TABLE OF CONTENTS
Bowazon Introduction & Overview
The Bowazon is amongst the most popular D2R builds and a highly effective one against mobs and bosses as well. If you enjoy missile builds, doing PvP, or farming high density areas, it is definitely a build you will enjoy. The Bowazon uses Multiple Shot, Strafe, and Guided Arrow for attacking, and is able to kill enemies from screens away. You will be able to solo the entire game as you deal damage from multiple sources and should not have problems with immune monsters. The build is also hardcore viable in the right setup.
The Bow Amazon build is adjustable for Magic Finding, and is an ideal Terror Zone, Cow Level, Travincal, or high density area farmer. However if your goal is Boss farming, there are better builds available. It has decent survivability, and can deliver up to 7k damage per arrow. Bowazons are viable ladder starters, and are quite efficient even in budget gear. Playing them is very beginner friendly, all you need to do is just spam shooting skills. There are very few Physical Immune monsters in the game, so you will be able to farm any area.
Bowazon Pros and Cons
Pros
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Cons
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Bowazon Gameplay
Playing solo: You will be able to solo the entire game as you can deal multiple types of damage and should not have problems with immune monsters (You can use Magic Arrow or Freezing Arrow or to deal with them). Gameplay is easy and beginner friendly, you just run around and shoot from a distance. By wearing +% maximum resist items and not running into the middle of monster packs, you will be able to play this build on Hardcore. Your run speed can be super fast, and in case you have an enigma Teleport can also be used for movement. You will be able to deal with Uber Diablo, but clearing Uber Tristram will be very challenging. Use a Demon Limb at the beginning of each game to cast an Enchant on yourself in order to increase your attack rating. Have an Act2 Might aura mercenary, and if you can afford it, equip him with a Pride ethereal Polearm, preferably Thresher. Bowazons are highly versatile, java-bow hybrid options are available, while you can also utilize skill points on your cold damage or fire damage dealing Bow and Crossbow skills.
Playing in a party: In endgame gear once you wear a Faith bow your whole party can benefit from it’s fanaticism aura, and by having a Pride runeword on your mercenary you can also provide Concentration aura to further boost physical damage. Needless to say, you will be a popular member of your party. Gameplay is the same as when soloing. If you have a Call to Arms switch weapon, you can further boost your popularity by providing Battle Orders for party members.
Playing Hardcore: At Hardcore make sure to use walking instead of running to preserve your defense. You should consider putting your spare skill points on Passive skills such as Dodge and Avoid. Pre-buff yourself with Demon Limb and Call to Arms, and wear %life and %mana stolen per hit gear for quick life and mana recovery such as Dracul’s Grasp and String of Ears. Consider wearing an ethereal upgraded Guardian Angel, or an Upgraded Hotspur boots and a Thundergod’s Vigor belt. Stay away from bigger monster packs, and always attack from a distance.
Bowazon Breakpoints
Note: Each second in the game consists of 25 frames or “ticks”. Your breakpoints decide how many frames it will take until you can attack/cast a skill/recover from a hit/ block a new hit.
Faster Cast Rate
- If you wear an Enigma and want to teleport to bosses, have at least 14% FCR (17-frame breakpoint). Extra FCR will help a lot, as you will reach further breakpoints at 22%, 32%, 48% and 68%. Switch to your Call to Arms+Spirit setup for increased casting speed when teleporting.
Faster Hit Recovery
- Aim for at least 32% FHR (7-frame breakpoint). 52% and 86% FHR are the next breakpoints, you can consider trying to achieve them.
Faster Block Rate
- You won’t need any additional FBR as you won’t be using a shield.
Bowazon Skills
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Bow and Crossbow Skills
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Passive and Magic Skills
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Javelin and Spear Skills
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Skill notes: There is big versatility for bowazon skilling. You can put points on Dodge and Avoid to boost your survivability, but you could also max out your Fire or Cold damage dealing Bow and Crossbow skills and use those for attacking. Java-Bow hybrids are also possible, you can use Plague Javelin as your java setup and max it out along with its Poison Javelin synergy.
Bowazon Stat Points
Strength
Allocate enough Strength points to be able to wear your gear.
Dexterity
Allocate enough Dexterity points to be able to wear your gear.
Vitality
Put all your remaining stat points on Vitality once you are able to wear your gear.
Energy
Don’t put any points on it.
You can re-stat your character by the quest reward of Akara’s Act1 Den of Evil Quest, or by using Token of Absolution.
Bowazon Mercenary
Generally you should have an Act2 Might Aura mercenary with a Pride runeword weapon to boost your damage. If you prefer Windforce as your weapon, you can also have an Act1 Freezing Arrow mercenary which helps with crowd control, and by putting a Faith runeword bow on it, you get the added benefits of the Fanaticism aura.
