The Viper-Sniper - Full Guide by THE_TERRORIST

[FWI]

FWI DID NOT WRITE, EDIT, OR REVISE ANY SECTION OF THIS GUIDE. THIS GUIDE HAS NOT BEEN EDITED, AND WAS POSTED WITH WRITTEN CONSENT OF ITS AUTHOR, THE_TERRORIST.


The Viper-Sniper - Full Guide by THE_TERRORIST


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The long awaited Viper-Sniper guide. Here it is.
Updated - 25/06/05 - Added more information to specific parts. Added reasoning to equipment choice.


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1. A Little About Me
2. The Viper-Sniper and Her Skills
3. Her Build
4. PvP Overview
5. PvP Stratagies
6. PvM Overview
7. PvM Stratagies
8. Questions and Answers
9. Leveling Locations
10. Legal Stuff


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-=1=-

As some of you know, I recently got hacked and my account stolen, but that doesn't mean I still can't produce working guides. I'd like to introduce my Viper-Sniper, she is a PvP based character (like all my guides) and she does very well in her field.


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-=2=-

Character Type: Assassin.
Character Specialties: Shadow Disciplines.
Completed Level: 78 (With all the +skills quests completed.)
Level of Usage: 10/10 (Hard to use, but really fun. Recommended for those who like pimping unique builds.)
Cost of Character: 9/10 (Depends on weather or not you use charms in your inventory. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to use charms because this character receives much skills and stat points from the charms.)

This is a fun character and takes full advantage of the Assassins "Shadow" tree. This is BY FAR the most underrated Assassin skill tree. Basically, you will shoot high damaging poisoned arrows at your opponent and let them have it.


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-=3=-

I will be using some shortened words during this part. Items with a little star (*) beside them can be replaced and suggestions are at the bottom of the section.

Socketed: #OS (the # will be replaced with a number)
Enhanced Damage: ED
Strength: STR
Dexterity: DEX
Vitality: VITA
Energy: ENG
Life: +L
Mana: +M
Items Adding Skills: +Skill(s)
Faster Hit Recovery: FHR
Faster Cast Rate: FCR
Resistances to All: RES ALL
Resistances: RES
Damaged Reduction: DR
Statistic Points: STAT(S)
Faster Run/Walk: FRW
Increased Attack Speed: IAS
Upgrade Uniques: UP
Knockback: KB
Ethereal Items: ETH

Helmet: Perfect Kira's Guardian /w Perfect Poison Facet (Really nice but underestimated helm)
*Necklace: Cat's Eye Amulet (It's stats are amazing for a bowazon, and you're no diffrent, your a bowasin.
Weapon: Widowmaker Ward Bow /w Nef Rune (KB from Nef is very useful. This weapon gives you "Guided Arrow" which is usually an Amazon attack, now you will use it with your amazing shooting speeds from Burst of Speed and your high poison damage from Venom)
Armor: "Bramble" armor runeword (This gives you about 1k of your damage, don't start dueling without it)
Belt: Verdungo's Hearty Coil (VIT, DR. Don't use Arachnid's Mesh because FCR doesn't affect trap laying, IAS does)
*Ring 1: Ravenfrost (+20 DEX is required)
Ring 2: Ravenfrost (+20 DEX is required)
Gloves: Trang-oul's gloves (helps your damage as well as your COLD RES)
*Boots: Shadow Dancers (Helps your damage once again, these have a high STR requirement so make sure you calculate the +STR you get from items)
*Weapon Switch 2: 2 Bartuc's Cut-Throat's Claws

Necklace: Cat's Eye Amulet and Highlord's Amulet are both viable choices. Choose the one that you see fit. (I recommend Cat's Eye Amulet.)
Boots: You can also use ETH Sand Storm Trecks, but the STATS you put into STR will pay off, not to mention your +STR items.
Ring 1: If you have a 20 STR/15 DEX or a 20 DEX/15 STR ring then use that for 1 of the rings, but keep 1 Raven Frost. It gives you some cold absorb and other nice mods.
Weapon Switch 2: You can also use +3 Shadow Discipline Claws, if you have any.

Inventory:

10: Shadow Disciplines Grand Charms with either +STR as a second mod or +DEX.
9: +5 RES ALL small charms with either +STR or +DEX mods on them.
1: Annihilus

STAT points are to be despenced in this manner:

STR: Enough for your gear
DEX: Enough for your bow
VITA: Rest of your points here
ENG: Nothing here

SKILL points are to be despenced in this manner:

(PRE REQUISITS)

1 Fire Blast
1 Blade Sentinel
1 Claw Mastery
1 Weapon Block
1 Psychic Hammer
1 Cloak of Shadows
1 Shadow Warrior
1 Fade
1 Blade Fury


(USED SKILLS IN COMBAT/PASSIVE)

20 Venom
20 Blade Shield
20 Shadow Master
20 Burst of Speed
1 Wake of Fire


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-=4=-

This character is amazing for PvP. She is stealthy and unexpected and runs INCREADIBLY FAST! When your Assassin says "They'll never see me coming" she means it. You will be using Guided Arrow from the Widow Maker to make all your hits hit and you will use Wake of Fire for it's amazing stun length. Before a duel, stand beside Akara, prebuff, and talk to her to gain your mana back.

