Amazon Builds -- Mist Bow

I'm getting ready to craft a Mist Bow for my Amazon. But I have two types of five socket bows available. One is a

Shadow Bow that does 15-59 damage, the other is a

Reflex Bow that only does 9-19 damage, BUT it has +2 all Bow Skills. Which one would be the better one to use for my Mist Bow and why?

Between those two options I would pick the +skills over base damage and attack speed. Each increase to skills provides a larger return (generally speaking) than base damage alone--depending on the skill and math behind it. The two you have are close enough in attack speed that I don't think it would be a major factor.

Really, though, I'd probably farm cows or the pit for a better zon base. Since Mist is a 5-socket rune word, you can take any decent 5 max white bow and use a

Larzuk quest on it.

Matriarchal Bow or

Grand Matron Bow would be ideal.

Aye, you want to build this in a +3

Grand Matron Bow

cristobal03 wrote: 2 years ago

Between those two options I would pick the +skills over base damage and attack speed. Each increase to skills provides a larger return (generally speaking) than base damage alone--depending on the skill and math behind it. The two you have are close enough in attack speed that I don't think it would be a major factor.

Really, though, I'd probably farm cows or the pit for a better zon base. Since Mist is a 5-socket rune word, you can take any decent 5 max white bow and use a

Larzuk quest on it.

Um, what?

We're comparing an elite base with a normal base. Why would you waste a level 67 runeword in a normal weapon base when this runeword is actually supposed to be used as a weapon?
But yes, the answer is to keep farming for a better base.

Snakecharmed wrote: 2 years ago

cristobal03 wrote: 2 years ago

Between those two options I would pick the +skills over base damage and attack speed. Each increase to skills provides a larger return (generally speaking) than base damage alone--depending on the skill and math behind it. The two you have are close enough in attack speed that I don't think it would be a major factor.

Really, though, I'd probably farm cows or the pit for a better zon base. Since Mist is a 5-socket rune word, you can take any decent 5 max white bow and use a

Larzuk quest on it.

Um, what?

We're comparing an elite base with a normal base. Why would you waste a level 67 runeword in a normal weapon base when this runeword is actually supposed to be used as a weapon?

Was making a generalization (unresearched), which in this case turned out not to be true. +Skills is more effective than base damage for a lot of builds. But, as I said, it doesn't have to be a choice in this particular situation. Just farm a better base. Or buy one, if you can; some are selling for

Perfect Gems.

cristobal03 wrote: 2 years ago

Between those two options I would pick the +skills over base damage and attack speed. Each increase to skills provides a larger return (generally speaking) than base damage alone--depending on the skill and math behind it. The two you have are close enough in attack speed that I don't think it would be a major factor.

Really, though, I'd probably farm cows or the pit for a better zon base. Since Mist is a 5-socket rune word, you can take any decent 5 max white bow and use a

Larzuk quest on it.

thank you.

Snakecharmed wrote: 2 years ago

cristobal03 wrote: 2 years ago

Between those two options I would pick the +skills over base damage and attack speed. Each increase to skills provides a larger return (generally speaking) than base damage alone--depending on the skill and math behind it. The two you have are close enough in attack speed that I don't think it would be a major factor.

Really, though, I'd probably farm cows or the pit for a better zon base. Since Mist is a 5-socket rune word, you can take any decent 5 max white bow and use a

Larzuk quest on it.

Um, what?

We're comparing an elite base with a normal base. Why would you waste a level 67 runeword in a normal weapon base when this runeword is actually supposed to be used as a weapon?

Untitled-2.png Untitled-3.png

But yes, the answer is to keep farming for a better base.

Untitled-4.png

Geeze, that

Grand Matron Bow is incredible. Thanks

Get yourself a

Grand Matron Bow, and if you have any available

Larzuk sockets then it doesn't have to have sockets.

Larzuk will always give a GM bow 5 sockets.

I traded an

Eth 4os

Giant Thresher for a Superior 15ED +3 GM bow with 5 sockets.

Follow this link to see if there are any trades you can acquire.

search.php?keywords=Grand%20Matron%20Bo ... mit=Search

This is the Mist I made with the GM bow I acquired.

cristobal03 wrote: 2 years ago

Was making a generalization (unresearched), which in this case turned out not to be true. +Skills is more effective than base damage for a lot of builds.

Just to adjust (and correct) that generalization a bit:
Excluding certain very few exceptions, +skills is the superior choice for builds that simply do not rely on weapon damage (casters, javazons, ...) whereas for those that do (most barbs, most bowzons, really most phys builds plus a handful of others...) weapon damage and even off-weapon +dmg will far, far outweigh a few measly skillpoints.


As for the actual topic:
While I'd personally recommend to use neither and trade the runes for something better than the sadly underwhelming RW that is Mist, if you do for some reason really want to go with Mist, it depends a little bit on how you want to use it. If for your merc, go with a +3 GMB. If for yourself then depending on the build (and attack speed need), either +3 GMB or +3 Matri. The

Reflex Bow is a complete waste no matter what. Shadow actually used to be the top choice for A1 merc bows up until they were changed to be able to use zon bows.
The only reason to even consider either one is if you're SSF and simply don't get anything better. Though even then a few cow runs should fix that. But if you play online, both, 5s +3 GMBs and Matris are more than cheap enough to get no problem. Both currently available for

Um or less on NL and around

Lem on L:
search.php?keywords=(matron|matriarchal ... mit=Search

mhlg wrote: 2 years ago

Get yourself a

Grand Matron Bow, and if you have any available

Larzuk sockets then it doesn't have to have sockets.

