Character Classes Amazon - Class Overview History - Hailing from a small island in the Twin Seas, the Amazons of the jungle are a force to be reckoned with, and have been underestimate by far too many opponents throughout the history of their existence. These female warriors, shrouded in mystery and devoted to discipline, are as dangerous as they come. Their isolated, little-known culture has built up over time around their tropical environment, allowing themselves to discipline themselves in the ways of their ancestors under some of the most difficult conditions Sanctuary has to offer. It is because of this that, when these women leave their home to hunt outside their borders, they are more than prepared for combat. Long ago, the oracles working within the ranks of the Amazon peoples fortold the Dark Exile, and the Coming of the Three. For this reason, the Amazons regard themselves as the key to destruction of the Three Prime Evils, Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal. Since the time of the original visions of such a time, Amazons have been preparing for battle, training in their jungles, and making contact with the Kingdoms of the West, Westmarch, and the Jungles of the East, Kejhistan. Their knowledge of the Great Sea, alongside an uncanny ability to construct seacraft allowed them to do so years before any hint of the coming of Darkness. Throughout this time and even today, Amazons consulted their gods, each of which holds up a portion of Order. Their prime religious idol, Athulua, who consorts with Kethryes, rule over the six seasons of Sanctuary, and create the weather. Under these deities are a horde of lesser gods, each of whom control their own area of the Amazons' daily life. The main belief is that this system of gods are the immortal souls of those who originally inhabited their island centuries before their arrival. According to records found deep within a cave located somewhere on the island, the names of the inhabitants match the names of the gods who have spoken to their oracles. Women make up the large part of the Amazons, but what most do not know is that their are men in their culture. Although these men are much more attuned to agricultural work, government operation, and keeping their camp safeguarded, the Amazon women are the main warriors, as their slim body structures allow them to move much more quickly through the forests of their homeland. Role - As with any ranged unit, the Amazon's main role is to pick off enemies at a safe distance, utilizing her uncanny ability to enchant arrows to deal out larger increments of damage than normal ranged weapon-wielding fighters. Although ranged combat is her main form of attack, the Amazon is also able to hold her own in close combat, utilizing an array of melee skills to add large amounts of damage to her pikes or other polearms. In a group, the Amazon is the scout, the perimeter defender, and the warrior on the outskirts of the chaos during a battle, firing her arrows and throwing her spears into the fray in hopes of taking down a hapless beast involved in the carnage. Strengths and Weaknesses - As can be expected with any class based around ranged combat, the Amazon can deal a large amount of damage in a short amount of time without ever coming within range of physical harm of a Barbarian or Paladin. With her wide range of magical add-ons for arrows and spears, the Amazon is unmatched in instant alteration of her type of attack. As dangerous as she can be with ranged attacks, she also has the dexterity and strength to amount to a formidable opponent in close combat, dealing out a surprising melee attack with her various polearm abilities. As for weaknesses, the Amazon shares in the problems of ranged combat, although she does have quite a nice backup in her ability to fight in melee battles. Mainly, the Amazon has problems with faster, sword-and-shield wielding opponents such as the Paladin, who can easily close the distance between himself and the Amazon, dealing a deadly amount of damage on contact. Most Important Attribute - Above all else, dexterity. The ability to land hits rapidly and without missed attempts is vital to survival against ranged or melee-based opponents. With a larger amount of dexterity, attack rating increases, meaning far more hits per given number of attempts, and a larger amount of damage in a shorter amount of time. Beginning Attributes - Strength - 20 Dexterity - 25 Vitality - 20 Energy - 15 Stamina - 84 Hit Points - 50 Mana - 15 Level Bonuses - Per level you gain when using an Amazon, the following bonuses are applied to your character's statistics. It is because of these bonuses that the Amazon is best-utilized with excessive amounts of vitality. Vitality - 3 Life, 1 Stamina Energy - 1.5 Mana Life - 2 Added to Life Orb Stamina - 1 Added to Stamina Bar Mana - 1 Added to Mana Orb Weapons and Armor - The Amazon has several weapons, item sets, and unique items that are battle-ready and attuned to her ranged needs. These weapons and armor are functional in all difficulties. Weapon Javelin Spear Bow Crossbow Armor Light Plate Item Set Arctic Gear Hsaru's Defense Iratha's Finery Vidala's Rig Unique Tarnhelm Goldskin Silks of the Victor Frostburns Stone of Jordan Eye of Etlich Hellclap Blastbark Ichorsting Doomslinger Prefixes Wyrm's (+41-60 to Mana) Prismatic (+15-25% Resis [Amulet], +15% Resist [Ring]) Fletcher's (+1 Amazon Skills) Archer's (+2 Amazon Skills) Suffixes of Perfection (+16-20 Dexterity) of the Colossus (+41-60 Life) Item Concerns - When playing an Amazon, look for any ranged items with a high attack speed, a large amount of damage, and the durability to hold up in combat. Amazons depend on a durable set of items, so you are going to want as many high-durability items as you can get. Always be on the lookout for an Archer's Amulet, as this is the key to keeping things on the up and up. Also, a Prismatic Amulet is a must-have on Nightmare, and especially Hell difficulty, as the Amazon is already very equipped against the forces of magic, and this Amulet can easily help to move towards maximum resistances.