Bowazon Questions + Updated Bowzon Guide?

Hey all,

I recently got back into MXL and my absolute favorite class to play is Bowazon. I'm currently 120 and forgot just how difficult a lot of areas can be with her, but I think my biggest struggle is with figuring out what weapon is best for her, since all of the guides I look at seem to be outdated.

The first guide I looked at is the one from suchbalance, but it's so out-of-date that it still talks about black road challenges.

Next, I looked at this thread:

viewtopic.php?t=54212#item

I crafted the sacred reflex bow, and have a few of the items he suggests (Zerae's refinement/redemption, etc), but I still feel like I'm lacking major damage, and wondering if there are better bows I should be considering.

There's a recent thread about Amazons in 2.0 here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=70953&start=30

And they mention bows I've never heard of (Cecaelia/Athulua's Wrath/Dawn/etc), as well as a guide from Wulf, but I can't find that guide, and am not sure which bow is best for elemental bowazon.

I've attached pictures of my current bow choices. Are any of these decent, or am I way off?

For EQ, I have:

Head: Zerae's Refinement
Body: Zerae's Redemption
Amulet: Tesseract
Rings: Ripstar 2x
Quiver: Hanabigami
Boots/gloves: Honorific w/ elemental dmg, mf, elemental resists
Belt: Endless Loop

I'm struggling to even kill things in Teganze, and Duncraig is a no-go (stuff bum-rushes me before I can nuke it with wyrmshot or barrage)

There's got to be something I'm missing in order to take this bowazon to the next level. I really appreciate the guidance anyone can offer

damaconz wrote:a guide from Wulf, but I can't find that guide

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=54212

I haven’t played bowazon after 2.0 was released, however I think you mix physical damage build items (Ripstsars) while trying to play elemental version. Also, your DEX seems to be very low, have you put perfect amethysts in all sockets?

From what I heard, the only bowzon variants kinda playable in mid/late game in current patch are mainly 2：

1.

Athulua's Wrath

Athulua's Wrath
Stag Bow (Sacred)
(Amazon Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 557
Item Level: 120
Innate Tri-Elemental Damage: (52.0% of Dexterity)
3% Chance to cast level 63 Sun Strike on Striking
1% Chance to cast level 6 Life Spark on Striking
Adds 400-950 Fire Damage
Adds 400-950 Lightning Damage
Adds 400-950 Cold Damage
-33% to Enemy Elemental Resistances
Elemental Resists -33%
1% Reanimate as: Random Monster
Socketed (6)

, ur best and only choice for IED variant in late game.
2. well rolled

Ice Breaker

Ice Breaker
Amazon Bows
'IgnElqIgnGulVex'
Runeword Level: 100
30% Chance to cast level 60 Flamestrike on Kill
60% Attack Speed
15% Cast Speed
+(50 to 430) to Maximum Damage
-(11 to 15)% to Enemy Fire Resistance
+(172 to 200)% Enhanced Damage
(1 to 25)% Chance of Crushing Blow
Cold Resist +(81 to 100)%
Cannot Be Frozen

, ur best choice for physical variant in late game.

They can do scos, but they both suck in labs in current version.

Askarbydd

Askarbydd
Reflex Bow (Sacred)
Two-Hand Damage: (230 - 311) to (330 - 455)
(Amazon Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 1020
Item Level: 105
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.15 per Dexterity)%
50% Attack Speed
Adds (70 to 110)-(150 to 230) Damage
15% Life stolen per Hit
+(140 to 200)% Enhanced Damage
+(1 to 10) to Rapid Wyrmshot
Maximum Poison Resist +2%
Poison Length Reduced by 25%
Requirements +50%
Socketed (6)

bowzon using Rapid Wyrmshot was once good in labs, but ever since the invisible 50% more damage for physical bug was fixed, Askarbydd bowzon fell in labs. So, bowzon can still farm scos, but cant go far in labs in late game. That is what I heard about bowzon in mid/late game, but I didnt play it myself, recently. So Im not sure about how well bowzon behaves in high labs nowadays. Cause I have no much interest in playing bowzon ever since Rapid Wyrmshot couldnt do high labs.

