CS running Hammerdin help

[frozzzen1]

CS running Hammerdin help

Yesterday I remade my Hammerdin so I can run CS.
I must say that it's not safest area to run but it's something new and I like it.

Dying is a normal thing each 10 runs or so, but it's not my main problem. My main problem is mercenary. Since DX did his lvl99 Hammerdin I just copied his merc setup ( shame on me ) and it works fine - as long as I don't have to face Diablo. Steel shade, Shaftstop, Mosier and Lawbringer sword.
Firestorm = dead merc
Red lightling = dead merc
Since Diablo takes my merc as priority target his death is unavoidable. Any tips for keeping him alive? I even tried Blackthorn's face for lite sorb but I can't have 2 elements absorb on merc.

Only thing I can remember of is that he's possibly undereleveled. Hammerdin is lvl 86 atm and his merc 85. Would 5 levels help in his surviving?

 

[stephan]

Re: CS running Hammerdin help

IIRC if you unequip his Lawbringer Diablo won't target him anymore.

You could also try to throw around his gear and try something like Kira's, GA, and a -reqed SS.

 

[Ragnarod]

Re: CS running Hammerdin help

I don't think the extra levels will help him survive if Diablo targets him, but I don't have much experience with act 3 mercs in the CS :scratchchin: Are you using Enigma, and if you are, are you teleporting on top of Diablo? That might be a reason why your merc is getting toasted... You could also try using some straight damage reduction on him (Gladiator's Bane, perhaps?), since both Firestorm and the PLBoD deal damage per frame it might help your merc surviving.

 

[bcoe]

Re: CS running Hammerdin help

I've been reasonably pleased with stacking on the MDR. I use Gladiator's Bane, Vampire's Gaze, Gerke's Sanctuary and lawbringer. He still dies, but it usually takes a couple of shots, giving me time to teleport him back on top of D and/or to pot him up...

 

[maxicek]

Re: CS running Hammerdin help

What are you using to kill Diablo? Maybe a Stormlash / Grief Smite would be better than hammers, and keep him more occupied. I have only run Baal with a Hammerdin, but certainly 'lash was better for him - take him down to 1/4 life and then finish with hammers.

When I get around to re-building my Liberator, I'll be giving CS a go to level him though.

 

[DZJB]

Re: CS running Hammerdin help

Are you using Enigma, and if you are, are you teleporting on top of Diablo?

This. Works very well as far as I've seen. Take note that I don't have an Enigma, so I haven't tried it yet.

Also, check this out. I asked Corrupted in the comments what setup he used on his merc.

 

[Pyrohemia1]

Re: CS running Hammerdin help

I was having trouble with mercenary death's in CS but I have solved them now. I still don't have a steel shade, but my setup is as follows:

Kiras, Lawbringer, Eth Guardian Angel, Mosers.

The main problem that was causing mercenary deaths was that my Battle Orders would run out consistently just before I fought Diablo. I solved that by paying more attention to whether it was on or not. This hammerdin leveled to 95 in pits and there I never needed to refresh Battle Orders so I became lazy it seems. BO level = 28. :whistling:

My other strategy is to keep teleporting on top of Diablo and around him in order to keep the mercenary away from the spells.

 

[jjscud]

Re: CS running Hammerdin help

There is another method and that is to fool Diablo's AI. Its a reasonably complex algorithm but in the end, most parts balance out and it comes down to who has the highest max damage (normal attack). I added several sc with lots of lit damage and one jewel to my setup and diablo hasn't looked twice at my merc since.

The does eat into your already very limited charm options but I found that I could still keep maxxed resists and heavily stacked fire res and enough lit damage to make it.

This isn't for everyone but I really liked it when I was going for 99, it changed the diablo fight from a difficult struggle to a few seconds of relaxation each run, something that really helped me to continue to run for much longer time periods.

 

[bassano]

Re: CS running Hammerdin help

Do not be sad or worry from that beacuse remember that you are only level 86 and that is really low for CS
Tha's reason I ran pit up to 90 beacuse it is even faster even more save then CS up to 91-92 or somethink like that but I wanted to run CS just on 90.
Maybe if you want to go to 99, go back to pit for a while yet and on 90 back to CS beacuse you will have enough chance to run CS between 98-99
Or run only CS without diablo, it is faster too for exp/time up to level 96, you really do not need to kill diablo
And if you really want to kill diablo, change a little gear of merc to : guardian angel, lawbringer, kiras and stormshield (-req jewel)
When diablo is casting firestorm, tele on the other side of him on that moment beacuse he can not change direction of firestorm
When he is casting lightning, tele once again on him beacuse close to him it do only few damage.
But when merc will be more level, he will survive much better, believe me

 

[bcoe]

Re: CS running Hammerdin help

Re: jjscud's method:

I just tried this by adding a few arcing and toxic small charms. It worked beautifully. I don't think my merc's life dropped below 80%. It was only 5 runs, so it may have been just luck, but so far so good.

 

[jjscud]

Re: CS running Hammerdin help

Good to hear bcoe, however, iirc poison damage doesn't count the same (maybe only its per frame damage), I would be curious if you saw the same effects with the toxic charms removed.

 

[DX-Crawler]

Re: CS running Hammerdin help

After I put on steelshade my merc could almost take as many firestorms as diablo managed to cast without being damaged but at that time he was at lvl 98 and above 3K life. The maximum amount of firestorms that I counted was 4 and my merc didnt have any problem. But teleing to the other side of bid works too if you use some form of teleing. But if you can spare the charms use that method instead.

The lightning breath is not a big deal as long as you stay close to diablo it wont hurt him. The levels could help quite alot imo. Noticed big difference in merc survival after 93-94.