to start, ill edit this at some point in the future.
might as well put it in, maybe a repost to amalgamate everything together elusive?
Strategies:
Bowazon vs:
I'll start by saying:
except for vs tele druids i dont use multi at all.
glitch/switch is when you switch from bow slot to titans+shield very fast repeatedly (helps cause desync).
Cold sorcs (to a lesser degree, bowa's) are without a doubt the one opponent that you could need over 350 arrows against.
I always stat lvl 1 valk.
At start of all duels, try to get as many free hits in as you can. Sometimes you will kill an opponent even before they enter your screen.
so without further ado:
FC Zons / Rabies Druids / Fury Druid / Assa Kicker
Frw is key. Titans setup, you want to be able to run as fast as the FC zon/Raby Druid. this means circ 30frw, boots 30-40frw, mavina/tg, dusk armour (no frw penalty) and about 60frw from scs'. You dont want to duel in wide open spaces, I found squaring to be the easiest way of dealing with them, or running along walls. Turn and shoot a few arrows after turning some walls (dont hide behind a wall, they can hit you from there!). An alternative setup (less reliable) is to wear pure damage gear (3.5k ga+ / 4k+ lightfury from rare javs) and hope you hit your opponent before he/she gets to you. I dont recommend this, you will win more using frw. if you cant outrun your opponent, as soon as they enter your screen, switch to jav and spam light fury until one of you is dead.
Bowa Zons.
Make sure you have at least 900 life, or are wearing a string, otherwise you could get 1 hitted. frw is not needed here (but some playstyles use alot of frw). when in doubt, walk, on shield slot. try to always know where your opponent is (this helps to avoid being invisi'd) some rep life helps. damage, passives, life, and alot of practice. tip : rushing a good 49 amazon will usually get you killed. I usually switch to shield if a zon enters my screen (with rare javs you can 1 hit host of them.) tip:Try to have a valk out for the entire duel, if you know how to use it, it will win you duels.
WW barb.
I found 2 ways of dueling 49 WW barbs. FRW setup and Damage setup.
FRW Gllitch-Switch . Use 120 (bow)/150 (titans) frw, practice with it, and the barb will have a hard time figuring out where you are. If he has alot of frw it will be harder but the principal still applies. If your about to get hit, switch to shield+walk. with practice you shoudl get alot better in these duels.
Damage Setup- use rare stygians eth rep with 300+ed. with over 4.5k damage this really hurts a barb. Since your not using titans you wont desync as much. you should be walking for 50% of the duel. You cannot tank a good 49 barb, so dont try. If the barb misses the ww and its going (far) away from you, switch to bow and fire in his direction (dangerous to nl him).
vs NL WW Barbs (considered BM), i.e. a barb that exclusively uses nl, always walk, fire light fury's at him and then run for it. You should then switch to walk and fire blind at where the WW'ing barb should be comnig from. As soon as you hear the sound of your shield blocking a hit, switch to run and repeat the process after 1 - 2 screens.
vs tele Barbs (considered BM). A good Tele barb will own you. As simple as that. He does not even need a shield. If he knows how to teleport properly you have hardly any chance. Good Luck vs these.
Some tips : spam GA's, loan up on frw, switch to shield+walk if you think hes about to tele on you (and spam light fury). A poor tele barb you might beat, but not a good one.
Fire(ball) Sorc
This is one of the hardest matchup's for a bowazon. To be succesful vs a good one you need +max res, either Waterwalks boots or a Nokozan amulet. Not worth using a dwarf star with either. (waste of a rare ring that would benefit your build more). You need to have full res, I even have +30 res on top (not including anya) just in case the sorc uses facets. I strongly recommend you use titans vs a fire sorc for grlitch/switch. never stand still (unless the sorc cant aim). I hae have some success running in a semi circle around the sorc. Try to change direction, shoot 2-3 arrows, run, change direction, shoot 2-3 arrows, repeat. If the fire sorc lets you shoot more then 3 arrows at you, without you moving, its a poor firesorc. the more life you have vs fire sorcs, the better.
I wont put in any other type of fire sorc here. Hydras used to be used by some 49's years ago but the build has disappeared from europe.
Blizzard Sorc
2 option:
(a)FRW+7fps+damage. if you move fast enough the sorc will have a very hard time in hitting you. dont bother trying to namelock a good blizzard sorc (that def whores), just fire at where you think the sorc will be. if you do not stack res you will probably die in 1 hit (vs good blizz sorcs).
(b)Stacked res+7fps+rep life+frw. with over 200 stacked res, 1 raven and some rep life, it will take 7+ blizz's for you to die. use the same strat as above. if a def whore sorc, i would recommend a rep life shield (dol dol dol).
Orb Sorc
I use stacked res in my normal setup, try not to get stuck in dodge animation, keep moving. try 7fps instead of 8fps if you are getting stuck (or vice versa, depending on your own playstyle).
Light Sorc
Without Thundergods you will lose alot of these duels. Always have a valk out (to take the TS hit) and at start have a decoy out as well. Try to never tank a lightning. if you know your opponent is about to lightning, move, then shoot. These duels are usually pretty fast.
Fissure Druids
These are free kills. they cant do much vs multi + ga. The good ones have alot of frw and damage. just treat them with care and you should be OK.
Bone Necro
I found that on pure damage setup (4k) necro's no longer became a problem for me. with 3k GA there are different types of duels vs a necro. It all depends on if they use Prison, Prison and walls or just walls.
If using neither prison or walls, the duel is pretty easy. just run into their screen, shoot ga's , run from spirits, fire ga, repeat.
If using prison and walls, keep the necro at a distance, close enough to see the spirits to dodge them and far enough not to be prisoned.
If using walls, use a combinating of the above.
Light/Fire Assa
Frw is key, rep life helps and always use titans. use glitch switch if caught in a MB/trap combo and run out as far and as fast as you can. try to ensure the assassin does not namelock you.
not many fire assa's.
Paladins
All paladin builds are hard for a bowa. If its Foh you need alot of stack (200+) if its a Hammerdin you need to learn where to run/walk avoid tele hammerdin. At the end of the day a 49 paladin just has to charge you to kill you. Ways to have a better chance at winning these duels include :
using the terrain (get them stuck on a puddle and namelock their ass, works well vs hammerdins especially as they are running away). Try shooting from across a pond vs a paladin, another nice way for free hits.
using Dr. always use a string, you could try using a gaze or a shaft as well.
rare stygians instead of titans.
walk, dont run, or learn to run/walk safely.
switch between shield an bow and get out 2 arrows, switch back and light fury. (tricky!)
the more life the better.
ill edit this again at some point in the near future.
This post was edited by ferdia on Nov 19 2008 03:21pm