Larzuk will always give a GM bow 5 sockets.

I traded an

Eth 4os

Giant Thresher for a Superior 15ED +3 GM bow with 5 sockets.

Follow this link to see if there are any trades you can acquire.

search.php?keywords=Grand%20Matron%20Bo ... mit=Search

Oh damn, did I understand correctly. So as long as I give

Larzuk a

Grand Matron Bow, he will ALWAYS turn it into a 5 socket bow?

Schnorki wrote: 2 years ago

cristobal03 wrote: 2 years ago

Was making a generalization (unresearched), which in this case turned out not to be true. +Skills is more effective than base damage for a lot of builds.

Just to adjust (and correct) that generalization a bit:
Excluding certain very few exceptions, +skills is the superior choice for builds that simply do not rely on weapon damage (casters, javazons, ...) whereas for those that do (most barbs, most bowzons, really most phys builds plus a handful of others...) weapon damage and even off-weapon +dmg will far, far outweigh a few measly skillpoints.


As for the actual topic:
While I'd personally recommend to use neither and trade the runes for something better than the sadly underwhelming RW that is Mist, if you do for some reason really want to go with Mist, it depends a little bit on how you want to use it. If for your merc, go with a +3 GMB. If for yourself then depending on the build (and attack speed need), either +3 GMB or +3 Matri. The

Reflex Bow is a complete waste no matter what. Shadow actually used to be the top choice for A1 merc bows up until they were changed to be able to use zon bows.
The only reason to even consider either one is if you're SSF and simply don't get anything better. Though even then a few cow runs should fix that. But if you play online, both, 5s +3 GMBs and Matris are more than cheap enough to get no problem. Both currently available for

Um or less on NL and around

Lem on L:
search.php?keywords=(matron|matriarchal ... mit=Search

Thanks that good info. Yeah, it's for my own Bowazon. I primarily use

Freezing Arrow as my primary attack and immolation as my secondary/change up, whenever they're immune to cold.

Bernhardiner wrote: 2 years ago

mhlg wrote: 2 years ago

Get yourself a

Grand Matron Bow, and if you have any available

Larzuk sockets then it doesn't have to have sockets.

Larzuk will always give a GM bow 5 sockets.

I traded an

Eth 4os

Giant Thresher for a Superior 15ED +3 GM bow with 5 sockets.

Follow this link to see if there are any trades you can acquire.

search.php?keywords=Grand%20Matron%20Bo ... mit=Search

Oh damn, did I understand correctly. So as long as I give

Larzuk a

Grand Matron Bow, he will ALWAYS turn it into a 5 socket bow?

As long as it's a White letter or superior with no sockets yes. In fact

Larzuk is the only way to add sockets to a superior item. If you checked out my link you should see a number of easily obtainable GM bows. A thought. The Mist is a much better physical bow than many give it credit for.

Here's a link to a 15% ED superior with no sockets. He's asking for a

Vex but I think he will go lower, because 5 sockets is the only number that can be added to the bow. So if you have and

Um,

Mal, or

Ist to trade he will probably accept one of them. Just remind him that 5 sockets is all the bow will ever have and that limits the number of possible runewords.

trade/grand-matron-bow-t1234211.html

Bernhardiner wrote: 2 years ago

Yeah, it's for my own Bowazon. I primarily use

Freezing Arrow as my primary attack and immolation as my secondary/change up, whenever they're immune to cold.

Considering your choice of skill, are you sure you want to blow the runes on a Mist? Seems like a complete waste to me.

Freezing Arrow and

Immolation Arrow are skill-based in terms of their damage. Unlike magic, cold and

Fire Arrow which convert physical damage to elemental, freezing and immolation could not care less about your physical damage output. As a result, ED on your bow is pointless as is the

Concentration aura on Mist.

I get not going for Ice immediately, seeing how that one isn't exactly cheap..but Mist feels like a waste of runes in terms of an interim solution. I'd consider something cheap yet nearly as useful like Lycander's for the interim while saving up for Ice.

If you do still want to go for Mist for some reason though, the skill choice definitely narrows down the choice of bow. You don't want Mist on your merc because that's just pointless (no benefit for you from

Concentration, A1 merc dmg still fails either way..). If anything, you want it yourself. And since with those skills you really only gain from IAS and +skill, you want the fastest base with skills. I.e. a +3 matri bow.

Just cleaned Hell with Mist cold + physical Bowazon
P3 should be ok. It is not bad if you don't care about rocking P8.

PS: no torch yet. She is lvl 74.
So lucky with my roll.

I used a Mist in ladder (the image above) with good result, even in multiplayer games. I was doing a Hell Chaos run with 4 other people. A Barbarian got slain in the

River of Flame just before the

Chaos Sanctuary. I got completely surrounded trying to help him while the Barb unable to assist looked on. The leech was so effective that I eventually carved down the entire mob, the Barb recovered his body. We made it to the Sanctuary, opened a waypoint, and cleaned it.

I can see a benefit to the +3 to bow skills along with the +3 to all skills. This bow will not only boost cold and or fire skills, but unlike Ice it will also do a good amount of physical damage.

I rolled a 12/375 Mist (on the Nth try) on a superior +3/15ED GMB base.

I use it on my main character while my merc is using Faith. My off hand is a

Windforce. I prefer Mist to

Windforce because it is a lot more balanced and WF gives up a lot of quality attributes for only raw damage.