Crits Ultimate ZvA/ZvZ Bowzon Guide
To start, I’d like to say that I’ve played this game on/off for a very long time and I have always played bowzons. I’ve dueled a lot of pubs and worked my way up the ZvZ ladder on D2jsp to rank #1, which I’ve held for a long time vs. some very good opponents. I have tried countless different builds and ideas, and I am still testing new ones, but in my opinion, this is the best ZvA/ZvZ build. This zon is capable of owning ZvA and ZvZ, only some gear needs to be switched while the inventory can remain the same. Good luck.


skills:
20 guided
5 multi
1 strafe
20 avoid
20 critical strike
18 evade
7 dodge
1 penetrate
1 pierce
1 jab
1 light bolt
1 fury
Rest: 1 to Decoy/Valk or Dodge (Up to you) or Dodge


Stats:
put enough strength to wear gear, enough dex for max block with titans/stormshield on switch, and rest in vita


Charms:
I have 80@res(without anya Q) and 180frw(with titans out)
so my inventory is:
10x 3/5
9x 20/5
12x 3/3/20
6x 3/20/20
torch + anni
(Any combination of the sc's that gives you 180frw/80@res will work)
You should end up with around 2k life ZvA, 2.2k ZvZ


zva gear
AP fort
Faith GMB
Eth upped titans
Stormshield with 15@ res/-15req jewel
war travs
20ias/knock back gloves (Bonuses(in order of importance): 2pass/res/rep life/dex/str)
nos coil belt
30frw/45ias/120ed helm
cats eye amulet
Ravenfrost + ar/20str/15dex/life/life rep/res/etc (get the best you can)


zvz gear (fort and nos coil are bm)
160/60/100 life armor
Faith GMB
Eth upped titans
Stormshield with 30ed/8dex/-15req jewel
war travs
2pass/20ias/str/dex/life rep/res gloves (dont need knock-back)
Verdungos belt
2zon/30frw/2os helm socketed with 2x 40ed/9dex jewels
highlords amulet
Ravenfrost + ar/20str/15dex/life/life rep/res/etc (get the best you can)


Stash Gear (optional): 20sorb whisp, Pvm ring with mana leech, hotspurs, kiras(15ias/30cold res jeweld), Tgods, diamond or matriarchal faith if you want to hit max ias with fort/sorb gear.

Other gear: Diamond Bow Faith - Some people like diamond bow faith, personally I think GMB > Diamond because of the chance to do high dmg + crit strike, and the fact that gmb does more avg damage than diamond.
CTA – If you have 2k life, then a cta’s bo will only give you maybe 800 life, imo having titans/storrmshield to survive melee chars, fury, and block other attacks is much better than the 800 extra life. You could also put a CTA in a cube in your inventory and swap it with your titans for BO prebuffs. I personally don't like to do this, but it is an option. Be sure that other players agree to prebuffs before the duel too or this could be BM.


Strategy:
General: You always want to run with your shield out, and try to never get hit with your bow out!
Most FRW chars are very easy for you because you run faster than them, just run to keep distance and shoot ga/multi/fury. except desynching pallys.
When possible always try to namelock your opponent. Click their name with right click and hold it, so you can force all arrows to go after them even if they’re off screen. This requires guided arrow to be on right click and multi on left. I highly recommend switching your keys to this.
A Pro trick - Fury is on right click, namelock fury an opponent. when they run, hit a hotkey for the skill "unsummon" then hit "w" to switch weapons and keep your opponent on namelock with gas now coming at them.

Amazons (Javazons) - Frw Javas are easy, just run and shoot ga/multi/fury til they die
Tele javas are really hard, try to spawn chilling armor and don’t sit still long. Run and shoot ga/multi/fury
Bowzons(ZvZ) - you'll have to practice alot, everyone has a different style and skills. Develop good all around ZvA skill.
(Bowzons –ZvA)For pub bowzons, use multi up close, ga from far, and rush them with javs and fury them to death, most bowas are dumb and will keep shooting bow at you while you fury them.
(Plague zon)- Do not get poisoned and you should be good, just ga/multi/fury

Assassin (Trap) - When you're namelocked, run and hit "w" fast to wsg(weapon switch glitch) get off their screen and off their namelock, then shoot ga's/multi from far and fury when they get close to you. repeat as necessary
(Assassin Whirlwind) - Shoot ga/multi from far, and while they're ww'ing around you keep on the move to avoid getting hit and just keep furying them. If you get hit with your bow out, you’re done.

