Mercenary's "Doom" Giant Thresher

[Nicator]

I made a "Doom" Giant Thresher some days ago and enjoyed the graphics and damage the level 87 Might mercenary was making. Everytime he was in danger, my bowazon healed him with full rejuvs.

No luck yesterday when some succubus casted amplify damage on him and my valkyre, followed by some ultra-fast fanatic frenzytaurs. After resurrecting him, I came back to Worldstone Keep level 3 seeking for revenge, and on my way I noticed there was no Holy Freeze aura below him. Not that it would have make any difference, so I went to Act 4, Pandemonium Fortress and went down the stairs.

He had no Holy Freeze and looked as if no weapon at all because the speed at he was killed by some regular Venom Lords. I resurrected him again, looked at his weapon, removed it and positioned in place again. Voilá, Holy Freeze again, and he could tank again.

Needless to say that after that, I did the same, removing and placing again, with his Stealskull and Gladiator's Bane.

I'm wondering if the bug is related to the runeword or the whole mercenary when killed.

[Jeunemaitre]

One other thing to consider is the requirements of the weapon. I've had a similar problem with the strength requirement for a suit of armor that my merc was wearing... One of the mods on his weapon granted +5 to strength, giving him enough strength to wear this piece of armor, however, without the weapon equipped, the armor remained in pictorial place, but its defense disappeared from his stats on the merc version of the lying character screen. I had to replace the weapon, then pick up the armor and set it down again to get the defense bonus back...

Application of theory: if your merc's weapon requirements (strength or dexterity) are only met by adding in bonuses from other items, depending on the order of equipment that takes effect when he is reincarnated, you may have to pick some things up and put them down again to regain the bonuses they offer.

Hope this helps...

[Nicator]

I've seen that too, but at level 87 the Might mercenary can use, without items, a 188 strength and 140 dextery weapon.

The problem was solved when I removed and returned the polearm on him. However, my worries remain because in that case I had a visual warning that something wasn't ok (no Holy Freeze below him), but what when I don't have that kind of warning? Should I believe the lying character (mercenary) screen?

[Jeunemaitre]

Good question. If the item requirements aren't the problem, does the merc have any other items that are generating auras? I'm not very familliar with aura order, but do paladins have trouble with conflicting auras?

Sorry I couldn't be more help...

[Nicator]

If the item requirements aren't the problem, does the merc have any other items that are generating auras?

Nope, Stealskull (helm) and Gladiator's Bane (armor) come from 1.09. Of course, a Might mercenary has Might Aura, but that's as far as his versatility goes :)

I'm not very familliar with aura order, but do paladins have trouble with conflicting auras?

Not at all. The worst that can happen is, when several sources of the same aura, a lower slvl replacing a higher slvl aura every 3 (or 4, not sure) seconds.

Sorry I couldn't be more help...

Oh, don't be, you're giving me a hand after all. ;)

[Guest]

I'm wondering if the bug is related to the runeword or the whole mercenary when killed.

2) i've heard this happens with set item bonuses as well. also they lose their passives at death untill you re-make a game, that doesn't effect un-modded games though.

maybe they even lose all the resists or even more things..

[Nicator]

After the previous report, I've tested a paladin, slvl 21 Fanaticism, with an Act 5 mercenary using the same armor, Rockstopper helm and 'Fury' (made in 1.09) ethereal Balrog Blade. Not that I wanted to let the mercenary die, but hell's Infector of Souls really wanted to help with the test.

I resurrected the mercenary and didn't even open his screen. He came back, attacked at full speed (10 frames) and showed the life leech graphics.

From what you've heard and what I've seen, I assume that certain items on merc, when he(she) dies, are triggering this bug. Those are probably the new runewords and set items with new attributes. The bug makes the game to ignore some/all items on the resurrected mercenary, and (may) affect mercenary statistics and skills.