[Guide]The Bown Charmer

[Fozzie]

It is, but mostly for it's secondary abilities, so the base skill can be kept at one point leaving 11 points free that are better spent elsewhere.

[Irma2]

The piercing damage addition of Marksmanship is flat damage which doesn't get boosted by attributes. So it's of questionable value especially later in the game. The +% projectile speed is fairly useful but, with +4 skills, your single point in Marksmanship becomes a +70% increase which is enough for my tastes.

By all means boost Marksmanship if you have the points. But I don't find it essential for my bow builds.

[zimfurry]

Great guide! I got a Clvl 43 bown charmer at the end of Act I in Epic so far. But I've been wondering about what useful items like armor you should get your hands on as you go? Since I feel like I can't find anything decent, I'm going around with lvl 25-30 armor looking like an idiot and taking too much damage. Looking forward to Legendary though!

[Irma2]

You're actually right in the zone for one of the best and most common unique armours in the game, Rhesus' Whitewashed Armor. If you can find that, you're set. My Bown Charmer found one in Epic and is still using it in Act IV Legendary.

Failing that, farm the Gorgons for either a Veteran's (if you want better defense) or Juggernaut's (if you want more damage). The Queens drop those two affixes very commonly. You can also get them at vendors but I think your chances are greater with the Queens. Also check their helms for Hallowed, which they also drop often. And then, of course, their MI cuffs aren't too bad either...

[zimfurry]

Thanks alot, really helps me I consider myself really underpowered when I saw you had only 1 measly death... By the end of normal I had 32 Am I possibly doing something wrong?

EDIT: I started getting all those deaths late Act IV

[Irma2]

Don't worry about the death total. If you're fairly new to the game, you can expect to die a lot, especially in Act IV. When looking at my death total, you need to factor in that I've played 50 toons through Normal and almost as many through Epic too. With that amount of practice, it's natural that you pick up tips and tricks to avoid deaths.

Do you have experience of playing archers in Action RPGs? The general technique is that you kite a lot. In short, that you shoot enemies while they're moving, then move while they're shooting (ranged) or swinging at you (melee). If you plant your feet and stand still, trying to kill enemies but allowing them to hit you in the process, you'll often come off second best. Ideally, you need to be avoiding hits while dishing them out.

Take a look at this Typhon video if you're unfamiliar with the technique. It works the same for any enemy. Attack when they move, move when they attack. Do that effectively and you will limit your number of deaths greatly.

[zimfurry]

Oh I'm familiar with archers, but it seems like I suddenly find myself taking tons of damage, which makes me realize how bad I am at kiting :P I don't usually play archers or casters, I like it upclose and personal, so I think it's me having a bad habit of thinking "come at me bro, I'll take you on". I've played the game for about 6 months now Still just as great as when I first got it :P

[Irma2]

Oh, heh, switching from melee to ranged requires a sea change in mindset too. When you don't have a shield, your health bar suddenly seems to shrink by a few inches.

[zimfurry]

So true :P The best defense now is OP offense.

[i6uuaq]

I have just bought and installed TQ:IT, as well as fanpatch 1.17a.

Seeing as I finally have access to Act IV, I'm thinking about going to find me a Bramblewood and maybe Rhesus' Whitewashed armor.

Can I just double check where exactly I should be farming those? I know I need to kill frogs to get Bramblewood, but do I need to kill normal frogs or epic frogs?