Bowazon Item setups
Ladder Starter Hammerdin Gear
Helm: 3 socketed helm with 3*15% Increased attack speed jewels
Amulet: Any amulet with +skill or + all resistances / The Cat’s eye / Atma’s Scarab
Weapon: Witchwild String socketed with 2 Shael runes
Switch Weapon: none
Shield: none
Switch Shield: none
Body Armor: Peace / Treachery
Belt: String of Ears / Nightsmoke / Razortail/ Rare belt with +resists or +life
Rings: Raven Frost/ Manald Heal / Rare or crafted dual leech rings
Gloves: Rare or Magic gloves with +20% IAS and other useful stats (+Bow and Crossbow skills is best)
Boots: Waterwalk / Rare boots with 30% FRW +resists
Charms: Any charm with +skill, life, resist or FHR will help
Notes: Aim for 75% all resistances. You can use magic and rare items in any of your gear slots, and can also use them for your Mercenary.
Mercenary Gear
Helm: 3*Perfect Diamond socketed helm
Body Armor: Any useful rare body armor
Weapon: Insight Polearm
Advanced Bowazon Gear
Helm: Andariel’s visage (Socket it with Enhanced Damage / Increased attack speed jewel) / Magic Circlet with 30% Faster run and walk and 3 sockets (Socket it with Enhanced Damage / Increased attack speed jewels)
Amulet: Highlord’s Wrath / Atma’s Scarab
Weapon: Faith Grand Matron Bow with +3 to bow skills / Windforce socketed with Shael
Switch Weapon: Call to Arms
Shield: none
Switch Shield: Spirit runeword Monarch
Body Armor: Fortitude Archon Plate / Enigma Archon Plate
Belt: String of Ears / Razortail
Rings: Raven Frost, Rare of crafted dual leech ring
Gloves: Dracul’s Grasp / Magic gloves with +20% IAS and +3 to bow and crossbow skills / Laying of Hands
Boots: Gore Rider
Charms: Annihilus, Hellfire torch, Gheed’s Fortune, Small Charms with @all resistances, life, faster hit recovery, attack rating, defense, maximum damage.
Mercenary Gear
Helm: Andariel’s Visage or Crown of Thieves (preferably ethereal, socketed with Ral/Um rune)
Body Armor: Ethereal Fortitude or Treachery armor
Weapon: Pride runeword in an elite two-handed ethereal Polearm, preferably Thresher
Magic Find Bowazon Gear
Helm: Harlequin Crest Shako (Socket it with Ist rune)
Amulet: 40-50% Magic Find amulet
Weapon: Faith Grand Matron Bow with +3 to bow skills / Windforce socketed with Shael
Switch Weapon: Call to Arms
Shield: none
Switch Shield: Spirit runeword
Body Armor: Enigma Archon Plate
Belt: Upgraded Goldwrap
Rings: 2*Nagelring
Gloves: Chance Guards
Boots: War Traveler
Charms: Annihilus, Hellfire torch, Gheed’s Fortune, Small Charms with 7% Magic find (and also @all resistances if possible)
Mercenary Gear
Helm: Andariel’s Visage or Crown of Thieves (preferably ethereal, socketed with Ral/Um rune)
Body Armor: Ethereal Fortitude or Treachery armor
Weapon: Pride runeword in an elite two-handed ethereal Polearm, preferably Thresher
Hardcore Bowazon Gear
Helm: Crown of Ages (Socket it with 2*Ber rune)
Amulet: Metalgrid
Weapon: Faith Grand Matron bow with +3 to bow skills
Switch Weapon: Call to Arms
Shield: none
Switch Shield: Spirit runeword
Body Armor: Ethereal Upgraded Guardian Angel socketed with Zod rune
Belt: String of Ears
Rings: Raven Frost, Rare or crafted dual leech ring with resists
Gloves: Dracul’s Grasp
Boots: Ethereal Sandstorm Trek
Charms: Annihilus, Hellfire torch, Gheed’s Fortune, Magic Small Charms (with +all resistances with +life or +faster hit recovery)
Note: Aim to overprotect yourself for situations when you get cursed with spells such as Lower Resist and Amplify Damage or get under an effect of an aura such as Fanaticism or Conviction.
Mercenary Gear
Helm: Andariel’s Visage or Crown of Thieves (preferably ethereal, socketed with Ral/Um rune)
Body Armor: Ethereal Fortitude or Treachery armor
Weapon: Ethereal Doom runeword in an elite Polearm base (preferably Thresher)
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