LAST EDITED ON 04-14-01 AT 07:26 AM (PDT)For a pure mageazon, doomslinger is indeed the penultimate weapon with piercing, +1 skill and requirements that can be fulfilled at level 10 (40 str, 50 dex).
However, IMO it is incorrect to say that speed is unimportant. Having played THREE baroness mageazons to 50+ with some slight variance in speed and skills, it is clear at hell difficulty that the extra speed involved in throwing out the IA and FA can make a difference in efficiency and safety.
Cold duration is hardly a problem for me. Using an 11 sec eye for each zon (passed on from one to the next), it is more than sufficient when coupled with the duration from ice arrow. Even my first mageazon with lv1 ice arrow could freeze sufficiently (although only barely vs certain oblivion knight bosses).
An amazon have spare points? My zons only start having spares at level 60! 20 in IA, Val and either Ice or FA, but that's just me!
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and referring to the original post,
There is another variety to mageazon play, the use of double bow (or even -40% ckns) for extra damage boost. Which is why some people use non-piercing bows instead of doomie since 6-12 physical damage is a bit pathetic at times!
And in the first place, the way you can make my mageazon give up her doomie is for me to find a double/ckn with the following:
: increased attack speed
: +2 amazon skill
: greatly enhanced damage
: -40% requirements
: +cold dmg (hopefully)
Mirri 64 mageazon
refer to Lok's Mageazon Manual or Ice's Mageazon Strategy for more details