Barbs (WW - FRW) - you better ez them. Just run to keep some distance and shoot ga, but mainly fury.
(ww - tele) - These are a little harder. NEVER get WW'd with your bow out. Ga from far, and fury when they get close. When they start ww'ing, run around so its hard for them to get you and constantly fury them. It will take some time, but you can win.

Druid (Windy) - These are really hard. Multi from far to kill their spawns. When they get close I like to strafe to kill oak and other spawns. Then pull out javs and fury them. Stay on the run and keep some distance. If they get on top of you then you have to move fast.
(Druid Melee) - these are ez. Run and ga/multi/fury

Necro (Bone spear/spirit) - these guys are very hard too. I multi from far and strafe up close to kill golem and their bone armor. From there you want to keep on the run and ga them. Mix in some furys too.
(Poison nova) - these are easy, you'll dodge the poison nova few times at which point you need to namelock the necro and ga them.

Sorc (Fire/light) – Run around and Ga/multi them. These aren’t too hard. Use hotspurs/whisp if necessary
(Sorc Cold) - Maxblock blizz sorc's are very hard. For good cold res you need a kiras(w/ 15ias/30cold res) and 2x ravens for good protection. I dont like to switch gear so I just take my chances and run ga/mutli from far. Don’t sit still if you think you're in their blizz range.

Paladin (Smiter/Charger) - These are hard, just run, when you get some distance, turn and get off as many furys as possible. You can ga too, but dont stand still too long because they will desynch and kill you before you see them.
(Hammerdin) - these are ez. Just keep on the run. They’ll try to tele on you and hammer you quick, anticipate when theyre going to tele on you and move right when they get there or before, and get off as many ga's as u can. Repeat
(FOH) - If they’re strictly FoH, then stand there and ga/fury them, depending on distance. You will dodge a bunch of FOHs and your res/life is good enough to take a few hits. You should out-tank them and win.
(Auradin) - some are just ridiculous, but for the most part, run and try not to get conviction aura'd. Shoot gas or furys and try to tank them.


I cannot take full credit for this build, I have received many ideas from many friends along the way, just to name a few @JSP's: LOLRagezzz, Heid, Mew, Irmule, SwanoW, Jajaboo-Po, bvdlord and others


I hope you enjoyed, pm me for any questions or opinions. Arelax @ D2JSP

This post was edited by Arelax on Feb 7 2010 12:45pm

@CTA usuage: Why not just cube BO? Let's you use Arachs, 2 sojs and maras to buff it too.

cause buffing is bm. crits here is a gm zon.

No, cube buffing is typically gm on East. Any form of pre-buff that involves the stash is bm.

/e of course ZvZ is the exception though, I mean vs all.

This post was edited by Tails chao on Feb 7 2010 12:26pm

i call that BM, but you can use a cube/cta and buff items if u like ofc. I dont like running out into moor and putting on all that shit before every duel.

Ok, but for example, why not just put on CTA before a duel and not the +skill gear? That hardly takes any effort, and it gives a considerable life bonus. Since Amazons don't have a ton of advantages in the first place, a considerable boost to how effective you perform that's gm should be good, no?

you can, you'd have to take off some 4x 3/20/20's for the cube, but then u still have to swap the titans/cta in cube and bo, then switch back. I personally just hate doing this kind of stuff before every duel. In pubs it gives ppl too much time to jump you, and in 2v2, 3v3, etc someone else can probably BO you.

You can totally do this, but I personally dont like to.




this too

This post was edited by Arelax on Feb 7 2010 12:32pm

buffing is taking off your main gear to put on other gear to cast an effect on you you otherwise wouldn't have with main gear correct? Hence, pre-buff.

There's a place called CP. Incase it's been guarded (which sometimes happens in pubs ), you have a bunch of other waypoints.

You can also BO just out of town, in case no one is townguarding.

This post was edited by sevlo on Feb 7 2010 12:34pm

Ok, so you do acknowledge it as an option. My suggestion would be to list that as an option in a guide re-draft (if you make one) since not everyone realises you can do that, but that's just what I would do.

I dislike buffing on all chars except zons, 4k life is too sexy to give up ahaha ^_^. But you're right on TvT, utterly useless there.



Yes, but it's considered gm unless it's ZvZ or you are pre-buffing from the stash.