As for early game bowzon, whatever is fine.

PaMxl wrote:
damaconz wrote:a guide from Wulf, but I can't find that guide

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=54212

I haven’t played bowazon after 2.0 was released, however I think you mix physical damage build items (Ripstsars) while trying to play elemental version. Also, your DEX seems to be very low, have you put perfect amethysts in all sockets?

Thanks for replying

I use rainbow stones in weapon for innate ele damage, and a mix of amethysts/other stones for resists in the rest of sockets. What would be a good replacement for Ripstar for rings?

cnlnjzfjb wrote:From what I heard, the only bowzon variants kinda playable in mid/late game in current patch are mainly 2：

1.
Athulua's Wrath
Athulua's Wrath
Stag Bow (Sacred)
(Amazon Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 557
Item Level: 120
Innate Tri-Elemental Damage: (52.0% of Dexterity)
3% Chance to cast level 63 Sun Strike on Striking
1% Chance to cast level 6 Life Spark on Striking
Adds 400-950 Fire Damage
Adds 400-950 Lightning Damage
Adds 400-950 Cold Damage
-33% to Enemy Elemental Resistances
Elemental Resists -33%
1% Reanimate as: Random Monster
Socketed (6)
, ur best and only choice for IED variant in late game.
2. well rolled
Ice Breaker

Ice Breaker
Amazon Bows
'IgnElqIgnGulVex'
Runeword Level: 100
30% Chance to cast level 60 Flamestrike on Kill
60% Attack Speed
15% Cast Speed
+(50 to 430) to Maximum Damage
-(11 to 15)% to Enemy Fire Resistance
+(172 to 200)% Enhanced Damage
(1 to 25)% Chance of Crushing Blow
Cold Resist +(81 to 100)%
Cannot Be Frozen
, ur best choice for physical variant in late game.

They can do scos, but they both suck in labs in current version.
Askarbydd
Askarbydd
Reflex Bow (Sacred)
Two-Hand Damage: (230 - 311) to (330 - 455)
(Amazon Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 1020
Item Level: 105
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.15 per Dexterity)%
50% Attack Speed
Adds (70 to 110)-(150 to 230) Damage
15% Life stolen per Hit
+(140 to 200)% Enhanced Damage
+(1 to 10) to Rapid Wyrmshot
Maximum Poison Resist +2%
Poison Length Reduced by 25%
Requirements +50%
Socketed (6)
bowzon using Rapid Wyrmshot was once good in labs, but ever since the invisible 50% more damage for physical bug was fixed, Askarbydd bowzon fell in labs. So, bowzon can still farm scos, but cant go far in labs in late game. That is what I heard about bowzon in mid/late game, but I didnt play it myself, recently. So Im not sure about how well bowzon behaves in high labs nowadays. Cause I have no much interest in playing bowzon ever since Rapid Wyrmshot couldnt do high labs.

As for early game bowzon, whatever is fine.

Thanks! I'll look for that bow

Unless you have Athulua's Bow, Physical variant should be easier to gear up early on, if you make icebreaker make sure to mo it enhance damage before making the runeword so it can go over 200 ed cap

Sry, but I need to correct my words above and add some more. An idea came to mind, that we might actually use the IED base bug to build bowzon. So that means there are not only phys and IED variants, where I was wrong. There is a 3rd variant which is better than the 2: Phys & IED mixed variant (most phys)

The ED on a runeword weapon using non superior IED base can multiply all flat phys sources on weapon and the rest of the gear/charms, which means it is possible for u to gain both boosted phys damage and IED. (Knowing that this bug is widely abused currently through all classes, so it may be fixed in 2.4.)

