Faith merc questions

[lumpor]

This is actually for a bowmancer but I figured there would be more people with experience about this in the amazon forum.

Thinking of a 10 fpa bowmancer with an act 1 merc wielding a faith great bow. Then equipping the merc with fortitude and giant skull and putting 2 ias jewels in the giant skull. Would grant a 9 frame attack with fort boosting damage alot.

Two problems though. Leech and cold damage. Since she's shooting so much just a single source of cold damage could be handy for slowing. Also, even if she isn't hit that often, it's still good to know that as long as the merc isn't attacked, she always has full hp.

Vampire gaze would solve both problems. But even if you put an ias jewel in it she'd still need another 15% ias to reach the 9 fpa bp.

And then, to take advantage of the reduction, she could use a shaftstop socketed with an ias jewel. Then both setups will reach a 9 frame attack

Setup 1:
Knockback
10% crushing blow
300% enhanced damage

Setup 2:
8% life leech
Cold damage
50% damage reduction



Now, the second seems like it's a more safer route.


1. Is knockback that important on an act 1 rogue if the character already fires a knockbacking 10 frame attack?

2. Is cold damage important if the character already fires arrows with cold damage at 10 fpa?

3. At least 1% life leech on the merc is good to have, right?

4. Setup 1, 2 or another one?

5. With fort and a 9 frame attack, can the killing speed of act 1 mercs compare with a2 mercs?

Thanks

[NASE]

Bowmancer are fishymancer that use a bow right? Then you will have lots of minions run around so I don't really see the need for leech - and if she happens to get hit to much, there is noting that life tab can't fix.
I don't really see the need for leech nor for damage reduction. I would keep her resistances up though. And if you use a cold merc, you'll have some slow on top.

So this gives:
1. I don't see the use of knockback as agian, you'll have lots of minions for safety anyway. Why not use andy's? Give leech and ias.
2. I would say not, again because minions already have safety.
3. leech is always good to have, though I think life leech can solve the few problem you might have with al those minions run around.
4. Setup 3 - with andy's.
5. Mercs rarely have good killing speed. The only use some of them bring is crushing blow. So I would say no useless you use on of those crushing blow armours. Merc aren't killing machine, no matter what you do.

[KremBanan]

The Rogue doesnt need high life leech, or leech at all. Ofc its better to have than not to have, but its not needed. Cold damage isnt needed either.

Resists and life are most important mods for her, allthough they arent very important either :)
When/if she gets hit, she runs away. She is a ranged attacker, so as all good ranged attackers she tries to avoid taking damage.

[lumpor]

Ok thanks. Actually bowmancers don't need to have minions, and mine doesn't, but I still got my answers. Thanks