I am starting not with a build but just exploration of what is possible with cheap items. Obviously, the best price/performance item is Buriza do Kyanon, followed by WWS and Goldstrike Arch. But is a Goldstrike Arch viable in hell difficulty? How does it compare with a harmony?
I made some tests with Goldstrike Arch untwinked then upgraded:
It is a full hell viable bow. Even with no enhanced damage from armor you can complete the game as a bowazon with it. Ironically, I found the ideal base for Harmony while testing the first bow.
At least in pits, that bow murders everything:
Incredible performance for such a low cost, I was surprised myself.
Skilling:
20 critical strike
20 penetrate
20 pierce (I assumed no razortail on a budget)
1 point into valk and all of its prerequisites
The rest was divided between multi and strafe. The important point was getting enough IAS from gear early on is very difficult for a bowazon. With a goldstrike or harmony matriarchal bow you can get away with as little off weapon ias as possible. A shaeled Goldstrike just needs 20 ias to reach 9fpa. Inserting a nef for knockback and wearing treachery armor works as well.
That’s the concept after one acquires a Windforce by raiding act1 countess and pits with a harmony/ goldstrike arch to get tradable items/runes.
Same concept applied to WSK2-3, notice how I am using good gear. In reality, you can get away with just maxing your light resistance in WSK and fire one in Chaos Sanctuary. I just can’t afford for my Ama to die at lvl 93. The ias needed can be gotten from a treachery and andy. You can add a upped goldwrap for areas with little elemental threat like act1 pits. The same build with chains of honor as armor is fully hardcore viable and much better than the crappy silence runeword. The difference is in stating. More points are allocated to life than dex.
In this episode, a seemingly small adjustment increases Windforce’ dps by a lot without heavy high rune investment. Most people could even enjoy p8 with the setup if they keep 90 ias with the help of the armor and wear atma’s scarab for heavy strafe/amplify damage usage on higher player counts like split mf games.
Application of newly acquired dps on cow lvl, there’re instant results. I didn’t record everything but there was even a Gul rune drop in the end. I think I am going to hit cow lvl more often with her.
In this episode, I explain how the Windforce setup with a faith merc works and doesn’t lag much behind a faith + pride merc setup. If you trade smart like explained in the video you can have a monster for half the cost of a faith setup. The equipment listed in this video is endgame viable on higher player count. You could strive for this version in case you’re an avid bowazon player.
