If starting a new run solo, focus on skilling critical strike until level 11 and later 16, and 3-4 points in multishot. Focus on maximizing physical damage. When reaching level 30, skilling valkyrie becomes important. If you manage to gear up properly, switching to strafe is optimal. Harmony at level 39 is a huge upgrade and will be optimal through nightmare and can be used early hell.
As someone here mention, melee zon is actually both fun and viable from the start. Critical strike makes it viable. Using a dagger makes for quick strikes, and having a shield increases survivability. I've done that earlier seasons in hardcore and survived until nightmare, didn't die, quit out of lack of time. Swords with shield on zon is not viable, since the block breakpoints are very slow with a sword. It can be used, but it will hurt killing speed. Using the lowest block % shield possible, and using the shield only for defense, resists and other boosts, and not strictly for blocking, can make it more viable with a sword.
Actually, it goes for all 1 handed weapons with zon, except dagger type weapons. But it is not completely beyond redemption:
https://diablo.fandom.com/wiki/Faster_Block_RateFrames: 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Amazon 0 13 32 86 600
Amaz (1h wep) 0 4 6 11 15 23 29 40 56 80 120 200 480
This post was edited by Taurean on Jul 9 2022 02:51pm
D2:R