thorns and IM

[apandapion]

On a lark, I've made a "monsters hit things and die" necro, like way back in 1.03 or so. My question is, will Iron Maiden, Thorns (off a merc), and Spirit of Barbs (wisp projector) work together, or will only the best one help?

[adeyke]

Those do stack. What wouldn't stack is multiple effects of the same kind, like thorns from a merc, thorns from Bramble and thorns from an iron golem. Also, while IM does stack with thorns and SoB, amplify damage will generally do more.

[apandapion]

Thanks for the answer. I already have lots of points in IM though... I wonder if i should rebuild. I could stick with my prayer merc so the skeletons and revives survive getting beat on longer.

Thanks again.

[librarian]

Heiho,

in 1.10 Skeletons with skill focus on them have tons of life, so their regeneration is enormous. The Prayer effect adds only some tiny points, you won't notice it on your pets.

A Thorns hireling gives you the chance of using Amplify, which does lots more damage in combination as IM and Thorns stacked, like adeyke said.

A heavy summon build would profit most from Blessed Aim merc, because the Skeletons do lots of damage, but have bad AR in higher difficulties.
The Might hireling is the better choice, if the build has some other AR source handy (say, Passion or Whisp Projector, or - best of all choices, but very rarely to get - Beast).

But if your route is clear and you want reflect, Thorns in combination with Amplify works best (well, there's always Bramble, so the lucky ones who play at those realms where high level runes are hidden under every second stone _could_ use it on the char or on the merc and have free choice of the real hireling aura :-P)

[Crystalion]

A heavy summon build would profit most from Blessed Aim merc, because the Skeletons do lots of damage, but have bad AR in higher difficulties.
The Might hireling is the better choice, if the build has some other AR source handy (say, Passion or Whisp Projector, or - best of all choices, but very rarely to get - Beast).

Enchant.

Massive +%AR.

Demon Limb or Enchantress.

Did I mention Enchant yet? ;)

(if you can count on the AR%+ to your skelies then a Might merc probably wins out over BA).

edit: okay, okay, fair is fair... if you can count on Conviction and/or Inner Sight at high levels, the AR issue also goes away (for example, if you see a vengence/conviction paly using a rogue merc, you might want to invite them to join your party, as whiffing is going to be a rare event).

[Kevin]

If I'm not mistaken those skills are additive. So a 800% thorns, 400% IM and 200% SoB is 1400% damage returned.

This is why amp is better, dropping the physical resist by 100% is esentially doubling (that 800% thorns is now 1600%). So it takes a big IM or a little thorns aura for amp not to be the better choice with thorns.

[librarian]

Heiho,

hmmmm I heard some rumbling 'bout Enchant ...
.. oh yes, you're right, Demon Limb has actually charges (I still don't know the new items by heart, I had to cheat with a look at the unique section^^).

Hmmmm.
Enchant on sLvl23 should last about 11minutes, bringing 218%AR. Not too bad, but did you try to enchant a higher number of Skeleton Warriors running criss-cross around the place?
My Overlord comes along with 15 Skeleton Warriors, just for info ...
Would be nice to compare the amount of Gold a HoW charge costs with 15charges of Enchant.