Chaerophon:
I used a spreadsheet to examine the effectiveness of BA vs. Might in a multitude of situations, and it would be rather unwieldy to reproduce it here in its entirety. The nature of the comparison here is such that higher monster defense and lower skeleton AR favors BA, whereas the opposite is true for Might. Now I really want to get back to playing my ladder character, so I'll just list a few data points for you to consider. Keep in mind that for new v1.10 characters, we won't be able to count on uber equipment and loads of skill adders:
Skills: L26 RS/SM (+2 wand, +2 shrunken head, +1 circlet, +1 amulet)
Skeletal Warrior AR: 780
Skeletal Warrior Damage: RS 33-34, SM +52, base 85-86, RS +161%, total 221-224, average 222.5
Blessed Aim: Level 18, +330% AR, available at merc level 75
Might: Level 20, +230% damage, available at merc level 96
Skeletal Warrior AR with BA: 3354
Skeletal Warrior damage with Might: total 417-422, average 419.5
Might damage multiplier: 1.89x (~419.5/222.5)
Subject 1: Defiled Warrior, 1155 defense (extreme low end for an A5 monster)
Subject 2: Frozen Scourge, 1634 defense (mid range)
Subject 3: Death Lord, 2146 defense (high end)
Subject 4: Baal, 2847 defense (you'll be fighting him quite frequently at higher levels)
Base To Hit Subject #1: 40.3%
Base To Hit Subject #2: 32.3%
Base To Hit Subject #3: 26.7%
Base To Hit Subject #4: 21.5%
BA To Hit Subject #1: 74.4%
BA To Hit Subject #2: 67.2%
BA To Hit Subject #3: 61.0%
BA To Hit Subject #4: 54.1%
BA To Hit Multiplier for Subject #1: 1.85x
BA To Hit Multiplier for Subject #2: 2.08x
BA To Hit Multiplier for Subject #3: 2.29x
BA To Hit Multiplier for Subject #4: 2.52x
BA Damage Over Might for Subject #1: -2.1%
BA Damage Over Might for Subject #2: +10.4%
BA Damage Over Might for Subject #3: +21.3%
BA Damage Over Might for Subject #4: +33.4%
The figures above are lower than what I had posted earlier, but this is a result of the overly optimistic Might merc level. You simply are not going to get a level 96 Might merc in a realistic time frame unless you imported a v1.09d character to v1.10. A Might merc at level 75 would only have an L15 aura, and that would result in:
Skeletal Warrior damage with Might: total 374-379, average 376.5
Might damage multiplier: 1.69x (~376.5/222.5)
BA Damage Over Might for Subject #1: +9.1%
BA Damage Over Might for Subject #2: +23.0%
BA Damage Over Might for Subject #3: +35.2%
BA Damage Over Might for Subject #4: +48.6%
I hope this isn't too messy to read. Don't forget that while BA wins out in the raw numbers, it also has an advantage in the intangibles of group play. BA mercs just aren't very common, so chances are he will be filling a useful niche in a large group.
Edit: Typo
I used a spreadsheet to examine the effectiveness of BA vs. Might in a multitude of situations, and it would be rather unwieldy to reproduce it here in its entirety. The nature of the comparison here is such that higher monster defense and lower skeleton AR favors BA, whereas the opposite is true for Might. Now I really want to get back to playing my ladder character, so I'll just list a few data points for you to consider. Keep in mind that for new v1.10 characters, we won't be able to count on uber equipment and loads of skill adders:
Skills: L26 RS/SM (+2 wand, +2 shrunken head, +1 circlet, +1 amulet)
Skeletal Warrior AR: 780
Skeletal Warrior Damage: RS 33-34, SM +52, base 85-86, RS +161%, total 221-224, average 222.5
Blessed Aim: Level 18, +330% AR, available at merc level 75
Might: Level 20, +230% damage, available at merc level 96
Skeletal Warrior AR with BA: 3354
Skeletal Warrior damage with Might: total 417-422, average 419.5
Might damage multiplier: 1.89x (~419.5/222.5)
Subject 1: Defiled Warrior, 1155 defense (extreme low end for an A5 monster)
Subject 2: Frozen Scourge, 1634 defense (mid range)
Subject 3: Death Lord, 2146 defense (high end)
Subject 4: Baal, 2847 defense (you'll be fighting him quite frequently at higher levels)
Base To Hit Subject #1: 40.3%
Base To Hit Subject #2: 32.3%
Base To Hit Subject #3: 26.7%
Base To Hit Subject #4: 21.5%
BA To Hit Subject #1: 74.4%
BA To Hit Subject #2: 67.2%
BA To Hit Subject #3: 61.0%
BA To Hit Subject #4: 54.1%
BA To Hit Multiplier for Subject #1: 1.85x
BA To Hit Multiplier for Subject #2: 2.08x
BA To Hit Multiplier for Subject #3: 2.29x
BA To Hit Multiplier for Subject #4: 2.52x
BA Damage Over Might for Subject #1: -2.1%
BA Damage Over Might for Subject #2: +10.4%
BA Damage Over Might for Subject #3: +21.3%
BA Damage Over Might for Subject #4: +33.4%
The figures above are lower than what I had posted earlier, but this is a result of the overly optimistic Might merc level. You simply are not going to get a level 96 Might merc in a realistic time frame unless you imported a v1.09d character to v1.10. A Might merc at level 75 would only have an L15 aura, and that would result in:
Skeletal Warrior damage with Might: total 374-379, average 376.5
Might damage multiplier: 1.69x (~376.5/222.5)
BA Damage Over Might for Subject #1: +9.1%
BA Damage Over Might for Subject #2: +23.0%
BA Damage Over Might for Subject #3: +35.2%
BA Damage Over Might for Subject #4: +48.6%
I hope this isn't too messy to read. Don't forget that while BA wins out in the raw numbers, it also has an advantage in the intangibles of group play. BA mercs just aren't very common, so chances are he will be filling a useful niche in a large group.
Edit: Typo