@Pb_pal - Like you said, just stomp Nihlathak and let the hammers fly. It's been a decade since I played one, but I remember hammers taking down Nihlathak fairly quick. Paladins are tanky enough to handle all the stuff down there.
Rank Exp(Bln) Lvl Class Name Player Updated DD-MM-YYYY
1 3.446 HC 98 Sorceress Opagangnamstyle zgpmf 12-04-2013
2 3.369 98 Assassin Jenna Grogs
3 3.333 98 Barbarian yy scrcrw 16-12-2012
4 3.330 98 Paladin Fordyl Kitteh 21-08-2016
5 3.306 98 Sorceress Michelle Solar Ice 23-02-2010
6 3.304 98 Amazon CRG Lady_Fury 30-07-2016
7 3.282 98 Sorceress Sparkles Ipsilantee 17-03-2009
8 3.260 HC 98 Paladin Quov-Tsin Solar Ice 26-12-2012
9 3.244 98 Sorceress Electra krovak 12-01-2009
10 3.230 98 Barbarian PvP_Baba Naab 05-06-2011
11 3.229 98 Necromancer Toxik usamahanas
12 3.229 98 Sorceress Atil Thyiad 19-02-2011
13 3.229 98 Necromancer Teron Tupsi 05-01-2013
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1 3.109 97 Paladin Roland Dodgydave 10-04-2014
2 3.101 97 Paladin Swiss_Cheese Masas
3 3.100 97 Barbdruid Unnatural DX
4 3.100 97 Paladin Zalikoo Jaedhann 03-07-2010
5 3.081 97 Assassin Akane Nagisa 07-07-2013
6 3.040 97 Paladin Temps_deMarteau jrlafrance 02-05-2011
7 3.025 97 Necromancer Shrek Vajurewi
8 3.010 97 Paladin Hybridadinadin RibGriller
9 3.010 97 Sorceress Lightemup RibGriller
10 3.007 HC 97 HammerDin Inultus Grisu 13-09-2012
11 3.006 97 Paladin Emperor bassano 18-11-2009
12 3.005 97 Amazon BigBoobsBigBow Silospen
13 3.003 97 Barbarian Uber_Neno neno
14 3.001 97 Sorceress Hera Reborn2k
15 2.989 97 Assassin Jasmine sequana 14-08-2009
16 2.985 97 Sorceress Spellweaver Dazliare 03-03-2013
17 2.980 97 Paladin Brand_Dale King's Spectre
18 2.962 97 Amazon Viraya Hrus
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1 2.927 96 Necromancer Zhar(RWM+FE mod) LprMan
2 2.922 96 Sorceress blizzardmaster bassano 18-11-2009
3 2.840 96 Paladin Charged Shermo
4 2.806 96 Necromancer usamahuuu usamahanas
5 2.804 96 Sorceress Lore NorthDakota 7-14-2013
6 2.800 96 Barbarian Lycaeus dune6836 17-06-2009
7 2.794 96 Paladin Abresax Wicket
8 2.791 96 Sorceress BackAgain EasyG 13-09-2012
9 2.790 96 Sorceress BlizzMeSilly nubikoen
10 2.762 96 Sorceress MshRmMouthNoise dune6836 01-06-2009
11 2.747 96 Paladin Cheeser Neksja 08-03-2009
12 2.740 HC 96 Paladin Harry-dAmour Crawlingdeadman 26-09-2012
13 2.730 96 Sorceress OD-BlizzSorcOT o1d_dude 28-03-2010
14 2.728 96 Necromancer Viperidae dune6836 17-06-2009
15 2.722 96 Paladin Gabriel Gabriel74
16 2.721 96 Sorceress lucania bassano 18-11-2009
17 2.720 HC 96 Sorceress Colinda Gibitam 02-02-2011
18 2.718 HC 96 BlizzSorc Langnese Grisu 19-01-2013
19 2.717 96 Sorceress Icewind sawm
20 2.717 96 Sorceress Lore NorthDakota 1-11-2012
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1 2.550 95 Necromancer Gromph Shleefin
2 2.543 HC 95 Paladin Bremmsparkfist pharphis 16-01-2013
3 2.521 95 Amazon PewPew Kimppi 26-07-2012
4 2.514 95 Barbarian Doom XDoomasX
5 2.507 95 Sorceress Xandra Are
6 2.502 95 Sorceress Obfuscated_C SkaMan
7 2.500 95 Sorceress My-Morwel slarti
8 2.499 95 Wolfbarb Morph nebux
9 2.496 95 Sorceress Alara Deadbob
10 2.494 95 Sorceress Jaaneito Toppo
11 2.493 95 Amazon Katzenjammer factory
12 2.493 95 Sorceress Lady_Vashj Zhao_Yue
13 2.492 95 Blizzsorc ColdA**B**** sirpoopsalot
14 2.492 95 Sorceress Icy_Hell EternalTenacity 24-07-2010
15 2.492 HC 95 Sorceress Lulu LiquidClear
16 2.492 95 Sorceress Mito dhaos 22-07-2013
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1 2.458 94 Barbarian ISeeRed Kimppi 21-05-2011
2 2.412 94 Druid Debbbole Debbbole
