You probably should have the tl;dr version right at top, not hidden in the FAQ. Other than that, excellent compilation and well written.
When it comes to raw damage, I concur with your results. However, I personally prefer other merc builds with more crowd control instead.

i d say rare builds (like those who are using dream just for ctc confuse) is for people with some brains... and when you have brains... you dont need guide lol.

Nice guide though.
Perhaps I'll read it better when I have time.

You do realize, especially in pvp Fortitude>treachery;i just like treach b/c venom and ias,WHICH CAN BE GOTTEN SOMEWHERE ELSE

Very detail information. Btw, can I have the set up for nm act 2 defensive holy freeze merc too? This is the usual common setup most pvm hammerdins choose for their merc as their back up against magic immune monsters. Of course those environment is not the most adverse for the merc. Most important merc must be able to survive during Lister after helping the din in wave 2. Holy freeze merc is chosen for a reason. Using might merc to compare survivability by using leeching is not the main point. how much damage can you boost on the merc by using might aura that will enhance the leech?

Equipment is eth andy , eth fort, eth insight. Hope you can help to justify.

Read it the fuck before throwing some bs.

I read it, done tests in-game more then you or this whole sng can imagine retard;its alright vs monsters,in pvp-completely useless;its nice for merc to fade altrought, THEN swap fortitude and kill that annoying fb sorc

if you use a merc in pvp, you shouldn't be reading this topic in the first place.. This is aimed at the 99% of the diablo population that actually have a brain.. You should probably stick with what you do and use fort on your pvp merc ^^

This subject is obviously pure PvE and it has nothing to do with PvP and even if it were, mercs are considered to be BM in duels.

Nice post.


About Critical Strike ( Insight mod) :

+1 all skill (Battle command) and +2 all skill (Andy's visage) apply to Oskill Critical strike.
+9 critical strike (54%DS) can be reached, though this is not relevant for your comparaison.


About your results for Insight merc :

In regular situation (not under decrepify), you find DPS higher with Forty, except for a Hammerdin merc, for whom Treachery would give higher DPS.

I'm a bit surprised :

Forty Total +%ed : 1434%
244 (str)
260 (might level 23 = 20 native + 2 andy's + 1 battle command)
60 (Jab level 26)
570 (concentration level 35)
300 (Fortitude)

Forty attack speed : 25 / (5.5+1)
5.5 fpa with Giant Thresher and +35ias

Treachery +%ed : 1134%
244 (str)
260 (might level 23 = 20 native + 2 andy's + 1 battle command)
60 (Jab level 26)
570 (concentration level 35)

Treachery attack speed : 25 / (4.5+1)
4.5 fpa with Giant Thresher and +35ias

15.34 * 25 / (5.5+1) > 12.34 * 25 / (4.5+1)
DPS with Fortitude are 5.2% higher than with Treachery.


Under decrepified now, Treachery gives higher DPS than Fortitude only with Concentration aura.
And still, damages are very closed :

Forty attack speed with decrep : 25 / (8.5+1)
8.5 fpa with Giant Thresher and +35ias + decrep

Treachery attack speed with decrep : 25 / (6.5+1)
6.5 fpa with Giant Thresher and +35ias + decrep

15.34 * 25 / (8.5+1) < 12.34 * 25 / (6.5+1)
DPS with Treachery are 1.9% higher than with Fortitude.

Without level 35 Concentration :

Forty Total +%ed : 864%
244 (str)
260 (might level 23 = 20 native + 2 andy's + 1 battle command)
60 (Jab level 26)
300 (Fortitude)

Treachery +%ed : 564%
244 (str)
260 (might level 23 = 20 native + 2 andy's + 1 battle command)
60 (Jab level 26)

9.64 * 25 / (8.5+1) > 6.64 * 25 / (6.5+1)
DPS with Fortitude are 14.6% higher than with Treachery.



About Crushing Blow :



Along with 50% dr (Hell Baal) :



Hence, in P8, CB reduction is ~ 1.34 % (and not 6.25%).

Again with CB and your WCS :

With 40% CB, you apply 4 succesfull CB at the end of a 10-hits sequence.
This is a bad method.
If you had 51% CB, would you apply first 49 hits without CB, and then 51 hits with CB ?
It would have no sense, since most monsters will be dead before the 50th hit.

You should simply apply a "weighted" damage for each hit :
- substract CB effect * CB probability
- apply regular physical damages.

ex against Baal in P8 (2,221,654 hp - 50% dr) with 40% CB :
1/72 of 2,221,654 = 30,856
40% of 30,856 = 12,343
substract 12,343 at first hit before regular damages,
repeat with current Baal's hp.

Actually you could also extract a 10th racine of 1^6 * (71/72) ^4 to have a more precise value.
But with "close to 1" numbers, the first calculation is pretty good and much more simple.