Minion-based soloing builds are useless in Hell difficulty

[swirly]

Have people tried Rabid Dogs with Bad Medicine? I find the 20% damage reduction does quite a bit. I'm only in nightmare, but was in a 4 player game last night that reached act 4 and my dogs were still quite sturdy.

From my experiences my best guess is that they were doing ok because you were playing 4 player. I soloed most of Nightmare and all of Hell so far (just starting Act 2 Hell). Even with Rabid Dogs, Bad Medicine, Zombie Handler, and Jungle Fortitude they would die I would lose at least 2 nearly immediately. It might also be that I don't have the best items and their stats somehow scale off your gear (not sure if true), but they just didn't seem worth the investment and effort to me.

I can't speak for Hell cause I'm not there yet. I just tried soloing in Act 4 Nightmare. Started at the beginning of it and went up until the point where you can destroy corrupted growths. (I don't have much time right now). Up until the boss you fight there (Rakanoth?) I only lost 2 dogs. Not two packs, just two dogs. That was on trash even. The one champion pack I saw (mortar illusionist) didn't kill any of my pets. The boss himself slowly worked through them to where I had to resummon with him at about 25% life yet and then he killed one more dog before I finished the fight.

This was with jungle fortitude, zombie handler, bad medicine, rabid dogs, and big stinker. So there must either be a level difference from what I am (51 I think) and what you were at the time or a gear difference. I'm on hardcore too for what that may or may not matter.