For the thread in d2r forums, i can't answer there for some reason, i figger'd i'd copypasta the answer here. Actually good inspiration, i might actually just make one next season!! Instead of the poison+daggerzon. Just figger out how to cope with mana issues right from the beginning.
Speaking Mavina set-wearing frost - or hybrid-maiden?
Compared to a pure physical bowazon - I guess a Javazon will ALWAYS be superior in a strictly PvM setting?
Im talking 1-3 players in Hardcore.
*edit: also compared to a demon machine sorc - which is also on the table as my next try.
M'avina will clear nightmare and early hell relatively easy, and is very fun to play. But will struggle with tougher monsters in hell, and especially on higher player settings if sp.
It does though depend on the merc, if you use infinity, obviously will do much better - i personally don't like that combination, i like going hybrid. Insight+prayer or insight+might, because having almost infinite mana is such a relief to the flow of gameplay. And to me, using pots is amateurish.
As written, i like hybrid best. You may not deal too much physical damage, but for his purpose, i use strafe, and atma's scarab. It may not proc very often, but with high pierce, and high attack rating, arrows will hit and pierce relatively often, thus increasing the 5% chance. And when amp prox, you deal much better damage.
If you choose to use infinity or any other than insight, using this strategy to leech mana is essential. You need a high mana pool.
The ice runeword though, with optimal gear, you will deal both insane cold damage and decent physical damage too, and it's probably the funniest build for me. Just freeze and crash almost any monster pack. The visual effect is super cool (no pun lol). If there is a downside, it is when you have to prolong fire, you will run out of mana even with 400+mana and insight+prayer, after 10-15 seconds, so then you have to pot or strafe to leech. But .. i guess that's how it is with almost any mana costly build. So it's not that much of a downside.
Getting bosses against a wall too, is cool, you get 2 x freezing damage when arrows pierce. But still, things do die quite fast.
Lower resist wand on switch, of not using atma's, is a choice as well, against bosses or strong monster packs. Instant +30% cold damage.