Random Tournament 2012

[Vang]

Smite
Holy Freeze
Sanctuary
Defiance

FOH and Holy bolt are very useful around undead and also benefit from being able to heal your mercenary with holy bolt. Its a bit slow, but is a safe option from afar.

[Chairnick]

Yeah, but it turns out that there are not that many undeads in the game, also it's really slow.
Well skills are still pretty bad, I'll keep going but I doubt I'll get past Duriel this time
Thanks for rolling new skills.

[Grisu]

Smite and Holy Freeze can make your build quite safe: Slow and stun is - among Conversion - the best crowd control you can get with a Paladin ...

I found some time to play Seffel, the infamous Arctic Blast Druid. Note to self: Arctic Blast really sucks. Esp. since most monsters at the beginning of Act 1 Hell are Cold immune. Most of them are PI, too, like

Steel Heart the Shade

or

Dire Killer the Hunter

or

Corpsefire

They all died eventually though, after approx. one hour of battle(s), allowing me to complete the Den of Evil quest.

How did they die, you ask? Well, Insight (the Partizan my merc uses) has 75 poison damage over 5 sec and 5-30 fire damage. They were the only means of damage, where the poison played the biggest part because it prevented the bosses from regenerating. I had to constantly recast Grizzly to reposition it, so that the bosses would attack it and not my merc, which worked quite well after some tries, esp with Corpsefire.

I tried to help with my Edge Bow (75 poison damage over 5 seconds, PMH), but with 23% chance to hit you couldn't really call it "help". I am honestly thinking about making a Venom Bow, for which I have the runes, just for the poison damage, the ITD and the PMH. Yes, I have a spare Mal (NM Hell Forge). Another option would be Harmony for elemental damage, but I'm lacking a Ko rune atm.

If anyone has some thoughts to share on Venom, you're welcome

Another option would be "Strength", but the CB only applies when you damage at all, right? So my merc would need to get some damage from an off-weapon source. Any facts on that?

The next option would be to buy/gamble a Polearm with Lightning and/or Fire damage. I'll see...

Seffel, level 75 Arctic Blast Bow Druid, with his trusty Grizzly and Azrael the Might Mercenary, Hell Cold Plains next.

[SunsetVista]

@Grisu - Wow, lvl 75 arctic blast druid in Hell! That's awesome!

[felixbavaria]

TalEthEthEth(Eth) bow (how many sockets can your bows have?) for something like PMH and ITD. I'd rather make a cube-bugged Prudence with the Mal.

EDIT: And yes, CB can be resisted, i.e., PIs don't receive any damage from it.

Malice polearm for the merc?

[Grisu]

@SunsetVista: Thanks!

TalEthEthEth(Eth) bow (how many sockets can your bows have?) for something like PMH and ITD. I'd rather make a cube-bugged Prudence with the Mal.

EDIT: And yes, CB can be resisted, i.e., PIs don't receive any damage from it.

Malice polearm for the merc?

I was thinking about Prudence, but I already made Smoke and was thinking if Stealth would be enough for my Druid or even better because of the FCR and the FRW.

About Malice: I thought about it...I would have to damage the monster first with another weapon though for OW to take effect...but still a good option!

[felixbavaria]

I think if your merc has some source of elemental damage, OW will work for PIs. That's how my Spearazon killed the PI/LI Zombies in Act I.

[Grisu]

I think if your merc has some source of elemental damage, OW will work for PIs. That's how my Spearazon killed the PI/LI Zombies in Act I.

Yeah, either that or switch weapon. OW only works, if the monster is already in "regenerating mode". Already made a Malice War Scythe and will try it on the next PI/CI monster I meet. There will be plenty in the "Cold Plains" i guess :rolleyes:

[Grisu]

Well, some more progress. Quite easy, I actually get the hang of Arctic Blast and my Grizzly: Cast Grizzly on top of enemies, let Merc approach, recast Grizzly on top because it's already dying, then slow the enemies with Arctic Blast. Recast Grizzly if needed.

Found another Lum, so it's probably a 2nd Smoke I'll make

Plus, I hit the jackpot for an untwinked tourney Duid - too bad I'm only allowed to use Hawk Helms

Seffel, level 77 Arctic Blast Bow Druid, with Azrael the Might mercenary and a trusty Grizzly, Hell Barracks next.

[Bogan]

Can I have another completely random roll please?