How do u get merc to not die?

[Camintoi]

My defiance merc is level 87 but it dies alot when i do meph. For some reason it could kill shenk and its minions just FINE, but when it goes up against baal, he just takes chunks out of him. Hes got tals, some 500 polearm, and eth atmas. For a total of like 7k defense. Even if i do get defense up really high, how do i deal wit hteh low life my merc has?

[EDan]

Make sure you merc has life leach. even if he has a little bit of life leach he should survive a lot more.

[Austere]

You have to tank with your merc or teleport away everytime your merc gets too close to meph.

[AgentMarth]

Ok, well no one has mentioned, you can't leech of Mephy, well, not regular life leech. An option, is to try and get a life tap wand, then you will see he survive without problem.

Damage reduction helps a lot too, if i am not mistaken, Mercs take more damage from bosses as you would. Vampire gaze is my favorite merc helm.

Another thing, that can be cheap too, is a Woestave, or Kelpie snare. The slow will make just about any boss a pushover.

I prefer the tap wand, since I play HC, and depend on having my insight/prayer Merc alive to keep me with a good amount of life and mana regeneration. It is also helpful in a situation were there is a pack of bad monsters. Just curse, then he should be ok.

Oh, and tap wands can even be shopped too!

[obiwansbane]

*goes looking for wands* who sells em?

and yes with LL he should survive more... another thing is, do you pot your merc? pressing shift and the number of pot you want, uses the pot on your merc... if you survive well just fill up a column in ure belt for merc rejuv's u dont even need full ones if they are too rare for you (they are actually quite easy to find)

[saellison]

My merc uses a Vampgaze, Upped Shaftstop, and an insight cryptic axe. He dies every once in awhile on Nihlatank when I get a bad spawn with the snakes. He occasionally needs a health pot when I am killing baal but generally he's a beast. I agree that vamp gaze is an amazing merc helm and you should try and get one. It will help your merc out so much. Give him as much life leech as you can.

[Socialism]

Click here (http://forums.diabloii.net/showthread.php?t=554644), and CTRL + F for "Kelpie Snare" -- read the relevant sections about mercenaries ;) Sorry for the shameless plug; too lazy to type it out atm, it's late.

[Bjorgin]

*goes looking for wands* who sells em?

)

go drognan in act 2, spawn the map where the exit is behind him