Blizz sory merc, Defiance or HF?

[ahcw]

Sorry if this has been asked before. I searched the forums but never really found a definitive answer. I'll be playing with a few friends so I won't need might to help kill CI's. Most of my casters have always used HF, but since Blizz sorcs have some nice CC I wasn't sure if it would be wasted or not. I'm starting over on ladder btw so gear won't exactly be amazing if that changes anything.

Thanks in advance.

[Raskah]

You don't find a definitive answer because there isn't one... It's almost a personnal taste and play style.

HF is always nice for the slow efect but he kills CI slowly (but that's not a issue)

Defiance is very specific choice. If you use one of this guys you need to equip him with high defence item to make him efective. A Fortitude in eth bugged sacred armor would make him almost invunerable to physical attacks.

A prayer merc with an Insight elite polearm works nicely too... Insane mana and life regenaration is always very party friendly...

Cheerz!

[Noite Escura]

My take: with a blizzer you'll be almost always tele'ing, and takes a little while before monsters get affected by HF, Defiance on the other way works instantly.

[Dirkw]

If you play with friends, just take some aura the others dont have. Like thorns or something ;)

[Hello Jim]

it doesn't really makes all that difference.

i like HF because it slows things down. main problem i have in hell, aside from immunities, is that mobs just move too freaking fast. other than that, your merc will have much easier like with HF fightning alone.

but yes, prayer merc is always good if you're using Insight on him, since the meditation aura from Insight boots the Prayer aura thus boosting both your Mana and Life regenaration.

[bassen]

it doesn't really makes all that difference.

i like HF because it slows things down. main problem i have in hell, aside from immunities, is that mobs just move too freaking fast. other than that, your merc will have much easier like with HF fightning alone.

but yes, prayer merc is always good if you're using Insight on him, since the meditation aura from Insight boots the Prayer aura thus boosting both your Mana and Life regenaration.

This is a perfect thread for me to then :P

I use a HF merc and he's so dam weak! I dies almost instant at mephisto. I have eq him with Insight/Tal Crest/Treachery. (clvl 80) any other gear or as some suggsted, shall I change him into a Prayer?

[Dirkw]

You can, but level 80 is pretty soon. He'll keep dying easily until he reaches 88-90.

In your situation I find that might > all alternatives, btw.

You can go prayer but might will eventually make your merc (more) durable. It's a matter of how badly you desire pots to top off your health I think.

[Noite Escura]

Almost every merc dies to Mephisto since he's unleachable. One of the best tacttics is to equip "Slows monsters by X %" equipment, or Decrepity curse, as that reduces his killing power badly. Other solution is to carry a Life Tap wand and cast on him before engaging.

[Hello Jim]

Almost every merc dies to Mephisto since he's unleachable. One of the best tacttics is to equip "Slows monsters by X %" equipment, or Decrepity curse, as that reduces his killing power badly. Other solution is to carry a Life Tap wand and cast on him before engaging

absolutly correct. ll=life for merc and without it..well= dead.
LT wand is great but annoying. a tank weapon is much better. i belive Hone Sundan is the one with 75% slow monsters. try this out. you can also try to moat trick meph and keep your merc from fightning him.

but anyway, meph is not place for merc.

[bassen]

Almost every merc dies to Mephisto since he's unleachable. One of the best tacttics is to equip "Slows monsters by X %" equipment, or Decrepity curse, as that reduces his killing power badly. Other solution is to carry a Life Tap wand and cast on him before engaging

absolutly correct. ll=life for merc and without it..well= dead.
LT wand is great but annoying. a tank weapon is much better. i belive Hone Sundan is the one with 75% slow monsters. try this out. you can also try to moat trick meph and keep your merc from fightning him.

but anyway, meph is not place for merc.

guess you mean Kelpie Snare? :P

[Hello Jim]

exactly(:

10 chars

[handofnaz]

Man, I love Kelpies. I find them more useful for boss runs than Reaper's Tolls. Somehow the Decrepify just doesn't kick in fast enough. Though I read around here that Blackhorn's Face + Reaper's = sad Mephisto, and it certainly sounds like a great combination.

Back on topic, I find that Defiance mercs seem to work better for boss running, while HF are great for area runs. I still use HF mercs even when I play cold sorcs, the slow effect is just so helpful. As has been mentioned, those Hell monsters can move crazy fast.

[ahcw]

Alright guys thanks for the discussion :). I'm still a little torn right now but I'll probably go with Defiance since she'll be boss running most of the time and when I make the trip through Hell I will have a couple of friends, one of which will have the HF merc. Worse case scenario I can always replace him if needed, the new one will just have slightly worse stats.

[SirOblivious]

Depending on your wealth or disposition on hrs, if you want you could make a "Doom" cryptic axe. They're about as pricey as an infinity, but using 5socs you can just pick up any CA and use the socket quest. So thats easier. With a doom polearm you can have holy freeze on the wep and then defiance or might as the merc's aura.

[ahcw]

While Doom is nice I just got back to the game so I'm starting new on the ladder. It won't take me long to get decent gear, but I won't be rich enough to warrant a Doom for at least a little while :)

[DarthLeader]

Holy freeze mercs owns for mf sorcs. Slowing monsters will avoid them hitting you, which is way better than reducing the chances that they touch you when they launch attack animation.

We should always kill the source of the problem.

To resume, Holy Freeze Merc Owns.

DarthLeader

[Hello Jim]

Doom is also very unecessary, especially for a MF sorc.
i went with HF since i like teleporting safly and because monsters in hell are just way too fast for my taste.
but as you said, you can always replace him

[ahcw]

Well guys after making it through NM I decided to go back and go with Holy Freeze. The main reasons being A. I gain very little from the Defiance aura and my merc will only REALLY benefit from it if I gear him properly and right now that doesn't seem likely and B. Mobs were moving to fast around my Blizzards and limiting the damage. Also the only boss that is really scary for my merc is Meph and if the going gets tough I can always just use the moat trick on him.

Thanks for the nice discussion guys :)