Bowazon Merc: Reaper's Toll > Pride?

[Hector]

Hey guys, I would like to discuss this, because I cannot decide which equipment my Bowazon's merc should use, to improve her damage even more. Here's my build:

Amazon Level 90

Stats after items:
109 Strength
450 Dexterity
30 Vitality
15 Energy
602 Life, 220 Mana.

Equipment:
Faith Grand Matron Bow (15/2/3)
Fortitude Dusk Shroud (1.1/28)
Mavina's Diadem with 15 IAS/8 ED Jewel
Highlord's Ammy
Raven Frost (202/20)
Rare Mana Steal Ring (4% Mana Steal, +AR, +Damage, Fire Resist, +STR)
War Traveler
Nosferatu's Belt
Laying of Hands

Charms:
STR, Resists, Life and Damage small charms. Have no Anni or Torch just yet.

Skills (base levels):
16 Critical, 18 Pierce, 15 Penetrate, 15 Valk, 20 Strafe, 5 Multiple Shot, 1 Freezing Arrow, and 1 to all the rest.

My playing style is Multiple Shot most of the time, with Freezing Arrow on emergencies and Strafe for single targets. Valkyire, Decoy and Merc do the tanking.

The Mercenary uses:
Reaper's Toll
Shaftstop
Guillaume's Face (so he helps me kill bosses faster with Crush Blow)

Now the question, should I make him a Pride Polearm? I like Reaper's Toll for the almost always casted Decrepify. With Decrepify, the monsters lose 50% of physical resists, and I was thinking, maybe this lowered resist does more to my damage than Concentration aura would do?

For example... My damage is 3500 Multiple Shot, when hitting a decrepified monster, I'll cause 3500 + 1750 = 5250 Damage.
With Pride however, let's suppose it adds +1000 Damage (about 300% ED+ on Faith base damage), I would end up doing only 4500 Damage per hit. And the difference would be higher, the higher the enemy physical resist is.

Reaper's can also break some physical immunities, and considering most Baal runs have Paladins with Concentration, wouldn't Reaper's be a better, and much cheaper alternative than Pride? But I still see most Bowazons talking about Pride, so if I am missing something please tell me. :thumbsup:

[PhatTrumpet]

The Decrep indeed helps your damage out more, but it comes down to whether he actually hits often enough for it to trigger relatively frequently. With you dealing so much damage your Merc may rarely get the chance to trigger Decrep, but if you've tried it out and feel otherwise definitely stick with what works.

[Leohappy]

Wow Hector your zon has a very similar build to mine, it's a very cool build but allso a rare sight.

It would be hard to compare both merc wepons directly, but I'd say Pride is better. A few points to consider:

1) If merc uses Reaper's he has to actually be able to hit targets. Now if your bow dmg is already good enough to drop most targets before he can come near, what's the use? Perhaps the only place that Reapors might be better is River of Flame, because some monsters in there don't actually drop so fast and merc can get a few jabs on them, likly tirggering decrep along the way.

2) If you do CS runs often, you won't want your merc to hit things, hence the Reaper's is usless. Pride will still give you conc for the dmg, and you can keep your merc somwhat out of action by playing smart.

3) Reaper's does more dmg, has decrep and can break some PI aswell.

So I guess in the end if your merc doesn't die often and PI's arn't a problem, Pride option is much better for the dmg.

[phool]

Definitely pride imo, relying on a decrep would just slow you down. An atma's scarab is very good for PIs, if you prefer the highlords or need the ias for a bp just carry one in your inv and put it on in PI infested areas. Decrep would double your damage in many cases, but even so you've got to wait for the merc to get to them, in which time hopefully everything's dead.

[nicothemaster]

i agree with you. the reapers toll does seem to add more to your damage. but if u can sacrifice the speed on ur highlords, why not go with atmas scarab for the amplify damage? its far more effective then decrepify and it allows for ur merc to use pride

[Hector]

So I guess in the end if your merc doesn't die often and PI's arn't a problem, Pride option is much better for the dmg.

Thanks Leo! I think I'll make a Pride then and see how it goes. You have a good point: I indeed kill most crowds while my merc is way behind me, walking dumb-and-aimlessly around with the Valk. :grin: Decoy ends up being my main tank and is often my best tool to lure enemies to the area where I want them to be shot.

For physical Immunes however I'll have to think of an alternative. Either an elemental bow on switch, or Lacerator on switch?? The 33% chance to Amp is sure nice! Then I switch Faith back and pwn them.


An atma's scarab is very good for PIs, if you prefer the highlords or need the ias for a bp just carry one in your inv and put it on in PI infested areas.

Yup I need the Highlord's for the 95 IAS BP!

[Hector]

i agree with you. the reapers toll does seem to add more to your damage. but if u can sacrifice the speed on ur highlords, why not go with atmas scarab for the amplify damage? its far more effective then decrepify and it allows for ur merc to use pride

Well I cannot sacrifice the 7 FPA attack speed, it makes huge difference for Multiple Shot. Unless I give up Fortitude (which I find very unlikely), it's impossible to wear Atma's and maintain the 7 FPA.

Anyway, the chance to cast Amplify is too low specially with Multishot, cause only 2 center arrows can trigger it if I'm not wrong.:undecided:

[Leohappy]

For physical Immunes however I'll have to think of an alternative. Either an elemental bow on switch, or Lacerator on switch?? The 33% chance to Amp is sure nice! Then I switch Faith back and pwn them.Try magic or cold arrow (base with +skills shoud be ok vs PI).

IMO Lacerater isn't worth using because it has 33% for lvl 3 amp on striking wich means you need to hit the target, and since you prolly won't have very good AR this just doesn't seem useful, and would mostly slow you down. This and relativly low radius of lvl 3 amp means you'll be using it often or not at all.