Now what we need is to make a well rolled

Ice Breaker

Ice Breaker
Amazon Bows
'IgnElqIgnGulVex'
Runeword Level: 100
30% Chance to cast level 60 Flamestrike on Kill
60% Attack Speed
15% Cast Speed
+(50 to 430) to Maximum Damage
-(11 to 15)% to Enemy Fire Resistance
+(172 to 200)% Enhanced Damage
(1 to 25)% Chance of Crushing Blow
Cold Resist +(81 to 100)%
Cannot Be Frozen

in a non superior IED base which is stag bow for ama, and amap flat phys damage/EWD form other gears/skills. Other gears are then easy to figure out.

Wind Runner

Wind Runner
Boots
'SilElqSilGul'
Runeword Level: 100
+(0 to 1) to All Skills
50% Attack Speed
10% Movement Speed
Adds 25-68 Damage
250% Bonus to Attack Rating
(12 to 15)% Life stolen per Hit
+(171 to 200)% Enhanced Defense

,

Strength Beyond Strength

Strength Beyond Strength
Gothic Plate (Sacred)
Defense: (8339 - 9198) to (10115 - 11157)
Required Level: 100
Required Strength: 675
Item Level: 120
1% Chance to cast level 36 Pyroblast on Striking
Adds 25-38 Damage
150% Bonus to Attack Rating
+50% Damage to Demons
25% Life stolen per Hit
10% Deadly Strike
+(172 to 200)% Enhanced Defense
1% Reanimate as: Random Monster
-5 to Light Radius
Socketed (6)

,

Ripstar

Ripstar
Ring
Required Level: 60
Item Level: 60
+0.5625 to Maximum Damage (Based on Character Level)
+20 Life on Melee Attack

,

Hammerfist

Hammerfist
Gauntlets (Sacred)
Defense: (1227 - 1450) to (1436 - 1697)
Required Level: 100
Required Strength: 625
Item Level: 105
Adds (1 to 15)-(20 to 30) Damage
5% Life stolen per Hit
+(15 to 25) to Spiral Dance
5% Chance of Crushing Blow
Weapon Physical Damage +(30 to 60)%
+(120 to 160)% Enhanced Defense
Elemental Resists +15%
Socketed (4)

,

Black Void

Black Void
Heavy Belt (Sacred)
Defense: (3060 - 3442) to (3304 - 3717)
Required Level: 100
Required Strength: 625
Item Level: 120
20% Attack Speed
Adds 10-15 Damage
(10 to 15)% Life stolen per Hit
Slow Target 10%
+(140 to 170)% Enhanced Defense
10% to Strength
10% to Dexterity
Target Takes Additional Damage of (25 to 50)
30% Magic Find
Socketed (2)

,

Trophy Hunter

Trophy Hunter
(Trophy Set)

The Conqueror
Idol of Fortune

Set Bonus with complete set:
Medals of Honor
(Based on Trophies)
+10 Life after each Kill
+1% Physical Resist
+5% Magic Find
+25 to Mana
+50 to Life

/

Helepolis

Helepolis
Spangenhelm (Sacred)
Defense: (2894 - 3192) to (3206 - 3537)
(Amazon Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Strength: 675
Item Level: 105
+38 to Maximum Damage
+(14 to 24) to Guard Tower
10% Chance of Crushing Blow
+(172 to 200)% Enhanced Defense
(21 to 30)% to Strength
Physical Resist 20%
(31 to 50)% Bonus to Defense
Socketed (4)

+

Dyers Eve

Dyers Eve
Amulet
Required Level: 100
Item Level: 120
5% Chance to cast level 5 Time Strike on Striking
+2 to All Skills
Adds 15-20 Damage
5% Life stolen per Hit
Elemental Resists +10%
Physical Resist (1 to 10)%

. It works better than the former 2 variants from my test: MO weapon with 15% CB, go java passives + curare, some Elq runes for more damage, GT from helmet with fortress relic or just split arrow relic if u can get one. Even u still go bow tree, it is also much better than the former 2 variants.