Merc optimisation and armor info: help me please

[DarthLeader]

Hi all,

I am creating a leap goldfinder barb, so I need a freaking godly a2 might merc to do everything for me.

1) What's the fastest way to lvl a lvl 2 merc up to lvl 91 ? (I heard that this will be better than if I buy him at lvl 91)

2) Which ebotd is better for a merc: great poleaxe, ghostspear or giant treasher ?
Here are the links on the arreat summit:
http://www.battle.net/diablo2exp/ite...e/spears.shtml
http://www.battle.net/diablo2exp/ite...polearms.shtml

3) 3) I got an eth field plate and I heard about a way to do something that gives a HUGE bonus of defense to eth armor. Could anybody help me with that ?

4) Which of those package is better ?
double 2 lem'd ali baba = 755 gf + 182 mf
double 6 lem'd wep = 900 gf + 0 mf

5) For my barb, what's the fastest way to get lvl 91 ? At what level should we stop chaosing and go for baal ?

Thanks a lot for your help !
DarthLeader (*Darth_Leader)

[stfrn]

1) Mercs bought in normal are strongest, then nightmare is beter then hell. Otherwise there is no difference, so just buy a merc.

3)Eth armor that is cube socketed will get 50% more def as well as a random number of sockets. Look for an elite, non-superior eth armor.

For the GF barb info, check the barb forums.

[VoX Dei]

2) *sigh* eBotD (i'm single player, no zod so far). Anyway when talking about act 2 mercs there are 2 attack animations (jab + normal). Being jab the one that really matters. Jab speed biggest difference is between 5.7 and 4.7 action frames (more IAS% is wasteful after the later bp 4.7 is reached IMO). So you should aim to get jab at 4.7 action frames.2) It really depends primarily on what bp you're aiming for. You can check act 2 merc IAS bp's here: http://forums.diabloii.net/showthread.php?t=495478. Btw unlike amazons, act 2 mercs can jab using polearms.

-10 WSM weapon (e.g., giant thresher) reaches 4,7 action frames jab with 60% IAS (ebotd alone provides that), meaning you can use eth fortitude as armor + any helm without IAS you see fit (eth lem'ed CoT comes to mind).

Pros:
- Cheaper hat & socket filler
- provides more GF%
- provides more fire res
Cons:
- provides less damage
- less range

0 WSM weapon (gs or gp) reaches 4,7 action frames jab with 86% IAS. Ebotd gives 60% IAS. Best armor choice IMO is eth Fortitude which provide no IAS. So your helm must provide the lacking 26% IAS. Best hat would be eth andy socketed with jewel with 30% fires res/15% IAS).

Pros:
- provides more damage
- higher range
Cons:
- More expensive hat & socket filler
- provides less GF%
- provides less fire res

Overall, if i was to make an ebotd for this purpose, i would make it in a -10 WSM weapon. Note: i haven't checked at what level the merc str/dex aloows to equip any of these weapons. You should check that before making your decision.

4) I would go with the double 2 lem'd ali baba = 755 gf + 182 mf. Most top GF% gear has nice MF% as well (e.g., wealth, chancies, etc), so why not make a MF/GF barb instead of just a GF one?

[helvete]

@Vox: IIRC mercs have the same range with all weapons, so the only time you should concider range is when you want to use that weapon for a character as well, or for the resale value (If I made a 400/15 eBotD GT I'd sell it and just make another and keep the profit).

[DarthLeader]

ok well:

1) I'll try to get make an ebotd giant thresher or trade for it.

2) I'll try to get some good ed/dex ali baba, just in case I have to kill something someday.

3) I'll level up my lvl 2 might merc.

I checked and the 3 weapons I mentionned have the same range according to the arreat summit (range = 5).

DarthLeader (*Darth_Leader)

[VoX Dei]

@helvete: i didn't knew that. Good to know. Now i won't take range into consideration anymore when making/picking my mercs sticks.

@DarthLeader: that's very good. range 5 is max.

[helvete]

3) I'll level up my lvl 2 might merc.

For the love of Rambo, don't do that. Hire a high level one. ALL might mercs have the same stats, regardless of when they are hired.

