Anyone excited? If done right and impale (which will always hit) and fend are buffed, and the next hit always misses bug is squashed, I think spearzon will shine.
I think movement speed needs to be added per hit though, like how frenzy works currently.
Anyone else have ideas for the devs? That’s the only thing I would add. Have at it. Any constructive ideas are greatly appreciated.
Skill which take half an hour to attack and can be disjointed will never be usefull, doesnt matter what else you add to it.
Yeah I’m hoping it will be uninterruptible
Impale will never be as useful in pvm because crushing blow exists and crushing blow is extremely powerful when paired with an ultra fast attack like Jab vs. single target. Impale is simply too slow, unless they were to GREATLY increase the attack speed.
Impale will never be useful in pvp regardless of damage output because it’s just too slow, roots you in place too long, and there are some things an Amazon cannot afford to be close range against, like blessed hammer or smite.
These changes will likely change nothing at all about Amazon play outside of fend, which may be good enough to justify some fun melee builds but it’ll never be as good as a standard bowazon spamming multi and killing mobs of creatures 2 screens away.
Just more than likely how this is going to go down.
People forget that “a build archetype” is a lot more than 1 skill. To be able to create new build archetypes that are as viable as what we already have, there would need to be a real serious overhauling for some classes like Amazon.
As far as suggestions go, if they wanted to make Impale viable in pvm or pvp even, they should change that skill like this:
Wallah, now PvM melee Jab/Fend zons have a real ranged attack they can throw that is powerful, especially if stat with Pierce. Would be a good opener before jumping into a mob. Remember it has ICD so you can’t spam it.
Wallah, now PvP Zons have a physical throw option beyond Light Fury that although it cannot be spammed like Light Fury, if you take the risk to throw it and it hits, it hits hard. Good way to help the Amazon keep up with the new unblockable attacks on Assassin and things like Smiters being able to surpass dodge/evade.
Could also make Jab / Impale / Fend grant each other synergies.
Wallah, all makes sense. New build archetype enabled. Physical Javazons that don’t need bows.
I agree. I’m hoping for vast improvements to impale and fend which is why I started this thread so people like us can give the devs something to look at.
This, I always found it weird that amazon doesn’t have any physical throw skill, given that she has entire tree skill for javelins.
I agree! Also BLIZZ! IF YOU’RE SEEING THIS MAKE IT SO INFINITY CAN BE USED IN SPEARS! PLEASE <3 That alone will open up some builds like melee focused Lightning strike for the Amazon!
Isn’t Impale a Smite for Amazons? Always hit and slow down, no need to care about AR and it lower enemies DPS and Amazon being stuck in hit/stun lock.
No, it’s absolutely atrociously too slow to be practical.
What most people don’t understand is that you can land 2x Jabs in the time it takes to land a single Impale, which is like 6x strikes from the Jab and in every way equal in DPS to a single lv 20 Impale. And as a bonus to boot, those 6x strikes from a Jab are landing 6x chances to proc Crushing Blow or Open Wounds or Life Tap, whereas the Impale in that time frame only gets 1x chance.
Impale is just bad man, in both pvm and pvp. For it to be useful, they’d need to make it standard attack speed and then it could viable.
For now, it’s needlessly to say that Spearzon is impractical and need more attention.
Question is how to make the Fend & Impale unique from the similar skills like Smite, Zeal, Zab, Fury.
I absolutely agree. Blizz we need a cleanup on aisle Spearzon please!
Think there are points enough for a fend/lightning strike build?
Not for all synergy for sure, or you may skip passive skills, which isnt best idea.
I tried fend in PTR 2.4. The skill is really goos but you need to points into penetrate. Also, a matriarchal javelin + shield combo was superior to pure upped lycanders flank. You could jab sinlge targets and fend the rest.
Guys i’ve made test of fend/jab on eBOTD matriarchal pike vs Arioc’s Needle.
And u get 2,63 frame on Needle with just 45ias, while u need 65 on Pike to get 2,38 frame.
