This guide concentrates on building an ice bowazon while using Phoenix Grand Matron Bow. Two main setups are recommended, the Phoenix Bow, or even the Ice Bow, but there are also other options readily available for those who prefer different items and skills. The play style is comparatively simple:

1. Stay safe: You’re a glass cannon who can’t withstand greater than a couple of attacks. Being caught inside a mob is guaranteed death. Stay back and clear before you decide to move ahead.

2. Use your immobilization first: Freeze the monsters first, then quickly strafe them down. This is your edge on the traditional bowazon, enabling safer farming, and also the ability to consider full glass tank builds.

3. Your Valkyrie is the tank, use her wisely and consider leveling her given you don’t require investment in many damage synergies. Your mercenary will add additional support.

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The Build

Key facets of this build include having 100% pierce (with 1 hard point into the Pierce skill), high attack rating, strong dual leech, and good IAS, especially when we take into account our Faith Mercenary.

Glass Cannon Build Stats

This is a Glass Cannon Build that focuses solely on Dexterity for those attribute points. Any points put in Vitality shouldn't exceed 50. You shouldn’t receive a hit, but could consider adjusting this to prevent getting one-shot by stronger monsters (think empowered Stygian Doll)

Attribute

Investment

Strength

Enough for gear (this should be 0 with Enigma)

Dexterity

All remaining 

Vitality

None

Energy

None

The Skill Tree

Skill

  

Freezing Arrow

20 (Your primary Damage skill)

Cold Arrow

20 (Your only Damage synergy)

Strafe

10+ (A powerful spell that will quickly proc on hit abilities once you’ve frozen monsters in place)

Valkerie

1+ (This is your main tank and decoy considering you are using an A1 merc who will stand back)

Penetrate

10+ (This is a useful passive to boost your mob clearance speed)

Critical Strike

1+

Pierce

1 (as required to reach 100%)

All Other Passive Skills

1+ (Given your low skill investment requirement for your primary damaging spell, you have some autonomy to invest in the passive tree as you see fit, defensive options are a strong choice given you’re a glass cannon).

Optimal Items (Phoenix Build)

Slot

Item

Notes

Weapon

Pheonix +3GMB

350-400ed, Redemption Aura, 14% mana leech

Helm

Giant Skull

2x 15% ias jewels (enhanced damage or other mods) Knock, 30 strength & 30% IAS

Gloves

Lavagout

2% Chance to cast Level 10 Enchant, fire damage, fire resist & 20%IAS

Belt

Razortail

15Dex, 10 to Max damage & a flat 33% increase to Pierce chance

Boots

Cow Kings

30% FRW, added fire damage, 20dex, 25% mf

Armor

Enigma 

+2All Skills, 45%FRW, Teleport, 5% more life, and Strength to hold items

Ring 1

Ravenfrost

Up to 20 Dex, Attack rating and "Cannot Be Frozen"

Ring 2

Bul Kathos Ring

+1 All Skills, more life and 5% Life Steal

Amulet

Seraphs Hymn

+2 All Skills, +AR & % Damage versus Demons & Undead

Switch

Call to Arms

Up to 6 to Battle command and Battle Orders

Shield1

Lidless Wall

+1 All skills and has low strength requirement

Shield2

Spirit Monarch

+2 All skills and has 156 strength requirement, only consider if using Enigma

Inventory

Anni / Torch / Cold Sunder / Gheeds (optional)

Small charms that should be considered:

Elemental Damage + Life
Life + Res
Res + FHR
FHR + Elemental Damage

Here are a handful of Alternative Item Suggestions, they have strengths and weaknesses which I will outline.

Item

Pro's

Con's

Weapon

Ice Grand Matron Bow: Enhances Cold Damage, lvl22 Frost Nova on striking, 20%IAS.

Lacks mana leech and Redemption Aura but provides significant Cold Damage. 

Armor

Chains of Honor: Nice Resistances and 20 strength. Strong Defensive option.

Fortitude: More resistances, added life and a massive 300% enhanced damage.

Missing FRW and huge boost to your strength (which enabled you to equip gear at low to no strength investment), taking away your dex and thus damage. 

Helm

Shako: Solid defensive option. 

Nightwings: Viable with Ice GMB.

M'Avina's Diadem: Cheap option with a lot of IAS

Shako: Missing IAS
Nightwing: Missing IAS and only compatible with Ice

M’Avina’s: Missing Strength

(Note: None of these helmets have knockback).

Amulets

Maras: +2 Skills, Resistances and +5 All Attributes.

Highlords: +1 Skill, 20% IAS, 35% light resistances. 

Cat's Eye: 30% faster run walk, 20% IAS and Dexterity.

Metalgrid (Amulet): Resistances, +400 attack rating and Iron Golem charges.

These options lack the huge boost to AR and boost to demon/undead which dominate important areas like the Chaos Sanctuary, or Worldstone Keep. 

Gloves

Laying of hands: 20% IAS, 350% enhanced damage to demons and Fire Resistances.

Draculs Grasp: 20% IAS, Life Tap, Life Steal, Strength.

Great options but lacking the enchant that Lava Gout offers. 

Boots

Gore Riders: Preferred choice of many. Shadow-dancers: 30%frw and 25dex.

Slower FRW and high strength requirement with Shadow-dancers.

Mercenary

It is recommended to make use of a Rogue mercenary with Cold Arrow along with a Faith bow with preferably, an advanced Fanatacism aura, plus an Ethereal Fortitude armor for resistance and damage. For the helmet, make use of a Ral'd Ethereal Andy's Visage.