[DarthLeader]

I don't know from where it comes, but I have this saved in my d2 tips:

Quote:
Originally Posted by jorge
why do we need to get our merc at a low level?
Cause if you get it at a lower level, in the end, it would have better stats. It's something like this (it's only an example):

(1)Merc at level 45:
1000 life
30 resis

(2)Merc at level 65:
1500 life
40 resis

Each level +30 life, 1 resis. Take it that you're level 80 now, that would be:

(1)Merc at level 80:
2050 life
60 resis

(2)Merc at level 80:
1950 life
55 resis

So, a merc at a lower level would mean that it would turn out to be stronger, thats the. You gotta level more, but you gain a better merc. My figures aren't exact, but it's something like that.

That's why I think that starting at lvl 2 is better... my build is based on my merc, so he must be as good as possible... Does anyone have a source saying if we should buy merc at lower lvls ???

DarthLeader (*Darth_Leader)

[phool]

That hasn't been true since 1.09.

[helvete]

That hasn't been true since 1.09.

It wasn't really true even in 1.09 but back then mercs couldn't be hired above certain levels based on which act they were hired in. As it is now, hiring a merc in normal (or NM if you need a NM aura) is all you really need to think about.

[DarthLeader]

Anybody knows a tread about fast merc leveling ?

DarthLeader (*Darth_Leader)

[phool]

Again

Don't bother leveling your merc it's a waste of time in the current patch just buy a new one.

[illestkhmai]

Again

Don't bother leveling your merc it's a waste of time in the current patch just buy a new one.

I'm not sure he's getting it :undecided:.

[In the name of Zod]

It actually does matter! Merc's hired in Normal will always have better stats than those hired in hell - fact. I don't know the exact figures but I wouldn't be surprised by those ones shown. Nightmare A2 mercs can't be hired in hell/normal so it doesn't matter (you know that). However, might is a nightmare merc so you can't or shouldn't have a level 1 Act 2 Nightmare merc unless someone's been rushed, and we should all know that Blizzard frown on that :)

Nightmare Act 2 merc level 43 -47 purchasable. You can't buy mercs higher than your own level. And remember that merceneries don't benefit from +Vitality only +Life works. I thought that should be mentioned if you're really prepared to go to all the trouble.

As for levelling your merc, monster levels probably need to be within a +5 and -5 range of your merc, I think (no links sorry). As for the merc getting experience from your kills - not if you're already a very high level. What level are you? If you're under 90 then start a new character and keep your merc alive. It'll take the same time and you've got two characters now.

As for me, I wouldn't bother. Just buy a new merc :wink3:

[DarthLeader]

The reason why I am so woried about my merc is that I am going for a pure gf barb that will be based on his merc to do any damage, so I need my merc to be as good as he can't be...

I am starting to think about buying a higher than lvl 2 might merc, thought ! Keep up the good work guys I just want to be convinced that that the level at which your merc is buyed doesn't matter. I know that the difficulty matters however. Anyways, I buyed my lvl 2 might merc at nm (only possible place to do so) while being rushed. I might replace him... just want to be 100% that he gets the same strenght later.

My barb is 80ish now.

DarthLeader (*Darth_Leader)

[helvete]

I just want to be convinced that that the level at which your merc is buyed doesn't matter. I know that the difficulty matters however.

Difficulty is the ONLY thing that matters. Haven't been any other way, it's a battle.net myth. In earlier patches (1.10 and before IIRC) there were caps on merc levels (lvl 13 was the highest you could get in norm, act 2, etc) and back then merc leveling was necessary. It's not anymore, since the merc level hiring cap has been completely removed.

Don't be fooled by the LHS (Lying Hiring Screen, I just invented that abbreviation) because the stats when you look through the merc hire list are NOT correct, and shows much worse stats than is the case.

[In the name of Zod]

Don't know if it will affect strength. Have you had a read through "Ultimate Merc Guide V3.0 (Lod 1.10) by Gaza0469, link -> http://forums.diabloii.net/showthread.php?t=306061

By that guide it looks like he will get the same strength later. Good point btw, never thought of that one. I'd like to see this build when its done. Can you do one thing plz, record how long it takes to fill you stash with gold. This would be the best numbers to calculate and good for statistics. All the best.

edit: Did not know the Hire Screen Lied too. :(

[helvete]

Just for clarification, I was thinking about the "hire" dialogue with the NPCs. The hireling screen (default hotkey is o) shouldn't be too far off. It's very easy to verify, as you can look at the stats Greiz say his mercs have, hire one, and see the difference.