Viability of A5 barb merc with meteorb

[VeeSe]

Hi all,

I'm playing on SP (so no high runes and stuff for imba runewords like infinity/CoH/fort etc), and I'm really tired of using A2 mercs for every single character (just that they're so good). Has anybody ever taken a barb merc to late game and liked it a lot? If so, what kind of setup did you use? (Even if it's full of great runewords, I'm just curious)

-VeeSe

[sirpoopsalot]

I used one on my (retired before completely finished) trap assassin. I missed the Insight for my lazy mana regeneration, but otherwise he was a very nice change of pace. Of course, I had Death eth Colossus Sword + Fortitude + VampGaze, so he could kick some serious monster butt.

If you want to try it, go ahead. Like Act2 mercs, get him some life leech and a big-damage weapon, and he'll do ok (or better). The usual resists, CBF, FHR, whatever obviously help too.

To me, in addition to the obvious benefits of the auras, the main advantage the Act2 mercs have is the variety in "cheap" weapons that are effective. For example, getting a Hone Sundan and sticking a few Amn runes in it is decent for an Act2 merc's end-game weapon, and not that difficult to find if you're not playing single-pass. Barb mercs have a few options too, but most aren't quite as effective or as easy to come across.

[VeeSe]

Yeah, I agree with you completely. Just doing a few MF runs (if you can call running with only ~180-200MF a "run") yielded a whole handful of polearms/spears that are nice (hone sundan 'AmnAmnShael', viperfork, arioc's needle, spire of honor, and a couple more worse ones), but I haven't found any really good 2H swords yet. The only runewords I could potentially make (if I get a Ko) would be lawbringer, voice of reason, and passion, which aren't spectacular, but I guess not too shabby.

I'm not sure about the barb though, since I am a meteorb sorc and I anticipate spamming fireballs like crazy in hell and I'm not sure if I'll need insight with the gear I have not giving crazy mana regen (tals ammy, belt, mask, occulus, que hegan's, rhyme or spirit shield if i can find a monarch, frostburns). If I somehow find a set lacquered plate anytime soon, I'm pretty sure I'll be fine, as I already found a 2/2/2 tals orb but occy is better without the armor, unfortunately =(

I guess I'll try it out the barb right now though, but I have extremely ****ty equipment for him =P

[Zaneus]

I had my mmf sorc running an A5 merc for quite a while. He had an eth colossus botd, eth fort in sacred armour (222 str requirement :S ) and an andys visage for the +30str, socketed with a ral to make up for the -fire res.

He really kicked butt, killed things faster than any A2 merc i've had. but in the end i need the mana so i changed him out for an A2 defiance merc. Kept the 4000def fort and andys, the merc can wear it at level 88 if i remember correctly. With defiance his defence is up at 20k. if he uses the frozen armour, its 27k. In the end, i think the A2 merc is better. lacks in killing speed but the defence keeps him alive much longer, so he's much more reliable.

[maareek]

I used a barb merc on my blizzballer. She's got full tal's now, and even at 105% FCR a blue pot or two per run works fine. The merc is using Doombringer + Guillaume's + Duress and does very well in baal runs. The barb has much better AI than the act2 merc and, properly geared, packs a hell of a punch. Before I found the Doombringer, I used Lightsabre + Vamp Gaze + Duress, which wasn't nearly as strong.

If you want to give the barb a try, you should, but, like poops says, they do take a little more hard to find gear to be really strong. Even if he's not that strong, though, as a sorc you should just be able to avoid immunes if it comes down to it. Give it a shot, you can always change mercs later.

[VeeSe]

OK so I think I have to go back with a holy freeze NM A2 merc because the barb one is failing due to lack of equipment. He has only 100 def more than me (a caster) because of his super bad armor (rare sharktooth, 350 def) and only has a little bit more hp than me. So basically it's like me tanking for myself, except without a shield (not that I have block anyway, I have 100 stat points saved, not sure what to do), and we all know how that goes. Basically, vs any crowd, it involves me massively feeding him potions while spamming spells, and then chugging out the gold to revive him when he dies anyway. This sorc is like my poorest character yet at this stage, only able to accumulate about 300K gold of wealth when my usual characters have an excess of 2 million gold by the time they reach this point =P

[Kretschmer]

Note that there is no imba insight either on signle-player. :)

[relliKniaP]

Hi all,

I'm playing on SP (so no high runes and stuff for imba runewords like infinity/CoH/fort etc), and I'm really tired of using A2 mercs for every single character (just that they're so good). Has anybody ever taken a barb merc to late game and liked it a lot? If so, what kind of setup did you use? (Even if it's full of great runewords, I'm just curious)

-VeeSe

My blizzwaller mat uses an act 5 merc. they are actually great and much more fun that the boring act 2 ones. My advice - get your barb merc 'Lawbringer' and 'Treachery'.... with decrep packs are slowed down and really bundled up nicely for your aoe, and when fade kicks in, he can tank very good

[VeeSe]

So right after I changed to a Holy Freeze merc, I found Swordguard and an ethereal rare boneweave (1401 def) -_-

Oh well, Holy freeze merc + the boneweave + hone sundan 'AmnShaelAmn' + blackhorn slowing targets by 20% is really keeping him alive quite well.

[mrfrost]

Personally for me, the A5 Merc IS the choice for my Sorcs. However, the equipment has to be good to turn them into the beasts they really are. A2 Mercs just don't have the "go to" the Barb Mercs have all the time, and my Sorcs really need. I agree with the equipment Lawbringer (above), its really a solid choice.