PvP Hybrid Bowazon Impale Amazon Guide

Hybrid Bowazon Impale Amazon Guide for PvP and PvM

PvP Rank: S Class / PvM Rank: B Class

Introduction

With huge improvements to Bowazons and Impale from a previous Diablo II update this Amazon build's potential has skyrocketed. Guided Arrow now buffs Multiple Shot damage and Multiple Shot now buffs Guided Arrow damage. You can also focus on your bow skills and still have 20 points left over to spend on Impale which is much better than Jab for PvP. With the reworks to Impale it now works similar to Smite because it can't be blocked, evaded, or interrupted by your opponents. Impale is often better than most melee builds in PvP that have a full focus on melee and you still have your bow to use as a powerful ranged attacking weapon.

Hybrid Bowazon Impale Amazon Skills

The top spot for PvP Amazons goes to the Hybrid Bowazon Impale Amazon which was majorly buffed in a previous update.

Recommendation: Hybrid Bowazon Impale Amazon

Stats: Enough Strength for equipment, enough Dexterity for maxed block (which also increases your bow damage), all remaining points in Vitality, 0 Energy.

Skill Points:

20 Multiple Shot

20 Guided Arrow

20 Impale

20 Critical Strike (with plus skills)

14 Dodge (with plus skills)

14 Avoid (with plus skills)

14 Evade (with plus skills)

1 Penetrate

1 Pierce (if you're making a pure PvP build this point can be skipped)

1 Valkyrie (Valkyrie is less important for PvP and should be saved for a high level)

All remaining points should be divided evenly into Dodge, Avoid, and Evade.

Hybrid Bowazon Impale Amazon Gear

Weapon

Grand Matron Bow Faith (Ohm Jah Lem Eld) - This is the best option for PvP because of its 300% increase to attack rating and it also gives up to level 15 Fanaticism which increases your attack rating, attack speed, and damage. It can also reach the fastest attack speed breakpoint with level 13 Fanaticism and the recommended increased attack speed equipment.

Weapon Switch (PvP)

Ethereal Titan's Revenge - Gives +2 Amazon Skills, +2 Javelin and Spear Skills, 30% faster run walk, up to 9% life leech, and very high damage as an ethereal weapon. This weapon replenishes its quantity which allows you to Impale in duels without worrying about durability loss. It's also possible to find a rare one hand javelin with replenishes quantity that is better than ethereal Titan's Revenge but ethereal Titan's Revenge is hard to beat. You should keep a Horadric Cube in your inventory for PvP to store a Call To Arms to prebuff with +7 to Battle Orders which greatly increases your maximum life. You can also optionally keep a Demon Limb weapon in your Horadric Cube for PvP for its level 23 Enchant charges which increase your attack rating and give added fire damage.

Weapon Switch (PvM)

Call to Arms (Amn Ral Mal Ist Ohm) - Gives up to +7 to Battle Orders which greatly increases your maximum life and it should be combined with a Spirit Monarch (Tal Thul Ort Amn) for another +2 to all skills for your Battle Orders.

Helmet (When Resistances Aren't Needed)

120/45 Artisan's Tiara of Speed - This high end option gives 30% faster run walk and has 3 open sockets for three high enhanced damage/15% increased attack speed jewels. The 45% increased attack speed on the jewels give the fastest attack speed breakpoint (95%) when using a Grand Matron Bow. You can get the remaining 50% increased attack speed from 20% increased attack speed on your gloves, 20% increased attack speed from a Cat's Eye amulet, and 10% increased attack speed from a Nosferatu's Coil belt.

Helmet (When Resistances Are Needed)

Kira's Guardian (Um runed) - Amazons often struggle with resistances so Kira's Guardian should be used in PvP when you need high resistances for up to 70% to all resistances (85% when socketed with an Um), 20% faster hit recovery, and cannot be frozen.

Body

Fortitude (El Sol Dol Lo) - Gives 300% enhanced damage, up to all resistances +30%, high life per level, 5% to maximum lightning resistance, and a 20% chance to cast level 15 Chilling Armor when struck which increases your defense.

Gloves

Hit Power Gloves - Hit Power gloves give knockback which is important. Look for a pair of Hit Power gloves with 20% increased attack speed, knockback, +2 to Passive and Magic Skills, mana leech, and resistances.

Belt

Nosferatu's Coil - Nosferatu's Coil gives 10% increased attack speed, 15 strength, and slows targets by 10%. This belt is required for its 10% increased attack speed for the 50% ias breakpoint with Kira's Guardian or the 95% ias breakpoint with a 120ed/45ias Tiara.

Boots

War Traveler - These boots give 25% faster run walk, 10 strength, 10 vitality, and 15-25 added base damage. These boots should be used when you don't need increased faster run walk boots for their added damage.

Feet Vs. Lightning & Cold Builds That Lower Your Resistances

Rare Tri-resistance Boots - Look for rare 30% faster run walk boots with up to 40% cold resistance, 40% lightning resistance, 40% poison resistance, and optionally faster hit recovery. As a budget option you can also use Natalya's Boots for 40% faster run walk, high defense, up to 25% lightning resistance, and up to 25% cold resistance.

