best tank merc for meteorb

[Noctes]

best tank merc for meteorb

hello,
i just started again playing (after some years..)
and i've got lots of trouble with my sorc (low gear)-ladder,

what would help me is a better tank.
For now i've got the holy freeze guy, but i think his "freeze" catches not all and not enough quickly, monsters.
And he is still fragile in hell, slowing is not enough

(Pierre Tombale Couant, Vampiregaze [just found, i had Undead Crown before] and rare armor 668def & some resists)

i was thinking to switch for a defense merc, or even a barbarian. I even think that a barb may be a better tank, if i've got the right equipment though, i do not have good sword or shield for him yet..)

If you can advise me with a merc & cheap equip (i saw that insight is good, and maybe spirit or ryhme for a shield barb)
thx. Or maybe the freeze guy is the best, just that i'm not really satisfied

 

[Azzaron]

I strongly recommend the defiance merc. I used a holy freeze merc for a while, but found that without the extra defense from defiance he just didn't last long enough.

I don't recommend the barbarians because of two reasons. First of all, he doesn't give you an aura benefit. Secondly, he tends to stray off and fight people far away, drawing them in whereas the act 2 mercs tend to stay fairly close to you.

As for equipment, the key thing you want on a helm is life steal which you get with vampiregaze. Try to get tal's mask for 10% life steal and a little more defense - you can get one for pgems. For a weapon, you want tomb reaver, bonehew, or reaper's troll. There are some better runewords, but those are much cheaper and will be doing twice as much damage as your current weapon, thus leaching more life and letting him life longer. For armour, get duriel's shell if you need the resists; otherwise, get a shaftstop.

 

[MageChick]

Check out the "ultimate merc guide" and the "dirt cheap merc equipment" guide" - both stickied in the library.

Azzaron is pretty close, but if you already have a vamp gaze - DO NOT dump it in favor of a tal helm. The DR% on vamp gaze will more than make up for the slightly less life leech.

Keep the vamp gaze - maybe give it a 15% IAS jewel (socket) - that's arguably the best merc helm available. Only eth versions or eth andy's are better.

Azzaron mentions some good armors - you can also do the "eth glitch" on something you find to get 1000+ def and some open sockets.

For weapons, just keep in mind that the more damage he does, and the quicker he does it, the more life he will leech.

I'm still a fan of the holy freeze variety. Defiance would probably be my 2nd choice. I prefer to have all the enimies moving slower - easier to target or just teleport through them.

I'd also recomend avoiding the Act 5 mercs. They do regen their life faster, but as he mentioned - the run after every monster in the game and end up dieing fast. By the way, act 5 mercs can't carry a shield as I recall - but they can use a 2 handed weapon.

 

[KremBanan]

I'd also recomend avoiding the Act 5 mercs. They do regen their life faster, but as he mentioned - the run after every monster in the game and end up dieing fast. By the way, act 5 mercs can't carry a shield as I recall - but they can use a 2 handed weapon.

I must disagree on this one. I use an A5 merc, with eth arreath, eth sacred forti and eth BOTD Colossus Blade, for my Fireball/Meteorb sorc. This gives him high damage and high life leech, he hardly ever dies, he single handed kills The Counsil in travi, Andariel cant kill him, he eats souls for breakfast + he can kill all minions at Baals(not the last wave if they spawn with fana). I agree that he has a tendency to run after all monsters, but that is easy controlled with teleport. He tanks just as good as a Valkyrie, but the main difference is that he actually kills alot when tanking. After I tried this build I think I never can go back for any other merc for my Fire/Orb-sorc(ofc for a Light-sorc, an A2-infinity merc is the best choice).
He is just one big, raw, killingmachine.

Just my 2 cents:smiley:

 

[MageChick]

I like killing power too - try an eth great poleaxe obediance (on an act 2 merc obviously) That along with Andy'd Helm (or Vamp Gaze socketed with IAS)and a good Leviathon will give you pretty close damage to the act 5 merc I bet and you still get the aura benifit.

Of course most people use the act 2 merc to equip insight or infinity - but damage is always nice too.

 

[kuafu]

I like killing power too - try an eth great poleaxe obediance (on an act 2 merc obviously) That along with Andy'd Helm (or Vamp Gaze socketed with IAS)and a good Leviathon will give you pretty close damage to the act 5 merc I bet and you still get the aura benifit...

I don't think so. BotD alone gives the higher average +%dmg than obedience, and act5 merc uses Bash/Stun that synergize each other to further increase the +%dmg. The Jab from act2 merc only adds a tiny bit.
That said, both are good mercs. I personally found eth fort better than leviathan. My favorite combo is Um'ed eth andy, eth infinity and eth fort. The combo of eth arreat, eth fort, ebotd cb sounds great too, just wish I have the fortune to use that.

 

[Noctes]

thx for the answers !

 

[MageChick]

Fort is awsome for the extra damage - I just normally can't afford one for my mercs. I've only ever had 1 eth andy's too

I think one of the best parts of Obediance is the self enchant. I matches the -enemy fire resistance nicly for even more damage. I'd have to do some math (and I'm feeling real lazy this morning) to total up the numbers. I think it would be real close. A good level jab adds a lot. If it's all about damage you'd be using a using a A2 might merc too. I'm sure that would beat out the A5 mercs.

*maybe if I get bored at work later I'll try to total it all up.

 

[ffejrxx]

on uswest i have a 89orb/cl and use barb merc with e-fort(2k def), delerium(400 def), and e-flamebelow 200ed (barb mercs cant use a shield)
dmg is 2100-4100, def is 4300, 9200 with chill :azn:
he tanks nice, curses often, only dies when mobbed or cursed with iron maden

heres a screenie
http://www.intergate.com/~ttool/barb.jpg

iv been thinking about getting him a lw cb