Starting to make a heavy build veno...

It would be best for you to follow the magic build until you level up to 100 and restat at that point. It is very possible to restat sooner but the easiest way to go is to wait until 100.

The big fact about HA build is that it generally requires 6 attribute points per level while we only gain 5 thus requiring gear that gives a lot of stat bonuses. The general consensus is that during the lower levels such gear is not widely available or easy to get unless you're lucky to find good ornaments or start out with a very good tome that offers a lot of +stats.
I repeat, it is possible and proves an interesting challenge but if you want to go with the easier and, probably safer, way I'd say wait until higher levels. If lvl100 is too much, you could try to go for the levels and gears suggested in Rei's HA build guide.

The links in your posts are, unfortunately, quite outdated. Rei's guide is still useful, especially if you want to try HA at earlier levels but once you're at lvl100 you'll probably want to focus on a single gear set (at least for the beginning).

Ornaments at higher levels (eg. Cube Necklace, Warsong belt) usually offer good magic defences (provided decent refine level) so that you don't have to wear a mixture of HA and AA. In fact, wearing a mixture would be a bad move since you'd lose set bonuses thus you'll want to keep the full set up. Some people do choose to make an arcane set but this would depend on your budget, how much you can farm etc. but for the start it would be better to make a good set instead of have two crappy sets, in my opinion.

As I stopped playing a HA venomancer, I have no example of build to show you but I'm sure other HA venomancers will comment and give you some advice/examples.


Regarding pets, I usually suggest a tank pet regardless of build but it can be a cheap one such as the Glacial Walker.
A Harpy would probably compliment you, not only because it attacks from range but also because it deals magic damage and if built towards attack (through pet evolution) it would "compensate" for your lower magic damage.
A Phoenix is also a good DD pet and it can also work as a PvP pet if you decide to try PvP later. I very much like the Harpy so I'd probably suggest the Harpy over the Phoenix.
Darjan's Hatchling at lvl 101 is a good DD pet and is free, albeit you need some luck to tame it as it's a rare pet.
To me pets are irrelevant to the player's build because I'd always advice to go with a tank pet, a good DD pet, an air pet, a water pet and perhaps a debuffer pet (debuffer could be a DD pet too). Legendary pets will usually cover the air/water needs.

Oevrall, I'd advice you to get pets that can evolve at lvl100. If you don't know these pets you can visit the pet page on ecatomb.net
Whilst all pets can be decent at low levels, when you approach endgame they become less effective and there's a considerable gap between pets that evolve and pets that do not evolve, if not for the additional defence/attack then it's for the additional 3 skills (max 7 skills vs. max 4 skills).

For the rest I'll leave it up for current HA venomancers to comment as my knowledge has a limit due to not playing HA anymore.

Being HA isnt as easy as it was just a few weeks ago. Mostly cause of the +10 orbs I guess.. But people still hate all venos so, so its hard to be either type anyways

For level 100 theres not really that many options. For PvE a traditional aps set with magical ornaments is good enough. Tho full G16 would be preferred if you cast alot. Magic swords gives the best melee dps, while patakas might be better for casters. Having a budget really would help tho.

My buikds are:

Farming - Aps set for bosses, g16 armor for mobs. Jones blessing
Instances with squads: G16 with lunar tm cape. Jones blessing
PvP: G16 armor, O'Malleys blessing.
Pet summoning: Full g16 AA, DoT shards, Jones blessing

My build as a Heavy Armored veno is costly. I don't regret it a bit, though, because it makes my playstyle a tone more fun. Sure, the damage is ehh, but who can argue with a veno who's ability is to stay alive when the squad wipes, to keep the boss from resetting while everyone revives and rebuffs? Or even worse, when in NW, you get aggro from the melee players, literally, and they kill themselves on your bramble?

HA is frowned upon by some, people question my build all the time, saying they can one shot me and stuff. I've yet to see them prove it. Someone in my own fac said I didn't know how to play my class because I don't use my pet to tank. Pets as tanks are outdated when you get to 100 anyways, save for the cs pets. Now these people have a lot of talk, but when they see me in action, they eat their words.

My pets? I mainly use a nix that... believe it or not... is tougher than I am. It's got all the buff moves. HP, DEF, MDEF, and ATK. Then a def lvl buff. Its attack is about 8k per hit on mobs my lvl. Still gotta give it the base skill scrolls to get even better buffs. It may not have any spike damage skills or debuffs, but unlike most pets, it's a low maintenance pet that you can forget about and its life will outlast its buffs. Although it's tanky, and although I will use it to tank when I'm up against something lvl ?, its damage is way too good to pass up. I have other pets for debuffs and crowd control, but it's my main.

Now as for my build- It's slightly dated, but you'll get the idea.

http://pwcalc.com/69d94507b4e359b1

My refines could use some ups, I have NO shards, but that's all water under the bridge. My stats are centered so cleanly that I don't have to wear +stat orns to wear my armor, meaning I can use my endgame orns. All thanks to the tome. You might get lucky with stats on a G16 weapon, but mine's ****. And I'm just a few stats away from hitting over the 300 mark on both str and mag, which will help a bit.

The HA build isnt easy and its not difficult to mess up stats so you have to plan it out. I started planning my HA veno at about lvl 15 and didnt get her stats right till about 75(had to restat). I play a more defensive style focusing on my armor rather than my weapons which is rather uncommon and some might call it stupid but its a fun build. As desdi said, your stats will have to be made up in gear, and that will take luck and patience. as for my stats i have my dex at 55,str 215(225 with proper belt),mag 210 or so(220 with proper belt), and my vit at 15. I cant remember the names of the belts i use right now but i will edit this later when i am done with the update. just remember as soon as you show you are not an AA veno people will start to pretty much insult you most of the time for having a "fail build". the solution to that is show them you can murder people and most will respect the build.