Need some help with Act II Merc

[Saoi]

Need some help with Act II Merc

Hi, I shoosed the merc with defiance aura one because of the huge defence bonus, but can make it give more auras, lets say its using an infinity CA, will I get the conviction aura from it?

Also i need some good recomendations about the equipment it'll use.

 

[SnickerSnack]

Re: Need some help with Act II Merc

Yes, the merc will also get the conviction aura.

Ethereal Fortitude and ethereal vampire gaze should be good enough.

 

[lumpor]

Re: Need some help with Act II Merc

That's not that good really. Reduction has rising returns, so you should generally get alot, or nothing at all. Leviathan + gaze is good though.

Even though the aura animations will switch, both will always be active at the same time

 

[SnickerSnack]

Re: Need some help with Act II Merc

So efort + vamp gaze is bad? I'm pretty sure that the huge defense granted by ~1000 base def+200%ed+chilling armor+defiance will be good. %dr is not needed if the merc takes very few hits and leeches it all back. Leviathan offers up to 25% dr, but fort offers huge defense, deadly strike, life, resists, *huge damage* - this defiance merc will not have a might aura. How is leviathan better again?

The gaze is there mainly for the life leech, and having some %DR does not obligate you to get 50%. Would you use crown of thieves instead because it has no dr? Please explain these rising returns.

OP: Leviathan is good, and you should try it out if you have one, but I think that fort is better for your merc. And andariel's visage may be better over all, but I find vamp gaze to be a good merc helm.

 

[lumpor]

Re: Need some help with Act II Merc

Fort doesn't give ds. Damage can be irrelevant unless the merc is gonna kill immunes. Andy's is usually better if you're not gonna max the dr%.

 

[SnickerSnack]

Re: Need some help with Act II Merc

DS, yeah, I was thinking of the weapon version on that.

If the merc is using infinity, then maybe he's using an elemental character, and he'll need it to kill immunes from to time. Also, the merc needs to do damage in order to leech.

"not going to max the dr%" I still don't understand.

 

[lumpor]

Re: Need some help with Act II Merc

there's a cap at 50%, and it's usually best to reach (or almost reach) it, or not try at all.

If you have 49% dr, one extra dr would help about the same as 2% dr if you have 0%

 

[Zelator]

Re: Need some help with Act II Merc

Eh, perfect gaze got 20% DR... that's 1/5 damage.. along with 8% LL on the gaze and high def on forth, he'll do very well..

 

[lumpor]

Re: Need some help with Act II Merc

He'll also do well with andy's, and pack a bigger punch too

 

[Saoi]

Re: Need some help with Act II Merc

The infinity was just an example so, which would be the best weapon then.

Right now i'm going for eFort and and andariel's.

 

[Felix]

Re: Need some help with Act II Merc

There's no sense in saying that 50% damage reduction is good, but 20% is not. What you get is what you see.

 

[purplejack]

Re: Need some help with Act II Merc

its not max dr or nothing.. vamp gaze is a better merc helm overall than andys.. even 20% dr will add more survivability along with leech than andys..
your merc depends what ur gunna use it for..
but my setup is usualy:
forti
eth gaze
eth sinight/pride/reapers or obedience..
depends mre on what youl use it for than anything

 

[SnickerSnack]

Re: Need some help with Act II Merc

there's a cap at 50%, and it's usually best to reach (or almost reach) it, or not try at all.

If you have 49% dr, one extra dr would help about the same as 2% dr if you have 0%

Um....why? This doesn't explain anything; you're just restating it. Maybe you could give an example?

Edit: If I'm dealt 100 damage, then
Case 1: I have 15% dr, so I'm dealt 85 damage. If I had 16%, then I would be dealt 84 damage. 1% more dr results in 1 point less damage. The resulting damage is reduced by 1.176%.
Case 2: I have 45% dr, so I'm dealt 55 damage. If I had 46%, then I would be dealt 54 damage. 1% more dr results in 1 point less damage. The resulting damage is reduced by 1.818%.

In case 2, the reduction is a larger percent of the resulting damage than with case 1, but the damage is still reduced by the same additional amount. I don't think that "percent of resulting damage" is as important as "resulting damage." All this means is, more is better. It doesn't mean that 0% is better than 20%.