Merc for Blizzard Sorc: Act2 or Act5?

[madben]

All my sorcs, either one tree or double trees, were using Act2 NM Defensive merc for the Holy Freeze. Now I'm building a new blizzard sorc and thinking of hiring a merc from act5. Will those who have hired an act5 merc or compared them closely share their experience please?

Thanks!

[MSA.]

All my sorcs, either one tree or double trees, were using Act2 NM Defensive merc for the Holy Freeze. Now I'm building a new blizzard sorc and thinking of hiring a merc from act5. Will those who have hired an act5 merc or compared them closely share their experience please?

Thanks!

I think hiring the Act 2 mercs are always a better choice, even if you don't want the Holy Freeze merc, at least get defiance for + defense. The act 5 merc has no helpful auras, and i'll take an aura in exchange any day.

[Cyriene]

i use an act 5 merc on my bliz sorc and i think he is great
i dont need the act 2 aura and i find act 2 mercs run slow and dont go after the monsters as quickly as my act 5 merc.

[madben]

Thanks for the reply. Now I got two different answers. Let me refine my question and hope to narrow down

The sorc I'm going to build is a pure cold blizzard sorc (max block with SS), and she will be doing solo baal runs and pindle runs. The only thing I want the merc do is to kill cold immunes quickly. Which one has higher dmg and is more helpful in doing baal/pindle runs, act2 might, defiance, holy freeze or act5?

Say the merc gear will be chosen from unique items (no runeword such as BotD or Doom as the weapon.)

[Dr4kan]

imo i find that act 2 mercs are better overall.
they have higher defense then the barbs, and are a better crowd control, and its easy getting good weap for em(like bonehew) holy freeze definately, defense wont do much for ya imo. uwant crowd control, and freeze gives ya time to aim a blizz too, if u have access to an ist, go make delirium for the ultimate crowd control :thumbsup:

[Cyriene]

Thanks for the reply. Now I got two different answers. Let me refine my question and hope to narrow down

The sorc I'm going to build is a pure cold blizzard sorc (max block with SS), and she will be doing solo baal runs and pindle runs. The only thing I want the merc do is to kill cold immunes quickly. Which one has higher dmg and is more helpful in doing baal/pindle runs, act2 might, defiance, holy freeze or act5?

Say the merc gear will be chosen from unique items (no runeword such as BotD or Doom as the weapon.)


for pure damage go with the might merc
if you want holy freeze use a doom on a might merc so you get both auras

[IMCL85]

I use might aura merc with eth doom ca and bramble and with cta I have like 5xaura stack its looks soo damn cool :). He can tank almost anything but im curse.

[Superhal]

all a2 mercs use jab, so they actually do triple the listed damage, so if all you are interested in is killing speed, there is no other option.