Need help on a Merc decision

[buster]

I’m just starting my first Venomancer (PvM) and after reading the guides and posts I’m still not sure what merc would be best. It seems that HF gets a lot of recommendations, which makes sense because he can slow down the monsters while the poison works. But, my concern with a HF merc is that a lot of the bodies shatter at death (at least with melee characters that I’m used to playing). Is this a valid concern for a vemonancer? Since I plan on using corpse explosion and a few summons (skellies/revives) as secondary skills it’s kind of nice to have some unshattered corpses to work with.

If I was going with more emphasis in summoning, a might merc would be the logical choice, but I doubt I’ll have enough summons to make this aura worthwhile. So, then how about a defiance merc to help with my defense? Well, my thought here is that with the thorns aura from the Bramble I plan on wearing, my summons would do more damage getting hit, so I don’t want their defense too high.

So this is why I can’t decide, none of my favorite mercs seem to help out this build very much. Any other ideas or comments would be appreciated.

[HarbingersOfSkulls]

I’m just starting my first Venomancer (PvM) and after reading the guides and posts I’m still not sure what merc would be best. It seems that HF gets a lot of recommendations, which makes sense because he can slow down the monsters while the poison works. But, my concern with a HF merc is that a lot of the bodies shatter at death (at least with melee characters that I’m used to playing). Is this a valid concern for a vemonancer? Since I plan on using corpse explosion and a few summons (skellies/revives) as secondary skills it’s kind of nice to have some unshattered corpses to work with.

If I was going with more emphasis in summoning, a might merc would be the logical choice, but I doubt I’ll have enough summons to make this aura worthwhile. So, then how about a defiance merc to help with my defense? Well, my thought here is that with the thorns aura from the Bramble I plan on wearing, my summons would do more damage getting hit, so I don’t want their defense too high.

So this is why I can’t decide, none of my favorite mercs seem to help out this build very much. Any other ideas or comments would be appreciated.


Either use a Might merc(for the Skeletons) or a HF merc(for yourself).

If your going with Summons, then you will want to stick with Skeletons mostly...they are more helpful than Revives(and you don't need to spend the extra points in the rest of the other Golems to get it.

If you plan on getting a doom weapon for your merc...then go with Might.

HoS

[Mad Mantis]

I’m just starting my first Venomancer (PvM) and after reading the guides and posts I’m still not sure what merc would be best.

HF is great for this build. Is slows the monsters making them ideal targets. The corpse shatter is a bit overreacted IMO. About 25% of the corpses get lost. That leaves a lot of corpses for a secondary skill such as CE.

Might requires that you have a lot of minions and Skellies maxed. You don't seem to have that so it is a bit of a waste IMO. And Defiance requires that you have a lot of base defense in order to be truly effective.

[buster]

Thanks for the responses. :thumbsup:

Since I’ll be using the rest of my high runes to make Bramble, no Doom weapon for my merc. :( I usually give my merc a Reapers Toll, but since I don’t want his decrep overriding my curses, I was thinking of either using a Tomb Reaver or maybe a Cresent Moon for the CTC static.

As long as shattered corpses isn’t an issue then I would have to agree the HF sounds like a good choice.

[gvandale]

It really depends on a couple things...

1. If you run out of a1 to start games and summon your crew, then the HF won't be on yet and you'll be fine.

2. If your skel's are your main killing skill (max rs / sm) then go with might.

3. If the poison side is your main killing skill, then go with hf.

g

[Lim Dul]

well i have had diablo 2 for about half a year now and im still on my first charicter, a necro. i went for a general style and i now have a barb from act 5. they kick ***, and he has saved my charicter *** a few times as well. but what i recomend is that u do what u want a jump in head first, thats what i did and mine is still goin strong in nightmare. so good luck :thumbsup:

[bill_n_opus]

I agree and think that the Holy Freeze "shattered corpses" thing has been blown out of proportion for the most part. D2X allows you to farm your army so you can jump from one area of high weak monster concentration and raise your army no sweat and then jumping to your area of choice.

Even if you don't do this Holy Freeze, in reality, only accounts for 40-60% of shattered total corpses in my experience. Maybe even less. Usually there's no problem in getting corpses.

Since you're going Venomancer then it's really a non-issue.

If you were going summons/corpse explosion then it may make a bit more difference but not much really. But then you would go for Might Merc in this case rather than Holy Freeze usually so the point is moot.