The real problem here is that halfway through River of Flame my non-eth Arioc Needle was nearly broken - so forget about fending anything without undestructible weapon…
So u need ‘zoded’ eth Arioc - and to be honest it’s the most damaging setup - 50% deadly strike from Needle is massive (and more gear choices cause u don’t need to hit 65 ias from gear). Setups with might+pride:
-7k normal perf Needle; 2,63 Fend frame (75ias); 50% deadly strike
-10k eth perf Needle; 2,63 Fend frame (75ias); 50% deadly strike
-20k ebotd 400ed matriarchal pike; 2,38 Fend frame (125ias)
Now i’m trying to test eth Demon’s Arch+Phoenix and Infinity on merc (need one Sur to get infi 
)
Unfortunately none jav without replenish mod won’t work in 2.4, cause normal attacks uses stacks like durability, so replenish mod is a must.
The DS on arioc’s needle isn’t as important on amazon, you can have 71%+ from critical strike. The mistake is to use any type of pikes on her, they are damn slow. Her best weapon is an ebotd ghost spear. That’s the weapon with the most gear flexibility combined with critical strike. You should also actively debuff with inner sight, your hit chance becomes 95%.
The other interesting aspect I found in PTR2.4 was you had a huge advantage compared to a zeal paladin or fury druid in range with spears. Holding shift and fending covers a huge area with range 5. The attack feels like an AOE due to this but again you need a fast, hard hitting weapon.
A merc with reaper’s toll was a superb crowd controller. I think she’d work best as a hybrid with light or poison javelin on switch for immunes.
I’d also get a standard reaper merc instead of infinity to have decrepify (pacify 
) and a source of crushing blow: guilli+treachery+any reaper’s toll.
Decrep may work on 8players games cause on 1-3 you’re killing to fast to even proc. So no time for Inner Sighting with good gear also - i got 95% anyway. You may use Demon’s Limb for enchant, or Lava Gout when u haven’t got any good gloves.
Also Pride imo is much bigger flat dmg add than decrep itself. You don’t really need ‘crowd control’ with decoy and valkyrie (and also with unbugged evade/dodge in 2.4) - conc aura have that good 20% of ‘uninterrupted’ attack.
Keep in mind that every +1jav gives 10% dmg of Fend, so Matriarchal Pike or Spear are options for ebotd here.
I’m using Atma Scarab from cube on swap for physical immunes, works ok.
Finally deadly strike have seperate proc from critical strike - they’re different not same “strikes” (i’m only not sure if they stack together).
Let’s do the same with no DS but 71% CS with ebotd ghost spear:
132 - 1160 damage range
avdmg without CS = 647
avdmg with CS = 647 * 1.71 = 1106
You’ll have 60ias + 55ias in total = 115ias.
You’d get 2.63 attacks per second:
damage per second = 1106 * 2.63 = 2908
The ed from + skills aren’t going to do anything to make up for the difference. BOTD offer s+30 to all stats so there you get 30% as default, not to mention more life and attack rating.
Your hit chance is 95% because your merc is using infinity. How is infinity going to increase your kill speed? Pride increases your flat damage but you said yourself, it’s not a problem. Physical immunes a re a problem. Decrepify takes care of them. Then you mention atma as solution. You hit wiht 2.63 per second, atma has got 5% chance for amplify damage so 1 in 20 hits:
20/2.63 = 7.6, you need 7.6 seconds to proc amplify damage when ALL hits land with fend. You’re better of strafing with a harmony bow on switch than trying to proc amp with atma by using fend.
There is only one glove for this setup, laying of hands. Why would you ditch 350ed vs demons?
Your setup is going to work but it is far from optimal, I’d say even gimped. With no shield, you’re ditching free life and mana leech from ebotd. I’d use those freed slots to stack up resistance where it is lacking, more damage or mobility (cat’s eye).
I made a spearazon that used a eBotD warpike with the view of almost maxing it’s IAS. Do you know if the IAS tables for fend are correct in the maxroll d2 planner?
All that said, if I do find another Zod again, I might want a go at making a lightning strike version with eBotD Matri spear and infinity 
https://planetdiablo.eu/diablo2/calcs/speedcalc/speedcalc_english.php
That’s the correct calculator. Ebotd war pike is painfully slow. Stacking more than 65ias on top of 60ias from botd aren’t worth it.