Enchantress Merc Musings

[arrunique]

After the ignoble death of my hardcore blizzard sorc to diablo's lightning breath I decided to start an enchantress. I'm now up to level 19 and am thinking ahead as to who my diablo life-partner should be.

I have two criteria for this companion:

1. Must help me deliver my enchant (act 3 mercs are out)
2. Must not die all the time even in Hell

I've played with act V mercs and try as I might I can't keep them alive in Hell. They are just too aggressive for their own good and their long leash means sometimes I'll lose track of them in the mess. I'm also poor in hardcore so I don't have the high end stuff needed to keep them alive. I wish there was some way to set them to "get in between me and arrows."

In softcore I have a brutal holy freeze merc but what makes him the hand of gods is his mighty reaper's toll pokin' stick. Without that I'm not sure if just freeze is enough defense for Hell.

That leaves the act I rogue. They are pretty good at not dying and with some cheap gear can really throw down enchanted arrows. And I can hand me down my kuko if I ever find a demon machine :)

I was wondering lower/cheaper rogue gear would best support an enchantress and am thinking of a couple of possibilities. For defense throw on a riphook to deliver slow and bleeding. Combo that with mask of horror or blackthorn and rattlecage to really keep the monsters away. For offense a witchwild or skystrike to help lay down the law to fire immunes.

Any other ideas?

[Assur]

Hi

It seems to me that you have a useful set-up for an Act 1 merc.

Personally I usually get an Act 2 merc with the prayer aura in ladder-HC and keep him to the end. Normal Equipment: The Tannr Gorerod, Darkglow and a rare helmet with +life and the chance to cast frostnova when hit would be a useful and affordable set. This gives your Merc 95% fire res and 80% res to all other elemental attacks. I've got summoning Bowmancer active and he and the summons really profit from him :D I'll probably upgrade the Gorerod when my merc reaches level 34.

good karma

[Chameleon]

Some inexpensive ideas for Act 2 Holy Freeze Merc.

Howltusk - Knockback and 25% monster flee
Face of Horror - 50% monster flee
Rattlecage - 40% mosnter flee and 25% crushing blow
Steelgoad - 75% monster flee
Razortine - Slow target 25%
Kelpie Snare - Slow target 75%
Blackleach Blade - 5% cast weaken

And just make liberal use of teleport to control your merc.
As for lack of physical, phaw, you are using Enchant.
As for keeping merc alive, well, I generally call my merc "The Walking Money Pit" :P.

Edit: Added Razortine and Kelpie Snare as an afterthought.

[arrunique]

I just traded for a demon arch pokin stick so that sort of leans me toward the freeze merc.