3 2.397 94 Sorceress Tortinita Nagisa 07-07-2013
4 2.359 94 Sorceress Point Shermo
5 2.342 94 Sorceress Aeryn Aerwynd
6 2.340 94 Sorceress oz GabrielSylar
7 2.309 94 Barbarian Doolin_Axes jrlafrance
8 2.301 94 Paladin Jermaine Lemming
9 2.289 94 Paladin Skaro skipjack 06-09-2010
10 2.288 94 Amazon BitterBeauty Tasdaz
11 2.287 94 Sorceress Chelle Shade
12 2.287 94 Paladin Hagrid Mikle
13 2.287 94 Sorceress Flogging_Molly Hp_Sauc
14 2.287 94 Sorceress MeLoveBurgers DX
15 2.286 94 Sorceress Bella smilts
16 2.286 94 Druid Iltschi Tenecabo 27-09-2015
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1 2.236 93 Sorceress PureBlizzard Friiser 15-09-2009
2 2.234 93 Necromancer Sharn-Mes Sharn-Mes
3 2.202 93 Necromancer ArmyoftheDead Friiser 15-09-2009
4 2.186 93 Sorceress Sorceress Bugzy
5 2.150 93 Assassin Sneaky-Barren barren
6 2.148 93 Druid WinterBreeze Cyrax 30-05-2014
7 2.137 93 Necromancer BobSellers L8hingeTheUnhinged
8 2.134 93 Sorceress Freezyaballs Thyiad
9 2.114 93 Amazon Eagle tripsu
10 2.107 93 Sorceress ColdAsIce SuperSavage
11 2.105 93 Paladin Tarr Tarr
12 2.100 93 Paladin Thanatos FodderCannoned
13 2.098 93 CL/FW Sorc ChainSmokin sirpoopsalot (retired)
14 2.097 93 Barbarian Horus aarrgus
15 2.084 93 Amazon Catte-brie Sunbearie
16 2.084 93 Barbarian Nasca Sledge
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1 2.074 92 Sorceress HC-WomenAreWeak PuffeN
2 2.049 92 Sorceress IceQueen RoidRage
3 2.023 92 Sorceress Lily QueenEm retired
4 2.022 92 Sorceress Quezacotl NightBurst
5 2.013 HC 92 Paladin Mehuggah Martinkingss 27-06-2011
6 2.000 92 Assassin MahTahHahRee WiseGuy
7 1.999 HC 92 Sorcy Blizzardisha sike 18-03-2009
8 1.986 92 Necromancer Tracul Tracul(RWM)
9 1.974 HC 92 Necromancer HCLRWPN sebhehe 16-01-2013
10 1.973 92 Amazon Ursula Jason Maher 19-06-2012
11 1.948 92 Amazon Rhiannon Jason Maher 19-06-2012
12 1.932 92 Sorceress MistressGale Jackalope
13 1.931 92 Barbarian Immortal_King INC
14 1.931 92 Amazon asdf_Joan asdfgah
15 1.927 92 Sorceress Meteorb Sir Lister of Smeg
16 1.925 92 Amazon Angel Lord_Vega
17 1.924 92 Sorceress Frosty_Ploppy DX
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1 1.909 91 Sorceress IcyHotTouch EternalTenacity 03-05-2009
2 1.856 91 Paladin Zeus Joosh 16-08-2009
3 1.821 91 Amazon ThePerfectJava Silospen
4 1.802 91 Paladin Daniela kstuart 31-12-2012
5 1.801 91 Necromancer UnHoly_XR XrceR
6 1.789 91 Barbarian Smashington angeldesignpro 27-02-2011
7 1.767 91 Amazon Maveen VinKelRix
8 1.765 91 Amazon Uber_Fluffy DX
9 1.764 HC 91 Necromancer Skelemancer WailingDoom
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1 1.756 90 Sorceress pingu 4fun
2 1.738 90 Sorceress Serena Tarr
3 1.736 90 Paladin Dizzy_Hitter Frosty
4 1.662 90 Paladin Emperor_II bassano 18-11-2009
5 1.638 90 Sorceress TP-Fice SeeiN2StarS
6 1.620 90 Assassin Halle Nazdakka
7 1.619 90 Paladin Cervantes Lord_Vega
Standard merc armor when running Nihl is Gladiator's Bane (b/c of the straight PDR).I think it's quite safe, didn't really have much problem even with the vipers, except that the merc was kinda fragile, he died few times to vipers and other shooters. Maybe some other gear would be better for him. Nihl is annoying target but I think he is that for any characters. His movement is very much akin to the Oblivion Knights in CS, plus the teleporting, so not exactly easy to hit with hammers. Early decrep from merc helps alot.
Did a 50K, 50 miler, 100 miler already this summer, and have a 50 miler coming up in two weeks from Saturday. Last race of season then shut it down until no later than about Halloween.Are you still running though?