Is nobody else playing this tourney?
Well, I certainly have fun playing, so I'll keep going.
Not a cookie cutter build, but the Daggerzon is at least a build that makes sense.
Halfway through Act I NM, I found an etehereal Kinemil's Awl. After upgrading, this did a lot more damage than anything I had for the desert guards, so I switched to Hild the barbarian merc. With no life steal, he was pretty frail, so solid Decoy use was a must for good progress.
Found my first
of these out in the desert. If I do play with a Defiance or Prayer merc in the late game, my solution to PI critters must come from my gear.
I was a little scared of CVT level 2. Used a tactic I have picked up recently -
this place is usually the safest base you can have.
Killing speed against high-life enemies (unravelers, Hulks, etc..) was really quite slow. I used my daggers on weapon switch a lot - a pack of 180% ED Ferocious War Dart of Vileness. Just hitting these enemies once each made a big difference.
After I had spent an absurd amount of money gambling Poleaxes, Halberds and Pikes, I finally scored a weapon that I could upgrade to something better than Kinemil's:
Demon Barb
Partizan
Two-Hand Damage: 91 to 179
Durability: 65 of 65
Required Dexterity: 67
Required Strength: 113
Required Level: 40
Polearm Class - Very Fast Attack Speed
+139% Enhanced Damage
+10 to Minimum Damage
Cold Resist +14%
Required Level +5
40% Increased Attack Speed
195% Damage to Undead
+177 to Attack Rating against Undead
Repairs 1 durability in 33 seconds
Still not a powerful weapon for a merc in players 8 mid-Nightmare. What do you do to increase the kill speed? Pick a Might merc, of course. Killing speed did improve, which was badly needed in the temples. Sarina's gang (Extra Strong) still gave me quite some trouble.
I did not trust my character's ability to go toe-to-toe with Mephisto for a very long time, so I took him on players 3 so my Strength Kris would be effective. I consulted Ormus for support.
Gee, thanks...
The fight wasn't that bad, though. Fouth act boss in a row I have used this dagger against, and the third where I've worn Umbral Disk, which I have about 60% blocking with.
Act IV NM was tough, but fun. The dreaded spawners showed up in 3/4 of the possible areas. I've learned that the best way to eventually get my merc to attack the spawner itself is to cast Decoy next to the spawner, on the side of it that's
away from the merc. This means that the little ones will eventually gather there.
I wanted both better fire resist and CBF in the Diablo fight. Hence, I went with my Rhyme shield, and switched to Hotspur (=> 71% fire resist). Lightning resist was just OK, but I was not so concerned because you can avoid the lightning hose on NM
by getting right up in D's face. The fight went really well - I did not even need to go back to town for more potions. Zanarhi survived, and he got the kill for about 450% MF,
and it sure paid off.
What a great drop! Spineripper is not a bad little poker. And get this, the Yari is ethereal! I put AmnShaelShael in it. Merc weapon is now set for the endgame. Not at all sure what to imbue now. Probably some sort of elite daggers.
While I would really like an Act I merc in Act V NM (you can be a lot more tactically elegant against all those ranged attackers), good Decoy and Slow Missiles use should see me and Zanarhi through, I hope.
Current skills:
Inner Sight 1
Slow Missiles 3
Decoy 20
Dodge 6
Avoid 3
Critical Strike 14
Penetrate 20
Pierce 7
Notable other finds:
Trang-Oul's Claws
The Spirit Shroud
39% Ruby Heavy Boots of Speed (shopped)
11/67 Rainbow Amulet of the Squid
23/91 Garnet Belt of the Whale
runes: Pul, Ko, Lum x2, Io
Jewel of Thunder with perfect value (1-100)
rare ring:
Blood Loop
Ring
Required Level: 35
+66 to Attack Rating
+2 to Minimum Damage
Fire Resist +22%
Lightning Resist +20%
6% Life stolen per hit
3% Mana stolen per hit
Destoyer Summer the daggerzon and Zanarhi the Might guard, level 67, NM Frigid Highlands next
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