By this point you should have:

Over 1k health without Battle Orders from the "Call to Arms" runeword.
3.3k Poison over 0.4 seconds (3k as a minimum)
300 or so mana
Amazing running speeds


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-=5=-

I will list some common builds and some strange ones you might fight and how to protect yourself against them.

Whirlwind Barbarians: Run and shoot. They tend to have amazing poison resistances so be aware. This is one of the hardest matches.

Hammerdins: Oh noes. These guys are harder then barbs, since most of them have 75 or more resist all. I've only faught against my friends hammerdins, I won most of the fights, they where hard since you do little damage, but it's not impossible. Assuming they don't Auto Aim, run as far as you can and spam Guided Arrows in their direction. If they get too close then run around unpredictably (meaning if there teleporting towards you and your running in a line without changing course, their going to teleport infront of you and spam hammers) so run around in zig zags and shoot them once in awhile. This is one of your hardest fights.

Zealots: Take 'em out before they charge you. Your KB will do wonders and their crap resistances are no match for you. Some tend to charge, which can be difficult but your KB will hold them back, and your poison is more then enough to take them out.

Bowzons: They also have low resistances. 1-2 arrows should finish them. Some could have higher life because there Vitality-Amazons, but they still have resistances in the negatives, this should be abit difficult, but nothing you can't manage. Just make sure you stay behind objects on the field, try to get her stunned (you don't have too, when I dueled them I just shot them) and shoot them with your venomed-arrows.

Bonemancers: Well, most tend to use Bone Shield, but why does that matter, Bone Shield doesn't get rid of 4k Poison Damage over 0.4 seconds, does it?

Trap Assassins: The cowards build. Easily the worst PvP character ever, no skill is required. Just run from their traps and use the environment to your advantage. Now these guys can be difficult because they have Fade, but since most of there items go towards trap damage and not resistances, Fade won't help too much. They also tend to have 1.5-2k life without Battle Orders (runeword "Call to Arms") so with it they would have around 3.5. Remember, the bushes in this game stop attacks and arrows (yeah, it's kind of funny) so use them too your advantage.

Wind Druids: Eeek, here's a toughie. Assuming you're public dueling, lots of people like to Auto Aim (automatically positions their character above yours and casts the spells) and will be a hard fight. They will tele-walk around you and spam Tornados. Try to keep your distance and try to target the druid, and not their monsters. They will go down easy if you can actually target the Druid and not his summons.

Auradins: Heh, what a joke. Just stay far enough and shoot a couple arrows. If they charge you just KB lock them. Easy ears, here.

Smiters: The smiters I found where relitavely easy. The do charge and smite lock you, so be careful. Once again KB will hold them off while some of your powerful arrows finish them off. Poison will own them.

If you want strats against anymore build types post here and I will revise and add them!


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-=6=-

I don't recommend this character for PvM AT ALL! She can bearly do act 1 nightmare, if she can even do it.


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-=7=-

If your Baal running, just stand back and leech. The occasional physical immune comes along and thats when you really shine .


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-=8=-

Q: What affects traps, IAS or FCR?
A: IAS, all traps are affected by IAS. If you get FCR then all you're doing is making your prebuffs (which you do in town) go faster.


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-=9=-

Levels 1-5: Blood Moor/Cold Plains
Levels 6-15: Tristram Runs (Red portal in Stony Field. Consider doing many of these runs.)
Levels 16-24: Tomb Runs (You may also cow from level 20-24, but I find this more effective. Consider doing many of these runs.)
Levels 24-25: The Ancients Quest (Act 5, 2nd last quest in normal.)
Levels 26-42: Normal Baal Runs
Levels 42-43: The Ancients Quest (Act 5, 2nd last quest in nightmare.)
Levels 44-65: Nightmare Baal Runs
Levels 66-67: The Ancients Quest (Act 5, 2nd last quest in hell.)
Levels 68-99: Hell Baal Runs

This is what works best for me. You can also "glitch rush" and do hell Chaos Sanctuary runs to get from level 1-70 with ease.


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-=10=-

This guide is the property of it's owner THE_TERRORIST and now property of Diabloworld (now known as RPGForums). Please do not use it without my consent. RPGForums is the birthplace of this guide. If you wish to use it, please ask me. Do not modify it. If you have questions feel free to ask them.

[chocofilez]

NIce guide.Keep them coming. i think i might try it after that druid . also,what should i put any extra skill points in should i choose to lvl some more?
Also sorry to hear about your account.

[Pandaren]

man, this guide looks tight. i want to try it so bad...

[little-cheeze]

i this guide but im just 2 god damn lazy

[Zoltar]

Not a bad giude. Not bad at all.
You sir, get a spot in the Guide Sticky.
Pm me if you want the reward points.

Looks like its already up there. Ok. Who bumped it?

[Pandaren]

Originally Posted by Zoltar567

Looks like its already up there. Ok. Who bumped it?

Wasn't me:wavey

[[[[Rextasy]]]]

Good guide!

I am currently level 77 and doing like 950-1,250k damage still working on it :hbut pretty tough though

[Pandaren]

yeah i tried it and it is not that godly actually.

[little-cheeze]

really how so?

[Dragnskull]

well, one big mistake:

"zons have negative resistance"

mine has max and thensome...

[little-cheeze]

ur zon prolly get pwnt by melees

[SmileZ]

Very interesting but id just rather use my ww sin