 15%

Windforce
Hydra Bow
Two Hand Damage: 122 - 1971
Durability: 47 of 55
Required Level: 73
Required Strength: 134
Required Dexterity: 167
Fingerprint: 0xe2dee16d
Item Level: 86
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+20% Increased Attack Speed
250% Enhanced Damage
+253 to Maximum Damage (Based on Character Level)
6% Mana stolen per hit
Knockback
+10 to Strength
+5 to Dexterity
Heal Stamina Plus 30%

Arrows
Fingerprint: 0x1d239f5
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+

Mercenary:

Name: Alhizeer
Race: Desert Mercenary
Type: Off-Nightmare
Experience: 64578056
Level: 81
Dead?: false

Naked/Gear
Strength: 179/199
Dexterity: 144/144
HP: 1607/1607
Defense: 1189/2776
AR: 1865/1865

Fire: 210/170/110
Cold: 210/170/110
Lightning: 210/170/110
Poison: 210/170/110

Chains of Honor
Archon Plate
DolUmBerIst
Defense: 1225
Durability: 31 of 31
Required Level: 63
Required Strength: 93
Fingerprint: 0x7c63185c
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+2 to All Skills
+200% Damage to Demons
+100% Damage to Undead
8% Life stolen per hit
+70% Enhanced Defense
+20 to Strength
Replenish Life +7
All Resistances +65
Damage Reduced by 8%
25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Ethereal
4 Sockets (4 used)
Socketed: Dol Rune
Socketed: Um Rune
Socketed: Ber Rune
Socketed: Ist Rune

Dol Rune
Required Level: 31
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: Hit Causes Monster to Flee 25%
Armor: Replenish Life +7
Shields: Replenish Life +7

Um Rune
Required Level: 47
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: 25% Chance of Open Wounds
Armor: Cold Resist +15%
Lightning Resist +15%
Fire Resist +15%
Poison Resist +15%
Shields: Cold Resist +22%
Lightning Resist +22%
Fire Resist +22%
Poison Resist +22%

Ber Rune
Required Level: 63
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: 20% Chance of Crushing Blow
Armor: Damage Reduced by 8%
Shields: Damage Reduced by 8%

Ist Rune
Required Level: 51
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: 30% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Armor: 25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Shields: 25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items


The Reaper's Toll
Thresher
Two Hand Damage: 40 - 475
Durability: 58 of 65
Required Level: 75
Required Strength: 114
Required Dexterity: 89
Fingerprint: 0x8dcbefc0
Item Level: 88
Version: Expansion 1.10+
33% Chance to cast level 1 Decrepify on striking
237% Enhanced Damage
Ignore Target's Defense
Adds 4 - 44 Cold Damage Over 0 Secs (6 Frames)
13% Life stolen per hit
33% Deadly Strike
Requirements -25%


Delirium
Superior Demonhead
LemIstIo
Defense: 362
Durability: 22 of 22
Required Level: 55
Required Strength: 102
Fingerprint: 0x496f133d
Item Level: 86
Version: Expansion 1.10+
1% Chance to cast level 50 Delirium when struck
6% Chance to cast level 14 Mind Blast when struck
14% Chance to cast level 13 Terror when struck
11% Chance to cast level 18 Confuse on striking
+2 to All Skills
+261 Defense
+10 to Vitality
50% Extra Gold from Monsters
25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Increase Maximum Durability 10%
Level 17 Attract (60/60 Charges)
3 Sockets (3 used)
Socketed: Lem Rune
Socketed: Ist Rune
Socketed: Io Rune

Lem Rune
Required Level: 43
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: 75% Extra Gold from Monsters
Armor: 50% Extra Gold from Monsters
Shields: 50% Extra Gold from Monsters

Ist Rune
Required Level: 51
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: 30% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Armor: 25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Shields: 25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

Io Rune
Required Level: 35
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: +10 to Vitality
Armor: +10 to Vitality
Shields: +10 to Vitality

Journey

I won't bother you with any gameplay notes here, as they are in the sept thread in full. If you want to read about her adventure and/or look at some of her gameplay screenshots, here are some links to her journey:
Normal+Nightmare
Hell

As always, I will leave a little catalogue of her progression of looks, from beginning through to her final form:

She started out.... a little rough around the edges

But then she got a decent armour (Sparkling Mail):

Then a better weapon (Blastbark - which she upgraded, and some other pieces:

A switch from light Yellow to Dark Yellow signaled her maturation:

The final piece of Trang's set for her capped off (literally!) her armour display:

And a final Dark Yellow piece in Windforce brought it all together:

Other Notes and Final Thoughts

- Strafe is not for me. It looks cool, but I really don't jive with the mechanics. I know trangs is not ideal bowazon equipment, but she just felt super fragile, and not powerful enough to compensate. I did start to like it more towards the end of her journey though, so maybe one day I will deck out an all-powerful zon for a Strafe build and give it a proper go.

- Not having access to CtA sucked, she was very fragile especially to elemental attacks. This was probably a large contributor to the above point.

- Not having a backup attack for PIs sucked.

- Deaths: tons. I haven't died this much with a character in as long as I can remember. This was partly to fragility, and defeinitely partly(or mostly) due to impatience and frustration on my part.

