Merc item usage pickle

[Sip]

I recently found a 238%/13 reapers toll and a +4/221%ed eth ariots needle.

I was originally going to use the reapers/shaft and kiras helm, but I found the ariots last night. If i swap the ariots for reapers, my merc will have no life leech and die rather quickly.

Reapers also has decrepify, which ariots does not.

If i decide to use ariots...how would %ed jeweled ariots+Andy visage(ral)+eth stone armor sound?

This is going to be a defiance merc btw

[Stimm]

First of all lose the Kiras. There are so many better options for merc helms.
Crown of thieves , tals mask , andariels visage or gaze. If you are in love with the FHR you can shael the helm / armor and get the same effect and still have life leach.

reapers is a base -10 speed so you need 45 IAS to reach 6 frames. Shael weapon and IAS helm / armor. Go here for a list of merc IAS BPs http://diabloii.net/townsfolk/mercias/dias.shtml#d-10

Ariocs is also a base -10 speed weapon but it also has 30 IAS on it to start. So you would only need a shael to hit the 44 IAS Bp. Once again refer to above link for IAS table.

IMO you can never have enough speed or leach on a merc. I definitely would not ED the Ariocs since the bulk of its dmg is poison and would not benefit from the jewel.

[Matt]

I'd say reapers, just because my (Boed) merc using Shaft Tals mask and Reapers, nothing socketed in any of it, ONLY died on the hell counsil.... I might conscider getting him an Um'd GA for it, give him 90 fire resist in "hydra prone" areas like that, because that was really all that killed him, except the VERY rare aura enchanted boss pack of physical immune birds in the icy cellar.

I'd say switch out the kiras in favor of a Tals mask, VERY cheap, resists, 10% leech, life, very, very nice merc hat.

and for the weapon, I'd say reapers, because I use my mercs as tanks, not so they can rip through monsters, though they are very useful for that too... So I'd say focus on survivability>killing speed, and whatever weapon you choose will end up killing the immunes you need it to.

-Matt

[LuckyDwarf]

Reaper's.

Lucky

[Full_Circle]

I'd say it depends a lot on what character you're using, and what you're doing. 23%ll isn't quite as nice if all you're doing is teleporting to meph, so Kiras may be the better helm if that's what you're doing. I'd have to agree that Reapers is the better weapon on a defiance merc, though, unless you have another curse you don't want to overwrite.

[Sip]

Well guys, hate to break it to ya but I've decided what im using.

I currently have all of the following things to put on my a2 defiance merc (for high level pvp/mf/baal runner Enigma hammerdin)

Ethereal ariots needle socketed with 39% ed jewel (about 650 damage, 30% ias, 50% deadly strike (main reason behind using ariots) and +4 skills (good for boosting aura)
Perfect 10%ll/30 str andy's visage socketed with 30% fire resist/4 min damage jewel to counter -30 fire resist already on it. This helm has 20% ias (puts me over the 44% ias bp) as well as +2 skills (boosts aura level)
Ethereal stone lacqurred plate 3048 defence, 15 all resists, 60 fhr, need i say more?

I figured other combinations would leave me short of either attack speed, damage or leech. This combo will give my merc incredible defence, very high damage, 50% ias ontop of -10 attack speed, 10% life leech and +6 (+7 with my bc) to defiance aura.

[Nerf-Herder]

by the thread title, i thought your merc would be using a pickle... :scratch:

hows about a +4 claussens death-o-dill !!