Old Topic: Beast or Not I hesitated a bit before posting this thread. You can see there's a similar thread on this same thread. I'd been blamed on before for spamming the forum with new threads. However the other thread refers to single player and doesn't really overlap with the stuff I will talk about. Beast runeword and the Fanaticism Aura are just too tasty for a summoner to miss. First of all, I'll not give up my wand for a beast runeword weapon. So I have to use my merc. Someone suggests give the Act 2 Merc a Beast weapon and you will have two Auras stacked together. WOW. But, Beast is only for Sceptor, Hammer and Axe. And I don't think Act 2 Merc's use those weapons. Is Poleaxe an Axe??????? If Act 2 Merc can't use Beast runeword, how about Act 5 Barb Merc?
If you had taken a minute to look at a poleaxe you would have seen that it's not an axe. How about just keeping your precious wand on switch for when you need to summon more skeletons?
I'm confused. You say you made this new because it didn't pertain, but I know the last Beast thread (with single player in title) definitely did. And Beast can only be used by you as no merc can use it (no merc regardless of act), and YES - it is a LOT better than using arm of king leoric or any other wand. Also, pre-buffing DOES NOT WORK for raising minions. Blizzard set it so it will check your skills and make your guys as good as the gear as you are wearing. Prebuffing doesn't work.
I'd say sacrifice your wand slot for a Beast Weapon, trust me when I say it will be much more beneficial. As for your merc, I personally would recomend using a Might merc with a Doom weapon. Mmm...
I'd imagine this would help: http://www.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/normal/axes.shtml I'm not sure if this can be done. but if I am reading this correctly you can use the Double Axe, Military Pick, or War Axe. All can get the needed 5 sockets and are 1 handers. I'd recomend the Double Axe for lowest strength reqs. You can use a War Scepter also, that has a 55 str req though but its also a 1 hander.
Yep, as people are saying it's tricky to get the correct number of sockets in a one hander. The arreat summit item lists show the maximum number of sockets per weapon, and also which weapons are 1 or 2 handed. You could also consider the bramble (armour) runeword for you or your merc? Depends what runes you have available. That would give your minions the Thorns aura.
