Which Runeword Weapon should I use to equip my Act2 Merc?

[Valeria]

Which Runeword Weapon should I use to equip my Act2 Merc?

I have a lvl77 Act2 Might Merc who's currently using this weapon:

Pierre Tombale Couant
Partizan
Two-Hand Damage: 113 To 248
Required Level: 43
Required Strength: 113
Required Dexterity: 67
Durability: 65
Base Weapon Speed: [10]
+208% Enhanced Damage
Adds 12-20 Damage
55% Deadly Strike
+185 To Attack Rating
+3 To Barbarian Skill Levels
6% Mana Stolen Per Hit
30% Faster Hit Recovery

And since I found a Fal Rune I tought I might try one of those 2 Runewords:

Obedience
Hel + Ko + Thul + Eth + Fal
30% Chance To Cast Level 21 Enchant When You Kill An Enemy
40% Faster Hit Recovery
+370% Enhanced Damage
-25% Target Defense
Adds 3-14 Cold Damage 3 Second Duration
-25% To Enemy Fire Resistance
40% Chance of Crushing Blow
+200-300 Defense (varies)
+10 To Strength
+10 To Dexterity
All Resistances +20-30
Requirements -20%

...or this one:

Insight
Ral + Tir + Tal + Sol
Level 10-17 Meditation Aura When Equipped (varies)
+35% Faster Cast Rate
+200-260% Enhanced Damage (varies)
+9 To Minimum Damage
180-250% Bonus to Attack Rating (varies)
Adds 5-30 Fire Damage
+75 Poison Damage Over 5 Seconds
+1-6 To Critical Strike (varies)
+5 To All Attributes
+2 To Mana After Each Kill
23% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

Which of those 2 runewords is best to replace my weapon?

 

[Jingizu]

It depends on your character, if you have problems with mana, it's better to use insight.

If not, I would vote for obedience.


But remember that these runewords are not available in unmodded game...

 

[DeathMaster]

Insight (10 char)

 

[Valeria]

It depends on your character, if you have problems with mana, it's better to use insight.

If not, I would vote for obedience.


But remember that these runewords are not available in unmodded game...

I don't care about mana, I got good life/mana leech with my Straferzon.
I just care about damage and life for my merc.
Are both those 2 Runewords better than the Weapon he currently uses?
I see that Obedience has 370% ED while Insight about 200% ED. Ugh:sad2:

 

[DeathMaster]

I don't care about mana, I got good life/mana leech with my Straferzon.
I just care about damage and life for my merc.
Are both those 2 Runewords better than the Weapon he currently uses?
I see that Obedience has 370% ED while Insight about 200% ED. Ugh:sad2:

Insight helps on unleechable, and keep you firing arrows none stop.:thumbsup: And the MF cannot be bad either.

 

[Valeria]

Insight helps on unleechable, and keep you firing arrows none stop.:thumbsup: And the MF cannot be bad either.

Actually I was thing of the enormous 370%ED + 40%crushing bow + 20 resist all and lvl21 Enchant isn't bad either. Insight isn't bad but I don't think It compares to the killing power Obedience provides.
Are there any other interesting Runewords for Act2 Mercs, besides those with high-end runes?

 

[kingdryland1]

Decent strafers have no mana issues. Obedience is the way,indeed.

 

[LprMan]

Insight helps on unleechable, and keep you firing arrows none stop.:thumbsup: And the MF cannot be bad either.

Since when strafers have had so much mana problems they give Insight to their merc? Also, 23% MF is not going to make any difference, mercs don't kill that many enemies.

I would choose Obedience, preferably in a ethereal elite polearm.

 

[DeathMaster]

well, look the rune cost. I'd use Insight.

On the plus side, with Insight you can take off leech gears, and put on more damage/MF.

On the damage department, CM is much cheaper, and might kill faster as long as not facing LI (think someone like baal which has a lot of life).

 

[SeDnA]

Obedience.

 

[Hrus]

Obedience. And make it in an elite ethereal weapon. Then you will see the difference between crappy non-eth exceptional unique and weapon of doom.
Also be careful with Str requirements of some polearms.

 

[LprMan]

well, look the rune cost. I'd use Insight.).

Neither of the RWs are expensive IMHO

On the plus side, with Insight you can take off leech gears, and put on more damage/MF.).

And when your merc dies, you are screwed. You can resurrect him but I try to avoid making my chars dependant on mercs

On the damage department, CM is much cheaper, and might kill faster as long as not facing LI (think someone like baal which has a lot of life).

CM is the most expensive of those 3 runewords


:evil:

 

[nichols]

Sorry to ask but what is CM you are referring to?
lol sorry for the noobness

Alex

 

[LprMan]

CM = Crescent Moon

 

[SeDnA]

Weapon of Doom?

Obedience
Thresher
'HelKoThulEthFal'
Two-Hand Damage: 84 to 991
Durability: 33 of 33
Required Dexterity: 84
Required Strength: 112
Required Level: 53
Polearm Class - Fast Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 88
Fingerprint: 0xf2dbd8bd
+10 to Strength
+10 to Dexterity
+370% Enhanced Damage
+290 Defense
All Resistances +20
Adds 3-14 cold damage over 3 seconds
Requirements -20%
40% Faster Hit Recovery
-25% Target Defense
40% Chance of Crushing Blow
30% Chance to cast Level 21 Enchant When You Kill an Enemy
-25% to Enemy Fire Resistance
Ethereal (Cannot be Repaired), Socketed (5: 5 used)

:evil:

 

[Jingizu]

Btw maybe it's OT, but I use Reaper's Toll with most of my chars.

If you can afford it (not so expensive), it will grant you decrepify - EXTREMELY usefull - your merc slows the enemies so much and breaks their physical immunity, that he needs not huge amount of damage...

Leech Helm (Tal's or Gaze) + Shaftstop + Reapers = good merc

 

[AJK]

I agree with Jingizu on the usefulness of a Reaper's. 10000 dead cows can attest to that :grin:.
I also agree that 'Obedience' offers the big-bang for your buck. Which leads me to the following question:

Is there actually a good/cheap polearm runeword for those who go without RWM? With cheap I mean not involving Um or higher (yes, I'm ghetto). Even more specific: containing only 3,4, or 5 runes (my eth Cryptic Axes)?

 

[AndiDi]

I agree with Jingizu on the usefulness of a Reaper's. 10000 dead cows can attest to that :grin:.
I also agree that 'Obedience' offers the big-bang for your buck. Which leads me to the following question:

Is there actually a good/cheap polearm runeword for those who go without RWM? With cheap I mean not involving Um or higher (yes, I'm ghetto). Even more specific: containing only 3,4, or 5 runes (my eth Cryptic Axes)?

Did you take a look at Honor? I love this runeword. I have used it on almost every melee char I did at some point.

-Andi

 

[AJK]

Did you take a look at Honor? I love this runeword. I have used it on almost every melee char I did at some point.

-Andi

Interesting, might give it a try. It's really cheap.

 

[Llathias]

Obedience, no competition. If only it had the IAS to be a viable Whirlwind weapon...