How important is the + to skills on Arioc compared to the ed%?

Also is it best to run a socketed Gface or CoT over Andy’s, until you’re are able to get a jewel with IAS/fire res?

Currently have a non eth Andys, eth glad bane, and eth cv insight. Trying to understand what changes to make to the Merc first so he doesn’t get completely melted.

Great guide btw! Gavel really made a change. Now just trying to make it so my Merc doesn’t die instantly

Every +1 Skills is worth about 10%ED! Pretty easy conversion.

Eth Andy's + Glad Bane can be tough unless you're using Um Runes in both Glad+Andy, since the resists will hurt. Also a higher level will help a ton with resists.

And I suggest Tal Rasha's over even CoT for survivability for the resists. Sorry, missed that part of it. CoT won't be awful either way, just doesn't work as well vs. Lightning Enchanted, which is pretty common.

Noticed a Small Error in the guide:
The Arioc/CoH/Andys Helm Link (https://d2.maxroll.gg/d2planner/dp0106zf#7) shows a 40% Demon Dmg/15% IAS Jewel in the Arioc. If its swapped to a 40% ED/15% IAS Normal jewel the damage goes up ~2k (39,342 -> 41,666). Considering the guide already recommends 40%/15 Normal Jewels you might want to touch base on using a Normal Jewel in the weapon and a Demon Jewel in the helm as the ED jewel adds to weapon damage differently if applied to the weapon.

You give two "End Game" setups, but I'm wondering if one is objectively better than the other.
Assuming Perfect Gear (Not Counting the Rare War Pike)

Arioc 40/15 / CoH / Andy 40/15 = 41,666.

400% EBOTD Warpike/Fortitude/ RAL Andy: 40,249.

415% EBOTD Warpike/ Fortitude/ Perfect 30ED/40Demon Ed Jewel =44,429.

It seems like the EBOTD setup would be superior here if you can get a good jewel/pike roll. Are there other factors I'm not taking into account here? Is Arioc's speed more efficient? I'm curious as I noticed you using the Arioc setup and it seems that EBOTD is superior. Are you trying to account for conviction aura games by using CoH?

Also, did anyone ever confirm if Merc is effected by the armor type run speed penalty?

This post was edited by Footspeedy on Nov 17 2021 07:18pm

Arioc's vs. eBOTD at that point really comes down to how much you telestomp & pay attention to Stone Skin; the faster attack speed means the Merc springs into action a bit faster.
It's inconsequential mostly, but you should be able to notice it. eBOTD Merc will be visibly "beefier", with slower but more massive hits. It's completely irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
I prefer Arioc's because it has a way of streaking Deadly Strikes, and the somewhat frequent burst can often kill Stone Skin enemies faster before they heal back up. It's especially frustrating vs. Immune to Physical Ismail with Stone Skin, since you can't override Amp Damage with Battle Cry.
And yes, I prefer CoH because it has more resists, but also because I ditched Andariel's Visage for a 3os of Wealth, which means the built-in life leech on CoH is a bare minimum.
I'd still use CoH over Fort either way; I wanted the guide to contain both options so people would be able to see both as valid choices.

And yes, the Arioc's jewel SHOULD be a flat 15/40 for the on-weapon buffs. Good catch. Will update.

Yes, Mercenaries are affected by armor movespeed penalty.

Technically, the ideal "non-impossible" helmet for the Merc would be a 3os Tiara of Wealth (80% Goldfind, 3 sockets), with 2x 15/40s and 1x 40ED/30Goldfind.
And if you're enough of a degenerate with impossible items, you can even push it to 3x rare jewels with 30ED/40Demons/30Goldfind, for 170% extra goldfind (effective 120~) and 210% ED.
I don't put in "impossible items" in the build, like 30ED/40Demons/30Fire Resist Rare Jewels in Andariel's Visage. These things are just not realistic for almost anyone. But if you have it, use it

I modified the eBOTD WP to show 415% just for the sake of it, but on paper it should still leave Arioc's veeeery slightly ahead.

The final build I recommend to most people that reach out in PMs is:
- eBOTD War Pike
- Chains of Honor
- Andy's Visage with a Cham.

The setup hits the 80IAS breakpoint, has Cannot Be Frozen & provides up to 33 Life Leech for super laid back runs. It's very "fire and forget".

If you want to see "The Impossible Mercenary", I made this profile: https://d2.maxroll.gg/d2planner/dp0106zf#11

This post was edited by Exokek on Nov 17 2021 07:41pm

Running this build right now, def A+, using fort and ebotd cause it felt dirty making a eth CoH lol.

Also with the end game setup, don't have to use demon limb to hit the timer, so can just gravel swap and be good.

This post was edited by Vessy123 on Nov 17 2021 08:33pm

So, you are averaging 20 minute stacks currently? I'm not sure if it's the same for everyone but I am currently getting 90 second game delays.

If you are getting the same 90 second new games then you would be full stack in 13.3 runs and averaging roughly 750k or so per run. Does this look right to you?

How much gf are you running currently?

Thanks!

ok so i didnt read all pages yet just wanted to add 1 thing
while your build gets the job done surely why even waste that time on rep + gavel
the merc setup aint bad on a budget but for that value u can make botd+ forty, or even cheaper ebotd + treach
also singer barb got its own dwbuff already since u not using a WW build

Level 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 25
Monster Damage −36% −37% −38% −39% −40% −41% −42% −43% −44% −49%
Monster Defense −72% −74% −76% −78% −80% −82% −84% −86% −88% −98%
Duration 38.4 40.8 43.2 45.6 48 50.4 52.8 55.2 57.6 72.6

thats the stats on battlecry

allat all nice build works like any other gf barb around

EDIT/ horking while beiing in hydra fire or blizz from those other nasty dudes can cause interupt leading into nodrop

EDIT2/ here some possible merc setups

Cheap af:

Hone Sundan 2x shael 1x amn
treach
cot

Little more cost but nice ias bp/ also high ll

ebotd ghost spear
treach
cot

Max dps

any mix of: botd (ghost spear if treach / wp if forty ) / guil / andy / cot / treach / forty -- depends on your ias bp preference/ lvl / ll on merc etc you get the point

al at all ther eis like 10 different merc setups getting job done in no time

This post was edited by BallersAcc on Nov 17 2021 10:04pm

without gavel you gota skip ishmael everytime he spawns with stoneskin, and you're already "almost" skipping conviction or gear changing.

yep true that but u could keep gavel in cube ( inv ) for that or spellsteel
also if u use a tele amy it aint that hard to fast skip ismael

however dont wanna make that build bad it works like most gf builds and is a nice adapt towards immunes

This post was edited by BallersAcc on Nov 17 2021 10:07pm