Skill points for glass cannon bowazon?

[PoissonProcess]

Skill points for glass cannon bowazon?

I'm planning to start a glass cannon bowazon for PvM. I'm unsure about the best skill point allocation for this. In particular, is investing in the cold tree a good idea or should I invest more in penetrate/critical strike? Also, will a 1-pt guided arrow be sufficient to take down bosses (I'm not going to have a faith/windforce), or should I take points out of cold for GA? What do you guys think?

Magic Arrow - 1
Cold Arrow - 1
Multiple Shot - 10
Ice arrow - 1
Guided Arrow - 1
Stafe - 20
Freezing Arrow - 20

Inner Sight - 1
Critical Strike - 5
Dodge - 1
Slow Missles - 1
Avoid - 1
Penetrate - 5
Decoy - 5
Evade - 1
Valkyrie - 15
Pierce - 10

Done @ level 88, 11 points left for leveling after that.

 

[NASE]

Re: Skill points for glass cannon bowazon?

Your skill distribution largely depends on what gear you will be using? will you use atma's to counter physical immune monsters?
If not, yes, you need/want points in freezing arrow*. If yes, then it's what you like best. I like many points in decoy and valk. Others prefer points in guided arrow, more in multishot or even magic arrow. Or as you seem to like, points in freezing arrow.

I think you skill distribution it good. You have the general base covered (strafe, multi, a bit of pierce, critical and penetrate and valk). and the rest is distributed in interesting skills.

P.S. Note however that I would only aim for 9 in pierce including +skills and use razortails. It's often the best solution unless you really need the idea on the belt.

*: an idea to play around with is to put less points in freezing arrow and more points in it's damage synergy. this will make the mana cost more manageable and it shouldn't even cost you that much damage IIRC.

 

[NuWorld]

Re: Skill points for glass cannon bowazon?

Please state the gear you plan to use, otherwise it's near impossible to allocate skills properly...if you are going to use, for example, WWS as your weapon, the skill distribution will be completely different from the one you presented.

 

[Kijya]

Re: Skill points for glass cannon bowazon?

If you're going for FA, then max its damage synergy otherwise it's kinda wasteful to max it.

Don't spend more then 1 point in GA for a pvm bowzon, the damage increase is to small to warrant more points in pvm imo.

 

[PoissonProcess]

Re: Skill points for glass cannon bowazon?

Well, I was probably going to use WWS, Atma's scarab, razortail. I have not really decided on the other stuff. I do not have runes above Um so I think the higher end rune bow's are out.

How does using WWS affect the skill distribution?

 

[QED]

Re: Skill points for glass cannon bowazon?

WWS affects the skill distribution tremendously because the critical strike from the bow and from Razortail means you don't need any points in the skill Critical Strike. You will also want to go with more IAS gear as you will want to speed up your arrow strikes. That 2% amp damage is HUGE. Pack as many arrows into each punch...don't worry about big damage numbers.

The damage number will be low, BUT, you are quadrupling that number with WWS. You will have 100% critical strike when you are higher level, so that doubles your damage right there. Then when you curse with amp, you do another 100% on top of the critical number. That is why speed is more important than a big damage number on the character screen.

I would also suggest maxing Penetrate so that you have as high a chance to hit as possible.

Check some of the build guides as a WWS Strafer/Froster is a common.

 

[NuWorld]

Re: Skill points for glass cannon bowazon?

Well, I was probably going to use WWS, Atma's scarab, razortail. I have not really decided on the other stuff. I do not have runes above Um so I think the higher end rune bow's are out.

How does using WWS affect the skill distribution?

With WWS you basically need to max strafe, penetrate and valkyrie, with 9 points in pierce to complement piercing from razortail. Rest of the skill points distribution is optional. I just recently finished this build and I added 10 points in decoy to improve vakyrie (3,5 k life), leftover points went to avoid (good for dodging elemental/ranged attacks), 1 point in all other passive skills. Didn't have any need for other bow skills.

You should aim for 60% IAS...occasionaly you will run into a PI monster where you won't be able to break immunity with amp damage, for these very rare situations I used harmony bow on the switch. I would strongly recommend knockback for glass cannon builds, if you get swarmed by flyers or stygian dolls you'll probably die in a second.

Finished hell at lvl86 (played easily @ players3), died 3 times in total (stygian doll death blast in sewers, charge attack from one of Pindle buddies and ancients), this build really rocks on open air maps, you may have some trouble in tight areas like tombs or maggot lair...had total of 510 life, maxed resists and cca 615 dex (damage listed on char screen was roughly 900-1700 with 14k AR).

Equipment:
Steelskull (still with empty socket, if WF ever drops I'll pop an IAS jewel :wink
Lionheart dusk
Razortail
Waterwalk
Cat's Eye
Ravenfrost
Crafted blood ring
Crafted hit power gloves (+2 passive tree)
WWS (socketed with 2xIAS/ED jewels)
Harmony matriarchal bow on switch
Charms: max dmg/AR/dex, all sizes + 12/20 annihilus

I would recommend Cat's Eye instead of Atma, 30 FRW is especially precious.

Merc is might merc with vamp gaze (socketed with perf emerald), duress archon and upped ethereal hone sundan (2xshael + amn).

Hope this gives you better insight...it's really cheap build equipment-wise, highest rune used (Um) was to make duress armor. :wave: