Question: Lightning Javazon hybrid for solo hell

Amazon
1

I struggled through Act 1 Hell as deep lightning (while cruising through all of normal and NM) and will not even continue to play solo through the following acts.

The problem is the lightning immunity. In order for this to work with a deep lightning build you need to break resistances, with items you can’t even realistically craft that early into hell.

So what I am thinking of now is to use one of my resets to reallocate my talents into one of the following hybrids:

  • Javazon Lightning + Poison with Poison 20, Plague 20, LF 20 and CS 20

  • JavaBow hybrid with CS 20, LS 20 LF 20 and then FA 20

Granted I don’t even have that many talent points yet for the Amazon is only level 62 at the moment - but it would be something I would work towards as I go back doing NM Baal leveling runs for the foreseeable future.

Which build would you prefer? Personally I would go with Lightning + Poison but I’m afraid of crippling my CS as I wouldn’t be putting any points into LS - plus, I’m also afraid that the 20 points into Fire Arrow wouldn’t do much damage in hell, even with a decent bow

2

I wouldn’t personally recommend that, as many of the monsters endgame (Worldstone Keep Souls, for example) are immune to both Poison & Lightning.

3

Double immunity are always cancerous. Likewise I would struggle with Lightning + Fire. Some combinations are just not meant to be beaten unless high end gear allows you to break them.

If you wouldn’t recommend the Poison hybrid, what else would you?

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4

My personal experience with the Javazon is using MrLlamaSC’s build (found on Icy Veins) - I put 17 hard points into valkyrie (Removing 16 points from Power Strike and 1 point from Lightning Bolt at 99, but I’m only 83) so that she has the best possible gear, and my merc is using an Insight made from a Thresher (non-eth, nothing fancy). Souls are the only thing that give me trouble because I don’t have maxed resists; However, anything that I can’t kill with LF or CS, my merc and valk can.

I can show you my gear later if you want, I’m using some pretty barebones stuff and can do solo baal runs without any difficulty

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5

My a2 merc is also running with Insight. I found it a cheap starting point that gets rid of mana issues.

Regardless the merc is being violated in hell so I cannot rely on him whatsoever to clear lightning immune packs. Though I do blame the low level for that and which is why I’ll be returning to NM Baal, as I said.

I’ll check the Valk build out but I haven’t honestly considered using a Valk myself. Considering I only have two more free resets I am hesitant to use those for just some testing purposes.

Compared to a merc, how well does a Valk survive on hell anyway?

Edit:

https://www.icy-veins.com/d2/amazon-skill-calculator#1--*-1-1*--1*-20-1*--*-10-20=1--1*-1-*1-1-*--1*1-1-*17--6=--*--*--*--*--*--&0

Like this for a lv 80 build?

6

Running an LF / FA hybrid with high physical part, works quite well so far.

7

https://www.icy-veins.com/d2/amazon-skill-calculator#1--*-1-1*--20*-20-1*--*-20-20=1--1*-1-*1-1-*--1*1-1-*17--1=--*--*--*--*--*--&1
This is what I’d personally do for a final build - maxing Fury > Charged Strike > Valk (17 points) > All other synergies in that order.

8

Violated :joy: that cracked me up

9

Thanks. I will try that out and get used to play with a Valk in Nightmare. Once I have some more levels I will return to Hell to see if that build fares better.

So what do you do then once you encounter a lightning immune pack? Pop Valk, let your Merc join in on the fun, and stay back poking at them using the physical aspect of LF?

So basically this
https://www.icy-veins.com/d2/amazon-skill-calculator#1--*-1-1*--1*-20-1*--*--20=1--1*-1-*1-1-*--1*1-1-*15--1=--*20--*--*1--*--*20--&1

I assume you max out your offensives first and level up Valk as you approach 99?
Would you consider the budget alternative solo hell viable?
I might fear a bit that the LF damage is lacking due to lack of synergy

10

Still using peace so yes didn’t bother yet with valk. And i tested 1 point in strafe for dual immunes, is quite okay with non-upped lyc and might merc. Maybe remove it if i respec.

Not yet finished with hell (Not much time available :see_no_evil:) but runs quite okay so far. Besides razor and lyc equip is still selfound magic / rare.

Yeay full java has more damage but if your placement is good (max pierce) it’s enough.

11

I usually use Charged Strike for that, so that I’m as close to my merc and valk as possible :slight_smile:

12

Does that make sense, though? You’re basically just using the physical dmg of CS in that case and then you might as well just stay at the back poking with LF. Sounds a lot safer.

Maybe even a lv1 Jab would be worth it. Not sure since I cannot go online right now to check the atk differences :smiley:

13

You’re not wrong - The main reason I use CS over LF is because it doesn’t consume javelin charges, and I’m using an ethereal titan’s. Jab relies on attack rating, though, whereas charged strike doesn’t (at least, as far as I know). Couldn’t hurt to test it out though!

14

Just want to add my two cents. I play an 89 Javazon. I went hyrbid with plague/psn and CS/LF and it works fine. I can’t afford a Griffin’s or Infinity yet, so I had to improvise.

In 8P games, the plague/psn doesn’t do a whole lot, but in solo bnet play, it’s more than enough to take down anything that is light immune. As far as those saying there are both LI and PI, they are far and few.

I may have to alternate between a plague java and LF doing Baal, but it’s nothing too complicated to hit F1 then F2.

15

i did hybridzon 41 skill points to forst arrow, other skills on CS and LF, it work fine can solo hell. there are only few monsters with lightning and cold immune, just let ur merc kill them.

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16

I went for the poison hybrid for now. I tried Valk as well but it just seemed so inefficient to let them poke down a large group one by one. It took ages.

This now is overall slower than the pure lightning, ofc, but at least I’m able to poison and kite by myself which is both more engaging gameplay and feels faster.

I hope by 90+ the overall dmg increases though because this will be a rough journey until I get the needed minus resists

17

After some time now:

  1. would you go this way again?
  2. while leveling, after LF and PlaJ maxed, how did you distribute between PoiJ and CS?

I found your topic very helpfull (made me skip Valk appoach :slight_smile: ) and now the last open point is: might FA yet be the better alternative?

18

There is a working hybrid but you need windforce and titans revenge to be really succesful.
That’s the only reliable hybrid in all situations. You deal physical, light and magical dmg.

Who is the target of this guide?
People who have got a geared up bowazon or javazon and want to venture outside of chaos or cow lvl for mfing purposes without infinity because with infinity you play one of the most successful chars in d2 (fully synergized javazon).
What is that build good for?
It is good for area clears all around the game. The kill speed is more than adequate. A blizzard sorc or a hammerdin might be faster at seal popping in chaos for example. This char would compete with them at total clear spead of chaos sanctuary at player 1-3.
What it isn’t good for?
Areas with little monster or unique density and places where you have to run a lot. You just waste time.

Skilling assuming hard points with an ama torch is present (+3) and you have +1 to all from somewhere in your gear:
Javelin tree
20 points charged strike
20 points lightning fury
Bow tree
1 point guided arrow
9 point multi shot
20 points into magic arrow for physical and light immunes
Passive tree
1 point valkyrie and all of the prerequisits
4 point critical strike
10 points penetrate
5 points pierce so you reach lvl 9 with torch and +1 from gear

There are 18 skill points left. Surprisingly enough, there are lots of physical and light immunes in the game. There are 3 practical solutions for them:

  1. Wait until a reaper merc casts decripify on strike then guided around the hell out of the immune monster
  2. Kill it with a skill points pumped up magic arrow
  3. Both
    I strongly lean towards option number 3. You might kill Diablo or Baal faster by a bit by synergysing charged strike more but the phys.+light immunes are more annoying in the long run.

MF Gear:
Helmet: kiras with 15ias jewel or shako with 15 ias jewel
Armor: any armor with mf, preferably skulli or enigma
shoes: WTs
gloves: LoH
belt: razortail
amulette: highlord’s wrath
rings: one 30mf nagelring + raven or a dualleech ring with llife, all res
Weapons:
slot1 - upped 190ed+ normal titans+stormshield
slot2- shaeled windforce

Inventory: Gheeds, Torch, Resists charms and lots of 7mf scs

With this equipment 55ias BP on java side and 95ias BP on bow side is achieved.

Alternative gear if you’re looking for elite bases in Chaos or WSK2-3:
Helmet: kiras with 15ias
Armor: any light armor with 4sockets with 4x15ias jewels
shoes: Aldurs, Natalyas or whatever with +40% run
gloves: LoH
belt: razortail
amulette: highlord’s wrath
rings: raven with dualleech ring with llife, all res
Weapons:
slot1 - upped 190ed+ normal titans+stormshield
slot2- shaeled windforce

Inventory: torch, life, max dmg, ar and resistance charms
With this build, you reach the next BPs on Java and WF side which wouldn’t be possible with mf gear. She is deadlier.

Stats:
strength: as much so you can wear windforce and stormshield(titans give you 20str)
dex: pump as much as possible after you have 800-1000hp. With 400dex+ you are good to go
vita: beginners 1000hp, seasoned ones with 800hp or even 600hp
mana. nothing

Merc: Your merc is there as an aura and curse spender loitering somewhere around. You dish out the dmg, valk and decoy are the real tanks.
A might act2 nightmare merc with kiras, GA and any Reaper’s Toll will do. He’ll survive most of the time.

Alternatively, you can go gulli, treachery, reapers but really, you just want him to survive all of the curses and states, you are the one dishing out dmg.

Playstyle:
Have charged strike on the left attack and fury on the right java side. Bow side have magic arrow on the left, hotkeys to multishot, guided arrow, valk and slow missiles for the right mouse click.
Lightning fury any large or lined up groups, kill the rest with multishot. I prefer a lvl where I get 12 arrows, some like 14, more than that is just a waste of mana IMO. Any large boss can be killed with charged strike, also the skill to use on Diablo and Baal. Annoying bosses or oblivion knights can be sniped with guided arrow from afar. Your real tank is valk. Cast her always in front of a group. If she is dying recast her before she is pepsied.
I recommed shako with 15ias anywhere but in chaos sanctuary for mf. In chaos, better wear a kiras with 15ias to not to be one shot.

Overall, this build can be very fast if you’re proficient at using right skills at the right time and very fun at the same time. In no way, the build is the optimum, tweak it to your liking.

That’s a typical chaotic diarun during a trade game. Notice, I’ve got enigma but I am not teleporting over the river to simulate the run with other armors like skull etc.

A baalrun with surprises…

19

Ok, man, another option, thanks Kmfrank3 for the details.

In any case, I’ll stay with CS + LF: nothing i saw killed that fast…

For immunities, maybe, there is no wrong way (except my current “build”) and both ways will do the job: only in different playstyle and requirements.

  • Poi/Plague is more passive, no requirements, maybe less dmg and over time, more kiting.
  • Magic Arrow is active fun, but I need a bow i don’t have, lots of + to atteckspeed, more viable on the long term?

…but anything will probably be better than continue watchingmy merc kill one by one…

[UPDATE]: after the respec
I went down the hybrid Poison/Plague way (I have no good bow) and did not regret it yet. I was albled to finish the game no problem: After LF and Plague I maxed CS and last maxed Poison until I became level 82. Every pont now is bonus, maybe I put them in Valk for more survivability, don’t now yet.