- It was a mistake for this build to max CS/Penetrate. I should have definitely put more into Decoy. It was still serviceable with only a few hard points, but I could have used a better distraction to keep the heat off of Yellow and her merc.


Thanks for reading!

 

[maxicek]

Congratulations.

I would have gone with gold items personally - I can't actually tell any difference between dark yellow & gold in game. Some nice "of Alacrity" gloves would have been nice.

 

[Pb_pal]

Congratulations.

I would have gone with gold items personally - I can't actually tell any difference between dark yellow & gold in game. Some nice "of Alacrity" gloves would have been nice.

Adding gold items in would have made everything better, definitely. Except for the fact that I'm planning on doing a Gold character once I'm done with the primary colours as well.

Truth be told though there really isn't much of a difference for the most part in the coloration between yellow and gold, and I seriously considered it, but I couldn't get passed the idea of 'tainting' one of my sept chars. Serves me right for making the rules

 

[Maltatai]

Cool armor. And congratulations, the very stylish sept grows.

Some thoughts about the difficulties described.
The mercenary could whimsically spread other colours I see, would he had been more useful with a fast amplify damage spear to switch to? With that damage, just breaking the immunity should be enough.
What about open wounds? The monsters bleed red from it but they bleed red from usual hits too and its the monster that reddens, not the skill or attack in itself. Would it be acceptable? An Um rune in the bow should work wonders with strafe I imagine.
Given the trouble of PI:s, was might worth it? As opposed to holy freeze or another mercenary type I mean.
Why the skill charms? Your resistances were an impediment as I understand it, wouldn't a few less stafe points have been worth to trade for more resilience and no need to use both socket rewards for resistances?

 

[Vildecor]

Congratulations on finishing another one!

I agree that you will find a properly built strafer much more enjoyable. They’re one of my favorites.

 

[skiffcz]

First of all - congrats on the Matriarch and awesome project idea! Second - IMHO your rule restrictions hurt The True Strafing Experience in few spots here:

1, You really want pierce from a belt/bow. Saves soo much points to put elsewhere.
2, Strafe vs Multishot is a false dilemma. Especially with so much +bow tree points. Use both, open with MS and then sweep the last mob with strafe, leeching back mana.
3, Source of Howl is mighty fun, it totally breaks formation of incomming monsters and slows their charge considerably.
4, If you are a god with decoy, you dont need d/a/e, but these are actually not half bad, you should not be hit often as a glasscannon anyway and they really ramp your safety. Plus having walk with %amp on her hurty stick is just OP.

But yeah, to get the ultimate stylepoints, sacrifices had to be made, and for that, I applaud you!

 

[Babyhell]

Congrats!

#ThemedPost

 

[D2DC]

Congrats again! Looks like she must have caught yellow fever in the Flayer Jungle.. XD

I'll be here all week ladies and gents! XD

 

[Pb_pal]

Thanks all! Some great comments, let me try to address them coherently.

Some thoughts about the difficulties described.
The mercenary could whimsically spread other colours I see, would he had been more useful with a fast amplify damage spear to switch to? With that damage, just breaking the immunity should be enough.

That probably would have helped the few isolated unbreakable PIs, but the Decrep from Reapers was usually enough. I wasn't even close to full-clearing, so I didn't mind skipping the occasional unkillable boss.

What about open wounds? The monsters bleed red from it but they bleed red from usual hits too and its the monster that reddens, not the skill or attack in itself. Would it be acceptable? An Um rune in the bow should work wonders with strafe I imagine.

That would have been smart, and something I didn't even think of. Good idea!

Given the trouble of PI:s, was might worth it? As opposed to holy freeze or another mercenary type I mean.
Why the skill charms? Your resistances were an impediment as I understand it, wouldn't a few less stafe points have been worth to trade for more resilience and no need to use both socket rewards for resistances?

Err... laziness? My original plan was (knowing she was going to be fragile) to try and turn her into a glass cannon and just try and kill things faster than they could get to me. That didn't really end up happening, and I just never adjusted my plans after that. I can be a little stubborn sometimes once my gear is "set".

First of all - congrats on the Matriarch and awesome project idea! Second - IMHO your rule restrictions hurt The True Strafing Experience in few spots here:

1, You really want pierce from a belt/bow. Saves soo much points to put elsewhere.
2, Strafe vs Multishot is a false dilemma. Especially with so much +bow tree points. Use both, open with MS and then sweep the last mob with strafe, leeching back mana.
3, Source of Howl is mighty fun, it totally breaks formation of incomming monsters and slows their charge considerably.
4, If you are a god with decoy, you dont need d/a/e, but these are actually not half bad, you should not be hit often as a glasscannon anyway and they really ramp your safety. Plus having walk with %amp on her hurty stick is just OP.

But yeah, to get the ultimate stylepoints, sacrifices had to be made, and for that, I applaud you!

Absolutely agree on all points. I know the build didn't really give Strafe a fair crack, so I'm still going to make an effort to build a proper Strafer at some point and see how I feel about it. I still don't love the feel of the mechanics of it, but again that could change once she's a bit less... dead all the time. I'll give Strafe one thing though, it certainly looks cool!

 

[PhineasB]

Themes are very important, but I'm glad you'll give a true strafer a shot at some point. A bit one dimensional, but quite powerful, especially if you follow advice from @skiffcz and use MS also. But definitely another nice Mat, and the skull helm is a great look for a zon Congrats!