So I got bored :D

Chrystin - Raging Tide

After over two years playing pure mag venos, HA venos, vit venoes, and LA venos, I was bored. So I decided to experiment with a DEX veno. Here's what I did ...

I put 1 STR, 1 DEX, 3 MAG every level until I had about 20 MAG. (This kept me viable for the first few levels, until I was able to put 1 STR, 4 DEX every level thereafter.)

Obviously my weapon of choice is a bow and alternately fists. I have a magic wand (quest award from lev 14), but use it only for passive veno skills. I have not upgraded venomous scarab and have not purchased any offensive casting skills.

With the Spirit saved from not purchasing skills, I've instead beefed up my pets. At the moment, I have a Glacial Walker, Shadou Cub, Petite Sawfly, and Mutant Whirler Turtle (which I've opted to level up contrary to all popular guidance). Each pet is outfitted with the same skills -- Bash, Flesh Ream, Pierce, and Boost (arrayed exactly this way on my respective pet skill bars. Most of the time Boost is the only healing necessary. In attacking, I click on either Flesh Ream or Pierce, which is followed automatically by Bash. With this one-two combination my pets have absolutely no problem holding aggro, which is important for the following reason ...

At level 30, with the level-22 Legendary bow equipped, I'm doing 500-600 dmg per shot, exclusive of crits (my crit is 7% at level 30). Typically, with level-30 mobs, I get off only 3-4 shots before the mob is dead. Grinding goes extremely fast, and as I suggested, a tap on the Boost button is generally all that's required between attacks -- mobs die so quickly they have little time to damage my pets.

I was a little concerned that I'd have trouble with mini bosses because of my much reduced healing capacity. However, I've thus far solo'd Charr, the Camelia Seed flying boss, Yensheng, Geezelot, Flora Fang, and the walking Dismal Shade with no problem whatsoever. Charr did get a little tight when 4 of the Cutless mobs decided to spawn next to me -- thereby forcing me to spam heal against those 4 and Charr simultaneously, but it was enough.

My main button bar is simplicity itself -- instead of all those offensive skill buttons, I have only the basic attack arrow. Other buttons are allocated for my magic sword, bow, and fists so that I can switch between them rapidly. I've robbed a DEX tome and MAG/VIT tome from my other alts and also placed these on the button bar so I might switch between them quickly.

Obviously, I have only the basic attack skill, which makes me a poor Archer; however, by selecting my pet skills carefully I can more than compensate. I don't need a knockback skill because my pets are more than adequate meat shields. Just the same, I plan on putting Earthquake (with a chance for knockback) and the silencing skill on my genie.

All in all, I'm sliding through the levels rather effortlessly. For instance, I was able to complete the 1-hour timed quest at the mines in just over 12 minutes. And mobs that usually run after they're hit can't because they die too quickly.

Manufacturing armor and ornaments has required much additional farming because I'm going for bonus MAG/DEX stats, which are not that common a combination. Later, I'll be able to equip Legendary Light Armor and ornaments that have this feature.

This has been a really fun build so far, certainly the most powerful veno I've had to date, from the perspective of killing things quickly, and I can't wait to continue my progression. While I won't be able to tank bosses, as on my pure MAG veno, this DEX build makes me a superlative DD'er.

Vitenka - Dreamweaver

I made an alt like this back when first testing the claw glitch. She's level 14 now and the lack of magic really starts to bite because she can't heal her scorpion at all at all.

I hadn't thought of using the self-heal skills, that may be worth a try.

Chrystin - Raging Tide

I understand, Vitenka. The reason I did the 1 STR, 1 DEX, and 3 MAG at first was so I could build up a 20 MAG minimum that would allow me to do basic heals. I think with 20 MAG and the level-14 wand you're only able to heal about 100 HP. The Boost skill, which heals 10% of total HP at skill level-2 is a real godsend. Boost has only a 10-second cooldown, so it can be applied fairly quickly. Normal heals also get to be a real hassle because I have to switch to the magic weapon, heal, then switch back again -- that's 3 clicks per heal; so, Boost is also important just for the efficiency factor.

I've been careful in my choice of pets too. The scorpion would normally be the obvious choice in a more conventional build, where a veno wants a high-damage dealing pet. Contrariwise, with a DEX veno it's the veno herself who's the damage dealer, while the pet's primary purpose is to act as a shield and provide additional damage. Therefore, my first pet was a wolfkin because of his somewhat higher HP.

Vitenka - Dreamweaver

That makes sense. I was afraid of stealing aggro with my more frequent attacks, and so wanted a pet that hit as hard and often as possible.

I may go back to playing around with this with your advice now.

BriarFoxy - Raging Tide

I really like your build I may try this myself. It's just a thought but it seems obvious that this build would not do well in PvP or TWs unless you can figure a way protect the Veno from 1-on-1 attack. Of course I think a Mag Veno would have a similar problem but I'm not sure because I really s^ck at PvP, PKing. But I guess that's a different realm of PW. I have long used the bow to lure mobs out of a pack or just to me, because I'm to lazy to go to them. It doesn't work as well as the pet vanishing trick against linked mobs but sometimes works better since the arrows don't do much damage, creating less argo. It work well with BMs and Barbs. Here is another thought; I just started building a Sin (4th main, to many) and noticed when I used even the basic bow I killed same Level (6) Mobs before they got to me I thought that might be worth experimenting with too. Also, I like to use tomes to pump my characters, sometimes where they are week and sometimes to give them an extra boost depending on what I need. It's not much sometimes but just enough to get the job done.

