merc weapons

[Sammyboyz2]

im running a fishymancer at the mo, still in progress, only bout lvl 50 i think. played one last season and they rock! was my only character that could survive solo in hell. never quite got the chance to get all the great equipment as i only got 2 months in before the reset. but anywy, my question was about the beast runeword. ive heard around of people using them on their mercs, which for a summoner, would give damn wicked damage. but on d2.net and arreat summit, the runeword can only be done in axes, scepters and hammers, so how can any merc use a beast, as no merc in the game can use any of these weapons. or did i just mishear? (dont know if thats a word, forgive me all ye great grammar lords who read this)

[Har-Megiddo]

You can't put them on any merc, only you (the summoner) can carry it.

Also, I wanted to ask in this thread what the ideal merc weapon is for pure killing power. I'd suspect I'd get some BOTD on Might merc or Doom on Might, but if one of the biggest reason for using the might merc is to add damage to your skeletons, would it be smartest, to put a +2 helm (is a +3 circlet for paly offensive auras possible? I mean, would it work?), +2 armour (coh, enigma), and a +4 ariocs needle to get +8 (or 9 if the circlet works) to the might aura for your skeletons?

[Mad Mantis]

Also, I wanted to ask in this thread what the ideal merc weapon is for pure killing power. I'd suspect I'd get some BOTD on Might merc or Doom on Might, but if one of the biggest reason for using the might merc is to add damage to your skeletons, would it be smartest, to put a +2 helm (), +2 armour (coh, enigma), and a +4 ariocs needle to get +8 (or 9 if the circlet works) to the might aura for your skeletons?

You want your Merc to be able to survive combat and do well in boss battles. Gear your Merc towards his survival, but any extra +skills you can get for his aura will help you.




is a +3 circlet for paly offensive auras possible? I mean, would it work?

Probably not, since the Act II guys do not count as Pallies. The game probably can't add the +skills to the appropriate tree.

[JoJeck]

You can't put them on any merc, only you (the summoner) can carry it.

Also, I wanted to ask in this thread what the ideal merc weapon is for pure killing power. I'd suspect I'd get some BOTD on Might merc or Doom on Might, but if one of the biggest reason for using the might merc is to add damage to your skeletons, would it be smartest, to put a +2 helm (is a +3 circlet for paly offensive auras possible? I mean, would it work?), +2 armour (coh, enigma), and a +4 ariocs needle to get +8 (or 9 if the circlet works) to the might aura for your skeletons?
Agreed, the Beast weapon has to be carried by the Necro.

As to your question on Merc auras, yes plus skills do boost the auras and other skills of mercs. It has to be + All skills and not pally skills or other class or tab skills. So the highest boost is +8 all skills and that will give a might merc and your skellies +80% ED ... but that is on top of a lot of other %ED. The skill RS gives skellies a big %ED boost and your Might merc (say level 74) already gives a big boost of 170% ED. That means each +1 skill point will add +10 %ED but this will only add about 2% increased damage by your skellies. That is nice but not earth shattering.

[Myrakh-2]

I never actually looked into the details of this (my merc on the old ladder only had an ethreal +2 arkaine's valor in the +skills department, and that adds to all skills...), but there are claims that +skills are actually based on "tabs" when it comes to mercs.

A2 mercs use Jab and Might, which is tab 1 (on amazon) and 2 (on paladin, I think --- never played one so I don't really know how their tabs are arranged), so ANY gear that adds to tab 2 (for ANY class) will improve the might aura.

As I said, I've never actually looked into this. Come to think of this... I should try this with my TO armor, as +2 summoning happens to be on tab 2 :-)

[JoJeck]

I never actually looked into the details of this (my merc on the old ladder only had an ethreal +2 arkaine's valor in the +skills department, and that adds to all skills...), but there are claims that +skills are actually based on "tabs" when it comes to mercs.

A2 mercs use Jab and Might, which is tab 1 (on amazon) and 2 (on paladin, I think --- never played one so I don't really know how their tabs are arranged), so ANY gear that adds to tab 2 (for ANY class) will improve the might aura.

As I said, I've never actually looked into this. Come to think of this... I should try this with my TO armor, as +2 summoning happens to be on tab 2 :-)
That is how it worked in 1.09 (hence weird effects like lightning hose for rougue mercs) but no longer in 1.10. Now only + all skills work to boost merc skills according to some tests I did a while ago (sorry I forget details)