Best A2 merc survivability armor

General Discussion
1

Hi, completed my gear on hammerdin, now its time to optimize my merc. I don’t care about his dmg, only his survivability.

  • Most guides say Fortitude - can someone estimate how much % increase in survivability this is compared to budget runewords lile smoke or treachery? Dont want to waste a Lo for like “it would be 5%ish”.
    Whats the most important of Fortitude? Its chilling armor or the %ed for more LL?

  • Saw Pride as an (even more expensive) alternative - does its concentration aura stack with mine?

  • What about eth. Elite Armors like Arkaines with 2k+ Def - does this have an impact in survivability?

ty for replies!

2

Treachery hands down because:
1 has 45%ias wich means more hits more Life Leach = more health
2 has Fade wich has % more rez and % les phisical damage

for me 2nd is eth shaftstop because of the massive dam red and missile dam red

and 3rd is fortitude because of the % enh damage = more Life Leach

on 4th place i place eth gladiator(because of - damage) bane and tyriel might(because of no str req)

3

I would consider the weapon to be part of this deal - Reapers toll procs decrepify, an AOE debuff that slows everything by 75% in movement and in hit speed.

An eth fortitude is always always going to be very very good, and it doesnt rely on getting a spell off. If memory serves, treachery only has a 5% chance of fade being cast? Meaning that there would be some vulnerability before fade hits. I for one used Duriels Kraken shell for immunity to freeze.

Lastly, i would ask that you consider an ethereal rockstopper. It can be upped (though i have not yet upped one). And whatever you socket it with plugs a gap. This option only works when you have life leech coming in from somewhere else.

4

Weapon has to be insight, cant switch that.

5

Vampire Gaze is a good choice + shaftstop will make a deal just need to keep res high / Kraken / Treachery are also nice.

But as @Mizzo said, Reapers will make a deal if you don’t have Gaze and Shaft

6

fortitude is a noobtrap

7

yeah forgot about that one, duriels is good too right there with gladiator and a bit above tyriel imo

8

Yeah same here. Is there any alternative of getting mana?

9

Leviathan is to consider too as it gives some nice DR, armor and Strengh, but treachery is best imo

10

As hammerdin, i do not run insight noor A2 merc, i’m running with A3 merc with azurewarth to keep Lord Seis far away from me ; you replenish mana with redemption after taking off a group of mob

11

Im using Treachery, Tals head and very fast attack speed Insight Thresher on my sorc and my merc very rarely dies. With very fast attack speed Thresher paired with Treachery 45% ias he heals himself plenty and he can tank all Hell act bosses with ease and i dont even have to heal him.

12

I would also metion Stone, quite defensive runeword for a reasonable price

13

Armor: ETH Archon Plate 15 Enhanced Defense with ElSolDolLo (Fortitude Runeword)
Helm: Andariel Visage socketed with RAL
Weapon: ETH Tresher with Insight or Infinity
Everything else is compromise.

14

same. runs last only 2-3 min. no time for fade to proc. 4os infinity giant thresher, raled andys and forti.