Aniella - Harshlands

:P if u bored of pwi..then play privat server..o.o not waste ur time on lvling chars

IlIuminous - Archosaur

Chrystin - Raging Tide wrote: »

After over two years playing pure mag venos, HA venos, vit venoes, and LA venos, I was bored. So I decided to experiment with a DEX veno. Here's what I did ...

I put 1 STR, 1 DEX, 3 MAG every level until I had about 20 MAG. (This kept me viable for the first few levels, until I was able to put 1 STR, 4 DEX every level thereafter.)

Obviously my weapon of choice is a bow and alternately fists. I have a magic wand (quest award from lev 14), but use it only for passive veno skills. I have not upgraded venomous scarab and have not purchased any offensive casting skills.

With the Spirit saved from not purchasing skills, I've instead beefed up my pets. At the moment, I have a Glacial Walker, Shadou Cub, Petite Sawfly, and Mutant Whirler Turtle (which I've opted to level up contrary to all popular guidance). Each pet is outfitted with the same skills -- Bash, Flesh Ream, Pierce, and Boost (arrayed exactly this way on my respective pet skill bars. Most of the time Boost is the only healing necessary. In attacking, I click on either Flesh Ream or Pierce, which is followed automatically by Bash. With this one-two combination my pets have absolutely no problem holding aggro, which is important for the following reason ...

At level 30, with the level-22 Legendary bow equipped, I'm doing 500-600 dmg per shot, exclusive of crits (my crit is 7% at level 30). Typically, with level-30 mobs, I get off only 3-4 shots before the mob is dead. Grinding goes extremely fast, and as I suggested, a tap on the Boost button is generally all that's required between attacks -- mobs die so quickly they have little time to damage my pets.

I was a little concerned that I'd have trouble with mini bosses because of my much reduced healing capacity. However, I've thus far solo'd Charr, the Camelia Seed flying boss, Yensheng, Geezelot, Flora Fang, and the walking Dismal Shade with no problem whatsoever. Charr did get a little tight when 4 of the Cutless mobs decided to spawn next to me -- thereby forcing me to spam heal against those 4 and Charr simultaneously, but it was enough.

My main button bar is simplicity itself -- instead of all those offensive skill buttons, I have only the basic attack arrow. Other buttons are allocated for my magic sword, bow, and fists so that I can switch between them rapidly. I've robbed a DEX tome and MAG/VIT tome from my other alts and also placed these on the button bar so I might switch between them quickly.

Obviously, I have only the basic attack skill, which makes me a poor Archer; however, by selecting my pet skills carefully I can more than compensate. I don't need a knockback skill because my pets are more than adequate meat shields. Just the same, I plan on putting Earthquake (with a chance for knockback) and the silencing skill on my genie.

All in all, I'm sliding through the levels rather effortlessly. For instance, I was able to complete the 1-hour timed quest at the mines in just over 12 minutes. And mobs that usually run after they're hit can't because they die too quickly.

Manufacturing armor and ornaments has required much additional farming because I'm going for bonus MAG/DEX stats, which are not that common a combination. Later, I'll be able to equip Legendary Light Armor and ornaments that have this feature.

This has been a really fun build so far, certainly the most powerful veno I've had to date, from the perspective of killing things quickly, and I can't wait to continue my progression. While I won't be able to tank bosses, as on my pure MAG veno, this DEX build makes me a superlative DD'er.

http://pwi-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=835062

Chrystin - Raging Tide

Aniella - Harshlands wrote: »

:P if u bored of pwi..then play privat server..o.o not waste ur time on lvling chars

Fact is, I have (played on private servers). Many of them provide all-class battle pets; so, a pure DEX veno has no particular advantage there.

So, as of today I'm level-45 and still going strong -- breezing through quests. Solo'd Tideborn Traitor, something a level-40, uncharmed archer probably would not attempt.

My genie now has Earthquake (with knockback) and I've also added Wind Prison, which give me a chance to silence melee targets. These were the two most valuable skills I could not replicate on my pets. Speaking of which, I added a 2nd Petite Sawfly and another Glacial Walker. To their skill sets I added Bash, Flesh Ream, Shriek, and Boost. Shriek will allow me to interrupt magic casters.

The level-45 quest-dropped bow was a nice addition, as I'm now hitting mobs for 1000-1300 dmg. In 5 levels I'll be able to equip Genl. Summer's Long Bow, which will give me another nice boost. I'd like to find a Penetrator Legendary bow, but they seem a rare commodity. So, I'll probably have to make do with the lev-50 bow until I can equip a Unicorn at level 70. Thereafter, I should have no problem acquiring good bows about every 10 levels.

BTW, I'm writing this as a kind of online diary of my DEX veno experiment. I don't think what I'm doing is any great accomplishment, nor is it anything that hasn't been done before.

Sarrafeline - Sanctuary

With good bows, you don't use anything but knockback and stunning arrow on an Archer. Pet takes care of those two anyway...

you'll do less damage than an equivalent level archer, bow vs bow, due to archer getting the burning hand buff. But, most archers don't get The Penetrator or Moonlight Bow (I looked for Moonlight Bow for MONTHS, then one fell in my lap, and shortly after, a second; The Penetrator fell into my lap by pure chance and for free).

I'd be interested to see how this build works at endgame.

threepointone

Pure DEX BowVeno ftw.

Velwine - Heavens Tear

That..sounds rather interesting. I might have to try that sometime.