Hammerdin questions

[kthiru66]

Hammerdin questions

Hi guys....how are you'll doing?

I'm making a return to this game after a long break away from it and have decided to build a hammerdin. Yes...I have been playing diablo II since it was released but I have never found myself to be knowledgeable in all information related to this game so please DO insult me if these questions sound noobish! :lol:

1) If I use an item with +2 to skills, will the increase in skill level on the synergies (in this case concentration, vigor and blessed aim) increase the damage on Bless Hammers? I know it does when we level up and add points to synergies till the max of 20 but I just want a confirmation that items with + X to skills does as well.

2) I heard there's a bug that ethereal unique armors (normal and exceptional) will still remain ethereal but will lose it's ethereal defence bonus when upgraded. Is this true? Does it affect just unique armors or rares as well? Are weapons spared from this bug?

3) I have read a few Hammerdin strategies...especially from our beloved Ragnarod and another by captain bogus....and found them extremely useful. But what I don't understand is why they recommend to put points into Holy Shield when one will always be using the concentration aura. Is the bonus to blocking and defence by HS a passive bonus (as in bonus without the HS aura active)?

4) This is non-paladin related but it just crossed my mind! I few patches back, I remember reading somewhere that the minions of a necro (aka skeletons, golems, revives) does not take the necro's MF into account when they do the final kill. Does it now? How bout the Valkyry (sp?)?

Thanks for the "upcoming answers" guys. :thumbsup:

 

[Jagar]

OK, I'll take a shot at a couple of these.

1) Points in synergies from +skill items don't help, but points in Concentration from +skill items will. It's the effect of the Concentration aura that ups the damage from hammers.

2) Not sure about this one. Someone with the answer will undoubtedly chime in, though.

3) Holy Shield is a skill that you activate when needed. It is timered, so you switch over to it, activate it, and then switch back to your aura as needed.

4) I'm pretty sure that MF from a necro (or whoever) is taken into account when one of their minions gets the kill. At least, it definitely appears to work that way for my necro.

Have fun with the Hammerdin and welcome back to the game!

 

[Crazy Runner Guy]

I have never found myself to be knowledgeable in all information related to this game so please DO insult me if these questions sound noobish! :lol:

We don't insult, only help!

1) If I use an item with +2 to skills, will the increase in skill level on the synergies (in this case concentration, vigor and blessed aim) increase the damage on Bless Hammers? I know it does when we level up and add points to synergies till the max of 20 but I just want a confirmation that items with + X to skills does as well.

+skills do not work with synergies, only the base skill itself.

2) I heard there's a bug that ethereal unique armors (normal and exceptional) will still remain ethereal but will lose it's ethereal defence bonus when upgraded. Is this true? Does it affect just unique armors or rares as well? Are weapons spared from this bug?

Yes, ethereal unique armors actually lose defense when upgraded because of the bug. This is only prevelant on uniques, not rares.

This is because rares always get the maximum base defense for their item. When you upgrade, this max defense is lost and the game randomly re-rolls it. Also, the game seems to completely ignore the +50% defense from being ethereal.

3) Is the bonus to blocking and defence by HS a passive bonus (as in bonus without the HS aura active)?

HS is passive, and it doesn't have an aura, but it does turn your shield a shiny white. Just cast it and then its active, and then recast it when is timer runs out. You get the bonus as long as its active.

4) This is non-paladin related but it just crossed my mind! I few patches back, I remember reading somewhere that the minions of a necro (aka skeletons, golems, revives) does not take the necro's MF into account when they do the final kill. Does it now? How bout the Valkyry (sp?)?

MF works with minions (all minions, including grizzlies, skellies, etc.), and in the case of mercenaries, the merc's MF is ADDED to your own. This is how people get rediculuously huge MF amounts (1k+% *cough* Tekka *cough*)

Hope this helps,
crg

EDIT: Damn, too slow. Gogo Jagar.

 

[Krollin]

MF works with minions (all minions, including grizzlies, skellies, etc.), and in the case of mercenaries, the merc's MF is ADDED to your own. This is how people get rediculuously huge MF amounts (1k+% *cough* Tekka *cough*)

Hope this helps,
crg

EDIT: Damn, too slow. Gogo Jagar.

Your MF and the MF from your Mercenary is only added together when your Mercenary makes the kill.
If your Mercs MF was added to yours when you made the kill then everyone would be MFing with Act 3 Mercs using PTopaz Harley, PTopaz Skullders and a 2 Ist Ali Baba

 

[kthiru66]

A thousand thanks to all that had put aside their precious time to answer my questions. :drink: are on me today!