Feet (When More Faster Run Walk Is Needed)

Aldur's Boots - Used for their high run walk speed, these boots give 40% faster run walk, 50 life, and up to 50% fire resistance.

Feet Vs. Magic Builds

Horazon's Legacy - Gives 30% faster run walk, strength, dexterity, cannot be frozen, and up to 30% magic resistance.

Feet Vs. Fire Builds

Infernostride - Use these boots against fire damage builds for 20% faster run walk, 30% fire resistance, and +10% to maximum fire resistance. Infernostride can be Up'd to Wyrmhide Boots in the Horadric Cube using a Perfect Diamond, Lem rune, and Ko rune.

Amulet

The Cat's Eye - This amulet is used for its 20% increased attack speed and 30% faster run walk which is important for Amazons. It has 20% increased attack speed, 30% faster run walk, 25 dexterity, 100 defense, and 100 defense vs missiles.

Rings

Raven Frost/Nature's Peace - Raven Frost gives up to 20 dexterity, 250 attack rating, 20% cold absorb, and cannot be frozen and Nature's Peace gives level 5 Oak Sage, up to 30% poison resistance, monsters rest in peace, and up to 11 reduced damage taken. Oak Sage is great for PvP because it's a recastable minion that greatly increases your maximum life.

Rings (Absorb)

You should switch to two Dwarf Stars which each give 15% fire absorb and 40 life when fighting fire damage builds, you should switch to two Wisp Projectors which each give up to 20% lightning absorb when fighting lightning damage builds, and you should switch to two Raven Frosts which each give 20% cold absorb when fighting cold damage builds.

Charms

You should use Hellfire Torch for +3 Amazon Skills, Annihilus for +1 to all skills, one poison damage small charm to cancel enemies' life regeneration, and max damage/attack rating/life charms. You should also switch some of your charms to resistance/life charms against opponents that lower your resistances. As an added tip, you can use Thawing Potions when fighting Cold Sorceresses for +50% cold resistance and +10% to maximum cold resistance and you can use Antidote Potions when fighting poison damage builds which includes builds that use Venom from Whirlwind Assassins and builds that use Grief which also triggers Venom.

Mercenary Type

Act 2 Might Mercenary

Mercenary Weapon

Ethereal Reaper's Toll - Gives up to 15% life leech and a 33% chance to cast level one Decrepify on striking. The Pride runeword is better for PvP but that shouldn't matter because using a mercenary in PvP is considered very bad manners.

Mercenary Armor

Ethereal Fortitude (El Sol Dol Lo) - Gives 300% enhanced damage, up to all resistances +30%, life per level, 5% to maximum lightning resistance, and a 20% chance to cast level 15 Chilling Armor when struck.

Mercenary Helmet

Ethereal Andariel's Visage (Ral'd) - Gives +2 to all skills, 10% life leech, -30% fire resistance, and 30 strength. Ral gives 30% fire resistance as a budget option but you can also eventually upgrade to a 30% fire resistance jewel with 15% increased attack speed.

Budget Mercenary Weapon

Insight (Ral Tir Tal Sol) - Gives up to level 17 Meditation which provides very high mana regeneration.

Budget Mercenary Armor

Duriel's Shell - Gives all resistances +20%, 50% cold resistances, life per level, 15 strength, and cannot be frozen.

Budget Mercenary Helmet

Tal Rasha's Helmet - Gives 10% life steal, all resistances +15%, and 60 life.

Note: Ethereal items don't lose durability on mercenaries.

Hybrid Bowazon Impale Amazon Strategy

The greatest strength of this build is that you can deal high damage in PvP from a distance while still having a powerful close range attack with Impale. With the changes to Impale it now deals much higher damage than Jab and it hits more often in PvP because it can't be interrupted, evaded, or blocked. Multiple Shot should be your go to skill for attacking players from a long distance when the opponent doesn't have very high defense. Multiple Shot is also preferred against builds with summons like Necromancers and Druids because Guided Arrow locks on to summons more often than players. Guided Arrow should be used as your ranged attack when fighting at close to mid range and when fighting high defense builds like Paladins and Barbarians. Overall, this build is one of the most powerful PvP builds in the game because it has a powerful ranged attack and a powerful melee attack on one build.

Hybrid Bowazon Impale Amazon Leveling Items

You can start off using Hsarus' Belt and Gloves once you are level 3 and have 30 strength for high defense and attack rating from Hsarus' set bonuses. Bane's Garments set should be switched to at level 8 for high damage, attack rating, and great set modifiers. You can add in Angelic Amulet and Ring once you are level 12 for high life and attack rating and you can switch to a Manald Heal ring for up to 7% mana stolen per hit at level 15. The Skystrike unique bow is a great early game weapon upgrade that can be used as early as level 28 for high lightning damage and low requirements. The Smoke (Nef Lum) body armor can be switched to at level 37 for an inexpensive starter runeword that gives 20% faster hit recovery and an easy all resistances +50%.

That's all for the Bowazon Impale Amazon Guide. You can check out more guides in the menu at the top of this page. Good luck!